volume 1, issue 23 lone peak lookout · 2018-05-10 · black bear in glacier park on may 23, 2005....

LONE PEAK LOOKOUT Big Sky, Montana

lonepeaklookout.comTHURSDAY

May 10, 2018

FREEVolume 1, Issue 23

They asked for big, they got bigger

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CONTENTS

“Silly” Tilly inspired to teach art this summer ............................. 2“Shrek” at WMPAC ....................................................................... 4New BZN-Southern California connection .................................. 4What is “outflowing” income? ...................................................... 5Moonlight MUSICFEST! ................................................................ 5Monkey around ............................................................................. 6Big Horn teams heading to state ............................................... 10 Celebrity golf tourney this July .................................................. 11Crossword ................................................................................... 12Blotter “randomly yelling at no one”.......................................... 14Big Sky Living: Owl spotting opportunity .................................. 16

[email protected] DAVID MADISON

BY JOLENE [email protected]

CONTENTS

Wildlife | 15

Mother’s Day bears

Spring sow in YNP. To view a Mother’s Day grizzly spotted near Big Sky in 2009, find Lone Peak Lookout on Facebook. PHOTO BY MIKE COIL

My wife Katie and I spotted a cinnamon black bear in Glacier

Park on May 23, 2005. That’s the day our daughter Mae was born. Four years later on Mother’s Day, just south of Big Sky near the border with Yellowstone Park, our family watched a grizzly bear weave through the willows. We were at a safe distance near our car. I shot a little video of the bear and there’s one spooky moment when it moves behind a wall of

willow branches and all you can see is a massive dark figure on the prowl. Photographer Mike Coil also prizes this time of year for bear watching. He offers this week’s lead photo as evidence, which he shot last May. It’s of a sow grizzly near the Lamar Bridge in a spring snow storm. “The bear looked up from brushing snow off the green grass and stared straight at the camera with a dollop of snow on her nose,” recalled Coil.

This week in his notes from inside Yellowstone, Coil talks about spring storms activating bears and details all the visible wildlife right now. Coil said, “I think the bears get more active when it snows because they are still hungry and working harder to satisfy their hunger. Plus for the cubs, it may be their first actual snow storm and they tend to frolic.” —DM

Brian Hurlbut and Katie Alvin pose with Caliber Coffee owner Stephanie Alexander (center) on Friday, May 4 during the final hours of the Give Big Gallatin Valley event. Alexander donated all the drip coffee proceeds from the day to the arts council. PHOTO BY JOLENE PALMER

$1.2 million from 4,700 donors giving to 194 nonprofits throughout the Gallatin Valley.

That’s the final tally from Give Big Gallatin Valley’s 24 hours of online and in-person giving held from 6 p.m. on May 3 to 6 p.m. May 4. The Big Sky Discovery Academy brought in the bucks during the event, raising a whopping $80,620 from 67 donors—the most money raised by any nonprofit in Big Sky and second highest among the nonprofits. The academy will use the funds to provide scholarships for its students, pay for operations, and offer summer classes for high school credit

as well as continued education for middle and elementary students and more. “We are thrilled Give Big was a successful event for area non-profits—and for Discovery to come in second in all of Gallatin County. But more important to us is the many ways we will be immediately putting these funds to use to help our community,” Karen Maybee, school co-founder and president of the board of directors, said in a news release for the academy. “We are proud to scholarship over 30 percent of our

students this year, with a goal to grow that to 50 percent, and a third of the Give Big donations will go directly to tuition assistance for families.” Eagle Mount of Bozeman came in first out of all the organizations with $215,090.18 donated. Other Big Sky nonprofits involved also did well during the event, which was sponsored by the Bozeman Area Community Foundation and presented by the Yellowstone Club Community Foundation. The YC Foundation also funded the prize program. It gave the Gallatin River Task Force an extra $750 because it was the Big Sky nonprofit winner for raising the most money during a specified one-hour period. The Arts Council of Big Sky raised just over $2,100 from 28 donors.

