12-15-21 issue by Valley Journal

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your homegrown newspaper December 15, 2021

Vol. 18, No. 13

Marijuana ordinance passes first reading in Polson By Kristi Niemeyer for the Valley Journal

$1M grant pg. 5

Apartments finished pg. 13

Sports pg. 14

LAKE COUNTY — Although sales of recreational marijuana become legal in Montana Jan. 1, locals won’t see a deluge of dispensaries selling pot. Instead, suggests Polson City Manager Ed Meece, “we’ll probably see the licenses issued in a constant trickle rather than a flood over 2022.” That’s for two reasons. First, although recreational marijuana is legal as of Jan. 1, only existing, licensed medical marijuana providers are allowed to apply for licenses in the first 18 months, through June 2023. Secondly, Meece suspects the application process will take time even for existing medical providers, since House Bill 701 lays out separate requirements and timelines for licensure of recreational vendors. In Lake County, local governments are wrestling with how to move forward. Polson is ahead of the pack, with the first reading of a regulatory

KRISTI NIEMEYER PHOTO

Cori Monatukwa of Flathead Lake Herb in Polson says he and his partner, May Becker, currently have no plans to pursue a license to sell recreational marijuana when those become available to medical marijuana purveyors Jan. 1. Their business is one of two medical marijuana dispensaries in Polson.

ordinance approved last Monday by the city commission, and a second reading slated for next Monday. A second ordinance addressing zoning

will also be introduced to the commission at its next meeting on Dec. 20. The Ronan City Council took up the issue at a special meeting at 7 p.m.

w w w.va l le yj our na l.net

Monday, Dec. 13. “We’re still in the planning stages,” said Mayor Kim Aipperspach, who anticipates that Ronan’s ordinance will be similar

to Polson’s. He added that so far “a couple of people” have expressed interest in opening see page 2

marijuana ordinance from page 1

dispensaries. “It’s just something we have to adapt and live with,” he says. According to St. Ignatius Mayor Steve McCollum, “so far there’s been zero interest in putting one here.” The city plans to charge the same amount for a recreational marijuana license as it does for an alcohol license – $250 a year. As far as additional rules, “we’ve talked about it, but we haven’t really set anything in stone,” McCollum said. Like other incorporated towns, the council is working with county government on a 3% excise tax proposal, slated to go on the ballot in June. Voters will have the option of taxing sales of medical, recreational, both or neither. If approved, 50% of revenues would go into county coffers, 5% would go to the Department of Revenue, and the remainder would be divvied up between the three municipalities of Polson, Ronan and St. Ignatius based on population. That tax would take effect next September. The state law, passed by the Legislature last spring, already stipulates that dispensaries must be at least 500 feet from a building used exclusively as a place of worship or from a school, unless local jurisdictions decide differently. In Polson’s case, the proposed new city ordinance would prohibit dispensaries within 300 linear feet of residential zones, 500 feet from a place of worship, building, facility, or park owned or operated by the city, and 1,000 feet from public and private schools. Those distances are measured from the property line of the protected business or facility to the public entrance of the marijuana business. 2 - December 15, 2021

During the first reading last week, the commission also asked that state-registered daycares be included in the 1,000-foot parameter. Commissioner Carolyn Pardini brought up the idea of adding daycares to the list. “I don’t know how I’d feel dropping my child off at a really nice daycare and there’s a recreational marijuana place down the street,” she said at last Monday’s meeting. While supportive of adding daycares to the school exclusion area, commission members noted that most daycares are located in residential areas that will have a 300-foot buffer zone. Pardini also wondered if parks should be included in the 1,000foot exclusion area instead of 500 feet. By imposing more and more limitations, commissioner Brodie Moll asked, “Are we going to get to the point where we absolutely exclude somebody from having a business?” “We do have to provide some opportunity for them to exist,” Meece said. Pardini suggested making a map available in local newspapers and at city hall to show what the exclusion areas look like. “This is a pretty big change for our community,” she said. “We want to encourage independent businesses, but these are tough decisions for me.” Mayor Paul Briney asked for a rough estimate of how much revenue the 3% countywide tax on recreational marijuana might generate, if approved. “We just don’t have enough information to be able to estimate that number,” replied Meece. “I think it’s in the two digits rather than three, at least to begin with.” Pardini said she noticed during recent visits to Washington that marijuana dispensaries appear to be thriving in Spokane. “If new businesses there are any indica-

tion I think over time this will be a significant, dependable revenue stream for the county and for the city,” she said. “As we look forward I think we should not be counting our eggs yet, but tending the hen house.” Also in the proposed ordinance is a $1,500 annual business fee (in addition to the $5,000 state fee), and stipulations that in many cases mimic the state law, such as limiting business hours to 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., prohibiting vending machines and drivethrough windows, and insisting that all products be transported in opaque, child-resistant containers. Advertisements of activities, products or services related to medical or recreational marijuana would be prohibited. After adding daycares to the school exclusion zone, the first reading passed unanimously. There will be a second reading Dec. 20 and if approved would go into effect a month later. The second measure, to be introduced Dec. 20, adds two new commercial zones, Adult Use Dispensary and Marijuana Manufacturer, to the existing code. The new uses will require a special use permit approved by the City-County Planning Board and the city commission as part of the approval process. In an interview Friday, Meece noted that Polson currently only has two medical marijuana dispensaries that may opt to pursue recreational licenses in the coming year. He added that cities with a higher number of medical dispensaries – such as Missoula with 55 – are moving more quickly to enact ordinances governing recreational marijuana. “For Polson, the low number of current medical providers makes the waiting period (from Jan. 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023) a little less scary,” he said.

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Proposed changes to 2022-23 non-tribal member fishing, bird hunting, recreation regulations announced News from the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes

FLATHEAD RESERVATION – The Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes have announced the availability of the Mar. 1, 2022 to Feb. 28, 2023 Flathead Indian Reservation Joint Tribal/ State fishing, bird hunting, and recreation regulations and proposed changes. The Tribal Council welcomes comments from the public on these draft regulations. Due to the pandemic, an in-person hearing will not take place. Public comment will be accepted via letter or email. Comments are due no later than Dec. 23. Proposed Changes: Part I, 2022-23 Reservation Licensing, Sec. 1: Form of Licenses and Duplicates • Camping Stamp 18 and older: For all categories of residences – increase camping stamp cost from $20 to $100. • Residents of the Reservation: Increase annual conservation license from $20 to $40, increase disabled license from $17 to $37. • Non-Residents of the Reservation: Increase annual conservation license for both age categories from $23 to $100, increase 3-day conservation license from $19 to $80, increase 3-day combined conservation/fishing license to $105, increase the disabled license from $17 to $100. • Non-Residents of the State of Montana: Increase annual conservation license for both age categories from $26 to $100, increase 3-day conservation license from $19 to $80, increase 1-day combined conservation /fishing license to $80, increase 3-day conservation/fishing license to $146, increase disabled license from $17 to $100. Part III, Bird Hunting, Sec. 1: Item N • Add “Safe Harbor Marsh” to listing of prohibited hunting areas. Part IV, Recreation Regulations, Sec. 2C. • New (6) Twin Lakes Recreation Area • New (7) Hog Heaven Range & Chief Cliff Area, described as: All tribally owned lands west of Highway 93 from the Reservation northern boundary to the intersection of Highway 28, and lands north of said intersection and following Highway 28 westerly to the intersection of the Brown’s Meadow Road, and lands east of the Brown’s Meadow Road (or all tribally owned lands served or accessed by the Hog Heaven forest tribal road system (H-1000 to H-4000 numbered tribal forest roads). • New (8) Portion of the North Salish Range known as Irvine Lookout Area, described as: All tribally owned forested and range lands served or accessed by the Irvine forest tribal road system (I-1000 to I-6000 numbered tribal forest roads) Part IV, Recreation Regulations, Sec. 7: B3 • Add “Safe Harbor Marsh” to listing of prohibited boat or floatation devices water bodies. We ask that all comments be submitted via letter or email no later than Dec. 23. Public comments can be summited by letter to P.O. Box 278, Pablo, MT 59855 or via email to Amanda Bourdon, DFWRC Permit Agent, at Amanda.bourdon@cskt.org, or Stephanie Gillin, DFWRC Information & Education Program Manager, at Stephanie.gillin@cskt.org. Written comments may also be sent to the Flathead Indian Reservation Fish and Wildlife Advisory Board Chairman, 406 Sixth Avenue East, Polson, Montana, 59860.

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Low 21° F Precipitation 0.0 inches Record High 55° F Record Low -12 December 15, 2021 - 3

contents Marijuana ordinance......6

Calendar......................21

Courts............................8

Schools........................24

Valley Views.................10

Obituaries....................26

Puzzles .......................18

Classifieds...................29 Morning nest head

ROB ZOLMAN / VALLEY JOURNAL

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Valley Journal The Valley Journal newspaper (PE 23-190) is published weekly by Valley Journal LLC. Periodicals postage paid at Ronan, MT. Business hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Distribution is by mail subscription ($59 per year in Lake County, MT; $74 per year elsewhere in U.S.) and by newsstand sales. Postmaster: send address changes to Valley Journal, P.O. Box 326, Ronan, MT. 59864. Your homegrown newspaper serves residents of Lake 4 - December 15, 2021

2021 County and the Flathead Indian Reservation. Deadline for display advertising is 2 p.m.Thursday. Deadline for news submissions, calendar items, classifieds and legal advertising is noon Friday, for the following week’s newspaper. News, letters to the editor and calendar submissions may be sent by email to: vjeditor@valleyjournal.net. Classified and legal advertisements requests should be emailed to: vjmail@valleyjournal.net. All print subscriptions include full access to online news, Valley Journal

archives. Sign up online at: www.valleyjournal.net/ subscribe For general inquiries: call 406-676-8989, email summer@valleyjournal.net, or send mail correspondence to P.O. Box 326, Ronan, MT 59864. Copyright 2021, the Valley Journal. All rights reserved. Reproduction, reuse or transmittal in any form or by any means is prohibited without written permission of the Valley Journal.

Northwest Food Hub Network receives $1M USDA grant By Taylor Davison Valley Journal

RONAN — The Northwest Food Hub Network has been awarded a $1 million grant as part of the Regional Food Systems Partnership grant program, the USDA announced. Part of a collective of farmer-owned cooperative food hubs spanning across Montana and Washington, the Northwest Food Hub Network aims to encourage the supply and use of locally grown food in large institutions. The allocated funds will be put toward a three-year project intended to improve the local food hubs and increase the network for family farms, coming at a crucial time after two challenging seasons due to COVID-19. The network intends to accomplish this by focusing on a few key areas. “[First] we’ll be hiring a full-time person ded-

SUMMER GODDARD / VALLEY JOURNAL

Grant funds will be used to expand market access - getting locally grown foods, like those pictured above, into larger institutions such as hospitals and universities.

icated to working with the Food Hub Network; growing it, coordinating it, [providing] that dedicated person. That’ll be great on our end because right now we’re just doing it between all our other work,” Kaylee Thornley, coordinator of the NW Food Hub Network and Cooperative Development Director of Mission West Communi-

ty Development Partners, told us. The job listing for ‘Regional Food Systems Program Manager’ has already been listed on Indeed and the Mission West CDP website. “Another area is expanding the institutional market area access… like hospitals, universities, and K-12 schools, and trying to get more local food into those huge

markets,” she said. At present, most institutions order foodservice by way of a broadline distributor, which send food from distant, occasionally international, locations. This results in millions of dollars spent to receive food from far away that may not be necessary if some of the items are available locally. “There will also be

some software that will be developed to allow the food hubs to aggregate their inventory and manage their logistics together - getting food from point A to point B, making sure we can send out catalogues so that institutions and foodservice buyers can see what’s available,” Thornley said, speaking of the network’s partnerships with Farm Fare and Local Food Marketplace (LFM). The funded software development is intended to allow integration to be built with programs already in use by the hubs to manage the local inventory in their system. This will let institutions prioritize the most local food available to them. Farm Fare and the LFM hope to have a beta version of this software available by next growing season, approximately May 2022. “Finally, [the funds] will also support staff time at each of the hubs to talk with foodservices

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buyers at different institutions, to work with their farmers to meet food health safety objectives in stricter markets,” stated Thornley. The Food Hub Network has also begun working with Kitchen Sync Strategies, a company that specializes in brokerage with institutional markets. They will be advising the hubs on how to get more local food into the market channel. Regarding the overall impact of the grant, Thornley said “It’s amazing to see the USDA putting this kind of investment into our regional food system, and it’s really going to be a huge benefit to our local farms, and helping on the institutional end to access more healthy food that’s good for patients, school students… (and) It keeps the money in our local economy.” The project officially launched on Nov. 1 and is anticipated to be fully realized by mid-2023.

