Bitterroot Star - March 22, 2023

CHILI: Brother and sister take first and second

Continued from page 1 we had community support, everybody had a great time, I think it went great.” said Sosa.

After paying $5 admission, participants could try chili made by 20 teams. Team entries were judged by a panel consisting of Dave and Mari Laursen, owners of Far West Storage, Dave Thennis, Superintendent of Stevensville Public Schools, and Stephen Lassiter, Stevensville Parks Director. Chilies varied from classic styles to elk with pineapple. Spiciness level varied, and so did the teams from all over the area.

In third place was the team Red Hot Chili Peppers, who’s winning recipe was called “Chili Chili Bang Bang.” In second place was Morgan Doyle, with her recipe “Mom’s Chili.” In first place, “with bragging rights,” as Chief Sosa said during announcing, was

Ethan Doyle. Having left his 13-year-old sister in second, 11 year-old Ethan excitedly accepted his trophy and prize money. According to his father, Sean Doyle, this was the first chili his son had ever made. Young Ethan used a pork green chili he called “Mimi’s Recipe.”

Kruse said, ”I was really excited that Ethan won first place. They are just a really nice family.”

At the end of the chili eating, before the auction, the Stevensville American Legion Post donated a several hundred dollar check to the department, and the Stevensville Civic Club donated $1,000. According to Sean Doyle, Civic Club President, “they help us with everything we do.”

Ethan Doyle holds up his trophy. The 11-year-old won first at the Stevensville Police Department Annual Chili Cook-Off last Saturday. It may have been his first chili ever, but his father said this won’t be the last time he rubs it in his sister’s face. Photo By John Dowd.

YOUR SUMMER ADVENTURE WITH PURPOSE

Youth 14-18 yrs old Montana Conservation Corps

20 different chilis were served during the cook-off. According to bystanders, it may have been too many for an individual to try them all, but the judges managed to do so.

by John Dowd.

No program fee WWW.MTCORPS.ORG

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Photo

The recipe that won third place, “Chili Chili Bang Bang.” Photo by John Dowd.

BOND: Hamilton schools hold town hall on middle school needs

the Westview site at South 9th and Main Street. The property is owned by the district, and the main building there currently houses the Bitterroot College. There are also recreational fields and bus maintenance quonset huts. Korst said that the Bitterroot College building would remain in place with new construction happening further to the south. The bond would also provide funding to construct a new entryway and additional classrooms for Hamilton High School. According to the district, lack of classrooms has limited the amount of elective classes that students take, while the entryway itself is

distant from school offices and hard to monitor, a fact that falls out of step with security requirements of schools today.

Korst explained that upon passage of the bond, the district would begin looking at their assets and conducting market and feasibility studies which would include considering consolidation and selling of district properties. The Washington Elementary School site had been considered for sale, but the district has since moved an early kindergarten program into the building which is not only growing, but “increases a child’s academic and social success,” and “decreases burdens on families,” according to Korst.

Ultimately, Superintendent Korst guesses that the Bond would be a 50+ year solution to the district’s facilities needs. He added that the levy, which aims to retain select programs such as Keystone, early kindergarten and career/tech programs and retain staff, would be a 10+ year solution.

For more information about the district proposals, and to view the informational video, visit the information page on their website at: https://www.hsd3.org/page/2023hsd3-bond-and-levy.

book page, and only a handful of questions were posted on that forum.

On the district website, the need for the bond and levy is expressed by saying, “The levy will ensure we maintain crucial student programs, expand programs and retain our excellent staff. The bond enables us to build a new middle school and improve the security of the high school’s front entrance and its overall student capacity. It would also allow us to repurpose older buildings and land to benefit our community.” The district also provided a seven-minute video wherein school officials and staff provide additional information on the need for passage of the bond and levy. They make the case for the strong need that Hamilton has for construction of a new, modern middle school.

Hamilton’s middle school sits on the corner of South 5th and State Streets, and suffers a number of design flaws that district officials point to as being detrimental to student education. No one would be faulted for equating the building’s only ‘play-

ground’ with a prison yard, the name by which multiple school staff members apparently call it. Middle School teacher Amanda Kirkbride commented about the playground within the video by saying, “If you’ve seen our playground, it’s pretty pathetic. It’s just a big concrete slab. I feel like we have a lot of behavior problems because the kids get bored and they don’t have slides or swings or or even a tire to play on.”

In the video, school board member Tim Campbell weighs in on the building known as ‘The Pod’ to the south of the concrete slab, saying that it has, “no windows, no green space, no open air. It wasn’t built with education in mind.”

“The reality is that the middle school has served our community for almost 25 years at this point in time,” said Korst during Tuesday’s meeting. “It’s done well, but it has certainly outlived its original purpose. It’s time to consider a new option.”

Korst pointed out that no decisions were final, but their recommended site for new construction is

’The Pod’ building on the ground of Hamilton Middle School. Access to the building is only gained by going outside and crossing the basketball courts. Photo by Nathan Boddy.

The playground at Hamilton Middle School, known derisively as, ‘The Prison Yard.’ Photo by Nathan Boddy.

The playground at Hamilton Middle School, known derisively as, ‘The Prison Yard.’ Photo by Nathan Boddy.

MINERALS: A global perspective on rare earth mining

Continued from page 1

stated that they intended to do some exploratory drilling in the second quarter of 2023. (see last week’s article)

The companies in possession of mining claims extending over 4,750 acres in the Sheep Creek area are using the reports of the recent sampling study to attract investments in the project, which would involve some exploratory drilling and eventually active mining, with an estimated in the ground value of $40 billion, touting themselves as the highest-grade deposit in the U.S.

But they are not the only companies beating the bush for investors in the new – and projected to skyrocket – “need” for rare earth elements (REE). Most of the initial funding fueling this rash of potential REE development projects is coming directly from the Department of Defense, like the recent study conducted by Montana Tech and the mining companies in the local Sheep Creek Project.

Another company at work in the U.S. is American Rare Earth Limited. It’s actually an Australian company with assets in the U.S. It is 100% owner of La Paz Rare-Earth Project, touted as the largest rare-earth deposit in the U.S., located 200 km northwest of Phoenix, AZ, and the Halleck Creek rare earth project in Wyoming.

“Both have potential to be among the largest, rare earths deposits in North America,” it states on the company website. A 2021 drilling campaign doubled the size of the Indicated Resource and increased the size of the total resource estimate to more than 170 million tonnes of rare earth mineralized ore plus added a new resource estimate of 4.4 million kg of high value Scandium Oxide.

According to the company’s website, the U.S. Department of Energy plans to provide federal funding for cost-shared research and development under the funding opportunity announcement (FOA) Carbon Ore, Rare Earth, and Critical Minerals (CORE-CM) Initiative for U.S. Basins. It calls the government initiative “a key driver and powerful incentive for the company to accelerate the growth and development of the La Paz and Hallek Creek projects.”

“As a key US strategic resource, this and other critical mineral development programs are designed to provide feedstock for US-based processing. This commercial pathway that includes US Department of Energy incentives, along with reduced permitting hurdles provided by the Department of the Interior, allows WRE the opportunity to capitalize on the revival of a US supply chain for rare-earth elements (REE) and critical minerals. Our specific focus includes Scandium and especially the high-value REE Lanthanides needed for EV motors,” states the company.

One promoter of investment of the business who “may or may not be connected to the company” according to the attached disclaimer, states the company is well funded, finishing 2021 with over A$8 million plus having raised another A$1.4 million in the first two months of 2022.

“With a market cap of roughly A$161 million (US$117 million) it’s not your typical junior mining stock, but then again, your typical junior mining stock isn’t sitting on potentially the largest rare earth deposit in the USA,” he claims.

USA Rare Earth LLC is another player in the field. Owner and operator of the Round Top Heavy Rare Earth, Lithium and Critical Minerals Project in Hudspeth County, Texas, together with joint venture partner Texas Mineral Resources Corp., USA Rare Earth LLC is projected to begin mining 950 state-owned acres at the Round Top deposit in Sierra Blanca, Texas. USA

Hondo facility. Lynas plans to ship rare earths from its mine in western Australia for final processing in Texas.

In November 2020, Urban Mining Co., based in San Marcos, Texas, entered into an $860,000 Defense Production Act Title III technology investment agreement with the DoD to conduct its smallscale pilot program of recycling rare earth elements from

geographer at the University of Delaware in Newark, the entire rare earth mining industry is wrestling with a legacy of environmental problems. The problem is the incredibly complex processing required to separate the rare earth elements from the ore in which it is bound up with every other element.

Klinger believes environmental problems were a major

pollution of surface water, groundwater and farmland.” The “excessive rare earth mining,” the council wrote, led to landslides and clogged rivers. “Faced with these mounting environmental disasters, as well as fears that it was depleting its rare earth resources too rapidly, China slashed its export of the elements in 2010 by 40 percent. The new limits sent prices soaring and kicked off concern around the globe that China had too tight of a stranglehold on these must-have elements. That, in turn, sparked investment in rare earth mining elsewhere,” wrote Klinger.

It was these developments that led a new company called Molycorp to purchase the Mountain Pass Mine and resume mining in 2008. The company proposed a plan to avoid spilling wastewater into nearby fragile habitats, resumed mining, and introduced a “dry tailings” process — a method to squeeze 85 percent of the water out of its mine waste, forming a thick paste. The company would then store the immobilized, pasty residue in lined pits on its own land and recycle the water back into the facility.

Rare Earth has announced it will process rare earths onsite and projects the mine is likely to yield 16 or 17 rare earth elements and more than 300,000 metric tons of rare earth oxides. (One metric ton equates to 2,204.62 pounds.)

The company has acquired the neodymium permanent magnet manufacturing system, formerly owned and operated by Hitachi Metals in North Carolina, and the only commercial-scale system of its kind in the United States. USA Rare Earth is preparing to recommission the system for production, and once operational, plans to create a domestic supply chain that produces at least 2,000 tons annually of rare earth magnets.

