News:
Watercolor artist Barbara Brooks. Photos courtesy Kootenai Valley Record.
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1950s Libby High School class reunion July 30-31 (posted 7/29/10)
Classmates remember watercolor artist Barbara Brooks
Kootenai Valley Record
A 1959 Libby High School graduate who went on to a successful career as a watercolor artist in Canada’s Jasper National Park will be honored by former classmates during this weekend’s all-1950s LHS class reunion.
The work of Barbara Brooks, who died last August at the age of 68, will be on display at Cabinet Mountain Furniture at 206 Mineral Ave. during the reunion. Remembered by friends as "flamboyant, easy, alive," "a very strong individual" and "a freethinking radical," Brooks studied art at Montana State University and English literature at the University of Washington before moving to an artist’s commune in Winnipeg in 1973 and settling in Jasper in 1976. She painted there for more than 20 years before suffering an aneurysm in 1998 that affected movement on her right side and left her in a wheelchair.
Brooks’ work focused on the natural magnificence of Jasper and can be found in many government buildings across Canada as well as in private collections around the world. From 1989 to 1995 she was the recipient of an annual grant to teach painting workshops in Jasper, and in 1993 she was the first Canadian artist to be invited for a solo exhibition in Seoul, South Korea. The following year she taught a cross-cultural outdoor painting course in Hokkaido, Japan.
Brooks was chosen as "Woman of the Year" by the Alberta provincial government’s Career Development Department in 1992, and she was featured on a "Dream/Dare/Do" poster designed to help young Canadians recognize the connection between educational a choices and occupational alternatives.
The Memorial Center will be open starting at 2 p.m. Friday as a meeting place for 1950s classmates, with a formal get-together starting at 7. There will be a parade at 10 a.m. Saturday, followed by a tour of the "new" high school at 11:30 a.m., and a banquet at 7 p.m. at the Memorial Center.
Additional events, including gatherings for individual classes, are scheduled throughout the weekend. For more information, see the class reunion page online at www.alphalibby.com.
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Editor’s Note: See the July 27, 2010 edition of the Kootenai Valley Record for the printed version of this story. The Kootenai Valley Record publishes once a week, on Tuesdays, in Libby, Montana. They are a locally owned community newspaper, located at 403 Mineral Avenue in Libby. For in-county and out-of-county subscription information, call 406-293-2424, or e-mail kvrecord@gmail.com.
Davis Lake. Photo by Bob Hosea.
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Hike to Northwest Peak Lookout (posted 7/28/10)
Trail report by Bob Hosea
Bob Hosea hiked with friend, Tom Horelick, to Northwest Peak Lookout in the Yaak on Sunday, July 25th. Below is his trail report. He didn't do a video for this hike because last week he dropped his camera in Fish lakes and it isn't working 100% yet. He expects to have it up and running soon. Bob is an avid hiker and welcomes comments and questions from people about area hikes. He can be reached by e-mail at: hiking@thebobfactor.com
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"The trailhead for the Northwest Peak lookout #169, is approximately twenty miles up the Pete Creek road #338. Pete Creek road starts just a few miles south of Yaak, Montana, on highway #508.
The trail to the top of Northwest Peak is in excellent condition. It is about 2.5 miles to the top with an elevation gain of 1400 feet.
On the way to the lookout you pass through both timbered areas and open rocky areas.In the rocky areas the trail is marked well with many small rock cairns.
There were many wildflowers growing along the trail which included Sticky Aster, Dwarf Bramble, False Solomon's Seal, Davidson's Penstemon, Sego Lily, Davidson's penstemon and many others.
There were many, many biting flies on the trail and both biting flies and yellow jackets at the lookout.
The view from the top of Northwest Peak is spectacular. Northwest Peak is just 2.5 miles south of the Canadian border, so with the right weather conditions you are able to view the Canadian Rocky Mountains to the north. To the south, you can see as far as the Cabinet Mountains, with good weather conditions.
The lookout that sits on top is actually a small building and not a tower at all, and it's in fairly good shape.
