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Big Sky

Big Sky’s Locally Owned & Published Newspaper - distributed virtually everywhere

August 26, 2011 Volume 2 // Issue #16

big air in big sky

rise of the big horns

photo recap

photo by john marshall

Big sky’s first football team

Montanans petition for property rights

Labor day

Events

a dangerous intersection

meet the new teachers in town

media@theoutlawpartners.com

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Big Sky Weekly explorebigsky

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Exclusive Placement & Distribution across Southwest Montana

Publisher of the big sky weekly August 26, 2011 Volume 2, Issue 16

• • • • • •

CEO, PUBLISHER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Eric Ladd COO & SENIOR EDITOR Megan Paulson

Hamilton

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Mike Martins

Anaconda

6,000 - 8,000 editions distributed across montana Read online throughout the world at explorebigsky.com 3,000 + rental properties 2,500 + Big Sky taxi rides Hotels and resorts throughout SW montana Over 20,000 readers weekly

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Bozeman

Three Forks Wisdom

MANAGING EDITOR Emily Stifler GRAPHIC DESIGNER Kelsey Dzintars

Dillon

Big Sky Ennis Virginia City

Big Timber

Livingston Gardiner

West Yellowstone

EDITOR Abbie Digel Editorial Assistant Taylor Anderson Sales Director Frank Jordan Distribution Director Danielle Chamberlain VIDEOGRAPHER Brian Niles Intern Kaela Schommer CONTRIBUTors Tyler Allen, Polly Armstrong, Erin A. Bills, Pamela Bussi, Eileen Connors, Max Dexheimer, Corinne Garcia, Dave Granger, Derek Gravey, Jane Honeck, Jacqueline Rieder Hud, Brian Hurlbut, Cameron Lord, John Marshall, Brandon Niles, Mark Sadowski, Deb Courson Smith, Michael Spencer, Barbara Taylor, Alan Watt

Editorial Policy Outlaw Partners LLC is the sole owner of the Big Sky Weekly. No part of this publication may be reprinted without written permission from the publisher. The Big Sky Weekly reserves the right to edit all submitted material for content, corrections or length. Printed material reflects the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the opinion of Outlaw Partners or the editors of this publication. No advertisements, columns, letters to the editor or other information will be published that contain discrimination based on sex, age, race, religion, creed, nationality, sexual preference, or are in bad taste.

Paper Distribution Distributed every other Friday in towns across Southwest Montana, including Big Sky, Bozeman, West Yellowstone, Three Forks , Ennis, Dillon, Gardiner and Livingston.

CORRECTIONS The Big Sky Weekly runs corrections to errors we’ve printed. Please report them to emily@ theoutlawpartners.com © 2011 The Big Sky Weekly Unauthorized reproduction prohibited

2 August 26, 2011

Thanks to our readers On behalf of the Outlaw Partners team, I would like to thank all of our readers and contributors for helping make this one of the most successful news publications in all of Southwest Montana.

and limos to Big Sky, as well as over 3,500 rental properties, showing our contributors the love that they deserve. But it doesn’t stop there. Our publication reaches 26 different states with our subscribers.

Our rapid growth has not only helped spread your message to more consumers, but also challenged the Outlaw Partners team to provide you with fresh and innovative ways to support your business and increase our distribution.

We are constantly evolving and finding ways to help our community and customers. If you have any suggestions or would like to become a distribution point please let us know.

Our distribution has grown by more than 10 percent within the last year. We are proud to say that we have the largest exclusive distribution of any publication in the region. Our range includes over 160 strategic locations all over Southwest Montana: Bozeman, Big Sky, Gallatin Gateway, Livingston, Gardiner, Ennis, Dillon, Paradise Valley and West Yellowstone.

We are happy to have exclusivity in the Yellowstone Club, Spanish Peaks, Moonlight Basin, shuttles, taxis,

Letter to the Editor Parameters This is a platform for readers to express views and share ways they would like to effect change. The Weekly will run letters, positive or negative, of 250 words or less that are respectful, ethical, state accurate facts and figures, and are proofread for grammar and content. We reserve the right to edit letters. Please include: first and last name, address, phone number and title.

Send letters to emily@theoutlawpartners.com.

OUTLAW PARTNERS & THE BIG SKY WEEKLY P.O. Box 160250, Big Sky, MT 59716 explorebigsky.com (406) 995-2055 media@theoutlawpartners.com

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Outlaw Partners is also pleased to assist you with any of your marketing needs. From innovative print media to cutting edge video and websites, branding, event promotion and consulting - WE DO THAT! Many Thanks to all, Frank Jordan Director of Sales, Outlaw Partners frank@theoutlawpartners.com www.theoutlawpartners.com

Table of Contents big sky...6

column...29

local news...9

events...30

regional...13

classifieds...31

montana...14 gallery...17 youth...18 sports...21 health & wellness...23

collage: big air...33 local adventure...35 outdoors...37 entertainment...39

environment...24

food & dining...43

business...25

fun...45

business directory...26

back 40...46

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August 26, 2011 3

Big Sky Weekly

community

The Crux

New program for Big Sky Youth Empowerment

By Dave Granger and Matt Dexheimer Bozeman kids Kade Hanson and Liz Burkhart, both 18-yearold graduates of Big Sky Youth Empowerment, are stepping it up this summer. Hanson just returned from a life-changing 25 day service project in Ghana, and Burkhart is on a 22-day Outward Bound sailing and service trip off the coast of Maine.

This is the Crux, BYEP’s next step.

For the last decade BYEP has positively affected hundreds of at-risk youth from Belgrade, Big Sky and Bozeman. Historically, the programs served eighth through 10th grade students with an adventure-based mentoring program called the Approach.

This fall, BYEP is launching the Crux, a dynamic second tier to Crux member Angela being assisted at MSU by graduate level Counseling students support high school juniors and seniors. Hanson and Burkhart • Life skills (money management, employment and indepengot a head start. dent living) The goal of BYEP is to teach students to live productive, inde• Stewardship (to self, community and Earth). pendent lives with positive options for the future. As a reult of feedback from youth participants, mentors, board members and The Crux will meet weekly at MSU, and every other weekend the greater community, “the crux” metaphorically represents for activities incorporating one of the four pillars. Additional the difficult transition from adolescence to adulthood.

Crux partners include Outward Bound, NOLS and VISIONS Service Adventures; students like Hanson and Burkhart will apThe program will cement changes achieved during the Apply to earn a scholarship to one of these organizations. proach by helping students develop skills to be autonomous, engaged citizens. The curriculum is built upon four core pillars: •

Academics (increased GPA, increased school attendance, and graduation from high school)

•

Character education (continued focus on integrity, responsibility and accountability)

LA L

Dave Granger is Program Director at BYEP. Matt Dexheimer, Program Director of the Crux, completed his Master’s in counseling education at MSU and has extensive experience working with atrisk youth. Want to make a difference? Volunteer with BYEP. (406) 599-6090 or byep.org.

NA

Serving Awesome Food for 8 years M e x i c a n F l avo r s , Juicy Burger s, HUGE salads, Ta s t y W r a p s AND THE BEST MARGARITAS IN MONTANA!

Big Sky Fire Run Report CPR and First Aid classes are offered at Station 1 as needed.

Please call 995-2100 for information or to schedule a class.

8/13 – 15:55-17:55 - Fire personnel responded to a Structure Fire. Upon arrival, the property owner had extinguished the fire. Investigation revealed the potential cause and extent of damage. Crews treated one patient for smoke inhalation. Patient refused transport.

8/13 – 20:14-21:20 – Fire personnel responded to a report of Smoke Showing from a multi story structure. Crews found no alarm triggered and no hazard.

8/16 – 08:10-08:40 – Fire personnel responded to a general alarm at Moonlight Basin.

Crew found no hazard.

8/17 – 14:01-15:00 – Fire personnel responded to a general alarm at Big Sky Resort. Crew found no hazard.

8/19 – 21:14-22:30 – EMS personnel responded. Patient received BLS care and refused transport.

Obituary Catherine Ainsworth October 12, 1929 - August 22, 2011

Catherine Denton Ainsworth, 81, of Big Sky, passed away of natural causes, August 22, 2011. She was born October 12, 1929, in Johnson City, New York, to Jack and Catherine (Maxeiner) Denton.

Catherine graduated from Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, in 1949. She resided in Fort Wayne, Indiana for thirty years, moving to Big Sky, Montana in 1991.

She met Walter S. Ainsworth while competing in Collegiate Alpine Ski Racing at a St. Lawrence University Winter Carnival, and they were married December 27, 1951, in Johnson City, New York.

She was involved in many community activities including the Ft. Wayne Junior League, Trinity English Lutheran Church, and chaired the Girl Scout Council of Allen County, Indiana. While in Big Sky, she participated in the Big Sky Chapel and community choirs and helped organize the Eagle Mount Big Sky Ski Dinner.

She enjoyed downhill skiing, golf, the garden club, horseback riding and sailing.

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Catherine is survived by her husband, Walter; daughters, Anne (Robert) Holtz, and Elizabeth (Robert) Biggerstaff; son, Walter (Connie) Ainsworth; eight grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. Also surviving are sisters, Elizabeth Kinder of Massachusetts, and Amelia Bravar of New Hampshire.

Memorial services will be held at 11:15 a.m. Monday, August 29, at the Big Sky Chapel. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Big Sky Chapel Endowment Fund, P.O. Box 160792, Big Sky, MT 59716.

letters

Saving Rural Broadband There is a revolution happening in the telecommunications/broadband world fueled by bold investments, innovation and new products. The revolution expands opportunities for our rural Montana communities to connect to the outside world. It also enhances economic development, educational opportunities, advancements in health care, and maintains our quality of life.

At the same time there is action pending before the Federal Communication Commission that poses a real threat to rural Montana. The FCC was directed to present a comprehensive National Broadband Plan to Congress, which was submitted on March 16, 2010. The plan takes unbelievable and unacceptable steps backwards for rural America.

The Communications Act of 1996 established the Universal Service Fund allowing rural America to receive comparable and affordable telecommunications services. 3 Rivers has prudently put this fund to good use, but the work is not done. 3 Rivers has implemented fiber-to-the-home projects upgrading the network and replacing 30-35 year old copper legacy systems. We are in the process of completing six of our 26 exchanges and will begin two additional exchanges this summer and fall. To finance this project, 3 Rivers received a $70 Million Rural Utility Service infrastructure loan. Our goal is to deploy fiber-to-the-home to everyone in our traditional service area.

Broadband investment has significant impacts on the exchanges we serve: helping businesses and communities grow and thrive, providing educational opportunities, and improving health care, public safety and government services. Because of these investments, Montana rural families are able to stay

Integrity.

connected and compete in the global economy while maintaining the lifestyle enjoyed by generations.

By overreacting in the name of reform, the FCC proposal will cause financial harm to 3 Rivers. If implemented, there will be a change in the financial model 3 Rivers has depended on to provide the services and infrastructure needed by our customers. It goes beyond the effects to 3 Rivers; there will also be negative economic impacts on the rural communities we serve.

3 Rivers has spent countless hours and significant resources, directly and through member associations, addressing these concerns with the FCC and Congress. We have told our story. The FCC is moving too far and too fast without fully understanding the unintended consequences to rural America.

Vision.

Craft.

Understanding reform is needed, and we have joined with other industry stakeholders to present a plan to the FCC that provides a sound foundation for reform throughout rural America.

We are now asking you to get involved.

Please contact Senators Baucus and Tester and Congressman Rehberg. Go to saveruralbroadband.org, and click on the SEND THE LETTER link. When you see them on their visits throughout the state, share your concerns about the FCC National Broadband Plan and how it will affect you, your cooperative and our communities.

-Mike Henning, Interim General Manager, 3 Rivers Communications PO Box 429, Fairfield, MT 59436 (800) 796-4567

Angry about Franke I missed the first article in the series of interviews of Congressional candidates, but I did read the interview by Kim Ibes of Franke Wilmer.

If that is the type of article you are printing, it is a complete waste of paper. I expect interviewing journalists to ask questions. When Ms. Wilmer was asked about her main issues, she responded with pap. When she said, “I want to create jobs that pay wages that support families,” Ibes should have asked for Wilmer’s specific plan.

Exactly how did she intend to ‘create jobs’ as a member of Congress?

Exactly what is a ‘level playing field’ and how does that create jobs? Where has it been accomplished? How did it work out?

Ms. Wilmer wanted to exercise fiscal responsibility and eliminate waste and fraud. How was she going to exercise fiscal responsibility? What were her specific plans? Exactly what ‘waste

and fraud’ was she talking about? How much would her specific plans save?

Ms. Wilmer wants to tax the wealthy, those making over $250,000 a year.

She wants to create good paying jobs, but also wants to raise taxes for those who actually create jobs. How does that work? Has she ever created a job?

Exactly how much of the nation’s debt would be reduced by such tax increases? What facts was she in possession of to believe that taxing job creators wouldn’t affect job creation?

Ms. Wilmer did not mention a single word about cutting spending. Does she think it’s possible for the nation to continue with its ever-increasing debt?