“We will be the first company not only to extract, which is the mining component, but to operate the processing side in the United States,” says Aliesha Knochenhauer, Director of Environmental Services & Sustainability. “What makes us even more unique is we will be able to supply the entire supply chain by taking the material that we mine, processing [it] into rare earth oxides, and then creating the magnets.”

As part of the U.S. government’s strategy to secure reliable supplies of critical minerals, the Department of Defense (DoD) has announced contracts and agreements with two rare earth element producers in Texas to strengthen the domestic rare earths supply chain.

Texas-based Blue Line Corporation partnered with Lynas Rare Earths Ltd. – an Australia-based company and the largest rare earths mining and processing company outside China - plans to open rare earths processing facilities in Hondo, Texas.

In February 2021, the DoD awarded Lynas a Defense Production Act Title III technology investment agreement and contributed $30.4 million to fund the construction of the

electronic waste to produce new permanent neodymium magnets.

Meanwhile, the only major up and running Rare Earth Element mine in the U.S., the Mountain Pass Rare Earth Mine and processing facility in California, owned by MP Materials, is putting its own three-stage plan into effect that aims to create its own complete chain of operation from mine to magnet production.

MP Materials announced in February 2022 that it was awarded a $35 million contract with the DoD to support construction of a commercial scale processing facility for heavy rare earth elements at Mountain Pass. The company said that in a separate contract awarded in December 2022, the DoD committed $9.6 million to the company’s Stage 2 optimization, a project underway to restore LREE processing capabilities at the mine. In addition the company is developing a rare earth metal, alloy and manufacturing facility in Fort Worth, Texas.

Past owners of the Mountain Pass Mine declared bankruptcy following a major environmental disaster involving pipeline leakages. The company was purchased by Chevron in 2005 but did not resume operations. By that time China had cornered the world market.

According to Julie Klinger, a

factor in China’s decision in 2010 to slash its export of the elements in 2010 by 40%. She notes that in 2010 officials in the city of Batou near its largest and most productive mines raised the alarm reporting that radioactive, arsenic and fluorine-containing mine waste, or tailings, was was being dumped on farmland and into local water supplies, as well as into the nearby Yellow River. The air was polluted by fumes and toxic dust that reduced visibility. Residents complained of nausea, dizziness, migraines and arthritis. Some had skin lesions and discolored teeth, signs of prolonged exposure to arsenic; others exhibited signs of brittle bones, indications of skeletal fluorosis, she states.

She notes that China’s State Council wrote in 2010 that the release of heavy metals and other pollutants during mining led to “the destruction of vegetation and

Unfortunately, Molycorp “was an epic debacle” from a business perspective, says Matt Sloustcher, senior vice president of communications and policy at MP Materials, current owner of Mountain Pass mine. Mismanagement ultimately led Molycorp to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2015. MP Materials bought the mine in 2017 and resumed mining later that year. By 2022, Mountain Pass mine was producing 15 percent of the world’s rare earths.

MP Materials, too, has an ambitious agenda with plans to create a complete supply chain. And the company is determined not to repeat the mistakes of its predecessors. “We have a world-class … unbelievable deposit, an untapped potential,” says Michael Rosenthal, MP Materials’ chief operating officer. “We want to support a robust and diverse U.S. supply chain, be the magnetics champion in the U.S.”

The company has a threestage plan “to restore the full rare earth supply to the United States,” from “mine to magnet,” Rosenthal says.

Stage 1, begun in 2017, was to restart mining, crushing and concentrating the ore. Stage 2 will culminate in the chemical separation of the rare earth elements. And Stage 3 will be magnet production, he says.

‘600 Generations’ of Americans

by John Dowd

points humans from Europe in a portion of the Mammoth Steppe, and in an area near modern day northeastern Russia, crossed the Bering land bridge into the Americas. After coming up

Davis’s presentation was organized by the Historic St. Mary’s Mission group, in conjunction with Humanities Montana, which provided the presenter. Dora Bradt, Executive

Director of the mission organization, explained that the group has plans for more presentations like this. The mission has already held several monthly presentations as part of their Saturday Series. This series sees one Saturday a month, usually the third weekend of the month, invite a presenter or group to give a talk of historic significance for the area. Their next event will be “Living with the Land” with Louise Fischer. This presentation is scheduled for April 22 at 11 a.m. Fischer will speak on Native American survival in harsh climates as well as spiritual and creative achievements. The event is meant to convey an understanding of the relationship natives had with the land. The information in Davis’s presentation can be found in further detail in his published book, “600 Generations: An Archaeological History of Montana.” Davis also does work with schools and strives to connect views on history. “I love Archaeology. I just feel like we have to connect indigenous history and American history,” said Davis. “I feel there is a disconnect. Despite what some may think, native peoples were totally engaged in how our history was formed.” Davis’s book can be found on Amazon and in local bookstores. For more information on the Historic St. Mary’s Mission, you can call (406)777-5734 or visit saintmarysmission.org.

‘New World.’ According to Carl Davis, it should be more common thought that the history of this corner of the world reaches back much further. The retired archaeologist spoke Saturday at the Historic St. Mary’s Mission in Stevensville about just that. Davis gave a presentation to an audience of a couple dozen people of what life was like prior to, and after, European migration into the Americas.

He first spoke about the tremendous diversity across the Americas, and Canada, of peoples and cultures. Davis then talked about how cyclical warming and cooling of the earth affected human migration across the globe for at least the last 25,000 years.

According to Davis, at one of these

to great mountains of ice pack, it is possible, according to Davis, that they then traveled south to colonize the rest of the continent, within the short order of only a few thousand years. According to Davis, this looks to have been done primarily by boat, though there may have been those who made it through several ice corridors into the American interior. Davis explained that it is safe to say that people have been on the continent for at least 15,000 years.

After his introduction, Davis spoke about many cultures, their lifestyles and importantly to him, how they all worked together in the big picture of native life across the country. He explained that they did this thorough warring, peacetimes and European settlement included. He also spoke on how archaeologists study and come to this information. “The things that archaeologists find are garbage, basically. Things that have been largely left behind.” According to him, these bits of broken and lost things, along with other sciences, help string together a greater picture of ancient and historic life.

For some, American history starts when Europe reached across the Atlantic to touch the shores of the

Carl Davis (above) speaks on the first peoples to migrate into the Americas. He authored a book on the same subject, speaking specifically on the native groups of the area, in and around what is now Montana. In his book, Davis expands on their relationships and connections to the wider world around them. The book cover is featured to the right. Photo above by John Dowd.

Improving diabetes Health care for Montanans

An area we’ve been trying to improve in the health care space this legislative session is combatting diabetes. Making sure that insurance plans cover diabetes education plans and glucose monitoring systems and ensuring insulin is affordable are some of the specific goals we’re working on. Three bills address these priorities.

House Bill 612, sponsored by Rep. Marta Bertoglio from Clancy, revises current law regarding insurance coverage requirements for self-management training and education for diabetes. At a minimum, the benefit must consist of 20 visits of training and education in diabetes self-management provided in either an individual or group setting if the person has not received the training and education previously. It also must provide 12 visits of follow up diabetes self-management training and education services in subsequent years for an insured person who has previously received and exhausted the initial 20 visits of education.

Legislative Briefs

By Caven Wade UM Legislative News Service UM School of Journalism

sored House Bill 170, which passed the House of Representatives on a party-line vote 67-32 on Jan. 23, and then by the Senate 34-16 on Mar. 15.

care provider. Coverage may not be limited based on the stage of the person’s disease.

Bill to add annual fee to electric vehicles nearing Governor’s des

by Jason Ellsworth

Senate Bill 340, sponsored by Sen. Jason Small of Busby, establishes limits on cost-sharing amounts for insulin prescriptions. Coverage for insulin must limit the insured person’s required copayment or other cost-sharing requirement for insulin to $35 for up to a 30-day supply of insulin, regardless of the amount or type of insulin prescribed. The bill will ensure that Montanans who need insulin can afford to get it.

A bill that would add a yearly fee to all electric vehicles in the state gets one step closer to becoming law.

Rep. Denley Loge, R-St. Regis, is sponsoring House Bill 60 which would add an annual fee to all electric vehicles in the state to substitute for Montanas gas tax.

The bill passed the House of Representatives on 92-8 on Jan. 25, and following a second reading vote of 38-12 in the Senate on Mar. 14, it will be evaluated by the Senate Finance and Claims Committee before it can be sent back to the Senate for a final vote.

“Now we all know we drive on our roads, we’ve heard about some of that already today, and our roads do fall apart,” Sen. Mark Noland, R-Bigfork, said when presenting the bill to the Senate. “So what’s fair for us who use our gasoline cars, diesel trucks – we get assessed an allotment at the gas pump. There is nothing to be charged for our wonderful electric cars.”

“Although this wasn’t one of the original red-tape removal bills that the governor had come up with, they did come in and support it heavily because frankly it basically went right along the line of what they were doing,” Sen. Jason Small, R-Busby, said when presenting the bill to the Senate.

Small said the two sections being removed haven’t been able to keep up over time, and are already covered in other sections of law, which makes them redundant. He said that this bill is pretty much a cleanup bill for the state’s environmental policy.

Sen. Chris Pope, D-Bozeman, spoke against the bill and said that one of the sections being deleted deals with all aspects of the state’s energy from past to future, and it would be a travesty to remove a section that helps with the development of all Montanans energy resources.

House Bill 758, sponsored by Rep. Fiona Nave from Columbus, establishes requirements for insurance coverage of continuous glucose monitors and supplies. Coverage of continuous glucose monitors and monitor supplies must be provided if recommended by the insured person’s health

Health care coverage is a critically important topic to all Montanans as we all need health care during our lives. We’ve had many bills presented during the legislative session so far that address things like improving provider licensing, allowing pharmacist dispensing of medication, and shoring up long-term care, some of which I’ve discussed in previous columns. The three particular bills I’ve mentioned this time are targeted at making sure diabetics get the treatment they need and at a price they can afford.

Senator Jason Ellsworth, R-Hamilton, is the President of the Montana Senate.

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Annual fees on electric vehicles would range from $130 to $1,000 depending on weight of the vehicle and calculations on how much gas tax that car would pay yearly if it had a combustion engine.