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Wishing you a happy, healthy New Year! December 15, 2021 - 5

Signs point to workforce recovery, but long-term issues could persist By M.S. Sacry for the Valley Journal

ecember marks two years since news of COVID-19 started to rumble global headlines, and in those 24 months people, businesses, and governments have seen more change than entire decades of the past. As businesses, families, and state leaders look forward into 2022, sometimes weary of words like “pivot” and “unprecedented” that have dominated the tenor of the past two years, more concrete data has emerged on the workforce situation to help shape policies and practices for a successful way forward. When the Valley Journal spoke with state labor officials and local business owners in June, a clear pattern emerged: business owners were having to close and reduce services due to a labor shortage. Potential workers were also having issues obtaining housing, which, with skyrocketing prices, was out of whack with the $12 per hour wage that was the average offer of Lake County employers. Add in the cost of childcare, averaging $7,900 per year, expenses were just too much for many parents to justify working instead of staying home. New data from a November presentation by 6 - December 15, 2021

the Montana Department of Labor reiterates many of these points, but the presentation and other data also point to improving conditions in some areas. The report notes that results from a Household Pulse Survey in September by the U.S. Census Bureau found that 10,185 people were staying home due to caring for someone because of the virus or concerns for the virus, 16,673 were staying home with an elderly person or child, and around 20,362 were staying home because they didn’t want to be employed. All these numbers were higher than pre-pandemic levels. Even with these higher numbers of people declining employment, there’s strong evidence people are working. The U.S. jobless claims plunged last week to the lowest level in 52 years, according to the Department of Labor. In Lake County, the most recent unemployment numbers available are from October, when the unemployment rate was 2.2 percent. In the last week of November, the Montana Department of Labor and Industry noted that just under 300 job openings were posted for Lake County businesses. In addition to the pandemic, there’s another issue at play, according to the Department of La-

bor and Industry’s public information officer Jessica Nelson. “Worker shortages are both a long-term issue and a short-term issue,” Nelson said. “Fundamentally, Montana’s tight labor markets are due to an aging workforce with more retirements than new workers entering the market. The aging demographics have been affecting our state’s workforce for over 10 years and are likely to continue until the majority of the baby boomer population has retired (which should be around 2024). This means that Montana’s labor markets are likely to continue to be tight for the next several years.” In order to combat these issues, the governor’s office has announced many initiatives to get workers into positions in the past several months. For instance, the state is offering a $12,500 reimbursement for moving expenses for healthcare workers to relocate for Montana and stay a year. As a part of that program, 35% of the total reimbursement amount can be used to offset expected payroll tax deductions. The governor’s office has also allocated $42M in COVID-19 relief funds to expand childcare access in the state. While data on the efficacy of those programs will take a while to roll

in, there appear to be some good signs on the horizon. According to a November presentation by the Department of Labor, wages across Montana are increasing. The state’s data points to wage increases of 15% from 2019 to 2021. Even with a 39-year record high national inflation rate of 6.2%, that puts Montana workers slightly ahead. Steve Clairmont of Mission West Community Development Partners is upbeat about the local economy’s outlook. “Our entrepreneurs here in Lake County tend to be a lot more savvy than folks nationally,” Clairmont said. “... During the pandemic, many of our businesses pivoted, and found ways to generate revenue.” Of 72 restaurants Clairmont surveyed in Lake, Sanders, and Mineral Counties, the majority came out about even or slightly in the black for last year, Clairmont said, thanks to federal programs that aimed to keep the economy afloat during the pandemic. While high housing costs have posed challenges for some businesses, particularly seasonal ones, Clairmont says he doesn’t know of anyone who has retired because of the pandemic. There has been some increased interest in entrepreneurship, but that is to be expected in

Valley Journal

an economic downturn, Clairmont said. “That’s a pretty steady trend that’s been going on for decades,” Clairmont said. Although data might show an improving economy, a job seeker with local ties points to some irregularities she’s seen on the job hunt that still show signs of a lopsided economy. Cheryl Cross, 67, is part of that baby boomer group that is coming upon retirement age. Cross lived in Polson until 2016, but now resides in Missoula. She’s semi-retired, with a job as a coffee saleswoman that’s been slow since the pandemic started. “I’m bored silly,” Cross said. “It’s not like I need the money. I’m financially fine. I’m just bored.” Cross said that with more than 17 years employment history at Nabisco and 14 years with the coffee company she thought landing an entry-level job would be easy. She’s owned a restaurant before, so handing burgers out a drive-thru seemed to be a simple fit. “It’s kind of weird because I hear all these stories about how nobody wants to work,” Cross said. “There are signs all over the drive thrus in Missoula: start up to $15. I thought ‘why aren’t these people going to work for $15 an

hour?’” She noted that she didn’t have some issues other workers might. “I don’t have the childcare problem,” Cross said. “I don’t have to look for daycare.” So she applied at many places. She said some places had lines three or four deep with applicants. “The problem is they aren’t really offering those wages and I don’t know how many of them are actually hiring,” Cross said. Many of the places Cross went were offering lower wages, like $10 an hour, with chances for raises, she said. Still, that wasn’t a problem for Cross, who was mostly interested in working just to fill time. While her son suggested to her that she might be experiencing age discrimination, she said she knows other young folks applying the same places she is with the same results. She said she even watched a well-groomed, articulate young man at a hiring event in a home-improvement store get told “we’ll call if there are any openings,” at a table at the entrance that indicated it was urgently hiring. “It’s so offensive to me when people say people don’t want to work,” Cross said. “I’m sitting here saying: ‘Here I am! hire me!’”

Electric extravaganza: holiday light show returns to Ronan Story and photos by Rob Zolman / Valley Journal

RONAN — The power switch of what appeared to be billions of strands of twinkling and sparkling Christmas lights was flipped on during the annual Lights Under the Big Sky festival. After taking a year off last year due to the pandemic, the dazzling, one-of-a-kind holiday light spectacle returned once again to the Lake County Fair Grounds in Ronan on Friday and Saturday evening. “It’s great to see everyone back out again,” said event volunteer Eric Kendall who was stationed at one of the many kid-friendly activity booths located in ‘Santa’s Workshop.’ In the workshop, youngsters had a chance to participate in numerous games, activities and

crafts. Some highlighted activities included face painting, ornament making, and GaGa ball, a game described as a kinder, gentler version of dodge ball. A half-mile maze of illuminated displays afforded festivalgoers a pleasant way to spend a crisp winter evening with friends and family. This season’s colorful displays included a tunnel of lights, lighted wire sculptures, a sailboat, tipi and a decorated vintage truck. Families and friends also had a chance to grab group photos in

front of the many holiday-themed selfie stations and brightly decorated displays. Photos could also be taken with Santa himself. Helping to keep everyone warm, volunteers handed out cups of hot chocolate and kept the fire pits that were scattered throughout the venue full of firewood. In the Community Center, a wide variety of musicians, singers, dancers and choirs entertained shoppers as they visited various craft and art vendors and voted for their favorite non-profit decorated Christmas tree. Lights Under the Big Sky resumes Friday and Saturday evening from 5-9 p.m. Event schedules and more information can be found by visiting bigskylights. org or at facebook.com/ mvlightsunderthebigsky.

Happy Holidays The Board of Directors, Providers and Staff at St. Luke Community Healthcare would like to wish you and your family a wonderful holiday season. “The Heart of Healthcare in the Mission Valley”

www.stlukehealthcare.org

Valley Journal

December 15, 2021 - 7

courts Stories by Jeff Smith of Anderson Broadcasting for the Valley Journal

Hardy sentenced for felony assault with a weapon POLSON — A Polson man was sentenced at District Court in Polson Dec. 9 to the Montana State Prison for a period 20 years with 10 years suspended on one count of felony assault with a weapon. The charge stems from an armed stand-off with Polson Police last July. Edward Dale Hardy, 63, entered into a plea agreement Sept. 30, that

dismisses felony charges of kidnapping and criminal endangerment. According to court reEdward cords, on Hardy Jul. 8, Polson Police responded to the Bellevue Trailer Court along U. S.

Highway 93 in Polson after a woman called 911 to report her boyfriend had fired his weapon inside the residence and was refusing to let her leave. Other residents of the trailer court also reported hearing shots fired. A responding Polson Police officer approached the trailer where the disturbance was reported and noticed two bullet holes. The officer retreated to

his patrol unit. About that same time the woman who first reported the shooting was back on the phone with 911 dispatchers. She indicated that her boyfriend, later identified as Hardy, was barricading himself inside the trailer home. She also said Hardy told her to say he had explosives inside the home. Area residents were forced to evacuate their

homes as a precaution. Police were eventually able to negotiate the woman’s release as multiple other law enforcement agencies responded to assist. Hardy was able to escape his house through a window. A Polson Police officer subdued Hardy as he was attempting to enter his vehicle. Police would later find what was described in court as a pipe bomb

Corcoran sentenced to 30 years in prison, 20 suspended POLSON — A Charlo man was sentenced at District Court in Polson on Dec. 9, to a total of 30 years in the Montana State Prison with 20 years suspended for threatening the mother of his child and her fiancé with a gun and fighting with responding law enforcement. Stoney Randal Corcoran, 51, pled Stoney Corcoran guilty in District Court at Polson Sept. 30 to felony charges of criminal endangerment, assault on a peace or judicial officer and intimidation. According to court records, on Mar. 23, Lake County Sheriff ’s deputies responded to an unspecified gas station in Ronan on a report that Corcoran had chased a woman down, threatened her with a gun and was blocking her in with his Ford Bronco. The woman was identified only by her initials, J. M. 8 - December 15, 2021

At the scene, the first responding deputy ordered Corcoran to the ground out of fear he had a gun. Corcoran allegedly refused and fought with the deputy, punching him in the left cheek. A second deputy was able to take Corcoran into custody. A relative of the alleged victim told deputies that Corcoran had come to her house to pick up the daughter that he shares with J. M. but was unable to take her. He left but soon after spotted J. M. driving along U. S. Highway 93. He allegedly began to follow her while forcing other motorists to take evasive action to avoid colliding and seemed to be attempting to run her off the road while brandishing a gun. J. M. stated the Corcoran texted her that if she gets a restraining order “see how good it does her” and that she would never see her fiancé again. J. M. also stated that Corcoran had come to her place of work and let himself into her house. At the house Corcoran is alleged to have held the

fiancé at gun point until the fiancé was able to deescalate the situation. On another occasion, Corcoran allegedly pointed a gun at J. M. and her fiancé as they were driving around in the Charlo area. Records show Corcoran was sentenced to the Montana State Prison in July 1989 for ten years with seven suspended for aggravated assault with a dangerous weapon. He has since been sent back to prison on numerous occasions for both violating terms of his probation and committing more crimes in at least three other counties in Western Montana and the state of Washington. The crimes mentioned in his report of violations include domestic violence, drug possession and failing to register as a violent offender in Lake County in 1991. As part of the plea agreement, two counts of felony assault with a weapon were dismissed. Judge Robert J. Whelan of Butte presided over the case via the zoom platform. He gave Corcoran credit for 262 days jail time already served.

Valley Journal

inside Hardy’s home. Judge John W. Larson of Missoula presided over the case via the zoom platform. He gave Hardy credit for 155 days jail time already served. He also advised Hardy that if he successfully completes all the recommended state programs and treatment provided in prison, he could be out in about nine months.

Neadeau pleads no contest to criminal endangerment POLSON – A St. Ignatius man had the imposition of sentencing deferred for a period of six years during a sentencing hearing at District Court in Polson on Dec. 9 after entering a no contest plea to criminal endangerment. Donald Adam Neadeau, 19, was initially charged with sexual intercourse without consent, but the charge was amended to criminal endangerment as part of a plea agreement that took into account a lack of physical evidence. According to court reDonald cords, on Dec. 14, 2020, a Neadeau “Jane Doe” reported that a co-worker had sexually assaulted her in the restroom at their place of work while brandishing a kitchen knife. Judge John W. Larson of Missoula presided over the case. He gave Neadeau credit for having served 242 days in the Lake County jail and ordered him to pay restitution totaling $5,016. see more courts on page 9

Jury finds Adams not guilty of assault By Jeff Smith of Anderson Broadcasting for the Valley Journal

POLSON — It took a Lake County Jury about two hours to reach a verdict of not guilty in the case of a Lake Mary Ronan man charged with felony assault with a weapon. The trial began at District Court in Polson Monday Dec. 6 and wrapped up Tuesday afternoon. Brendan Edward Adams, 58, was charged with assault with a weapon for an incident July 2, 2020. According to court records, a Lake County Sheriff ’s deputy responded to Geiger Lane near Lake Mary Ronan on a report that a neighbor was “menacing people with a gun.” At the scene a man reported that Adams had pointed a gun at his wife and threatened to shoot her if she touched his fence post again. The man said he retrieved his own gun to protect his wife. Judge Manley told Adams during a hearing Aug. 18, that although he has never been convicted of a felony before and should be afforded the opportunity of a deferred sentence, this should stay on his record due to a similar incident that was handled in federal court before U. S. District Judge Dana Christensen. In that matter, records show Adams had a civil

December 24th & 25thth

JEFF SMITH PHOTO

Brendan Adams at an earlier court hearing on Aug. 18.

judgment against him for claims of battery, trespass, intentional infliction of emotional distress and false imprisonment. In the findings of facts, the jury found that Adams wrongfully imprisoned another person by intentionally and aggressively blocking the person’s ability to cross an easement the person had permission to use. The judgment against Adams, dated May 10, 2021, totaled $850,000. Judge Manley told Adams he wanted to sentence to him to three years with the Montana Department of Corrections with all but 30 days suspended. Judge Manley told Adams he could serve the 30 days on home arrest. Adams had initially pleaded guilty to assault with a weapon in a plea agreement that called for sentencing being deferred for three

years and no jail time. Judge Manley rejected the agreement due to the federal case and allowed Adams to withdraw his guilty plea and take the case to trial. Lake County Attorney Steve Eschenbacher prosecuted the case. Adams was represented by attorney John E. Smith of Missoula. In a separate matter, Adams is facing a trial Feb. 14 on two counts of unauthorized work. According to court records, Adams is alleged to have knowingly and without permit, permanently altered the lake shore protection zone by maintaining a 200-foot floating dock and extending his lawn into Lake Mary Ronan by depositing rock fill below the annual mean high-water mark. This was allegedly recorded on video by an area resident.

