Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Valley News at a Glance

Can We Have a WORD? - By Gretchen L. Langton

Host families needed - MSU News Service

Tack Shack opens

Local business donates portion of sales to charity

Timber harvest activity on Stevensville Ranger District

Seniors should apply for homeowner/renter tax credit

Hamilton Christmas Bird Count results

RAC looking for projects to fund

Volunteer opportunity

Scholarships offered for the American Legion Oratory Contest

Love Is Respect poster contest

"Schools alone can’t educate children," says Jeanne Moon, Program Director for our local Family Resource Centers. She cites educational researcher Herbert Walbert, who found that "twelve years of 180 six-hour days in school equal only thirteen percent of a student’s learning time in eighteen years."

We are speaking after the recent Conversation Café sponsored by WORD (Women’s Opportunity & Resource Development). This event took place on Martin Luther King Day and was thematically driven by his "I Have a Dream" speech. The gathering linked local "personally invited guests" and volunteer guests from the Victor Senior Center with eighth graders from Victor School. Farmer State Bank provided the funds for the luncheon. Nine tables with an average of six occupants, including one facilitator, ate pasta, salad, rolls, and cookies together before tackling a list of prefabricated questions.

What is your dream for freedom in this country? What message would you bring to President Obama about your hopes and dreams? What are your dreams for your life, community and country? How do you heal grudges or petty disputes? Why is that important? How do you seek justice or fight for what is right or important to you?

Each person at the table took a turn answering the question at hand without interruption in the first round. In the second round, each person returned to the same question after mulling over all the other responses at the table and in round three the question was open to general discussion.

It was heartening to hear eighth grader Randall Craft recognize that democracy and freedom are dependent upon education for their foundations. By round three, this table had winnowed Randall’s initial broad response down to the need for a college in the Bitterroot with eighth grader Desiree Charlton stating, "A college in the valley would help people who want to go to school but can’t afford to drive to Missoula."

As these youngsters freely offered their thoughts, unfettered by age or much experience, the older participants were able to offer both words of encouragement and reality checks, as well as the perspective of their age differences.

"Change is difficult for older people," Maggie Nordenstrom explained with Gertie Unruh agreeing.

At another table, an older gentleman explained that bullies don’t only exist in school but throughout life and that learning to cope with bullies early on will serve these kids throughout their lives. Another gentleman at this table, whose voice shook with emotion as he spoke, lamented that he doesn’t ever interact with adolescents. It is this lack of contact that fosters stereotypes and disrespect.

"Seniors eat up resources and children this age are just juvenile delinquents," Moon repeats the two stereotypical comments regarding the two age groups that were represented.

Moon believes that it is events like this one that can expose such fallacies and actually serve to "grow citizenship."

At the end of the discussion, the participants were asked if they had comments to share with the whole group and the stereotypes for this crowd were resoundingly put to rest.

Judy Sabo commented, "These kids have their heads on straight." A young man stood up and said he was surprised at how much his generation had in common with the aging generation. Another youngster asked for a round of applause for the couple sitting at his table as he announced with a mixture of admiration and disbelief, "These two have been married for 52 years." Someone in the background audibly muttered, "Honeymooners."

The general consensus seemed to be that there is a definite need for more contact and conversation between our youth and our aging population. This is precisely the response WORD is looking to achieve by helping to fund Family Resource Centers.

Since 1993, WORD has been actively partnering with 20 to 25 community agencies and schools in order to facilitate the establishment of Family Resource Centers. Family Resource Centers, present in all the valley schools except Hamilton, teach parents and volunteers how to become more involved with education.

"School is a common denominator in communities,” says Moon. “I envision school doors that are open seven days a week to all ages and all ages are learning and creating positive environments to come together in."

At the beginning of this gathering, Allison Kinney read a speech given in August of 2008 by then-Senator Barack Obama at Martin Luther King’s monument. He said of King, "Through words he gave voice to the voiceless."

This, too, is a goal for WORD, to recognize that there are gaps in our education system where new voices are desperately needed to avoid schools becoming the "voiceless."

"I have worked with schools for over two decades—I have watched as they took away the fat, the flesh and whittled into the bones,” said Moon. “Our democracy depends on fixing this."

Contact your local school about its Family Resource Center or for more information visit WORD’s website: www.wordinc.org/frc.

