02-21-24 issue

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Newly renovated library reopens to the public

By Summer Goddard Valley Journal

POLSON — The North Lake County Public Library reopened its doors last week following the completion of a near year-long renovation project. Library Director Abbi Dooley performed ribbon-cutting honors at 9 a.m. Feb. 14 before welcoming community members into the newly renovated building.

Held on Valentine’s Day, the library’s reopening coincides with National Library Lover’s Month observed annually in February. A true community endeavor, more than 50 volunteers helped move boxes of books to the library while another 20 or so helped shelve books prior to the grand reopening.

Several reading areas with couches, tables and chairs are located alongside north facing windows among new, lower height book shelves easily seen over – lending a bright, open feel to the space. Phone charging stations, electrical outlets

and computers are also available for use throughout the library.

From concept to completion the renovation project took about four years and cost an estimated $2.5 million. Though the footprint wasn’t expanded, Dooley said the library was able to recapture space that had been previously uti-

lized as the Sandpiper Art Gallery and foyer entrance. About 2,000 square feet of usable

space was gained through renovation. A majority of funding for the project was

raised by the North Lake County Library Foundation Dooley said. Money the library had put aside in a depreciation fund was also used. The last few bills for construction and furniture were paid through an INTERCAP loan the library took out to reopen. The library’s foundation will continue

FLIC

pg. 6

Shiver in River pg. 5

Sports pg. 18

SUMMER

Library reopens

to fundraise in order to pay back the loan and update the library’s books and technology as needed in the future.

Public tours were offered to the community on Feb. 13 prior to the library’s grand reopening. New features at the library include a coffee shop with espresso drinks and hot chocolate, a pirate ship play area in the children’s section and an induction hearing loop system in the library’s community room. A grant from the American Library Association funded the new induction hearing loop system, which allows people with hearing aides or cochlear implants to listen to and hear audio directly through their hearing device. Anyone

with a “T-coil” in their hearing device can ask their audiologist to activate it in order to access assistive listening systems.

A nursery nook, expanded teen area and maker space are other new features at the library. Located within the children’s area, the nursery nook is a space specifically for babies and young toddlers that is safer due to its separate, less trafficked

location. Not yet open, the new maker space, will eventually house a sewing machine, 3D printer and various other equipment. In the future, the maker space will be available for people to rent. Associated library programming for the maker space will also be offered.

Thanks to a grant from the Greater Polson Community Foundation, a Nintendo Switch is newly

available for check out.

The addition of the coffee shop added three new staffers to the library who works as both baristas and library assistants. A digital services position that had been open since last March has also been filled.

The library will continue its regular kids’ programming that had been held at the United Methodist Church (where the

library operated during renovation.) Mother

Goose, for 0-3 year-olds is held Mondays at 9:15 a.m. Story time for 3-5 year-olds is held Thursdays at 10 a.m.

Adult programming resumes on Feb. 22 through a special collaboration with Mission Valley Live. At 10 a.m., Sergei and Maria Teleshev, renowned U.S. musicians and accordion players, will perform

their unique arrangements and educate the public about the accordion. The duo’s music will take listeners on a journey through diverse styles such as classical, tango, jazz, pop, and original. With the same geographic boundaries as Polson’s school district, the library serves residents north of Minesinger Road up to the county line along the east and west shores of Flathead Lake. The library is open Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Coffee shop hours are Monday -Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and again from 3 to 4 p.m. On Saturdays the coffee shop is open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The library is closed Sundays and holidays.

SUMMER GODDARD / VALLEY JOURNAL

Right: Community members gather to celebrate the library’s reopening on Feb. 14.

Far right: Teagan Couture, 3, takes the helm in the new pirate ship play feature in the children’s area of the library.

SUMMER GODDARD / VALLEY JOURNAL

Above left: Public Services Librarian Angela Claver speaks with a library patron. Above right: Library foundation member Connie Brownell gives a tour of the library on Feb. 13.

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boone@valleyjournal.net

Valley Journal

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Summer Goddard

Publisher, Owner (406) 249-1793

summer@valleyjournal.net

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MARTY HENSEL PHOTO horses graze in frosty fields

Freezing plunge flows cash to Special Olympics athletes

Story and photos by Beau Biggs for the Valley Journal

POLSON — Community members and law enforcement officers plunged into ice-cold waters last Saturday in an effort to raise funds for Special Olympics athletes.

A signature Law Enforcement Torch Run® event, the cold-water plunge held at Riverside Park on Feb. 17 was attended by at least 50 people.

Chance Peasley, local Special Olympics director said: “Our goal for this year was to raise $6,000, and we passed that amount. I hope this event keeps getting bigger and better.”

Some participants dressed in costumes before taking the plunge into an ice-cold pool, while others found their way into the frigid waters of the Flathead River instead. A heated tent and plenty of search and rescue professionals were on hand if needed.

Participant Porter Moore said: “This is an awesome organization, and I enjoy supporting it. It doesn’t hurt to get out and get a little cold for a good cause.”

Jacob Kimmel came out to support the event without getting wet. “I participated in the Polar Plunge a couple of years back. My favorite part of this event is that we can take something so ridiculous and make money from it to put into something actually useful and important,” he said.

MSGA accepts applications for Young Cattlemen’s Conference

News from the Montana Stockgrowers Association

HELENA — Montana Stockgrowers Association (MSGA) is accepting applications for its Young Cattlemen’s Conference scholarship. The conference will take place May 30 - June 6. Applications are due March 15.

The Young Cattlemen’s Conference (YCC) is an opportunity for cattlemen and cattlewomen between the ages of 25 and 50 to visit segments of the beef industry across the nation with young cattlemen from other states. Facilitated by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), participants will travel with national attendees to Denver and Washington D.C. Participants will also have the opportunity to visit the offices of Montana’s congressional delegation to discuss issues of critical importance to America’s cattle and beef producers and advocate for their industry during a day spent on Capitol Hill.

MSGA will select up to three participants to represent MSGA on this year’s YCC trip. Selected participants will receive support to cover the cost of the program registration along with $500 for travel expenses. Program support is made possible by MSGA’s Young Stockgrowers and the Montana Stockgrowers Foundation (MSF). Attendees of the Young Cattlemen’s Conference must be members of Montana Stockgrowers Association and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.

For more information on YCC, or to apply online, visit www.mtbeef.org/advocacy/ycc.

12th Flathead Lake International Cinemafest in the books

Beau Biggs for the Valley Journal

POLSON — The Flathead Lake International Cinemafest opened last weekend for the 12th year with three days full of films at the Showboat Stadium 6 movie theater.

Full-length narrative and documentary features, shorts, animation and student films are screened at FLIC events. This year, more than 45 films from 12 countries as well as many homegrown Montana films were featured.

Over the years the event has grown to include a food sampling from local eateries, live music, a free movie screening and breakfast for kids as well as several mixers - opportunities for film goers to meet with featured FLIC filmmakers and actors.

“My favorite part of this event is getting to tell people stories and getting to give people the chance to experience different films from what you can find on Netflix,” said FLIC co-producer Jessica King.

“Out There: A National Parks Story” was directed by Brendan Hall who created a film about his journey across the country. He was inspired by his grandfather Jim who took a similar journey.

stage the festival, this year was even longer since “we started getting film submissions last April.”

For those who may have missed the weekend’s event, encore screenings continue at the Showboat through Thursday, Feb. 22.

FLIC 2024 award winners:

Impact AwardToni Young Whealon

Best Animation - Manny

Best Montana FilmSaving for the Day

Best Original ScoreCorey Payette & Julie McIsaac, Les Filles du Roi

Best CinematographyMark David, Hedgehog

Best ActressEmma Pearson, Hedgehog

“Logistically, we had a smooth trip, and I wish I could tell some crazy stories, but Grandpa Jim went through it way more than us and didn’t have GPS,” he said. “Hedgehog,” another film, took viewers to the conflict going on currently in Ukraine. Dmitry Gefland wrote and directed the film. Born in the former Soviet Union, Gefland’s film highlights the struggles and heartaches associated with the conflict.

David and Jessica King, who developed the festival, hosted a question and answer session after the films.

while it typically takes

Best Actor –Rasmus Hammerich, On My Mind

Best Documentary Short - From the Heartland

Best Documentary Feature - Out There: A National Parks Story

Best Director - Corey Payette, Les Filles du Roi

Best Picture - Short  Hedgehog

Best Picture - Feature  Les Filles du Roi

Audience Award –Uprooted

David explained to audience members that

about six months to

BEAU BIGGS PHOTO

Jack Gladstone, left, and Brendan Hall, right, speak to audience members after the screening of “Out There: A National Parks Story.” Gladstone appears in this documentary directed by Hall. The film won the Best Documentary Feature FLIC Award.

DAVID KING PHOTO Audience members watch a film screening during the 12th annual Flathead Lake International Cinemafest.

Department of Revenue reminds property owners of upcoming important deadlines

News from the Dept. of Revenue

HELENA – The Montana Department of Revenue would like to remind owners of real and personal property about several important deadlines approaching soon:

March 1 Due Date

Business and industrial equipment owners need to report their personal property online with the department’s TransAction Portal (TAP) at https://tap. dor.mt.gov. Businesses have a statutory reporting requirement if their total statewide market value of equipment is

over $1 million.

Businesses whose statewide market value is $1 million or less are exempt from the business equipment tax. These businesses do not have a reporting requirement in 2024 unless: (1) they have acquired new personal property that would increase their equipment’s statewide market value above the exemption amount; or (2) the department requests a personal property reporting form be completed.

Livestock owners have to report the number of livestock owned

as of February 1 as livestock is subject to the per capita fees set yearly by the Board of Livestock. Report online with the department’s TransAction Portal (TAP) at: https:// MTRevenue.gov/livestock.

Nonprofit, religious, or charitable organizations and other tax-exempt entities may qualify for a real or personal property tax exemption based on the specific use of the property. If you feel your organization may qualify, Property Tax Exemption applications must be submitted by March 1

to be considered for Tax Year 2024.

Homeowners may qualify for the Land Value Property Tax Assistance program if the department’s appraised market value of their land is more than 150 percent of the department’s appraised market value of their home and other improvements on the land.

April 15 Due Date

The Property Tax Assistance Program (PTAP) provides property tax relief to anyone who meets the qualifications and there is no age restriction. To qualify for this program,

taxpayers must own and occupy their home as their primary residence and meet the income requirements. Legislative changes to the program for Tax Year 2024 include higher qualifying income levels and an increase in the amount of property market value eligible for the tax assistance from $200,000 to $350,000.