-Warren Wubker, Big Sky (A retired old geezer who has started companies, owns companies, taught graduate school, worked in broadcasting and worked at a lot of menial jobs)

406-995-2174 To view a video tour of this property visit: continentalconstruction.com/montana explorebigsky.com August 26, 2011 5

Big Sky Weekly

Big Sky

‘Imagine a world without cancer’ Big Sky couple running, fundraising for largest New York City Marathon charity

By Corrine Garcia and Abbie Digel When Big Sky resident Marne Hayes tossed her name into the lottery to run the New York City Marathon, she was pretty certain, and almost hopeful, that she wouldn’t make the cut.

out Cancer.” In New York the Hayes’s will run with 250 members of Fred’s Team from all over the country.

She had never run a marathon before, and decided to enter her name on a whim. Also applying was her husband Erin Hayes already had a couple of marathons under his belt.

This cause, Erin says, hits close to home. Both he and Marne have relatives and friends who’ve been affected by the disease.

Marne’s name was drawn from approximately 150,000 applicants, so Erin, determined to run, signed himself and Marne up for Fred’s Team, the largest and oldest charity of the NYC Marathon, which supports cancer research at Memorial SloanKettering Cancer Center in New York. Last year, Fred’s team raised over $40 million for Sloan-Kettering.

Fred’s Team is named after Fred Lebow, the original founder of the New York City Marathon. He was diagnosed with brain cancer and treated at Sloan-Kettering. He came back from treatment deeply affected by the children being treated there and decided to start the first official charity of the New York City Marathon on behalf of Sloan-Kettering.

Fred died of cancer in 1994, but his legacy lives on with runners who wear the recognizable orange shirts bearing the slogan “Imagine a World With-

Erin set his fundraising goal to $5,000, but has since surpassed it and raised the bar to $6000.

This fundraising experience made him feel “overwhelmed with the amount of support the Big Sky and Bozeman community has offered, and the stories Marne and Erin Hayes donors have shared.” He’s learned about many locals who have fought with The need to give back “hits people at different cancer, without other members of the community times in their lives,” Erin said. Now is his time, he being made aware. said, and it’s benefitted him mentally, spiritually and physically. He’s enjoyed helping a charity he The charity allows the athletes invovled to pick a believes in while pursuing athletic endeavors. specific type of cancer they want to support. Erin chose to devote his funds to children’s leukemia reHelp Erin and Marne Hayes reach their goal by search, which falls under Sloan-Kettering’s umbrelcontacting them at erin@bigskybuild.com or visit la – the center funds clinical research and treatment fredsteam.org and enter his name in the particiof over 400 types of cancer. pant box.

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Big Sky Weekly

Big Sky

Due to Burn

Big Sky enters its 80th year since last wildfire story and photos by taylor anderson Patrick and Jeanne Miller live on a small plot of land at the base of a subdivided hill called Summit View Estates.

It’s a Saturday, and he sits in the shade of his back porch overlooking Lone Mountain as the sun rises overhead.

Miller is the president of the Summit View Owner’s Association, made up of the 38 property owners in the area that upkeep the land.

Part of the management includes collective snow removal for all residents, general upkeep, and, as waves of trees die either naturally or at the hands of bug infestations, actively managing the forests.

The process is called forest stewardship, and is increasingly important as Big Sky enters its 80th year since the last wildfire scorched the area’s forests.

Crystal Hagerman and the Big Sky Natural Resource Council this summer released an extensive, 188page report funded by Merrill Lynch on how residents can manage their property to keep healthier forests.

Big Sky exists in what is known as a wildland-urban interface – ongoing human development in the middle of wild areas – the report says, and it is the duty of developers to keep existing resources healthy.

Big Sky’s 61,897 acres of forests are riddled with beetle- and spruce budworm-killed pine and spruce trees. The report said that four percent of all the trees in Big Sky are dead, and would act as fuel in the event of a fire.

Residents with dead or downed trees on their land are encouraged to deal with them. They can also delimb the first four feet of tree to reduce fuel during potential grass fires.

That Big Sky is due for a high-intensity blaze is “a standard assumption,” Hagerman said. “The fires do come in cycles and the Big Sky area hasn’t” had one in 80 years.

The area saw unusually high precipitation last winter due to weather associated with the La Niña system coming off the Pacific Ocean, which helped during the early fire season.

“But it did help grow grasses and vegetation as well,” Hagerman warned. “Now that those are cured we have a lot of tall grasses and flashy fuels.”

Hagerman, through the Gallatin County Extension and Resource Conservation and Development Area, works with residents like the Millers by allocating up to 50 percent of the cost to manage forestlands, which includes hiring contractors to do the work.

Big Sky’s history is one filled with extensive logging by companies like Plum Creek. Due to the high-elevation climate and low precipitation in the summer months, tree growth is slow, and 61 percent of the trees here are less than an inch in diameter.

“The fact that we have a lot of young trees gives a good chance to actively manage them now,” Hagerman said.

Stewardship like that done by the Millers keeps trees, which need room to grow, a chance at staying healthy from early on in their life cycles.

Patrick sat pointing at the skinny trees on his property and showing the difference between a healthy stand of trees versus a cluttered, unhealthy one.

“You couldn’t see the road a week ago,” he said of his thin strip of trees, perhaps 3 inches in diameter each.

People like the privacy provided by thick areas of trees that act like natural fencing, which is an issue preventing some from managing their property.

But, the report says, it is important to create a buffer zone between fire fuels and houses to give firefighters a chance at saving lives and property.

“I’m not making fire assumptions,” Hagerman said, “but the fire months are August into September until we get cooler temperatures and snow.”

The Big Sky Natural Resource Council is holding its annual August meeting on Monday, Aug. 29 at the Big Sky Community Corporation office. You can find more information and read the stewardship plan and forest initiative reports at bigskynrc.org.

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August 26, 2011 7

Big Sky Weekly

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local news Ophir School Council/ PTO has spirit

School parent organization ready for new year

by Barbara Taylor

Big Sky Weekly

some restaurants do italian food. some do chinese food.

WE DO BIG SKY FOOD

Comittee members show their spirit at the Ophir School Pie auction, one of the fundraisers the Ophir School Council/PTO plans to repeat this year.

If the Ophir School Council/PTO is successful with their newest project, school spirit will be all over town.

The OSC, which counts all parents as members, is planning a new Spirit Fridays campaign. The centerpiece: school t-shirts. The organization will be selling the shirts on the first day of school and throughout the year for students to wear on Fridays, on field days and on other special occasions.

The OSC will continue its box-top and shopping incentive programs, which fund multiple projects.

“The t-shirts will be sold near cost so they will be affordable to all,” said Jennifer O’Connor, OSC President. They will sell water bottles, lunch boxes and pencils that will help fund a t-shirt scholarship.

The group is also planning and reorganizing its regular fundraisers like the pie auction and the wreath and poinsettia sale.

The School Spirit campaign and t-shirts will also be opened up to the community so local business can show their school spirit, and O’Connor says the OSC will work with the Booster Club to expand product options so students can operate a small spirit store at the school and online.

“All people have to do is shop at certain stores—it’s easy,” O’Connor said.

Information on participating stores will be available in welcome packets on “back to school night,” and box top collection boxes will be in the post office and at the school for community members who want to contribute.

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“The OSC funds so many things that make our school special and great,” O’Connor said. “From the ski and swim programs, to special art and theater presentations, classroom supplies, and more. The school wouldn’t be the same without the OSC funding.”

Looking to get involved? All are welcome. Contact O’Connor at j.e.oconnor@hotmail.com

Public hearing regarding the intent to create a special parks district in Big Sky The Board of Madison County Commissioners will conduct their regular Commission Meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2011, beginning at 10 a.m. in the Dunraven-Obsidian Room of the Huntley Lodge in Big Sky, Montana.

As part of the meeting, a public hearing will be held to receive comments on a resolution of intent to create the Big Sky Mountain Trails, Recreation and Parks Special District pursuant to Montana Code Annotated Section 7-11-1001 Et Seq and administered by interlocal agreement pursuant to Montana Code Annotated Section 7-11-101 Et Seq, to expand the boundaries of the existing park district created by Resolution 16-88, strip the park district of its existing taxing authority, and enter into an interlocal agreement with Gallatin County for the management of this park district and a contiguous park district located in Gallatin County.

For further information, please contact the Commissioner’s Office, P.O. Box 278, Virginia City, MT 59755, by phone at 406-843-4277, or by email at madco@ madison.mt.gov -Katie Morrison

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Big Sky Weekly

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M o u n t a i n

Big Sky Weekly

local news

A dangerous intersection

US 191 has seen road improvements, but is it any safer?

By Emily Stifler | photo by taylor anderson In 2001, Big Sky resident Ruby Delzer was waiting to turn left into the Bighorn shopping center when she was rear-ended by a semi truck.

the construction took place in this area,” Malpeli said. “Where [else] does a citizen back out of their home onto a Montana highway?”

“Three cars went around me, but the truck driver said he never saw me,” Delzer said. She was in the hospital for three days and in therapy for twoand-a-half years.

The intersection itself is also a problem, even with the new traffic light. Robin BrowerMcBride is one of several who have pulled onto 191 from Big Sky under a green light this summer and was almost hit by oncoming traffic.

Delzer was just north of the intersection of the Big Sky Spur Road (MT 64), and U.S. Highway 191, waiting to turn. The northbound traffic, just beyond the light, doesn’t have a turning lane, and the speed limit is 55 mph.

Although this intersection was part of a $14.5 million improvement project that lasted from 2006 to 2010, it’s still a dangerous spot.

“We were told we were going to get a left hand turn lane, but it never materialized,” said Sean McCarthy of Big Sky Business Services (formerly Mail and More). The lack of a turn lane was one of the main reasons he moved his business from the Bighorn center to the Town Center.

On the east side of 191, also north of the light, longtime homeowner Faith Malpeli complains the widening of the road that came with the improvement project made her house dangerous to access.

To exit her driveway, Malpeli says she now has to back out onto the highway.

The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) doesn’t maintain records documenting the number of residential properties that access federal highways by backing onto the highway, said Jeff Ebert, a spokesperson for the Department. Consequently the MDT couldn’t answer Malpeli’s question.

“I looked left halfway through the intersection, and a tanker truck had blasted through the light,” Brower-McBride said. “He just barely missed the back end of my car.” The semi had also missed clipping the front of the car behind her, she said.

“One would think those driving this leg on a regular basis would be used to the light,” Brower-McBride said. “However, cell phones are finally coming back into service along that stretch, and phones can sometimes distract drivers away from the road.”

She’s seen the same thing happen twice recently. Once, a semi came through the red light “with his horn on the whole time. Presumably he couldn’t stop,” she said. The second time, a truck “blew the light and was midway through the intersection before coming to a complete stop. There was traffic stalled in all directions.”

Whether they’re headed south, north, or coming out of the entrance of Big Sky, people are picking up their speed when they see a green light at the entrance to Big Sky, Malpeli says.

“Under ice and snow conditions it can get scary, especially when someone at the last minute can’t figure out what lane to be in, or if at the last minute they decide to turn,” Malpeli added.

“I had to move out,” Malpeli said. “I’d lived in my home for 24 years, but somebody was going to get killed – either a friend, tourist or an unsuspecting motorist not realizing the dangers on this section of the highway.

MDT isn’t aware of near misses at the intersection, said Ebert from MDT. The Montana Highway Patrol database also doesn’t contain information on near-misses.

“I don’t understand how the [MDT] allowed this to happen. I feel there was a huge mistake when

The traffic light and the road widening was part of an improvement project that looked at “the

Mile 48 crash data Crash data from the Montana Highway Patrol for US 191 between mile 47.9 and mile 48.0 (the intersection of 191 and MT 64) shows that while the number of crashes hasn’t changed since the improvement, the severity of the crashes has reduced.

Since the traffic signal was added at the intersection of US 191 and MT 64 (Big Sky Spur Road) in Nov., 2006, there is record of six crashes (from Nov. 2, 2006 through Dec. 31, 2010). Of these, two were right angle, two were rear end, one was a sideswipe opposite direction, and one was a single vehicle run off the road.

Four of the six occurred on snow, slush or ice covered roads. No injuries were reported in any of these crashes.

Prior to the signal activation (from Aug. 1, 2002 to Oct. 31, 2006), six crashes were recorded. Of these six, four were right angle, one was a rear end, and one was a sideswipe opposite direction. Four of the six crashes occurred on snow, slush or ice covered roads. An incapacitating injury and a possible injury were recorded in these six crashes. entire corridor from a safety and operational aspect,” Ebert said. “At the Big Sky Spur Road intersection with U.S. 191, we were having right angle crashes, which are high severity.”

“We find that the number of crashes at traffic signals don’t necessarily go down just because you install one,” Ebert said. “Instead, the severity of the crash goes down. You don’t have people making bad decisions about pulling out in front of vehicles because they’ve been sitting there waiting. That’s what the original intent of the signal project was.”

explorebigsky.com August 26, 2011 11

R U O Y T E G

Big Sky Weekly

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Big Sky Weekly

regional

Yellowstone’s summer 2011 bison population released Yellowstone National Park has completed its annual summer bison population monitoring.

The population is estimated to be 3,700 bison. The estimate is based on a series of aerial surveys. There are an estimated 2,300 bison on the Northern Range this summer, with 1,400 in the Central Interior herd.

est.

of the population, and environmental conditions.

This population estimate is used to inform adaptive management strategies under the Interagency Bison Management Plan (IBMP). Specific management actions may be modified based on expected late winter population levels based on this estimate.

3,700

Winter mortality was estimated at 500 bison.

There were 583 calves-of-theyear observed in a June aerial survey.

bison

summer 2011

The population was estimated at 3,900 bison last summer. The peak population estimate of 5,000 bison was recorded in the summer 2005.

