Bitterroot Star - April 26, 2023

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DOUBLE GRAMMY-NOMINATED JAZZ VOCALIST

8 pm Saturday, May 6, 2023

Hamilton Performing Arts Center at Hamilton High School, 327 Fairgrounds Rd. Tickets $39-45 │406.363.7946

www.bitterrootperformingarts.org

Box Office open Tues-Thurs from 11 to 5 Signal Square, 127 West Main, Suite 108, Hamilton, Montana

CANCER: Bitterroot Health offers in-house treatment

and provides numerous services to cancer patients, including customer care. For six years, her main job

therapy. This has colloquially earned her the nickname, “warm blanket lady.” One of many reasons of importance regarding the blankets is that chemo patients often get very cold during the treatment. The blankets help mitigate that side effect. She will continue her position handing out blankets, among other services.

SPIRITUAL: woman talks Native American culture

Continued from page 1

and their material culture was at least as rich.

Fischer also spoke on sacred plants that were used to bless people, items and events as well as were used in the creation of clothing and inspired various patterns used in the artwork on clothing and items. Some of these spiritually important plants were tobacco, cedar, sage and sweetgrass. Other plants used were cattails, bitterroot and much more. She explained that everything in the spiritual view of native peoples had spirit and power. Often, these and other things were traded across the continent.

Shells from the West Coast made their way inland, volcanic obsidian traveled east and north from places like Yellowstone and Oregon, and beads from Europe were found throughout the Americas. Sinew from animals was dried, then rehydrated and separated into fibers used in the creation of arrows, stitching and bow strings. She explained that everything worn was something taken from the land, and spiritual offerings were made for them. She spoke also on the cultural significance of objects, such as the feather of an eagle. Eagle feathers, she explained, are important to all the tribes of the Americas. There are even certain protocols to follow, such as if a person were to drop a feather, only a war veteran could retrieve it for them. She also told the story of

people who would capture eagles for their feathers. One way this was done was by posting up on a high point, digging a hole in the ground there, and placing bait. Once an eagle flew there and landed to eat the bait, the hunter would reach from his hole and grab the eagle by the feet. She showed a photo by a famous photographer, Edward S. Curtis, that pictured a Native man holding an eagle he had reportedly just captured in this way. Fischer gives talks all over the state, as well as the West and Midwest. She does sweat lodge ceremonies and is active in Native American culture today. She is a presenter for Humanities Montana, and has done so for many years.

Historic St. Mary’s Mission and Museum can be reached by calling (406)777-5734. They plan on having more events like this, and encourage people to visit the mission and the museum to learn more about the history of the place and the area.

“If you have an interest in a diverse and stable food supply there is no better organization to belong to than Farmers Union.”

—Jeff Bangs, Inverness, MT JOIN TODAY AT MONTANAFARMERSUNION.COM

Some of the many objects Fischer brought with her for her presentation at the St. Marys Mission and Museum in Stevensville last Saturday. Everything she brought has spiritual meeaning to her, and signifies different aspects of Native American life. Photo by John Dowd.

Saying no to a shot

by John Dowd

With spring bear season on, many hunters are taking to the woods, often for the first time after these majestic animals. Among the many reasons people hunt bears is the chance to bag the biggest one a person can find. Trophy hunting is common with any hunt, and I’m sure for many, bear hunting comes with a bit of ego. In any hunting situation, I feel it is important to remind people of why we hunt. Though there are many reasons, perhaps the most important ones are food and conservation. This means choosing an animal that is the best choice to maintain a healthy population, and one that can feed a person’s family. Though it may not be something many hunters want to hear, sometimes that means not taking the shot.

by John Dowd

I was on a bear hunt a few years ago and was in this very situation. It also happened to be my first bear hunt. I was in thick timber and hiking up a trail. I knew there was a bear, and had left my truck to track him. As I followed him up the trail, he was out of sight and some thoughts raced through my mind.

First, I wanted to make sure it was a legal bear, and a boar. A boar, or male bear, is often a good conservation choice for a hunter to take because when they get old they contribute less to the gene pool, yet eat more resources. Though it is often not illegal to take a sow, it is illegal to take a sow with cubs. Additionally, sows, or female bears, generally have cubs every two years. Taking

a sow takes out a breeding animal from the gene pool, eliminating more than just that one bear in the long run. The other thoughts swimming around were fear from hunting something that could very likely hunt me back, and that I was alone. As I followed his trail, I finally caught sight of him. He was indeed a boar, and a very large one at that. I posted up and took aim. I was likely 50 to 75 yards away from him and he knew I was there. He reared around to look at me and stood still, watching me. I watched him and made sure I confirmed it was a boar. As we watched each other for a few seconds, more thoughts crept into my head.

“I am alone, and that is a heavy bear,” I said to myself, thinking about how long it would take me to quarter and drag him out.

The hunt was a last minute thing, and I was working through an area, scouting it as I traveled to my parents’ place near Bigfork. I still had a long drive ahead of me to get there, and early the next day we were going east for antelope. I was equipped with my antelope rifle, which I began to realize was not enough for this bear. “What if I shoot and it passes through?” I began to consider that this may not be an ethical gun to take an ethical

shot. Not only might the bear escape, but the light was fading and I might have to track him into the night. I began to consider the undue suffering to him and to myself this shot may cause, and the interruption into the hunt the next day. A hunt we had been planning for months.

Of all the thoughts that weighed heavy, though, the ethics of the shot stood out most to me. I have always prided myself in my clean shooting, a lesson I learned the hard way early in my hunting career.

So, I looked down my scope at that bear for only a moment more, then put the safety back on and turned around to head back to the car. Sometimes, it’s better not to take the shot, even on an animal more than worth the effort to hunt. Maybe, this is truest especially on that kind of animal. I want to earn the animal, and I believe if I had taken that shot, I would not have been worthy of it, and I definitely would not have been the kind of hunter I would be proud of.

This was not the bear in question, however, it is a good test for a bear hunter. A bear hunter may want to ask himself, “Is this a big bear? Is this a boar or a sow? Is this an ethical shot?” These are all questions a bear hunter needs to be able to judge in

the field. Photo by John Dowd.

Obituaries

Willie Dail Lambeth

To my wonderful husband, Willie Dail Lambeth, March 9, 1933 – March 11, 2023, born in Claypool, OK. We met on a blind date in Long Beach, CA in 1954. Dail’s southern drawl and sparking blue eyes won me over. We were married in my hometown, Fredericksburg, IA on March 27, 1955.

Dail proudly served aboard the heavy cruiser, USS St. Paul, from 1952 until 1956 as a GM3, during the Korean Conflict. Two outstanding children, Randy (Melissa) of Salmon, ID and Vanessa of Corvallis, MT were born and raised in CA, OR, ID and MT. Willie, you were

very proud of them and loved them very much, always and forever. You were a perfectionist in your work as a general contractor and also in your many hobbies. You made hardwood furniture, created and sold a unique artist easel along with your oil paintings. You started a successful metal detecting club in Bend, OR where we lived for 40 years. You also tied flies for fishing, enjoyed camping and boating fun as a family. We were snowbirds for 35 years, going to AZ. It was there that you were able to play your guitar, various other instruments, sing and enjoy your natural talent

Clifford A. Ross

Clifford A. Ross, 68, passed away Monday, April 17, 2023 at home peacefully surrounded by his family after a short battle with cancer. He was born July 30, 1954 in Wichita Falls, Texas to Edward and Shirley Ross. He graduated from Stevensville High School. After high school he joined the army and was stationed in Fort Lewis, WA. Cliff married Carol (Jackson) July 14, 1979 and resided in Stevensville, MT. He worked for Cenex in Stevensville, MT, then worked at White Pine and Sash in Missoula, MT. He started his truck driving career in 1987 and retired after 32 years of hauling grain and lumber. After retirement he enjoyed cooking breakfast for the grandchildren and neighborhood kids and wrangling his ever growing collection of farm cats. He

with other musicians. We spent several years traveling in our motorhome. What fun… so much to see and appreciate. We settled in Stevensville, MT in 2016. You could walk, smile, stop to visit with other veterans and people… how friendly the young people were. If only Stevi could remain this way. Well, my dear, I could write many pages of our 68 married happy years together, but will say good night for now. You, Randy and Vanessa have been my life.