During committee hearings on the bill, the Montana Environmental Information Center raised questions about the cost of the fees and the math that was used to calculate them.

The group has opposed the bill throughout the process, arguing that the fees were way too high in comparison to other states. Several of the group’s representatives pointed to Utah, which has a $90 fee and North Dakota, which has a $120 fee, both lower than the proposed fee in Montana.

Governor signs bill to remove sections of Montana Environmental Policy

Gov. Greg Gianforte has signed into law a bill that repeals sections of the state environmental law that supporters of the bill say were incomplete.

Rep. Steve Gunderson, R-Libby, spon-

“For those of us that track energy development, I think it goes without saying that this is a time of remarkable technology change in our energy economy here in the Treasure State which in turn has brought significant market disruption with direct effects to our economy,” Pope said.

Pope said that the sections being removed are important because they have language that outlines reducing dependence on oil from “unfriendly countries,” and they allow the exploration of alternative forms of energy like nuclear and hydrogen power.

Bill that would add penalties to flying drones near wildfires gains support A bill moving through the Montana Legislature with bi-partisan support would allow charges to be filed against people who interfere with fire suppression methods by operating drones in the area of an active fire.

Sen. Willis Curdy, D-Missoula, is sponsoring Senate Bill 219 which would create the ability for counties to file charges against people who delay fire reducing efforts when operating an unmanned aerial vehicle in the area.

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Obituaries

Dorothy B. Yvonne Maples

Missoula - Dorothy B. Yvonne (Brechbill) Maples went home to be with the Lord and Savior on March 5, 2023. She was born January 23, 1927 in Stevensville, MT to Elton V. and Octavo L. (Brown) Brechbill.

Dorothy “Dot” graduated as a registered nurse from St. Patrick School of Nursing along with her sister Grace in 1949. Following that she worked for three years at Physicians and Surgeons Hospital in Portland, OR.

In 1952 she married Harvey “Bud” Maples and a year later returned to Montana after their first child was born. They resided at Seeley Lake for five years and then moved to Missoula where she worked several years at St. Patrick Hospital. The rest of her life was spent doing private duty in patients’ homes until she retired.

Dorothy grew up on a ranch in the Bitterroot up Ambrose. She was making bread at age nine. She said we all had our duties since there were 10 children.

Ambrose school was on family property. Dorothy did two years of correspondence, then finished two more years of high school. She worked at the Tamaracks in Seeley Lake the summer of 1946 to finish paying for training. One of the cabins at the Tamaracks is named “Dot” after her.

Dorothy so enjoyed having family and friends over for dinner. What a wonderful cook and pie maker she was. She always had dessert to serve any one who came to the house.

She loved being a caretaker and always put others before herself. Dorothy took care of her roommates in her home at Riverside Health Care Center. Everyone there loved her so, always remarking about what a sweet, kind soul she was.

Dorothy was preceded in death by her beloved husband “Bud” and a grandson, Wroudy Stephens, her parents, Elton and Octavo Brechbill, her brothers, Ted, Charles, Henry and Frank Brechbill, her sisters, Martha Randles, Rose Lewis, Ione McCormick, Ellen Turner and Grace Christensen.

She is survived by her three children, Mike (Linda) Maples, Debbie Parks, Anita Scothorn; six grandchildren, Brian (Anna) Maples, Chris (Cozeena) Maples, Teresa (Tony) Larson, Lacey (Jake) Kuntz and Victoria (Drue) McCawley; five great-grandchildren, James Maples, Aaliyah and Aurora Kuntz, Ethan and Devin Larson and one on the way; many nieces and nephews.

A graveside service will be held at Sunnyside Cemetery in Stevensville this spring. The day and time will be announced. Condolences and memories may be shared with the family at www.whitesittfuneralhome.com.

John Robert Mann

John Robert Mann, aged 76, of Stevensville, Montana, died in early March, 2023 from natural causes. John was born on January 13, 1947 and grew up in Victor, NY. He was an Eagle Scout, debate team captain, concert meister and member of the National Honor Society. He graduated with honors from Victor High School in 1965. He completed his bachelor’s degree in English at State University of New York at Albany and a Masters in English at State University of New York at Geneseo. He taught English and History in public schools in New York and California.

John was a consummate musician. Trained early on as a classical violinist, he became enamored with bluegrass music in college and learned to play guitar and banjo. He practiced picking every day, emulating masters Tony Rice and Doc Watson. His love of the guitar was a life-long passion which he shared by mentoring younger musicians and donating instru-

Calendar continued

the 7pm Lenten services.

Bringing food is not required, however. Just join them for dinner and fellowship, then stay for worship.

Easter Service schedule

Holy Week:

Palm Sunday, Sunday, April 9—9am Wednesday, April 5—7pm (no midweek supper)

Maunday Thursday, April 6—7pm

Good Friday, April 7:

Early service with Sacrament—3pm Service of Darkness—8pm

Easter Vigil, Saturday, April 8—8pm

Easter Day: Sunrise service—7am

Late service—10am

Easter breakfast will be served between services, beginning roughly at 8:30am.

Our Savior, affiliated with the Lutheran Church––Missouri Synod, is located at 184 Pine Hollow Road, south of Stevensville off the Eastside Highway. Proceeding past Burnt Fork Market and beyond Burnt Fork Veterinary Clinic, then through the curve, turn east onto Pine Hollow Road. Cross the tracks and the canal, and Our Savior will be on your left, marked by three crosses.

North Valley Public Library events

Wild & Weird Wednesdays with Science Officer Lisa – Wednesday, Mar 22 at 4pm

Explore the universe, both micro and macro, and learn the science mysteries behind the natural world. Expect fun activities with Legos®, paper planes, food, and more.

Children will soon be formulating their own hypotheses, experiments, and documentation in order to participate

in a grade-free science fair at the end of the summer. Concepts are geared toward ages 8-12 but younger scientists/ siblings 6-7 are welcomed if accompanied by an adult during the program. Registration required.

Houseplant Swap Social – Thursday, Mar 23 at 12pm

Don’t wait for spring to arrive, enjoy some greenery and community now!

Houseplant Swap Social is a chance to share your extra plants, cuttings or propagations, take home a new plant or two, and socialize with other plant people.

Tech Petting Zoo for Adults – Thursday, Mar 23 at 6:30pm

Does technology scare you? Intimidated by shiny electronics? Make friends with tech in a safe environment, then enjoy time to simply play and experiment!

During this session of Tech Petting Zoo for Adults, you’ll meet Makey Makey (short for make-a-keyboard) and explore its possibilities. Legos will be there, too. Registration required.

Lenten Fish Fry

The Knights of Columbus Council #13093 will be holding their annual Lenten fish fry dinners at St. Mary’s Family Center in Stevensville. They will be serving from 5 to 7 p.m with the option to dine in, drive thru or take out. Menu includes fish filets, French fries, mac and cheese, green beans, coleslaw, dessert and drinks. Cost of meal will be $15 per plate for ages 12 and up and $7 per plate for under 12. Dates are March 24th and 31st. The Knights of Columbus appreciate your support.

Square dance classes

Intro to Modern Square Dance, hosted by the Solo Stars, will take place on March 24 and 31 from 7 to

ments to schools as well as other musicians.

John’s love of bluegrass and folk music led him to join local jams around the Bitterroot Valley, and eventually inspired him to form the band “tincup”

8:30 p.m. at the Lolo Community Center, 12345 Hwy 93. Come join the Solo Stars for evenings of fun and laughter while learning this great aerobic activity set to music. Perfect time to connect and socialize. Attendance limited to first 36 participants. Ages 12 and up - all are welcome. Children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Cost $7.00 per person. For more information, or to register, call or text (208) 503-0551 or (208) 553-2727.

Baroque concert

Bitterroot Baroque will present a concert with Carrie Krause, violinist, on Sunday, March 26 at 2 p.m. at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 601 Third Street, Hamilton.

Bitterroot Baroque is back with another three-day Baroque workshop and public concert. Carrie Krause, the internationally renowned baroque violinist based in Bozeman, will lead the workshop and concert. The concert program will feature Venetian and Roman composers from the 17th and early 18th centuries, played on period instruments and featuring trumpeter Jens Jorgenson, as well as string soloists led by Krause. Bitterroot Baroque players are from the Bitterroot Valley and the Missoula area. The concert is free and open to the public, with donations happily accepted. For more information, contact Kathy Mellander at 845-5910391.

Accordion jam

Come enjoy music and dancing to good accordion music at The Rustic Hut in Florence on Sunday, March 26 from 1-4 pm, $7 at the door. Help keep this organization alive and thriving.

Fish & Wildlife

Association

The Ravalli County Fish & Wildlife Association general meeting is Monday, March

27th 6:30 p.m. at the Daly Leach Community Room, 1010 West Main St. Hamilton. Along with regular business, FWP Region 2 wardens will be giving a report on wildlife associated violations. Meetings are open to the public.

Republican Women

Ravalli County Republican Women’s Club will hold its monthly meeting and lunch on Tuesday, March 28 at 11:30 a.m. at BJ’s Restaurant in Hamilton. Guest speaker will be Jane Rectenwald speaking on Election Integrity. Members will be voting on bylaws for the club. Ravalli County Republican Women meet the fourth Tuesday of each month.

Driver safety course

Bitterroot Health (formerly Marcus Daly Hospital), located at 1200 Westwood Drive, Hamilton, will host an ALL NEW 2023 AARP Driver Safety Course on Friday, March 31 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. While this new safe driving course is designed for drivers age 50 and over, all drivers are welcome. The new program features laws and up-dates specific to Montana, Defensive Driving, Winter Driving, new Vehicle Technologies to name a few. Class size is limited; pre-registration is advised. There are no driving tests or written exams and, Montana mandates insurance discounts for qualified drivers. Certificates are good for 3 years! Class fee: $20.00, AARP members; $25.00, for non-members. For class sign up: call Jones Korman Insurance at: 406363-6583. For further information: call Thom Ainsworth, Instructor, at 369-0149.

