Former Ravalli County Treasurer Joanne Johnson was hired last week to serve as the Chief Deputy Clerk in the same office. Following the last election, Johnson was replaced by Mary Hudson-Smith as Treasurer. A crisis ensued, however, when Hudson-Smith was unable to do the monthly reconciliation of the county’s books and had trouble managing the county’s investment accounts. She resigned at the end of February.

The County Commissioners advertised for applicants and passed over Johnson to appoint then-Chief Deputy Clerk Marie Keeton. Keeton now serves as Treasurer and Johnson will now serve as her Chief Deputy Clerk. The County Treasurer’s annual salary is set at $49,333. The Chief Deputy Clerk’s wages are set at 85% of the Treasurer’s earnings, which comes to $20.16 per hour.

The Commissioners also hired Theresa Loya as the county’s Animal Control Officer at a wage of $12 per hour.

The Commissioners also accepted the resignation of Sheriff’s Deputy Jonathan Moles.

Old-time Bluegrass Festival this Saturday

The Montana Rockies Bluegrass Association will host its 12th annual Old-time Bluegrass Festival at the Lone Rock School on Saturday, April 16. The festival will start at noon with performances by Kids in Bluegrass. Music will go nonstop until 10 p.m. Bands will come from Oregon, Idaho and Montana to perform at the festival. Food will be available at the school. Lone Rock School is located at 1112 Three Mile Creek Road, off Eastside Highway, about half way between Florence and Stevensville. Look for signs for the school and the festival. Admission is $3 for MRBA members, $5 for the public and children 12 and younger are free with an accompanying adult.

There are several other things to note about the festival. The Montana Rockies Bluegrass Association is a non-profit association dedicated to the performance and preservation of bluegrass music. The association has about 250 members scattered across Montana and the Northwest.

All of the musicians donate their time and expenses to play at this festival -they are not paid to perform. This allows the association to use money raised at the festival to promote other bluegrass music events primarily in Missoula and the Bitterroot Valley.

The association, and this festival, focuses on family oriented music events. We keep admission to a minimum in order to attract families. Children of all ages are welcomed at all activities.

In fact, we try to reach out to involve children in the association and the music. Renae Redman, formerly of Missoula and now of Whitebird, ID, has worked tirelessly for a number of years to interest children in bluegrass music. Her efforts have been very successful. A number of young musicians she has mentored now play professionally in bluegrass bands. This year, Renae will bring young musicians of varying skills to perform at the festival. They will also perform at two student assemblies at Lone Rock School on Friday, April 15.

Hamilton teacher receives excellence award

Suzie Cornelisse, a kindergarten teacher at Washington Elementary School in Hamilton, was presented the 2011 Maryfrances Shreeve Award for Teaching Excellence at The University of Montana’s 2011 Partnership Recognition Reception on March 25.

The event honored community partners in western Montana who collaborate with the University and the Phyllis J. Washington College of Education and Human Sciences in the preparation of future professionals.

Cornelisse has been an educator for more than 21 years. For the past nine years, she has served as kindergarten teacher at Washington Elementary. She received a bachelor’s degree in home economics from Texas Tech University and a bachelor’s in elementary education from UM.

Cornelisse is described by administrators, faculty and staff of the Hamilton School District as a dedicated, enthusiastic, committed, energetic teacher, mentor and leader. She was nominated for the award by Shauna Kientz, principal of Washington Elementary School.

“I am truly very, very humbled by this award,” Cornelisse said. “I know many teachers who could stand up here with me, who do so much for the children and for good.”

The Maryfrances Shreeve Award was created in 1992 by Jean’ne Shreeve and her brother, William, to honor their mother, a UM graduate who taught with distinction around western Montana. Maryfrances Shreeve was the first award recipient. Since then the award has brought deserved attention to exemplary Montana educators. The 2011 Maryfrances Shreeve Award was presented to Cornelisse at the UM reception by Jean’ne Shreeve.