All my love, from your wife and friend, Phyllis.

Missoula - Beloved husband, brother, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, great-great-grandfather, and friend, Ernest “Glenn” Larson, 97, passed away in his sleep Sunday, Apr. 9, 2023, at his home in the Village Senior Residence.

Born in Stevensville, MT on Dec. 4, 1925, to Ernest and Ida Grace Larson, Glenn was the 5th of 12 children. Growing up, he would spend his Fridays fishing with his siblings and friends. They would later sell their daily catch to the locals in town. During his Sophomore year of high school, Glenn earned the nickname “Cue Ball”, after his friend, Bill, beat the heck out of him in a game of pool at the local bar. It wasn’t long before his birth name was forgotten, even by his teachers, and he was known throughout the valley only as “Cue Ball”.

In January of 1944, at the age of 18, Glenn enlisted with the U.S Marine Corps. He served as a PFC, Mortar Crewman during World War II until he was Honorably Discharged in March of 1945. He was proud to be a Marine, always smiling as he said “Once a Marine, Always a Marine”.

It wasn’t long after returning from Service when Glenn met the woman who would turn out to be the love of his life for more than 66 years, Ramona Vacura. Their first date was a dance in Paradise, and he proposed shortly thereafter. On April 10, 1948, at the age of 22, Glenn married Ramona in Plains, MT.

After their marriage, Glenn attended the MSU in Bozeman, in hopes of becoming a Dentist. However, life had other plans. They soon found out they were having twin girls, but due to complications, Michelle and Marlene died at birth. It was at that time that Glenn left school and returned to the steady job he knew as a Heavy Equipment Operator in the Logging Industry. In the twelve years that followed, Glenn and Ramona had five surviving children.

From 1946 to 1992, Glenn ran a Bulldozer, which was used to haul logs and create roads throughout Montana and Idaho. In the mid 1950s, Glenn logged

was very much involved in his grandkids’ lives, and looked forward to spending time driving them to school every morning. Cliff was also a connoisseur of cooking, if you never tried his carrot cake, you really missed out. His nieces and nephews would come from far and wide to eat some carrot cake. He was always willing to share his knowledge and taste test whatever dessert someone happened to bring by.

Cliff is survived by his wife Carol of 43 years, daughters Candi (Kevin) Hove and Celena (John) Bamberger, 10 grandchildren, 2 great grandchildren, brothers Mike (Bev) Ross, Dennis (Debbie) Ross, sister Holly (Ed) Schlaud, sister-in-law Sheryl (Dan) Pond, brother-in-laws Robert, Jeff (Allison) Jackson, George (Kaye) Jackson and many nieces and nephews. Condolences and memories may be shared with the family at www.whitesittfuneralhome. com.

Ernest ‘Glenn’ Larson

and built the roads surrounding Fish Creek, where his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren would later spend their summers camping and fishing. In the mid 1970s, Glenn traveled to Alaska, where he ran a bulldozer, creating roads and leveling terrain for the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System. He would later move to San Diego to continue his work in heavy equipment. Glenn enjoyed running heavy equipment and was part of the Local 1334 Laborers Union in Missoula.

Glenn’s greatest treasures in life were his wife, Ramona, his children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren. He adored every single one of them, giving them anything they wanted, even if it meant getting trouble by Ramona. He often said that the trouble was worth the look on the kids’ face. He loved exploring the National Parks and other amazing places throughout the U.S. with his wife. They were always looking forward to their next adventure, whether it be a trip to see their grandkids in Idaho and Washington or traveling to Albuquerque, NM for the Hot Air Balloon Show. No matter the plan, Glenn was always ready and willing to make it happen.

After retirement, and in between their travels Glenn and Ramona spent a number of years living on Flathead Lake, where they hosted their grandchildren every chance they could. They also had the most extravagant garden, providing them with fresh fruits and vegetables for nearly every meal throughout the summers. When they later moved back to Missoula, and into Missoula Manor, Glenn requested a chunk of property on the campus grounds where he could grow his tomatoes. He grew so many tomatoes that he supplied the Manor’s kitchen with fresh tomatoes for their meals. Not a single person went without fresh tomatoes when they were in season.

After Ramona’s passing in 2014, he lived at The Village Senior Residence, where he got to know everyone, both residents and staff. He made it a point to make his rounds every morning, ensuring that he stopped to say hello to everyone in the facility. And had a beer in the afternoons with his friends from down the hall.

Glenn will always be remembered for being the best Gramps that anyone could ever ask for. He was loving, caring and had a great sense of humor that kept everyone laughing. He cared for every person he met throughout his long life and always went out of his way to keep in touch. When asked about the secret to life, he said “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”, which sums up his life so completely.

He is preceded in death by his two twin daughters, Michelle and Marlene; parents, five brothers and five sisters; his wife, Ramona Vacura Larson; and grandson, Joshua “Josh” Larson.

He is survived by his sister, Doris “Dody” Felde; daughter, Allyn (Charles) Alden; son, Kevin “Ca-

sey” (Rebecca) Larson; son, Greg (Tammy) Larson; daughter, Karyl (Tim) Clark; daughter, Tami Thomas; grandson, Ryan (Jennifer) Frost, along with their two children Morgan and Tanner, and Morgan’s daughter Tatum; grandson, Brady (Cyndi) Frost, along with their two children Lexi and Kamrin, and Lexi’s three children, EllyMae, Bentley, and Kinzley, granddaughter, Shauna (Jake) Stueve, along with their four children, Chelsea, Tyler, Gavin, and Mellaine; granddaughter, Shanna (Justin) Cook, along with their two children, Kayla and Braylon; granddaughter, Hawlee Valente, along with her two daughters, Amelia and Hannah; granddaughter, Jesse Larson, along with her two sons, Cole and Payton; granddaughter, Britta (Cody) Brown, along with their three daughters, Brynlee, Bailee, and Blakelee; granddaughter, Tara (Justin) Kreitel, along with their two daughters, Ruby and Grace; granddaugh-

ter, Katie Clark; granddaughter, Trista (Dustin) Hunt, along with their two daughters, Olivia and Rikki.

The memorial Mass will be celebrated at 11 A.M., Tuesday, Apr. 25, 2023, at Blessed Trinity Catholic Church, 1475 Eaton St. in Missoula. A reception will follow with the committal service to be held at 2:30 PM at St. Mary-Turner Cemetery in Missoula. Father Ed Hislop will be officiating. Military Honors will be presented by the Active duty Marine Corps, VFW, and American Legion.

Condolences and memories may be shared with the family at brothersmortuary.com.

Kiwanis Kiwanis meets every Wednesday at 12 noon at BJ’s restaurant in Hamilton.

John Birch Society

The John Birch Society Ravalli County Chapter meets every Monday at 7 p.m. at 330 3rd Avenue, Victor. For info contact Terri, 406-880-2492.

TOPS

TOPS Club (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) meets every Thursday morning at Kootenai Creek Village, 43 Club House Way, Stevensville. Guests are welcome, including men. Weigh-in is from 8:30 to 9:10 a.m.; meeting follows until 10:30. A program on sensible eating and weight loss is presented every week along with incentives for weight loss. TOPS is an affordable non profit weight loss support group. For more information call Diana Griffin at 406-5310785.