Host homes are needed for youth and young adults from abroad who come to Montana as part of Montana State University Extension 4-H programs.

While family settings are needed for the 4-H aged youth visitors, any adult can host the young adults visiting as part of the International 4-H Youth Exchange or "IFYE" program, said Stephanie Davison, director of the international programs at MSU's 4-H Center for Youth Development. The young adult visitors come from farming backgrounds in their home countries, and often look forward to the experience of providing a helping hand on Montana farms and ranches.

"Our 4-H aged visitors are between the ages of 12 and 18," Davison said.

"For that group, we need host families who have a child within two years of the age and the same gender as the visitor."

Visitors this year are confirmed from Japan, Scotland and Ireland, and others may be arriving from Switzerland, Costa Rica, Finland and Austria. They typically arrive during the summer months and stay 4 weeks in the case of the 4-H youth exchange and several months for the IFYE program.

The visits are an opportunity for Montanans to learn about other cultures, and in some cases lifelong friendships have been formed with later opportunities for reciprocal visits.

Ralen Dupuis from Polson, whose family has hosted three times, says being with his host brother, Yutaro Shindo of Japan, made for "the best time of my life."

To find out more about hosting a foreign delegate, contact Davison at (406) 994-3502 or e-mail her at sdavison@montana.edu.

The Tack Shack is now open at 950 Hwy. 93 N, Suite B, one block north of the Woodside light next to Wilson’s Draperies. According to owner Launa Bos, the shop offers new and used tack, Western and working clothes for men and women, and made in Montana items. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Phone number is 370-6469.

Mikesell’s Fine Jewelry in Hamilton celebrated their 25th Anniversary in December. As part of the celebration, the staff and management of Mikesell’s chose to give something back to their community. During the month of December Mikesell’s held a 25th Anniversary/Pre-Christmas sale with 5% of all sales donated to three great community partners. After all sales were counted, Haven House, the Bitterroot Humane Society and SAFE each received a donation of $1,310 from Mikesell’s. “It was such a pleasure to be able to give back to the community that has supported us for 25 years and we look forward to continuing the great relationship we have with so many wonderful people in the Bitterroot Valley” said Cindy Mikesell, owner of Mikesell’s Fine Jewelry.

Work will resume soon on the Seed Production Area (SPA) Timber Sale units on the Stevensville Ranger District. To provide for safety during log hauling operations a road closure will be implemented on Forest Road 1136 just beyond the Bass Creek Trail #4 Trailhead parking lot. The closure will be from Monday at 6 a.m. to Friday at 6 p.m. for public safety while log hauling operations are in progress. It is expected the intermittent closure will be in place until early March. The Bass Creek Trail #4, trailhead and parking area will remain open.

Forest users can expect to see heavy equipment and log trucks passing by the Bass Creek Trailhead and Charles Waters Campground.

The thinning operations in the SPA harvest units are designed to prepare timber stands of western larch for seed production used in reforestation projects on the Bitterroot National Forest. During the wildfires of 2000 many of the Bitterroot National Forests seed sources were burned in the fire. Harvesting operations are scheduled during the winter season when the snow depth will protect soil resources during harvest operations.

A road closure on Smith Creek Road #1321 for the Gash Fire Salvage has been rescinded because the road has not been plowed or used for harvest operations since early January.  

For more information contact Pat McKinnon or Gina Reinschmidt at Darby Ranger District Office, 821-3913.

Montanans who were 62 or older as of Dec. 31 should check to see whether they qualify for Montana's elderly homeowner/renter tax credit for 2008.

If you can answer "yes" to the following questions, then you may be eligible for the credit.

-Were you age 62 or older as of Dec. 31, 2008?

-Did you reside in Montana for nine months or more during 2008?

-Did you occupy Montana residence(s) as an owner or renter a total of 6 months or more during 2008?

-Was your total gross household income less than $45,000 in 2008?

The state of Montana allows people who qualify a credit for a portion of their property taxes or rent paid based on their income. The credit can be used against their state income tax liability or as a direct refund, if they are not required to file a Montana state income tax return. Only one claim is allowed per household.

To determine eligibility, complete Form 2EC that may be available at your local library, post office, from tax preparers or at the State or local Department of Revenue Office.

