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Covering the Bitterroot Valley – “Where Montana Begins!” – Established 1985 – Locally Owned & Independent
’ ! l a c o est at L
‘The B Volume XXXVI, Number 39
Jump for joy
Wednesday, April 14, 2021
www.bitterrootstar.com
Juveniles cited for vandalism at Fairgrounds Fairgrounds Fairgrounds now closed closed nights, nights, weekends weekends Michael Howell by Michael Howell
Ara and Cora Masar take advantage of some spring weather on Friday near Stevensville. The unsettled weather patterns have brought sunshine and snow fl urries. Photo by Victoria Howell. flurries.
Three juvenileshave havebeen been Three juveniles cited cited in Youth Court by the in Youth Court by the Hamilton Hamilton Police on felony City Police City on felony burglary burglary and criminal mischief and criminal mischief charges. charges. The male juveniles The male juveniles are 11, 12 and are 11, 12old. and 13juveniles years old. The 13 years The were juveniles were cited following cited following an investigation an of a couple of ainvestigation couple of break-ins at the of break-ins at the Ravalli that Ravalli County Fairgrounds County Fairgrounds that took took place over the weekend of place over the weekend April 2-3. Someone brokeof into the April 2-3. Someone into commercial kitchen atbroke the First the commercial kitchen at the Interstate Center and also into First Interstate Center and also the Ag Barn, damaging an electric into the Ag Barn, damaging an golf cart, some glass display cases electric golf cart, some glass and some table racks. Fairgrounds display andSaville some said tablethey Managercases Melissa racks. Fairgrounds Manager have submitted a report to the Melissa Saville saidabout they $3,000 have city police detailing submitted a report to the city worth of damage. police detailing about $3,000 Saville said that in response worth damage. to theseofevents it was decided to Saville said that response temporarily close theingates to the to these events it was Fairgrounds after hoursdecided and on to temporarily close thewhen gatesshe weekends. She said that to the Fairgrounds after first came on as manager, hours the park and weekends. She said gateson were always locked after that sheweekends. first came onsaid as hourswhen and on She manager, the park gates were many saw it as a community asset always after hours and that waslocked not being used to its full on weekends. She said many extent and they thought that they saw it turn as a community would that around. asset that was“We notdecided being used its full to trytosomething extent and they thought that different and started the open they would turn that around. gates policy to encourage people “We decided to tryatsomething to come to the facility night and diff erent and started openor walk their dogs or havethe a picnic gates policy to encourage people just take a walk and get some fresh to come to the facility at night air. andSaville walk said theirthat dogs have a theorclosure picnic or just take a walk get was a temporary thing, but and for the
some fresh next 30 to 60air. days the Fairground Saville saidbe that thebetween closure8 gates will only open was a temporary thing, but a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through for the next 30 to 60 days Friday. The Fairgrounds willthe still Fairground gates will only be open for special events onbe the open between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekends. Monday through Friday. “Obviously, gates aren’t The going Fairgrounds will still be really open for to keep people out if they special on and the do weekends. want to events get in bad some “Obviously, gates aren’t mischief, but it makes it moregoing to keep people out if “We theyare really difficult,” said Saville. want to get in bad and do some really just asking people to be mischief, but it makes it more respectful of the facility. We diffi cult,” Saville. “We areas would like said to reopen as quickly really just asking people to be possible. We are looking forward respectful of the facility. We to having people back in the would like to reopen as quickly evening.” as Chief possible. We are looking Juvenile Probation forward to having people back Officer Clint Arneson said that in the evening.” he had reviewed the case for Chief Juvenile Probation Youth Court and was preparing Offi cer Clint Arneson said that a recommendation to the County he had reviewed the case for Attorney’s Office not to press Youth and was preparing chargesCourt in District Court. He a recommendation to the said that if the kids are willing County Offifor ce not to to acceptAttorney’s responsibility what press charges in District Court. they did, and perform some sort He said that ifservice the kids are up of community to make willing to accept responsibility for their damages, it makes for a for what they did, and perform better solution for everyone. some sort of community service “We don’t want to criminalize to make up for their damages, it children for making poor makes for a better solution for decisions, often with no guidance everyone. and no adequate supervision,” said “We don’t want to criminalize Arneson. He said after receiving a children for