Ravalli Dems North County

Join North Ravalli County Democrats for “Burgers and Beer” on Thursday evenings from 4 to 6 at The Backyard Taphouse, 281 Rodeo Drive, off the Eastside Hwy in Florence. This is a rather regular event on Thursdays, BUT not on May 4th. Check online at ravdems.com/newsletter for any changes and other information or on Facebook. All welcome.

Coding for Kids

Registration is now open for the Coding for Kids summer programs. Register at www.codingbitterroot.org.

SHS trip fundraiser

A silent auction and spaghetti feed to benefit SHS student travel will be held on Friday, April 28th at 5 p.m. at Stevensville School multi-purpose room. $12 plate for ages 13 and up, $6 plate for students 6 and under. Students are going on a 9-day trip in June 2024. For more information contact Chris Shepherd, 406-802-

brance Service

Smart Driver Course Bitterroot Health, (formerly Marcus Daly Hospital), located at 1200 Westwood Drive in Hamilton, will host an ALL NEW Smart Driver Course (formerly ’55 Alive’) on Friday, April 28th, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. While this new safe driving strategies class is designed for drivers age 50 and over, all drivers are welcome. The new program now features laws and updates specific to Montana. Pre-registration is advised. There are no driving tests or written exams and, Montana mandates an insurance discount for qualified participants There is a class fee of $20.00 for AARP members and $25.00 for non-members. To sign up for the class, call Jones-Korman Insurance at 363-6583 or, for further information, call Thom Ainsworth, Coordinator, at 369-0149.

Educational scholarships available

American Legion Post 91 is sponsoring scholarships for academic or vocational education. The application deadline is April 28th. If you are interested in obtaining financial assistance to help you accomplish your goals for the future and can meet the selection criteria that include a relationship to a member of the Post, a relationship to a veteran or active duty military member, or are a veteran yourself, you could be a beneficiary of this program. Call Marc Sabin at 406-802-2301 or Don Bratsch at 719-201-1610 to learn if you might qualify and to obtain application materials.

Lone Rock craft fair

Lone Rock School will be having a Craft Fair on Saturday, April 29th from 9 am until 2 p.m. with over 50 vendors and a food truck. it is a fundraiser for the Science Olympiad Team.

Baby Remem-

You are invited to a special all-faith memorial service on Sunday, April 30th at 3 p.m. at St. Francis, 411 S. 5th St, Hamilton, honoring babies who died during pregnancy or infancy. It is important to honor the life of a baby who has left handprints deep in our hearts, never to be forgotten. Open to everyone. Reception to follow in the Pastoral Life Center.

Rotary Club

On Monday, May 1, Rotary speaker will be Rotarian Barbra Liss, owner of Montana Bliss Artworks. Rotary is an international service organization of over one million members that focuses its service and financial support on public health. Rotary meets Mondays at noon at BJs restaurant. Guests and prospective members are welcome.

Pro-Life Bitterroot

Pro-Life Bitterroot will meet Tuesday, May 2nd at 6 p.m. at Kodiak Jax, 6th and Main, in Stevensville. For more information call (406) 407-1254.

Fly Fishers of the Bitterroot

The final meeting of the season for Fly Fishers of the Bitterroot will be held Tuesday, May 2 at BJ’s Restaurant in Hamilton. Social hour is 5:30 to 6:30 with cocktails and dinner optional. The speaker is Haley Stir, of the Public Land Water Access Association. She is an investigator for the organization and will be sharing information on how public lands access works for both land owners and sportsmen and how that affects our ability to access our waters. Haley grew up in Michigan surrounded by the Great Lakes, invoking a passion for water conservation. She obtained a degree in environmental science from Metropolitan State University in Denver. She relocated to Montana to work for the Department of Environmental Quality. Throughout her career with the state, she developed a passion for working collaboratively with stakeholders to

achieve the goal of protecting Montana’s state waters. This will be the final meeting until October 2023. If you like to fish, this is the social club for you. For more info: Phil 406-361-1516.

National Day of Prayer

The National Day of Prayer will be held Thursday, May 4 from 11 a.m. to 12 noon at Lone Rock Bible Church, 1142 Three Mile Creek Road, Stevensville. Opening with Inspirational and patriotic music featuring Linda Lanier. Come and join our nation for a time of prayer.

BRHA Day of Giving

For more than 50 years, the Bitter Root Humane Association (BRHA) has been serving our community by taking care of homeless and stray animals, while keeping pets and their people together through our free Pet Pantry service. BRHA will be participating in Bitterroot Gives, an online day of giving May 4-5. You can be a part of the celebration by donating to help us save more pets by visiting: https://www.missoulagives. org/organizations/brha or donations can a be dropped off at the shelter located at 262 Fairgrounds Road, Hamilton or mailed to: BRHA, PO Box 57, Hamilton MT 59840.

Rummage sale

Florence Carlton Community Church will hold its annual rummage sale on Thursday and Friday, May 4 and 5 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday, May 6 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Donations gladly accepted on May 1st, 2nd and 3rd. (Please no TVs or electronics.) The church is located at 20075 Old Highway 93, halfway between Lolo and Florence. For more information call Dace, 406240-6601.

Brews for Books

A Brews for Books fundraiser to benefit the North Valley Public Library will be held on May 9 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Blacksmith Brewing, 114 Main in Stevensville. Brews for Books is organized and staffed by the all-volun-

is a 6 year old pit bull terrier mix whose owner couldn’t take care of him anymore. He loves people of all ages, adores car rides, fetch, and hikes. How is this great dog still here?!? Thane is a very sweet boy and does best when he has a chance to relax in a new place. Give this awesome dog a chance! No other pets please as he has shown aggression with a high prey drive towards small animals such as cats and some livestock. His ADOPTION is PAID by Kennel to Couch!!!

teer NVPL Foundation, which raises funds for the library. Find more information on the foundation’s Facebook page or the library website.

Emergency Preparedness Classes

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is hosting free monthly Emergency Preparedness classes. They are held at 7 p.m. at the Church building located in Hamilton at 401 N. 8th Street. Upcoming topics of discussion include: May 11:

“What to Have In Your Food Storage & How To Store It”;

June 8: “Planning A Garden—Saving Seeds”; July 13: “Can’t Use Your Stove?

Cooking With Alternative Methods Using the Cookers We Assembled Earlier As

Well As Other Methods”;

August 10: “Water Bath Canning & Pressure Canning”;

September 14: “Basic First Aid & Kits: What to Have and How To Use Them”. You can attend any or all classes. Classes typically run 60-90 minutes. For the “Alternative Cooking Methods” classes, class size is too large to complete assembly in class, so sign ups will be made during class for items to be made/completed at a later date. Call 513-312-5494 with questions.

Assistance for Business Clinic

take place at Bitterroot

will

by Scott Sacry Sports Editor

Corvallis defeats Stevi in tennis

The tennis teams of Corvallis and Stevensville squared off in Corvallis on Tuesday, April 18th. It was a windy, chilly, and sometimes snowy day in Corvallis as the Corvallis boys won 6-0 and the Corvallis girls won 7-0. Stevensville only has four girls and three boys on the team, so it’s been a challenging season so far, but the kids are working hard to improve every week.

Boy’s singles: 1. Ryan Hutchison, Corvallis def. Angus Trangmoe, Stevi 6-1, 4-6, 6-2. 2. Aaron Powell, Corvallis def. Angus Trangmoe, Stevi 6-4, 6-2. 3. Jeffrey Vai, Corvallis def. William Lawrence, Stevi 6-0, 6-0. 4. Jackson Chavez, Corvallis def. Jeremiah St. Germain, Stevi 6-0, 6-0.