GFWC online auction

Support the GFWC-Bitterroot Woman’s Club (BWC) Spring Online Auction March 31st - April 2nd at

with close friends Timothy Ezzell, Jacqueline Brazil, and Pam Small. Playing lead guitar and harmonizing, John brought joy to listeners at venues all over the valley.

John’s other interests included marathon running, amateur photography and ham radio.

John was preceded in death by his parents, Robert and Mary Jane Mann, and his wife Debbie. He is survived by his brother Robert Mann Jr. and his sister Roxanne Cullen; his sons Lawrence Mann and Peter Blase; his many friends in music; and his loving canine companion, WG.

There will be no service, but sometime this spring there will be a bluegrass and folk music jam in John’s honor. For now, donations in his memory may be made to the Bitterroot Human Society (bitterroothumane.org) or Bitterroot Health (www.bitterroothealth.org/forms/donatenow).

www.32auctions.com/

GFWC-BWC2023. You can browse now and the auction goes LIVE at 8am March 31st with more than 80 items from super generous community donors. Bid on massages, salon visits, art, quilts, rounds of golf, theater and ski lift tickets, music lessons, gift baskets, certificates for the Wild Mare, Skalkaho Steakhouse, Coffee Cup AND SO MUCH MORE! Proceeds will help the GFWC-BWC and the BWC Foundation support S.A.F.E., Women Veterans Programs, Scholarships for High School Seniors, School teacher appreciation, and more. The GFWC Bitterroot Woman’s Club meets the 2nd Saturday at 10:30am at 1220 W. Main, Hamilton - please check us out at https://www. facebook.com/BitterrootWomansClub/

BRHA ‘Pet Tag Day’

Help your pet find its way home! Sadly, statistics indicate that missing pets rarely find their way home. Approximately 10 million pets are lost or stolen in the United States each year and more than 6 million winds up in the nation’s animal shelters. Given that dogs and cats in shelters without ID are much less likely to be reunited with their owners, identification is the only way these lost pets will find their way home. The Bitter Root Humane Association wants to reduce those sad numbers and in celebration of “National Tag Day” will be offering reduced prices on micro-chipping and engraved ID Tags. Saturday, April 1st from noon to 4pm, the public may purchase engraved ID tags for $5 and have their pet micro-chipped for $10...or both, with no appointment needed! For your pets safety please have all dogs leashed and cats crated when entering the building. Today and every day, make sure your pets are equipped in the event they get separated from you. It

can be truly heartbreaking to lose a pet, but by tagging and micro-chipping you are more likely to reunite with your fourlegged family member! Visit BRHA’s “Pet Tag Day” on April 1st from 12 to 4 p.m. at the Bitterroot Humane Shelter, 262 Fairgrounds Road, Hamilton and turn “lost” into “found” for your beloved pet!

Jehovah’s Witness programs

A special global program featuring the theme, “You Can Face the Future with Confidence!” will be held on the weekend of April 1-2. The free 30-minute presentation will be hosted locally at the Hamilton Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, with a videoconferencing option available. Check the “Attend a Meeting” section on the homepage of jw.org for local addresses and meeting times.

“The challenges we face may seem overwhelming, but the Bible holds out a powerful hope for the future that can help us right now,” said Robert Hendriks, spokesperson for Jehovah’s Witnesses. “This global program is designed to give all those who attend tangible reasons to face the future with confidence.”

The special talk is the first of two free programs that will be held in all 118,000 congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses during the first week of April. The public is also invited to join nearly 20 million other global attendees for the annual observance of the Memorial of Jesus Christ’s death, to be held on the evening of Tuesday, April 4.

Admission to both programs is free and no registration is required. Details on when and where these events will be held locally are available at jw.org, the official website of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Popular HEARTism center looking for new space

by Nathan Boddy

It came as an unfortunate and jarring shock to Jessica Fitzpatrick, founder and Executive Director of HEARTism Community Center in Corvallis, when her organization was given a 60 day vacate notice. While she and board members of the area non-profit were not given a reason for their upcoming eviction, they suspect that it has to do with the skyrocketing demand for real estate in the Bitterroot Valley. Nonetheless, HEARTism has been left scrambling to find a suitable place to call home.

HEARTism was the first certified Autism Center in Montana, and

enumerate why more people should know about HEARTism.

“We’re providing services that are not available anywhere else in the valley and some of these services aren’t even available anywhere else in Western Montana,” she says, adding that they have a waiting list and are ready to expand.

HEARTism has two certified autism specialists – Wiezel and her daughter, AmeriCorps VISTA member, Gina Wiezel – and has trained over 30 community volunteers including fire, police and EMS in sensory awareness training. HEARTism currently serves over 50 families with programs ranging from after

children of all different abilities,” says Fitzpatrick.

While HEARTism works with people of many ages, the majority tend to fall in the elementary to teen age group, an age that can be difficult for anyone. Young people with autism or on the spectrum may find participation in many extra curricular activities to be beyond their reach based on their sensory needs, bullying or even acceptance by others. For that reason, HEARTism likes to promote itself as a location with zero bullying and a 100% acceptance and empowerment for all.

“Every community should have a safe place that people of all abilities can feel comfortable,” says Fitzpatrick.

With the knowledge that it can be hard for many kids on the spectrum to make friends, Fitzpatrick also says that another primary goal at HEARTism is to “bolster those social skills and help them find success.”

At the time of the Bitterroot Star’s interview, Fitzpatrick still had no concrete information in regards to a new location, but her fingers are crossed that a suitable space will open up soon. In the meantime, HEARTism hopes that they can find further community support through volunteer help in fundraising and organization matters, and would always accept financial support. More information can be found on their website: https://www.heartism406.org.

Victor Adult Education Spring 2023

Bitterroot Community Band:

The Bitterroot Community Band is still accepting new members! Any community member with band experience looking to get back into playing is invited to join us. Instruments can be rented through Victor School for $65. All questions can be directed to Amber Greymorning greymorning@victor.k12.mt.us

Meets: (Thursdays) Ongoing 7:00 p.m.-8:00 pm. Rehearsals will be held in the Music Room.

Cost: $25.00

First Aid & CPR:

This First Aid and CPR training and certification class covers infant, child and adult CPR/AED. Room Z

Instructor: Heart of the Valley CPR, Kristy Gaul

Meets: (Tuesday) April 18th 6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. Max of 10. Cost $25.00

Design Your Own Hanging Basket:

Visit the Victor School greenhouse anytime between the hours of 3pm - 6pm and use your creative ability to design your own floral hanging basket. We will provide a 12” white basket, soil, and annual plugs (small plants). You can grow the basket in our greenhouse until after the last frost of the year. Cost is $30 and covers all the supplies needed. Sign up for both the hanging basket class and the Patio Planter class and only pay $25 per class.

Instructor: Cassy Worthington (406)531-2560

Meets: Friday March 31st 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Design your Own Patio Planter: Visit the Victor School Greenhouse anytime between the hours of 4pm-7pm and use your creative ability to design your own floral patio Planter. We will provide a 13.5” Patio planter, soil, and annual plugs (small plants). Bring your mom and do a fun Mothers Day activity together or plant one for her as a gift. You can take the planter home or leave it in the greenhouse until the last frost of the year. Cost is $30 and covers all the supplies needed. Sign up for both the Hanging Basket class and the Patio Planter class and only pay $25 per class.

Instructor: Cassy Worthington (406)531-2560

Meets: Friday May 12th 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Pottery Class: For beginners and intermediate students. Class includes instruction on wheel throwing & handbuilding, glazing & other decorative techniques. Projects will be demonstrated but students are free to work on their own independent projects if they choose. Classes held at Kelly Price Studio (2329 Betty Lane, Victor) Max 6 students per class.

Instructor: Kelly Price. Two classes offered.

opened its doors in 2016. The facility provides music and dance, outdoor programs and life skills, all within a sensory friendly environment. Like many non-profits, HEARTism exists by searching for grants and community support, and programming its services according to that success.

Board President Jennifer Wiezel says that things can get somewhat frantic with that search for funding as it can be competitive to secure. She says that HEARTism has had good community support, but it still can be hard to know from one year to the next what services they’ll be able to provide. Still, Wiezel says that HEARTism would like people to know that, “We’re here forever.”

Fitzpatrick hopes that more people will be made aware of HEARTism with the upcoming visit and book signing by acclaimed author and animal behaviorist, Temple Grandin, who will be at HEARTism on Thursday, March 23rd from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Grandin is a spokesperson on, and has written books about, autism. Her own well-publicized experiences growing up with autism and hypersensitivity have had a substantial impact on the cattle industry and the way animals are raised, treated and slaughtered.

Fitzpatrick can easily

school art and music classes to summer programs that include farm and ranch experiences and even scooping for bugs along the riverbanks. Their programs have also built upon community connections with places like Homestead Organics, B.E.A.R., and the Teller Wildlife Refuge to provide further opportunity for carefully crafted experiences.

The high quality programs that are offered by professionals that work in association with HEARTism would be a draw in and of themselves, but Fitzpatrick is proud to add that these services are completely free, something that can make a big difference to people here in the Bitterroot, where there is a critical gap in such services.

“It’s really an important supplement in people’s lives that help

Meets: (Thursday evenings 6:30-8:30 p.m.) First session March 30th–April 27th . Second session May 4th –June 5th Cost: $60.00 per student. Includes clay, glazes and firing fees.

Scrappy Applique: Students will learn Shannon Brinkley’s Scrappy Applique technique. Scrappy Applique is a fun, fast, and easy raw edge applique technique. This technique allows for so many creative possibilities! You will take scraps of fabric and create a beautiful quilt. Each project is unique and allows for a lot of creative expression. At the end of the workshop, you will have a nearly completed project. This class is perfect for beginner quilters as well as more advanced students interested in learning this rawedge applique technique. Students are required to purchase a Scrappy Applique pattern. You can purchase print patterns at: https://406quilts.com/shop or you can purchase online Digital Patterns at: https://shannon-brinkley.mykajabi.com/quilts?ref=https%3A%2F%2Fshannon-brinkley.mykajabi. com%2Fa%2F2147519672%2FNP9FyYTr as a download. Email me at if you have questions. A list of materials will be available at the front office when you sign up for the class.

