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Covering the Bitterroot Valley – “Where Montana Begins!” – Established 1985 – Locally Owned & Independent
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Section A
t s e B e ‘Th
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STOP VEGGING Get Out & Plant!
Tomatoes & Peppers - Zukes & Cukes 177 Golf Course Rd • Hamilton • 363-0212
Volume XXXV, Number 44
Wednesday, May 20, 2020
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Coalition of disaster groups Memorial Day tradition comes full circle in Corvallis coordinating behind the scenes By Jean Schurman
In light of the pandemic and the need for social distancing, the Corvallis Memorial Day parade will have a new, old look on Monday, according to Doug Mason, the man behind the parade for many years. This is the 100th anniversary of the parade. Mason was quite dismayed to find out that Corvallis couldn’t have their traditional parade this year because of COVID-19. So, he looked for a way to still honor those who had fallen in defense of our country. The parade normally focuses on veterans; there are many floats, horseback riders, politicians and everything associated with a grand time. Neighbors greet neighbors and old friends and lots of visiting goes on. However, this year’s parade will be a much more somber affair with only the American Legion Honor Guard and veterans marching down the street. This will be very similar to the first parade in 1920. “It was never our parade,” said Mason. “It’s always been about celebrating our veterans.” Mason has been involved with the planning of the parade for many years. After retiring from the U.S. Army due to injuries received in two different auto accidents during the 1990s, he came home to the Bitterroot in 2000. The parade and the American Legion Post 91 were all feeling the effects of an aging population without many younger veterans stepping in to help with the parade. Thanks to Mason’s leadership, the Legion and the parade soon thrived. “This is the first big event of the summer normally,” said Mason. He retired as a captain but when he first joined the Army, Mason went in as an infantry-
the same time, other needs were not met. There was only limited availability of training for potential volunteers. Information for victims on services during disasters was woefully inadequate and communication among voluntary disaster agencies was very limited and coordination of services was negligible. Seven founding organizations came together and committed to fostering the four C’s—communication, coordination, collaboration, and coopera-
tion in order to better serve people impacted by disasters. Ravalli County faced similar problems in the Roaring Lion Fire of 2016 which burned more than 13 square miles, destroyed 16 homes and led to the evacuation of hundreds of homes. The community wasn’t prepared for the very generous donations of food, water, clothing and other items that poured in and the storage of it took up a good share
By Michael Howell
already been received. Reardon was recently re-elected as City Judge to a term that would expire on December 31, 2023. At the council meeting, Councilor Pogachar said, “I thought the judge was happy with his new digs?” referring to city court’s location in the new judicial center building. “Yes, the judge is a happy person but he did tender his resignation,” said Mayor Farrenkopf. “I didn’t ask him why. I figure he knows what he’s doing. He was happy as a judge. I think he still is
happy as a judge, he’s just ready to move on. But he is a happy person.” After reviewing all applications, the City Council will appoint a new judge who will serve until running for office in 2021. The Mayor proposed a schedule that would lead to an appointment some time in early July. According to Farrenkopf, the proposed appointment process and application materials have been modeled on the process used by
derful court clerks. I’m just worn out.” In his seventy-two plus years of life he has spent 51 of them involved in law and 47 of them as a licensed attorney. Reardon went to law school at George Washington University in Washington D.C. in 1969 and graduated in 1972. He said it was “a time of never ending, large scale anti-war demonstrations. It was the beginning of the Green Peace movement and the environmental movement. Catholic priests were sheltering illegal immigrants because they really needed help and then getting sued for it. Then there was Nixon and the Watergate scandal.” Then came the Laos
intervention in the Vietnam War. Reardon was a Marine Lieutenant on in-active duty going to law school, the whole time living in Washington D.C. First on E Street in northwest Washington, about five blocks from the Capitol in one direction, ten blocks from the White House in the other direction, he could see the Smithsonian Gallery out of his apartment window. After that he spent 20 years in the U.S. Marine Corps serving as a judge advocate. He also received infantry training. As a judge advocate, he spent about nine of nine and half of those
See RCOAD, page A9
Hamilton City Judge resigns