Boy’s doubles: 1. Brannon Fehr/ Emmett Allsop, Corvallis def. William

Lawrence/Jeremiah St. Germain, Stevi 6-0, 6-0. 2. Christian Gividen/Braeden Gaeger, Corvallis def. William Lawrence/Jeremiah St. Germain, Stevi 6-1, 6-0.

Girl’s singles: 1. Dakota Powell, Corvallis def. Dani Felton, Stevi 6-0, 6-0. 2. Alana Watt, Corvallis def. Tanna Bailey, Stevi 6-0, 6-0. 3. Johanna Muscheid, Corvallis def. Nevaeh Meedor, Stevi 6-0, 6-0. 4. Ava Wilcox, Corvallis def. Jackie Reed, Stevi 6-0, 6-0.

Girl’s doubles: 1. Jayde Venema/ Brecklyn Jessop, Corvallis def. Jackie Reed/Dani Felton, Stevi 6-1, 6-1. 2. Mckenzie Gross/Brooke Child, Corvallis def. NevaehMeeder/Jackie Reed, Stevi 6-0, 6-0. 3. Olivia Lawson/Eliana Hubert, Corvallis def. Tanna Bailey/ Nevaeh Meeder, Stevi 6-1, 6-2.

Corvallis’s Ryan Hutchison returns the ball in a match against Stevensville’s Angus Trangmoe on Tuesday, April 18th. Hutchison won 6-1, 4-6, 6-2 in a hard fought match. Photo by Scott Sacry.

Hamilton tennis: boys win, girls lose to Dillon

The Hamilton tennis team played Dillon on Tuesday, April 18th. The boys rolled to a 7-0 victory while the girls lost 3-4.

Boys singles: 1. Andy Purcell (H) def. Josiah Jones (D) 6-1, 6-2. 2. Colin Hanley (H) def. Daniel Leonardson Nathaniel Read-Smith (D) 6-0, 6-1. 3. Alain Mendizabal (H) def. Isaac Sandall (D) 6-4, 6-4. 4. Jacob Rollins (H) def. Luca Lange (D) 7-6 (7-5), 6-3.

Boys doubles: 1. Finn Dufresne / Jason Chaplin (H) def. Jonny Puga / Milo Glossa 6-1, 6-3. 2. Jonah Wilhelm / Dawson Berglund (H) def. Zach Sandall / Carson Fluckiger 6-1, 6-3

3. Zsomi Kari / James Truax (de-

fault). Girls singles: 1. Ciara Hanley (H) def. Brooklyn Willimas 6-2, 6-0. 2. Sage Tash (D) def. Sofie Lewanski (H) 6-1, 6-0. 3. Laura Martin (D) def. Charlie Holmes (H) 6-2, 0-6 (10-1). 4. Codie Clarke (H) def. Arahlee Hawk (D) 6-0, 6-0. Girls doubles: 1. Rachel Fluckiger / Eden Kindberg (D) def. Emma Hollingsworth / Gwen Wolfe (H) 6-2, 6-2.

2. Aubrey Hawly / Cayenne McCable (D) def. Sam Geroy / Kristen Jesson (H) 4-6, 6-3 (10-7). 3. Alexis Kaul / Anna Twardoski (H) def. Coco Glossa / Emma Newman (D) 6-4, 6-2. Then on Thursday, April 20th,

Hamilton played Loyola and the boys won 6-1, while the girls won 5-2. Girls Singles: 1. Ava Bellamah (L) def. Janessa Chaplin (H) 6-2, 6-1. 2. 2 Sofie Lewanski (H) def. Amalee Schnieder (L) 6-3, 7-5. 3. Charlie Holmes (H) def. Sylvie VonDoersch 6-1, 6-1. 4. Dessi Young (L) def. Codie Clark (H) 6-4, 7-5. Girls Doubles: 1. Emma Hollingsworth / Gwen Wolfe (H) def. Megan Reis / Morgan Neibauer (L) 2-6, 6-4, (10-5). 2. Sam Geroy / Kristen Jessop (H) Olivia Wamsley / Jenna Goldade (L) 6-4, 3-6, (10-6). 3. Tessa Lewanski / Jasmine Jimenez (H) def. Allison Eicher (L) 6-1, 6-0.

Boys Singles: 1. Andy Purcell (H) def. Dillon Taylor (L) 7-5, 6-1. 2. Colin Hanley (H) def. Nathaniel Read-Smith (L) 6-1, 6-0. 3. Alain Mendizabal (H) def. Brandon Nedrud (L) 6-3, 6-4 4 Jacob Rollins (H) def. Mathew Camp (Loyola) 6-2, 6-3.

Boys Doubles: 1. Carter Topp / Joe Kirschememan (L) def. Finn Dufresne / Jason Chaplin (H) 7-6 (7-3), 6-3. 2. Dawson Jakober / Jonah Wilhelm (H) def. Sam Carar / Declan Harrington (L) 6-3, 6-3. 3. Zsomi Kari / James Truax (H) def. Matthew Camp / Alex Jasperson (L) 6-1, 6-2.

Hamilton defeats Stevi, Stevi defeats Corvallis

On Tuesday, April 18th the Hamilton softball team traveled to Stevensville and defeated the Lady Yellowjackets 28-9. The teams combined for 37 runs and 34 hits over 5 innings on a day where offense ruled. For Hamilton, Cierra Cole went 4 for 5, hit a Home Run, and had 7 RBI’s, Mariah Johnson went 3 for 3 and scored 6 runs, Dawsyn Ekin went 3 for 3 with 5 RBI’s, and Addison Flynn went 4 for 5 and scored 5 runs. For Stevensville, Sophie Berning went 3 for 4 with 2 RBI’s, Maddy Davids went 2 for 3 with

Florence

The Florence softball team continues to dominate. They won 4 games last week, outscoring their opponents 76-7 in those games and improving to 9-0 on the season. On Wednesday, April 19th they had a doubleheader against Anaconda and won 18-2 in three innings and 17-0 in four innings. Then on Thursday, they had a doubleheader with

a Home Run and 2 RBI’s, and Serenity Scott went 2 for 3 with 2 RBI’s.

On Saturday, Stevensville traveled to Corvallis and won 12-10. For Stevensville, Morgan Yeager went 3 for 5 with a Home Run and 5 RBI’s, Sophie Berning went 2 for 3 with a Home Run and 2 RBI’s, and Jaidan Oyler went 3 for 5 and scored 3 runs. For Corvallis, Jadyn Greenwood went 2 for 5 with a Home Run, Ava Loren went 2 for 4 with a Home Run and 3 RBI’s, and Kaitlin McCartney had a Home Run

and 2 RBI’s.

Corvallis played Frenchtown on Tuesday, April 18th and lost 6-21. Then on Thursday, Corvallis scored 10 runs in the 3rd to defeat Butte Central 1612. In that game, Corvallis’s Makaia McEwen went 3 for 5 with 3 RBI’s, Jessica Saturday went 3 for 5 and had 2 RBI’s, Sydney Wolsky went 2 for 3 and scored 3 runs, and Kaitlin McCartney went 2 for 4 with 2 RBI’s. On the mound, Melanie Race struckout 8.

Deer Lodge and won 18-0 in two and a half innings in the first game, and 23-5 in four innings the second game. In the first Anaconda game, Autumn Sutton was the winning pitcher and went 2 for 3 with 3 RBI’s and Rylee Yeoman scored 2 runs and had 3 RBI’s.

In the second Anaconda game, Maggie Schneiter went 4 for 4, had 3 stolen bas-

Corvallis steamrolled Stevensville on Saturday, April 22nd. More correctly, they steamrolled Stevensville in the top of the 5th inning. After 4 innings the game was tied 1-1, then the Blue Devils scored 16 runs in the top of the 5th to get the 17-1 victory. For Corvallis, Brandon Brenneman got the win from the mound and went 2 for 4 with 3 RBI’s from the plate. Justus Brickley went 2 for 3 with 3 RBI’s, and Charlie Chavez and Reese Earp each scored 2 runs and had 2 RBI’s. Stevensville’s Joey Wheeler went 2 for 3 in the loss.