making recommendation frompoor the Youth decisions, often with no has 10 Court the County Attorney guidance and no adequate days to respond. supervision,” Arneson. “He still hassaid the option to He said after receiving a press charges in District Court recommendation from thesaid if he thinks it’s warranted,” Youth Court the County Arneson. Attorney has to 10the days to respond. According Youth “He still has the option to Court Service’s Annual Report press charges in District Court for 2020 submitted to Ravalli if he thinks it’s warranted,” said County District Court Judges Arneson. Jennifer Lint and Howard Recht, According the Youth from January to 1, 2020 through Court Service’s Annual December 31, 2020, 112 Report youth for 2020 toCounty Ravalli were citedsubmitted into Ravalli County District Court Judges Jennifer Lint and Howard See Fairgrounds, page 12
Recognizing the fi rst of the fi rst responders first first By Victoria Howell by Victoria Howell
There has been a lot of focus on “frontline” workers during the pandemic. But there’s one group on the front line that is often overlooked. They are the dispatchers at the 911 call centers. Sheriff’s Here in Ravalli County, Sheriff’s Communications Lieutenant Zae Hudson is in charge of managing the 911 Center and acts as a fire and medical. liaison between law enforcement, fire Hudson has 25 years in law enforcement and says his time on the streets helped him learn about the dispatchers’ world. Hudson took over management of the center nine years ago and began the process of changing the culture so that employees feel valued and proud of the work they do. “Nine years ago, this department had the county’s largest amount of sick time as well as the most employee complaints,” said Hudson. “We’ve restructured our culture here. We now have a dedicated team of communication specialists,” what Hudson prefers to call them. Hudson emphasized that communication is what the dispatchers are really good at. The second week of April is National Dispatchers Week. “It’s fun to celebrate this week sacrifice and the dedication these to truly honor the sacrifice folks provide to their community and responders,” said Hudson. Currently there are 10 dispatchers. One dispatcher has been with the department for almost 20 years. Two people are always on duty, 24/7, waiting for the calls to come in. The
“call taker” answers the call and ascertains the “call taker” answers the call and ascertains the location of the caller. She/he also figures out what location of the caller. She/he also figures out what responders are needed. The “dispatcher” pages or responders are needed. The “dispatcher” pages or radios the police, fire department and ambulance radios the police, fire department and ambulance service in the various jurisdictions, sending out service in the various jurisdictions, sending out
the necessary resources. The dispatchers also give the necessary resources. The dispatchers also give medical instructions while the responders are en medical instructions while the responders are en route to the scene. route to the scene. In 2020, the 911 center received 33,000 calls In 2020, the 911 center received 33,000 calls for service. 14,137 of those were emergencies. 1506 for service. 14,137 of those were emergencies. 1506
were abandoned calls (hang ups). Hudson said that those hang ups are problematic because even if they are due to a call error they still get followed up with a call or visit, which takes law enforcement away from important work and slows down efficiency. He said some are even “butt dials,” so efficiency. he asks that citizens learn how to operate their cell phones correctly. There are times when things are slow, but there are other times when everything seems to happen at once. “We call that the chaos cycle,” said fire, a vehicle Hudson. “We might have a house fire, accident, and a domestic abuse call all coming in together. We never know when the next one is going to start.” the change changein inmanagement management Along with the that Hudson Hudsonhas hasimplemented, implemented, philosophy that has been beenupgrading upgradingthe thetools toolsand and the center has “We use usetechnology, technology,training trainingand and equipment. “We to continually continuallyreinforce reinforcethe theculture,” culture,” equipment to Hudson. “We’ve “We’vegot gotto tothat thatpinnacle pinnaclenow nowthat that said Hudson. incredibleto toobserve.” observe.”For Forexample, example,the the is just incredible the city cityof ofHamilton Hamiltoncooperated cooperatedon onaa county and the computer-aided dispatch dispatchsystem systemwhich whichproved provedtoto computer-aided successful.All Allthe theresponders responderscan cansee see be highly successful. information on onaamonitor monitoror oron ontheir theirphones. phones. the information Stevensville,Darby, Darby,Marcus MarcusDaly DalyMemorial Memorial Now Stevensville, ambulanceservice, service,and andall allthe thefire firedistricts Hospital ambulance districts in thehave county haveinto bought into the system in the county bought the system and now and now have “It was a game changer,” said have access. “Itaccess. was a game changer,” said Hudson. Hudson. See Responders, page 12