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Valley Journal

December 15, 2021 - 9

valley views Don’t dread Montana’s growing pains T

he winds of change are moving through the ponderosas. The faces and skylines of our towns are fluctuating, growing in ways many Montanans have not seen. The secret has gotten out, and it seems more and more people are flocking to the Last Best Place. What does this mean, though, for the Montana experience? For the place and identity we all know and love? While the sudden population growth Montana has seen recently will mean changes in our day to day lives, I argue that what it boils down to is not something to be feared. According to the 2020 census, Montana has experienced a 10% population increase in the last

decade. While that might not sound like much, to a state as sparsely populated as ours it means visible differences within our towns. A flood of residents, both new and returning, cropping up in the last year alone has resulted in increases in traffic, presented new housing challenges, and introduced new businesses that were not a common sight in Montana before. The arrival of trendy establishments like saltwater floating pods and speakeasies have caused some Montanans to become concerned that we’re los-

A Taylor’d Approach

ing our essence, becoming gentrified. However, taking a look at existing cities may help to alter some perspectives. All cities, in Taylor Davison, essence, Valley Journal Editor begin with the expansion of a small town. As people are drawn in, it spreads outward from a single nucleus, and morphs in its own unique way from there. This can result in sections, multiple city “centers,” and neighborhoods with vastly different populations and cultures from what first began. However, this is simply the foundation of

a melding pot, a staple of the American identity. Despite the similarities that are obvious between cities, each still manages to retain its individuality. The idea of confusing Seattle with Minneapolis, or Los Angeles with New York is hard to think of for those who know those places. What makes them unique from each other is something deeper than their geographic location, something down to the very roots of their cultures. No matter what is added in, the essence of the city still shines through. What Montana is now experiencing is a natural life stage. Our state is growing up, and that has plenty of benefits if one stops to look. New resources mean

improved quality of life for our population. Some of those trendy businesses bring with them solutions to which we haven’t before had access. Saltwater floating pods, for example, are shown to help relieve chronic pain by the National Center for Biotechnology, an ailment numerous Montanans deal with every day. And while new arrivals may bring with them new attitudes and perspectives, they do not subtract from those already present. With them also comes a new variety of skills and abilities, and what is achievable in our towns for the betterment of all increases with every one. There will be growing pains, as with any growth spurt, but we will not lose

Praise for prime delivery and the heroes therein I

was an early proponent of Then COVID hit in early 2020 online shopping. I lived in a and all our worlds – and shopping habits – changed, perrural community haps forever. without much access to retail, so it was E-commerce had ala natural fit. I even ready established itself Jill Pertler Syndicated columnist experimented with in our daily lives, but COVID cemented it grocery purchases there. According to the when it was a new and novel thing. I wrote about the U.S. Census Bureau, e-commerce crazy packaging practices of my sales jumped nearly 32 percent in delivery orders back in 2017. Yes, I 2020, making it not only cementwas that cutting edge. ed but set in stone, for many good I didn’t make online grocery reasons. shopping a habit. I preferred to Why carry heavy bags of gropick out my toilet paper in person. ceries when you can have them

Slices of Life

10 - December 15, 2021

delivered to your doorstep? TVs, furniture, clothing, tennis shoes, garden implements, snow blowers, generators and ceiling fixtures - all available with the click of a mouse. And you can do it all in your pajamas (or sans pajamas, if that’s how you roll. Wink.) You don’t have to wear a mask or worry about hand sanitizer. All with better prices and better selection. It’s, in a word, convenience. For me. For you. But not for everyone. Not for the good folks bearing the burden of this societal shift: Valley Journal

the people delivering the goods. I propose an ode to the delivery people who now tote our toilet paper and canned goods. Those who haul furniture boxes and those labeled, “Fragile, this side up.” Their days are made up of long hours, barking dogs and too many addresses. They deliver long past dark, even though dark comes too soon right now. I’ve witnessed it firsthand. They wear the company uniform and a smile and they get see page 11

what makes us Montana. Our wide open plains remain wide open, our mountains still call to us, and whatever challenges arise we will rise to face. We’re not called “Montana Strong” for nothing, and there is power in numbers.

LETTER POLICY Letters to the editor are welcome. The content is the opinion of the letter writer and not the newspaper. The decision to publish letters is made by the editor. Letters must be 350 words or less. A writer will only be published twice per month. Letters may be edited for content or length, or may not be published if considered libelous, in poor taste, spiteful, self-promotional or of limited interest to the general readership. Space limitations also dictate when or if letters are published. Letters must be signed by the author and name, address and phone number must be included – phone number is for verification purposes only. Letters from organizations must include the name of at least one author. Please limit “thank you” letters to four people/organizations or less. Deadline is 5 p.m. Friday to publish the following week. Opinions expressed in this section are not necessarily those of the newspaper.

thanks for delivery from page 10

the job done, all so we can order toilet paper and have it delivered free with two day shipping, even on weekends. Even on Sundays. Since when do we need our laundry detergent or area rugs delivered on a Sunday? Since now, supposedly. These good people work without the benefit of tips (at least that I know of ). I hope they get incentives and bonuses, but I’m not sure. They deserve all three. I’m not sure how often people let them know they are appreciated and their work is valued, but we should. Shame on us if we don’t. In that vein, I have one message for them: Thank you. Thank you for all you do. Thank you for working early in the morning and late into the evening just to make sure my new bedroom pillows arrive on time. Thank you for making sure I get my granola, pesto sauce and cat treats well within the estimated delivery window. Thank you for making our lives easier, during the pandemic and probably after, if an after ever comes. Thank you for carrying the heaviest packages inside my door because it would be hard for me to do that by myself. Thank you for providing a rescue to many during a difficult time for us all. Thank you isn’t enough, really, but it’s all I have, and it’s delivered from the heart. I see what you’re doing. I see how hard you work. I see the long hours that are required of you. I see that you may be taken for granted and I’m sorry for that. I see how much you benefit us all from simply “doing your job.” I see, and I hope others do as well. Thank you. 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.

letters

Right to vote is critical

Editor, Our Montana legislature has made voting more difficult for many groups including Native Americans and other rural voters, people with disabilities, younger and student voters, people with inflexible work schedules, and those who discover a problem with their registration at the last minute. This includes a large number of Montanans. To review: SB 169 increases types of identification needed to register and to vote. HB 176 eliminates Election Day registration - closing registration on the day before the election. HB506 mandates that people who are eligible to vote cannot be given a ballot before Election Day unless they are 18 and/or have lived in the precinct for 30 days. Our equal right to vote is critical to maintaining our democracy. Because these laws make voting difficult for certain groups and not others, they have rightfully been challenged in court. Meanwhile, the system is crippled, and we must make sure that everyone who wants to vote can do so. We can check our own registration at My Voter Page: https://app.mt.gov/voterinfo/, register others to vote, educate voters on new requirements, and help get people to the polls. It’s a bit tougher, but we can do this. Gail Trenfield St. Ignatius

Vaccination mandates about control

fect everyone also. This mandate has the potential to kill more people than the disease due to the changes it will cause in health care. You would like to think the administration thought of this. But this isn’t about protecting us, it’s about control. This mandate is a direct assault against the citizens of this country shrouded in health concerns. Mandating vaccinations and cutting funds is not going to help the situation. This country needs leadership not socialist politicians. Ralph Rosa Polson

Hegben Dam maintenance needed Editor, NWE and the MT PSC must do better. The Public Service Commission and Northwestern Energy (NWE) have made news, again, and yet again, for something done to—and not for— Montana. In 2014, NWE acquired the Hegben Dam from Pennsylvania Power and Light and with that purchase came an understanding NWE would maintain the dam and its infrastructure. We now know that NWE has been negligent in their maintenance of the Hegben Dam, causing the deaths of untold numbers of fish as water flow into the Madison River below the dam went from 650 cubic feet per second (cfs) to merely 195 cfs. This massive decrease was discovered by a fisherman who went

to a local shop where concerned citizens spent hours trying to reach anyone at NWE – a terrible response from any company. Not only are many fish dead, but their eggs were exposed to air and are danger of dying as well. A catastrophe is putting it lightly. Now imagine that it happened with temperatures diving below zero for a few days. This issue could affect not only the stream and the wildlife in it, but it could also cause issues with the lake behind the dam and with the machinery in the dam. Break those generators, or even put them in a situation where they need to be shut down immediately, and it could collapse our energy grid, depriving thousands of power necessary to live. What happened in Texas last winter just proves how vigilant and long-range thinking our public utilities need to be every day. Realize that it’s not just homes that would have issues, but civic water systems require pumps to work, and when they don’t you end up with frozen water mains which could then burst, taking months and millions to repair. All this is on top of the impending disaster that comes from not planning ahead and having the PSC tell ratepayers that NWE is going to charge them between 47% and 62% more for natural gas this coming winter because of rising see page 11

Editor, After reading your article about “Vaccine mandate injunction” I want to comment. This is not a comment about getting vaccinated, vaccination is a personal choice, but how it could affect our hospitals. If the federal government stops CMS payments to hospitals, we will lose both facilities here. That will affect everybody, vaccinated or not. If the mandate remains and staff is reduced that will af-

Valley Journal

December 15, 2021 - 11

“

Tester opposes potential Medicare cuts News from the office of Jon Tester

U.S. SENATE — Facing the threat of significant Medicare cuts to Montana health providers slated to go into effect Jan. 1, Senator Jon Tester recently voted to protect enhanced Medicare payments through 2022, and issued the following statement: “Rural hospitals and access to health care are critically important to big and small communities across the state of Montana – they can literally be the difference between life and death for those of us who call rural Montana home. These Medicare cuts that were slated to go into effect without intervention from Congress would have dealt a serious blow to our hospitals’ ability to deliver health care — we simply can’t let this happen. I was proud to vote with a bipartisan group of my colleagues to ensure it didn’t, so our hospitals can continue providing vital services in rural America to the communities that count on it.” Tester’s vote prevents several Medicare payment cuts from going into effect on Jan.1 including Sequestration, PAYGO, and the COVID-related Physician Fee Schedule Increase.

letters from page 11

costs. Part of planning for a public utility is to mitigate those expenses, and the PSC has allowed NWE to fail the people of Montana on this, too. It’s not like NWE doesn’t know how to use storage facilities and futures pricing, they just didn’t for some reason, and the PSC is allowing them to pass that cost on directly to us all. As for the latest, we 12 - December 15, 2021

Election Filing Dates

...We simply can’t let this happen.”

Special Purpose Districts:

File with the Lake County Election Office Filing opens: December 9, 2021 • Filing closes: February 7, 2022

- Senator Jon Tester

School Districts:

Among other things, this legislation helps to support physicians and ensure that hospitals have the resources they need to stay open. Also included in the bill is a provision to raise the debt ceiling, preventing the United States government from defaulting on their current debt obligations. Tester was the only member of the Montana delegation to support this legislation. Tester has continued to advocate for Montana’s health care providers through the COVID-19 pandemic, and earlier this month announced over $67 billion in Department of Health and Human Services funding for Montana rural health care providers and suppliers through the American Rescue Plan to help mitigate the high cost of health care caused by the pandemic.

discover that the Denton fire was caused by failing NWE powerlines. How many more catastrophes do we need before this gets the attention it deserves? The PSC is supposed to hold our utilities to the highest standard and ensure delivery to Montanans effectively, efficiently, affordably, and safely—not to make headlines about infighting and staffing blowups.

File with the school clerk Filing opens: December 9, 2021 • Filing closes: March 24, 2022

County Positions:

File with the Lake County Election Office Filing opens: January 13, 2022 • Filing closes: March 14, 2022

Federal & State Positions:

File with the Montana Secretary of State’s office Filing opens: January 13, 2022 • Filing closes: March 14, 2022 Filing forms and a list of open positions are available at the Lake County Election Office or can be found at lakemt.gov/election/filing.html

It’s time we have representation on the PSC that will do the job and keep our utilities accountable to the people. With my years of experience and leadership in communities around the state, I am prepared to do the job Montanans, our ecosystems, and our home budgets need the PSC to be doing every day. Kevin Hamm Candidate for Public Service Commission, District 5 Valley Journal

Meadowlark Vista Apartments in Ronan completed with ARPA funds One-time funds provide critical gap financing for affordable home projects By Taylor Davison Valley Journal

RONAN — The Montana Department of Commerce has allocated funds from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to create affordable rental homes throughout Montana, including Ronan. The Meadowlark Vista Apartments in Ronan received $210,000 in ARPA gap financing to

SUMMER GODDARD / VALLEY JOURNAL

complete construction on their 24 rentals for families and individuals. “These ARPA monies are a one-time funding source,” Communications and Public Affairs Supervisor at the Department

of Commerce Anastasia Burton wrote. A press release from the Department of Commerce noted these funds were set aside by Montana Housing “to provide critical gap financing

for affordable home projects experiencing significant development cost increases due to COVID-19.” “With all the additional Coronavirus funds trickling down from the federal government, this was really the only pot of funds we could compete for that are aligned with the approved uses for additional gap financing for these projects,” Burton explained. After facing extreme cost overruns due to Covid, impacted projects had to compete for the ARPA funds needed for their multifamily affordable housing

developments. Burton walked through the process: “The projects that submitted were required to [provide] additional documentation and have additional underwriting review done by staff to ensure the projects were in actual need of these funds. Once the advisory committee approved… we had to decide how to fairly allocate the funds into the project while taking other funding sources into consideration.” After worker shortages, supply change disruptions, and price escalations of key building materials put numerous

developments in jeopardy, the funds were recommended for use by the Workforce Development Advisory and ARPA Economic Transformation and Stabilization Commissions. “Some of these projects may not have been constructed without these funds, which would have meant a loss of additional affordable housing units for the citizens of Montana,” Burton stated. With the allocated funds, construction of the Meadowlark Vista Apartments has been completed and there is now a waitlist of units for lease.