Forest stewardship workshops offered for family forest owners

Forest Stewardship Workshops for land owners and forest managers are scheduled in Corvallis April 28, 29 and May 6.

The workshops are through the Montana State University Extension Forestry Program, which has assisted over 3,100 participants in developing stewardship plans to care for their forests, said Cindy Bertek, the Forest Stewardship Coordinator in Missoula.

"Montana has 80,000 citizen landowners who own timbered property," Bertek said. "The workshops help people set goals for their land and learn how to care for the land in sustainable ways."

"Whether they’re 5 acres or 10,000 acres, families have unique goals for their forests," Bertek said. "And with nearly 3.8 million acres of forests in private ownership, these landowners are every bit as important as every other forest in the state."

At the Forest Stewardship Workshop family forest owners identify their goals and their forest’s potential to fulfill their objectives. They may want to make their forest more fire resilient, have a healthy forest that supports wildlife, identify noxious weeds, plan for income through the sale of timber or development, or pass the land on to their children. Natural resource professionals teach the workshop, providing information and advice to help landowners meet their forest objectives.

The workshops are sponsored by MSU Extension Forestry, the Montana Department of Natural Resources and the USDA Forest Service.

At the end of the workshop, forest owners will have their own forest stewardship plan for sustaining their forest. The course involves 24 hours of class and field time plus a couple days of independent research and inventory by each landowner on their property. Participants will learn how to use topographic maps and aerial photos, understand the ecology of their forest, inventory their resources, set goals and priorities, develop and analyze management considerations and understand environmental effects of stewardship decisions.

The workshop does not train landowners to be foresters, hydrologists or wildlife biologists, but it does provide them with the science to make judgments about managing their forested land.

Interested forest owners can request a registration application and obtain information by calling the MSU Extension Forestry office at 243-2773 or visiting http://www.forestry.umt.edu/extensionforestry.

Lone Rock School adds solar

On Wednesday, March 30, the Lone Rock Elementary School began collecting solar power through its brand new 4.3 kilowatt solar photovoltaic system. Upon connecting the solar system, the sun broke through the clouds and immediately collected 2.2 kilowatts of solar energy and lit up the elementary school hallways. At full sunlight the entire gymnasium will be lit up by energy from the sun. The solar system was provided by and installed by Sunelco, a solar electric company located in Victor.

The Lone Rock School, an elementary public school for kindergarten through 8th grade students, was the recipient of a grant provided through the Bonneville Education Foundation and Ravalli Electric Cooperative. In addition to the state of the art solar module on top of the school, Lone Rock has also received from their partners approximately $10,000 in science kits, energy curriculum and training and a kiosk in the front hallway that will provide a digital display for all to see of the energy being produced on the roof.

Lone Rock and Ravalli Electric Co-op welcomes valley residents to visit the school to see how a solar energy system works. Ravalli Electric Cooperative sees the Lone Rock installation as an opportunity for Co-op members to see a unit in action prior to investing in one for their own home. Sunelco invites anyone interested in solar electricity to visit the business at 20186 Hwy 93 N, Victor.

NEEDED: Drivers for American Veterans

Volunteer drivers for DAV (Disabled American Veterans) needed.

Van provided and two meals when transporting veterans to and from the VA hospital in Helena. There are many routes available; Hamilton to MSO for VA services, routes range from Darby to Fort Harrison. Days and times are flexible.

Requirements: valid drivers’ license; current insurance (applicable during down time, VA provides insurance for all VA related destinations); TB Test or Chest x-ray – screening done at VA expense. For more information, contact Katherine Green at 363-8396.

Donations sought for museum benefit

The Stevensville Historical Museum will sponsor the annual Used Art & Jewelry Sale on May 6 and 7, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, at 309 Main in Stevensville. Those who have donated to the sale are invited to enjoy a pre-sale party on Thursday, May 5 from 7 to 9 p.m. The donors will be able to enjoy hors d'oeuvres and the opportunity to shop the sale before the general public. Those who have art or jewelry to donate to this sale may call Dora at 777-3239 or Ruth at 777-3201.