Montana Disabled Veteran (MDV) Property Tax Relief provides assistance to qualifying 100 percent disabled veterans or the unmarried surviving spouses of deceased veterans who were 100 percent

disabled. The taxpayers must own and occupy their home as their primary residence and meet income requirements. Similar to PTAP for Tax Year 2024, the MDV program has higher qualifying income levels.

For applications and forms, taxpayers are encouraged to go online to MTRevenue.gov or contact a Department of Revenue field office. For questions and more information about qualifications, visit revenue. mt.gov, or call us at 406-444-6900, or Montana Relay at 711 for hearing impaired.

Governor convenes first Property Tax Task Force meeting

Governor charges task force with providing recommendations to reform property tax system, bring relief to Montana homeowners News from the office of Governor Gianforte

HELENA — Governor Greg Gianforte today convened the first meeting of his Property Tax Task Force at the State Capitol in Helena.

“As we, and all Montanans, know too well, property taxes are too high,” Gov. Gianforte said to task force members at their first meeting. “Montana homeowners need and deserve relief. That’s why we’re here today – to develop a plan to reform our property tax system and bring relief to Montana homeowners. They’re counting on us to get it done, and we must deliver.”

Established in January through Executive Order 1-2024, Gov. Gianforte charged the task force with providing him “with recommendations and strategies for the State of Motnana…to reform the property tax system and reduce the burden of property taxes on taxpayers.”

The diverse, bipartisan task force includes members who are Republican and Democratic legislators, local officials, state agency leaders, critical stakeholders, economists, researchers, and experts. Ryan Osmundson, the governor’s director of Budget and Program Planning, serves as chair of the task force.

“Property taxes are a complex issue, but I am optimistic about what this group will accomplish as we work to identify the underlying

problems and provide solutions for long-term reforms to our property tax system,” Osmundson said. While the task force may recommend any strategy to reform the property tax system, the governor expressly asked the task force to provide recommendations that: arrest the rate of growth of property taxes, including assessments and fees, as well as alleviate the impact of drastic increases of property reappraisals;

increase transparency of property tax bills, make them easier to understand for property taxpayers, and improve customer service in the payment schedules for property taxpayers; increase transparency of and public engagement in public budgeting; increase public participation for mill levy ballot measures; ensure property taxes paid by Montana resident homeowners and on Montana long-term rentals reflect well on supporting homeownership and workforce housing; ensure each Montana child has access to a quality education; and ensure lower-income Montana homeowners, Montana home-

spending by more than 2 percent.”

Gov. Gianforte, however, cautioned, “There are some counties that are spending out of control. Between 2001 and 2022, inflation grew each year by an average of about 2.4%. But the average property tax growth rate for both counties and cities was over 6%. Ultimately, we need long-term reforms to rein in property taxes.”

FWP announces changes to the reservation processes at state parks

News from Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks

owners who are on a fixed income, and disabled Montana veterans or their surviving spouse are not at risk of losing their home because of property taxes.

At today’s task force meeting, Gov. Gianforte reaffirmed that charge and emphasized, “We must do all of this without imposing a statewide sales tax. Period.”

Largely a function of local jurisdictions, property taxes fund local government services, with approximately 85% of property tax revenue from residential homeowners going directly to local jurisdictions and the remaining 15% going to the State of Montana which returns the amount in full to help fund K-12 public schools throughout the state.

Gov. Gianforte said, “Most local governments, including counties, are good stewards of taxpayer resources, live within their means, and exercise restraint with property tax increases. In fact, Flathead County is a great example of fiscal responsibility. That’s one reason I’m proud Commissioner Pam Holmquist is on this task force and here today. Between fiscal year 2023 and fiscal year 2024, Flathead County cut – yes, cut – its

According to the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Division, between 2001 and 2022, inflation grew at an average annual rate of 2.42%, while between tax years 2001 and 2022, the annual average property tax growth rate for counties was 6.19%, cities 6.13%, local schools 4.40%, and countywide schools 3.60%.

To reduce the burden of property taxes for Montanans, the governor in June 2023 delivered Montanans $120 million in permanent, long-term property tax relief through House Bill 587. Further, the governor secured up to $1,350 in property tax rebates for Montana homeowners for their primary residence over 2023 and 2024. Taken together, the measures provide the average Montana homeowner with relief that more than offsets his or her property tax increase.

The governor also boosted property tax relief for Montanans with low or fixed incomes, as well as disabled veterans or their unmarried surviving spouses. To further reduce the burden of property taxes, the governor reformed the property tax system to allow homeowners to pay their property taxes in seven equal installments throughout the year, rather than only in the months of November and May.

More information about the task force may be found at: propertytaxreform.mt.gov.

HELENA – Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks will implement changes this year to the reservation process for state park sites. The changes will create more opportunities for recreationists to enjoy state parks and comply with legislation passed by the 2023 Legislature.

Starting this year, visitors will have up to three months prior to their planned arrival date to make campsite and lodging reservations or purchase tour tickets. This is a change from the six-month booking window in the past. Visitors need to be aware that the maximum stay per site changed from 14 consecutive nights to 7. The last change allows at least 20 percent of state parks’ campsites to be available on a first-come, firstserved basis.

Sites are reservable from the third Friday in May through the third Sunday in September. People can start making reservations on Feb. 17 at 9 a.m. by visiting: fwp.mt.gov/ stateparks/ or calling the call center at 855-922-6768.

COURTESY PHOTO

Gov. Gianforte speaks during the first Property Tax Task Force meeting at the State Capitol.

$10M to be invested in Tribes

Tribal irrigation, power projects funded News from the Dept. of the Interior

WASHINGTON — The Department of the Interior recently announced a $10 million investment from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to upgrade and modernize Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)-owned irrigation projects and power utilities serving Tribal communities. The funding for fiscal year 2024 is part of a five-year, $50 million investment from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

The President’s Investing in America agenda – a key pillar of Bidenomics – is deploying record investments to provide affordable high-speed internet, safer roads and bridges,

modern wastewater and sanitations systems, clean drinking water, reliable and affordable electricity, good paying jobs and economic development in every Tribal community. The President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law alone invests $13 billion directly to Tribes throughout the United States, including $250 million over five years to address irrigation, power systems, dam safety and water sanitation.

“The Bureau of Indian Affairs is an important provider of water and electricity to the Tribal communities where it operates irrigation and power systems,” said Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Bryan Newland. “President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is allowing us to continue fulfilling our trust responsibility for Tribal public health and safety by ensuring that BIA-owned and operated irrigation projects

Adopt-A-Book

POLSON— The North Lake County Public Library District is celebrating Adopt-A-Book! Each year in honor of February being “Library Lovers’ Month” and “I Love to Read Month” we hold our “Adopt-A-Book” program. For a $15 donation, you can choose from our new selection of children’s books and have a personalized message placed in it to honor or remember someone you

and power utilities are well-maintained and functioning properly.”

The funding announced today will augment ongoing infrastructure projects at the following local BIA-owned power utility:

Mission Valley Power on the Flathead Indian Reservation in Montana will receive $1 million to support repairs and upgrades to its Charlo substation, as well as upgrade and relocate its Finley substation. This investment will reduce the risk of failure while also increasing efficiency and safety.

This investment builds on $2 million power projects have already received from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law over the past two years.

For more information, visit the BIA’s interactive map on projects in Tribal communities funded through the bureau under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

love. Then it will be added to the collection for everyone to enjoy.

Join Walking the Rez

FLATHEAD RESERVATION

— Walk/run 200 miles between Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day and win a T-shirt. Talk with a Fitness Center Specialist at any Tribal health Fitness location. Email: info@cskthealth.org or phone 406-745-3525.

valley views

Life’s queue

My family and I are amusement park geeks. Always have been.

Non-amusement park aficionados see the long lines as a deterrent. Why spend so much time in line just waiting for the 90 seconds of roller coaster wonderment?

Seems like a waste.

waiting in line), but then I realized: isn’t most of life about waiting?

Waiting for the park to open. Waiting in line for the biggest rollercoaster.

Slices of Life

Jill Pertler Syndicated columnist

Admittedly, there is a lot of waiting time while in the parks. Down time. Standing-in-line time. Ho-hum time. Fidget time. Mom, I’m bored time. Dad, I’ve got to go real bad time.

People who don’t appreciate the parks, or places like them, point out the long waits as reason enough to avoid the magic altogether.

That logic used to cause me to pause (often while

Waiting for the wedding. The births. The birthdays. The holidays. Vacation. The family get-togethers. For graduation. For the new job. For retirement.

Waiting for lunch or dinner. Waiting for the water to boil. Waiting for the garden to grow or the flowers to bloom.

Waiting for the next really big moment, or even the not-so-big moments. Standing in the proverbial queue.

Isn’t that life? The majority of the time, day in, day out?

Aren’t we just waiting for the Next Big Thing, or

maybe even just waiting for the bathroom?

This, honestly, caused me to gulp. And ponder. And really, really think.

We’re all standing in a queue of one sort or another. It’s inevitable. We can’t ride the rollercoaster every hour of every day of our life.

So we stand (or sit or lie) and we wait. But does waiting have to be simply just that?

I don’t think so.

Therein, lies the key.

Waiting in line (in the true or proverbial sense) is a life truth we all experience daily. In rush-hour traffic. At the airport and the grocery store. While on hold with the cell phone company. Waiting for the coffee to brew or the shower water to get hot. Time spent driving to work or pumping gas. Even at home, while waiting for the bathroom.

Montana courts are out of control

It seems like every day I open the newspaper and read a new decision issued by a Montana court. I’m not a lawyer, but it’s becoming apparent to me that our courts are increasingly out of control.

Legislative Notes

Sen. Keith Rgier, R-Kalispell

tana v. State of Montana—is so bad that even two of the seven Montana Supreme Court justices noted that the Court had veered from the constitution.

There have been many questionable decisions issued by our courts in recent years. One decision, however—Forward Mon-

There are three separate branches in our system of government: the legislative, the executive, and the judicial. Each branch exercises its own separate power and responsibil-

Standing in the queue is a reality for all uswhether it’s at a theme park or inside our own home.

Waiting is a part daily existence. It is inevitable and unavoidable. It is commonplace.

What we do while waiting, however doesn’t have to be.

Waiting can be meaningless or meaningful. I propose we attempt to make it the latter.

And it doesn’t have to be anything monumental or life-changing. It can be as inconsequential as putting together a mental grocery list. Or, better yet, a mental gratitude list. Maybe you hum a little tune or repeat a positive mantra or prayer. Maybe you just take a moment or two to focus on the peace within your own being.