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sports

Charlo basketball teams open season against county rivals by Rob Zolman Valley Journal

CHARLO — The Charlo Vikings and Lady Vikings opened their 2021-22 prep basketball season this past weekend by clashing with non-conference cross county rivals Mission and Arlee. On Friday evening, the Vikings and Lady Vikings were swept by the visiting Mission Bulldogs and Lady Bulldogs. The Bulldogs defeated the Vikings 78-42, while the Lady Bulldogs outpaced the Lady Vikings 55-40. Hayleigh Smith led the Lady Vikings with a 17-point and five rebound performance, while teammate Mila Hawk added 15 points and snagged four rebounds. For the Vikings, Keaton Piedalue scored a team-high 12 points followed by Wesley Anderson and Tucker Love who both booked seven points apiece. Hosting Arlee on Saturday evening, the Charlo squads split their games against the visiting Warriors and Scarlets. The Vikings fell to the Warriors, 65-43. The Vikings were led by Anderson who scored 12 points and Stetson Reum who chipped in 10. The Vikings fell behind by 12 points after the first 14 - December 15, 2021

quarter and trailed 40-21 entering the locker room at the half. In the girls’ game the Lady Vikings rebounded from their loss the previous night with a 43-23 victory over Arlee. Charlo came out hot against the Scarlets, jumping out to a quick 11-2 first-quarter lead. The Lady Vikings pushed their lead to 13 points 22-9 at halftime after their defense had limited Arlee’s offense to nine

total points in the first half. Hawk scored a gamehigh 16 points, grabbed four rebounds and made seven steals. Smith scored eight points and pulled down eight rebounds followed by Kassidi Cox with six points. The Vikings and Lady Vikings are back on the court Friday evening when they travel to St. Regis for a 14C District match up with the Tigers and Lady Tigers.

ROB ZOLMAN / VALLEY JOURNAL

Above left: Charlo Lady Viking Kassidi Cox battles for the ball. Above right: Charlo Viking Coyle Nagy shoots a jumper. Below: Charlo Viking Hayden Hollow races the ball down court.

ROB ZOLMAN / VALLEY JOURNAL

Lady Viking Hayleigh Smith looks for an open teammate.

Valley Journal

sports shorts Wrestling

Arlee Warriors

Arlee Warriors Brody Smith wrestling in the 113-pound class and RJ Knoll wrestling in the 160-pound class both placed second in their respective weight classes during the Bob Kinney Classic hosted at the Superior High School on Saturday.

Mission/Charlo Bulldogs

In Superior on Saturday, Mission/Charlo Bulldog Kody Dillard won the 103-pound division during the Bob Kinney Classic. Dillard won by fall in a time of 1:53 over Kiera Davis (Corvallis). Also placing in the championship brackets for the Bulldogs, Dillon Dwelle (120) placed second, Codiak Killorn (145) finished third, while Isaiah Fields (132) and Charley Adams (152) both booked fourth place finishes.

completed day one pool play 1-2 defeating Great Falls CMR (2) 46-24, while falling 42-19 to Frenchtown and 46-24 to Billings Senior. In bracket action Saturday, the Chiefs went 2-0 beating Helena 6312 and Missoula Hellgate 60-18. Polson was defeated by Great Falls High (2) 50-18 and Great Falls CMR (2) 36-18.

Basketball Boys

Mission Bulldogs

Zoran LaFrombois scored a game high 33 points leading the Mission Bulldogs to a 78-42 road win over the Charlo Vikings on Friday evening. Also for the Bulldogs, Cederick McDonald booked a double-double snagging 12 rebounds and 13 points, while Ross McPherson scored 13 points. Playing at home on Saturday evening with

five seconds left in the game, LaFrombois hit a game winning three-point shot helping the Bulldogs to a narrow 48-47 conference win over the Eureka Lions. McDonald scored a game high 24 points followed by LaFrombois with 10 points and McPherson with eight points.

Two Eagle River Eagles

On Thursday, the Two Eagle River Eagles struggled on the road against the Heart Butte Warriors in a non-conference match up. Heart Butte defeated the Eagles 105-30.

Arlee Warriors

The Arlee Warriors opened their 2021-22 prep basketball season with back-to-back victories. The Warriors defeated the visiting St. Regis Tigers 53-43 on Friday evening and on Saturday defeated the hosting Charlo Vikings 65-43. see page 20

Mining City Duals

Both the Polson Pirates and Ronan Chiefs wrestling teams traveled to Butte this past weekend for the 28-team Jim Street Classic/Mining City Duals held at the Butte Civic Center. Competing in pool action on Friday, the Pirates went 0-3, falling 70-0 to Helena Capital, 60-12 to Havre and 63-6 to Gallatin High. Ronan

DAISY ADAMS PHOTO

Mission Bulldog Kody Dillard pins his opponent.

Valley Journal

December 15, 2021 - 15

Locally made Montana marinara to be brought to students statewide By Taylor Davison / Valley Journal

RONAN — A locally crafted menu item will be made available to every K-12 school district in the state that participates in the National School Lunch Program this winter. The “Montana Marinara” sauce, created through a partnership between the Northwest Food Hub Network and the Montana Office of Public Instruction, will source Montana-grown ingredients from small, sustainable family farms through the Western Montana Growers Cooperative. The goal stated in a press release distributed by Mission West Community Development Partners is to “bring

16 - December 15, 2021

BOONE GODDARD / VALLEY JOURNAL

Diced tomatoes are ready to be added to the Montana marinara sauce made at the Mission Mountain Food Enterprise Center last Thursday. Right: Safflower oil, onions and leeks are the first ingredients to be cooked in large vats.

fresh, nourishing food to Montana students as well as support the state’s small farms [that] have faced two difficult

seasons due to COVID-19.” On Dec. 9, partners gathered to witness the processing of a sample run of the sauce

Valley Journal

including Montana-grown squash, onions, carrots, and more. Over 320 gallons of sauce will be produced to be

distributed among schools. “This partnership is a great see page 17

PUZZLES LOS ANGELES TIMES SUNDAY CROSSWORD PUZZLE

“Prep Course” By Gary Larson

ACROSS 1 4 8 12 16 19 20 21 22 23 26 28 29 30 31 34 38 40 43 47 48 52 53 55 56 58 59 60 63 64 66 67

Guitarist Paul Flamboyant Dame Play with a receiver Chance to roll the dice, say In the archives Wishes undone Specialty Customizable cookie Ship’s accountant Like members of Gamblers Anonymous? Tiny racer Resort town NNE of Santa Fe Chopin wrote a “Revolutionary” one Assembled Put-__: masquerades Former British automaker Autumn flower Like a popular crusader King Cole and others Federal biomedical agcy. Like a church deacon? Draft status What a shortage suggests “This is the truth” Hang out in the sun “Splendor in the Grass” screenwriter First name in Israeli statehood Plagued Sister of the moon goddess Selene Listening aid Wafer brand “The Far Side” cartoonist Larson

69 Like a balloon company with a depleted helium supply? 75 Subdue, as a color 76 Sailor’s “Stop!” 77 Utah national park 80 Beach tone 81 Cheap hooch 83 Muff 87 Rope material 88 Cello-supporting rod 90 Support for a big top 92 Boo-boo 93 Aspersion 94 Like one shopping for disposable phones? 98 List-ending abbr. 99 Saturn moon named for a Titan 101 Yoga posture 102 Get a load of 104 American League East city 107 Farm clucker 108 Back muscle, briefly 109 Three-time Tony winner Rivera 112 Sitar music 115 Classic jazz nickname 119 Like supporters of a Seattle daily? 125 One-dimensional 126 Seven-time Wimbledon winner 127 “Relax, I’ll take care of it!” 128 European luxury wheels 129 Eye 130 Soul mate? 131 Gear teeth 132 Dutch word meaning “farmer” 133 Bank deposit, perhaps

DOWN 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 24 25 27 32 33 35 36 37 38 39 41 42 44 45 46 49 50 51 54 57

Directory name Sister of Orestes Flu fighters Horse-and-buggy, e.g. Enjoyed, in slang Bar order Actor __ Kate Dillon of “Billions” So last year Museum focus Raft, or where you might see one Actor Mineo Toddler’s train sound Pakistani tongue Comedian Foxx Wine quality Special or black follower Nada, to No‘l Like sausage’s main ingredients? Easter opening? Camera option Ornate 18th-century style Kind of architect Opposite of save WC Poorly Throw into confusion “It’s the Hard-Knock Life” soloist Tuscany city Blues singer James FedEx rival Like one caught in a storm? Brown in a Croce song Opines, for instance Beehive, e.g. Peak in an Eastwood movie Fight with foils Coming-out Lawn tool

QUICKSILVER EXPRESSO TAKE A BREAK!

51999 US 93 • PABLO 18 - December 15, 2021

61 Commonly injured knee part, briefly 62 Trouble 65 Where embryos grow 66 Annual coll. hoops competition 68 Dried chili pepper 70 Budgetary excess 71 Family-friendly rating 72 __ cuisine 73 Dimethyl sulfate, e.g. 74 “Politically Incorrect” host 75 Virile 78 Throws off 79 Technical details 80 New Age pianist John 82 Walking __ 83 Heat meas. 84 Talk show host in the National Women’s Hall of Fame 85 Metric weight 86 Bankrupts, with “out” 89 Spruce up 91 Magic org. 95 Rock’s __ Fighters 96 Old Opry network 97 More crude, language-wise 100 Stable color 103 Rigg co-star on “The Avengers” 105 Long hikes 106 Muesli morsel 109 Longtime NYC punk rock club 110 Sub 111 “If __ a Hammer” 113 The “Gee” in Bee Gees 114 Water, in some pistols 116 Purina rival 117 Goat quote 118 Table scrap 120 Sleepy cohort? 121 Ref’s ruling 122 Slop slurper 123 Fleecy one 124 Ukr., once

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Monday- Friday 6 a.m. - 9 p.m. Saturday & Sunday 7 a.m. - 9 p.m.

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(near the walking bridge in Pablo) Valley Journal

Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis

CRYPTO-QUOTE

One letter stands in for another. Single letters, apostrophes, word length and formation of the words are all hints. Each week the key is different.

NYFUF SV QENYSQT QFW SQ NYF WEUXK FBOFAN NYF YSVNEUR REI KE QEN LQEW. - YZUUR V NUICZQ Ben Stone / Valley Journal

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It’s great for farms, it’s great for school children and it’s even (we hope) good for school foodservice budgets.” - Anne Harney, Local Food Promotion Coordinator for Mission West Community Development Partners

BOONE GODDARD / VALLEY JOURNAL

Boxes labeled Montana Marinara are ready to ship the freshly made sauce to schools around the state.

Montana marinara from page 16

learning opportunity to provide our Montana students with locally sourced products. Supplying Montana Marinara to our students continues the wonderful tradition of farm to school foods that support our local Montana farmers,” stated Superintendent Elsie Arntzen in a press release. “It’s great for farms, it’s great for school children, and it’s even (we hope) great for school foodservice budgets,” wrote Anne Harney, Local Food Promotion Coordinator of Mission West. Samples of the sauce are expected to be distributed to schools to try the product starting mid- to late-January.

American Legion responds to devastating fires News from American Legion of Montana

HELENA — The devasting December fires that severely impacted Denton, the Gibson Flats area near Great Falls, and Browning has activated the Montana Department of the American Legion call for action in support of veterans and their families as well as the communities. At the direction of Glen Sharbono, State Commander, the American Legion is issuing a challenge to all 122 of its posts and veterans at large to participate in the rebuilding of the community infrastructure in the affected areas. They are asking each post, auxiliary unit, Sons of the American Legion squadron, and individual legionnaires to donate funds, services, and moral support to this effort. The following report was provided by Robert Miller, Post Commander, American Legion Post 62 in Denton: “The fire that ripped through Denton on Dec. 2 destroyed or damaged approximately 25 Homes and buildings. Six of the homes that were destroyed or damaged belong to American Legion Post #62 members. Two of the homes that were destroyed belonged to a last surviving WWII veteran and a disabled Vietnam veteran. The

other four homes were damaged by smoke, flames and water and may or may not be a total loss. Most of Post #62’s veterans are on fixed incomes. Insurance claims can take a little time and Christmas is almost here. I would like to challenge Montana’s legion posts and legionnaires to donate to the cause.” A Denton Fire Relief Fund has been opened. Checks can be made payable to the Denton Fire Relief Fund and mailed to Farmers State Bank, a division of Opportunity Bank of Montana, at P.O. Box 1047, Denton, MT 59430.

Valley Journal

Checks and donations may also be made to any of the 24 Opportunity Bank branches across Montana. All donations received will be managed locally and are fully tax deductible. Questions may be directed to Brandi Schweigert, Opportunity Bank vice president/ regional retail manager, at 406-932-5317 or to Austin Mapston, Denton High School alum, at 406-350-0463. In Great Falls, legionnaire Barney Cooper lost his home in the fire and did not have insurance. He is currently working with the Red Cross and other agencies for assis-

tance, but Barney lost everything. Community members have started a “Go Fund Me” account for Barney to help rebuild his home. If you would like to contribute to the cause, please visit the fundraiser by Beth Waters: “Help Barney Cooper rebuild his home.” The Browning fire was contained to around 500 acres and does not appear to have impacted homes or buildings. If you know of a fellow legionnaire or veteran directly impacted by the fire, please contact The Department of Montana American Legion.

