17 minute read
Valley Views
from 06-13-22 issue
valley views My grocery superpowers
Superman, Wonder Woman, and the Incredible Hulk all possess superpowers, but I enjoy supremacy even greater than x-ray vision, unlimited strength, or the ability to fly. My capabilities come from grocery lists in my pocket and canned goods on aisle seven. It’s the power of food acquisition and I’ve assumed extreme control.
Those of us in the know, know it doesn’t get any better than that.
Simply put, I do 97.376 percent of the grocery shopping for my family. Let the scope of that sink in for a moment. Pause and ponder like you might over the glazed donuts in the bakery section.
Victuals. Chow. Sustenance. Edibles. Nourishment. Cuisine. Food impacts the menu, mood, mind, and mojo – and the person purchasing the food is in charge. Not even Superman with his flowing red cape and tight blue tights can top that.
It’s absolute power at its finest. If I want tacos for supper, we have tacos for supper. Yo quiero. Never mind they had tacos at school for lunch. To heck with that. Mom’s got a craving – for pizza or potato salad or potpie. It’s what’s for dinner.
Creamy or chunky, white or wheat, whole or skim, dill or sweet, apples or bananas, cool ranch or spicy hot, rocky road or Neapolitan, cheddar or pepper jack, mayo, or the other stuff – it’s all my call.
It gets even better. I alone am in control of their entire cookie supply. Chocolate chip, frosted or oatmeal – I get to choose. Snack control is a commanding tool when in the hands of the skilled superhuman formerly known as mom.
For instance, three years ago I banished fruit snacks from the pantry, declaring them imposters – without membership in any food group. The young people living with me still beg for fruit snacks on occasion, but I’m holding fast. Power trips can be exhilarating.
Speaking of power trips, I took two today. There’s another perk of my supremacy – multiple trips to the grocery store on any given Tuesday. This phenomenon occurs when an essential item is forgotten during the initial outing. Even superheroes have memory lapses. Today I forgot dog treats and ice cream, which were egregious errors according to all four and two-legged inhabitants of my home. So, I returned for round two of the hunger games. They are happy with me now. That isn’t always the case.
Like the time I went on a diet. They lost 12 pounds between them during the first week; I was up two. I finally caved and bought some white bread and processed cheese spread. It took a couple days, but they warmed up to me eventually. Such is the price of super-heroism.
Sometimes one of them attempts to accompany me to the store. They’ve even tried stowing away in the backseat, but I’m smarter than a fifth grader – plus I have eyes in the back of my head. Having a sidekick acts like kryptonite to my superpowers and causes us to return home with extra cereal and corn chips. There can be only one superhero in the family – except if you are Batman.
I am not a complete mom of steel. I allow them to make food requests, which I may or may not fulfill. They’ll just have to wait and see. Anticipation can encourage a person do super-uncharacteristic and super-helpful things – like make the bed, pick up dirty clothes off the floor, empty the dishwasher, throw in a load of laundry, or mow the lawn without being asked. All completed in the time it takes your mom to do the grocery shopping.
The power to influence them like that is nothing
Slices of Life Jill Pertler Syndicated columnist
A battle of purpose
Packrat likes Prius. Wonderful engineering, mysterious passageways, fun, twisty-turns, tubing, wild sculpture unheeded expressions of unhinged art; must be a wonderful nesting opportunity somewhere in here, if she could only find it.
And so she looks, she’s young, the world is hers for exploring, and what a world, unlike any she’s ever seen before. Just wait until she has kids and shows them this!
But wait… there’s a problem. A big problem, in the form of the twelve-year-old dog, the one with the good nose, knowing the rat is in the mysterious twisty spaces of the Prius engine compartment.