The observed rate of population change this past year is within the natural range of expectation for wild bison. The rate at which wildlife populations increase is a reflection of the combined effects of reproduction and mortality, and is heavily influenced by age structure

The IBMP is a cooperative plan designed to conserve a viable, wild bison population while protecting Montana’s brucellosis-free status.

The cooperating agencies operating under the IBMP are the National Park Service, the U.S. Forest Service, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, the Montana Department of Livestock, the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, the InterTribal Buffalo Council, the Confederated Salish Kootenai Tribes, and the Nez Perce Tribe. ibmp.info nps.gov/yell -From Yellowstone National Park wire services

DEQ finalizes Bozeman Superfund site cleanup plan The Montana Department of Environmental Quality has issued a decision for the Bozeman Solvent Site, a state Superfund facility.

The decision provides a “framework for the cleanup that will protect public health and the environment,” according to DEQ Director Richard Opper. “The DEQ anticipates the liable parties will move forward… in a spirit of cooperation.”

The selected remedy uses a combination of technologies to reduce concentrations of tetrachloroethene (PCE) and other hazardous chemicals that have contaminated soil and groundwater at the site. Enhanced bioremediation, an injection process that encourages microorganisms to break down pollution, will clean up the historic source area and accelerate cleanup of contaminated groundwater. The process will also rely on monitored natural attenuation to address the dissolved plume of contamination in groundwater. Soil vapor extraction, an engineered system to remove

contaminated fumes from soil, will be used beneath the former Buttrey’s Shopping Center.

The remedy also requires land use restrictions, a permit to protect construction workers in the area, and continuation of the existing controlled groundwater area.

The cost is estimated at $5.8 million.

Remedial design should take about a year and cleanup about 10 years.

Long term monitoring will continue for 25 years.

The site is located south of West Main Street and east of North 19th Avenue, and extends north of the East Gallatin River. PCE is commonly known as dry cleaning fluid and was used at a dry cleaning business in the shopping center. The chemical leaked into the ground through an old sewer line and septic system.

The DEQ considered public comment before selecting this final remedy.

FWP seeks public comment on potential bighorn sheep transplants Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is seeking comment on a potential bighorn sheep transplant proposal for three areas in Southwest Montana.

The proposed transplant areas include the Bull Mountains north of Whitehall, Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park, and Doherty Mountain, just north of the caverns.

Photo by lincoln abraham

“These areas were selected, in part, because there would likely be an interchange of bighorns among the three areas,” said FWP Wildlife Biologist Tom Carlsen, the project leader. “[They were] occupied by bighorns historically, and our habitat modeling indicates [they] can support 200-300 sheep.”

One of the statewide objectives in FWP’s recently completed Bighorn Sheep Conservation Strategy is to establish five new populations over the course of the next 10 years and to augment populations where appropriate.

Wildlife managers are looking at the proximity of domestic sheep and goats to potential bighorn habitat, and the potential for adequate bighorn hunting access.

The public involvement process for this proposal, which is outlined in the conservation strategy, includes an initial public scoping effort, followed by an environmental assessment and a public meeting. An agreement with the major landowners nearby is required.

Final approval of the proposal is by the FWP Commission, which will include public comment opportunities.

“Should this proposal move forward, the effort would help meet this objective and help a struggling bighorn sheep population,” Carlsen said.

Montana’s Bighorn Sheep Conservation Strategy is available online. Visit FWP’s Web site at fwp.mt.gov. Search for “Bighorn Sheep.”

If approved, bighorn sheep would be captured from existing Montana populations and moved to release sites, perhaps as soon as this winter.

Stocking may take several years and depend on availability of surplus sheep, Carlsen said.

FWP will take public comment of associated issues through Sept. 12.

Comments can be submitted in writing to Montana FWP, P.O. Box 998, Townsend, MT 59644 or by email to Tom Carlsen at tcarlsen@mt.gov.

- from the FWP wire services

Fall hunter education classes set in Belgrade and Bozeman Anyone born after Jan. 1, 1985 must present a Hunter Education Certificate to purchase a hunting license in Montana. Students must be 11 years old to receive certification.

Registration is required for this fall’s hunter education classes in Belgrade and Bozeman, and students under 18 years of age must have the consent of a parent or guardian.

The Belgrade class will be Sept. 6 - 9 at the Belgrade Middle School from 6 - 9 p.m. on the first night and 7 - 9 p.m. the remaining nights. Students will complete a field day on Saturday, Sept. 10 at the Logan Range.

Registration is required on the first night of class on Sept. 6 at 6 p.m.

The Bozeman class will be Sept.

12-16 at Chief Joseph Middle

School from 7 - 9 p.m. Students will complete a field day on Saturday, Sept. 17 from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. at the Logan Range. A morning or afternoon time for the field day will be assigned to students in class.

For the Bozeman class, register at fwp.mt.gov between Aug. 22 and Sept. 8 (click on Education, then Hunter Education); pick up classroom materials at the Bozeman office by Sept. 9. Or register in person on Thursday, Sept. 1, (7 - 9 p.m.) at the FWP regional office in Bozeman in the large conference room (north entrance). Students under 18 years old must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

- from the FWP wire services

explorebigsky.com August 26, 2011 13

Big Sky Weekly

montana

Summer heat can bring Back-to-school insights: Changes for Montana toxic algae blooms students and teachers

By Deb Courson Smith, Big Sky Connection Change is in the air. Parents and students are shopping for supplies, and teachers are prepping classrooms.

There will be some changes this year because of state education budget cuts, too. Laurel Middle School special education teacher Patty Muir says parents and students will see bigger class sizes, among other things.

Blue-green algae Photo by Mark Sadowski

The Montana Department of Environmental Quality is warning people to avoid ponds or lakes with unsightly algae. Hot, dry weather is triggering outbreaks, or blooms, of blue-green algae.

Blue-green algae, or cyanobacteria, reproduce rapidly in fresh water when the sunlight, temperature and nutrients are just right. Within a few days a clear lake, pond or ditch can become cloudy with algae growth.

Potentially toxic blue-green algae can occur in Montana in any lake, reservoir, stock pond or roadside ditch.

Residential drinking water taken from a lake may also be affected. The algae is not normally found in rivers, streams, springs, irrigation canals, or wells.

A bloom often looks like bright green paint floating on the water, however it can also appear bluish, brownish or reddish green. It is made up of extremely small organisms that are very difficult to pick up or hold. They are usually suspended in water or formed

into floating mats and can be several inches thick near the shoreline.

In most cases in Montana the algae is not toxic. Only certain species are capable of producing toxins, and even these species are harmless most of the time. But in their toxic form, blue-green algae can sicken or kill pets, waterfowl and livestock. The algae can also cause serious illness in humans.

Signs of a toxic bloom may include large numbers of dead fish, waterfowl or other animals, the sudden unexplained illness or death of a cat or dog, especially if it has algae on its mouth, legs or feet, or a skin rash on humans after being in the water.

There is no way to tell for sure if the water is toxic unless it is actually injected into an experimental laboratory animal. Harmless strains of potential toxin-producing algae look the same as deadly strains under a microscope.

“In my district, we have reduced our gifted and talented program, and we’ve also had to reduce our P.E. and health classes. It’s due to the reductions and the lack of resources and staffing that we have available to us this year.”

Next year may be an even bigger challenge for educators, when a $5 million cut in the state’s required

inflation adjustment for schools takes effect. Muir, who is a Montana Eudcation Association and Montana Federation of Teachers, says the budgetary pressures are the strongest she has felt in her 33 years of teaching.

“It’s not to say that it’s taking away the anticipation and the excitement of starting a new school year, it’s just to say that, already, the stress levels are extremely high.”

School funding was a contentious debate in the Montana Legislature this year, with MEA-MFT claiming legislators decided not to invest more in schools, even though money was available to do so – an argument now borne out by updated state revenue numbers from the Legislative Fiscal Division.

State unemployment up in July Montana’s unemployment rate hit 7.7 percent in July, moving up by 0.2 percent for the second straight month. The U.S. unemployment rate decreased by 0.1 percent to 9.1 percent for the month.

Both the payroll and total employment estimates indicated job losses of about 900 in July on a seasonally adjusted basis.

Private sector payroll jobs increased by 2,600 jobs, while government employment decreased by about 3,500 jobs.

-from the Department of Labor and Industry’s wire services

- from the DEQ wire services

Advisory members needed for OHV and State Trails Committees Montana State Parks, a division of Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, is seeking diversified trail users to serve on two different trails advisory committees.

The Off-Highway Vehicle Advisory Committee advises the agency on the annual OHV Trails Program funds and trail-related concerns.

The State Trails Advisory Committee advises the agency on the disbursement of federal Recreational Trails Program grant funds, discusses recreational trails issues and provides recommendations and solutions regarding trail-related concerns. The funding is granted primarily to local Montana communities and orga-

nizations involved with trail improvement and maintenance efforts statewide.

Montana State Parks is seeking two new Off-Highway Vehicle Advisory Committee members for three-year terms, and four new State Trails Advisory Committee members for three-year terms.

“In both cases, we are seeking new committee members with broad recreational trail backgrounds to ensure that the interests represented by the committee members are balanced and include a range of perspectives,” said Beth Shumate, Montana State Parks’ Trails Coordinator.

14 August 26, 2011 explorebigsky.com

Volunteers serve three-year terms and meet for one day, two to three times per year. Members are reimbursed for travel expenses. The State Trails Advisory Committee is made up of 10 committee members; the Off-Highway Vehicle Advisory Committee is made up of five members. All new committee members are appointed by the State Parks Administrator.

Applications must be received by 5 p.m., Sept. 2. To apply to either committee, send a letter or email that includes the following: Your name, address, telephone number and email address; a description of the trail activities in which

you participate and how often; your involvement with trail projects and programs; the trail organizations to which you belong; other talents and experience you would bring to the committee; your philosophy and perspectives regarding recreational trails use; which committee you would like to serve on.

Mail applications to: Trails Advisory Committees, Montana State Parks, Recreation Bureau, P.O. Box 200701, Helena, MT 59620-0701 or bshumate@mt.gov.

- from the Montana State Parks wire services

Big Sky Weekly

montana

Montanans coming out of the woodwork to protect private property rights IR-125 petition gathering steam statewide

By Emily Stifler This August, in the name of private property rights, a group of concerned citizens, lawmakers and organizations have gathered signatures to add an initiative to the November 2012 ballot. The ballot initiative, IR-125, would repeal the state’s controversial new eminent domain law, House Bill 198.

Passed by the Montana legislature in May 2011, HB 198 is the first time the state has expanded the power of eminent domain into the private sector.

Previously, the right to condemn private land for the public good was only used for government purposes such as roads, utilities and pipelines.

Since the bill’s passing, a Canadian energy company has condemned more than 45 farms and ranches for use in the Montana Alberta Tie Line, a 214-mile, 300-kilovolt transmission line with steel towers up to 160 feet tall that would run between Lethbridge, Alberta, and Great Falls.

The group would have to collect 24,337 signatures, representing 34 districts, before Sept. 30, 2011.

“Everyone agrees that Northwestern Energy has the right to condemn,” said Gary Spaeth, a spokesperson for the referendum group, VoteFor125.

“Anyone that condemns has to pay reasonable

value and damages to the landowner. But (IR125) isn’t about that.

It’s about the landowner having some say over his or her land, and what’s going to happen to the land.”

The lines would “industrialize the landscape, thus impacting tourism in towns and communities,” he added.

Although no volunteer group has gotten a referendum onto the ballot in such short order, Spaeth says he’s seen significant grassroots efforts, parPHoto by Derek Gavey ticularly in rural areas. work and (have) been gathering signatures.”

“Landowners are concerned,” Spaeth said. “Montana is a state where a lot of our urban people have rural roots. Even if they don’t, they like rural values and ideas, and they think this threatens those.

We’ve been having people come out of the wood-

Recent weekends have seen petition drives in Bozeman, Glendive, the Flathead Valley, and in small towns from Albion and Ekalaka to the Yak, Spaeth said.

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August 26, 2011 Volume 2 // Issue #16

Big Sky

“Shaman Woman 1”

“Buffalo Totem”

“When the Guides and the Allies Come”

Jacqueline Rieder Hud Expressionist painter Jacqueline Rieder Hud moved from southern California to an 1860 homestead in Gallatin Gateway 17 years ago. Her grandmother homesteaded in northern Montana, and restoring the ranch has felt natural for her.

The 63-year-old artist had a difficult younger life, and has focused on healing and transformation through Jungian psychology, art, animal activism and finally, by moving to Montana. Many of the images Rieder Hud paints come

from “psychic processing through dreams, and working on the earth.”

She’s been on the board of directors at Bozeman’s Keystone Conservation for 12 years and served as their Interim executive director for two years. She lives on the Blue Mountain Ranch with her husband, trial lawyer John Hud, and spends her time moving horses and painting.

E.S. Artist’s Statement: “I feel a sense of union with animal spirits and an admiration for their rhythmic interaction with their environment, a rhythm that Man as Animal has long forgotten. I long for the Human heart and mind to engage the intrinsic value of wild places. Sit in stillness… take a breath, reflect upon what man as species has wrought upon Mother Earth.”

This quote reflects my commitment to the natural world. As the human population grows exponentially, natural habitat is greatly diminished, and the need for people to dialogue about balance and living with the keystone predator species is ever more apparent.