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December 15, 2021 - 17

WEEKLY HOROSCOPE

By: Magi Helena for the Week of December 12, 2021 ARIES (March 21-April 19): Friendships and fantasies can float you up above the mundane. Put business ideas on the back burner in the week ahead and focus on building a network of like-minded individuals. Someone can be a rock you can count on. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): You are likely a fabulous spinner of possibilities. Your ability to perceive what others need is enhanced, and you can deliver it. In the week ahead do not be afraid to display admiration, praise, and appreciation for loved ones. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Listen to the creative ideas of your friends and family. This is not the right week to mold business strategies or to influence the outcome by defending your beliefs. Use an imaginative flair for the dramatic at appropriate times.

SUDOKU

CANCER (June 21-July 22): You may think that things are spinning out of control or that someone is weaving a tale. As the week unfolds you may feel like the traffic warden who must flash a “stop” or “go” sign to keep loved ones from getting carried away.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): If you hold your head high you should be able to see the blessings that surround you. Be proud of what you have accomplished and do not let negativity erode your confidence. You can look friends and loved ones in the eye this week. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Compassion can open your heart. You may be attuned to the needs of those with fewer resources and a smaller support system as the week passes by. You might be touched by tales of troubles that tug at your sympathies. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Don’t let some extra money burn a hole in your pocket. Fight off the urge to argue about spending habits or unexpected bills. If you hold on to a few more dollars in the bank in the week ahead you may be happier. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Defending yourself and being on the offense are two different things. If you are tactful, you can achieve cooperation between opposing factions. Loved ones can be practical but unpredictable in the week ahead.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Smile and everyone might smile with you. As this week begins your friendliness and charm can impress and attract others, so this is an excellent time to make new contacts. Steer clear of signing financial contracts. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): You may want to daydream as the week begins but you should not forget to work hard to achieve your goals. Friends may point out flaws in your financial plans or problems that should be addressed, so listen carefully. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Remaining flexible and calm in the face of adversity builds a more confident public persona. If you take pride in following the rules and honoring your commitments, you can conquer problems with style in the week ahead. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Working in tandem with a partner and blending your resources can lead to joint benefits in the week ahead. Family issues can force you to play detective to separate fact from fiction. Show a special someone your romantic side.

COMICS

Answers in Classifieds Valley Journal

December 15, 2021 - 19

sports shorts from page 15

Ronan Chiefs

Playing in the Western A Tip Off in Frenchtown on Friday, the Ronan Chiefs defeated Corvallis 59-51. Chief Elijah Tonasket led all scorers with a game high 23 points. Marlo Tonasket and Ruben Couture paced the Chiefs with nine points apiece in Saturday’s 6535 Tip Off loss to Dillon.

Polson Pirates

On Friday playing in the Western A Tip Off hosted in Frenchtown, Colton Graham paced the Polson Pirates with 15 points and Trent Wilson scored 11 points

in a 66-45 loss to Butte Central. In Saturday’s match up against the Lewistown Golden Eagles, the Pirates fell 65-47. Graham scored a team high 17 points followed by Zavier Fisher with 11 points and Wilson with 10 points.

Girls Basketball Two Eagle River Lady Eagles

In a non-conference road game Thursday, the Two Eagle River Lady Eagles fell 45-28 to the Heart Butte Lady Warriors.

Arlee Scarlets

On Friday, the Arlee Scarlets opened their basketball regular season by hosting the St. Regis

Lady Tigers. Both Xaria Jacobson and Leah Mesteth each scored a team high 10 points apiece in the 46-36 loss to the Lady Tigers, while McKiarah Fisher scored nine points.

Mission Lady Bulldogs

Friday night in Charlo, the Mission Lady Bulldogs handed the hosting Lady Vikings a 55-40 loss. In a conference clash at home on Saturday, the visiting Eureka Lady Lions narrowly slipped past the Lady Bulldogs by a score of 44-42.

Polson Lady Pirates

In Frenchtown on Friday during the Western A Tip Off, Polson Lady Pirate Turquoise Pierre

booked a team high seven points as the Lady Pirates fell 47-29 to Butte Central.

Ronan Maidens

Playing in the Western A Tip Off in Frenchtown, the Ronan Maidens picked up a win against Corvallis, while falling short against Dillon. On Friday, Dani Coffman scored a game high 16 points leading the Maidens past Corvallis. Maiden LaReina Cordova scored 13 points followed by Olivia Heiner with 11 points. In Saturday’s match up against Dillon, Coffman scored a Ronan team high 12 points as Dillon outpaced the Maidens 56-35.

ROB ZOLMAN / VALLEY JOURNAL

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Valley Journal

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calendar Wednesday, Dec. 15 Participate in day three of Mission 12 Days of Christmas

Evening glow

Jerky-cheese purchase gets a raffle ticket ST. IGNATIUS — Purchase Old Wisconsin Jerky Cheese Combo for $1.99 and receive a raffle ticket along with a chance to win a Collectible Tin at Cenex.

ST. IGNATIUS — Purchase a large single topping pizza, small cinnamon stick and breadstick for $20 and receive a raffle ticket for the 12 Days of Christmas contest.

Join Nativity Open House RONAN —On Saturday, Dec. 18, beginning at 5 p.m. St. Paul Lutheran Church, at 35681 Terrace Lake Road, will hold a Nativity Open House including over 35 Nativites. This event will include children’s Christmas crafts and refreshments.

Excel Essential Training Part II Zoom Only LAKE COUNTY – This Excel class will take place on Wednesday, Dec. 15, via Zoom from 9 a.m.3 p.m. There is no fee. Training topics include accounting/budget. This is an intermediate class for students who have a basic knowledge of Excel. In this workshop, you’ll learn how to: work with lists, work with freeze panes and split panes, use the sort and auto filter functions, use the insert function command to create IF functions, use the automatic subtotals and grouping functions, create and work with charts. Call 406-676-5928 for more information and to reserve a seat.

Thursday, Dec. 16 Take a Deli break ST. IGNATIUS — Receive a free pop or lemonade with a sandwich purchase on the fourth day of the Mission contest and receive a raffle ticket as well.

A red barn in Charlo is illuminated by evening sun on Dec. 5.

Friday, Dec. 17 Join Ronan Parade of Lights RONAN — The Ronan Parade of Lights will go down Main Street, through town, back on Round Butte Road, and then end at “Lights Under the Big Sky” at the fairgrounds on Friday, Dec. 17, at 6 p.m. Candy will only be handed out on Main Street. Please watch children closely as they race for candy. If you would like to participate in the parade, please email: secretary@ ronanchamber.com for more information (no walking or biking entries beyond Main Street).

Join Nativity Open House RONAN — On Friday, Dec. 17, from 5-8 p.m. St. Paul Lutheran Church, 35681 Terrace Lake Road, will hold a Nativity Open House featuring over 35 Nativities. There will be lots of music. At 7 p.m. Kathy Gillhouse will provide harp music followed by flute and piano music. This event will include children’s Christmas crafts and refreshments.

Experience ‘Lights under the Big Sky’ RONAN — On Friday, Dec. 17 and Saturday, Dec. 18, “Lights Under the Big Sky” will provide fun and entertainment for residents of the Mission Valley at

SUMMER GODDARD / VALLEY JOURNAL

the Ronan Fairgrounds from 5-9 p.m. There will be holiday lights displays; family activities and Santa.

Day five of the 12 Days of Christmas happens at Gambles ST. IGNATIUS — The 12 Days of Christmas takes a stop at Gambles where you can receive a raffle ticket with any purchase of 20 percent off gloves or 15 percent off flashlights.

Saturday, Dec. 18 Hoop Shoot held POLSON — Linderman gymnasium is the site for the Mission Valley

Valley Journal

Elks Lodge 1695 Hoop Shoot-Free Throw contest to be held on Saturday, Dec. 18, at noon. Registration and warm up start at 11:30 a.m. Boys and girls ages 8-13 (as of April 1, 2022) from Ronan, Polson and surrounding areas are invited. Categories include: 8-9 year old boys, 8-9 year old girls, 10-11 year old boys and 10-11 year old girls, 12-13 year old boys and 12-13 year old girls. There is no admission or participation charges. Winners of each age group advance to the District Contest on Jan. 15, 2022. Each contestant and their families will be served free chili and hotdogs. Contact David Rensvold at 406-250-0771 for more information.

Judging for Mission lights ST. IGNATIUS — Saturday, Dec. 18, is the date for judging the top three house decorations for St. Ignatius residents. Sign up at Valley Bank.

Enjoy final night for ‘Lights under the Big Sky’ RONAN — Saturday, Dec. 18, is the final night of “Lights Under the Big Sky.” There will be fun and entertainment at the Ronan Fairgrounds from 5-9 p.m. including: holiday lights displays; family activities and Santa.

Sunday, Dec. 19 Join Nativity Open House RONAN — On Sunsee page 22

December 15, 2021 - 21

Calendar from page 21

Kapi’ Shop gives tickets for latte purchase

day, Dec. 19, noon- 2 p.m. St. Paul Lutheran Church, 35681 Terrace Lake Road, will hold a Nativity Open House with over 35 Nativities. This event will include children’s Christmas crafts and refreshments.

ST. IGNATIUS — Purchase a single-flavor $2 latte and receive a 12 Days of Christmas raffle ticket.

Purchase candy at Allards

End of 12 Days raffle approaches

ST. IGNATIUS — A purchase of candy (with a 10 percent discount) will also gain you a raffle ticket for the 12 Days of Christmas contest.

ST. IGNATIUS — Napa is giving away a free pen light along with a raffle ticket when you make a purchase.

Monday, Dec. 20

Thursday, Dec. 23

COURTESY PHOTO

Friday, Dec. 24

Receive a free gift

Final day of 12 Days of Christmas raffle

ST. IGNATIUS — On day eight of the 12 Days of Christmans Valley Bank is offering a free gift.

ST. IGNATIUS — Receive a free hot chocolate and a raffle ticket at Old Timers Café.

Tuesday, Dec. 21

Saturday, Dec. 25

Again, jerky-cheese purchase gets a raffle ticket

Final day for early-bird basketball registration

ST. IGNATIUS — Purchase Old Wisconsin Jerky Cheese Combo for $1.99 and receive a raffle ticket along with a chance to win a Collectible Tin at Cenex.

Wednesday, Dec. 22 Flathead Irrigation District RONAN — The Flathead Irrigation District’s monthly meeting will take place on Wednesday, Dec. 22, at 1 p.m. Please use the back door at Lake County Extension Office, 303 Third Ave. NW, Ronan. 22 - December 15, 2021

FLATHEAD RESERVATION — Registration for the boys youth basketball 2022 season is open and closes on Jan. 4, 2022. Sponsored by the Boys and Girls Club, boys in the third through sixth grade are invited to participate. Practices and games will be held at different gymnasiums in Polson, Ronan, Arlee, Charlo and St. Ignatius. Practices begin on Jan. 4 and games start on Jan. 15. Early-bird registration is $25 until Dec. 25 after which registration is $30. Go to: flatheadbgcsports.com to register and for more information.

Unity Bank in Polson is now located off of Ridgewater Drive in a “Banking Bungalow” while their new office, a sketch of which is featured on the side of the temporary building above, is being built.

Unity Bank is on the move in Polson News from Terry Rosengarten Unity Bank

POLSON — Unity Bank is relocating down the road to 104 Ridgewater Drive in Polson. They will be operating out of a temporary structure on the property while they build their new office building. The old lo-

cation will be open through 12 p.m. on Dec. 31. They are happy to announce that they are ahead of schedule and will be opening the temporary location, or “Banking Bungalow,” on Mon. Dec. 20. On Mon. Jan. 3, they will only be operating in the “Banking Bungalow” at 104 Ridgewater Drive.

They have enjoyed partnering with Valley Banks during this transition and appreciate that they value the Polson community as much as Unity Bank does. They know having choices of who to trust with money is important and are very grateful for their customers during this exciting transition.

Tester, Daines demand halt of Brazilian fresh beef imports News from the office of Senator Daines

U.S. SENATE — U.S. Senators Jon Tester and Steve Daines today joined a bipartisan effort to help support Montana ranchers by calling on the U.S. Department of Agriculture to immediately suspend fresh beef imports from Brazil. “Cattle producers across the country work hard to produce the highest quality beef in the world,” the letter states. “This industry should not be jeopardized by Brazilian beef imports

Valley Journal

that may contaminate U.S. herds and our food supply. We support the requests to suspend Brazilian fresh beef imports until a thorough investigation can be made into Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Food Supply food safety review process.” In 2017, Brazilian fresh beef imports were suspended due to food safety concerns, and USDA allowed these imports to resume in 2020. Daines is concerned with Brazil’s recent failure to quickly disclose two cases of atypical spongiform encephalopathy – a

neurological disease of cattle – which could pose a significant threat to the health and safety of Montana cattle herds. This bipartisan legislation would ensure that Brazilian beef is safe to eat before it is brought back into U.S. markets by imposing a moratorium on Brazilian beef until a group of food safety and trade experts has made a recommendation regarding its import status. The legislation is supported by the U.S. Cattlemen’s Association, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, and R-CALF USA.

seniors Dixon By Heather Rush for the Valley Journal

DIXON — The Dixon Senior Center continues to serve our community and hopes everyone is staying happy and healthy. All are invited to come enjoy dinner and/or pinochle. Meals will be served Monday and Thursday evenings, at 5 p.m. Meals are $4 per serving and are deliverable to Dixon residents upon request. We are also accepting take-out meal requests for $5 per serving. Menu for the week: — Thursday, Dec. 16: dinner – stew, fry-bread, salad, dessert — Monday Dinner, Dec. 20: Christmas dinner — Thursday Dinner, Dec. 23: dinner - tuna casserole, vegetables, rolls, dessert Pinochle is hosted every

fourth Monday of the month from 7-9 p.m. The next game is Monday, Dec. 27. Feel welcome to place an order in advance, call 406-246-3310. All ages are always welcome.

