Think fast
After taking the ball away from the opposing team, Cade Benjamin turns quickly to bring it back down the court as fellow players Jacob Simpson and Ethan Johnston look on during Friday night’s game against Jefferson High School. See stories and photos pages 12 - 14.
After taking the ball away from the opposing team, Cade Benjamin turns quickly to bring it back down the court as fellow players Jacob Simpson and Ethan Johnston look on during Friday night’s game against Jefferson High School. See stories and photos pages 12 - 14.
Not in favor
The Powell County High School Board of Trustees said they oppose the consideration of allowing transgender identity students to participate in athletic events on teams which match their gender identity.
And that’s the way many other high schools felt about it as well as the proposal to allow for consideration of gender identity was shelved before it could be voted on at the annual Montana High School Association (MHSA) meeting on Monday. Prior to that meeting, the board members overwhelming voiced their opposition to the measure at their January meeting.
“At the high school level, whether their transgender or think they’re something else, they still have the body of the sex they are,” said board member Mark Vetter, “they don’t belong in sports because they don’t match up physically, maybe they match up emotionally, but they don’t match up physically. It’s more of a safety issue.”
At their board meeting last Monday evening, Superintendent Rick Duncan provided an overview on the four proposals the MHSA were going to consider. He said that two of them in particular were controversial - the one about transgender students in sports and one about the deleting the prohibition of Sunday activities in schools.
“At least two of them are highly if not potentially lively debatable topics,” he said.
The first one he briefed the board about was the transgender one.
see Proposals page eight
And that’s the way many other high schools felt about it as well as the proposal to allow for consideration of gender identity was shelved before it could be voted on at the annual Montana High School Association (MHSA) meeting on Monday. Prior to that meeting, the board members overwhelming voiced their opposition to the measure at their January meeting.
“At the high school level, whether their transgender or think they’re something else, they still have the body of the sex they are,” said board member Mark Vetter, “they don’t belong in sports because they don’t match up physically, maybe they match up emotionally, but they don’t match up physically. It’s more of a safety issue.”
At their board meeting last Monday evening, Superintendent Rick Duncan provided an overview on the four proposals the MHSA were going to consider. He said that two of them in particular were controversial - the one about transgender students in sports and one about the deleting the prohibition of Sunday activities in schools.
“At least two of them are highly if not potentially lively debatable topics,” he said.
The first one he briefed the board about was the transgender one.
see Proposals page eight
BLM buys land along the Blackfoot River
More recreational land and wildlife habitat along the Blackfoot River has become public.
Through the help of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the Blackfoot Community Project and the Montana Legacy Project are one step closer to achieving their goals - preserving vital wildlife habitat and water resources, maintaining the production and restoration opportunities that sustain both the land and local communities, and conserving traditional access for a broad variety of outdoor recreation.
On Dec. 29, the BLM purchased two parcels of land totaling 4,312 acres in both the Chamberlin Creek and Morrison Mountain areas for $3.542 million. The Chamberlin Creek parcel is located in northern Powell County along the Blackfoot River.
“This watershed symbolizes the values of a rural lifestyle that is disappearing in the West and we in the BLM are committed to preserving that heritage for the benefit of future generations of public land users,” said Joe Ashor, manager of the BLM’s Missoula Field Office.
see Thousands page eight
Through the help of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the Blackfoot Community Project and the Montana Legacy Project are one step closer to achieving their goals - preserving vital wildlife habitat and water resources, maintaining the production and restoration opportunities that sustain both the land and local communities, and conserving traditional access for a broad variety of outdoor recreation.
On Dec. 29, the BLM purchased two parcels of land totaling 4,312 acres in both the Chamberlin Creek and Morrison Mountain areas for $3.542 million. The Chamberlin Creek parcel is located in northern Powell County along the Blackfoot River.
“This watershed symbolizes the values of a rural lifestyle that is disappearing in the West and we in the BLM are committed to preserving that heritage for the benefit of future generations of public land users,” said Joe Ashor, manager of the BLM’s Missoula Field Office.
see Thousands page eight
Kohrs Memorial Library budget is in good shape
December 31 was the halfway point for the 2014 to 2015 fiscal year. And according to the information handed out by Grant Sitler at the recent Library Board meeting, the budget for the William K Kohrs Memorial Library is in good shape and where it should be.
“It looks like we’re doing a great job,” said board member Tom Wang.
According to the budget table passed out, as of the end of December, the library had used up 51 percent of its annual budget. Expenses also total 51 percent of what they are expected to be for the entire fiscal year.
Through the first six months, the library has received $49,176 of its approved budget of $96,530. While some items have already been received in total for the year such as local grants ($1,480) and local shared revenue ($6,000) revenue from other items is below 50 percent and more money from them will be seen in the second half of the fiscal year.
Additionally, contributions and donations are higher than originally projected and currently stand at 165 percent of what the library budgeted for over the entire fiscal year.
As for expenses, they are inline so far with the revenue the library has received. Most of the expense items are below 50 percent with a few exceptions such as insurance and supplies. Wages and salaries is slightly above the halfway mark at 54 percent, however Sitler noted that there had been a reason in the beginning half of the fiscal year for that.
The library capital reserve fund is also in good shape. Currently the balance is $42,117. A $17,040 budget surplus at the end of the last fiscal year helped bring the total up to where it currently stands. Last year expenses totaled 91 percent of what the library had budgeted for and revenue was 101 percent of what they expected.
“It looks like we’re doing a great job,” said board member Tom Wang.
According to the budget table passed out, as of the end of December, the library had used up 51 percent of its annual budget. Expenses also total 51 percent of what they are expected to be for the entire fiscal year.
Through the first six months, the library has received $49,176 of its approved budget of $96,530. While some items have already been received in total for the year such as local grants ($1,480) and local shared revenue ($6,000) revenue from other items is below 50 percent and more money from them will be seen in the second half of the fiscal year.
Additionally, contributions and donations are higher than originally projected and currently stand at 165 percent of what the library budgeted for over the entire fiscal year.
As for expenses, they are inline so far with the revenue the library has received. Most of the expense items are below 50 percent with a few exceptions such as insurance and supplies. Wages and salaries is slightly above the halfway mark at 54 percent, however Sitler noted that there had been a reason in the beginning half of the fiscal year for that.
The library capital reserve fund is also in good shape. Currently the balance is $42,117. A $17,040 budget surplus at the end of the last fiscal year helped bring the total up to where it currently stands. Last year expenses totaled 91 percent of what the library had budgeted for and revenue was 101 percent of what they expected.
More on this and the other issues grabbing this week's headlines can be found in our print edition, out every Wednesday.
We are archiving our entire history at Small Town Papers.
Search through past issues back to 2003.
Search through past issues back to 2003.
312 Missouri Avenue, Deer Lodge, MT 59722 • 406-846-2424