Instructor: Laurie Wildey.

Meets: (TUES &WED) March 14th,15th, 21st and 22nd.

Cost: $20.00

Ladies Night Basketball Open Gym:

Intermediate skill levels enjoy a work out and friendly competition.

Instructor: Bonnie Taylor.

Meets: (Tuesdays) March 14th -May 30th, 7:00-9:00 pm.

Cost: $5 a session or $20 for the season.

Intermediate Mix Media Painting:

Bring your own brushes, paint-thinner in a wide mouth jar with lid and palate (if you have one). Paint and other supplies are provided. Class will be held in the Art Room.

Instructor: Steve Wilson

Meets: (THURS, FRI & SAT) April 13th and April 14th 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. and April 15th 9:00 a.m. – Noon. Max of 12.

Cost: $35.00

Co-Ed Volleyball (Advanced):

This Class is intense and intended for those who have played a lot of volleyball. This is a very competitive group of players. Max 12. Gym

Instructor: Amber Kay

Meets: (FRI), beginning March 7th -May 5th. 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm.

Co-Ed Basketball:

Cost: $25.00

This class is intended for those who would like to have fun and play some competitive basketball. Gym Instructor: Canyon Parks.

Meets: (SUNDAYS) March 12th -April 30th 6:00-8:00 pm. Open enrollment Cost: $5.00 per night or $20.00 per session

Shake it up, Baby!

Enhanced parenting through music and motion. Learn how to engage with your little one through music and movement while supercharging your baby’s early brain development!

The class is open to adult care-givers and the babies they care for ages 0 - 3years. 1 adult per child. In this class you will build an entire repertoire of songs, games and activities to do with your child. You will learn how to musically engage your baby at all developmental ages. You will be taught how to modify all the songs and games to match your baby’s developmental milestones as they learn and grow. Class will be held in the Victor School music room. Feel free to bring a baby tummy time blanket. Your enrollment fee earns you access to all classes and a take-home packet of all the songs and games learned in class.

Instructor: Amber Greymorning greymorning@victor.k12.mt.us

Meets: (Saturdays) March 18-May 20 11-11:40 a.m. Max of 10 adults.

Cost: $25

For more information about instructors you can visit our web-site at www.victor.k12.mt.us

To sign up for a class, please call 642-3221.

Jennifer Wiezel, Jessica Fitzpatrick and Gina Wiezel sit within the sensory area at Corvallis HEARTism. Photo by Nathan Boddy.

by Scott Sacry Sports Editor

Area athletes sign with colleges

Athletes from Bitterroot Valley high schools have been busy signing letters of intent to play college sports next year. They will continue to sign as the year progresses, but, so far, the following students have signed letters of intent to play college sports next year.

For Corvallis, Nate Davis signed with Montana Tech for Track & Field. Rylee Herbstritt signed with Carroll College for Track & Field.

For Darby, Will Martin signed with Montana Tech for Track and Field.

For Florence, Patrick Duchien signed with Montana State University for Football. Jonathan Luhmann signed with Montana State University for Football. Ryan Winters signed with Western Montana for Football. Colten Rice signed with Montana Tech for Football. Josie Lewis signed with Spokane Commu-

nity College (WA) for Soccer. Samuel Adams signed with Crown College (MN) for Football. For Hamilton, Layne Kearns signed with Seattle Pacific University

for Basketball. Derrick Saltzman signed with Carroll College for Football. Max Cianflone signed with Montana Tech for Track & Field and Golf. Rizzon Simona signed with the University of Providence for Soccer. Jacob Westberry signed with Western Montana for Football For Stevensville, Daphne Engel signed with Hastings College (NE) for Volleyball. Claire Hutchison signed with the University of Montana for Track & Field. Kellan Beller signed with Montana Tech for Football. Hunter Gum signed with Carroll College for Football and Track & Field. Cole Olson signed with Midland University (NE) for Football. Jeff Berryman signed with Midway University (KY) for Football. Victoria Uskoski signed with Walla Walla Community College for Soccer. We wish all of these athletes the best of luck next year. We will do our best to give updates as more students sign throughout the year.

New wrestling room at Stevensville

Starting this winter, Stevensville has a new wrestling room. Over Christmas, the Stevensville wrestling community, along with Athletic Director Brian Gum and High School Principal Eric Larson, got started with the process of creating a designated space for wrestling. In most communities, sports practice space is at a premium, as different sports vie for time and space in a limited number of facilities. To build a successful wrestling program it’s important to have a designated space to store mats and other equipment. Now Stevensville has this. Gum said, “It has been exciting to see the changes taking place and it allows our wrestlers to finally have their own space.”

The space not only helps the high school program, but helps the whole wrestling community. For example, the Stevensville Little Guys wrestling program was able to use the facilities this season. Stevensville had 45 little guys this season from kindergarten to 6th grade. James Muir, who is running the Stevensville Little Guys program, said, “We look to continue our growth in numbers the next few years as we now start to develop the wrestling program.”

Muir continued, “It’s very helpful to have this space and the support of the community and local businesses. For example, Bitterroot Shedz sponsored all the t-shirts this year, so that and other assistance from the community

has been greatly appreciated.”

The Little Guy wrestling season concluded in Polson on Saturday, March 18th. Along with the Stevensville team, the Little Guys programs from Corvallis, Hamilton, Darby, and

Florence also competed in Polson. The Stevensville wrestling room will stay active and open through May as they will have a local wrestling academy competing in AAU and USA wrestling tournaments.

A group of Florence Falcons signing letters of intent to play college sports next year. From left to right, Patrick Duchien (Montana State, Football), Ryan Winters (Western Montana, Football), Colten Rice (Montana Tech, Football), Josie Lewis (Spokane Community College, Soccer), Jonathan Luhmann (Montana State, Football), and Samuel Adams (Crown College, Football). Photo courtesy of Florence High School.

Stevensville’s Claire Hutchison signing her letter of intent to run track at the University of Montana next year. Photo by Scott Sacry.

Hamilton’s Max Cianflone signing his letter of intent with Montana Tech for Golf and Track & Field. Photo from Hamilton High School.

The new Stevensville wrestling room is being used by the Stevensville Little Guys wrestling program this spring. Photo by Scott Sacry.

Booked for the season

World War II books by various authors c.2022, 2023, various publishers $28.00 - $32.50 various page counts

Dates and battles.

When you were in school, you thought that was all there was to history: dates and battles. So why not change your own mind this spring with one of these great new books about the hidden histories of World War II.....

By definition, a World War means that nearly the whole world was involved but in “Hitler’s Aristocrats” by Susan Ronald (St. Martin’s Press, $32.50), you’ll read another part of the story that isn’t often presented. Ronald pulls the covers back on the elite civilians, wealthy donors, royal influencers, and non-military business leaders who quietly helped Hitler and the Nazis – but these behindthe-screen forces, those friendly to the Fuhrer came from surprising places. Some of these names will shock and surprise you, making this a book for every World War II buff’s bookcase.

Imagine how the war would might’ve ended without every single one of its Allies in control. In “The Nazi Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill Roosevelt, Stalin, and Churchill” by Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch (Flatiron Books, $29.99), you’ll read about a chilling plan that, if it had come to fruition, could have altered the world forever. True story: when the Nazis learned that Franklin Roosevelt was planning on a meeting to discuss the War’s strategies with Churchill and Stalin in Tehran in 1943, Hitler’s men began to hatch a plan of their own. It involved not just

one, but three assassinations that they hoped would alter the course of the War. That might sound like the plot of a novel but this tale is true and told only as Meltzer and Mensch can tell it. Yes, it’s a history book but fans of fictional thrillers will eat this up.

that history has largely ignored. Her name was Anna Marie Rosenberg and she was a PR person in Manhattan in the Jazz Age when she became friends with Eleanor Roosevelt, who was not yet then a First Lady. Mrs. Roosevelt later urged her husband, the Presi-

the right person for the job of special envoy for FDR

by Terry Schichenmeyer The Bookworm Sez, LLC

during World War II. After the War, Rosenberg continued to work in Washington and she held considerable power – though, officially, she couldn’t. She rubbed elbows with the famous and infamous. She had the ear of some very influential men in America over the course of decades. Some of the issues at the heart of politics today were on Rosenberg’s mind and if you follow current events, then you need to know this book.

And finally, a book begins before the War and then takes readers past it...

In “The Confidante” by Christopher C. Gorham (Citadel Press, $28.00), you’ll read about the life of a woman

dent, to hire Rosenberg and he did, which was a good call since she was

Not enough for you? Then you need to seek out your favorite bookseller or librarian, who is a top-notch ace at finding the right book for you. In the meantime, grab one of these books and make a date with your easy-chair.

Penny Murray 406-581-1382 penny@pennylanebuilders.com www.pennylanebuilders.com Look us up on Houzz.com

Designing functional, delightful, energy efficient homes since 2006. Site planning, residential design, energy consulting and construction support

Searching for the elusive skwala

A couple of days ago I was feeling restless. The temperature outdoors was in the pleasant low 50’s and as much as anything, I wanted to get out into the day, free of the dull and chilly confines of a winter that has lasted too long.

When I headed for the door, Sadie the Aussie Shepherd intercepted me with a glance and a tail-wag. She wanted to go along for the ride, never mind the destination. She too was feeling restless and she’s always good company. “Go get in the truck,” I said. She perked up and trotted toward the pas- senger side door.

I wanted to at least check out the river access closest to home after the errands were com- pleted. Besides, Sadie was due for a romp near the river.

by Chuck Stranahan

As I antici- pated, the water was too chilly for casual dry fly fishing, although some serious probing around with a nymph might have yielded some fish. Over the years I’ve come to know what to expect. Still, the questions of the season that I used to hear in my fly shop persist: When will the skwala hatch come off this year? What’s the best dry skwala pattern?

That’s only a couple of them. And I didn’t have specific answers for those questions or many of the others. What I tried to present to those eager anglers was an overall picture of the factors that would influence their fishing. And the skwala hatch is only part of it. This year the calendar may say it’s the right time for the skwala hatch, but the calendar doesn’t dictate when conditions will be right.