Polson By Pete Mangels for the Valley Journal

POLSON — The Polson Senior Center, located at 504 Third Ave. E, is open from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays. Lunch is available from 11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m. weekdays. Memberships (age 50+) are available for $15 per year on a voluntary basis. Individuals and small groups are always welcome to lounge, work puzzles, read, play cards or board games, billiards, etc. Our activities are a great way to meet old friends and cre-

Entire

20% OFF!

— Pinochle: Thursdays at 12:30 p.m. We had seven players last week. — Bingo: Fridays at 7 p.m. (helpers still needed) Menu: — Wednesday, Dec. 15: meatloaf, baked potato, green beans, Watergate salad, cherry fruit crisp — Thursday, Dec. 16: egg rolls, rice chow mien, stir fry vegetables, apple coleslaw, mandarin oranges — Friday, Dec. 17: roast pork dinner for lunch whipped potatoes, gravy, creamed peas, pretzel salad - birthday cake for everyone — Monday, Dec. 20: chilimac soup, corn muffin, corn and tomato salad, peaches — Tuesday, Dec. 21: chicken Alfredo, noodles, spiced apples, stir fried veggies, blueberry upside down cake — Wednesday, Dec. 22: enchiladas with beef, re-

Pet o f

Meet. . . Soleil

store is

fried beans, Frito salad, angel food cake with sauce — Thursday, Dec. 23: corn dogs, tots, mixed veggies, three-bean salad, no-bake cookies — Friday, Dec. 24: hot turkey sandwich, raw carrots and celery, bag of chips, green salad, fruit bar

Ronan By Auggie Peterson for the Valley Journal

RONAN — We at the Mission Valley Senior Center are busy little elves now days what with decorating the dining room, putting up the tree and planning that very special meal that Kim and Char

are planning for Christmas. Our menu is as follows: — Wednesday, Dec. 15: Polish dogs, salad, dessert — Friday, Dec. 17: Christmas dinner - ham salad, dessert — Monday, Dec. 20: beef Stroganoff, salad, dessert — Wednesday, Dec. 22: chicken casserole, salad, dessert — On Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 23, 24 and 25: closed — Monday, Dec. 27: potato soup, salads bread, dessert — Wednesday, Dec. 29: taco bar, dessert Have a safe and happy holiday. Merry Christmas. see more seniors on page 24

the w eek

This is Soleil. She is a very sweet thirteen week old kitten who lost her eye to an infection.

now through Dec. 18th

contact

Mission Valley Animal Shelter Call 883-5312

Great

selection of holiday gifts.

or visit our Facebook page!

UPSCALE RE-SALE Home Decor • Gifts Clothing • Jewelry • Made in Montana

305 Main Street, Polson

ate new friendships. Call us with your questions at 406-883-4735, or email us at: polsonseniorcenter@ gmail.com. Merry Christmas from the officers, board of directors and staff. Polson High School Christmas will entertain us with caroling at the Polson Senior Center on Monday, Dec. 20, at 12:30 p.m. Join us for lunch first and music after. The veterans’ representative will be available here on Tuesday, Dec. 21, between 10 a.m. and noon. Activities: — Exercise for mobility: Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, 10:30–11:30 a.m. — Bridge: Tuesdays and Fridays - currently postponed -call the center or come in to place your name on the players list — Mahjong: Wednesdays at 12:30 p.m. (multiple tables)

(406) 319-2015

Soleil Sponsored by

Wright Real Estate Co. 63228 US Hwy. 93 Ronan, MT

(406) 676-8610 www.westernmontanaland.com Valley Journal

December 15, 2021 - 23

Seniors from page 23

St. Ignatius By Irene Pritsak for the Valley Journal

ST. IGNATIUS — The last two weeks at the St. Ignatius Senior Center have been so busy with the bake sale, bazaar and other holiday activities. Now we can take the time to get ready for our own traditions. We wish you a warm and loving holiday. Our menu: — Wednesday, Dec. 15: dinner at 5:30-Christmas ham, potatoes, glazed carrots, rolls, salad, fruit, Christmas cookies, cranberry Bundt cake — Friday, Dec. 17: chicken Alfredo, corn, fruit, dessert — Tuesday, Dec. 21: tater tot casserole with ground beef, green beans, fruit, dessert The center will be closed on Dec. 24. Have a great week.

schools Loren and Bonnie Clary Scholarship honors couple’s 60th anniversary By Taylor Davison / Valley Journal

RONAN — A new scholarship will soon be available to graduates of Ronan High School. Worth $1,000, the Loren and Bonnie Clary Scholarship was established through the combined efforts of their children and a family friend to celebrate the couple’s 60 years of marriage on Dec. 27. “My parents are givers. They have given to others their entire lives,” Pamela Wiese, daughter, wrote of the Clarys. “Over the years we have had countless surprise parties for them… This year, when talking with my brothers, we decided that instead of a party, we would give them the gift of giving to another.” In their six decades together, the hardworking couple has always been a team. Every few years the family would move to a new farm and work together to restore it before moving onto the next. During Loren’s years working for the National Bison Range, he drove past the Moiese Mercantile every day until he and Bonnie decided to buy it and run it side by side. Despite the demands of their day-today work and the undertaking of raising four children of their own, no matter where they lived there were always “extra” children living with them that the Clarys

had taken under their wing. “When people call a place Grand Central Station? Yeah, that was our house... They don’t know how to relax,” Weise laughed. “They’re just so generous.” Loren spent much of his life involved in farming and heavy machinery. Bonnie ran the home, sewing clothes for all the children under their roof and cooking healthy meals. Their work ethic has passed down to their progeny, who now say they want to pay it forward to hardworking kids getting their start. In keeping with the couple’s passions, the chosen applicant for the scholarship will have an interest in agriculture, fish, wildlife and parks, home economics, culinary arts, or fashion design. The student will need to be enrolled in either a two- or four-year university with proof of a minimum 2.75 GPA from their first semester. “The goal of the Loren and Bonnie Clary Scholarship is to prepare children for life, which is exactly what they did for their own children. If our scholarship can help a student achieve their dreams of attending college, we know that this is the best gift we could give our parents,” Wiese stated. Details for the application are available at Ronan High School. Application packets are due March 15.

Montana superintendents send OPI letter of no confidence By Alex Sakariassen Montana Free Press

HELENA — On Tuesday morning, superintendents at all eight of Montana’s AA public school districts sent a letter to state Superintendent Elsie Arntzen expressing “no confidence in your performance as Montana’s chief public education officer.” Over the course of five pages, the superintendents 24 - December 15, 2021

alleged a host of “deficiencies” at the Office of Public Instruction that they attributed exclusively to Arntzen’s leadership. “The bottom line,” the superintendents wrote, “is that for us to best do our jobs, we need you to be doing yours.” The letter was first published publicly by Jenn Rowell at the Great Falls-based online news outlet The Electric and was sent on letterhead from the of-

fice of Billings Public Schools Superintendent Greg Upham. It was also signed by public school superintendents in Bozeman, Belgrade, Butte, Great Falls, Helena, Kalispell, and Missoula — districts, the letter noted, that collectively oversee 64,000 students, or roughly 45% of Montana children attending public schools. Montana Free Press contacted OPI Tuesday for a response Valley Journal

from Arntzen and received an email statement in which Arntzen acknowledged receipt of the letter. Arntzen wrote that she takes the superintendents’ concerns “humbly and seriously” and said the pandemic has created “growing pains” for OPI and individual districts alike. “We must work together to provide the best opportunities for every student in Montana

Loren and Bonnie Clary

COURTESY PHOTO

through respectful actions,” Arntzen continued. “The OPI will continue to make necessary changes, revisit our programs, communication, and outreach, and strategically work to ensure that every district has the tools they need from the OPI. While we have multiple touchpoints of communication with school districts and their see page 25

OPI letter from page 24

leadership each month, your letter has made it clear that it’s not enough. I welcome increased mutual dialogue. Your concerns are noted, and I look forward to continuing to make OPI the best office possible.” The email was also sent to all eight superintendents who signed the letter. In the superintendents’ letter, Upham and the others informed Arntzen that her leadership at OPI “has created serious deficiencies in the services your office is obligated to provide.” They attributed those deficiencies, in part, to the rate of staff turnover at the agency since Arntzen took office in January 2017, which, as MTFP previously reported, is nearly 90%. The superintendents claimed that turnover has caused “significant disruption in schools across the state” and “effectively left no muscle in our state’s education agency.” “To continue with that metaphor,” the superintendents added, “you are permitting — indeed, encouraging — OPI to bleed to death.” Among the specific issues cited are a backlog of teacher license applications, an apparent lack of movement on updating state education content standards, and inadequate staffing in OPI’s accreditation department, which is charged with

ensuring that educators and schools meet a litany of state requirements. The letter criticized Arntzen for “moving forward too quickly” in a process to revise teacher licensing regulations and for speaking out against proposed changes to the state’s Professional Code of Ethics for teachers. The superintendents also took issue with Arntzen’s recent appearances at parental rights rallies and her messaging on school COVID-19 protocols, which include her advocacy for a rule change that would allow parents to “opt out” of local school policies. They characterized such messaging as having “undermined the role and responsibilities” of locally elected school officials. “Your conduct destabilizes the credibility of our local schools, the same ones you are elected to represent and help and on whose behalf you are supposed to advocate,” the superintendents wrote. The statements in Tuesday’s letter put a tighter focus on several broad concerns expressed in public comment to the Board of Education last month on behalf of the Montana Public Education Center, a coalition of six major education associations in the state. Dennis Parman, executive director of the Montana Rural Education Association, testified to the board that local school employees across the state have experienced increasing difficul-

ty getting adequate and timely assistance from OPI due to turnover at the agency. Kirk Miller, executive director of the School Administrators of Montana, spoke to the negative impacts that political polarization is having on local school officials, adding that “some political leaders are contributing to this trend.” Miller and Parman later repeated their statements during public comment at a separate meeting of the State Board of Education. The letter sent to Arntzen Tuesday concluded by stating that Upham and the other superintendents “do not place blame for these problems at the feet of the dedicated staff at OPI,” but rather on Arntzen. They closed with a request that Arntzen “put your efforts towards restoring OPI instead of throwing rocks at local school districts.” Speaking with MTFP by phone, Upham explained that the reason for listing the concerns of the superintendents in such detail was to provide Arntzen with a specific set of actions she could take in response. Asked if the letter was related to Miller and Parman’s recent public statements, Upham said he was aware the issues are similar, but that Tuesday’s letter was fueled entirely by what he and other superintendents have experienced firsthand. “We’re living these concerns,” he said.

vj Valley Journal

December 15, 2021 - 25

obituaries Gina Johnson RONAN — On Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2021, Gina Teresa Johnson, loving mother, sister, grandmother, auntie, cousin, and friend, Gina passed Johnson away at age 63. Gina was born on Jan. 29, 1958, in Ronan, to Adam Grant Kirsch and Bonnie Jean (Hoyt) Kirsch. Gina grew up in Ronan on the family ranch and graduated from Ronan High school in 1976. After high school she married Doug Starkel and had two children, Josh and Jake. They later divorced. Gina worked at the Lake County Court House in the Clerk of Court office where she met Wes Johnson, a handsome and charismatic highway patrol officer. The two were wed on Sept. 14, 1985. Together they raised three sons, Shon, Josh and Jake, and a daughter, Tammy. In 1993, Wes retired from the Montana Highway Patrol, and he and Gina started S & S Sports in an old calving shed on their property. Together they grew the business successfully. In 26 - December 15, 2021

2011 Wes passed away unexpectedly. Gina continued to grow S & S Sports, and with the help of her children, the business has prospered. Gina had a passion for her family, friends and dusty old things. She was a lover of animals. She combined her favorite hobbies and creative talent into extraordinary art and decoration. She had and incredible green thumb. Consequently, her gardens and flowers were always the envy of us all. She was known for her quick wit, her infectious smile, and her kind and compassionate spirit. Gina’s love of great music took her to many live shows. She was fearless and always up for a great adventure and good times followed her wherever she went. Most notably her wild motorcycle rides on her Spyder to Sturgis with the Wild Gofers. Gina was cherished by so many. Gina is preceded in death by her husband Wes; father, Adam; mother, Bonnie; and her niece, Kaetlyn. She is survived by four children, Tammy Barr (Wes), Shon Johnson (Cathy), Josh Starkel (Tara), Jake Starkel (Tyanna); her beloved brother, Kevin Kirsch (Dana); 10 grandchildren; two nieces and two nephews; many cousins, friends and her loving partner, Fred Reimers.

A Memorial Celebration is being planned for the late summer/early fall of next year. Details will be announced. Memories and condolences may be sent to the family at: www.shriderthompson.com. Arrangements are under the care of Shrider – Thompson Funeral Home.

Linda Pulse POLSON — Linda Diane Dupuis Pulse was born on Oct. 4, 1942, and raised in Montana and was an enrolled member of the Pend d’Oreille Tribe. She passed away peacefully, surrounded by her loved ones in Polson Linda on Nov. Pulse 22, 2021. Linda was a proud mother, wife, sister, auntie, and cookie grandma. Linda’s life was spent having great times with friends, family barbecues, feeding her birds and squirrels, and talking on the phone. She was a hip lady with a glamorous style, a great taste in music, and she loved her hats. She was often known as “Pink’s Oldest Fan” and she could make anyone laugh with her

amazing sense of humor. She loved her grandkids and great-grandkids and was a big part of all their lives. Linda is preceded in death by her parents; her sister, Shirley Dupuis; her brother, Patrick Dupuis; and her husband, Jay Pulse. She is survived by many. Not only by her family and friends, but by anyone fortunate enough to know her beautiful soul. A Celebration of Linda’s amazing life will be held at the Polson Senior Citizen Center on Wednesday, Dec. 15, from 3-6 p.m. Anyone who knew Linda is encouraged to attend and wear bright colors, crazy hats, and blue eyeshadow. Please bring a favorite dish or dessert and let’s celebrate a life well lived. Messages of condolences may be shared with the family online at: www.lakefuneralhomeandcremation.com. Arrangements are under the care of The Lake Funeral Home and Crematory.