Just below the top of Northwest Peak is a small lake named Davis Lake. There isn't any trail that goes down to Davis Lake, so you have to find your own way down. The way that we went to the lake was to backtrack down the trail from the lookout approximately 1/3 mile and then cross over to the ridge that is above the lake. From there, you will drop down 700 feet in elevation to get to the lake. It took us about 25 minutes to go down to the lake from the lookout and one hour to get back up to the trail. The lake has cutthroat trout in it that were around 10 inches long.
During our hike we didn't see any other people."
Photos by Bob Hosea.
Click here for many more pictures: Hike to Northwest Peak Lookout (36 pictures)
Related Links:
Little Spar Lake hike - July 16, 2010 (30 photos)
Granite Lake hike – June 27, 2010 (37 photos)
Bramlet Lake hike - June 16, 2010 (22 photos)
Cedar Lakes hike - June 9, 2010 (25 photos)
Rock Lake hike - May 17, 2010 (18 pictures)
Lower Geiger Lake hike - May 9, 2010 (14 pictures)
Leigh Lake hike - April 28, 2010 (7 photos)
Rock and Leigh Lake Trek - August 31, 2009 (11 pictures)
The Bob Factor - Bob's website
Libby Dam recreation (posted 7/28/10)
Kootenai River and Lake Koocanusa condition update
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Libby Dam
Outflow from Libby Dam is 7,000 cubic feet per second (7 kcfs) and will remain at 7 kcfs through the rest of the August. Current release water temperature is in the mid-50’s.
The current elevation of Koocanusa Reservoir is approximately 2,440 feet above sea level, which is approximately 19 feet from full pool. The projected elevation range for the summer is approximately 2,440 – 2,445 feet above sea level (about 19 – 14 feet from full pool), which will occur in early to mid-August. The current surface temperature on Koocanusa Reservoir is in the low to mid-60’s, and is warming as summer weather continues. The floating platform at Souse Gulch is currently open. Please remember that boats are no longer permitted to dock at the platform due to safety concerns for people swimming in the area.
Come on out and enjoy the summer recreation opportunities! If you have questions or need additional information about daily tours, free picnic shelter reservations or no fee campsites. please contact Park Ranger, Alana Mesenbrink at the Libby Dam Visitor Center, (406) 293-5577.
U Serve Libby, Inc. partners with Pepsi Refresh Project on Tennis Courts (posted 7/28/10)
U Serve Libby, Inc
U Serve Libby, Inc. is proud to announce that they have been accepted in the August Pepsi Refresh Project. Since February 2010, Pepsi has been looking for people, businesses, and non-profits with ideas that will have a positive impact on their communities. Each month they are accepting 1000 ideas for grants of $5,000, $25,000, $50,000 and $250,000. Up to ten of each of the lesser amounts and up to two of the largest will be awarded each and every month. The best part is, we have some control in which ideas will receive these grants.
U Serve Libby, Inc. has submitted an idea in the $25,000 category. If awarded, funds will be used to surface the remaining three courts, finish the viewing plaza, purchase court benches and construct a kiosk to post schedules, info and donor acknowledgements at the Libby Community Tennis Courts. The idea has been accepted and on August 1st, we will be notified if the idea has received final approval for voting. If approved, voting will begin immediately!
U Serve Libby is asking for the community’s help in collecting votes for this idea. Voting is done online and is very simple. You can vote for this idea every day and we encourage you to do so. Right now, you can go to Pepsi’s website, www.refresheverything.com, and register. It’s very easy. Then you’ll be ready to vote for the Libby Community Tennis Courts starting August 1st!
To vote each day, simply go to the www.refresheverything.com website and you’ll see "Vote to Refresh America." Click on the "Browse Ideas and Vote" box. When the page comes up, click on the $25,000 box under "VOTE FOR" and browse through the ideas looking for "Provide community tennis courts for kids as a safe, healthy activity." When you find it, click on "VOTE FOR THIS IDEA."
That’s it! With voters in Libby and the surrounding area voting every day and with the help of their friends and family voting also, we have a good chance.
U Serve Libby and the Libby Community tennis Courts need your help. Please spread the word to friends and family across the country. It’s a nationwide program, so the votes can come from any state. If you are on Facebook or Twitter, please utilize those networking tools to get the word out. Don’t forget to become a fan on the U Serve Libby, Inc. Facebook page. This has been a community project since the beginning, so we’re asking the community for their support once again. If you have any questions, please call Laurie Mari at 406-293-8260.