The Florence baseball team defeated Stevensville 10-0 on Tuesday, April 18th. Florence Pitcher Mason Arlington got the shutout win with 7 strikeouts and only allowed 1 hit. Patrick Duchien went 2 for 4 and had 4 RBI’s, Drew Wagner went 3 for 3, and Brodie Hinsdale went 2 for 3 and scored 2 runs. Then

es, and scored 3 runs, and Taylor Pyette scored 3 runs and had 5 stolen bases. Rylee Yeoman got the shutout win, striking out 5 and allowing only 1 hit.

In the first Deer Lodge game, Kenzy Pickering got the shutout win, only allowing 1 run. At the plate, Hailey Sutton went 2 for 3 with a Home Run and 2 RBI’s, Ava Philbrick went 1 for 2 with a

softball dominates Anaconda, Deer Lodge Baseball Roundup

on Saturday, they defeated Frenchtown 15-0 and lost to Belgrade 5-6 in an 11 inning game.

In the Frenchtown game, Florence pitcher Trapper Oster only allowed 1 hit and struck out 9 for the shutout win. Jake Roth went 2 for 3 with 2 RBI’s, Brodie Hinsdale went 3 for 4, scored 3 runs, stole 3 bases, and had 3 RBI’s, and Drew Wagner went 2 for 4 with 2 RBI’s. The Belgrade game went 11 innings with Belgrade getting the win in the bottom of the 11th. Isaac Bates, Patrick Duchien, and Brodie Hinsdale all had an RBI and scored a run for the Falcons. Hamilton defeated Polson 3-1 on Saturday, April 22nd. The score was tied 1-1 after 5 innings, but Hamilton got 2 runs in the top of the 6th to earn the win. Atticus Southwell went 2 for 3 and Conner Ekin went 1 for 3 and scored a run.

Columbia Falls Iceberg Invitational

The track teams from Corvallis, Stevensville, and Hamilton competed alongside 12 other teams in the Columbia Falls Iceberg Invitational on Saturday, April 22nd.

Individual winner for the boys: Hamilton’s Andrew Burrows, shot

put (52”2.5) and Discus (157’1). Hamilton’s Brayden Lanser, 800m (2:05.30), Hamilton’s Evan Bennett ,1600m (4:37.90), Corvallis’s Hunter Loesch, Javelin (153’), and Hamilton’s Taylor Searle improved his state best Pole Vault

to 15’0. Individual winners for the girls: Hamilton’s Mya Winkler won the Shot Put (34’ 3.5) Discus (114’5) and the Javelin (122’3), Stevensville’s Claire Hutchison won the High Jump (5’ 2) and 200m (26.67).

run and an RBI, and Maggie Schneiter had 2 runs, 2 stolen bases, and 4 RBI’s. In the second Deer Lodge game, Ava Philbrick had a big game, going 3 for 3 with 6 RBI’s, Gracie Simms added 3 RBI’s, and Elise Schneiter went 3 for 4 with 2 RBI’s. Florence’s Reiley Reed got the win and struck out 5.

Track Roundup: Seeley Swan Invitational

The track teams from Florence, Darby, and Victor joined 29 other schools to compete in the Seeley Swan Invitational at the MCPS Stadium in Missoula on Saturday, April 22nd. In the girl’s team standing, Darby took 8th, Victor was 15th, and Florence was 16th. In the boy’s team standing, Florence took 4th and Darby took 10th.

Individually, Darby freshman Lily Adair won the 1600m (5:57.30) and 3200m (12:33.60). Florence’s Kyler Harris won the 800m (2:06.89) and was 2nd in the 1600m (4:38.19). Darby’s William Martin won the 300m Hurdles (42.99) and placed 4th in the 200m (23.84) and the 110m Hurdles (16.08). Florence’s Quinn Lue won the High Jump (6-00). Darby freshman Natalie Anderson took second in the 300m Hurdles (50.37) and 5th in the 100m Hurdles (17.95). Florence’s William Wagner took 2nd in the 400m (51.27), 3rd in the 100m (11.74), and 4th in the 200m (23.84). Victor’s Mylia Fowler took 2nd in the 100m (13.58).

(Left) Stevensville’s Jaden Fisher pitching against Hamilton on Tuesday, April 18th. Stevi lost 9-28. Photo by Scott Sacry.

(Right) Hamilton’s Brynne Johnson pitching in the Broncs’ 28-9 victory over Stevi on April 18th. Photo by Scott Sacry.

Best pre-runoff dry flies and hatches

It’s not as good as it could be, but it’s good enough.

We’ve come to expect certain things during the skwala hatch: uncertain spring weather throws the fishing off from day to day; low river flows rise sporadically until full-blown runoff; multiple hatches are topped off by a clumsy brown-olive stonefly, AKA skwala; big fish go on the prowl hunting down those big vulnerable stoneflies.

This hatch gets the big fish moving but it’s never easy.

big fish, once keyed to surface activity by the skwala, tend to keep looking for surface food - like the smaller March brown.

Veteran guide and outfitter Jack Mauer states that the March brown is the better hatch for his clients. The hunt for March browns isn’t as elusive as the hunt for skwalas – for the fish or the angler.

by Chuck Stranahan

You need to be on the water when things are right, and even in a typical spring (is there such a thing?) conditions are fickle. You might hit it right two days out of three. On those days, you’re looking at low to normal flows and occasional rises in the nondescript water along the edges, where a well-place cast with a #8 fly will result in a soft take and hard run that will trigger a surge of adrenaline.

It can happen more than once. A skwala float can bring a solid hookup with fish that run from sixteen to well over twenty inches around every bend. And it can happen right through the middle of the day, beginning after that second cup of late morning coffee and lasting until the late afternoon chill chases the bugs off the water.

It’s enough to drive off a winter’s worth of cabin fever and bring you back again, day after day until it ends, spring after spring, year after year.

Bitterroot’s best springtime hatch?

In other parts of the west where this hatch doesn’t occur, big fish are less aggressive on the surface. The Bitterroot’s

March browns usually disappear when the water levels rise beyond a certain point. My guess is because they hatch midpool after making their ascent from the bottom near the head of the pool, heavier currents make their journey more difficult.

March browns

March browns are unusual bugs. Most mayflies drift to the surface in the nymphal form, then float suspended as the struggle free from the nymphal shuck. March browns do it differently.

They hatch on the bottom, then swim, fully formed adults weakened by their underwater emergence, to the surface. Some are too weak to throw off the nymphal shuck. The drag it to the surface where they buzz around with their wings until they finally escape or get eaten.

Big fish can hold near the lazy center of a pool where March browns typically hatch, and make a good living without working too hard.

This year, that prospect might be less likely to occur. Sure, we’ll have some March brown activity, and there will be some banner days fishing them, and I’ll be called a liar by those who scored if I said it couldn’t happen; and, truth be known, I won’t venture forth unless fully armed with my favorite March brown patterns.

Like Mauer’s clients, I catch a lot of fish on March browns.

What to expect

The river is slowly but steadily rising at this writing; it’s plenty fishable, and for the expert oarsman, floatable.

I’ll repeat a caution: Don’t underestimate the risks, and don’t overestimate your own skill set. The river is unforgiving. There are plenty of boats out

there, and I suspect that if all the truth were told, there have been plenty of near-misses. Check before you go out – and double-check your raft setup and your own abilities against the conditions.

If you’re wading, stick to the calm water near shore. Don’t get needlessly heroic – the fish are holding in the slower edges of the power flow.