Marshall Thompson BUTTE — Marshall “Papa” Hart Thompson, age 80, of Butte, passed away at St. James Hospital after a short battle with COVID on Dec. 8, 2021. Marshall was born in

Valley Journal

Dillon, on May 18, 1941, to Rayburn Edmund and Barbara Alicia (Gray) Thompson. Rayburn and Barbara were both Marshall teachThompson ers and passed their love and passion of teaching and coaching onto Marshall and his older brother Russ. Marshall attended school in Dillon, Hobson and Moccasin. Marshall graduated from Beaverhead High School and then enlisted into the United States Navy, serving active duty from Jan 1961 to Jan 1965 and Naval Reserves from October 1982 to December 2000. Marshall graduated from Western Montana with a teaching certificate and taught at St. Ignatius High School from 1976 to 2000. Marshall met the love of his life, Karen Sue (Moran) Thompson, and they were wed on March 7, 1980, in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Marshall and Karen, along with Karen’s son Steve, built a life in St. Ignatius. Marshall was passionate about teaching, coaching and attending the Catholic church. Marshall lost Karen in February of 2016 and moved to Havre, shortly afterwards to be closer to his

grandson Andy. Papa and Andy had a very special bond; he loved Andy more like a son than a grandson. Due to declining health issues, Andy moved Marshall to Butte, where Jackie (daughter in-law) took care of him for the last two years of his life. Marshall touched many people’s lives and will be dearly missed by all who called him a friend. Marshall is survived by his brother and sister in-law Russ and Jeanne Thompson and their children, Kim Thompson, Terri Rowan, Karolee Jones, Brian Thompson, Tom Thompson and Lisa Modler; his stepson Stephen Gray and daughter in-law, Jackie Assel; his grandchildren, Andrew Seccomb, Matthew (Allyson) Gray, Marcus (DeLayne) Gray and Skye (Madison) Mollner; his great-grandchildren, Lukas, Avery and Emery Gray, Trissity and Hazel Seccomb, and Amelia Mollner. Memorial Services will be held at a later time. Please visit: www.buttefuneralhome.com to offer a condolence or share a memory of Marshall. Axelson Funeral and Cremation Services has been privileged to care for Marshall and his family. see page 27

Obituaries from page 26

Russell Wagner SAINT IGNATIUS — Russell Owen Wagner (Russ), 70, of Saint Ignatius, passed away on Thursday, Nov. 11, 2021, in the Benefis Health System Hospital in Great Falls, of COVID. He was born on July 5, 1951, in Browning, the son of Keith (Bob) Russell and Mary Wagner (Billie) Wagner. He attended high school in Hood River, Oregon, graduating in 1969. He learned to fly at an early age, as his father was a pilot and owned Agri-Aviation in Hood River. He worked for his father doing crop dusting and eventually ventured into other types of aviation. His last flying position was as an Air Ambulance Pilot for Guardian Flight and was based out of Ely, Nevada. Flying was his passion. Russ was also a talented musician and played electric guitar and bass in rock bands, and also played for church groups. He is survived by his wife, Debbie Wagner, of Saint Ignatius; three children, Ryan Inslee of Stevenson, Washington, Matthew Wagner of Saint Ignatius, and Casey Wagner of Seattle, Washington. He is also survived by one

grandchild, Violet Wagner and one grandchild on the way. He was preceded in death by his parents, Keith and Mary Wagner, and his sister, Candace Chambers. Russ was a Christian and loved the Lord. Please keep his family in your prayers as they grieve his loss.

Sheri Evans CHARLO — Sheri Rae (Lee) Evans was born on April 26, 1954, in Missoula to John “Jack” and Berniece (Reynolds) Lee, the sixth of eight children. Sheri passed away Dec. 5, 2021. As a child, she rescued every stray cat, dog, or other living creature Sheri she found, Evans and would carefully nurse them back to health. This compassion for all living things would become the foundation of her personality, and she both adopted and healed everyone and everything she ever met who needed her. Sheri started school in Seeley Lake and graduated from high school in Stevensville in 1971. Nursing was more than her occupation, it was her vocation, and she earned her nursing degree from St. Patrick’s School of Nursing in 1974. She delighted in it for the next 46.5 years, working at St.

Luke’s Nursing Home, as a Public Health Nurse for Lake County, Charlo School Nurse, and finally at the Montana State Prison in Deer Lodge. Sheri married Kenny Evans on June 21, 1975. They spent the next several years raising their beloved daughters, Jessica and Jamie. Shortly after dividing their homes, Jenna was added to their family, and together they raised the girls in love. They remained the best of friends, and upon Kenny’s death Sheri became passionate about raising awareness of AIDS. In her typically unselfish way, she dedicated herself to saving lives through AIDS education throughout the State of Montana and was Blanketed by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes for her dedication to AIDS awareness and in recognition of her tireless dedication to saving lives. When she married Gerry Clark his children, Pat, Holly, and Ben, became her children. Sheri’s heart was too big not to share her love with others and she delighted in the addition of Jasmine, Winter, Isaac, Studebaker and Zoie to her family, her heart growing through love with the addition of each of her children. In more recent years, that love expanded as grandchildren and a great-grandchild were added, and she ensured that each of them knew how adored they were, making cookies with and for them to celebrate every milestone and mend

every broken heart. Literally and figuratively, she adopted everyone she ever met into her family, and it grew to include her true soulmate, Ray Vencill. Her joys were spending time with him, her family, her friends, breeding dogs, and gardening. Sheri is preceded in death by her late husband, Kenny Evan; her parents, Jack and Berniece Lee; sisters, Gayle Franklin, Beverly Steele, and Tami Armijo; brother, Morgan Lee; grandparents, Oscar and Mary Lee and Curtis and Ida Reynolds; honorary parents, Bob and Deloris Woodruff; parentsin-law, Ray and Marie Evans, Wiletta Bocksnick; along with many special people she cared for during the past 46 years. Each one became a member of her extended family. She is survived by her children, Jessica Nordwick (Quinn), Jamie Bauer (Nathan), Jenna Corcoran (Corey), Pat Clark, Holly Fox, Ben Clark, Jasmine Clark (Matt), Winter Clark, Isaac Clark, Zoie Morgan, Studebaker Hunter; her soulmate, Ray Vencill; her grandchildren, Zane, Alyssa, Talon, Paije, Sidney, Londyn Brystol, Cash, Cruz, Diamond, Cannon, Henley; her great-grandson, Oakley, with whom she was delighted to share a birthday; as well as her brothers, David ( Joanne) and Harris; her sister, Teri (Gary); her sisters-in-law, Wanda (Dave) Fike and Gail Sinclai; and her closest friend, Marie (Clay) Hopper. Sheri’s unending

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generosity of spirit was reflected in the family’s decision to give the gift of organs to those in need. The family wishes to support LifeCenter Northwest, the organ donation organization, through contributions in her name for those who wish to honor her in that manner at: LifeCenter Northwest, 3650 131st Ave. SE, Ste 200, Bellevue, Washington 98006. Please include your name, address, and “In Memory of Sheri Evans.” Services have been held. Messages of condolences may be shared with the family online at: www. lakefuneralhomeandcremation.com. Arrangements are under the care of The Lake Funeral Home and Crematory.

Suzanne Bahny HELENA — On Sunday, Dec. 5, 2021, Suzanne Bahny acquired her angel wings. She fought a very long and hard battle with cancer. She was born on Sept. 12, 1951, in Ronan to Norman and Barbara (Lindblöm) Knudson, and was the oldest of three adventurous girls, who spent their childhood fearless on Suzanne the backs Bahny of horses in the mountains of the Mission Valley. Suzanne graduated High School in 1969, and

shortly after married Kenneth Snyder and together they had three children, Charlotte, Jason and Staci. During this time, she worked at St Luke Hospital in Ronan alongside her mother in the Radiology Department and became an accomplished X-Ray Tech, and eventually the head of the department. After they divorced, she met and married Greg Bahny in Kalispell, and went on to become an accomplished Ultrasound and C/T Technologist at North Valley Hospital in Whitefish. They moved to Helena to begin a new chapter in their lives, where they got horses and wagons and enjoyed wagon trains and back country adventures in the mountains of Montana and Wyoming. Together they purchased the UPS Store Franchise and Suzanne used her management skills to build that business. They eventually traded the wagon in for a motorhome and began their travels. They spent fall seasons along the Oregon coast and winters in the southwest. She especially loved Yuma, Arizona, and the many new friends she met along the way. She cherished every one of her grandchildren and made each and every one feel special. The holidays were her favorite, particularly Christmas, where she would spend days decorating and cooking and see page 28

December 15, 2021 - 27

Rosendale Introduces the FAIRNESS in Flood Insurance Act

Obituaries from page 27

always made arrangements with Santa to stop by and visit during the family gathering. Every child and grandchild looked forward to that annual event. She acquired the nickname of “Martha” from her children and friends because of her elaborate decorations and parties she loved to host, whether beside a mountain stream or in her home, or helping her husband with special real estate events. There was a time when they packed in to the Bob Marshall Wilderness, and one of the meals planned by her took an extra pack animal to make that meal and presentation memorable for all. One of the group members even packed in ice cream to compliment her meal. Suzanne was selfless and had a huge loving heart. She was unforgettable and beautiful in so many ways. She will be missed by all who knew and loved her. She is survived by her husband, Greg Bahny; her children, Charlotte Snyder (Mike Liedle), Jason Snyder (Korrie Shourds), Staci Martin ( Steve), Russ Bahny, and Lisa Andersen (Matt); as well as grandchildren, Wyatt and Travis Robertson, Trevor, Zachary and Brandon Snyder, Jaden and Brittney McNair, Kaitlyn, Shelbi and Hayleigh Bahny, Dylan and Sawyer Andersen; and great-grandchild, Beau Bahny Meyers. She was preceded in death by her parents and her sister, Ann Croft. Services have been held. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the American Cancer Society or a donor of your choice. Please visit: www.aswfuneralhome. com to offer a condolence to the family or to share a memory of Suzanne.

News from the office of Matt Rosendale

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Rosendale introduced the Fixing Announcements for Intermittent Remapping and Notification Expectations to Stop Surprises (FAIRNESS) in Flood Insurance Act of 2021 to prevent surprise financial burdens at the end of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) remapping process. This legislation would direct the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator to notify affected property owners at

three stages of the remapping process: 15 days prior to the beginning of remapping that could affect their property, 30 days before the start of the appeals process, and within 15 days of the conclusion of that process. Representative Rosendale heard numerous concerns from constituents who were mapped into a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) and required to purchase flood insurance without receiving sufficient notice of opportunities to dispute or appeal the map. This bill would ensure all property owners receive letters from the

MT Internet Crimes against Children Task Force receives $300K+ in support News from the office of Senator Daines

U.S. SENATE — U.S. Senator Steve Daines announced that $337,516 will be awarded to the

Montana Department of Justice to support the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. “I’m glad to see the Montana Department of

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FEMA Administrator through the remapping process if their property could be affected. “Nobody should be hearing about additional flood insurance expenses when it’s already too late to do anything about it. It’s just common sense to make sure people know about changes that affect their property,” Representative Rosendale said. “My bill would ensure folks are aware of when remapping may affect them and make sure they have the opportunity to appeal FEMA’s proposed map revision.”

Valley Journal

Justice receive this support for the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, which is critical for keeping Montana children safe and protecting

them from internet-related crimes and predators,” Daines said. Daines voted for this funding in December 2020.

classifieds Announcements Events Craft Bazaar at the Wander Inn. 702 First Street West, Polson. December 18, 2021. 10 am to 3 pm. Lots of unique gifts. 406-239-9987

Wanted WANTED TO BUY Guns and/or ammunition, old or new. Whole estates/collections or single pieces. Fair prices paid. 207-4641

Employment Help wanted Extension Agent – Three positions - Flathead County (Kalispell), Ravalli County (Hamilton) and Park County (Livingston). Full time, MSU Extension. Fun career opportunity to plan, implement and evaluate educational programs. Bachelor’s degree required. For complete description and to apply, visit msuextension.org, click on “careers.”  Screening begins January, 2022. Equal Opportunity Employer, Veterans/Disabled. FOSTER CARE SOCIAL WORKER TRAINEE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT The successful applicant must possess a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work and/or Psychology, or currently attending college working towards obtaining BSW or BA in Psychology, with a minimum of 5-8 months’ actual work experience in the Child Welfare Service field. Must be able to type neat professional reports, letters and use

various test based computer programs including MS Word, MS PowerPoint, MS Publisher, MS Excel, Adobe Acrobat and other PDF documents for storage and transfer of information. Must pass a background investigation if hired. Must have never been convicted of or pled guilty to a felony crime of domestic violence, child abuse, elder abuse, sexual offense or a crime of violence. Must not be involved with any child or social service protection agency as a client, no alcohol or drug abuse or domestic violence charges within the past five (5) years. Must not have resigned to avoid disciplinary actions or have been dismissed from employment within the past three (3) years. Must possess a valid Montana driver’s license. The successful applicant will participate in on-call duties on a rotating schedule. This position is a mandatory reporter. This position is subject to a background check in accordance with Public Law 101-630. Will maintain and participate in other duties as assigned. All applicants must submit a Tribal application, a supplemental questionnaire for background investigations, a copy of academic transcripts/training certificates, a copy of current valid driver’s license and proof of insurance and a proof of enrollment in a federally recognized Tribe if other than CSKT and if claiming veteran’s preference, a copy of the 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 for your placement in this position. The successful applicant, if not already employed by the Tribes must pass a prehire drug test and serve a mandatory six (6) months probationary period. Salary range: $16.33 to $18.77 per hour. To apply, contact Personnel at (406) 675-2700 Ext. 1259/1040. Tribal applications are also available on-line at www.csktribes.org. Closing date will be Monday, Jan. 3rd, 2022 at 5:30 p.m. CSKT IS A TRIBAL MEMBER PREFERENCE EMPLOYER.