If you are standing in a line with others you

can tell a joke or play 20-questions or a hearty game of “I spy with my little eye.”

Bottom line, you can be present and do whatever you can to enjoy the moment - with yourself or with others. You can find fun in what appears to be the absence of it. You can discover and create meaning in what seems to be the absence of it. You can corral peace and contentment anytime, anywhere, while simply waiting for the next big moment. Your next big moment.

Even if that moment is waiting for the coffee to brew.

It might not be as exciting as a roller coaster, but it can be just as satisfying.

Am I right? Ponder that. But not for long. There are lots of other, bigger life truths worthy of your time and consid-

eration - while waiting in line, of course.

Jill Pertler is an award-winning syndicated columnist, published playwright and author. Don’t miss a slice; follow the Slices of Life page on Facebook.

LETTER POLICY

Letters

ities.

This separation of powers is the cornerstone of our constitutional system. Its purpose is to ensure no individual or institution becomes too powerful. In Federalist No. 47, James Madison wrote that “The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands, whether of one, a few, or many, and whether hereditary, self-appointed, or elec-

tive, may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny.”

In the Forward Montana decision, the Montana Supreme Court trampled all over this cornerstone of constitutional government. In the opinion, the Court gave the judiciary the authority to determine whether the Legislature followed appropriate legislative procedure and norms.

see page 11

Please

Opinions

Montana courts

from page 10

This unprecedented opinion may be the first of its kind in the history of our country.

The Montana Supreme Court’s ruling is a gross invasion of the separation of powers and nothing more than an unfettered attack on a co-equal branch of government. The text of the Montana Constitution is clear—the Legislature, not the courts, has the power to adopt rules governing the operation of the legislative branch. Unless the Montana Constitution specifies a certain procedure or places a limitation on the Legislature, the judiciary has no authority to direct how the lawmaking process occurs.

The Forward Montana decision is not just an error, it’s an example of a court unmoored and unrestrained from the Constitution of the State of Montana. The five justices who produced this decision together have over 150 years of legal experience, and yet, for some reason they think they have authority to unconstitutionally micromanage the operations of a co-equal branch of government.

The Montana Supreme Court is not a super legislature. It is a branch of government with specific powers and responsibilities. Like any branch, its powers are limited. The Montana Constitution grants the judiciary the power to resolve disputes and determine questions of constitutional interpretation. The Montana Constitution reserves to the Legislature the power to write its own rules and interpret them.

The members of the Montana Supreme Court are judges, not kings. It’s time for the judiciary to start following the Montana Constitution and respecting the separation of powers.

Sen. Keith Regier, R-Kalispell, is the chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee. vj

The people win a big one

Montanans have always been serious about governing themselves in the way they see fit. While we have a representative government—i.e. one in which we elect officials to represent, lead and act on our behalf in governing—Montanans have never ceded complete control over our lives, liberty and property to the political branches of the State government. We citizens retain the final say.

Valley Views

5: the former provides that “The people may enact laws by initiative on all matters except appropriations of money and local or special laws.” The latter provides that: “The people may approve or reject by referendum any act of the legislature except an appropriation of money.”

James C. Nelson Retired Montana Supreme Court Justice

To that end, the first two sections of Article II of our Constitution make clear that:

All political power is vested in and derived from the people. All government of right originates with the people, is founded upon their will only, and is instituted solely for the good of the whole. Article II, section 1; and that

The people have the exclusive right of governing themselves as a free, sovereign, and independent state. They may alter or abolish the constitution and form of government whenever they deem it necessary. Article II, section 2.

For these reasons, we reserved unto ourselves the power of direct law-making. This power is not to be confused with other rights in Article II. Rather, we kept or held back this power when our Constitution was written. It is ours to exercise when we want to make laws ourselves, repeal laws that the legislature has made, or amend our Constitution.

To implement this power of direct law-making we adopted, among other provisions, Article III sections 4 and

Correction

An op-ed submission in the Feb. 14, 2024 issue of the Valley Journal newspaper contained an incorrect statement about a 2021 legislative committee meeting. The meeting referenced was not closed to the public. It was closed to public comment. The Journal regrets

Each of these sections contains some straight-forward requirements about the number of electors that must sign a citizen initiative or referendum petition to place the proposal on the ballot, and a requirement as to the number of legislative districts that must be represented by the signers. Article XIV, sections 2 and 9 contain similar provisions empowering us with the ability to call a constitutional convention and to amend our Constitution.

But the citizens initiative and referendum process is not favored by the Legislative and the Executive branches. These political branches want their representative power of law making to be exclusive. They don’t like the idea of direct lawmaking by us, because ours is a power over which they have virtually no control.

Indeed, the last two sessions of the legislature and the governor enacted laws to make the citizens initiative and referendum process too cumbersome, complicated and expensive for us to

use. They’ve saddled the exercise of our retained power with infringements such as, for example, committee reviews, thumbs up or down recommendations, substantive legal review by the Attorney General, determination of whether the proposal will harm business interests, and a $3,700 fee just to file a petition.

Thankfully, a diverse group of concerned Montanans filed suit to claw back our retained power from this legislative/executive power-grab. And, on February 5th, Helena District Judge Mike Menahan entered his order for partial summary judgment in favor of these citizen plaintiffs.

Among other things the court ruled that the provision permitting the Attorney General to substantively review proposed ballot issues is unconstitutional. Judge Menahan followed Montana jurisprudential law that reposes in Montana’s courts the exclusive power to determine whether a proposed ballot issue is substantively constitutional or not.

The court also ruled that the $3,700 filing fee is unconstitutional—upholding the obvious: that the Constitution itself does not grant the legislature or executive the power to charge us a fee for exercising our power of direct law-making that we retained when the Constitution was written.

We won this battle; but this fight is far from over.

Suing over funding for special needs students is a new low

It takes a lot to surprise me anymore when it comes to politics or government. But suing to block funding for special needs kids to get an education that works for them? That’s a new low.

In case you missed the news in January, a lawsuit has been filed seeking to overturn the 2023 Legislature’s House Bill 393.

Legislative Notes

simple: if a special needs student’s local school can’t provide them with the unique individualized education that they need to be successful, their parents can get reimbursed for sending them somewhere that better fits their needs.

HB 393 would allow parents of students with disabilities to have Education Savings Accounts that would reimburse them for education services obtained outside of their local public school. The intent of the bill is very

letters

Is Trump too young?

Editor, Is Biden too old? Try asking this: “Is Trump too young?” Daily, Trump demonstrates that he has not developed the maturity to have impulse control, empathy, concern for the welfare of others, an ability to analyze evidence … and more. He misbehaves much like a selfish fiveyear-old.

As a growing person experiences obstacles, rewards, and slap downs, a healthy human develops modifications (internal thinking and behavioral actions) away from self-centeredness. The evolving brain plasticity melds new goals and emerging stages of life with more effective tactics. Broader

HB 393 was sponsored by House Majority Leader Sue Vinton, a Republican from Billings. She’s uniquely suited to legislate on this topic as the parent of a child with special needs. As Rep. Vinton told the Legislature and the media, her son benefitted from a great special needs program at his school

social structures (different stakeholders, new rules and loyalties) require delayed gratification, understanding and cooperation.

For larger (or differing) societies to function well, these personal modifications allow the “experience of life” (survival and thriving) to be successful for wider ranges of our Earth’s companions … (other humans, plants, and animals). Many people believe these to be valid directions. An alternative is forceful dominance, subservience, and possible resistance and warfare.

Individual humans pick their unique favorite goals … and the bargaining for attention and resources commences. “Give-andtake” is political currency. A willingness to compromise

when he was a student. But she knows other parents and kids in the special needs community who haven’t been as fortunate with their education opportunities. Those are the Montanans that HB 393 is meant to help.

I applaud Representative Vinton and her family for having the courage to share their own story so publicly and for having the conviction to pass a bill to help other special needs families.

I also agree with her that it is infuriating that the people behind this lawsuit are claiming that she, or any of us serving in the Legislature, had anything other than the best interests of special needs Montanans in mind when we passed the bill.

becomes a glue which holds a given social structure (even with its always inherent internal diversity) together.

A leader must have the maturity to see beyond his/ her immediate cravings. Trump appears not to have grown to this level. He seems mentally too young to run his own life effectively … and certainly not as leader of a nation.

Gene Johnson Polson

Put America first Editor,

Currently our democracy is lost unless we stand up against the tyranny of the Biden administration and the progressive Left. The dictatorial Left under

Upper Seven Law, the law firm representing plaintiffs in the case, fired off a press release announcing the lawsuit in which they accuse HB 393 as being a “concerted effort to privatize education” and “masquerading as aid to students with disabilities.” Inflammatory, offensive, and untrue.

Upper Seven is a nonprofit law firm founded and run by staffers of former Governor Steve Bullock. After being voted out of power in the 2020 elections, these members of the Bullock Administration created the law firm to try to continue controlling state policy through the courts. The homepage of their website is dedicated to fundraising tax-deductible con-

the Biden administration has removed many of our freedoms and are attacking others. We hear day to day from the Left, how if President Trump wins the election for 2024 the democracy will be lost because he will be dictator. I say we have already lost our democracy because of the dictatorial rule of the Biden administration.

Under Biden we have lost our right to free speech. His administration has pressed Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook to censor any speech they felt threatened by: such as the origins of Covid, Hunter Biden lap top, climate change myth, stolen election and many others. Also, the government has asked banks to search private transactions for terms

tributions from liberal donors to fund their positions and the lawsuits they file.

These are the people suing to keep special needs students in education environments that don’t serve their needs.

On one side of this lawsuit are special needs students, their parents, and the Republican Legislature that Montanans elected. On the other side are unelected Democratic political staff lawyers determined to keep education a “one-size-fits-all” system that doesn’t serve students’ individual needs.

We’ll see who the courts side with.

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

such as Trump or MAGA and has used banks to close accounts whose owners are at odds with government narratives.

He has labeled concerned parents as terrorists who attend school board meetings to protest radical agendas that push to brain wash our children to Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Tran genderism.

His corrupt DOJ is trying to silence his political rivals by making up crimes where crimes do not exist, such as the outrageous ruling from Judge Engoron who has no expertise on real estate evaluations.

The Biden DOJ goes after honest people and lets violent criminal back on the streets. Seventy- and eighty-year-old grandmas are facing possible 10 years

in jail for praying in front of abortion clinics.

Biden and the Left ignore the Supreme Court rulings when it does not meet their agenda, such student loans forgiveness, abortion, energy permits, and many others.