Obituaries

Death Notices

Esta Mae Owen

Esta Mae Owen, 82, of Stevensville, passed away Wednesday, April 6, 2011 at Community Medical Center of natural causes. Arrangements are pending and will be announced by Whitesitt Funeral Home.

Devon ‘Smut’ Warren

Smut Warren, age 82, peacefully passed away on Wednesday, April 6, 2011 in Reno, Nevada. He was born one of 9 children in Tyhee, Idaho to Aarus and Fern Warren. While living in Pocatello, Idaho his career in boxing became professional with a 10-0 record, all by KO’s. In May of 1953 he was slated to fight on two heavy weight Championship cards but his boxing career in the states was put on hold when he was called to serve his country in the Korean War. He served in the 3rd Infantry Division and while in Special Services he was able to resume his boxing career. He fought the Korean Middle Weight Champion and won this title on a 7th round knockout. From there he traveled to the Philippines where he fought the Philippine Middle Weight Champion and won on a decision. Smut donated all proceeds from the fight to buy an artificial leg for a young Korean child. He enjoyed telling stories of being bodyguard for Marilyn Monroe while she was touring with the USO Groups.

Upon returning he continued boxing with success, met and married Velda Dockham in Reno, Nevada and they started a family. It was time to hang up the gloves and pick up the paint brush. He started a successful business as a local painting contractor and was very involved within the community. He looked forward to taking the boat to Pyramid Lake or Lahontan Reservoir for a weekend of waterskiing with family and friends, jeep jamborees, and of course hunting season.

In 1982 he remarried to June Bevilacqua and they moved to Darby, Montana. His entrepreneurship continued as they owned and operated Warrens Construction Company, and Bunky Ranch Outfitters. They bought the Conner Post Office Building and added a grocery store which was called Smut’s Mercantile. Smut served on the Ravalli County Planning Board, the Ravalli County Fair Board, the Hamilton Planning Board, the Montana/Idaho Outfitters Board, Human Resources and was elected to the Ravalli County Commissioners where he served a 6-year term.

He was best known in recent years as “Santa”. He was annually given a grant from the Greater Ravalli Foundation, which allowed him to buy school clothes for needy families before the start of school and again at Christmas. He started his “Santa Shoppe” where children could come and have a picture taken on his trusty rein-mule, an antler wearing burro named “Rudy”, get a cookie, candy cane, pick out a toy and sit on Santa’s lap to whisper their Christmas wish. He delighted young and old alike as he also visited Marcus Daly Hospital and nursing homes, visiting patients and passing out roses.

Smut was preceded in death by his mother and father, his son, Paul, his brothers, Amos, Norris, Velton, Butch, and his sisters, Delpha, Syble and Colleen. He is survived by his wife, June, sister, Verda Merkley of Richland, WA, three sons, Randy (Vickie) of Darby, MT, Dan (Jacqui), Gary (Stacy) Warren and daughter Julie Warren, all of Reno, stepdaughter Laura (John) Walters, stepsons, Edward II (Christine) Bevilacqua, Mark (Joy) Bevilacqua, and Bill (Myken) Bevilacqua, all of Las Vegas except for Edward’s family, who resides in Temecula, California. He has left 25 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren.

He was a man who never stopped giving of himself to those he loved or to a stranger on the street. His absence will leave a void in all our hearts. A special thanks to the staff at Manor Care and St. Mary’s Hospice.

There will be a Celebration of Life at St. Philip’s Catholic Church in Darby, MT at 11:00 am on Wednesday, April 13, 2011. In lieu of flowers please send donations to Haven House, 316 N 3rd St, #162, Hamilton MT 59840.

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