One wants to evade the other; a chase can’t take place, there’s no room, no space, though the old mutt gives it her all, trying to force her body under the too-narrow space under the car. It doesn’t work; she groans and growls with frustration, snaps her considerable teeth in despair, she wants that vermin between them! She knows her duty, but the rat knows hers too, to live, to reproduce, to find the safe haven, which she thought, for a while, she had found, and she continues climbing over the wild metallic countryside, valve covers, wires, alternator, pulleys, fans, manifold, many slick surfaces and divots, val-
Valley Views Eugene Beckes
see page 11 short of super – and I’m not even wearing my cape today.
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.
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from page 10
leys dips and rises, wires in and out, and inviting almost-perfect places to nest.
If only, if only, if only that damned dog weren’t growling and snapping and running from tire to tire, lunging at the grill, now tearing at the fenders with maniacal jaws slashing with viciousness and utter disregard for physics. Look! She is making the car shake! Listen! She is making the car zing with the sounds of teeth on plastic, teeth on metal, feet pawing frantically on tires, ripping on anything to try to get at that rat, so that, by the time the writer of this piece happened out of the house to come upon this drama, the front fender of the wonderful Prius was actually, truly, nearly punctured from dog’s teeth. The fender looked as if it had been peppered with blasts from a 12-gauge double-barreled shotgun! It must be seen to be believed. Perhaps the packrat, still in the engine compartment, is laughing hysterically tucked away by the fluid reservoir, the fuse box, the movie-house of the interior. In any case, the horror, once discovered, was put to a stop by said dog being brought into the house and properly congratulated on being such a good guard dog (wagging her tail, appropriately), and the rat extricated by use of one of those plug-in sonar high-pitched squeal things one buys for troublesome mice, rats, squirrels and the like. We had one.
I plugged it in, hung it in the engine compartment, and soon enough, let rat-detecting Willow out of the house again to see if she’d still detect a rat in the engine compartment of the wounded Prius and after sniffing thoroughly around it, she looked at us with her definitive and disappointing (to her) answer: No. No rat. Rat-Be-Gone.
End of story.
vj
News from the Montana Office of Public Instruction
HELENA — Superintendent Elsie Arntzen continues to focus on Montana’s homeless youth through federal grant dollars that fund basic needs for families, research, and other learning programs. The American Rescue Plan-Homeless Children Youth (ARP-HCY) fund, which included two disbursements, and the Title I, Part C funds for migrant education help Montana identify and provide services to homeless and migrant children.
“Our children are our most precious resource, and I am proud of the work our staff has accomplished in providing unique services to our homeless and migrant students,” said Superintendent Elsie Arntzen. “All of our Montana students deserve the opportunity to achieve educational excellence. Supporting all children and all families ensures that the future of our great state is strong.”
In the 2021-2022 school year there were 4,686 homeless students in Montana. Homelessness is defined as individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence and includes: 1. children and youths who are sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason; are living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to the lack of alternative adequate accommodations; are living in emergency or transitional shelters; or are abandoned in hospitals; 2. children and youths who have a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings; 3. children and youths who are living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings; and 4. migratory children…who qualify as homeless for the purposes of this subtitle because the children are living in circumstances described in clauses (i) through (iii).
For the past school year, a total of $469,206 of ARP-HCY I funds were granted to 17 Montana school districts and in $1,407,618 of ARP-HCY II federal funds were dispersed to 32 Montana school districts. Montana also received a $1.8 million grant for migrant students. School districts have used these funds to provide students with sleeping bags and pads, school supplies, hygiene products, laundry and showering facilities, and cooking classes.
The Office of Public Instruction (OPI) has partnered with Reach Higher Montana to focus on our older students who need assistance creating a graduation/post-graduation plan. The OPI has also partnered with Montana State University to provide webinars and virtual learning education courses for grant recipients and community homeless liaisons.
The OPI Montana Migrant Education Program has a statewide recruitment specialist located in Lewistown and data collection specialists located in Hysham. There are four regional site-based instructional and supplemental service programs, one being an anticipated cherry harvest program later in the summer in the Flathead Valley located at Polson School District.