Related Links:
http://uservelibby.net/ U Serve Libby
Tester bill aimed to repay medical specialists loan repayments (posted 7/28/10)
For commitments of service to underserved communities like Libby
Duane Williams, KLCB-KTNY Radio
Good news could be coming for the Libby area medical community. Jon Tester told KLCB that on Monday, July 26, he would drop a bill into the Senate Health Committee that will allow the National Health Services Corps to pay medical specialists loan repayments when they sign up for a two-year term of service in communities like Libby. It has been difficult, to say the least, to attract and recruit medical specialists to Libby.
"Libby's situation is unlike anywhere else in the United States," Tester told us. "This should help", he said.
General practitioners have for some time been able to have loan repayment subsidized by the government when agreeing to move into underserved areas. Tester's bill will extend the program to specialists, such as those needed by the Center for Asbestos Disease. Doctors will be able to receive $50,000 toward their loans for two years of service, and can renew in two year increments until their medical loans are paid off, Tester told KLCB. The hope is that once they have made a two-year, four, or more year investment in the community they will choose to stay.
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Story by Duane Williams, KLCB-KTNY Radio, www.todaysbestcountryonline.com, e-mail: klcb@frontiernet.net
Female Grizzly moved to the Cabinet Mountains (posted 7/28/10)
2nd bear in two weeks relocated to Libby area mountains
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks
A 3-4 year-old female grizzly was released in the Cabinet Mountains on Sunday, July 25 as part of the program to augment the grizzly bear population in the Cabinet-Yaak ecosystem.
FWP grizzly bear managers captured the bear on July24 in the Spruce Creek area of the North Fork Flathead drainage. The capture is part of the ongoing effort to recover grizzly bears in the Cabinets. Managers fitted the bear with a special radio-collar to enable biologists to closely follow its movements.
The bear transported to Libby and was released the next morning near Silver Butte, several miles behind gated FS road 594 (a BPA power line access road). The 231-pound bear was released in a small wet basin just beneath the ridgeline that leads into the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness.
District Ranger Malcolm Edwards and trails coordinator Jon Jeresek were on hand for the release, along with and two Silver Butte Creek residents.
According to Kim Annis, FWP Bear Management Specialist in the Libby area, the young female grizzly was a good candidate for the augmentation project. This is the second relocation of a North Fork grizzly to the Cabinets in the last 10 days. A young male grizzly captured in the North Fork was relocated to the Cabinet-Yaak ecosystem on July 19. Annis said that this was the second and last relocation of grizzlies into the Cabinets for the year.
Contact: Kim Annis, FWP, Libby, 406-293-4161x207.
Related Links:
Whitefish Range Grizzly moved to Cabinets to augment population July 20, 2010
Blues festival coming up Aug. 13-14 (posted 7/21/10)
Kootenai Valley Record
Libby’s second annual Riverfront Blues Festival is coming up on Friday and Saturday, Aug. 13-14, with top bands from around the Northwest scheduled for the expanded two-day event.
Music will be on tap from 6 p.m. until midnight on Friday and from 4 p.m. to midnight on Saturday. Friday’s schedule includes Crying Shame from Naples, Idaho, northwest Montana’s Kenny James Miller Band, and headliner Phil Berkowitz & the Dirty Cats, featuring special guest Ben Rice.
A San Francisco-based blues harmonica master, Berkowitz was playing at the same venue as young Oregon blues guitarist Ben Rice when their conversation turned to the Libby festival, said event organizer Peggy Oelberg. Rice played in Libby last year, and he happily accepted Berkowitz’s invitation to join him at the Fred Brown Pavilion this year, "because Ben Rice and his band loved Libby so much," Oelberg said.
Saturday’s music will begin with local favorite Back Adit, featuring Dave Williamson, Sue Feeback, Wayne Rau and Gary Lawrence, followed by Missoula’s Mike Bader Band, Flathead Valley blues stalwarts Big Daddy and the Blue Notes and headliner Becki Sue & Her Big Rockin’ Daddies, who bill themselves as "the Pacific Northwest’s premier high-energy, low-down, powerhouse, hip-shakin’ blues band."