The Earth has an overarching system that used to be in balance before people fragmented the habitat.

Keystone Conservation studies how this affects the prey animals and the vegetation. In a less than perfect world, we try to help people who live on the landscape co-exist with predators.

“A Right of Initiation”

When I discovered the Blue Mountain Ranch in 1993, I experienced a ‘shamanic descent’ into the earth in the birthing pens in the big log barn. By virtue of this experience I made a life choice to haul my horses to Montana. I rescued donkeys

Jacqueline Reider Hud’s art will be showing at Creighton Block Gallery in Big Sky, Aug. 27Sept.13. She will be at the gallery for a reception Saturday Aug. 27, 5:30-8:30 p.m.

from the ’93 Malibu fires, and they were the first to arrive. Several horses have lived with us and passed. Now we have two great saddle horses, a mule that was a gift in trade for a painting, and an Andalusian horse who needed a home. It’s inspirational crowd management on a daily basis.

Because I have worked with my own shadow for decades and gone down into deep psychic pain, often through dreams, I am open to the ‘Light of Mercurius’ that can come through that dark journey. The dream stuff is about balance between psyche and body. It’s a new age thing. Anybody who’s in it will get it, and nobody else gives a rat’s ass.

A lot of people from my past lifetimes have called me the past few days. I think my time is here. It’s very strange and positive. At this stage in life my sense of freedom is opening so fast. I wish I had more time left, but that’s the way it is.

My current body of work at Creighton Block Gallery tells my stories, enhanced by the documentary film about my creative process, “Painting the Wild.” jriederhud.com

explorebigsky.com August 26, 2011 17

Big Sky Weekly

youth

Rise of the Big Horns: Big Sky’s own football team

By Kaela Schommer, cub reporter for the Weekly and abbie digel| photos by taylor anderson Goal posts are up, bleachers have risen, and practice has started all in preparation for Lone Peak High School’s first six-man football team.

Six-man football, a variation of 11man tackle football, tends to be faster paced and have higher scores. As head coach Tony Beardsley puts it, “It’s like basketball on grass.”

A school must have less than 65 students in order to have a six-man team, according to Loren Bough, chair of the Ophir school board. Lone Peak High School is considered a Class C school.

Six-man football was created in Chester, Nebraska by a high school coach in 1934 as a way for small high schools to have a football team.

In the spring of 1938 around 55 schools were playing and by 1939 that number doubled. Now six-man football is played in other states

18 August 26, 2011

such as, Florida, Colorado, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Wyoming, and Canada.

This new addition to Lone Peak High School activities has got residents excited. The school administration, community members, and local businesses helped make the team happen.

Joe Perry, head of the Booster Club, says that in a town this size everyone is putting in “time, money, (and) whatever it takes.”

Bough and Perry formed the Quarterback Club last school year as an arm of the booster program in an effort to raise funds for sports programs at the school.

“We didn’t want to impact the school’s budget,” Bough said.

More than 150 donors gave the club up to $500, and 11 volunteer callers who inquired business and community members, raised over a $100,000 in the span of three weeks.

youth

Perry said that 75 percent of QB Club funds went to other school-related ventures such as a new activities bus, which will transport students to outside events, the school weight room and miscellaneous school activities. That way, “It benefits the whole school,” Perry said. Perry, Ron Downer, and Jerry House flew to North Dakota during press time to select the new bus.

Six-man football brings exciting change to the Big Sky atmosphere. Beardsley says that sports to give identity to a town and school. He says it will create school pride, and more of a sense of community for the students, teachers, parents and fans.

It will be a rallying point, Bough says, and a place for the community to “interact with the students, see how they preform, how they win, and more importantly how they lose.”

The team consists of 20 of the 30 boys who attend LPHS, and two more may join soon for the two-a-day preseason practices.

“It’s gonna be big,” said Dave House, a parent of three players. He and other parents watch practices as much as they can, creating a buzz for the upcoming season. The boys have “the athletic ability to play,” House said, and besides, “is there a prettier place for a football stadium?”

Season tickets will be available through the Booster Club, and the Big Horns will travel as far as the Flathead Valley for games. Some parents are already talking about the possibility of an eight-man team, which would mean closer games.

“But that all depends on the kids’ involvement,” House said.

Parents, players and coaches are looking forward to an intrasquad scrimmage on Aug. 26, followed by the first regular season home game on Sept. 3 against Fromberg. Games are at 1p.m.

Kick-Off Weekend The LPHS Bighorn Booster Club is hosting the 2011/2012 Football Kickoff Weekend September 1 – 3. The weekend will feature live music, games, prizes, family-fun, and a pig broast. All proceeds will go to the Bighorn Booster Club, a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization dedicated to providing our teams and clubs with uniforms and equipment to excel in and out of the classroom.

Bonfire Pep Rally

September 1, 7:30 p.m.

Town Center fire pit.

Live music from Greg Aulden, and fall team player introductions.

Pre-Broast tickets will be for sale: Adults, $35; Ages 12-18, $15; Ages 11 and under, $5.00.

Volleyball fundraiser will also be held at the Town Center Fire pit.

Music and NFL Punt, Pass and Kick Challenge September 3, 12 p.m.

Bighorn Field

Bighorns vs. Fromberg/ Roberts Falcons September 3 1 - 3 p.m.

Bighorn Field

Pig Broast

September 3 Bighorn Field Pig broast, hamburgers, hot dogs, cornbread, corn on the cob, watermelon, beans, cookies and drinks. Adults, $35; Ages 12-18, $15; Ages 11 and under, $5.00. This event will raise funds for sports and clubs in the Ophir School District. bighornboosters@gmail.com

Football obstacle course (for school age kids) and a bouncy castle for younger kids also available.

The Booster Club is helping kick off the fall sports season and the start of school by having a kick-off weekend starting Sept. 1.

SENIORS

rules of the game

Each state follows its own, slightly different six-man football rules. Montana follows the National Federation of High School rules, which are the same as 11-man football except:

1. The field is 80 yards long and 40 yards wide

2. All players are eligible for a pass except the quarterback

3. It takes 15 yards to get a first down 4. The quarterback cannot run the ball, must pass or lateral first.

Coaches:

Head Coach: Tony Beardsley

Nick Mctaggert Line guard

Matt Becker

Assistant Coaches: Don Becker, Mark Gale, Adam Olson, Tom Newberry, Brian Pringle, Al Malinowski

Center defensive end explorebigsky.com August 26, 2011 19

Big Sky Weekly

solo exhibition

featuring the artwork of

jacqueline RiedeR Hud

“meditation on the Realms of downgoing” 24 x 48”

au g u s t 2 7 - s e p t e m b e R 1 3 R e c e p t i o n w i t H t H e a Rt i st s at u R day, au g u s t 2 7 5 : 3 0 - 8 : 3 0 p. m .

“a Right of initiation”

H o u R s : 1 1 : 3 0 a . m . - 6 : 3 0 p . m . tu e s . - Fr i .

10 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. sat. 10 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. sun. b i g s k y to w n c e n t e r 4 0 6 - 9 9 3 - 9 4 0 0 20 August 26, 2011 explorebigsky.com

Big Sky Weekly

sports

College athletes and scandals whether athletes should be rewarded monetarily for their services. Proponents of the current system indicate that scholarships provide such compensation, while critics argue that it isn’t enough.

By Brandon Niles All around the NCAA, football teams are being investigated for rule violations involving current and former players receiving gifts from boosters.

Several prominent universities have been implicated, including Oregon, USC, UNC, and Ohio State over the past couple of years. Most recently, Miami has been investigated for this matter. A booster named Nevin Shapiro, currently on trial for allegedly running a Ponzi scheme, stated that he provided gifts to various Miami athletes beginning as far back as 2002. As a result, the NCAA is investigating the university, and it seems very likely that punishment will soon follow.

The increased amount of scandals surrounding NCAA football has caused heated debates among sports fans. Questions have been posed as to

In comparison to the NBA and NFL labor situations of the past several months; this is really an argument about revenue. The players in both professional leagues feel that they are the source of revenue and are therefore entitled to a higher percentage than the owners are willing to give.

While there are many other mitigating factors to these negotiations, I believe this is the crux of the debate.

By the numbers, a full-ride, fully loaded fouryear scholarship at a large university adds roughly $240,000. That’s about $60,000 per year, which would be a fantastic salary for anyone coming directly out of high school. However, Division I football brings in roughly $40-to-50 million per year in revenue. A star player on a college football team has the ability to bring in more fans. Additionally, that player has the ability to help the team reach a bowl game, generating even more revenue. This doesn’t even factor in merchandise sales and television revenue. Is it fair that this player is compensated at less than 1 percent from the ticket sales revenue of the NCAA? Even taking into consideration an entire

team with maximum scholarships allocated, less than 13 percent of revenue is going to the players that provide it, again without factoring in merchandising and television.

It seems to me that a compromise will ease the temptation players must feel to accept monetary benefits. These benefits and gifts are thrown at them when they reach a high profile status at a big school. I can’t imagine the difficulty players face trying to turn down such extravagances.

Perhaps sharing the profits from jersey sales or allowing specific types of endorsement deals would be a good compromise.

Either way, it’s clear that the current system of college sports is not effective in keeping kids from accepting gifts. It may just be me, but when the options for resolution involve harsher punishments or some rightfully deserved compensation, I support the latter.

Brandon Niles has done online freelance writing about the NFL since 2007. His articles range from NFL news to team-specific commentary. A Communication Studies graduate student at the University of North Carolina Greensboro, Niles is also an avid Miami Dolphins fan, which has led to his becoming an avid Scotch whisky fan over the past decade. He hopes to visit Montana some day.

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Big Sky Weekly

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health & wellness

Big Sky Weekly

TH E W EST MAY BE WILD,

but it’s not uncivilized

Childhood immunization: risks and responsibilities

by Erin A. Bills, MPH Eye in the Sky Photography

Childhood vaccines protect from a number of serious and possibly fatal diseases such as measles, tetanus, polio, diphtheria, and pertussis (whooping cough). If you haven’t heard of these diseases or don’t consider them a risk, it’s because immunization programs work.

Recent epidemiological studies have ranked Montana’s immunization rate as the lowest in the United States.* Why should we be concerned about this rank if the risk of disease seems low?

Infants are extremely vulnerable to this disease. In Montana, pertussis cases doubled in 2010 compared to 2009.

Choosing to not immunize certainly comes with its own risks and responsibilities. A natural polio infection could lead to paralysis or a natural measles infection could lead to deafness. These are vaccine preventable diseases.

If you choose not to vaccinate your child, it is important to know risks According to the Center for Disease and responsibilities associated with Control and Prevention (CDC), this decision outlined by the CDC. the discovery of Informing medivaccines has had cal providers In May of this year, that your child a great impact on health saving vaccinated the CDC reported iscannothelp millions of lives with acannually. Vacthe largest measles curate diagnosis cines are metreatment. outbreak in 15 years. and ticulously tested The child’s and side effects school, childcare 89 percent of the are monitored facility, and any cases reported were other caregivboth before and after FDA apers should be unvaccinated. proval ensuring informed of your vaccine safety. decision to not Technological advancement has also immunize as well. In the event improved the efficacy of recomthat your child catches a vaccine mended childhood vaccines. As preventable disease or an outbreak with any treatment, vaccines can is occurring, you may be required cause side effects, but it’s important to remove your child from school to remember that vaccines are much or other activities. Furthermore, safer than the diseases they prevent. travel to areas of the world where vaccine preventable diseases are A common fear in recent years is highly endemic is risky for an unthe idea that vaccines like measles, vaccinated child. mumps, and rubella (MMR), may be linked to autism. The original In May of this year, the CDC reportstudy has been retracted citing ed the largest measles outbreak in biased reporting by the study’s 15 years. Eighty-nine percent of the primary investigator. There is no cases reported were unvaccinated. evidence-based connection between Childhood immunization programs vaccines and autism. are designed to prevent disease and maintain a healthy population.

Another concern is that vaccines Choosing not to vaccinate puts not contain mercury. Until 1999, only your child, but others at risk of thimerosal—a mercury-containing vaccine preventable diseases. Before preservative—was used in vaccines. making any final decision whether As of 2001, thimerosal is no longer or not to vaccinate, please consult used in recommended childhood with your primary care physician or vaccines with the exception of pediatrician. multi-dose influenza vaccine that contains trace amounts of thimerosal. Single dose and live-attenuated *Epidemiological data and vaccine (nasal spray vaccine) versions of the safety provided by the Center for influenza vaccine do not contain Disease Control and Prevention thimerosal.

(CDC).

A TASTE OF THE RAINBOW Tuesday - Sunday | 5-7pm

This summer, there is a new way to enjoy the artistic excellence of our culinary team in the kitchen and master mixologists behind the bar. Introducing Taste of the Rainbow Summer Bar Bites, a selection of small plates to be enjoyed with our Happy Hour drink specials.

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Escape to Rainbow Ranch in September for an end of summer getaway! Enjoy long summer nights as you sip on one of our signature cocktails like the Basil Lemon Drop or the Smoked Martini. Stay Sunday through Thursday in September and receive 25% off the Best Available Rate and two signature cocktails when booked by September 16.

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41 REASONS TO VISIT BOZEMAN DEACONESS PHARMACY AT BIG SKY. Fill a prescription. Refill a prescription. Shop for over-the-counter remedies for head colds, heartburn, and whatever else ails you.