Biden crime family has enriched themselves to an estimated $25 million from China. Then we wonder why Biden favors China over U.S. citizens.

The current Biden dictatorship must be overthrown in order for democracy to be reestablished. You must vote for candidates who support the Founding Fathers and the Constitution, who will look after American first instead of America last.

Lonnie Haack Polson

Senator Jason EllsworthS R-Hamilton

Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT) Tribal Health Department (THD) Request for Proposal PRC Optometry Services

1. Introduction

The CSKTTribal Health Department (THD) is seeking bids on optometry services for those persons who are eligible for THD Purchased/Referred Care (PRC) (formerly known as THPC or Tribal Health Paid Care). Services and bids are sought for the following: (1) routine eye exam; (2) Comprehensive Eye Exam (CEE)1; and (3) contact lens exam. The bid for eye exams is separate from the eye wear bid. Bids are also sought for eye wear2 as follows: (1) single vision lenses and frames; (2) progressive lenses and frames; (3) bifocals and frames; and (4) contact lenses. The CSKT THD Department is hoping to accept proposals from several optometry providers as long as the rates are reasonable and the ability to obtain timely eye exams is evident. The CSKT THD Department has set a ceiling on lenses and frames not to exceed $325.003. The goal is to enter into a three (3) year contract with selected bidder/s.

2. Scope of Services

Proposals are invited from qualified businesses to provide optometry services for those persons who are eligible for THD Purchased and Referred Care (PRC)4. Experience with the CSKT population is preferred but not required. Services required include, but are not limited to the following eye exams, eye glasses and contact lenses, as described in the introduction.

3. Proposal Instructions

Bidders are requested to provide the following information in their proposal:

• General qualifications and experience of the company (and individuals) in this type of work;

• Curriculum vitae of personnel assigned to this work and licensure;

• Details of the types of services available from the bidder;

1 A CEE is performed for individuals above the age of 40 as a yearly check-up or for those experiencing medical issues such as diabetes, glaucoma or a family history of eye disease.

2 Adult and children eye wear bids should be separate

3 The bid contemplates that all providers bill Medicare when the corrective lenses are deemed medically necessary following cataract surgery. Therefore, the bill to THD will be reduced by other payers, including Medicare. The bid for services contemplates a 2% inflationary adjustment per year on the initial bid price.

4 The CSKT THD Department services clients eligible for direct care and purchased and referred care. Optometry providers are encouraged to verify client status before providing any service to determine if the CSKT THD Department will authorize payment.

• Billing codes and rates for each service bid per the above scope of services;

• Proposed contract rates and terms are proposed for a three-year period;

• Willingness to obtain a $1 million dollar certificate of insurance (liability) listing the CSKT Tribes and CSKT THO PRC program as an additional insured;

4. Proposal Submission

Proposals must be submitted either by electronic email, fax or hand copy (in a sealed envelope), prior to 12:00 noon MST on Tuesday February 29, 2024 to:

Mail Submission to: Tribal Health Department (THD) Purchased and Referred Care (PRC) Box 880

St. Ignatius, MT, 59865

Email Submission: rhonda.hendren@cskthealth.org

(406) 745-3525 ext. 5029 or Fax Submission: (406) 226-2695

5. Evaluation

Proposals will be evaluated on the following basis:

The general experience of the firm and responsiveness to the proposal including the ability to produce a 1500 claim (bill) and process optical claims in a timely manner. Adherence to timely and annual billing. 15%; The qualifications and experience of the assigned personnel as described in the technical proposal 40%; The breadth of services available 15%; Proposed fees and terms 30%

Once selected, the CSKT THD contract will be the final determiner of the project schedule including implementation. A three (3) year contract is intended with a 2% per year inflationary increase (per goods or services) over the first-year bid price.

6. Disclaimer

Late or faxed proposals will not be accepted. The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes reserves the right to accept or reject any proposal submitted, and is not obligated to enter into a contract on the basis of any proposal submitted in response to this request. No payment will be made for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of a proposal response to this request. CSKT THD will evaluate all submitted proposals. The object of the evaluation and selection process is to identify the proposal that, in the Tribal Health Department’s opinion, offers the best value for the services requested. In assessing best value, the Tribes may:

• May not necessarily accept the lowest proposal, and may, in its sole discretion, accept any proposal and may waive any minor informality or irregularity in proposals;

• Has no obligation to receive further information, whether written or oral, from any proponent, no to disclose the nature of any proposals received.

Questions on the request for proposals can be addressed to Rhonda Hendren or via email rhonda.hendren@cskthealth.org. Ms. Hendren may be reached by telephone at (406) 745-3525 ext. 5029.

Indian Preference Certification

This is an Indian Preference bid and Tribal Contractors who wish to receive Indian preference must obtain a certification by the Indian Preference office as a legitimate Indian-owned business prior to submission of the bids. This certification must be included with your RFP response. The selection of the successful contractor and award of the project will be per the provisions of the CSKT Indian Preference Ordinance 101A. It is the sole responsibility of the bidder/respondent to obtain and provide proof of Indian Preference certification from the Indian preference Office. All proposals will become the property of the CSKT Tribal Personnel Department. The Tribes and the Tribal Health Department reserves the right to accept and reject and negotiate any element of any proposal received.

MNAXLP, 2-21-24

Two Eagle River School to celebrate 50 years

(Written and compiled by

Cheryl Morigeau

with much of the information from the first-year funding application and the first two years’ evaluations)

PABLO — In 1973

it was noted that the dropout rate for high school age students in Montana was approximately sixteen (16) percent and in schools with large numbers of Native American students, the dropout rate was estimated between 38-42%, but a study showed that in the nine public school districts on the Flathead Indian Reservation 63% of Indian students had quit school prior to acquiring a high school diploma. This was the beginning for the Tribe to appoint a steering committee who were educators and members of the tribe to develop a plan for the educational needs of the Indian children on the reservation. This initial committee included Joe McDonald, Daryl Dupuis, Roger McClure, Karen Fenton, Gene Sorrell, Clarice Sanchez (King), and Gerald Slater.

The Flathead Alter -

native School began out of the notion that much of the alienation, dis-attention, and apathy for Indian students could be traced to an irrelevant or culturally biased curriculum. This committee perceived that the alternative school would take up slack and give Indian students who cannot cope with traditional public schools an opportunity for education. It was believed that one way to counteract the problem might be to create a small school characterized by human relationships and respect for cultural diversity. A critical ingredient to the success of this school is the recognition that the Reservation is a bicultural environment. This fact needed to be recognized while developing an educational process that would help an individual learn the positive attributes of each culture and develop the confidence and skills necessary to achieve their own sense of personal success.

Although many students had left the public schools, they

had not lost complete interest in education. Therefore, the Flathead Alternative School was organized as an educational alternative for those Salish & Kootenai students who were not functioning in the public schools but had desire to complete a high school education. The purpose of the school was not to replace the public high schools but rather to provide a program for Indian students who had dropped out or who had been pushed out of the public schools. A program was developed to give students realistic goals, to foster self-respect, and give students an opportunity to continue their education and to learn their cultural heritage.

Thus, the Flathead Alternative School was conceived and organized for the 1974-75 school year. The committee had to find building space, funding, and staff. When the plans to start classes in an old Catholic school building fell through, they were given space in the Tribe’s CAP building; the building was old but

was adjacent to the river at the Dixon Agency. Students helped paint, remodel, build tables and bookcases and turned an old building into classrooms. It was noted in the first evaluation report that 2 bald eagles had built a nest in a snag across the river, the wild geese and ducks were plentiful, and this was a good location for outdoor activities. Funding was through a Title IV grant written under the Tribes Co-operative Indian Educational Program (Lloyd Irvine, Director) and the year started with a handful of staff. Gerald Slater and Clarice Sanchez went on to be some of the first staff, while the other 5 committee members became the first School Board. Students who were sixteen years of age or older and had dropped out of school were the first recruited. The first year more than 70 applied but only 38 actually attended. Of those, 5 went on to be the first graduating class with a GED attained. The next major obstacle was the

development of high school credit system that had the flexibility to work with the students and had accountability. Such a system (the contract system) was developed. This included a success-oriented concept whereby students were not failed but rather receive no points/credits until they succeed. This “no fail” system provides a sense of accomplishment for the student, accentuates their strengths to build a stronger self-concept and motivate students by redirecting them rather than holding them back as failures. The Montana State Department of Public Instruction evaluated this program and supported its acceptance by the public schools. This system is still used to date.

During the next few years, the school moved into several cast-off buildings when the Tribe moved to Pablo. In 1977/78 a contest was held and the school was renamed Two Eagle River School. In 1979 TERS became a BIA contract/grant school,

went on to receive accreditation from the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges in 1981 and from the State of Montana in 1983. During the late 1980s, an application to BIA was approved for a new building and the move was made to Pablo in 1989. Over time, the school was opened up to all age Native American high school students and added 7th & 8th grades in 1995. To date the school has served a multitude of students with 730 graduating and has a possible 24 graduates for the 50th class. With a walk through the Tribal offices, a Two Eagle River alumni/ graduate can be found in almost every department. Currently, thirteen of those students have found their way back to Two Eagle River School as employees. They are AJ McDonald, Inismin Auld, Gabby Big Beaver, Marie (Phillips) Bigby, Lena (McLeod) Burland, Vernon Christopher, Daryl Conko-Camel, Tricia McDonald, Tashina McKeever,

The Flathead Alternative School began out of the notion that much of the alienation, disattention, and apathy for Indian students could be traced to an irrelevant or culturally biased curriculum.

Two Eagle River School honor roll for semester 1

PABLO — 4.0 GPA: Jamian Adams, John Finley, Vivi Finley-McKeever, Emma Gardipe, Robert Haggard, Natyzah Herman, Lucous Joseph, Haleigh Kennedy, Sahfire Lozeau, Dez Madplume, Jabez Madplume, Hannah Medina, Aereon Miller, Karis Moran, Arabella Nicolai, Jeffery Partida, Liam Shepherd, Emma Spotted Eagle, Josey Usher

3.3 – 3.9 GPA: Talon Addison, Ryiley After Buffalo, Alexis Arlee, Javel Bellanger, LaSean Big Day, Brandi Bigby, Rydell BigKnife, Ashton Bird, Olivia Brueggeman, Jayvian Burke, Sierra Hall, Netaous Hewankorn, Robert Howard, Tamryn LaFromboise, Josiah Long, Hazel Lozeau, Raymond McDonald, Trinka McDonough, Jasper McGreevey, Nathaniel Morigeau Jr, Payton Perry, Taleigha Perry, Dayani Piapot, Malacye Piapot, Navonntah Reum, ZeiRin Ridgley, Kelleigh Shourds, Keke Tenas, Layla Tenas-Shepard

Two Eagle River

from page 14

Espa Orozco, Neena Orozco-Charlo, DJ Piapot, Louie Pierre, Colleen Tenas, and Elijah Lefthand. It is interesting to note that one of those spent a great deal of his childhood at TERS. Arnie McDonald Jr. attended the TERS Day Care when his mother was employed, later enrolled in the Jr. High program, was in the first 8th grade graduating class, graduated from high school before serving in the military, and has now returned as an employee.