All you need is room for a moderate back-cast; the fish, thankfully, respect that swift power current more than you do and they’re in that nondescript water close by. Don’t spook them with sloshy foot-falls, sloppy casts, or shadows.

This time of year I move slowly, very slowly, and seldom get more than calfdeep. I stalk my fish or the water they might be holding in, and cast carefully. And if I manage to get out a few times, I catch my share of fish.

Author casts carefully, stalks edges as river rises pre-runoff. Photo by Jan Stranahan.

Meet more school trustee candidates

Marci Smith

My name is Marci Smith and I am running for Victor school district.

My husband, Dave and I live on a farm in Victor that was homesteaded by Dave’s grandfather during the Dust Bowl years. Over the years, we raised sheep, goats, chickens, horses and countless other critters including two wonderful kids. Both of our children attended Victor School. Our daughter is finishing her junior year at MSU, and our son graduated in engineering from MSU last spring. Over the years I have volunteered hundreds of hours at Victor school, fundraising, chaperoning, reading volunteer, etc. I also was a co-leader of Victor’s 4-H Clover Club for many years.

I own a Communications firm and have been a graphic designer/art director for nearly four decades. I am currently also the board chair for the Bitterroot Valley Community College.

I have 16 years experience as a K-12 Trustee, and have attended multiple trainings and conferences with the Montana School Board Association in Helena to better understand the complexities and legalities of policy development. Being a School Board member, our prime job is to create and approve policies to guide acceptable

behavior and ensure that the school environment is safe for students, teachers and school staff. School policies also help create a productive learning

long as appropriate policy is in place as guardrails, it is our job to hire the best teachers and staff, and allow them the autonomy to teach.

Lone Rock

environment. After many years serving as Victor’s Vice Chair on the Board, I have become a firm believer that it is not the Boards’ role to micromanage the day-to-day details in our school. As

My name is Brooke Crutcher, Payroll Specialist/Grants Coordinator For Government agency. I am running for Victor School Trustee for personal reasons, as my 2 children go to Victor School. My current and previous employment I have dealt with budgets, government regulations, strategic planning and person-

I am an avid supporter of public education that gives our young people a foundation to become well-rounded, open-minded and curious lifelong-learners. To quote a Chinese proverb: If you are planning for a year, sow rice; if you are planning for a decade, plant trees; if you are planning for a lifetime, educate people.

I am running to continue my service as Trustee because of my sincere

nel, if elected I will make sure there will be proper questions asked and accountability for where our taxpayer’s dollars are spent. I want to ensure that others have a voice in making educational and administrative decisions. I want the students in Victor to have the same opportunities that kids in a large district have. I want our school to be successful for them, their friends, and all of our students to prepare for their futures. I believe I am able to serve the district as an ethical, compassionate, accountable and fair Board Member in order to meet the needs of the district.

appreciation of our school. Both of my children attended Victor, and were well-prepared for their respective college challenges and life beyond. Victor school being quite small allows for intimate knowledge of each and every student. Children rarely, if ever, fall through the cracks.

What are the issues facing your district? Money. Victor is the only school district in Ravalli County that operates 100% from a base operating budget and has no additional dollars generated from levies or bonds.

Our budgeting is challenging and will become much more so when ESSER funds sunset, and if rising costs of living continue at the current rate. It’s difficult to find and keep staff when we cannot be competitive with other district salaries.

As with other K-12 schools in our county, we will need to sharpen our pencils and tighten our budget even further. But there will come a time where we can only cut so much without sacrificing our students’ needs, and we will likely have to reach out to our district voters for funds. The importance of eduction cannot be understated, and as a society it is an investment in all of our futures.

One of Victor’s biggest challenge is getting parents involved full circle. In board meetings, showing up to sporting events, and community events. As Vice President of the newly created Parent Teacher Organization, we are striving to get more parent involvement and do more things for our children. I want to encourage the community of Victor to be involved with the school, especially if your children attend. We need everyone’s input and support to make it a successful place to learn.

we found that due to inflation the adequate to cover our expenses.

In addition, we encounter issues with providing adequate staffing

past textbooks would last 10 to 15 years. However, most electronic devices in our schools today have with a much higher price tag. This requires a constant review and/or revision of policies as we continue to make the necessary adjustments advised back in the 1960s “School board is the toughest job in politics and you serve as a volunteer”. Volunteering can be a very rewarding experience and it has provided an opportunity for me to give back to

environment in which all students of all abilities will have the opportunity to succeed and meet their maximum

Brooke Crutcher

Hamilton

Booked for the season

“Knowing What We Know: The Transmission of Knowledge from Ancient Wisdom to Modern Magic” by Simon Winchester

c.2023, Harper $35.00

415 pages

How do you know that?

Sometimes, you know things because you just do. You learned through osmosis, the grapevine, an elder or a peer said something and bingo! you were enlightened. Informed. Made aware. You became a fountain of knowledge and in the new book, “Knowing What We Know” by Simon Winchester, you didn’t do it alone.

Starting just a few weeks after you were born, you became an information sponge and so you remained for about the first twelve years of your life. You learned from others, teachers, and parents in a “generational food chain.”

After awhile, learning came slightly harder; still, no matter what your age now, you have the capability to learn.

“The arc of every human life,” says Winchester, “is measured... by the ceaseless accumulation of knowledge.” But how?

In the beginning of time, knowing was a matter of social skills: we learned, and shared what we knew. Writing was invented, coincidentally, in two places on the globe at about the same time, and the ability to preserve information on tablet, parchment, or vellum led to the creation of repositories for that information. Schools were founded; testing, established. While Plato and Socrates

thought about how we learn, their knowledge about learn-

passed down their knowledge in stories and songs, which

and magazines followed, then came the telegraph, radio, telephones, television, and the internet –which causes Winchester to wonder if we might forget how to learn and remember when we don’t need to do so?

“How does a world function if no one within it is wise?”

It happens to the best of us: those embarrassing moments when a fact is just out of reach inside your brain and you flounder. You might not be able to say exactly what you want to say, but in “Knowing What We Know,” you’ll see how you may have learned it.

by Terry Schlichenmeyer The Bookworm Sez, LLC

slippery, easily manipulated, and dangerous. He goes on to sound a plaintive alarm at our reliance on conveniences: many of us don’t remember phone numbers anymore, and addresses are elusive things. What’s next?

Readers who are concerned about libraries, banned books, the disappearance of language and societies, and fake news will appreciate this book immensely.

“Knowing What We Know” is good, and now you know.

ing was limited. For awhile, knowledge was based in the Heavens, until Voltaire shook things up and aimed big thinkers at facts, rather than religion.

In the meantime, indigenous peoples and the illiterate

worked because, Winchester says, “People tell people things... in a thousand ways...” Societies began to understand that swapping knowledge with other groups helped spread information. Books were invented, newspapers

In examining the vast catalog of human knowledge, we must look at almost every study that’s ever been tackled and here, author Simon Winchester does the heavy work of separating what’s important from what’s not so much. While this still might be too much information for some readers – and Winchester touches on TMI – it helps to see that knowledge is a layered thing that can also be

Simon Winchester.

Photo by Setsuko Winchester.

MOVING SALESaturday, April 29, 9:00 to 4:00. 787/819 Sandhill Loop, Florence. Antiques, furniture, tools, sporting goods, kitchenware, dog crates/beds, lamps and so much more!

MOVING? GARAGE

SALE? SPRING CLEAN-

ING? S.A.F.E. Thrift Store in Hamilton is accepting donations! We would appreciate receiving gently used home decor, dishes, cookware, glassware, and more. Please consider donating to us at 153 Old Corvallis Road, Hamilton and support our cause of helping survivors of domestic and partner abuse in the Bitterroot!