For more information about the Migrant Education program, please contact Angela Branz-Spall, Title I Part C MEP Director, at abranzspall@mt.gov or at 406459-6368.
For more information, please contact Jack O’Connor, Federal Programs Director and State Homeless Education Coordinator, at joconnor2@mt.gov or at 406444-3083.
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Local students selected to attend National Student Leadership Congress
News from Katey Funderburgh Upward Bound
PABLO — Salish Kootenai College Upward Bound is proud to announce that two of our students were selected to attend the Council for Education’s 33rd annual National Student Leadership Congress. The Leadership Congress took place in June on the campus of Georgetown University Campus over a span of five days, during which approximately 100 high school students from across the nation learned democratic tools to bring back to their communities. To attend, students had to be nominated by their instructors, complete an application essay, and meet rigorous academic standards. Tre Heath-LaFrombois from St. Ignatius High School and John David from Polson High School were chosen for their leadership skills and passion as future change-makers.
Tre has long aspired to be an animator. John is working towards a teaching career. Both students loved the chance to get to meet other high schoolers with a wide range of aspirations; developing connections with other TRIO kids was Tre’s and John’s favorite part of the entire Congress. “It felt like heart-toheart in an instant,” said Tre of the other attendees. Both John and Tre were assigned to a mock congress group with the other students, during which these relationships proved important. Students were asked to research and debate modern topics of political relevance, such as gender discrimination and beauty pageants; it was essential that each student could speak their mind and support their opinions. “I appreciated that my group could come up with convincing arguments but not get mad at one another,” said Tre, and John agreed. “If we can’t talk to each other, then we won’t be able to manage.” The students became leaders in democracy, able to seek and listen to all sides of an issue before making decisions as a group. In an increasingly divisive political climate, we can trust these students to be courageous and understanding leaders. “I feel like I’ve gained confidence,” said Tre, to which John added, “And we can speak our minds better, and conduct thorough research.”
During the Congress, John David and Tre Heath-LaFrombois got the chance to meet with Montana Senator Jon Tester. Each attendee was encouraged to ask their state senators to support their respective programs; Tre and John were happy to report that Tester was enthusiastic about supporting Montana TRIO. The students also asked Senator Tester about their mock congress topics. “He brought new perspectives,” said John. “Even if he agreed with our viewpoints, he would ask opposing questions and see how we would answer,” Tre said. COE coincided with the passing of Tony Incashola, a beloved community member and important person to Tre personally. Senator Tester gave his condolences and sent a letter to Tre’s family. A true democracy, the students learned, “is always about helping your community,” said John.
When it was time to go home, the students said that they were ready to be back in Montana, but sad to leave all their new friends. The Leadership Congress isn’t an experience they’ll soon forget. “The most important thing about the trip in my opinion is that for everyone involved they get to travel to our nation’s capital and see stuff that they might not otherwise be able to see. The experience also led to a heightened sense of political issues that are affecting the nation,” John concluded, after being asked what he’d take away from the Congress. Tre concurred, adding that “The importance of this trip is extremely crucial to social development and getting to experience new things because you never know if you’ll ever get to see a place like DC and you never know if you get to live these experiences, so why don’t you go out and try.”
Young people have always paved the way for our American future. Tre and John remind us that leadership is about building relationships and being there for your community.
KATEY FUNDERBURGH / UPWARD BOUND
‘Weed Warriors’ to target invasive species
News from Glacier National Park
WEST GLACIER — The Crown of the Continent Research Learning Center (CCRLC) and Glacier National Park invite volunteers for a day of hands-on learning during the Annual Noxious Weed Blitz on July 19, 2022. The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in West Glacier.
Participants will join restoration and integrated pest management biologist Dawn LaFleur to learn about the ecological impacts of noxious weeds and how to identify and remove five targeted invasive plant species. “Bring your muscles, gloves, appropriate footwear, and drinking water,” LaFleur said.