PUBLIC HEALTH EDUCATOR - (1 or more positions) TRIBAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT The successful applicant must possess an associate’s degree in a health related field with a minimum of two years working in a public health, community health, or health care setting. Documented experience providing education to individuals, families, and groups. Valid and unrestricted driver’s license. Heartsaver CPR or BLS within six months of hire. Salary is $21.80 - $25.05 per hour, plus benefits, may be employed under a contract. To apply, contact the Tribal Personnel Office at (406) 675-2700, ext. 1040 or personnel@cskt.org. Tribal applications and full advertisement are available online at www.cskt.org. Closing date is Monday, December 27, 2021 @ 5:30 p.m.(MST) CSKT IS A TRIBAL MEMBER PREFERENCE EMPLOYER. Due to expansion, Enviro-Tire is accepting applications for 1-2 additional driving positions. No tire loading, drop and hook only. CDL Class A Truck Driver with doubles endorsement for Montana, Idaho and Washington day runs. Home every night. Work site is in Lonepine, Mt. Year-round, full-time position. Pay $20.00+ per hour DOE and ability. Mandatory DOT drug testing. Vacation & holiday pay. Office phone and fax (406) 755-7716, enviro-tire@montanasky.com PUBLIC HEALTH NURSE (1 or more positions) TRIBAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT The successful applicant must possess a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing from an accredited college of nursing. A valid and unrestricted Registered Nurse license in the state of Montana or compact state. Three years of full-time nursing experience providing direct patient care, with at least one year of Public Health or Community Health Nursing preferred. Supervisory experience preferred . A background to manage and supervise a broad range

of public/community health nursing skills and public health programs. Public Health Nurse certificate, within 6 months of employment. Basic Life Support (BLS) for healthcare providers certification, Heart Saver CPR does not qualify. Incident Command System (ICS) 100, 200, 700 certification within 4 months of employment. A valid Montana driver’s license with ability to operate a vehicle. Salary is $29.08 - $33.43 per hour, plus benefits, may be employed under a contract. To apply, contact the Tribal Personnel Office at (406) 675-2700, ext. 1040 or personnel@cskt.org. Tribal applications and full advertisement are available online at www. cskt.org. Closing date is Monday, December 27, 2021 @ 5:30 p.m.(MST) CSKT IS A TRIBAL MEMBER PREFERENCE EMPLOYER.

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December 15, 2021 - 29

classifieds Real Estate Equal housing

EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY All real estate advertising in 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 1-800669-9777. The toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275.

fendant William Thompson. Defendant must respond to the motion within 14 days, after which the court may grant the motion to withdraw. Megan L. Dishong Montana Legal Services Association 1535 Liberty Lane, Suite 110D Missoula, MT 59808 Telephone: (406) 543-8343 Email: mdishong@mtlsa.org Attorney for Defendant MONTANA TWENTIETH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT LAKE COUNTY JUDY McGUIRE-VOLLIN, Plaintiff, vs. WILLIAM THOMPSON and JOHN DOES 1-5, Defendants. Case No: DV-20-190 MOTION FOR LEAVE TO WITHDRAW AS COUNSEL Counsel for Defendant William Thompson moves for leave to withdraw as counsel of record. Counsel has determined that she must withdraw at this time, under the terms of the parties’ retainer agreement. Counsel requests that future filings in this matter be directed to Defendant at his last known mailing address: William D. Thompson 29521 Rocky Point Road Polson, MT 59860 A proposed order is attached. DATED this 29th day of January, 2021. /s/ Megan L. Dishong Megan L. Dishong Attorney for Defendant William Thompson December 15, 22 and 29, 2021 MNAXLP

Public Notices Legals Legals Statement of the nature of the case: This matter is a claim for possession of a rental premises and damages against the defendant. The possession issue was resolved by stipulation, and plaintiff now seeks damages from de30 - December 15, 2021

Montana 20th Judicial District Court, Lake County In the matter of the Name Change of River Miles Schmidt-Eder; River Miles Schmidt-Eder, Petitioner. Cause No: DV-21-198 Dept. No. 2002 NOTICE OF HEARING ON NAME CHANGE This is notice that Petitioner has asked the District Court for a change of name from River Miles Schmidt-Eder

to River Miles. The hearing will be on Dec. 16, 2021, at 10:00 am. The hearing will be at the Courthouse in Lake County. Dated: November 9, 2021. Lyn Fricker Clerk of District Court By Mary Rensvold Deputy Clerk of Court Nov. 24, Dec. 1, 8, 15, 2021 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 Attorneys for Personal Representative MONTANA TWENTIETH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT, LAKE COUNTY IN RE THE ESTATE OF: ALVIN MCKAY, Deceased. Cause No. DP-21-79 Dept. No. 2 NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned has been appointed Personal Representative of the above-named estate. All persons having claims against the decedent are required to present their claims within four months after the date of the first publication of this notice or said claims will be forever barred. Claims must either be mailed to Samira Johnson, 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 18th day of November, 2021. /s/ Samira Johnson Personal Representative C/O Kalmbach Law Office, PLLC PO Box 249 Polson, MT 59860 December 1, 8, and 15, 2021 MNAXLP REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS - IRRIGATION WATER MANAGEMENT, REHABILITATION, BETTERMENT AND MODERNIZATION - CHARLO IRRIGATION

SERVICE AREA CONFEDERATED SALISH AND KOOTENAI TRIBES (CSKT) DIVISION OF ENGINEERING AND WATER RESOURCES The CSKT Division of Engineering and Water Resources invites interested consultants to submit a Statement of Qualifications in response to the Request for Qualifications – Irrigation Water Management, Rehabilitation, Betterment and Modernization, Charlo Irrigation Service Area. The Request for Qualifications (RFQ) may be obtained from: Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes: Attn: Seth Makepeace, DEWR Team Lead, seth. makepeace@cskt.org, Phone 406676-2600. The Request for Qualifications may also be viewed and downloaded at the following website: http:// nrd.csktribes.org/ water-management/ Charlo Irrigation Service Area Project. Statements of Qualification must be received at the email address listed in the RFQ no later than 4:00 p.m. (MST), January 20, 2022. This Project will be conducted in accordance with the provisions of the CSKT’s Indian Preference Ordinance 101A and Regulations. The selection of the successful consultant and award of this project will be per the provisions of Ordinance 101A and regulations. Tribal Contractors who wish to receive Indian Preference must obtain certification by the CSKT Indian Preference Office as a legitimate Indian-owned business prior to the submission of their Statement of Qualification. Proof of Indian Preference Certification must be included with your Statement of Qualification in the form of a copy of the Certificate issued by the Indian Preference Office. Be advised that evidence of your membership or affiliation with a Tribe does not constitute Indian Preference Certification. Contractors must be certified by the Indian Preference Office in order to claim Indian preference. It is the sole responsibility of the submitter to obtain and provide proof of Indian Preference certification from the Indian Preference Office. Dec. 15, 22, and 29, 2021, and Jan. 5, 2022 MNAXLP John A. Mercer Turnage Mercer & Wall, PLLP Attorneys at Law 312 1st St E Polson, MT 59860 Telephone: 406-883-5367 jmercer@turnagemercerwall.com MONTANA TWENTIETH JUDICIAL

Valley Journal

DISTRICT COURT, LAKE COUNTY IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF: JUDITH LEE MORRIS, Deceased. Cause No.: DP-21-87 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/ Glen Haas Glen Haas Personal Representative Estate of JUDITH LEE MORRIS, Deceased. December 15, 22, and 29, 2021 MNAXLP John A. Mercer Turnage Mercer & Wall, 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: WANDA L. DASHNEA, Deceased. Cause No.: DP-21-83 NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN That the undersigned has been appointed as Personal Representative of the above-entitled estate, and that the ad-

dress 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 WANDA L. DASHNEA, Deceased. December 8, 15 and 22, 2021 MNAXLP Matthew H. O’Neill O’NEILL LAW OFFICE, PLLC 402 First Street East, Suite 201 P.O. Box 699 Polson, MT 59860 Telephone: (406) 883-5444 Facsimile: (406) 883-1585 matt@polsonlaw.com Attorneys for Personal Representative MONTANA TWENTIETH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT, LAKE COUNTY IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF LARESE J. REUM, Deceased. CAUSE No. DP-21-77 Hon. James A. Manley 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 ad see page 31

public notices Help wanted cont’d from pg. 30 dress of the claimant, and the amount claimed, may be filed with the Clerk of the 20th Judicial District Court, at 106 4th Ave. East, Polson, Montana 59860, or mailed, Return Receipt Requested, to the Personal Representative, c/o O’NEILL LAW OFFICE, Attorneys for the Personal Representative, at P.O. Box 699, Polson, MT 59860. /s/ DeeDra D. McBroom DEEDRA D. McBROOM Personal Representative, Estate of LARESE J. REUM, Deceased. Dec. 15, 22, and 29, 2021 MNAXLP Public Notice: The Board of Lake County Commissioners will hold a public meeting for the purpose of taking public comment on the Resolution listed below, on Monday, January 10, 2022, at 10:00 am in the Commissioners Chambers located at 106 4th Avenue East, Polson, MT 59860. If you wish to make a public comment but are unable to attend the meeting, you may email your comments to lakecommission-

ers@ lakemt.gov with the subject line Resolution 21-29, or you may mail your comments to the address listed above. Resolution 21-29 A Resolution of Intention To Hold A Special Election For The Purpose Of Adopting Or Rejecting A LocalOption Tax Of Three Percent (3%) On Recreational and/or Medical Marijuana Sales Within Lake County WHEREAS, the 2021 Montana Legislature passed House Bill (HB) 701 regulating operation and taxation of marijuana businesses and sales; and WHEREAS, Sections 94-98 of HB 701 allows for a county to submit to qualified electors the question of local option marijuana excise tax of up to three percent (3%); and WHEREAS, Lake County wishes to call a Special Election pursuant to MCA 13-1-101 et seq for the purpose of approving or rejecting a local-option marijuana excise tax of up to three (3) percent; and WHEREAS, as of November 4, 2021, there were five (5) registered Marijuana Dispensaries in Lake County registered with the Montana Department of Revenue; and WHEREAS, Lake County estimates total revenue from three percent local-option marijuana tax would be

approximately $180,000 annually; and WHEREAS, HB 701 mandates that revenue from a local-option marijuana tax, if approved by voters, would be split with fifty percent (50%) of the revenue going to Lake County, forty-five percent (45%) to the cities of Polson, Ronan, and St, Ignatius based on population, and five percent (5%) of the revenue retained by the Montana Department of Revenue; and WHEREAS local governments have limited alternatives for taxing authority, and a new local option marijuana excise tax would help diversify local revenue generation; and WHEREAS, HB 701 allows local-option marijuana excise tax to be used for any activity, undertaking, or administrative service that the municipality is authorized by law to perform; and WHEREAS, if passed, the marijuana excise tax will be assessed on retail sales of marijuana products sold at adult-use dispensaries or medical marijuana dispensaries, effective September 5, 2022; and WHEREAS, Lake County and incorporated municipalities may appropriate and expend revenue derived from a local-option marijuana excise tax for any activity, undertaking, or administrative service that the municipality is authorized by law to perform, including costs resulting from the imposition

of the tax or due to administrative burdens imposed on the municipality as a result of licensing or regulatory requirements imposed in this chapter. WHEREAS, a public hearing will be held on January 10, 2022, at 10:00 am located at 106 4th Avenue East, Polson Montana, Room 211, for the purpose of taking public comment; and WHEREAS, the board of county commissioners will consider written and verbal comments NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED the Board of Lake County Commissioners adopt a resolution to submit to the people of Lake County a referendum for authorization of a local-option marijuana excise tax in the amount of three percent (3%) on the retail value of all marijuana and marijuana products sold at adult-use dispensaries within Lake County. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED the Board of Lake County Commissioners hereby refers the following question to qualified electors of Lake County: “Shall Lake County impose a 3% local-option marijuana excise tax on the retail value of all marijuana and marijuana products sold at adult-use dispensaries and medical marijuana dispensaries within Lake County? FOR a 3% (three percent) Marijuana Local-Option Excise Tax

AGAINST a 3% (three percent) Marijuana Local-Option Excise Tax” PASSED AND ADOPTED THIS 29th DAY OF NOVEMBER, 2021. /s/ William D Barron, Chairman /s/ Steve Stanley, Member s/ Gale Decker, Member

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.

Attest: /s/ Katie Harding Clerk and Recorder December 8, 15 and 22, 2021 MNAXLP John A. Mercer Turnage Mercer & Wall, 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: GINA TERESA JOHNSON, Deceased. Cause No.: DP-21-84 NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN That

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/ Jake Starkel Jake Starkel Personal Representative Estate of GINA TERESA JOHNSON, Deceased. December 8, 15 and 22, 2021 MNAXLP

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Valley Journal

December 15, 2021 - 31

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www.harborlightfurnitureandflooring.com 32 - December 15, 2021

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