Last year’s event drew more than 300 blues fans from all over the Northwest, and as far east as Illinois and as far north as Calgary. An even bigger crowd is expected this year as the festival’s reputation spreads.
"If you look at all the festivals that are out there, I think we’ve got one of the best festivals going," said organizer Trent Oelberg.
The festival promises to be a great introduction to the blues for those who may not have had much exposure to the genre, Peggy Oelberg said.
"It’s fresh and new in Libby, and if you’ve never really known what the blues is about, it’s a good time to come and find out, and you might just get hooked," she said.
People coming to the show should bring lawn chairs or blankets to spread out on the grass by the pavilion. Food vendors will be serving barbecued chicken and ribs, pulled pork and Mexican dishes.
Tickets are $35 for both days. Single-day tickets are $15 for Friday and $20 for Saturday.
Sponsorship opportunities for local businesses are still available. To help sponsor the festival, call 406-293-5900 or 406-293-7792.
For more information, see riverfrontbluesfestival.com.
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Editor’s Note: See the July 20, 2010 edition of the Kootenai Valley Record for the printed version of this story. The Kootenai Valley Record publishes once a week, on Tuesdays, in Libby, Montana. They are a locally owned community newspaper, located at 403 Mineral Avenue in Libby. For in-county and out-of-county subscription information, call 406-293-2424, or e-mail kvrecord@gmail.com.
International Paper drills water quality monitoring wells (posted 7/20/10)
Duane Williams, KLCB-KTNY Radio
International Paper is drilling 20 plus additional sampling wells around the city to determine if the creosote pollution plume in the Libby aquifer is migrating.
The number of actual wells drilled will depend on the findings as the wells are drilled and tested.
The creosote pollution problem resulted in the declaration of Libby's original Superfund site. The pollution came from the former mill site pole treating plant. Creosote from the plant leached into the ground water and the aquifer.
In a related item, the City of Libby, will provide base rate gallonage of 3000 gallons of water per month paid for by International Paper as part of a settlement restricting water wells being drilled within the city limits due to the pollution. The water will be distributed over the months of July, August, and September to city water system users living within the city limits. That equals 9000 gallons total.
Rate payers will pay their monthly usage over and above the base 3000 gallons. Sewer will continue to be billed at the normal rate. Dollar wise, International Paper will save each rate payer $78 over the three months.
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Story by Duane Williams, KLCB-KTNY Radio, www.todaysbestcountryonline.com, e-mail: klcb@frontiernet.net.
Whitefish Range Grizzly moved to Cabinets to augment population (posted 7/20/10)
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks
A 249-pound, sub-adult male grizzly bear was relocated yesterday to the Hiatt Creek drainage, above Spar Lake in the West Cabinet Mountains south of Troy. The 4-year old male grizzly was captured on July 17 near Coal Creek in the Whitefish Range on the Flathead National Forest. The bear was held overnight and fitted with a radio-collar the morning of July18, and relocated to the Kootenai National Forest at 7 p.m. that evening. The bear was relocated to augment the grizzly bear population in the Cabinet-Yaak ecosystem.
FWP Grizzly Bear Management Specialist Tim Manley, and Derek and Heather Reich, sponsored by the FWP Foundation, captured the bear as part of the ongoing effort to recover grizzly bears in the Cabinets. They fitted the bear with a special radio-collar to enable biologists to closely follow its movements.
According to Kim Annis, FWP Bear Management Specialist in the Libby area, the grizzly was a good candidate for the augmentation project. "We are very particular about getting a bear in good condition and with no history of conflict with humans," Annis said.
Playing for Fundsies Golf Tournament July 31 (posted 7/20/10)
Fundriser for St. John’s Lutheran Hospital
The 18th Annual St. John’s Lutheran Hospital Foundation "Playing for Fundsies" Golf Tournament will be held on Saturday, July 31st at Cabinet View Country Club in Libby. 9-hole Best ball Scramble, 9:00 am shotgun start.