The school has much in common with a new life; it has struggled,

Montana State Universty Bozeman announces

2024 graduates

BOZEMAN — Montana State University awarded 813 undergraduate degrees and164 graduate degrees during its 139th commencement ceremonies held Dec. 15 at the Brick Breeden Fieldhouse. An additional 162 students from Gallatin College MSU received associate degrees or certificates. Students with two asterisks after their names (**) graduated with highest honors, having earned a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.7. Undergraduate students graduating with honors — a cumulative GPA between 3.25 and 3.69 — have a single asterisk (*) after their names.

Local graduates are:

failed, succeeded. As with all life, it struggled to know itself, its strengths, and its weaknesses but it has survived and after 50 years is “still going strong.”

Plans are being made to celebrate this spring with numerous activities. Ideas in the planning stage may include but not be limited to alumni games (basketball and volleyball), feast with storytelling, run/walk (from Dixon to Pablo), T-shirts, painting a tepee or gym mural, pow wow. Please watch for details as they become available – (will print in newspapers, post on Facebook, etc.) vj

Dayton: Kayla McMahon**

Polson: Allison Dotson, Mikaela Ducharme**, Shea McGuinness, Francy Moll, Alexander Salois, Alex Wall*

Ronan: Samuel Mocabee*

St. Ignatius: Allison Delaney**

DOG AND CAT LICENSES REQUIRED

Polson’s Spencer Henning earns dean’s list honors

News from the University of Tampa

TAMPA, FLORIDA — Spencer Henning of Polson, earned dean’s list honors at The University of Tampa for the fall 2023 semester. Henning is a junior majoring in Psychology BS. Students must maintain a GPA of 3.75 or higher to be eligible for the dean’s list.

Learn then earn a free instant pot

ARLEE — The Arlee Community Development Corporation is hosting a series of six free instant pot cooking classes. Learn how to use an instant pot to create heathy, budget-friendly dinners the whole family will enjoy. Classes will be held Wednesdays, 5-6:30 p.m. from March 6-April 17, with March 27 off. Attend all six classes and take home a free instant pot. To sign up, call 406-883-2865. These classes are sponsored by the SNAP program through the MSU Extension Office.

Montana State student wins international prize for dinosaur nest research

Results of experimental study suggest possible bridge between crocodile and bird nesting habits

By Diana Setterberg MSU News Service

BOZEMAN — A Montana State University doctoral student has been awarded an international prize for his experimental study of dinosaur nesting strategies.

Jason Hogan, a student of paleontology in the Department of Earth Sciences in MSU’s College of Letters and Science, received the Alfred Sherwood Romer Prize from the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology after presenting his research at the society’s 2023 annual meeting. There, he described the experiment he devised to explore a possible evolutionary transition from the crocodile-like nesting habits of reptiles to those of modern birds.

Professor David Varricchio, head of MSU’s earth sciences department and Hogan’s faculty adviser, said it is only the second time an MSU student has won the Romer Prize, which is awarded annually in recognition of an outstanding contribution in vertebrate paleontology by a predoctoral student. The other was Greg Erickson, now a professor at Florida State University, who received the award in 1991.

Hogan’s award-winning experiment was inspired by about a half-dozen Chinese and Mongolian fossils of warm-blooded oviraptorosaurs sitting on nests of partially buried eggs. Those specimens

modern time periods.

Two papers describing Hogan’s work were published this year in the journals Paleobiology and Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society.

Hogan, who holds a bachelor’s degree in earth and ocean science from Duke University and a master’s in science education from Harvard, has been at MSU for seven years. He decided to pursue a Ph.D. after teaching high school science for a few years because he was interested in teaching at the college level. He chose MSU for the opportunity to study with Varricchio and for the paleontology resources available at the Museum of the Rockies.

– small, feathered dinosaurs from the Cretaceous period – were closely related to the lineage of modern birds.

Hogan said some researchers speculated that the adults guarded their egg clutches as modern crocodiles do; others believed they sat above the nests to keep eggs warm. Many scientists favored the first theory because they believed the ground would suck heat from the eggs, but Hogan wanted to see whether an adult situated above a nest could keep partially buried eggs above ambient temperature.

“Having a fossil of an adult sitting on a nest and knowing the adult was warm-blooded led us to a first experiment, which showed us it was not as

inefficient as presumed,” Hogan said.

He also was intrigued by the oviraptorosaurs’ volcano-shaped nests, which contained rings of eggs placed at three levels. Such architecture and behavior are absent among species living today, but because the conical nests could accommodate more massive egg clutches over a smaller surface area than two-dimensional nests, Hogan speculated that may have allowed one adult to cover more eggs.

“It’s so odd that it has to be good at something,” Hogan said. “This behavior persisted through time, so they were clearly doing something well.”

To see if that something might include indirect con-

tact incubation, Hogan built replicas of oviraptorosaur nests and stocked them with unviable emu eggs, which are similar to dinosaur eggs in mass, shell thickness and even their blue-green coloring. He placed thermometers into each egg, then set a surrogate parent dinosaur – essentially a 175-pound temperature-controlled hot water bottle –above the partially buried nests, then recorded temperatures of the eggs at pre-determined intervals. The results indicated that a warm-blooded adult sitting above a nest could transfer heat through the sediment into an egg clutch, suggesting a possible evolutionary link between buried crocodilian nests and the exposed bird nests seen in

Varricchio said the Romer Prize recognized both the “very smart study” that Hogan conducted and his excellent presentation at the conference, which reflected his science education background and years as a science teacher.

“Winning the Romer is great for Jason, and also brings recognition to the paleontology work at Montana State,” Varricchio said. “I feel super fortunate to have Jason as part of our program.”

Hogan expects to finish his studies soon, then seek a teaching and research position at the university level. He said he is excited by advances in paleontology over the past 20 years, particularly the incorporation of more biology.

“There are lots of different ways to get into the field – you can dig in the dirt, be a biologist, study behavioral biology or be a statistician – it brings more life to the discipline,” he said. “It’s a lot of fun.”

COURTESY PHOTO

Jason Hogan devised an experiment to explore the evolutionary transition of nesting habits from reptiles to modern birds.

Get a job – earn college credits – make a difference!

Full time positions receive the health insurance benefit 12 months a year. Check out the available jobs and detailed job vacancy announcements on the SKC website – www.skc.edu/employment

Journey to Wellness Project Director

Salary Range: $44,310 - $46,656 DOEE

Closing Date: Monday, March 4, 2024; 4:00pm MST

TGA Instructor

Salary Range $43,823 - $45,025 DOEE

Closing Date: Monday, January 22, 2024 at 4:00pm MST

Nursing Simulation Lab Instructor

Salary Range: $54,301-$56,400 DOEE

Closing date: Open Until Filled

Nursing Faculty (2 openings) (10 months)

Salary Range: $55,935-$65,551 DOEE

Closing Date: Dec. 4, 2023; 4:00pm MST

Director of Office Institutional Advancement

SKC Foundation Department

Salary Range: $56,043-$65,430 DOEE

Closing Date: Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024; 4:00pm MST

Early Learning Center-Toddler Teacher (9.5 months)

Salary Range: $15.33/hr-$17.24/hr DOEE

Closing Date: Open Until Filled

IT/Computer Science Faculty

Salary Range: $44,670-$45,719 DOEE

Closing Date: Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024; 4:00pm MST

Security Officer Part Time

Salary Range: $12.57 - $13.84/hr DOEE

Closing Date: Open Until Filled

College & Career Readiness Coach (2 postions open)

Salary range: $17.35/hr-$20.17/hr DOEE

Closing Date: Open Until Filled

College & Career Readiness Mentor (3 positions open)

Salary Range: $17.35/hr-$20.17/hr DOEE

Closing Date: Open Until Filled

Early Learning Center-Assistant Teacher (9.5 months)

Salary Range: $15.01/hr-$16.92/hr DOEE

Closing Date: Open Until Filled

NYCP College & Career Readiness Instructor (Part time, 9 months)

Salary Range: $25.01/hr-$29.63/hr DOEE

Closing Date: Open Until Filled

Early Learning Center-Lead Toddler Teacher (9.5 months)

Salary range: $22.48/hr-$23.22/hr DOEE

Closing Date: Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024; 4:00pm MST

To apply you must submit an SKC application, resume and applicable transcripts to Human Resources, P.O. Box 70, Pablo, MT 59855. Toll free 877.752.6553, ext. 4985 Direct Dial 406.275.4985/4977

Ronan basketball team battles to buzzer in loss to Browning

By Beau Biggs for the Valley Journal

RONAN — The Ronan Chiefs didn’t give up - even when the clock was on its last couple of seconds against Browning at home on Feb. 10.

The game ended with Browning, 70, to Ronan’s 63. It wasn’t until the fourth quarter that Browning pulled ahead of the Chiefs and took the lead. The first half of the game was mostly tied up.

Assistant coach Vincent Bird-Webster said: “We played hard and gave it our all. Browning is just a really good team.”

Head coach George Sherwood said his team is facing few challenges. “We started the season hot,” he said. “But now, we’re going through some injuries and some sickness. We are still trying to keep things rolling.”

“We play hard and we are fun to watch so come catch our next couple games,” he said.

sports shorts

Polson Girls Basketball

POLSON — Polson’s Lady Pirates prevailed over the Libby Lady Loggers in 39-32 in a Feb. 15 basketball game played at home. Rylee Taylor-Jefferson was the top scorer for the Lady Pirates with 20 points followed by McKenna Hanson with 9. The Lady Pirates fell to the Ronan Maidens at home two days later, 3646. Railynn Marengo was top scorer for the Maidens in the Feb. 17 game with 21 points followed next by Arianna Zepeda with 9. Hinkley Moss was the top scorer for the Lady Pirates with 8 points.

BOB GUNDERSON PHOTO

Lady Pirate Rylee TaylorJefferson shoots a jumper during a game against Libby.