Quickly. Conveniently. Right here in Big Sky

When we don’t immunize, preventable diseases reappear. In 2010 several states have reported an increased number of cases and outbreaks of pertussis (whooping cough), a highly contagious and sometimes fatal respiratory disease.

cdc.gov/vaccines.

at Meadow Village Center across from the Big Sky Chapel.

Erin A. Bills, MPH, is a public health consultant living in Big Sky, MT. She is dedicated to improving the health of Montana’s rural populations.

Hours: Monday-Friday, 10:00 am-6:00 pm; Closed 2:00-2:30 pm for lunch Meadow Village Center | 36 Center Ln, Suite 2 406-993-9390 | www.bozemandeaconess.org/pharmacy

explorebigsky.com August 26, 2011 23

environmental column Life since the industrial revolution has taken a toll on the earth

By Eileen Connors In the early 1900s the population was a fraction of what it is today.

People harvested their own food, bartered services with others in the local area, shopped at general stores where they bought local items that came without any packaging. They didn’t pollute, burn fossil fuels or use disposable products.

There were only reusable products and things were thrown out when they were no longer functional.

There was real horsepower, not fuel injected horsepower, and airlines or private jets.

With the industrial revolution, a small population turned on the first lights in homes, drove vehicles and went to work in factories with automated manufacturing lines.

The numbers were still small, and earth’s natural process could still absorb the pollution and greenhouse gases emitted into the air and water.

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But as manufacturing, technology and the population expanded, so did our cars, aviation, electricity use, packaging, our ability to buy international goods. Our disposable society was introduced about 50 years ago, and it’s our most destructive abuse to the environment.

With this much larger population expanding on so many abuses, we produced today’s environmental problems, including global warming.

But getting back to a responsible life is easy. Individuals becoming responsible in their daily actions is the most urgent needed action. Individual cooperation can create the needed positive results today, but we all need to learn how and why to be responsible.

Lets stop conveniencing ourselves out of a livable planet. Learn this and so much more at EnvironmentalEducator.org, and highly rated app.

Follow Connors’s column at explorebigsky.com.

business Mortgage rate at historic low The Montana Board of Housing recently announced the historically low rate of 3.875 percent for its 30-year fixed-rate mortgages. The Board has been providing mortgage financing for first-time homebuyers for over 33 years. This rate is less than the previous low by a full percentage point.

Recent budget crisis creating economic anxiety

By Jane Honeck, CPA The recent budget crisis catapulted the country into stock market turmoil and reaffirmed the consequences of ignoring Sir Francis Bacon’s 400-year-old words, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” Those sage words were echoed during FDR’s inaugural speech and still ring true today.

So, how can individuals move beyond economic anxiety and fear, and get on with our lives? How do we keep our own stability and help build this economy instead of tear it down?

powerlessness? Today’s financial fears keep us worrying about things we can’t change. But, we become empowered by transforming those we can. Can we stop the stock market slide? Probably not, but we can make changes in our own financial world.

4. Take the next step: Don’t worry about all the steps from here to your own financial stability – you only need worry about the next step.

Pay a bill; start a savings account; cut up a credit card – any next step will start the momentum.

Ultimately, the culmination of those next steps will build trust in yourself and your ability to meet your future goals.

“Our own grassroots efforts can make a difference in moving us and the country out of fear and back into possibility.”

Like it or not, we’re all in this together, and it’s clear what happens when we tackle today’s problems as a house divided.

Frustration and mistrust grow and the solution seems out of reach and certainly nothing we can influence.

But, our own grassroots efforts can make a difference in moving us and the country out of fear and back into possibility. Following are simple steps anyone can take to step out of financial paralysis and into building new money muscles:

1. Talk it up: Share your feelings with someone and get their perspective. With sharing, things become more balanced and, at least two of you will be shouldering the load instead of just you.

2. Stay in the moment: Affirm your own financial reality now. Did you make it through yesterday, last week, last month? Have things changed that much? Do you have enough today? None of us know what’s really ahead – but we can be certain about today.

3. Choose your battle: Be honest about what’s underneath your concern – is it mistrust, lack of control,

5. Do it again: When the next negative headline appears (and it will) go back to step one. Fear is a part of life, but it doesn’t have to take over.

It may feel like a lot of effort the first time you tackle these steps.

But, use them often and eventually you’ll slip right through fear and into empowered action with a blink of an eye.

These five easy steps move us from emotion to motion, paralysis to possibility, fear to trust. And, when we trust, all things are possible.

Jane Honeck, CPA, PFS, and author of The Problem With Money? It’s Not About the Money!, is a money coach specializing in tax and financial planning for small businesses, individuals and couples. She is also a Certified Empowerment Trainer and has developed Cent$ible Living financial workshops and money coaching sessions to help her clients make meaningful and lasting change in their financial lives. theproblemwithmoney.com

Lean manufacturing expert to present training in five Montana cities Lean manufacturing expert Bill Waddell will teach “leadership excellence” training in five Montana cities in late August and early September. The six-hour trainings are intended to improve business health using simple, straightforward principles, and will be held in Billings, Bozeman, Helena, Missoula and Kalispell.

The concept behind lean business is to maximize customer value while minimizing waste, according to the Lean Enterprise Institute. “Simply, lean means creating more value for customers with fewer resources.”

Co-author of Simple Excellence, a book about organizing and aligning management teams for effective Lean transformation, Waddell has addressed professional, academic and military groups on five continents and has spoken and taught in

DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOUR FOOD COMES FROM?

virtually every leading manufacturing forum in the U.S. He is a global supply chain expert, one of the original Lean Accounting “thought leaders” and a leading expert in lean manufacturing.

He also wrote Rebirth of American Industry, has published numerous articles, and is the most widely read manufacturing blogger on the Internet.

Provocative and funny, Waddell will provide the key elements for business owners, managers and their teams to begin creating a culture of excellence. The role of leadership and its impact on employees will be clearly defined. The Bozeman class will be Aug. 31. mtmanufacturingcenter.com - from the MSU News Service

Straight from the source to your table Learn more and order online at bigskylocalfood.com 406-579-7094

BISON Big Sky Weekly :Layout 1

7/27/10

1:26 PM

Page 1

Catch a flight in the morning.

Be totally amazed by noon!

You can’t land any closer to where you want to be!

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explorebigsky.com August 26, 2011 25

business directory

Big Sky Weekly

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This year more than 1,200 AmeriCorps members served Montana by tutoring and mentoring youth, building affordable energy efficient housing, cleaning parks and streams, building trails, weatherizing homes, assisting with tax preparation, helping communities respond to disasters, recruiting volunteers and preparing to be teachers and health care providers.

“I joined AmeriCorps to gain experience and insight into what I wanted for a career,” said Alana Brown, AmeriCorps member with the Justice for Montanans Project. “[The program] changed what I valued, what I can live without, and taught me to look at life through a big-picture lens. When my service ends this month, I plan to attend law school and continue to work for justice.” Brown will attend the University of Montana School of Law this fall.

The seven AmeriCorps programs administered by the Governor’s Office of Community Service include Campus Corps, Montana Conservation Corps, Justice for Montanans Project, Montana Energy Corps, Young

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Big Sky Weekly

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“Americorps changed what I valued, what I can live without, and taught me to look at life through a big-picture lens.

When my service ends this month, I plan to attend law school and continue to work for justice.”

- Alana Brown, AmeriCorps member with the Justice for Montanans Project

Adult Service Corps, Montana State Parks AmeriCorps and Big Sky Watershed Corps.

“AmeriCorps is a great option for those wanting to learn new skills while giving back to their community,” said Jan Lombardi, Executive Director of the Governor’s Office of Community Service. “Last year $2 million in AmeriCorps education awards has gone to our Montana colleges, universities and student lending organizations.”

AmeriCorps members must be at least 17, can serve full- or part-time, and may receive a modest living allowance, student-loan forbearance, health coverage and childcare. Upon completion of a term of service, members are eligible to receive the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $5,550, which can be used to pay back student loans or cover future tuition costs.

AmeriCorps is a program of the Corporation for National and Community Service, a federal agency that engages more than five million Americans in service through its Senior Corps, AmeriCorps and Learn and Serve America programs. The Governor’s Office of Community Service was created in 1993 to expand and promote national service and volunteerism in Montana. serve.mt.gov/?p=7031 americorps.gov -from Weekly wire services

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explorebigsky.com August 26, 2011 27

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We’re looking for more Consignor items of: Home Furnishings, Clothes, Sporting Goods & more

Ongoing Price Reductions In Store Women’s, men’s & children’s clothing; many In-Home goods; Sporting items; Golf clubs & bags, Bicycles, Fishing, Camping, much more

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Call 406-995-4244 for Reservations & Information

Dinner 6:00-Close Tuesday~Saturday

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Big Sky Weekly

column

The new guy in town Stocking the fridge by cameron Lord

The author (picture center) making his move from Austin I moved to Big Sky in mid-August from Austin, Texas. In my previous life, I was a finance guy, running numbers, armed with a Blackberry and some spreadsheets. The pay was good, but I felt the need for something more. So last month I put that world in the rearview mirror and moved to Montana.

I’ve always wanted to live in a smaller town in a beautiful place.

But now, I’m finding out just how different my new world really is.

When I packed up the U-Haul, I was expecting mountain living to be easy: It’s not 108 degrees here, so how hard could it be?

A friend set me up with a place to rent in West Fork, above Milkie’s and The Wrap Shack—a “primo location,” she assured me. It sure starts sounding like the place to be around 7 p.m. most nights, once the music and revelers get going. (Maybe that’s why my place was vacant.) Embracing the party vibe, I started sampling the local food and nightlife.

After a week of eating out for most meals, I learned a couple of things: 1) You can make it to every restaurant in Big Sky in a week, and 2) I would go broke soon if I didn’t start cooking for myself.

Enter the world of grocery shopping Big Sky-style.

My only experience so far had been spending $17 in the Town Center for a 10-pack of Claritin to quell an emergency allergy attack after running the Reflector Trail. Damned wildflowers!

Still feeling that wallet-sting, I decided I needed to go to Bozeman to buy groceries. There’s a Costco in Bozeman, and isn’t that the Lazy American Embassy? I’d feel right at home.

As much as I love Costco, it’s not a one-stop-shop. But I wasn’t sure where else in Bozeman to go. So many options—I’ve never seen a place with more grocery stores per square mile: Town & Country, the Co-Op, Rosauers, Albertsons, Heebs, Safeway, Montana Natural Harvest.

I settled on the Co-op and purchased some fancy organic produce, then headed to Costco to load up on meat.

As I pulled into the parking lot, I realized I’d committed yet another rookie error: I didn’t bring a cooler. I decided to make Costco my last stop and crossed my fingers that nothing spoiled or defrosted on the long drive home.

Driving south on 191, I also realized I hadn’t come close to buying enough food, and I would probably run out of produce in less than a week. Lesson learned: If you have to travel an hour each way for food, buy a lot.

Experience Counts Choose your broker for the right reasons

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Ania Bulis Broker 406.579.6852

Jackie Miller Broker 406.539.5003

It turns out even grocery shopping in Montana is enough to humble a former Manhattan investment banker; it takes a lot to humble an investment banker, which is why I left in the first-place.

So, next time you see a guy in the Hungry Moose, loading up on produce, looking confused and consulting a map, come over and say hi—I could use the conversation. More importantly, I’m probably lost.

Marilyn Walsh Broker 406.580.4242

Jason Parks Broker 406.580.4758

Sandy Revisky Broker 406.539.6316

Cameron is a former banker, parttime blogger and full-time gaper who shares his misadventures as he learns about mountain life in Big Sky. Read his blog at highlighter-theory. typepad.com.

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EVENTS big sky Summer Shabbat Service with Congregation Beth Shalom Torah Study , Shabbat Dinner Big Sky Chapel Aug. 26, 6:30 p.m.

Torah Study, Hike

Planning an event? Let us know! Email abbie@theoutlawpartners.com and we’ll spread the word.

Yoga Lunch Break

Spruce Moose Festival

Town Center Park Aug. 30, 12 – 1 p.m.

Ft. John Butler Trio Big Sky Resort Sept. 3, 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.

big sky labor day weekend events

Mountain Fest’s Cardboard Boat Regatta

Free Health Screening in Big Sky

Big Sky Chapel Aug. 27, 9 a.m.

Bozeman Deaconess Pharmacy September 1, 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Big Sky XC Motorcycle Race

Bon Fire Pep Rally and Pig Roast

Big Sky Resort Aug. 27- 28

Town Center Park September 1, 3- 10 p.m.

Indian Night at Lotus Pad

Montana Shakespeare in the Parks

Aug. 27, Sept. 3 $22

Brunch at Lone Mountain Ranch Aug. 28, Sept. 4, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Monday Night Pig Roast 320 Guest Ranch Aug. 29 , Sept. 5, 6 – 8 p.m.

Mixed Doubles Disc Golf Tournament Big Horn Ridge Community Course Aug. 30, Sept. 6 6 p.m.

Lake Levinsky Sept. 3, 11 a.m.

Local Musicians Gathering Lone Peak Brewery Aug. 31, Sept. 7, 7 p.m.

Bluebird Sky Lone Mountain Ranch Veranda Aug. 31, Sept. 7, 8 – 9:30 p.m.

The Merchant of Venice Town Center Park Sept. 1, 6 p.m.