Form 2EC at the Department of Revenue website is a "self calculating" form but taxpayers can simply print it if they prefer http://mt.gov/revenue. Form 2EC was redesigned for the 2008 tax year. Among the most notable changes are fewer lines on the form, and better instructions to help taxpayers calculate the credit. Form 2EC must be filed on or before April 15, 2009 or with your Form 2 or 2M.

If you think you may have been eligible for the tax credit in prior years and didn't take advantage of it, you are still allowed to file for the credit for up to five years from the original due date of the Form 2EC. If you need help in completing Form 2EC, call (406) 444-2830 (hearing impaired only) or toll free: 1-866-859-2254. If you are calling from the Helena area dial: 444-6900.

Dawn comes early in late December and mornings tend to be cold. December 20, 2008 was no exception; daylight came at about 7:45 a.m. and the temperature was only 4 degrees. Fortunately for the 24 field observers participating in the 22nd annual Hamilton Christmas Bird Count, the wind was calm. Snow covered the ground and birds fluffed up to minimize body heat loss. A feeder watcher corps of 27 peered intently out their windows or walked their yards to help record all the birds in a 7-? mile circle centered on Hamilton. 8,909 total birds and 65 different species were recorded, over 2,000 birds more than average and exactly the average number of species for the count.

Two new species were observed during the count, Eurasian Collared Dove and Barred Owl, for a new total of 122 species sighted at least once in the 22 years the count has been taken. 32 species have been identified every year of the count and 22 have been sighted only once. The recent count tallied “high counts” for six species: 92 Rough-legged Hawks, 272 California Quail, 99 Mourning Doves, 969 European Starlings, 201 Dark-eyed Juncos and 11 Great-horned Owls. 36 Red-tailed Hawks were also seen, 15 above the average number. The number of Northern Harriers was also above average. The high incidence of hawks and harriers indicates that the meadow vole population in the Valley is high and snow cover is light.

Other notable sightings included 58 Ring-necked Pheasants (20 above average) and 103 Northern Flickers, the second highest number ever seen.

Several noteworthy birds were observed in their winter habitat. Wilson’s Snipe frequent the mud flats around small pockets of open water at springs, Green-winged Teal use narrow streams of open water in ditches or just below ground-water upwellings. Over 2,000 Canada Geese were seen on open water or feeding in fields. Almost every body of open water has something noteworthy on or close by.

The day was a successful contribution to the body of knowledge documenting winter bird distribution and relative numbers. The Hamilton Count is only one of over a thousand counts in the nation, all sponsored by National Audubon Society. Complete results for all the counts is available at http://www.audubon.org. Or you could call John Ormiston, compiler for the Hamilton Count, at 363-5464 for local information.

The Ravalli County Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) is looking for projects to fund and implement this year.

Resource Advisory Committees were established under the Reauthorization of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000. The RACs recommend how to allocate a portion of federal funds Ravalli County receives under the Act. The Act directs that funds be spent on projects such as road, trail and infrastructure maintenance or obliteration, improvements in soil and forest ecosystem health, restoration and improvements of wildlife and fish habitat, control of weeds, and reestablishment of native animals and plants. Projects must benefit resources on National Forest lands and meet federal environmental laws.

Projects for consideration must be submitted to the RAC by March 16, 2009. Project proposal forms are available online at https://wwwnotes.fs.fed.us/r4/payments_to_states.nsf/RAC/Ravalli+County. For more information about submitting project proposals contact Nancy Trotter at the Stevensville Ranger District, 777-5461 or ntrotter@fs.fed.us. For more information about the RAC, contact RAC chairperson, Wayne Hedman, at 363-1723, or Dan Ritter, Designated Federal Official and Stevensville District Ranger, at 777-5461.

Are you looking for a volunteer position in your community? The Western Montana Volunteer Center web site features a variety of volunteer openings at charitable organizations throughout the area. Visit http://www.volunteer.umt.edu and make a difference in your community. The Western Montana Volunteer Center is a program of Missoula Aging Services, a United Way agency.

Numerous scholarships are available for high school students who compete in the American Legion Oratory Contest. Any student from grades 9 through 12 may participate. Home ‘schoolers' are welcome. The speech must concern the U.S. Constitution with particular attention to the individual responsibility of citizens. Awards range from a few hundred dollars at the local level to over $20,000 for competitors that reach the national finals. Readers should know that Stevensville students have proudly competed at the national level.