GARAGE SALE - Friday

12pm - 7pm, Saturday 9am- 3pm, 233 St. Joseph Lane, Stevensville. Tires, ladies clothes, handmade items and much more.

HUGE SALE - Friday April 28th - 9 to 6. Bring

Cash - No Early Birds. Off Eastside Hwy to Ambrose go 2 miles, turn on Leese Lane go straight to Burro Lane. Road ends at the sale - Log House - 4237 Burro Lane, Stevensville.

Ammo - Gun Compo-

nents - Tumbling Medium

- Dyes -Targets - 12 gauge

Western Field - 12 Gauge

Berretta Shotguns - Stetson

Hats - 2008 Suzuki GS 500 -

Helmets - Leathers - Motocross Tipes - old cookbooks

- Vintage Dishes - Antique

tins, pictures and framesold silverware - collectibles

- old quilts and linens - large dining room table w/2 - old singer sewing machinesarea rugs - bicycles - canon cameras and lens - books

- lawn ornaments - wagon wheels - old traps - toolsAND MUCH MORE...

MONTANA STATE-

WIDE SPRING EQUIP-

MENT AUCTION - Multiple locations across Montana. Bidding ends May 3rd. www. AscentAuction.com

SAM SHORT ESTATE

AUCTION - Fri. & Sat., April 28/29, Fairgrounds, Lewistown, MT. Outstanding collection of Indian artifacts, wester art & collectibles. Live auction with internet bidding available @ www. ShobeAuction.com. Info: 406-366-5125.

5th wheel hitch. 16k pullrite. Heavy duty. (928) 420-9234.

POLARIS 600 ATV. Runs, needs transmission work. $1000, or best offer. Located in Victor, you haul. 406-303-0354.

MONTANA MOSS

AGATES FOR SALE - Approximately 8 ton, cheaper by the barrel. Cell 406-9890833. If no answer leave a message.

HELP WANTED

DISHWASHER NEEDED. Weekend evenings only. Good pay, meal to go, friendly atmosphere. Call for details, 406-777-3681 or 406-529-9435.

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.

SPRING ON THE WORK! Licensed residential electrician at your service. We also offer raw goat milk, and baby goats for sale. Call 406880-5996, email forsakenranch@icloud.com or visit facebook forsakenranchandelectric.

RENTAL IN STEVENSVILLE: 1 BDRM. APT. FULLY FURNISHED, utilities, trash included. Additional combo couch/ double bed. Separate office space. Photos upon request. Streaming setup. Small pets ok, no smoking. $1200.00 (406) 550-1289.

tract and no hidden fees. Unlimited talk and text with flexible data plans. Premium nationwide coverage. 100% U.S. based customer service. Limited time offer - get $50 off on any new account. Use code GIFT50. For more information, call 1-877-324-0193.

DISH NETWORK: Only from Dish- 3 year TV Price Guarantee! 99% Signal Reliability, backed by guarantee. Inludes Multi-Sport with NFL Redzone. Switch and get a FREE $100 Gift Card. Call today! 1-855995-3572.

DONATING YOUR VEHICLE? Get more! Free towing. Tax Deductible. Plus a $300 restaurant voucher and a 2-night/3day hotel stay at one of 50 locations. Call Heritage for the Blind to donate your vehicle today - 1-855-901-

SWITCH AND SAVE up to $250/year on your talk, text and data. No con-

Montana 21st Judicial District Court, Ravalli County

In the Matter of the Name Change of Brittany

Eileen Gail Nelson, Brittany

Eileen Gail Nelson, Petitioner.

Cause No.: DV-23-62

Dept. 2

NOTICE OF HEARING

ON NAME CHANGE

This is notice that Petitioner has asked the District Court for a change of name from Brittany Eileen Gail Nelson, to Brittany Eileen Gail Stump. The hearing will be on May 11, 2023 at 1:30 p.m. The hearing will be at the courthouse in Ravalli County.

DATED this 6th day of April, 2023.

Bill Nelson, Attorney for Petitioner. BS 4-12, 4-19, 4-26, 5-3-23.

John S. Masar

LionWood Law, PLLC 115 W. 3rd St., Ste. 103 Stevensville, MT 59870 (406) 625-2682 jmasar@lionwoodlaw.com

Attorney for Personal Representative MONTANA TWENTY-FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT, RAVALLI COUNTY IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF: JEAN ANNABELLE IRVIN, Deceased Probate No.: DP-23-34

Dept. No.: 2 JENNIFER B. LINT 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 months after the date of the first publication of this notice or said claims will be forever barred. Claims must either be mailed to DAVID B. IRVIN, the Personal Representative, return receipt requested, at c/o LionWood Law, PLLC, 115 W. 3rd Street, Suite 103, Stevensville, Montana 59870, or filed with the Clerk of the

above Court.

DATED this 6th day of April, 2023

/s/ DAVID B. IRVIN

Personal Representative

c/o LionWood Law, PLLC 115 W. 3rd St., Ste. 103 Stevensville, MT 59870 LionWood Law, PLLC

/s/ John S. Masar

Attorney for Personal Representative BS 4-12, 4-19, 4-26-23. Montana 21st Judicial District Court, Ravalli County In the Matter of the Name Change of Dawson V. Rice Thornton, Dawson V. Rice Thornton, Petitioner.

Cause No.: DV-23-48

Dept. 1 NOTICE OF HEARING

ON NAME CHANGE

This is notice that Petitioner has asked the District Court for a change of name from Dawson Vincent Rice Thornton to Dawson Vincent Rice.

The hearing will be on May 10, 2023 at 1:30 p.m. The hearing will be at the courthouse in Ravalli County.

DATED this 29th day of March, 2023. Paige Trautwein Clerk of Court

BY: Barbara Beavers

Deputy Clerk of Court

BS 4-12, 4-19, 4-26, 5-3-23.

LEGAL NOTICE

The General Meeting for the Charlos Irrigation District will be held May 9th, 2023 at 7 pm at the Charlos Heights Community Church. BS 4-19, 4-26-23.

SUMMONS SUPERIOR COURT OF ARIZONA, COUNTY OF COCHISE Case Number: CV202200556 Person Filing: Anthony Ramsey 9319 180th St E. Puyallup, WA. 98375 (253) 227-7658 Represent-

ing Self Plaintiff: Anthony Ramsey vs. Defendants: Sean Ackerman, Cochise County Treasurer, JOHN DOE I-X AND JANE DOE I-X, The unknown personal representatives, heirs and devisees of any of the above named Defendants, if deceased, THE STATE OF ARIZONA TO THE ABOVE NAMED PARTIES OF INTEREST: YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED and required to appear and defend, within the time applicable, in this action in this Court. If served in Arizona, you shall appear and defend within 20 days of service of you of the Summons and Complaint, excluding the day of service. If served outside of Arizona, you shall appear and defend within 30 days of service on you of the Summons and Complaint, excluding the day of service. Direct service is complete when made. Service by publication is complete 30 days after the first publication. YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that if you fail to appear and defend within the time applicable, judgment by default may be rendered against you for the relief demanded in the Complaint. YOU ARE CAUTIONED that in order to appear and defend, you must file an Answer or other proper response in writing with the Clerk of this Court, accompanied by the necessary filing fee, within the time required, and you must serve a copy of any Answer or response to the Plaintiff. Requests for reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities must be made to the division assigned to the case by parties at least 3 working days in advance of a scheduled court proceeding.

SIGNED AND SEALED this date: April 4, 2023 Clerk of Superior Court s/ Deputy Clerk BS 4-19, 4-26, 5-3, 5-10-23.

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 ROSEMARIE FISHBURN, Deceased.

Case No.: DP-23-35

Dept. No. 2 NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned have been appointed Personal Representative of the abovenamed 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 Nancy Erb, 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 3rd day of April, 2023.