BOB GUNDERSON PHOTO Polson girls basketball head coach Brandie Buckless fires up her team during a Feb. 15 game against the Libby Lady Loggers.

BEAU BIGGS PHOTO BEAU BIGGS PHOTO

Two locals finalists for ‘Coach of the Year’

News from Montana Coaches Association

FORT SHAW — Jim Petersen, assistant COY girls’ coach in Charlo, and Robert Hislop, tennis coach in Polson, are both finalists for National Coach of the Year, by the National High School Athletic Coaches Association (NHSACA). Finalists will be honored during The National Coach of the Year Awards Banquet which will take place at the NHSACA National Convention in Bismark, North Dakota on the evening of June 26, 2024. The highlight of the banquet will be the naming of the NHSACA National Coach of the Year in nineteen recognized sports categories.

The nominees and finalists were selected based on longevity, service to high school athletics, honors, championship years and winning percentage. They are evaluated by experts in the field of coaching, using a sport-specific rubric to assign points in each category. NHSACA was formed by coaches, for coaches, and has been recognizing National Coaches of the Year since 1978.

Friends, family, and fellow coaches are encouraged to attend the NHSACA Convention and Award Ceremony. For more information, go to: http://www. hscoaches.org/.

BOB GUNDERSON PHOTO

Lady Pirate McKenna Hanson makes a layup in a recnet game against Libby. Right: Julia Barnard makes a layup during a divisional play-in game against Ronan.

BOB GUNDERSON PHOTO

Charlo girls basketball players celebrate their District 14C championship win.

BOB GUNDERSON PHOTO

BOB GUNDERSON PHOTO

Charlo’s Sheadon Kain makes a layup during a semifinal game against Two Eagle River.

Community dinners return

POLSON — Community Dinners are sponsored by the Churches of Polson.

First Friday of each month: open

Second Friday of each month: First Presbyterian Church

Third Friday of each month: Immaculate Conception Catholic Church

Fourth Friday of each month: Journey Be

Fifth Friday of each month (depending): Polson Community Church

All dinners start at 5 p.m. and last at least until 6 p.m. Please feel free to contact Jeff at 719-650-2418 if you have any questions.

Governor Gianforte defends Youth Health Protection Act

Stands by law to protect children from permanent, life-altering medical procedures

From the office of Governor Gianforte

HELENA — On Feb. 12, Governor Greg Gianforte filed a brief to the Montana Supreme Court to defend the Youth Health Protection Act, reaffirming his commitment to protect children from permanent, life-alerting

medical procedures.

“Last year, I signed Senate Bill 99 into law to protect Montana children from invasive medical treatments that can permanently alter their healthy, developing bodies,” Gov. Gianforte said. “Despite radical organizations and their attempts to prevent this commonsense law from going into effect, I remain committed to protecting Montana’s children.”

As established when the governor signed Senate Bill 99 into law, the Youth Health Protection

Act prohibits certain medical treatments to treat minors with gender dysphoria.

Last April, the governor returned the bill to the legislature with recommendations to strengthen it and ban the use of taxpayer resources on all gender transition treatments.

Six months after the bill’s passage, a state district court judge in Missoula preliminarily enjoined the bill and blocked its protections.

In challenging the injunction, the governor,

along with the State of Montana and other named agencies, on Friday filed a brief asking the Montana Supreme Court to allow the Youth Health Protection Act to go into effect, arguing, “This case presents a direct challenge to the State of Montana’s authority to exercise its police power to protect a generation of children from grievous harms such as sterilization, disfigurement, and lifelong medicalization.”

Highlighting concerns with unsettled state of the science around puberty

blockers, hormonal treatments, and sex-reassignment surgeries, the brief continues, “The state of the science on gender-affirming care – nationally and internationally – is currently conflicted and uncertain, and it continues to trend in support of the conclusion that the treatments at issue result in far more harm than good.”

Blasting the plaintiffs’ complaint, the brief continues, “Yet Plaintiffs claim that children – who cannot vote, purchase alcohol or tobacco, enter

into contracts, join the military, or consent to sexual intercourse – can consent to experimental and irreversible procedures likely to exacerbate mental and emotional problems, harm them physically, suppress the natural development of their bodies and brains, and subject them to sterilization.”

To protect Montana’s children, the governor is committed to defending the Youth Health Protection Act from those who seek to prevent its enforcement.

BOB GUNDERSON PHOTOS

Lady Eagle Jodessa McGreevey goes for a layup in a game against Noxon at the 14C District tournament. Right: Jabez Madplume takes a shot against St. Regis in the championship game played at Polson. St. Regis won 64-53.

Tester, Daines express concern over proposed USPS Missoula facility move to Spokane

tential future delivery delays.

Tester continued: “I fail to see how this transfer would result in improved postal service for Montanans. Our

U.S. SENATE – As a part of his continued efforts to improve mail delivery in Montana, U.S. Senator Jon Tester recently urged Postmaster General Louis DeJoy to halt the United States Postal Service’s Mail Processing Facility Review that could result in the relocation of Missoula’s Processing and Distribution Center (P&DC) to Spokane, Washington.

“

“The Missoula P&DC is a critical part of postal operations in Montana,” wrote Tester in a letter to Postmaster General DeJoy. “The center employs over a hundred Montanans and has served the community for decades. If processing were to be moved out of state, mail would get sent from Missoula more than 200 miles over two mountain passes to Spokane to be sorted before any of it is sent back to be delivered.”

federal benefits.”

“I urge you to halt any proposal to move Missoula operations to Spokane and refocus efforts on improving delivery standards in rural America,” concluded Tester.

If processing were to be moved out of state, mail would get sent from Missoula, more than 200 miles over two mountain passes, to Spokane to be sorted before any of it is sent back to be delivered.”

- Senator Jon Tester

Senator Steve Daines also urges the USPS to continue service in Missoula. Senator Daines recently sent a letter to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy urging the United States Postal Service (USPS) to maintain current operations in Missoula to protect jobs and improve mail service in the community.

In his letter, Tester cited the precarious drive over Lookout Pass on the border of Montana and Idaho, which is often closed to bad weather as a concern for po-

state’s small businesses rely on the mail system to send products to their customers and many folks rely on timely USPS service to send checks and mortgage payments to the bank. Mail delivery also effects our seniors in rural areas who rely on the postal service to deliver their life-saving medications and veterans who depend on the postal service to deliver their prescriptions and hard-earned

“I write to express my concerns regarding the United State Postal Service’s (USPS) current Mail Processing Facility Review (MPFR) of the Missoula Processing & Distribution Center (P&DC). I have serious concerns about potential out of state mail routing as well as any possibility of job losses in Missoula. While I appreciate the efforts of the USPS to modernize and improve services, I urge you to maintain existing operations at the Missoula P&DC as part of any future plans,” Daines wrote.

seniors

St. Ignatius

By Barb Plouffe for the Valley Journal

ST. IGNATIUS — A special “Thank You” goes to all that came and played bingo on Saturday, Feb. 10. The blackout prize was a $100 this time.

We will have our next bingo event on March 9 at 2 p.m.

We are still looking for a site manager. Some of the job’s responsibilities include management of the center and overseeing the kitchen staff and activities of the center. Call for more information. We have gained a bookkeeper.

If you would like a takeout meal, call 406-745-4462 by 10 a.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays and by 2 p.m. on Wednesdays. Mealtimes are listed below. Menus for the month are available in the entryway of the center.

Menu:

— Friday, Feb. 16: at noon - stew, fry bread, mixed fruit

— Tuesday, Feb. 20: noon- ham, scalloped potatoes, rolls, mixed vegetables, cherry dessert

— Wednesday, Feb. 21: 5:30 p.m. - lasagna, green salad, corn, garlic bread, lemon meringue pie

— Friday, Feb. 22: noon - baked fish, mac & cheese, peas, rolls, pumpkin bars

If you have an idea for an activity that we could have at our St. Ignatius Senior Center, please call.

We have walkers, canes, crutches, and a bath bench available to loan out.

The Foot Hills Club meets the second and fourth Wednesday of each month at 1 p.m. for snacks and cards.

Gently Yoga is held on Wednesdays from 1 to 2:15 p.m. If you are interested, call Bonnie

Kiser at 406-253-0177. Her rates are five sessions for $60.

Our St. Ignatius Senior Center is available for rent. An AARP tax preparer does taxes at the Ronan and Polson Senior Centers. If you need taxes done, call Ronan at 406-676-2371 or Polson at 406-883-4735.

Ronan

By Donna Daniels for the Valley Journal

RONAN — The Mission Valley Senior Center is across from St. Luke’s Hospital. We are open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for lunch and other activities.

Our menu:

— Wednesday, Feb. 28: Salisbury steak, salad, dessert

— Friday, March 1: tuna casserole, salad, dessert

— Monday, March 4: sausage penne pasta, salad, dessert

— Wednesday, March 6: taco bar, salad, dessert

Our Sunday roast pork dinner will be March 10 from noon-2 p.m. Come join us for a delicious meal.

AARP tax people will be here every Wednesday through April 10. They will prepare taxes for any age and any income. Give us a call to sign up for this great service at 406-676-2371.

Memory Café will be held March 6 from 2-4 p.m. If you have any questions call Danika at 406-409-8149.

Dues are due for 2024. They are $10 per person. We are once again looking for help. If you or someone you know is interested stop by and fill out an application.

The Ronan Senior Center is available for renting for your events. We also have a pool table available Mondays, Wednesdays,

and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Everyone is welcome for our meals no matter what age. We ask for a $7 donation for our Monday, Wednesday and Friday meals and $10 for our Sunday meal.

If you would like a meal delivered to your business call us by 10 a.m. We will gladly send you a menu.

Polson

By Pete Mangels for the Valley Journal

POLSON — Leap Day is Feb. 29. The extra day added every four years at the end of February allows the human made calendar to “catch up” to the actual orbit time of the earth around the sun (365.25 days). You cannot fool Nature, it runs on astronomical time, not Mountain Standard Time. Persons fortunate enough to be born on “leap-day” can have either Feb. 28 or March 1 as their birth-day celebration.  All the “leap-babies” that I know party on both days for three years. Applications are now being accepted for the position of Director for Nutrition. Secretarial skills, office management, food service experience preferred.

The Senior Center is providing AARP Tax Assistance through April 15 on Mondays or Thursdays. Call for an appointment time: 10-11 and 1 p.m.; 2 p.m.; and 3 p.m. Pick up your packet/ forms; complete prior to your time slot.