There are also offers of scholarships and fee waivers from most colleges and universities within Montana. For example, Carroll College offers a $10,000 scholarship for the first place speaker in Montana. Your local American Legion Post #94 will offer the contest during the first week of March. The winner will then compete in Missoula and hopefully in subsequent contests in Great Falls and Indianapolis.

The Legion has offered this contest for over 50 years and has awarded millions of dollars in scholarships. It takes some research and effort to successfully compete, therefore interested students are urged to promptly contact Legionnaire Ed Sperry at 777-3337 or the school faculty if they want further information.

High-school students are invited to submit original artwork for the eighth annual Love Is Respect poster contest sponsored by the Ravalli County Coalition Against Domestic & Sexual Violence.

First-place artwork will be featured on the promotional poster for SAFE (Supporters of Abuse Free Environments) and distributed throughout the valley. The coalition is also offering cash prizes for first, second and third place entries.

High-school students interested in applying their creativity to the promotion of healthy relationships and prevention of dating and sexual violence are encouraged to participate in the Love Is Respect poster contest. One in four teens in the U.S. will experience dating or sexual violence. Help share the message that jealousy, control and violence are not love – Love Is Respect.

Submissions must be original two-dimensional artwork of any medium, submitted on 8.5 x 11 paper. Artwork should be submitted to SAFE or your art teacher directly by Friday, February 13. All submissions must include the artist’s name, phone number and school or address on the back of the piece.

For more information on how to enter, contact Jamie Ogden at SAFE, 363-2793.

If you or someone you know is in an abusive relationship and needs help, confidential and non-judgmental support services are available by calling the SAFE crisis line at 363-4600, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Births at Marcus Daly Hospital, Hamilton

1-10-09

Boy, 6 lbs., 4 oz., 19 inches, to Brandy Handy and Jeremiah Koberle, Hamilton

Girl, 8 lbs., 8 oz., 19-1/2 inches, to Amy and Philip Ballance, Hamilton

William John Karr
1923-2009

William John Karr, 85, of Stevensville, passed away on Friday, January 9, 2009 at Community Medical Center.

Bill was born on October 30, 1923 in Oak Park, Illinois to Peter and Eda Karr. He was their first born son. He and his brother Ray were brought up as twins by their parents during the “Great Depression” years. They wore the same sizes in overalls and tennis shoes, so Mom bought two of everything. They attended the same grades at St. Paul’s Lutheran Elementary and Proviso High School and graduated together.

WWII had just started, so both boys, along with most of their classmates, signed up to make “short work” of our enemies. They both enlisted in the US Navy.

Bill made a career of sailing and served 20 years as a Navy Petty Officer. When asked by friends, “What type of ship he sailed on,” he often replied, “There’s only two kinds, submarines and targets, and I don’t like being a target!” Bill served our country as a faithful and loyal warrior and received a number of decorations and medals for combat service during WWII and the Korean War.

After retiring from the Navy, Bill signed on with the Merchant Marines and sailed for Red Stack Shipping Company on seagoing tugboats. During this period, he covered the Pacific Ocean from end to end and side to side.

Bill loved the sea and lived the life of a sailor, both at sea and in port. During his career, as a sailor, he visited all the oceans of the world and most of their major ports. He made friends easily and one of his favorite pastimes was to visit with his “Old Geezer Veteran Friends” and trade sea and war stories.

When he retired from the sea, he took up golf with a passion. Bill was famous for his explosive temper and golf really brought it up front and center. He was known to throw his #1 driver end over end into whatever waterhole captured the dubbed drive. He bought quite a few drivers during his golfing phase. His goal was to be able to play with an 8 handicap and he made it. Persistence and practice.

Bill belonged to American Legion Post #92, U.S. Submarines Veterans, and Navy Historical Society and was a life-long member of the Lutheran Church.

His parents preceded him as well as his lovely wife of many years, Barbara Clark Karr.

Survivors include his brother and wife, Ray and Jane Karr, Stevensville; sister, Marion Dziagwa, Anna Maria, FL; brother and wife James and Nancy Karr, Buford, GA; step-daughter and husband, Barbara and Jim Yeager, Corte Madera, CA and various nieces and nephews.

Burial of Bill’s ashes will be interred at the Western Montana State Veterans Cemetery in Missoula with Military Honors at a date yet to be determined. Arrangements are by Whitesitt Funeral Home in Stevensville.

SAILOR: REST YOUR OAR!