The event is free and open to the public. To register, RSVP by July 14 by emailing glac_citizen_science@nps.gov or by calling 406- 888-7986.
A complimentary lunch will be provided by the Glacier National Park Conservancy to this year’s “Weed Warriors.”
Once registered, participants will receive specific details about meeting location and parking.
News from Lake County Conservation District
RONAN — Lake
County Conservation District celebrated pollinator week with a new event we co-hosted with Ronan
Cooperative Brewery called the “Chalk Walk.”
This was Ronan’s first ever chalk walk and we were beyond impressed with all of the beautiful chalk art that was decorating downtown Ronan’s sidewalks.
This year’s theme was
“Bees & Blooms!”
A pollinator themed street party kicked off Friday night where everyone could submit their votes for their favorite chalk art. There was live music, food, crafts for the kiddos, and, of course, beer from Fri., Sat., Sun., the Ronan Cooperative Brewery! We had lots of Nov 22 nd-Dec. 1stfun and hope to make this event happen yearly.
COURTESY PHOTOS LEFT First place Persephone Sandoval; UP Second place Carly Hogue; DOWN Third place Crystal Matt
Meet. . . Faela
She is a purebred Siberian Husky, currently 8 weeks old. She is a very sweet, playful girl who loves her toys.
contact Mission Valley Animal Shelter Call 883-5312
or visit our Facebook page!
Pet of the week
See the Baseball Comedy
Home Games
July 7-24
At Polson’s Log Theatre on the south end of Flathead Lake
Faela
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63228 US Hwy. 93 Ronan, MT
(406) 676-8610
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Spin, Bootcamp, Strength Conditioning, Yoga, Bones & Balance, HIIT
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Ronan celebrates pride
Story and Photos by Taylor Davison / Valley Journal
RONAN — On July 9, ‘Sweet Pride in July’ was held in the Ronan City Park, a celebration of the LGBTQ+ community.
Sponsored by Safe Harbor and The Spirit of Many Colors, an LGBTQ+ club at the Salish Kootenai College, this was the eighth year of celebration. A celebration with food, games and activities, and some drawings for prizes, the nice weather brought in plenty of attendees of all ages.
Typically held in June, which is traditionally Pride Month, Safe Harbor and The Spirit of Many Colors instead opted early on to hold the Ronan celebration in July, as several other towns from Kalispell to Helena had scheduled their pride events for each weekend last month.
“We go with a pretty low-key approach, so there’s not a lot of pressure on anyone,” Dana Grant of Safe Harbor explained. “The rest is really just supporting a community and encouraging people to come together and feel comfortable and feel like it’s okay to be whoever they are here in our valley.”
Some speakers participated briefly in this year’s event as well, sharing messages of acceptance and love. Food was provided, and attendees milled around between activities from rock painting to bracelet making to giant bubble blowing, filling the pavilion with laughter.
“It’s just a part of our overall effort to support inclusion and promote a celebration of all people in our community,” Grant commented. Having worked at Safe Harbor for 12 years, he has been involved since the beginning of the Ronan pride events, which began eight years ago. Past celebrations included drag and burlesque shows and a murder mystery party.
“Different years we’ve had small groups, big groups, groups in between,” Grant said. “Weather and all those things affect it, but we just try to plow forward and have fun with whoever’s there.”
“It’s nice to see people come together for this,” one young attendee said. “It’s kind of easy to feel a little lonely in a small town, so it’s cool to see other people in the same boat come together and just have a fun time.”
An additional pride event is scheduled in September at the KwaTaqNuk Resort and will include a drag performance. Grant says some young people are wanting to take charge, so in the spirit of encouraging people to take initiative, Safe Harbor will be stepping back a bit and playing more of a supporting role when it comes to town.
“We’re really excited to be doing it and for the support we have from the community and the people who show up to celebrate pride,” Grant said.