Activities:

— Wood Carving for beginners. Sign up at the center and leave a phone number for more information.

— Bowling: Tuesdays at 1 p.m.lane fee - $13 - open group; skip a week ok

— Bridge: inquire at center

— VA rep.: first Friday and third Tuesday (March 4 and March 19) - walk-in

— Bingo: bingo Friday night (6:30 p.m. start); doors open at 6 p.m. - $100 blackout – first and third Wednesday of each month “Playing Card” bingo

— Exercise: sitting or standing: M-W-F, 10:30–11:30 a.m.  video-assisted guidance- bring a friend

— Pinochle: Thursdays noon-3 p.m.

— Pool: open table from 8 a.m.3 p.m.

— Space is available to host card/board games, study groups, or other small group meetings during the day. Call ahead to check on potential conflicts.    Menu (subject to change): A suggested donation of $5 for your meal will help support the Nutrition Program. We serve lunch from 11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m. sit-down or take-out; call before 10 a.m. for delivery - call in for grab-n-go

Pool: open table from 8 a.m.-3 p.m Thursday, Feb. 22: corn dog, cowboy beans, spaghetti salad, vanilla pudding

— Friday, Feb. 23: birthday dinner for lunch - roast pork with all the trimmings, apple cake

— Monday, Feb. 26: ham soup with rice, roll, fruit-yogurt salad, cookies

— Tuesday, Feb. 27: meatloaf, taters, gravy, honey carrots, green salad

— Wednesday, Feb. 28: chef’s salad, sliced meats, roll, fruit, carrot cake

— Thursday, Feb. 29: chow mien, rice, egg roll, spinach salad, fruit

— Friday, March 1: TBD

Located at 504 Third Ave. E; open 8 am.–3 p.m. weekdays. Call 406-883-4735 or go to: polsonseniorcenter@gmail.com.

$6M secured to expand Missoula County Airport

News from the office of Senator Tester

BIG SANDY — U.S.

Senator Jon Tester recently secured $6,000,000 to fund a new terminal for Missoula County Airport.

This funding comes from Tester’s bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and is awarded through the Federal Aviation Administration’s Airport Terminals Program. Tester negotiated theIIJA with a group of five Republicans, four Democrats, and President Biden.

“Missoula’s airport has seen an incredible increase in customers that can drive up costs and make air travel harder on Montana— something that this expansion will help address while supporting good-paying jobs,” said Tester. “I’m proud to have secured this funding through my bipartisan infrastructure law, and I’ll keep working to ensure Montana’s airports have the resources they need to thrive.”

Tester previously secured approximately $144 million for Montana’s airports through the IIJA, which will be awarded over five years between 2022 and 2026. This funding can be used to construct or repair runways and taxiways as well as make terminal and gate improvements.

Tester has also led the effort to lower costs and expand access to reliable air service in rural communities. In May, Tester introduced his bipartisan Small Community Air Service Enhancement Act to increase flight options for travelers in rural America.

calendar

Wednesday, Feb. 21

Flathead Reservation Fish and Wildlife Board Meeting set for Feb. 21

FLATHEAD RESERVATION — The Flathead Reservation Fish and Wildlife Board will meet Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2024, from 1-3 p.m. at the Fish, Wildlife & Parks office at 3201 Spurgin Road, Missoula.

This meeting will cover enforcement feports, bird hunting regulation updates and a presentation on the MyFWP app.

All interested persons are invited to attend.

For more information, contact Stephanie Gillin at Stephanie.gillin@cskt.org or Whisper Camel-Means Whisper.means@cskt.org or by phone at 406-8832888.

Learn to meditate via Zoom

ZOOM — Mission Mountain Zen is offering free online meditation classes.  Join the Mission Mountain Zen Center Wednesday, Feb. 21, and on subsequent Wednesdays, for an online meditation class led by Zen Teacher, Zenku from 6-7:30 p.m.

We will cultivate and deepen our centering skills and meditation practice during the class.

Join us and take advantage of this opportunity. For more information and a Zoom link to the class call Zenku at 847721-0665 or email at: Jerry.Smyers@gmail.com.

Dust of snow

Thursday, Feb. 22

Live accordion music at library

POLSON — The North Lake County Public Library’s newly renovated Community Room is the

site for the Mission Valley Live Musical Program: Duo Two Accordions. Sergei and Maria Teleshev will perform and teach about accordions at 10:30 a.m. Enjoy a variety of music styles performed by world-class musicians.

see extended calendar at

Rick Trembath of Flathead Forestry & Fire Consulting will provide a picture-based presentation featuring area wildfire history and influences from pre-European Native American times to recent wildfire events. Learn from historic fire to better anticipate future fire from a FVCC Forest Fire Management Instructor with 56 years of wildland fire experience.

Friday, Feb. 23

Lake County Pachyderms to meet

POLSON — The Lake County Pachyderms will meet on Friday, Feb. 23, at noon at the Polson Rural Fire Department, 25 Regatta Road. The guest speaker will be Linda Sauer from the “The Last Chance Patriots. Linda’s presentation is titled: “Islam: Gaining Power and Momentum in the United States.” This should be a very interesting presentation/discussion. We hope to see you there.

Saturday, Feb. 24

New children’s book signing event planned

Polson Chamber holds Community Awards Banquet

POLSON — Get ready to experience the glitz and glamour of Music City right here in Polson! The Polson Chamber of Commerce invites you to a night of Nashville-inspired celebration at our Community Awards Banquet. The doors open with social time at 6 p.m., dinner at 7 p.m. and the awards ceremony at 8 p.m. Dust off your cowboy boots and don your finest country chic attire for an unforgettable evening filled with the spirit of Nashville. The awards ceremony will shine a spotlight on the remarkable achievements of businesses and individuals who have contributed significantly to our town. From entrepreneurs who’ve struck the right chord to community champions who’ve hit all the high notes, we’ll be celebrating the stars of Polson.

Tuesday, Feb. 27

Learn about Montana’s lynx, wolverine, marten, fisher

Learn the history of wildland fires in MT

KALISPELL — On Thursday, Feb. 22, from 6-8 p.m. in the Arts & Technology Building on campus of Flathead Valley Community College,

POLSON — Join Montana author, Hannah Oswine, on Saturday, Feb. 24, from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. for a new children’s book signing event at North Lake County Public Library.

The name of her new book is “Different Name, Still the Same.”

KALISPELL — On Tuesday, Feb. 27, from 6-8 p.m. in the Arts & Technology Building on campus of Flathead Valley Community College, Mark Ruby, Wildlife Program Manager for the Flathead National Forest, will make a presentation. Grizzly bears, wolves and mountain lions may have all the charisma and name recognition, but mid-sized

see page 25

MARTY HENSEL PHOTO

Tree branches dusted in snow reach out over warm tones of dried grasses.

Lewing to perform at UM on Feb. 25

MISSOULA — Neal Lewing, lifelong Montana singer/songwriter, actor, playwright, poet, author and educator, will return to UM to celebrate 50 years since matriculating as a professional entertainer and help raise awareness of the need for music and musicians. Proceeds benefit the UM Music Scholarship program.

Lewing’s “50 Years of Montana Gold” scholarship concert, presented through Black Paw Music and Port Polson Players of Polson, will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 25, in the UM Music Recital Hall. The show features a wide range of music from classic to pop to original, and several guest artists, including seasoned professionals, mid-career musicians and up-and-comers in the music industry.

In a career well into its sixth decade, Neal Lewing [“One of our last troubadours” - Montana Arts Council] carries an impressive resume of credits both in the US

Calendar

from page 24

forest carnivores are an amazing part of our ecosystem.

Come learn about monitoring efforts and status updates on these elusive animals and why their presence is critical to a healthy Flathead National Forest.

Wednesday, Feb. 28

St. Ignatius Rural Fire District Board to meet

ST. IGNATIUS —

The St. Ignatius Rural Fire District will hold their regular meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 28, at 6

and abroad. He shares the Montana Governor’s Arts Award with his wife Karen. Neal (’74) entered the UM Music Department on a vocal scholarship; his Griz roots run deep. A father (Mail Room Supervisor ’66-’72), two brothers (’68 and ‘69/’71), a daughter (’10),

pm. At the fire hall meeting hall room.

For more information, call Chairman Tim Callahan at 406-745-4112.

Learn to meditate via Zoom

ZOOM — Mission Mountain Zen is offering free online meditation classes.

Join the Mission Mountain Zen Center on Wednesdays, for an online meditation class led by Zen Teacher, Zenku, including meditation instruction, practice, and discussion via Zoom. The classes will be each Wednesday from 6-7:30 p.m.

We will cultivate and

a son (’15), and Karen (WSU ’73), hired by MT Rep in 1978. “One of our last troubadours” - Montana Arts Council.Tickets and information for the concert are available through GrizTix by going to https://grizhub.umt.edu/ event/9944201

deepen our centering skills and meditation practice during the class.

Please join us and take advantage of this opportunity.

For more information and a Zoom link to the class call Zenku at 847721-0665 or email at: Jerry.Smyers@gmail.com.

Friday, March 1

Nic & Desi perform Broadway song, dance

POLSON — Mission Valley Live presents Nic & Desi. They will sing, dance and share their love story in this duo celebration of classic and contemporary Broadway on Friday,

public meetings

The Polson City Commission meets every first and third Mondays (Wednesday, if the Monday falls on a holiday) of the month at 7 p.m. at City Hall, 106 1st Street East. Meetings are open to the public.

St. Ignatius City Council meets the second Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 12 First Ave. 406- 745-3791

Ronan City Council meetings are held on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month at 6 p.m., 207 Main Street SW, Ste A. 406-676-4231

Lake County Commissioners , 106 Fourth Ave. E, room 211, (Lake County Courthouse) 406-883-7278, Monday-Thursday 10 a.m.-12 p.m. & 1:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m.

The Ronan School District No. 30 Board of Trustees have regularly scheduled board meetings once a month. They meet the second Monday of every month in the K. William Harvey Elementary Multi-Purpose Room. Regular meetings begin at 7 p.m.

The Polson School District No. 23 Board of Trustees have regularly scheduled board meetings once a month. Meetings are held the second Monday of each month from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the District Office, 111 4th Ave. E, 406-883-6345.

March 1, at 7 p.m. in at Polson High School. Nicolas Dromard and Desiree Davar created this act to share their love of song and dance worldwide. Nic and Desi bring audiences on their journey of love hile performing stage and screen favorites from the Great American Songbook standards (“Shall we Dance,” “Cheek to Chee,” “I won’t Dance”) to hits from their favorite roles in Broadway’s Jersey Boys, West Side Story, Oklahoma! Wicked and more. Tickets are $15 for adults, ages 0-18 are free and children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. vj

The Charlo School District 7J B Board of Trustees have regularly scheduled meetings on the third Thursday of every month. Meetings are held in the school library, 404 1st Ave. W, and begin at 7 p.m. The phone number is 406-644-2206.