/s/ Nancy Erb, Personal Representative BS 4-19, 4-26, 5-3-23.

PUBLIC NOTICE

The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, Southwestern Land Office invites comment from interested parties, in compliance with the Montana Environmental Policy Act, regarding the possible sale, through the state Land Banking program (MCA 77-2-361 through 772-367), of the following State School Trust Land.

A parcel of land located approximately five (5) miles southeast of Hamilton, MT

within Ravalli County. The land banking proposal is to sell 80 acres in of Section 16, Township 5 North-Range 20 West. This parcel is primarily grassland and does not have legal public access. Comments may be sent to, and further information obtained from, Elizabeth Mullins at the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, Southwestern Land Office, 1401 27th Avenue, Missoula, MT 59804 or phone (406) 5424345 or email at emullins@ mt.gov. Comments will be accepted until 5 p.m. on Friday May 26, 2023. BS 4-26, 5-3-23.

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 5/4/2023 at 10:30AM. Unless listed below, the contents consist of household goods and furnishings. Unit #116; Unit #126; Unit #6B. This sale may be withdrawn at any time without notice. BS 4-26-23.

DAN O’BRIEN Cole, Amestoy & O’Brien, PLLP P.O. Box 1280 113 South 2nd Street West Malta, Montana 59538 Phone: (406) 654-2541

Attorneys for Personal Representative danobrien@coleamestoyobrien.com

MONTANA TWENTY-FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT, RAVALLI COUNTY IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF JAMES RODNEY KELLEY, Deceased.

Probate No. DP-2023-30

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 said deceased 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 be mailed, return receipt requested, to:

Timothy Allen Kelley, Personal Representative, c/o Cole, Amestoy & O’Brien, P.O. Box 1280, 113 South 2nd Street West, Malta, Montana 59538, or filed with the Clerk of the above Court.

DATED this 5th day of April, 2023.

/s/Timothy Allen Kelley Timothy Allen Kelley Personal Representative BS 4-26, 5-3, 5-10-23.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL OF BIDS on new / slightly used backhoe loader (=<100 hrs)

The Board of Bitter Root Irrigation District Commissioners (BRID) is soliciting Request for Proposals for a new or slightly used backhoe loader.

Proposals will be received by Bitter Root Irrigation

Northern Hawk Owl: rare owl in southwest Montana

There was quite the stir in the birding community when a local birder found a Northern Hawk Owl near the school in Wise River in the first week of January. Why the excitement? Very few people have ever seen one, and they are typically never this far south. All of my sighting prior to my January 17, 2023 sighting were in Glacier Park, some 265 miles north of Wise River. All of these former sighting were on the “Inside Road” to Polebridge near the Howe Lake trail area. The first sighting was of 2 fledg-

involved a fair amount of hiking in grizzly country in wet marshes and fairly steep trails.

That’s what made the January, 2023 sighting so remarkable. We simply drove to Wise River, looked around the general area of the school and there it was! The picture with this article was of the owl sitting on a light pole in the school yard. The owl stayed in the area for at least three weeks and was probably the single most photographed owl ever in Montana. Few people missed seeing

ern portion of northwest Montana is proper habitat. In the Canadian providences, Alaska, and the Northwest Territories within the Boreal Forest (forest containing spruce and wet bogs) the Northern Hawk Owl is common. That is not the case in Montana. Records with the Montana Natural Heritage Program show it has only been observed 168 times, with the majority of those observations coming out of Glacier Park or extreme Northwest portions of the state along the Canadian Border.

Bird Squwak

by Gary Swant

So why did a North Hawk Owl show in Wise River? Anyone’s guess, but it did stay in the area for about three weeks so it suggest that it was moving south to find small rodents and found an abundance of them in the Wise River area. This cold and heavy snow year probably was hard on small rodents north of Montana, and the owl was moving south to find food.

So how do you tell this owl from others? They are a medium-sized owl with an unusually long tail for an owl, thus the name hawk owl. In flight they are reminiscent of a small hawk with quick, snappy wingbeats. The Pale eyes give it an angry or fierce look. They are brownish overall with white spotting above, barred underparts, and spotted crown extending to the beak. The facial disk is bordered with black and is easily seen in my photograph. Those found in the interior Rocky Mountains tend to be grayish, whereas costal birds are browner.

Behavior wise they are often perched on the very top of a spruce tree or snag, surveying the surrounding landscape for prey. That is how I found this one, only it was on a power pole.

Chasing rarities is a lot of fun, but learning the birds of your backyard is probably a better use of your time and money.

lings in June of 2005. That sighting was totally unexpected as it meant the species had successfully bred in Montana. I found an adult in August of that same year. The next sighting was September 4, 2009, and the last sighting in July, 2013. It’s been ten years since I have seen a Hawk Owl and I bird a lot! All of these sighting

it who tried and most people took hundreds of photos. I would guess that at least 400 birders traveled to see this rare Montana occurrence that was so easy to find with such little to no effort.

The Northern Hawk Owl is classified as a “least concern” species in proper habitat. Only the very north-

Most observation are from May through August, but they have been seen every month of the year. They most often occur in Montana when small rodent populations crash in their northern habitats. There are few direct reports of breeding in Montana. I have been fortunate to observe both a nest and fledglings in Glacier Park.

As always I would encourage you to purchase my book, “My Montana Birds”, $39.95. It’s a great read, probably better than these article as I spent more time working on the book. Order by sending a check to Bird Squawk, 800 St Marys Ave, Deer Lodge, MT 59722 or use Venmo (@Gary Swant).

Sixth Annual Hamilton Masonic Lodge First Responder Awards

On April 21, 2023

Hamilton’s Masonic Lodge hosted the Sixth Annual First Responder Awards presentation. The presentation was held in the top floor conference room in the Bedford Building.

Mark Morse, the current Master of Ionic Lodge, # 38, thanked all those who were in attendance, which included Mayor Dominic Farrenkopf of the City of Hamilton and Jeff Burrows, Ravalli Coun-

ty Commissioner and many family members, friends and co-workers. He also spoke about the professionalism of our First Responders. “They have all given up their time, disrupted their family life, and placed themselves in harm’s way to help those people in need, 24 hours a day, every day. In our relatively small community it is not unusual to overhear someone talking about what the Fire Department recently did, or how quickly the ambulance arrived with highly trained medical staff on board, often saving the life of the patient. Or perhaps a story about one of our city or state patrol personnel or a deputy sheriff risking their life and certainly their safety responding to a plea for assistance. Those of us who have lived here for some time, as well as those who have recently arrived know and appreciate all of our First Responders for their

largely unrecognized service to our community. Just another reason why we are so fortunate to live here.”

Sheriff Steve Holton made the first presentation to Deputy Chris Caltagirone. Sheriff Holton remarked about how pleasant Chris is, always comes to work with a smile on his face. He does a great job every day, protects his partners and is a tremendous asset to the Sheriff’s Department.

Chief Brad Mohn, with the Hamilton Volunteer Fire Department, recognized Firefighter Beau Rominger. Beau was cited as a top responder and has maintained that roll since he first joined the department. He is always ready to do extra tasks to help preserve the outstanding reputation of our Volunteers. He explained that we are fortunate to have Beau as a member of our team.

RN Kathy Padilla, Chief Nursing Officer at Bitterroot Health Daly Hospital recognized William Torres Jr. NREMT paramedic, Director of EMS and Emergency Preparedness for Bitterroot Health Daly Hospital. Willie came to Daly Hospital after serving as an Emergency Medical Technician in New York, and between the two he has over 30 years of EMT experience. It was explained that his personality, his dedication and his professionalism have earmarked him as a critical leader for our ongoing emergency services as well as our emergency planning efforts.

A Norther hawk Owl. Photo by Gary Swant.