Big Sky Farmers’ Market

Big Sky Owner’s Association Annual Meeting

Hayride and Riverside BBQ

Talus room of Summit Hotel Sept. 2, 1 – 5 p.m. followed by reception

Keb Mo and Jackie Greene Town Center Park Sept. 2, 6 p.m.

Town Center Aug. 31, Sept. 7, 5 - 8 p.m.

with Aron Ralston Bozeman Public Library Sept. 8, 8 – 10 a.m.

Comedian Gary Mule Deer The Ellen Theater Sept. 9, 7 p.m.

west yellowstone Pine Needle Stampede Rendezvous Trailhead Building Aug. 27, 7:30 a.m.

Free Fly Fishing Clinics Jacklin’s Fly Shop Aug.27, Sept. 3, 7:30 p.m.

Federation of Fly Fishers Fair and Conclave Aug. 28 – Sept. 3

320 Guest Ranch Aug. 31, Sept. 7, 5:30 – 9 p.m.

Junior Smokejumper Program

Art Gallery/Wine Tasting

Chamber/Visitor Center Monday – Sat.

Creighton Block Gallery Sept. 1, 8, 4:30 – 6:30 p.m.

Winery Dinner 320 Guest Ranch Sept. 6, 6 p.m.

Friends of the Library Meeting Big Sky Community Library Sept. 7, 10 a.m.

Chamber of Commerce Golf Tournament Big Sky Golf Course Sept. 9, 12:30 p.m.

Bozeman Gallatin Valley Farmers’ Market Gallatin Valley Fairgrounds Aug. 27, Sept. 3, 9 - Noon

Bogert Farmers’ Market

Annual Knothead Jamboree Learn to square dance September 2 – 5

Music in the Park Town Park Aug. 13

Gardiner Piano Music at Rosie’s Roost Aug. 31, 6 – 9 p.m.

Open Mic @ the Silvertip Aug. 29, 6-9 p.m.

Silver Gate Town Party Sept. 2, 7 p.m.

Sonic Boom @ Two Bit Sept. 1, 10 p.m.

Aug. 30, Sept. 6, 5 p.m.

People’s Market

Map and Compass Basics

Emigrant Sept. 3, 9 – 1p.m.

Bozeman REI Aug. 31, 6:30 p.m.

Farm Festival Museum of the Rockies Sept. 3, 1- 5 p.m.

Wholistic Nutrition Clinic Bozeman REI Sept. 8, 6:30 p.m.

Music on Main Sept. 1, 8, 6:30 p.m.

30 August 26, 2011 explorebigsky.com

Living Your Passion Art Exhibition

virginia city Labor Day Horseback Poker Ride Bay of Hale Saloon Sept. 3, 8:30 a.m.

Classifieds Big sky weekly home of the

$10 Classifieds! $15 with photo

Each Ad can be up to 4 lines (Maximum of 30 words). Additional lines are $5 per line, Maximum of 8 words per line.

Email classifieds and/or advertising requests to:

media@theoutlawpartners.com

(406) 995-2055

help wanted Opening at the Medical Clinic of Big Sky for receptionist/patient coordinator. Previous medical background helpful but not required.

Must be computer savvy, have the ability to multi task, work well with others and maintain confidentiality at all times. Bring fax or resume to the Medical Clinic, 11 Lone Peak Trail - suite 202 - FAX 406-9932965 or mail to PO Box 160609, Big Sky, MT 59716 --------------------------------------------Bucks T-4, Looking for creative hard working individuals to join our culinary team, Line cooks, pantry, dishwashers, Wage DOE, Pickup application at hotel front desk, Call Chuck 995-4111

Local Big Sky construction company looking for experienced carpenters; 5 years experience and references required. Please fax resume to 995-3676 or email info@ bigskybuild.com.

-----------------------------------------Ophir School District in Big Sky is seeking an Activities/Athletic Director with intense interest in directing extra-curricular and co-curricular activities, successful experience in scheduling student activities and athletic events. This position serves as the district leader in the planning and supervision of district activity programs, as well as evaluation of activities/athletic personnel. Specific functions of the position include, planning, supervision, staff development, public relations/booster organizations, communication, budget, staff relations, facilities, and record keeping. Please see the district website (www.ophirschool.org) “Employment” for more information and an application form.

--------------------------------------------Ophir School is looking for a parttime Events Coordinator to assist the administration with planning, organizing, and supervising athletic games and school sponsored events.

See website www.ophirschool.org for more information and applica-

tion guidelines. Mail to: Superintendent, P.O. Box 161280, Big Sky, MT 59716 Email: administration@ophirschool.org --------------------------------------------Ophir School in Big Sky has a parttime food service position opening 10:30-12:30 M-F. Please see www. ophirschool.org for more information and application materials or call 995-4281 ext. 200.

--------------------------------------------Ophir School District 3 Positions Available 1 FT - bus driver/Facility Asst 1 FT bus driver/custodian 1 PT Custodian Bus driving $18/hr – will train Please see website for full description s and application at www. ophirschool.org.

Or call 406-995-4281 ext. 218

for sale CHEAPEST HOUSE IN BIG SKY 2265 Little Coyote 3 BD, 2 BA, Golf Course Views Call Big Sky Sotheby’s 406.995.2244 -----------------------------------------For Sale - brand new furniture from a model home in Big Sky in Spanish Peaks. 4 Bar Stools, Couch, Entertainment Center, Cabinet and King Bedding. Call 406-993-5381.

for rent Office Space - Executive Office suites available in amazing building in Meadow Village, Big Sky - $300 to $500/mth depending on terms and office size. Each office has private door, shared conference rooms, shared kitchen space. Terms Negotiable. Call Eric 570-0639

SERVICES Golf and Ski Membership Opportunity. $5,000 and monthly dues gives you full member rights for the use of the Club at Spanish Peaks. Spanish Peaks is one of the few Communities in the world where you can ski, golf, fish and ride horses in the same neighborhood. Only one of these opportunities is available and membership must be approved. Call 303-4191263 for details.

housing wanted Local reporter needs a room in Big Sky, house preferred; Year lease or six months works. Call Taylor @ 847-902-7110 or email taylor@ theoutlawpartners.com

explorebigsky.com August 26, 2011 31

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August 26, 2011 Volume 2 // Issue #16

Big Sky

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explorebigsky.com August 26, 2011 33

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Big Sky Weekly

Local adventure

Road trip: Clarkson, Montana story and photos by pamela bussi Bright yellow sunflowers line the 15-mile road to Clarkston. The freshly paved road winds through hills, around corners and through land that was once home to a small town. Set along the Missouri River in the Clarkston Valley a few miles north of the Missouri Headwaters, this small, remote community was established in the early 20th century.

Around 1910, W. Guy Clark came to the narrow valley from western Dakota on the newly built Northern Pacific line. He bought a ranch, and through his efforts, the community soon had a store, school and grain elevator, according to the Three Forks Area Historical Society. Clark initially named the town Magpie, after the black and white birds common in the area. Later, “not liking the name Magpie, [he] had the station name changed to Clarkston,” the Historical Society’s website recounts.

Soon all the homesteads were taken, most of the land was plowed, and the district had three schoolhouses. But drought, influenza, harsh winters and the Great Depression cleared out this fast-growing area.

The rail line still runs through Clarkston, but trains continue past as though nothing exists there: no whistles, just the clattering sounds of the track. The town kept its post office until 1958; today the town is a rural residential subdivision.

Horses roam miles of pastureland. Old machinery sits on the open range, the sun, wind and rain taking its toll. Old homesteads and barns as well have fallen to Mother Nature, now skeletons of what they once were. Like many rural Montana towns, the railroad made the town. When the railroad disappeared, so went the town.

Clarkston is nestled at the foot of the Horseshoe Hills near the Missouri Headwaters State Park. Approximately 15 miles away, Three Forks is the nearest town. This beautiful part of the valley has miles of hiking and horseback riding trails, as well as hunting, fishing and floating on the Missouri River.

How to get there: For a great drive through beautiful country head toward Three Forks. From Bozeman, take the old highway at Logan, turn off at the Logan Shooting Range and drive through the hills.

Check out the cement plant at Trident for an alternative route. Again, take the old highway from Logan, take a right at Buffalo Jump Road, and go past the Missouri Headwaters State Park, through the plant. Both routes have plenty to see.

Pamela Bussi grew up on a farm and ranch in northern Montana along the hi-line.

She attended high school in Shelby, 42 miles from home. She grew up loving the land and her lifestyle, and now writes and photographs small towns in Montana. She and her husband Paul live in Bozeman and own Ideal Photography. pamelabussi.com

explorebigsky.com August 26, 2011 35

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outdoors

The Bozeman ice tower

Climbers, architects, engineers, city officials working together to create a community climbing area and concert venue

By Emily Stifler Southwest Montana winters are long, cold and frozen, and if you don’t embrace them, they feel interminable.

With our plethora of frozen waterfalls, modern gear and now plowed access to Hyalite Canyon, ice climbing’s popularity is growing quickly.

Building on the success of the Bozeman Boulder Initiative, climbers Conrad Anker of Bozeman and Joe Josephson of Livingston have led an initiative to build an 85-foot ice climbing tower at Gallatin County Fairgrounds.

“A world class competition structure would put Bozeman on the map as the capital of ice climbing in the United States,” said Anker, an internationally known mountaineer.

“I think this would catch people’s attention,” said Bozeman Mayor Jeff Krauss. The structure would be visible from I-90 and “would make a statement” to all driving past, he said. “I like the fact that we would have an identity with this extreme sport. We’re kind of an extreme sports town…I see this as capitalizing on that in a big way.”

“We’re working on the design, the politics, the permission and where we’re going to put it,” said Josephson, who also coordinates the Bozeman Ice Festival. “It’s a long complicated process that will require a lot of energy and dedicated effort. But the committee is optimistic and committed.”

The 20-person organizing committee consists of local climbers, design professionals and contractors.

The tower would be a training area for local climbers, and hopefully bring the International Mountaineering and Climbing Federation’s 2013 UIAA World Cup of Ice Climbing to Bozeman, according to Josephson. It could also double as a concert venue and event center.

Mixed climbing is going to be a demonstration sport in the 2014

A team of former and current MSU students have designed an 85-foot climbing tower that organizers hope will be built as part of an attempt to lure the 2013 world cup of ice climbing championships to Bozeman.

Image courtesy of Michael Spencer.

Olympics in Sochi, Russia, and “more than likely it’ll be a medal sport in 2018, because the Koreans are just nuts about it,” Josephson added.

Bozeman’s tower would be the only world cup, Olympic-caliber venue in North America.

For this year’s Bozeman Ice Fest, the plan is to build a smaller temporary structure and hold an ice climbing competition or exhibition to raise interest and awareness for the project.

A group of MSU architecture students recently won a design contest for the tower. Their design has angled climbing surfaces for ice, mixed and rock gym style climb-

ing. The structure will be built with stacked, reused shipping containers, and potentially decommissioned Bridger Bowl chair lift towers.

have to have a big name corporate sponsor associated with the sport, so we’re going to have to make a case that this is the place to do it.”

Other possible uses include a training facility for the Gallatin County’s alpine search and rescue team, an outdoor skating rink, a concert venue seating 2,000-3,000, or a hostel for visiting outdoor recreationalists.

“This would turn the fairgrounds into an asset to the whole community,” Krauss continued. “When we were a big bull selling community, we sold a lot of bulls and horses there. It’s still a good facility for county fairs, the winter fair and rodeos, but I think it can mean so much more. All communities look for something that gives them a solid identity. Our extreme sports give us some of that.”

The structure is expected to cost up to $3 million. But can Bozeman pull it off?

“Raising the money privately in Gallatin County would be difficult,” Mayor Krauss said. “We’re going to

bozemanicetower.wordpress.com

FWP open house meetings to discuss 2012-2013 hunt seasons Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks invites hunters, landowners, outfitters and others to get involved now to help set hunting seasons for 2012 and 2013. The public can comment online and at a series of statewide open houses set for Monday, Aug. 29 at most FWP regional offices.

The 7-9 p.m. open house meetings will include a brief overview of

the season setting process, and the public can stop by any time during the open house to visit with FWP biologists and game wardens.

The meeting in Bozeman will be at FWP’s Region 3 Headquarters, at 1400 S. 19th Ave.

regulation changes folks would like FWP to consider,” said Quentin Kujala, FWP’s wildlife management section chief in Helena. “We’re also hoping to learn more about what hunters are experiencing afield and what they don’t want to see changed in the future.”

“We’re especially looking for good discussions about any hunting

The deadline to submit comments is Sept. 6. To submit comments

online, go to fwp.mt.gov, and click on For Hunters and follow links to the Hunting Homepage.

Proposals that emerge for the 2012 and 2013 hunting seasons will be presented to the FWP Commission in December, followed by public comment opportunity in January 2012. The Commission will adopt final rules in February.

explorebigsky.com August 26, 2011 37

Big Sky Weekly

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entertainment

Classical Music Festival hits the right note in Big Sky

By Brian hurlbut

As the sun set behind Lone Peak on the final night of last weekend’s inaugural Big Sky Classical Music Festival, and the clouds radiated colors of orange and red while the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet played a selection from Spanish composer Manuel de Falla.

composer Pat Metheny, written especially for the Ahns. The trio closed with a chilling encore of “Riders on the Storm” by the Doors – not your typical classical music selection.

The free festival, organized by the Arts Council of Big Sky, featured internationally recognized musicians that traveled to Big Sky for the weekend.