The Arlee School District No. 8 Board of Trustees hold regularly scheduled meetings on the second Tuesday of each month. Meetings are held in the Arlee High School Library, 72220 Fyant Street, and begin at 6:30 p.m. The phone number is 406-726-3216.

Valley View Elementary is located at 42448 Valley View Road. The phone number is 406883-2208.

St. Ignatius School District No. 28 Board of Trustees meetings are held the third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. in the library, 76 Third Avenue. The phone number is 406-7453811.

COURTESY PHOTO

Neal Lewing

classifieds

Announcements

Special Notices

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hire. Certification in Passenger Service and Safety; or obtain one within 6 months of hire. This position is subject to a background check in accordance with Public Law 101-630. All applicants must submit a Tribal application, copy of academic transcripts, certificates and licensure, copy of current valid driver’s license, proof of enrollment in a federally recognized Tribe if other than CSKT and if claiming veteran’s preference, a copy of DD214 must be submitted. Failure to submit all of the above information will result in immediate disqualification during the screening process. This is a Testing Designated Position (TDP) within the definition of the CSKT Drug Testing policy. The successful applicant, if not already employed by CSKT must pass a prehire drug test and serve a mandatory six (6) month probationary period. Salary is $15.56 to $17.89 per hour, plus benefits. May be employed under contract. To apply, contact Personnel at (406) 675-2700 Ext. 1040 or personnel@cskt.org. Tribal applications are also available on-line at cskt.org. The closing date is Thursday, February 29, 2024 at 5:30 p.m. MST CSKT IS A TRIBAL MEMBER PREFERENCE EMPLOYER.

K-8 Montana certified teacher at School District 64 for 2024-2025 school year. Contact Jerry Hofer 406336-2638 or jerryhofer73@ gmail.com.

work and/or training; for Level 2 - Associate’s degree in business administration, social or medical related field; for Level 3 - Bachelor’s degree in business administration, social or medical related field. All applicants must submit a Tribal application, a copy of academic transcript/degree, certifications, copy of valid driver’s license, if claiming Tribal preference, proof of enrollment from a federally recognized Tribe if other than CSKT, and if claiming veteran’s preference, a copy of the DD214 must be submitted. FAILURE TO SUBMIT ALL OF THE ABOVE INFORMATION WILL RESULT IN IMMEDIATE DISQUALIFICATION DURING THE SCREENING PROCESS. This position is not a Testing Designated Position (TDP) within the definition of the CSKT Drug Testing policy and subject to random drug testing. The successful applicant, if not already employed by the Tribes must pass a pre-hire drug test and serve a mandatory six (6) month probationary period. Salary range:

Level 1 - $16.56 to $19.04, Level 2 - $18.79 to $21.60, Level 3 - $19.49 to $22.40. To apply, contact Personnel at (406) 675-2700 Ext. 1040 or personnel@- cskt.org. Tribal applications are also available online at csktribes.org. The closing date will be Thursday,

March 7, 2024, at 5:30 p.m. (MST) CSKT IS A TRIBAL MEMBER PREFERENCE EMPLOYER.

HYDROLOGIC TECHNICIAN/ HYDROGRAPHER I (1 OR MORE POSITIONS AVAILABLE)

DEWR - WATER RESOURCES - RONAN, MT NATURAL RESOURCES DEPARTMENT

The successful applicant must possess two years of college coursework, or one year of college with a physical science background, or a high school diploma or equivalent and one year of experience in Natural Resource Data Collection. Must possess a valid Montana driver’s license. Must wear Tribal Government identification and safety apparel when conducting field activities. FAILURE TO SUBMIT THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION WILL RESULT IN IMMEDIATE DISQUALIFICATION DURING THE SCREENING PROCESS. All applicants are required to submit a Tribal application, copy of relevant transcripts, a copy of valid Montana driver’s license, proof of enrollment from a federally recognized Tribe if other than CSKT, and if claiming veteran’s preference, a copy of DD214 must be submitted. This position is not a Testing Designated Position (TDP) within the definition of the CSKT Drug Testing

policy. The successful applicant, if not already employed by CSKT, must pass pre-hire drug test and serve a mandatory six (6) month probationary period. Salary range $19.86 to $22.83 per hour, plus benefits. To apply, contact Personnel at 406-6752700 Ext. 1040. Tribal applications are also available online at csktribes.org. Closing date will be Thursday, February 29th, 2024 at 5:30 p.m. CSKT IS A TRIBAL MEMBER PREFERENCE EMPLOYER.

CHILD & YOUTH TRAUMA SERVICESMENTAL HEALTH SPECIALIST, LCSW - CONTRACT POSITION - DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

The successful applicant must be a Psychologist (Ph.D. or Psy.D.), Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), OR certified by the State of Montana as a Mental Health Professional Person. Must have clinical experience in providing cognitive behavioral therapy. Must be willing to received training in Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TFCBT). Have experience assisting individuals/ families with high service needs. Experience in providing group facilitations. Must have a valid Montana driver’s license. All applicants must submit a Tribal

application, copy of academic transcripts/training certificates, copy of current valid driver’s license, proof of enrollment and if claiming veteran’s preference, a copy of DD214 must be submitted. This position is a Testing Designated Position (TDP) within the definition of the CSKT Drug Testing policy. A favorable determination resulting from a completed background investigation is required prior to being placed in this position. The successful applicant, if not already employed by the Tribes must pass a pre-hire drug test and serve a mandatory six (6) month probationary period.

Salary is $30.68 - $35.27 per hour with benefits. To apply, contact Personnel at (406)

675-2700 Ext. 1040. Tribal applications are also available on-line at csktribes.org

Closing date will be Thursday, March 7, 2024 at 5:30 p.m.

CSKT IS A TRIBAL MEMBER

PREFERENCE EMPLOYER.

Real Estate

Equal housing

EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY

All real estate advertising in

see page 27

The

hire. Verified of recent TB screening or ability to complete the required screening. Certification in CPR/First Aid. Certification in Defensive and Distracted Driving course; or obtain one within 6 months of

TRIBAL CARE COORDINATION OFFICE MANAGER

TRIBAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT - ELMO

The successful applicant must possess a valid driver’s license. Previous experience in computer systems, preferred experience working in EHRs. Preferred experience working in the medical field. Previous experience in organizing people and/or buildings. Must obtain Heart Savers certification within 6 months of hire, as well as for Level 1 - High school diploma or equivalent, 2 to 4 years of related office

public notices

this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act and the Montana Human Rights Act which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, creed, sex, marital status, age, familial status, physical or mental disability, or national origin, or an intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination. Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To complain of discrimination call HUD Toll-free at 1-800-669-9777. The toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275.

Legals

Legals

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

HB355 Infrastructure

Eligible Projects

A public hearing will be held at Ronan City Hall, February 28, 2024, at 5:30 p.m., to approve a Resolution naming proposed local projects under HB355 State-Local Infrastructure Partnership Act. Written and/or verbal comments by any Ronan taxpayer will be accepted at the hearing.

Kaylene Melton, Clerk/Treasurer

February 14 and 21, 2024 MNAXLP

John A. Mercer

TURNAGE & MERCER, PLLP

Attorneys at Law

312 1st St E Polson, MT 59860

Telephone: 406-883-5367 jmercer@turnagemercerwall.com

MONTANA TWENTIETH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT, LAKE COUNTY

IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF: BERNADINE L. LOVELL, Deceased.

Cause No.: DP-24-8

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN That the undersigned has been appointed as Personal Representative of the above-entitled estate, and that the address of the Personal Representative is set forth below.

All creditors of the decedent having claims against the decedent’s estate must present their claims within four (4) months after the date of the first publication of this Notice, or be forever barred as creditors of the decedent.

A written statement of the claim indicating its basis, the name and address of the claimant, and the amount claimed, may be filed with the Clerk of the District Court, at Polson, Lake County, Montana, or mailed, Return Receipt Requested, to the Personal Representative, c/o TURNAGE MERCER & WALL, PLLP, Attorneys for the Personal Representative, at 312 1st St. E, Polson, MT 59860.

/s/ Chuck Wall CHUCK WALL

Personal Representative

Estate of BERNADINE L. LOVELL, Deceased.

Feb. 21, 28 and Mar. 6, 2024 MNAXLP

Kalmbach Law Office, PLLC Justin Kalmbach, Esq.

PO Box 249

1 Fifth Avenue West Polson, MT 59860

Telephone: (406) 883-1159

Fax: (406) 883-1497

Email: justin@polsonlegal.com

Attorney for Personal Representative

IN THE TRIBAL COURT OF THE CONFEDERATED SALISH & KOOTENAI TRIBES OF THE FLATHEAD RESERVATION, PABLO, MONTANA

IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF: RICHARD LEE ROY JOHNSON, Deceased.

Cause No. 23-0464-P

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 Brandy Martin, the Personal Representative, return receipt requested, c/o Kalmbach Law Office, PLLC, PO Box 249, Polson, MT 59860 or filed with the Clerk of the above Court.

Dated this 22nd day of December, 2023.

/s/ Brandy Martin BRANDY MARTIN

Personal Representative

C/O Kalmbach Law Office, PLLC PO Box 249 Polson, MT 59860

Feb. 7, 14 and 21, 2024

MNAXLP

Public Notice Correction

This is to notify all interested parties that Mission Mountain

Empower- ment (MME – formerly Mission Mountain Enterprises Inc) is applying for $216,250 through the capital assistance grant. The capital assistance grant is funded by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and administered by the Montana Department of Transportation. FTA funds will be used to purchase a 9 passenger ADA AWD van, a 5 passenger ADA mini conversion van and a 7 passenger AWD minivan, for providing transportation services for our clients.

February 21, 2024

MNAXLP

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

Request for proposal for network hardware and cabling to upgrade aging infrastructure and equip new construction (E-Rate Category 2 proposal).

Polson School District #23

111 4th Ave. E. Polson, MT 59860

Email questions to Nicole Jones at njjrwj@midrivers.com

The RFP is accessible electronically on the USAC website https://bit.ly/polsonerate

Bids will be accepted until February 29th, 2024, or 28 days after the latest posted RFP Amendment, whichever is later.

February 14 and 21, 2024

MNAXLP