Doug Mason was the coordinator of the Corvallis Memorial Day Parade for many years. Prior to the pandemic, Doug Mason and his wife showed Rhodesian Ridgeback dogs. He said that this is a campaign just like an Army campaign and as such, he’s not going to shave until his dog wins his championship. man. He was deployed during this time to Grenada. After serving his first enlistment, he went back to school and went through ROTC to become an officer. He said he’s been on both sides of the ranks in the Army and feels this gives him good insight on how to get things done. Mason’s family came to the Bitterroot in the 1880s and established a place outside of Corvallis. His current residence isn’t very far from the original homestead. He said that his upbringing gave him a very strong sense of community. He graduated from Corvallis in 1982 and went immediately into
the Army. Mason said he joined because he wanted to see what was on the other side of the mountains but one has the sense the real reason was to serve his country. During his tenure in the service, he served on almost every continent and across the nation from Fort Lewis, Washington, to Fort Benning, Georgia. While Mason wanted to increase the American Legion’s participation in the Memo rial Day celebration, he didn’t See MASON, page A2
Another positive COVID-19 test in Ravalli County
After more than a month with no new COVID-19 cases, the Ravalli County COVID-19 Incident Management Team reported on May 17, 2020 at 11:30 a.m. that the results of a ‘rapid test’ from a person in Ravalli County having COVID19 symptoms, were positive. In the meantime, the 50 to 60 year old male is in isolation. Identified contacts are in quarantine. On Monday, Public Health Nurse Karyn Johnston confirmed that the sixth positive case in Ravalli County had tested positive initially, but they were waiting on results from the state laboratory in Helena for final confirmation. Johnston said that the case was being considered a case of travel infection and that it was not
Ravalli County Organizations Active in Disasters is part of the Montana Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters program. Prior to the founding of National VOAD, numerous organizations served disaster victims independently of one another. These included both government and the private, nonprofit sector. As a result, help came to the disaster victim haphazardly as various organizations assisted in specific ways. Unnecessary duplication of effort often occurred, while at
a case of community infection. She said they were just getting started on the contact tracing to see who the man has been in contact with. “That’s when our work really starts,” she said. Right now, she said, they had about 30 people they need to contact. She said she would have three nurses working on it immediately and there were already other follow-up tests that are at the lab already. Johnston said, “The man was not in touch with people in grocery stores or anything like that. It was just all people that he works with.” On Monday afternoon, Ravalli County Public Health officials received confirmation of the positive results from the State Lab. Additionally, results from
nine tests related to this incident are pending. As of Monday evening, May 18, there have been 470 total confirmed cases of COVID-19 throughout Montana. Of those, 64 required hospitalization and 434 have recovered. 20 cases remain active, with four current hospitalizations. There have been 16 deaths. Gallatin County had the highest number of cases in the state, with 149. Yellowstone County was next with 86. Both counties currently have zero cases. Across the state there are only 2 new cases in all counties reporting as of Monday. A total of 28,167 tests have been administered across the state.
Re-Elect
SHARON
Hamilton City Judge Michael Reardon has announced his intention to retire as soon as the City Council can appoint a replacement. At a City Council meeting on May 5, Mayor Farrenkopf was authorized to advertise the position at a starting salary of $60,000 plus benefits. Reardon indicated that he would resign as soon as a replacement could be found. A replacement is expected to be appointed by early July. A couple of applications have
See JUDGE, page A3
There goes the judge
By Michael Howell
Hamilton City Judge Michael Reardon was quick to put to rest any notion that his recently announced retirement in mid-term was due to some dissatisfaction with the job. He said it wasn’t any frustration with the job or for any lack of support from the city. So why is he retiring now? “I’m seventy-two and a half years old and I’m not getting any younger,” said Reardon simply. As for the job, he said, “Actually it’s been a blessing and a pleasure, especially in the last few years with the high quality of legal practice in the court, a first rate police department, and won-
See REARDON, page A3
“Yes the judge is a happy person, but he did tender his resignation,” said Mayor Farrenkopf, “I didn’t ask him why. I figure he knows what he’s doing. He was happy as a judge. I think he still is happy as a judge, he’s just ready to move on. But he is a happy person.” Hamilton City Judge Michael Reardon is looking forward to reading philosophy. Michael Howell photo.
GREEF
PAID FOR BY SHARON GREEF, ED GREEF, TREAS. PO BOX 1327, FLORENCE MT 59833
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