Many contributing factors

Let’s start with the weather. One springtime to the next in western Montana only follows a pattern of unpredictability. Air temperatures, snow and rain, wind, the barometer, never seem to be in sync with each other. The trout are effected by all of this. They can be semi-comatose or feeling the urge to eat something, depending on the weather.

Like most cold-blooded creatures, trout get active as the temperature around them – water temperature, in their case, moves toward 50 degrees. Same with the insects that comprise most of their diet.

They tend to stay hidden on bright, sunny days

that drive the water temperature upward toward 50 degrees. Overcast is better. My theory is that because their eyes don’t dilate and contract in response to light as ours do, that bright sunlight is somehow painful for them. They’ll override that mechanism, though, if there’s plenty to eat. The skwala hatch is seldom like that.

Water conditions – finding trout when the water’s cold

Water temperatures can flirt around that 50 degree mark, sometimes rising toward it and once there, descending again several times throughout a spring day. A slight chill to the water temp, something they’ll welcome later in the year, will put them off now.

And what if the water temp is hovering around that 50 degree mark and the air is suddenly chilled by a stiff breeze out of the north? That will drop the barometer and the fish feel that, too. They’ll hunker down and quit eating unless there’s plenty of food around. That chill will put an end to insect activity for the bugs that have hatched and now are living in the air, not the water.

Trout stay out of swift-moving chilly currents. When the water hovers a little below the 50 degree mark they’ll hold and feed in water that’s moving about two feet per second or less, somehow sheltered, and at least two feet deep.

Narrowing the search

The foam bubbles that mark the main current of a slow-moving run will generally have trout laying underneath, where the current will bring them the most food and they don’t have to work too hard. On a sunny day look for a foam patch at the inside of a riffle on in a slow-moving eddy. You’ll generally find trout holding right under it – shaded from the sun, and casually eating the insects that get trapped and concentrated in the foam.

Fish where the fish are – and stalk those lies. Careless haphazard casting, shadows, and stomp-along wading will spoil your chance. Fish double or single nymph rigs until you see a reason to go dry, and don’t neglect the small nymphs that resemble the most plentiful food-forms the trout will see. Pattern is less important than where and how you fish.

To find springtime trout, look for a slow-swirling foam patch, shown left, or the slow-moving bubbles in the smooth main current of the run. Photo by Chuck Stanahan.

ESTATE SALE - MARCH

25 & 26, 10 AM-5 PM, 313 Kootenai Creek Road. Antiques, quilts, cookware, books, ceramics and so much more!

GSD PUREBRED born 11-8-22. Mom and dad Embark DNA and health tested. Both puppies still available are females. 503-741-6477.

GRASS HAY STORED in pole barn, 40 bales per ton. 363-5489, ask for Don or leave a messsage.

WANTED: PART-TIME AUTO TECHINICIAN. Experience with wiring, light mechanic duty and body assembly on classic vehicles preferred. Salary DOE. Contact 406-273-0002.

GRAPHIC DESIGN-

ER WANTED Part-time. Experienced only. Must be proficient in Adobe Creative Suite, including InDesign, Photoshop, etc. Good pay to the right person. Email: victoria@ mullennewspapers.com

COOK WANTEDPart-time cook needed for Elks Lodge in Hamilton. Call 406-241-6370. Salary commensurate with experience.

WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE for moms and babies in Montana?

Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies-MT is hiring an Executive Director. Learn more at www.hmhb-mt.org

HIRING WEATHERIZATION POSITIONS, program manager $20-$28 DOE and weatherization crew member at $18-$22/ hour, full benefits. Full job description at Lewistown Job Service or https:// www.hrdc6.org/jobs

Corrine Campbell, Physical Therapy/ Myofascial Release, 406-777-2679. Elizabeth Harper-Schurman, Counseling, Coaching, Hypnotherapy. 406-3042517. 5501 Hwy 93N, Ste. 101, Florence, MT.

SNOW SHOVELING AND SNOW PLOWING. 406-207-1793.

HORSE TRIMMING. 30+ years experience. (406) 363-8956.

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tion, and data plans up to 30 GB. Call 855-419-7978.

FREE high speed internet for those that qualify. Government program for recipients of select programs incl. Medicaid, SNAP, Housing Asisstance, WIC, Veterans Pension, Survivor Benefits, Lifeline, Tribal. 15 GB internet service. Bonus offer: Android tablet FREE with one-time $20 copay. Free shipping & handling. Call Maxsip Telecom today! 1-866-585-6456.

David T. Markette

Dustin M. Chouinard

Megan S. Winderl MARKETTE & CHOUINARD, P.C. 601 S. First Street P.O. Box 515 Hamilton, MT 59840 (406) 363-1110

DavidM@mcpcattorneys. com

Attorneys for Personal Representative MONTANA TWENTY-FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT, RAVALLI COUNTY In the Matter of the Estate of ELLYN PALMER JONES, Deceased.

Probate No. DP -23-15

Dept. No. 1

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NOTICE IS HEREBY

GIVEN that the undersigned has been appointed as Personal Representative of the above-named estate. All persons having claims against the decedent are required to present their claims within four (4) months after the date of the first publication of this notice or said claims will be forever barred. Claims must either be mailed to DOUGLAS W. SMITH, the Personal Representative, in care of MARKETTE & CHOUINARD, P.C., 601 S. First Street, P.O. Box 515, Hamilton, Montana 59840, or filed with the Clerk of the above Court.

I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of Montana that the foregoing is true and correct.

DATED this 17th day of February, 2023.

/s/ Douglas W. Smith

MARKETTE & CHOUINARD, PC

By: David T. Markette, Attorney for Personal Representative BS 3-8, 3-15, 3-22-23.

Craig Mungas State Bar No. 6746

Bjornson Jones Mungas, PLLC 2809 Great Northern Loop, Ste 100 Missoula, Montana 59808

Telephone: 406-721-8896

Telefax: 406-541-8037

Email: craig@bjornsonlaw. com

Attorneys for Brenna Swinger, Personal Representative MONTANA TWENTY-FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT, RAVALLI COUNTY IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF: RUSSELL D. SWINGER, Deceased.

Dept. No.: 2

Cause No.: DP-23-16

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NOTICE IS HEREBY

GIVEN that the undersigned has been appointed Personal Representative of the abovenamed Estate. All persons having claims against the decedent are required to present their claims within four (4) months after the date of the first publication of this notice or said claims will be forever barred.

Claims must either be mailed to BRENNA SWINGER, the Personal Representative, return receipt requested, at c/o Bjornson Jones Mungas, PLLC, 2809 Great Northern Loop, Suite 100, Missoula, MT 59808, or filed with the Clerk of the above Court.

DATED this 24th day of February 2023.

/s/ Brenna Swinger

Personal Representative

Bjornson Jones Mungas, PLLC

By: Craig Mungas

Attorneys for Brenna Swinger, Personal Representative BS 3-8, 3-15, 3-22-23.

Naomi J. Cheeney Cheeney Law, PLLC PO Box 212 Hamilton, MT 59840 Phone: (406) 363-9060

Attorney for Personal Representative MONTANA TWENTY-FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT, RAVALLI COUNTY IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF DAVID JAMES MOAK, Deceased.

Case No.: DP-23-20

Dept. No. 2

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NOTICE IS HEREBY

GIVEN that the undersigned has been appointed Personal Representative of the above-named estate. All persons having claims against the decedent are required to present their claims within four months after the date of the first publication of this notice or said claims will be forever

barred.

Claims must either be mailed to DANIEL JACOB MOAK, the Personal Representative, return receipt requested, at Cheeney Law PLLC, PO Box 212, Hamilton, MT 59840, or filed with the Clerk of the above-entitled Court.

DATED this 23rd day of February, 2023.

/s/ Daniel Jacob Moak, Personal Representative BS 3-8,3-15, 3-22-23.

John D. Greef Attorney at Law 302 W. Main St. Sidney, MT 59270 (406) 360-8117

Attorney for Personal

Representative MONTANA TWENTY FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT, RAVALLI COUNTY IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF: Diana Lee Davis a/k/a Diane Lee Davis, Deceased. Cause No. DP-41-202324

Dept. No. 2

NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE IS HEREBY

GIVEN that the undersigned has been appointed Personal Representative of the above-named estate. All persons having claims against the decedent are required to present their claims within four months after the date of the first publication of this notice or said claims will be forever barred.

Claims must either be mailed to John D. Greef, attorney for the Personal Representative, return receipt requested, 302 W. Main Street, Sidney, MT 59270, or filed with the Clerk of the above-entitled Court.

DATED this 7th day of March, 2023.

/s/ Rolla V. Ward, Personal Representative BS 3-15, 3-22, 3-29-23.

William J. Nelson, Esq. Nelson Law Office PLLC 217 North 3rd Street, Suite J Hamilton, MT 59840

Telephone: (406) 363-3181 MONTANA TWENTY FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT, RAVALLI COUNTY IN RE THE ESTATE OF: OLEN RALPH ELLIOTT, Deceased. Cause No. DP-23-19 Dept. No. 2

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NOTICE IS HEREBY

GIVEN that the undersigned has been appointed Personal Representative of the above-named estate. All persons having claims against the decedent are required to present their claims within four months after the date of the first publication of this notice or said claims will be forever barred. Claims must either be mailed to the Personal Representative, William J. Nelson, return receipt requested, c/o Nelson Law Office PLLC , 217 North Third Street, Suite J, Hamilton, MT 59840, or filed with the Clerk of the above Court.

DATED this 8th day of March, 2023.

/s/ William J. Nelson Personal Representative BS 3-15, 3-22, 3-29-23.

Naomi J. Cheeney Cheeney Law, PLLC PO Box 212 Hamilton, MT 59840 Phone: (406) 363-9060

Personal Representative MONTANA TWENTY-FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT, RAVALLI COUNTY IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF SHARON T. GIVENS, Deceased.

Case No.: DP-23-25 Dept. No. 1

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NOTICE IS HEREBY

GIVEN that the undersigned has been appointed Personal Representative of the above-named estate. All persons having claims against the

sonal Representative BS 3-15, 3-22, 3-29-23.