Join St. John’s hospital for a day of fun, food and folly, as they raise money to help St. John’s Lutheran Hospital build a new hospital. There will be "Hole-in-One" prizes of $10,000 in cash and $500 in Pro Shop bucks.
The fun will continue with "Fundsies Under Construction," a construction-themed tournament with a BBQ, raffles, drawings and prizes immediately following at the Libby Elks Lodge.
For more information contact KC Hoyer at 406-293-0106 to register.
Related Links:
www.sjlh.org St. John’s Lutheran Hospital
Riverfront Park Improvements
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Riverfront Park improvements moving ahead (posted 7/15/10)
Brent Shrum, Kootenai Valley Record
The first step in a project to greatly expand and improve Libby’s Riverfront Park could be taken this summer if the Montana Department of Transportation gives the city the green light to relocate City Service Road.
"That will dictate how the rest of the park goes, once we get that road in," said city administrator Jim Hammons.
Plans call for a new approach from Highway 37, slightly closer to town than the existing approach. The road would then take a turn toward the railroad tracks before curving back around the west side of the park. The result would be a massive expansion of park space between the road and the Kootenai River.
Initial plans for the park project were drawn up last September by Columbia Falls landscape architect Bruce Lutz of Sitescape Associates based on various proposals that had been suggested. Following input from the community and the city council, several changes have been made to the design.
The updated design leaves the David Thompson Search & Rescue barn in its current location. The original plan was to relocate the building, but that was determined to be too difficult and too expensive, Hammons said.
Parking for the Fred Brown Pavilion has been moved closer to the structure for better access, and more parking has been added along the side of the road.
A children’s play area has also been added to the design.
Retained from the original plan are a band gazebo, improved boat launching facilities, and a retail shop area next to the rail spur.
City officials have discussed the project with representatives of the Environmental Protection Agency to ensure compatibility with the agency’s plans to finish cleanup of asbestos-contaminated vermiculite on the portion of the site remaining to be developed.
"The city council has been talking to the EPA and working with them so the cleanup can be part of the park plan for the future," Hammons said.
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Editor’s Note: See the July 13, 2010 edition of the Kootenai Valley Record for the printed version of this story. The Kootenai Valley Record publishes once a week, on Tuesdays, in Libby, Montana. They are a locally owned community newspaper, located at 403 Mineral Avenue in Libby. For in-county and out-of-county subscription information, call 406-293-2424, or e-mail kvrecord@gmail.com.
Kootenai Valley Record
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Council Oks archery ban (posted 7/15/10)
No hunting in city limits, but practice allowed
Brent Shrum, Kootenai Valley Record
Libby City Council voted last week to enact an ordinance banning archery hunting within city limits.
The council began looking into regulating the use of archery equipment after receiving a complaint from a resident regarding the killing of a turkey at Reese Court by a hunter using a bow and arrow. While deer hunting within city limits is not allowed under state law, turkey hunting is not regulated.
The council’s ordinance committee reviewed archery regulations on the books in other Montana cities, and after meeting with representatives of the Libby Archery Club voted to recommend a ban on all archery hunting within the city but no restrictions on target practice. The archery club concurred with the committee that the hunting ban was appropriate but was opposed to any further regulations.
At last Monday’s council meeting, Councilman D.C. Orr said he doesn’t think the ordinance is necessary. Existing laws already cover property damage and reckless behavior that puts others at risk, Orr said.
"I just want it on the public record that I think this is redundant," he said. "It’s adequately addressed already."
Orr voted along with the rest of the council to approve the ordinance.
In other business, the council heard a proposal from the Libby Avid Gardeners gardening club to perform a "facelift" of the triangle at the intersection of Highway 2 and Ninth Street, where a steel eagle sculpture is mounted.
"Coming into Libby from the south, everybody sees the eagle," said club member Shane Campbell. "We want to plant that area with perennials and some annuals to show the eagle."
The club also plans to remove railroad ties and some shrubs planted in the triangle and to use boulders donated by the U.S. Forest Service to make flower boxes. The site would be maintained by club members.
"We want something Libby can be proud of," said club member Bob DeBorde.