Thanks to the generosity of Big Sky Resort, the performers stayed at the Huntley Lodge.

All of them commented on the excellent hospitality they received – some even mentioned it was the best ever – and these artists travel all over the world.

Saturday night’s performance featured the New York city-based Cassatt String Quartet. The most classical of the three nights, this beautiful string quartet wowed the audience with compositions from Schubert, Dvorak and Gershwin. The Schubert piece, “Quartet in D Minor,” also called “Death and the Maiden,” was one of the highlights of the festival, featuring five variations in the second movement.

For the finale on Sunday, the Grammy-winning Los Angeles Guitar Quartet put a six-string flair on the festival. With a combination of classical, world and jazz styles, the guitarists’ sound resonated throughout the Town Center. Especially good was a medley featuring three jazz tunes from John Coltrane and Miles Davis, and the recogniz-

The festival started off on Friday night with the Ahn Trio, three Korean-born sisters who look as good as they play. Often seen in the pages of various glamour magazines for their stunning beauty, Angella, Lucia and Maria brought the house down with their eclectic combination of compositions, including “Trio for Violin, Cello and Piano,”

by Leonard Bernstein. The highlight was “Yu Rynug,” by jazz

able “Carmen” by George Bizet. As the quartet ended, the crowd gave them a huge standing ovation, and the festival came to a close.

The openers each night were local youth ensembles. Basement Jazz, a group of teenagers – mostly girls – from Bozeman that won over the crowd. Especially impressive were guitarist Caroline Janssen and bassist Colleen Schmidt.

The Cassatt String Quartet held an open rehearsal on Sunday morning in the Talus Room at the Summit Hotel in the Mountain Village.

About 30 people listened to an educational, emotional and inspirational performance. The Ahn sisters also hosted a Masters Class

for young musicians on Saturday morning.

The weekend festival is poised to become a tradition each summer in Big Sky. Hard work was put in by volunteers, board members and staff of the Arts Council, and many local businesses stepped in to help out. Primary sponsors included the Yellowstone Club Community Foundation, the Robert and Dana Smith Family Foundation, the Montana Department of Commerce and the Big Sky Resort Area District.

Next summer’s festival will be Aug. 10-12, 2012. Judging by the response from this year, the festival should have no problem hitting an even higher note next year.

Grammy winner Keb Mo performing in Big Sky on September 2 Special Guest Jackie Greene Also Performing The Arts Council of Big Sky is pleased to announce that three-time Grammy winner Keb’ Mo’ will be in Big Sky on Friday, September 2, in the Town Center. Critically acclaimed singer-songwriter Jackie Greene, one of the fastest rising stars in the American music scene today, will be opening the show.

Tickets are available in Big Sky at the Cave Spirits and Gifts, in Bozeman at Cactus Records, and online at TicketRiver.com. Advance tickets are priced at $40. Any remaining tickets at the door will be priced at $50. The show will be rain or shine, and children 12 and under are admitted free.

Chairs and blankets are permitted in designated areas, and only personal belongings will be allowed into the venue. Food and beverage vendors will be available inside the venue, as well.

explorebigsky.com August 26, 2011 39

Big Sky Weekly

40 August 26, 2011 explorebigsky.com

Big Sky Weekly

entertainment

Pinky and the Floyd

Bozeman’s favorite little big band by tyler allen From the Zebra Cocktail Lounge to a sold out show at the Emerson Theater, and now billed alongside national acts at the Spruce Moose Festival in Big Sky, Pinky and the Floyd wasted no time becoming one of Bozeman’s most popular acts.

Four years ago they were a six-piece outfit playing Pink Floyd covers to crowded bars.

But with every song added to the repertoire, it seemed they needed to bring another element to the lineup, said founding member Dustin Tucker.

For the last two years the group has been a 10-piece band featuring some of the finest professional musicians in Bozeman, whose various tastes and training in music coalesce over a shared love for Pink Floyd. Collectively, the members belong to over 20 bands, with genres spanning from vintage swing and country, to funk and hip-hop. They play albums in their entirety, and improvise seamlessly.

In the future, Pinky hopes to do more theater shows in line with the one at the Emerson where the band was accompanied by the 50-piece Bozeman High choir, an expansive light show and a silk aerialist.

The band wants to give fans the full Pink Floyd experience, Tucker said. “Just huge, the way Floyd should be.”

With a two-night stand slated for the Emerson late this winter, as well as a debut at the Wilma Theater in Missoula, these regional shows are practice for a possible national tour.

Catch Pinky playing the Spruce Moose afterparty at Whiskey Jacks ($10 cover) from 11 p.m. to close on Saturday, Sept. 3, and opening for the John Butler Trio on Sunday, Sept. 4 (7 – 8 p.m.).

Tyler Allen writes from Bozeman

John Butler Trio to play in Big Sky Sept. 4 The lineup for the Spruce Moose Festival during Labor Day weekend got a big boost when Australian jam band John Butler Trio joined the ranks.

The first annual festival is slated for Sept. 2–4, and offers three days of big-name live music and festivities to the Big Sky community.

The festival will kick off on Friday; Sept. 2 with Bozeman roots band The Clintons’ CD release party at Whiskey Jacks. It continues on Saturday with Big Sky Resort’s Mountain Fest during the day including a 5k race and other activities.

The music continues Saturday night with Do It Kappa and The Clintons opening for Big Head Todd & The Monsters and an after party with Pinky and the Floyd at Whiskey Jacks. Sunday evening, Bozeman group Cure for the Common and Pinky and the Floyd will open for John Butler Trio, with another after party featuring K-Hol and Black Mask slated at the same bar.

Also happening Sept. 2 is a Keb Mo concert in the Meadow Village put on by the Arts Council of Big Sky. The Spruce Moose and Keb Mo concerts are separate events. The $40 Spruce Moose tickets don’t include admission to the Friday night Keb Mo concert. chamberlinproductions.com.

-from Big Sky Resort wire services Photo by Polly Armstrong

explorebigsky.com August 26, 2011 41

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Big Sky Weekly

food & dining

Good food fast at the Downtown Co-op

By Tyler Allen | photos by kelsey dzintars The health of a city can often be measured by taking the pulse of its downtown, and most Bozemanites can agree that keeping Main Street vital to the community is important as the city grows. Downtown is a meeting place for both locals and visitors, as well as a walkable place to shop and eat. Since it opened in April 2011, the new Co-op Downtown has encouraged these aspects of the Main Street experience and offered a place to get “good food fast.”

The Co-op Downtown offers a hot food and salad bar all at a flat rate per pound, a departure from the model used at the West Main store where every dish is priced differently and weighed independently.

The intent was to “make things speedy,” said Wendy Westmoreland, the Co-op’s marketing director. They were trying to avoid the bottleneck that can occur at the original store during busy lunch hours, she added.

Though many people would prefer to keep our dollars in the community and invested in food free of chemicals, high cost is usually a deterrent to buying local and organic.

Construction of the downtown store was motivated partly by the Co-op’s Board of Directors’ intent to create another outlet offering local and organic foods. Selling more of this food increases their buying

power, and in turn decreases the cost to the consumer.

The Main Street location was chosen because it has the potential to serve the most people, and because of the likelihood it would help satisfy the Co-op’s “cooperative business model,” which states that the community owning a business and being invested in its growth gives it the best chance to succeed. The Co-op offered high interest loans to members who wanted to help build the new store, and they reached their federally-permitted limit within six weeks.

Reaction to the Downtown Co-op has been mostly positive.

“It’s easy to run down there and grab a quick, healthy lunch,” said Amy Kirkland, owner of Altitude Gallery, which is a block away from the new store. It has brought more business to downtown shops like hers and is bringing locals back to Main Street, she added.

In addition, the local food offered is in keeping with the spirit of

downtown Bozeman, where locally owned businesses thrive.

The first couple of weeks the Downtown Co-op was open, it hurt lunch business at Main Street Overeasy, but now the honeymoon period seems to be over, said Josh Sponsler, the restaurant’s manager.

“The more foot traffic downtown, the better,” he added.

The downtown store is more focused on quality fast food than providing space for grocery items, but produce and staples are offered as well. The “Good to Go” case occupies a large cooler along the wall and holds pre-packaged food like

Curry Lime Chicken Salad or Vietnamese Rice Noodles, as well as cold deli sandwiches. The salad bar is at least twice the size of the one in the West Main store, and there is ample space between it and the hot bar for patrons to move.

The 40-seat dining area takes up a significant amount of space, giving diners a cafeteria-style experience.

Large photos of local food producers hanging on the walls serve as a friendly reminder that you are supporting your neighbors when you sit down for a meal at the Co-op Downtown.

Tyler Allen writes from Bozeman.

explorebigsky.com August 26, 2011 43

Big Sky Weekly

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fun

10 ways to unleash your creativity

By Alan Watt Creativity is our birthright. We often get stuck in our routine, and when we even bother to think about that gazpacho recipe we want to try, or that book we plan to write “some day,” we tend to find excuses that prevent us from taking the first step.

These excuses are often vague, because if we were to hold them up to the light, we might see that they don’t actually make a lot of sense.

Often the real reason we hesitate is simply because we are afraid of the unknown.

Here are ten steps I hope will demystify the process and help you get started.

1

Start today

We often think we’re not ready, don’t know enough, need to do more research, don’t have enough time or aren’t yet qualified. These are all great excuses to prevent us from taking the first step. Ask yourself two questions: What do I want to create?

What is the first step in creating it?

You may discover that the first step is going to the store to buy wood, or digging up that gazpacho recipe.

2

Let go of the result

This might be easier said than done, but if you can make the thrill of creation its own reward, you will likely be surprised by the result. We can’t expect ourselves to be brilliant right out of the gate. If we set the bar too high, we’ll never get started.

3

Be willing to fail.

This doesn’t mean you will, but if you’re willing to do it imperfectly, you might actually have some fun.

What we do consistently, we improve at. Your first attempts may be humble. If you had to do it perfectly, you wouldn’t experience the thrill of improving.

4

Share your creation.

It’s important to receive positive reinforcement at the beginning.

Everyone can use a mentor, someone who has walked this path before us.

Just because you’re married to someone, doesn’t mean they’re going to understand what you’re doing. Our families and friends are not always the best people to share our initial forays with. It’s not that they don’t love us, but it’s possible they might feel jealous or threatened. “Why are you making gazpacho? I thought we

were having pot roast?”

5

Have fun.

Remember, this is a choice. Make it a game, not a chore.

6

Make it a habit.

The simple act of creating a little bit each day will activate your subconscious, and the channel will begin to open.

7

Keep it simple.

It’s better to write for five minutes a day, than it is to write for three hours every few months.

8

Build a community.

Find your tribe. If you can find people who share your interests and are willing to support you, it can go a long way to keeping you on track.

My 78 year-old father-in-law has been jogging for the past 45 years.

Five mornings a week, he rolls out of bed at 5 a.m. and runs with the same group of guys through rain and sleet.

There is no way he is going to let his buddies down.

9

Forgive yourself.

is your time. Remember, you are uniquely qualified to create whatever it is you want to create. If you don’t do it, it won’t exist. Use your fears and anxieties as a way into your story.

Inquire into their nature. When you experience self-doubt, rather than making meaning out it, just ask yourself, ‘I wonder where this experience lives in my story?’ A character will appear who is struggling with similar feelings. This is what makes your work universal and relatable.

10

Reward yourself.

Creativity is hard work. It’s important to acknowledge this and reward yourself for it. When you complete a goal or meet a deadline, give yourself a treat. Take yourself to dinner. Go on a hike. Buy yourself some socks. When we treat our unconscious with kindness, it rewards us with new adventures.

Now go create!

Alan Watt is author of the bestselling novel, Diamond Dogs, and the bestselling book on writing, The 90-Day Novel. lawwriterslab.com

Drop the old story that you should have done this sooner. This

Keep your drink cold with an Outlaw Patners/explorebigsky koozie. Look out for quiz questions about Southwest Montana at facebook.com/explorebigsky. If you are the first to answer correctly we will send you this sweet prize! (Sorry, beer not included) explorebigsky.com August 26, 2011 45

Big Sky Weekly

Noun: wild or rough terrain adjacent to a developed area Origin: shortened form of “back 40 acres”

For the Big Sky Weekly, the Back 40 is a resource: a place where we can delve into subjects and ask experts to share their knowledge. Topics include regional history, profiles of local artists and musicians, snow and avalanche education, how-to pieces for traditional or outdoor skills, and science.

New teachers in town Get to know some of the new faculty at Ophir

By Barbara Rowley This fall several new teachers will greet students at Ophir and Lone Peak High School. The teachers, who specialize in various subjects, bring a breadth of experience and knowledge to Ophir School District.

Patty Hamblin, middle and high school English Patty Hamblin makes no bones about the Big Sky lifestyle being her passion. As a permanent resident for 15 years, Hamblin is thrilled she’ll now be able to practice the career she loves in the place she adores.

competitive level. A zealous journal keeper and reader, Hamblin assigns herself the same projects she’ll eventually give, so she can experience what she’s asking her students to do.

“I know so many of the kids and families here,” Hamblin said. “I’m excited to see them grow up from young kids to high school graduates, and to be a part of it all.”

The daughter of an English teacher, Hamblin grew up in small towns and has taught high school English the past three years in Three Forks.