Naomi J. Cheeney Cheeney Law, PLLC PO Box 212 Hamilton, MT 59840

Phone: (406) 363-9060

Attorney for Personal Representative MONTANA TWENTY-FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT, RAVALLI COUNTY IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF BUENA VIOLET NEAL, Deceased.

Case No.: DP-23-23

Dept. No. 1

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NOTICE IS HEREBY

GIVEN that the undersigned has been appointed Personal Representative of the above-named estate. All persons having claims against the decedent are required to present their claims within four months after the date of the first publication of this notice or said claims will be forever barred. Claims must either be mailed to Robert James Neal, the Personal Representative, return receipt requested, at Cheeney Law, PLLC, PO Box 212, Hamilton, MT 59840, or filed with the Clerk of the above-entitled Court.

DATED this 7th day of March, 2023.

/s/ Robert James Neal, Personal Representative BS 3-15, 3-22, 3-29-23.

Montana 21st Judicial District Court, Ravalli County

In the Matter of the Name Change of Stephanie J. Trollope, Stephanie J. Trollope, Petitioner.

Cause No.: DV-23-67

Dept. 2

NOTICE OF HEARING

ON NAME CHANGE

This is notice that Petitioner has asked the District Court for a change of name from Stephanie J. Trollope to Stephanie J. Shelton.

The hearing will be on April 13, 2023 at 1:30 p.m. The hearing will be at the courthouse in Ravalli County.

DATED this 3rd day of March, 2023.

Paige Trautwein Clerk of Court

BY: Barbara Beavers

Deputy Clerk of Court BS 3-15, 3-22, 3-29, 4-5-23.

HAMILTON – WATER RIGHTS CLAIM AMEND-

MENTS

Notice Westside Subbasin

(76HF) Water Users:

YC Properties, LLC has filed a Motion to Amend Claims 76H 147812-00 and 76H 214439-00. YC Properties LLC seeks to amend the point of diversion and the place of use of both claims by adding an offstream reservoir in the W2SE of Section 35, T6N, R21W, Ravalli County and by expanding the place of use from the SENWSE to the S2SE of Section 35, T6N, R21W, Ravalli County. The entirety of Claimant’s motion may be viewed on the Montana Water Court webpage at: https://courts.mt.gov/ courts/water/Notices-Info/

PublicNotices

OBJECTION DATE

In accordance with Section 85-2-233(6), MCA, any response or objection to the YC Properties LLC’s Motion to Amend claims 76H 147812-00 and 76H 21443900 must be filed with the Montana Water Court within 45 days of the last publication of this notice, or May 13, 2023. Please indicate “CASE 76HF-6002-P-2023” on any response, objection, or other correspondence regarding this Motion to Amend.

BS 3-15, 3-22, 3-29-23.

Naomi J. Cheeney Cheeney Law, PLLC PO Box 212 Hamilton, MT 59840

Phone: (406) 363-9060

Attorney for Personal

Representative MONTANA TWENTY-FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT, RAVALLI COUNTY IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF MARY JEAN MILLER, Deceased.

Case No.: DP-23-22

Dept. No. 1

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NOTICE IS HEREBY

GIVEN that the undersigned has been appointed Personal Representative of the above-named estate. All persons having claims against the decedent are required to present their claims within four

months after the date of the first publication of this notice or said claims will be forever barred. Claims must either be mailed to Robert Neil Miller, the Personal Representative, return receipt requested, at Cheeney Law PLLC, PO Box 212, Hamilton, MT 59840, or filed with the Clerk of the above-entitled Court.

DATED this 7th day of March, 2023.

/s/ Robert Neil Miller, Personal Representative BS 3-15, 3-22, 3-29-23.

Naomi J. Cheeney Cheeney Law, PLLC PO Box 212

Hamilton, MT 59840

Phone: (406) 363-9060

Attorney for Personal Representative

MONTANA TWENTY-FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT, RAVALLI COUNTY IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF STANLEY A. KASTENS, Deceased.

Case No.: DP-23-21

Dept. No. 2

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned has been appointed Personal Representative of the above-named estate. All persons having claims against the decedent are required to present their claims within four months after the date of the first publication of this notice or said claims will be forever barred.

Claims must either be mailed to Carol Harper, the Personal Representative, return receipt requested, at Cheeney Law PLLC, PO Box 212, Hamilton, MT 59840, or filed with the Clerk of the above-entitled Court.

DATED this 2nd day of March, 2023.

/s/ Carol Harper, Personal Representative BS 3-15, 3-22, 3-29-23.

PUBLIC NOTICE

Searching for the owner of a 1999 Honda GL1500A Goldwing Aspencade. Stored at Park River Storage, Stevensville, MT. Ravalli County. Please contact Zach Gard or Jonae Coleman at (406) 560-7751.

BS 3-22-23.

DISPOSAL ITEMS FOR BID Stevensville School District has disposal items available for bid. If you have questions about the items available, please contact Dave Haacke. Sealed bids will be accepted in the District Office until 4:30 p.m., Thursday, March 23, 2023. Please make sure and provide contact information with your bid(s).

BS 3-22-23.

Department of Environmental Quality Air Quality Bureau

MONTANA TRADE

WASTE OPEN BURNING NOTICE OF INTENT TO BURN

Montana Custom Log Homes Inc., 2036 Hwy 93 N. Victor MT 59875 Robyn S. Turner 406-381-4469 robyn@mtcustomloghomes.com

Montana Custom Log Homes Inc. proposes to burn trade waste on March 30,

2023 and March 31, 2023.

Quantity of material to be burned: 1 ton per burn, each pile 20 feet x 50 feet. Adjacent landowners have not been notified.

Inspection of wood-waste piles by County Sanitarian is not applicable in Ravalli County per DEQ.

/s/ Robyn S. Turner BS 3-22-23.

Naomi J. Cheeney

CHEENEY LAW, PLLC 104 S. 4 th Street PO Box 212 Hamilton, MT 59840

Phone: (406) 363-9060

Email: office@cheeneylaw. com

Attorney for Petitioner

MONTANA TWENTY-FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT, RAVALLI COUNTY JOAN SIMENSON SHEETS, Petitioner, vs. GREEN TREE FINANCIAL CORPORATION, and all other persons or entities unknown claiming or who might claim any right, title, estate or interest in or lien or encumbrance upon the personal property described in the petition for court-ordered lien release adverse to petitioner’s ownership or any cloud upon petitioner’s title thereto, whether such claim or possible claim be present or contingent,

Respondents.

Case No.: DV-23-84 Dept. No. 1 SUMMONS FOR PUBLICATION

THE STATE OF MONTANA SENDS GREETINGS TO RESPONDENTS, Green Tree Financial Corporation and any unknown persons or entities claiming or who might claim any right, title, estate or interest in or lien or encumbrance upon the personal property described as a 1977 Moduline Lamplighter mobile home, Serial #63412, in the petition for Court-ordered lien release adverse to petitioner’s ownership or any cloud upon petitioner’s title thereto on , whether such claim or possible claim be present or contingent:

YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to respond to the Petition in this action which is filed in the office of the Clerk of this Court, a copy of which is herewith served upon you, and to file your response and serve a copy thereof upon the Petitioner’s attorney within twenty-one (21) days after the service of this Summons, exclusive of the day of service; and in case of your failure to appear or respond, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the Petition.

WITNESS my hand and seal of said Court this 15th day of March 2023.

Paige Trautwein (COURT SEAL) Clerk of District Court by: /s/ Barbara Beavers, Deputy BS 3-22, 3-29, 4-5-23.

Naomi J. Cheeney Cheeney Law, PLLC PO Box 212 Hamilton, MT 59840

Phone: (406) 363-9060

Attorney for Personal Representative MONTANA TWEN-

TY-FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT, RAVALLI COUNTY IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF GREGORY P. TABISH, Deceased.

Case No.: DP-23-27

Dept. No. 2 NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE IS HEREBY

GIVEN that the undersigned has been appointed Personal Representative of the above-named estate. All persons having claims against the decedent are required to present their claims within four months after the date of the first publication of this notice or said claims will be forever barred.

Claims must either be mailed to MaDonna Tabish, the Personal Representative, return receipt requested, at Cheeney Law, PLLC, PO Box 212, Hamilton, MT 59840, or filed with the Clerk of the above-entitled Court.

DATED this 14th day of March, 2023.

/s/ MaDonna Tabish, Personal Representative BS 3-22, 3-29, 4-5-23.

Kyle J. Workman State Bar No. 65442127 Workman Law, PLLC P.O. Box 1167 Hamilton, MT 59840 T: (406) 802-2198 kyle@workmanlawmt.com

Attorney for Personal Representative MONTANA TWENTY FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT, RAVALLI COUNTY IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF: JANET SUE TUCKER, Deceased.

Probate No. 2020-26 Dept. No. 1

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NOTICE IS HEREBY

GIVEN that the undersigned has been appointed Personal Representative of the abovenamed estate. All persons having claims against the decedent are required to present their claims within four (4) months after the date of the first publication of this notice or said claims will be forever barred.

Claims must either be mailed to WILMA K. SHEPHERD, Personal Representative, in care of WORKMAN LAW, PLLC, P.O. Box 1167, Hamilton, Montana 59240, or filed with the Clerk of the above Court. I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of Montana that the foregoing is true and correct.

DATED this 7th day of March, 2023.

/s/ Wilma K. Shepherd WORKMAN LAW, PLLC By: Kyle J. Workman Attorney for Personal Representative BS 3-22, 3-29, 4-5-23.

NOTICE OF SELF STORAGE SALE Please take notice Park River Storage located at 17 Red Ranch Rd. Stevensville MT 59870 intends to hold an Auction of storage units in default of payment. The sale shall occur as an online auction via www.lockerfox.com on 4/6/2023 at 10:30AM. Unless listed below, the contents consist of household goods and furnishings.