Campbell and DeBorde requested assistance from the city in transporting the boulders from the Cripple Horse area. They said they would also be asking the county for help. Mayor Doug Roll directed city administrator Jim Hammons to work with the gardening club and the county to coordinate the project.
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Editor’s Note: See the July 13, 2010 edition of the Kootenai Valley Record for the printed version of this story. The Kootenai Valley Record publishes once a week, on Tuesdays, in Libby, Montana. They are a locally owned community newspaper, located at 403 Mineral Avenue in Libby. For in-county and out-of-county subscription information, call 406-293-2424, or e-mail kvrecord@gmail.com.
Yaak Wilderness Music Festival (posted 7/10/10)
Saturday, July 31
Yaak Valley Forest Council
The Yaak Wilderness Music Festival, sponsored by the Yaak Valley Forest Council, will be held Saturday, July 31, at Turner Mountain Ski Area (approximately 20 miles northwest of Highway 37 on Pipe Creek Road). Music will be provided by:
•Alan Lane
•Wise River Mercantile
•Drum Brothers
Gates open at 3:00 p.m. with music from 4:00 to 9:00 p.m. that features world-influenced rhythms, acoustic rock, bluegrass, folk, funk & blues. Adults/$20, students with I.D./$10, kids 13 and under free. Proceeds benefit Yaak Valley Forest Council’s community outreach and education programs.
Sorry...no camping at Turner Mountain. Carpooling is recommended. Pets must be leashed!
For more information about camping, lodging, and festival details go to www.yaakvalley.org or call 406-295-9736.
The July, 2009 quilt exhibit at the Heritage Museum. Photo by Laurie Mari.
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Quilts on display at the Heritage Museum (posted 7/9/10)
Through the month of July
Laurie Mari
The Kootenai Valley Quilt Guild has filled the Tower Gallery at the Heritage Museum with gorgeous quilts of all sizes and patterns. This display by our talented local quilters will be in the gallery for the month of July. Quilts make another showing on the main level of the museum where antique quilts made by members of Inez Herrig's family are being exhibited. In August, local photographers will showcase their work. If you are a local photographer (amateur or professional) and you would like to show your photographs, please contact Laurie at the museum (293-7521) before the end of July.
Related Links:
www.LibbyHeritageMuseum.org
Libby
lies in the northwest corner of Montana and is nestled in a valley carved by the
Kootenai River on the flank of the majestic Cabinet Mountain Range and Wilderness
Area. Today
about 2,800 people live within Libby proper. The main industries are lumber and
wood products, mining, tourism and recreation. The movies "The River Wild" and
"Always" were filmed here. Contact the Libby
Chamber of Commerce for brochures, info on lodging and events, general area
information, and contact information for local businesses and services.
SUMMER
When the weather warms and the mountain
snows melt away, the Kootenai National Forest comes alive with over 2.2
million acres of public land as a playground. Mountain trails and lakes
open up, beautiful wildflowers come in bloom, and wildlife have their young.
Libby is the basecamp for the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness Area, 90-mile
long Lake Koocanusa, the Northwest Peaks Scenic Area, and the Ten Lakes
Scenic Area. There is good access to most of the Forest and plenty of room
to get away from it all!
WINTER
Winter in Montana means snow, and lots
of it! For those who love to play in the deep powder, the Libby area offers tremendous
winter fun. Turner Mountain Ski Area, located
just 22 miles from Libby, offers challenging downhill skiing with a beautiful
view. Their slogan is "steep, deep and cheap", and Turner definitely
lives up to that. It's still fairly undiscovered, so you can escape the crowds
and get the cheapest lift tickets around. For those who love snowmobiling,
there are hundreds of miles of backcountry roads to sled on in the Kootenai National
Forest. Cross-country skiers and ice fishermen also can find solitude on a lake
and miles of quiet forest trails to enjoy the outdoors. Those who are a bit on
the wild and crazy side will love the antics of the Libby Polar Bear Club.
Members take winter-time "swims" in frigid Libby Creek every Sunday
from October to April. Plungers have ranged in age from 3 to 61. As long as the
ice can be broken on the creek, if it has formed, the group will take their plunge,
no matter the temperature.
These people must be
craaaazzzzzy!
Libby
Polar Bear Club
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