GOVERNOR BULLOCK ANNOUNCES MONTANA TO ENTER PHASE TWO OF REOPENING PLAN ON JUNE 1ST

Governor Steve Bullock today announced the state will move to Phase Two of the Reopening the Big Sky plan and will lift the 14-day out-of-state travel quarantine beginning June 1 as Montana continues to have the lowest number of positive COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations per capita.   For more information, read the directive here: https://news.mt.gov/governor-bullock-announces-montana-to-enter-phase-two-of-reopening-plan-on-june-1st

Class of 2020

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by Cathy Harding

In a ceremony that was both unique and traditional, 54 students from Powell County High School celebrated the end of their high school careers and graduated as the Class of 2020. What began 1,361 days ago as 66 students entered as freshmen concluded at Ted Rule Memorial Field as the graduates received their diplomas in front of cheering family and friends.
Members of the Class of 2020 received nearly $400,000 in scholarships and awards to continue their education. 
Multiple students received special recognition for their academic achievements. Riley Henderson, Caprice Johnson, Marion Jones, Rachel Nicholson, Jessica Pauley, Kaylee Smith, Abby Spears, Nora Spring, Morgan Stevenson, and Rebecca West were the top 10 students.  Henderson, Johnson, Jones, Misti Krebs, Kat Malcomb, Pauley, Smith, Spears, Spring, Stevenson, and West are members of the National Honor Society. Henderson, Johnson, Pauley, Smith, Spears, Spring, and Stevenson also received scholastic letters. Caprice Johnson, Smith, and West received a special Red Cross designation.
Valedictory addresses were given by Henderson, Caprice Johnson, Pauley, Smith, Spears, Spring, Stevenson, and West. A Salutatory address was given by Jones. Many speeches touched on the special nature of the graduates’ senior year—a year cut short due to the COVID-19 virus. 
Kelly Cutler, a member of the PCHS class of 2004, was the commencement speaker. 

Kids activities return to Kohrs Memorial

by Cathy Harding

Imagine dragons. And castles. With the help of the Kohrs Memorial Library, imagine it all with the annual summer reading program. 
“The theme this year is Imagine Your Story,” said librarian Cindy Grieshaber. “Fantasy, fairy tales, magic, dragons and all sorts of make believe. There is even a large dragon flying in the children’s reading room.”
The program begins Wednesday, June 10th at 2 p.m. and will continue every Wednesday through August. Pre-school through sixth grade children are encouraged to take part in the reading program. 
While this year’s program will be similar to previous years, it won’t be exactly the same due to COVID-19 virus precautions. Each week, there will be a story related to the Imagine Your Story theme. The accompanying activity or craft will be handed out to be done at home instead of as a group at the library. It is also possible that storytime may be moved outdoors.
The Kohrs Memorial Library is a member of the Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP). All libraries in Montana are part of the CSLP, and all CSLP members will be following the same theme. The CSLP provides materials to augment the summer reading program.
The CSLP notes there are five major benefits of summer reading programs: children are motivated to read; children develop positive attitudes about reading, books, and the library; children maintain their reading skills during summer vacation; children have access to experiences that further their sense of discovery; and children have access to experiences through which they can learn to work cooperatively.
A major component of the summer reading program is the weekly reading log. Kids will keep track of how long they read and return the logs to the library. Completed logs are returned every Wednesday. Said Grieshaber, “The children can bring back their reading logs and choose prizes from our treasure chest.” There is no minimum reading requirement to receive a prize, either in terms of minutes or pages. The main thing is just to keep reading.
Parents who do not feel comfortable bringing their children to storytime can still take part in the summer reading program. Grieshaber said they may drop by the library to pick up the weekly activity, exchange reading logs, select prizes, and, of course, check out books.
In what is sure to be a disappointment to many of those familiar with the summer reading program, The Incredible Mr. E is not on the schedule. His magic show is usually the most highly attended week of the summer reading program. So many libraries cancelled his performance due to the virus, that it wasn’t feasible for Mr. E to make the trip.
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Above, Mandy Montgomery waves flags for her son Colter this weekend. At right, Wyatt Fincher places flags at the Deer Lodge Cemetary. Photos by Cathy Harding
Flags on display
by Cathy Harding

In advance of Memorial Day, volunteers planted flags at Hillcrest Cemetery in a show of remembrance. While Monday was a time to honor those who died while in service to the U.S., volunteers helped the VFW place a flag next to the headstone of every veteran. National cemeteries across the country forbade the placing of flags this year due to the COVID-19 virus, but many other organizations and volunteers have continued the tradition at other cemeteries. 
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