Crossword Puzzle

Former Darby resident races in Iditarod

Chapter One Fundraisers

The shampoo, laundry detergent and toothpaste are piling up in the window display at Chapter One for their Loads of Dignity supply drive. The drive is part of a larger effort by Chapter One to support local non-profits and draw participation downtown for Hamilton’s First Friday events.

“It’s always great to see how our community comes out to support one another,” says Mara Lynn Luther, co-owner at Chapter One Book Store in Hamilton.

Chapter One is inviting non-profits to partner on a month-long fundraising effort that is kicked off every First Friday. Organizations have the opportunity to share their work with customers at a special First Friday event. 20% of proceeds from featured books related to the organization’s mission will be donated back to the non-profit. For the remainder of the month the organization will be the Blind Date with a Book recipient, in which customers choose a book concealed in wrapping with simple clues to what story is inside and give a donation for the book. The donation is up to the customer. At the end of the month Chapter One gives all proceeds to the featured non-profit.

“We’ve been doing the blind date with a book program for years, but we decided it would be great to give our non-profit partners even more opportunity to raise awareness about their organization,” says Luther.

“We also hope we will see greater participation in First Friday to the benefit of all participating downtown businesses.”

In April the featured non-profit will be the Bitter Root Water Forum which leads efforts to ensure clean water now and in the future to valley residents through river clean-ups, restoration projects and education campaigns. April’s First Friday at Chapter

One will include a story time at 4 p.m. led by the Water Forum including a gardening craft followed by a reception from 5 to 7 p.m. where customers can learn about the Water Forum’s efforts, including their water-wise plant packs and landscaping workshops, while exploring books on water conservation, our cultural connections to water and, of course, water-wise gardening.

20% of proceeds from featured book sales will go to the Bitter Root Water Forum.

On Saturday April 8th, water-wise landscaping will also be the topic for Chapter One’s Culture Crawl event from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. In May the featured non-profit will be Bike Walk Bitterroot in celebration of Bike Walk Month.

“We are excited to continue these partnerships with more First Friday events and month long activities to build awareness around all the great work being done in our communities,” says Luther.

Stevensville Elementary School District Resolution Under SB 307

Stevensville Elementary School District Resolution under SB 307

Resolution of Intent to Impose an Increase in Levies

As an essential part of its budgeting process, the Stevensville Board of Trustees is authorized by law to impose levies to support its budget. The Stevensville Board of Trustees estimates the following increases/decreases in revenues and mills for the funds noted below for the next school fiscal year beginning July 1, 2023, using certified taxable valuations from the current school fiscal year as provided to the district:

All estimates are based on the current year’s taxable value with no increase, as required by state law. If the District’s taxable value increases as expected, the mill and taxpayer cost increases will be less than presented here. These estimates are preliminary and changes are expected before the final budgets are set in August.

This notice must also document the District’s expected use of its Build Reserve and associated funding. This year, the District Expects to use those proceeds to partially fund deferred maintenance and replacement of safety and security systems as well as school safety operational costs.

Stevensville High School District Resolution Under SB 307 Resolution of Intent to Impose an Increase in Levies

As an essential part of its budgeting process, the Stevensville Board of Trustees is authorized by law to impose levies to support its budget. The Stevensville Board of Trustees estimates the following increases/decreases in revenues and mills for the funds noted below for the next school fiscal year beginning July 1 2023, using certified taxable valuations from the current school fiscal year as provided to the district:

Value

All estimates are based on the current year’s taxable value with no increase, as required by state law. If the District’s taxable value increases as expected, the mill and taxpayer cost increases will be less than presented here. These estimates are preliminary and changes are expected before the final budgets are set in August.

This notice must also document the District’s expected use of its Build Reserve and associated funding. This year, the District Expects to use those proceeds to partially fund deferred maintenance and replacement of safety and security systems as well as school safety operational costs.

Jessie Royer, former Darby resident, hugs her lead dogs as they rest after crossing under the arch at the finish line of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race on Wednesday, March 15, 2023 in Nome, Alaska. This was Royer’s 20th Iditarod. (Loren Holmes / Anchorage Daily News)

BRIEFS: New bills work their way through legislature

Continued from page 6

The bill passed the Senate 37-10 on Feb. 10, and it is now in the hands of the House Natural Resources Committee.

SB 219 implements penalties of up to a $500 fine, and no more than six months in jail if an individual is found guilty of impeding wildfire suppression by using a drone.

Curdy said last summer in Helena, there were two incidents in which drones were flying in a path around a wildfire, which delayed fire crews from being able to safely deal with the situation until the drone was removed from the airway. He said the wildfire suppression companies that contract aerial fire suppression tools went to the county attorney’s office and asked to press charges against the drone operators, but the county couldn’t because there was no official law on the issue in Montana.

“Senate Bill 219 provides an avenue solving that problem by allowing local and state prosecutors to bring criminal charges against individuals who ‘obstruct,’ and this is the key word for this bill,” Curdy said. “This bill deals with obstruction of fire-related activities, preventing Montana wildland firefighters from suppressing their fires.”

The bill also adds definitions to Montana law on what is considered an unmanned aerial vehicle, and the circumstances that would be considered obstructing.

Matthew Hall, the fire protection bureau chief for the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, was one of two supporters of the bill and said wildfires used to be predictable, but the risks are growing each year.

“Obstructions of wildfire suppression activities can hinder our initial attack efforts, which results in wildfires growing in size making them more difficult to control, posing a greater threat to communities and ultimately costing more to suppress,” Hall said.

Hall said one individual’s actions can completely derail wildfire suppression actions, and even force an entire squad to retreat. He said these individuals currently can’t face any consequences even if it leads to risking lives or property.

There were no opponents at the hearing.

Bill lays out plan for state to manage Grizzly Bears

The House Fish, Wildlife and Parks Committee heard more testimony last week on a bill that would lay out a plan for the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks department to manage grizzly bears if they are taken off the federal endangered species list.

Sen. Mike Lang, R-Malta, is sponsoring Senate Bill 85, which passed through the Senate on a party-line vote 37-12 in January, and was transferred to the House.

The bill would create commitments from FWP and the state to monitor grizzly bear population mortality limits, and make sure that a consistent population is present within the state.

“Grizzly bears have fully recovered in greater Yellowsteone and the Northern Continental Divide recovery areas. For grizzly bears to be delisted in Montana the state must describe and commit to acceptable state management practices to ensure the population remains recovered,” Lang said. “I think this is time and we need to do it, I think our state through FWP has shown the ability to manage this thing.”

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service delisted grizzly bears in the Yellowstone ecosystem in 2017, but a federal court overruled that in 2018 placing the animal back on the endangered species list in the area, making it currently illegal to harm, harass, or kill the bears unless it is in self-defense.

Lang and supporters of the bill say delisting the bear is vital to protect Montana families and agriculture with the growing population in the state. However, opponents to the bill are concerned with FWP’s and the state’s ability to manage the animal if it were to be taken off the list.

Mac Minard, executive director of the Montana Outfitters and Guides Association, spoke in support of the bill and said it is a thoughtful implementation of state management to remove the grizzly bear from the federal endangered species list.

“We did it during the wolf delisting activities, we do it again with the grizzly bear

delisting. It is our position that the best management that can possibly occur is that management that occurs within the states,” Minard said.

Nick Courville, a resident of Charlo, spoke in favor of the bill saying that grizzlies heavily impact the operations of his ranch in Western Montana.

“Whether it be from sampling silage pits, grizzlies being in our summer pasture with our yearlings, and even a handful of cubs that weren’t hibernated this winter that had to be put down,” Courville said.

Nick Gevock, representing the Endangered Species Coalition, spoke against the bill and said that though an amendment that included measures of non-lethal management made the bill better, it still falls short of the mark.

“The issues we have with this bill are tied to lines 26 through 28, language that says ‘Montana would purposely manage grizzly bears’ including non-conflict bears to limit their distribution on the landscape. This is counter to the commitments the state has made previously to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and to the public,” Gevock said.

Four others opposed the bill, echoing Gevock’s sentiments, with some adding that they believe FWP isn’t capable of properly managing grizzly bears within the state.

The committee took no immediate action on the bill.

Bill would create new enhanced concealed carry permit

The Montana House of Representatives will now debate a bill that would allow for an enhanced concealed carry permit that would allow permit-holders to carry firearms in five additional states.

Rep. Kerri Seekins-Crowe, R-Billings, is sponsoring House Bill 674, which would create additional requirements for an enhanced concealed carry permit that would be effective across state lines, and would require a background check and safety training.

“In 2021, House Bill 102 enhanced Monatanans second-amendment rights and promoted public safety, by making it easier for law-abiding citizens to defend themselves from criminals,” Seekins-Crowe said. “Every law-abiding citizen in Montana should be able to defend themselves and their loved ones and be confident that their right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. This is what this bill is about.”

The bill passed the House Judiciary Committee 17-2 on Feb. 28, and passed second reading in the house 95-5 on Mar. 2.

The bill was moved to the House Appropriations Committee, which advanced it back to the House with amendments on an 18-0 vote.

In 2021, the legislature passed a bill that gave any resident in the state the ability to conceal carry a legally owned firearm without a permit or background check. HB 674 sets up a process of background checks and training that an individual must complete to receive a concealed carry permit that would extend to other states such as Minnesota, Washington, South Carolina, Delaware, and New Mexico. The permit would last for five years and permit-holders would be monitored, including their criminal records, mental stability and completion of firearm safety training courses that are sanctioned by law enforcement agencies.

“Getting the enhanced concealed carry is completely optional, and included the components that these five states require to gain reciprocity: fingerprint based background checks, a live fire exercise, criminal background check, and a course in firearm training and safety,” Seekins-Crowe said.

The permit would also only be available to those 21-year-old or older.

Rep. Zooey Zephyr, D-Missoula, supported the bill, saying that the bill would allow Montanans to not accidentally enter a state that has stricter concealed carry laws. She said it would maintain a method for residents to have the proper training and permitting to enter those states and still be able to concealed carry.

“My only slight reservation with this bill is that it’s static. I wish there was a way to make sure that as states potentially pass laws with differing restrictions that we would be able to adapt to ensure that Montanans can have their second amendment rights,” Zephyr said.