Hamblin will teach eighth through 10th grade English and three elective classes to upper-classmen, including speech and debate and creative writing. She hopes to start book clubs and to take speech and debate to a

“I love small towns, knowing the kids, knowing the parents – having these relationships is what it’s all about, and I think it can improve the educational experience for everyone.”

Nikki Rust, first grade Nikki Rust was a non-traditional college student, going back to school the same time her boys – now 10 and 13 – started school themselves.

“I like to say I’m an old person with a brand-new education,” Rust said.

That combination gives her an understanding of parents, kids and families, as well as access to the most recent educational strategies. Rust said she understands parents’ needs for open communication, and her background in psychology helps her understand kids’ behavior and learning style issues.

Originally from Dillon, Mont., Rust and her family live in Bozeman, where she student-taught at Irving last year. She’d like to relocate to Big Sky, where they can enjoy outdoor sports, especially skiing.

The Ophir District caught her attention as a parent and educator because unlike some districts, which simply want to meet the standards, Ophir is all about exceeding them.

“I’m very excited about the district’s emphasis on hands-on education,” she said.

Keith McHugh, Spanish Keith McHugh will replace Cassie Kapes during her sabbatical year. Even if the position only lasts a year, McHugh says, this was an opportunity he couldn’t pass up.

“To teach in a small school surrounded by a river and mountain – that’s why I moved here,” McHugh said. “[Being] part of a school that has a focus on the environment is a dream come true.”

The son of an Argentinian mother, McHugh grew up in a bilingual household in upstate New York. He double majored in Latin American studies and Spanish

at University of Vermont, then completed his first year of teaching in Deer Lodge last year, as part of MSU’s Northern Plains Transition to Teaching program.

Before teaching, he worked in the travel industry for five years and lived abroad, including stints in Argentina and Ireland.

In Big Sky, McHugh will teach middle and high school, and has experience teaching AP Spanish.

“I want to share all the benefits the Spanish Language,” he said. “I hope that my students will realize the positive impact a second language can have on their lives.”

Big Sky Weekly

Jerry House, Interim Superintendent, Principal K-12 After 40 years of public school service, Jerry House planned to retire and consult for a school headhunting firm – but then the headhunters came after him. House had served 11 years as Superintendent in Whitefish, and two days after his retirement he got a call from Big Sky.

“We want to help set the tone and the foundation for what a K-12 district with a growing high school looks like,” said House, who also wants to make connecting with Ophir alumni a priority. “We will be creating a database of past and future alumni, so we can keep and reestablish those connections.”

“The chance to be part of a new high school in a district with a dedicated staff, community and board, in a place so similar to Whitefish…it was the perfect fit,” House said. And besides, retirement never really suited him.

“I love kids. It didn’t seem right to quit when I still had the passion and energy for it.”

Alumni relations are a piece of a bigger goal, he says, “which is to continue to foster the great relationships between the community and the school, and involve as many people as we can.”

House’s career spans 29 years in Washington State and 11 in Montana, including one in which he was named Superintendent of the Year. His wife Deb was honored last year as the First Lady of Whitefish for her volunteer efforts in the school, mentoring and fundraising.

In Big Sky, they’ve jumped into these same roles as active members of the Ophir School Council and the Booster Club.

Taking the reigns at a time when Ophir is already a high-achieving district, House says it will be his job to continue this trajectory. He plans to put in place new mechanisms for student government and involvement as the district, particularly the high school, grows.

“You’ll see us being proactive about achieving the vision this community had when they worked so hard to become a K-12 district,” he said. “It is going to be a great year.”

Tony Beardsley, Health Enhancement, Athletic Director, Football Coach Tony Beardsley was part of the process that changed the name of his subject from Physical Education to Health Enhancement.

“It was a recognition that PE isn’t just games and fitness, but nutrition, safety, human development, emotional and mental health all rolled together into one comprehensive class.”

Beardsley’s mission is to bring “total wellness to the students.” As a teacher for nearly 20 years in elementary and high schools in Montana and Utah, he’s been involved in his districts’ efforts to develop nutrition, and wellness policies and programs.

“The ultimate goal of any HE program is to get children to want to take part in healthy activities,” he said.

There is room to customize the approach to healthi-

ness depending on a community’s needs and lifestyle, Beardsley said. In Big Sky, he’ll have kids “use their fitness skills to play games, go for a hike or learn to kayak.” At the high school level, he anticipates working with individual athletes and their coaches to tailor unique programs depending on whether the student is a downhill skier or a cross-country runner.

“I’m excited about the opportunity to create a program that fits this community,” he said. As Athletic Director and head football coach, he’ll also be creating the town’s first six-man football team.

The father of three girls, Beardsley’s oldest daughter, Chloee, will start Ophir in the fall as a seventh grader.

The rest of the family, now living in Bozeman, hopes to move to Big Sky by the end of the school year.

Nancy Sheil, Math Sheil is no newcomer to Big Sky. She did her student teaching in the district, and was a tutor for the interim high school. She and her husband Dan, a firefighter, have lived in the area for over a decade. They have one son, and are expecting another child shortly after school begins.

“All of my experience has been at LPHS and Ophir, so I feel lucky to be able to start my professional career here,” she said. Sheil will teach geometry and algebra, as well as eighth grade math. Because she is fully certified to teach both math and science, she looks forward to incorporating the two subjects in LPHS’s interdisciplinary approach.

She is also on board with the school’s outdoor emphasis. Sheil has been a professional ski patroller at Big Sky Resort for eight years, and a volunteer and trainer with Big Sky Search and Rescue. At MSU, she earned her Masters of Education, as well as a BA in Science, Land Resources and Environmental Sciences.

Sheil will take maternity leave this fall, and her classes will be taught by a substitute during that time, but will return to school before Christmas.

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Thank you to the supporters of the Big Sky Community Park Project

Big Sky Resort Area District Meadow View One Eric Ladd Jim and Jan Cummings Yellowstone Club Community Foundation Chris and Chrisann Russell Matt and Heather Morris Bozeman Audi/Montana Import Group Tom & Kay Reeves Mary Lou Cook John & Lizanne MeGrue South Fork Montana, LLC Ken & Barbara Kaufman Big Sky Owners Association Peter & Cathy Spano Mark & Paula Schleicher Meadow Village Condo Owner Assciation Christine Baker Jack Graham Brad & Virginia Stratton First Security Bank Bechtle-Slade Steve & Jeanne Johnson Chris & Connie Lunt Langlas & Associates-Bozeman, Inc. Bud & Marjie Jordan Mary Jane McGarity Jeff & Karen Strickler David & Rebecca Shopay Carey O’Donnell Betsey Weltner K.P. & Janet Larsh Dreamcatcher Lew & Kelly Jacobs Dennis & Mary Grundman Dave Mayfield Barbara Blesch Frank & Crickett Benevento Robert & Barbara Vanyo John & Margaret Leeper John & Carol McGuire Three Rivers Rod & Gun Club, LLC Shelly Bermont Palmer Enterprises-Nordic Hot Tub Tim & Leesa Anderson Tim Cyr & Cathy Gorman JD & Krista Mach Community Foundation for the Alleghenies ITW Foundation Thomas Leonard & Martha Crocker Woodruff & Ardis Burt Mike Hickey Erik & Katie Morrison 3 Rivers Telephone James & Susan Cole Donald & Shirley Hansen Hungry Moose Market, Inc. Kevin & Jane Stump George Tallichet Paula Craver & Colin Mathews Charlie Callander Robert & Joanie Hall Highline Partners Andesite Construction Rogers & Kelty Crains Kirk Dige Marilyn Olson George Mueller Attorney At Law Jim & Sody Jones Frank & Johanne Martino Wittich Law Firm, P.C. John & Debbie Crowther Arts Council Koy & Jennifer Hoover Harry & Norma Longwell

Marvin & Sarah Peterson Larry & Carol Woodard Joe & Mindy Nowakowski Thomas & Lynn Cox Richard & Leslie Piercy Al & Kris Malinowski Kimberly Maxwell Chris & Acra Samuels Jon Ayres Everlands Clay Lorinsky Bill & Heidi Olson Brandon Bang Brian & Laura Maiocco Big Sky Conoco Dakota Fusion, Inc. Eye in the Sky Photography Stephen & Diana Goldberg Jewish Federation of Palm Beach Pam & John Panning Bill Primrose Harry & Peggy Ring Terrance & Dona Rockstad Joel & Patty Scrafford Storm Castle Foundation Carl & Sharon Warren Eric Baker Bob & Pat Donovan Clyde & Marjorie DeShields Jim & Gayle Eidson George & Pat Mueller Rumsey & Priscilla Young Sara Pfaff Edward & Sally Saig Greater Gallatin Contractors, Inc. Al & Jane Lockwood Rodney & Pamela Rempt Mary Grace Wilkus Layne & Susan Yonehiro Lyndsey Kiland & Pete Owen Lone Pine Builders Abundant Health Family Chiropractic, P.C. Peter & Melanie Avery James & Janice Bernards Boles Custom Builders, Inc. Stephen & Gretchen Burke Sam & Tracey Bryne Dick & Sherrie Fast Gallatin Canyon Womens Club Klaus & Christl Gump Ryan & Jill Hamilton Mark & Mary Hollister Jacks Tennis James Lee & Jackie Gillespie Dr. Thomas & June Lowery Trever & Marie McSpadden Chris & Twila Moon Morrison-Maierle, Inc. Clare Nixon Outlaw Partners Jamy Patterson Troy & Megan Paulson Peak Real Estate LLC Persons Company Ken & Kim Reeves Saddle Ridge Rentals, LLC Gen Robert & Terry Scott Matthew Squires The Altitude Club Inc. Edward & Ellen Weber Ennion Williams Dewitt & Jane Ward James Armfield & Melissa Dixon Victoria Bentley Madeleine Bessire

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Bolane Enterprises, Inc. Richard & Sharon Clarke Cheryl Creed CrossHarbor Institutional Partners LP Broderick & Michelle Donaldson Mark & Julie Douglass Donald & Joanne Heltner Steven & Jackie Rager Ralph Spence Jr. Robert & Donna Thompson Jeffrey & Maud Welles Joseph Dillard & Stella Siu Ngai Fond Parker & Claire Kurlinski Ronald & Nancy Kurz Dudley & Nona Livingston Mike Martins Dr. John & Joan Mills Fred & Molly Pessl Dedee Rodriguez Walter & Nancy Schroth Sam Woodger Frank & Cynthia Lawson Ray Houghton Big Sky Build Corral Bar, Inc. Ron Slade Blue Ribbon Builders, Inc JR Bozeman Anne Chiles William & Cathleen Elledge Ernest Filice, Jr. Willaim Gerrard Angela Gonick Paul & Angela Gonick Howard & Sarah Hewitt Frank & Kristin Kern William & Carol McClerking Robert & Susan Merry Montana Triple L LTD Ross Pfohl Molly Pickall Mark & Anne Reid Brent Scarbrough Barb Starz Joy Trute Jason & Lenya VanderWeit Storm Shadow Productions James & Inge Logar Alissa Allgood Lisa Knorr Jerry & Pat Scott Suzanne Hennessy Sally Moskol Design For The Mind Jean Kwall Patrick & Eleanor Nolan Henning, Schwarzkopf & Co., P.C. Dave Schwalbe Jon & Mary Carlson Ramirez Management Services Amp Electric & Lighting, Inc. Dave & Suzanne Baetz Ben & Ania Bulis Katie Coleman & Tim Kronkow Mary Ann Comstock Jeanne Cummings Charles & Sandra Dreisbach Becky Eickworth Debra Freedom Gerrard Properties-Montana Carl & Mary Hammond Gary & Virginia Hermann Dorel Hoglund Beal Mossman Charles Jones Janet Lampe

Terry & Lori Langston Jim & Sue Lindley Frederick & Kim McTaggart Montana SC II, LLC Guida Mosca Puma Holdings, P.C.-Saad, Jeff Laura Sacchi Mike & Robbeye Samardich James & Kathleen Scott Leland & Diane Selby Brock & Jane Short Brian & Carolyn Taylor Jeff Trulen & Jessica Martin Clayton Walls George & Janice Wells Jr. Kevin & Kelly Welsh Ryan & Sarah Belchta Carol & Pat Collons Jason Lewis Burke & Martha Stancill Kevin & Aleksi Barre Chad & Amy Halvorson Cory Bronstein Mr. & Mrs Robert Coleman Harry & Linda Coletta Michael Ferris Robin Hicks Phyllis Johnson Robert Kriesberg Sherry Lucas Jason & Margaret Luchini William & Kim Madison Jan McDonald Sue O’Leary Terry & Carolyn O’Neill Catherine Oster Brent Porlier Dax Schieffer Secor Excavating, Inc. SRI, LLC Kevin & Heather Budd Jeremy Carlson Beatrice Doran & Scott Leuzinger Amy Gale Jozie Hrenchir Hilda Padila Craig Smit Abigail Digel CIA Insurance Agency Inc. Beck & Amsden, P.L.L.C. William & Phyllis Breeden Roger & Carolynn Brislawn Katie Grice Tennille Hensley Glenniss Indreland Sarah Wilmore David Broederdorf Alan English Melinda Gutierrez Shannon Haish & John Linsted F Kommers Alfred Marsh Pat McManaman Scott & Carrie Mechura Steve & Marie Rapp Dorothy Refling Colin & Melissa Riviere Beth Sanden Mark Susag Marli Trusty Gary & Jessica Williamson Mandy Schroeder Michelle Hicks