“We were thrilled to be part of Give Big this year,” ACBS Executive Director Brian Hurlbut said. “It was great to see all of the Big Sky nonprofits come together and be visible throughout the community. It was a fun event and the Arts Council is thankful for all of the support we received.” The Big Sky Community Organization raised beyond $6,700 for construction costs and infrastructure improvements at the Beehive Basin Trailhead. It will include a larger parking lot, trailhead kiosk, bear-proof trash receptacles and a vault pit toilet. This project, once complete, will cost a total of about $450,000. That includes land acquisition by the fall of 2017. Darby Lacey—programs manager for the Bozeman Area Community Foundation—was pleased to hit the goal of raising $1 million from 4,000 donors. “It’s not just about the amount of money raised, but even more exiting is the number of people who decided to give,” she said. “That we could surpass our donor goal by more than 700 people. It’s really incredible because this is a way to inspire philanthropy in our community.” Visit https://www.givebiggv.org for an official tally of where the$1,250,056.17 raised will go. You can search specific organizations, check out the top 100 and see who donated to the many causes.

Here’s a look at the Big Sky totals

→ Big Sky Discovery Academy - $80,620

→ Gallatin River Task Force - $9,465

→ Big Sky Community Organization - $5,005

→ Arts Council of Big Sky - $2,182

→ Gallatin Invasive Species Alliance - $1,520

→ Morningstar Learning Center - $1,225

→ Thrive – Big Sky - $817

→ Women in Action - $420

Blechta, Johnson win

Election | 12

“For me the biggest thing our community

needs and part of why we’re all here and the resort tax is here is

infrastructure.” —Sarah Blechta,

during candidate’s forum in April.

More than $1.2 million raised for Gallatin Valley nonprofits in 24 hours

HOA expert and active volunteer take seats on resort tax board

Results came in around 8:20 p.m.. Steve Johnson was headed back to Big

Sky after a fly tying session at the Warriors and Quiet Waters Ranch north of Bozeman. Sarah Blechta was at the Mountain Haven Salon. Both were

pleased to receive the news they won seats on the Big Sky Resort Area District board—making them two of five board members in charge of allocating around $7.5 million in funds. After the polls closed at 8 p.m. Tuesday, May 8, the

Gallatin County Election Office started to release preliminary results showing Blechta and Johnson as the two winners from a field of four. Craig Smit and Buz Davis (Davis appears to have lost to Johnson by just 15 votes) were

the runners up. The resort tax board is charged with making judgements about what does and does not warrant investment of public dollars collected from the local 3 percent resort sales tax. Given Johnson’s narrow margin of victory, he joked, “First we’ll see if I really got elected.” If his edge holds while Gallatin County scrutinizes the vote count over the next week, then Johnson said he’s looking forward to taking on “an awesome responsibility.” “Certainly here lately, the resort tax board in Big Sky controls more money than most communities in the state

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“Silly” Tilly looks forward to teaching her craft to Big Sky kids this summer

[email protected] JOLENE PALMER

“Welcome.” This 36X48 inch canvas is one of the larger paintings Mattox has done. It prominently hangs in her living room, urging anyone present to stop and reflect. She said it started as a drawing and progressed into a painting that represents, among many things, “seeing something bright; something gifted to you that you don’t reach out and take, but rather become a part of it.”

Twenty-two-year-old Matilda “Silly” Tilly Mattox was enjoying a sunny off-season afternoon, taking advantage of the free

time to catch up on one of her favorite activities: painting. She said it’s a form of expression akin to journaling for her, a pastime she also partakes in.

But with art, her words take a visual form. Her most recent painting was inspired by nearby spring runoff in the Mountain Village. “I don’t really know what is up with this one,” Mattox said as she looked at her latest painting, a playful blend of pinks and blues and yellows called “Melting Snow ‘Round the Creek.” “I was just walking out behind these houses,

and there was a creek out there,

and the snow made this little bridge, with little circles. So I decided to paint it,” said Mattox. “I started with blue, and decided to put more color in there, I don’t know if anyone will be able to tell what it is, but it’s way more fun this way.” Last year, Tilly, who works in ski school, and her fiancée, Sam Wentzel, traveled once the resort closed. But this year, with a late May wedding on the horizon and goals of living in Big Sky year-round, they stayed put. Besides catching up with painting, Tilly also has been thinking about the upcoming youth art camps she’ll be teaching at the Big Sky Discovery Academy this summer, considering exactly what she wants to teach her young students. “I really want the kids to come

away with a love for art,” she said. “And to feel

that they are not just like everyone else—that they each have really unique creative aspects that they can dig deeper into.” Tilly appreciates how young people are

creatively inclined naturally. “But I think that can be lost,” she said. “If you’re not working that muscle, asking, ‘How do I figure out the deeper parts of me?’ ‘How do I express myself as my own person?’ I want to break their patterns, if they have them already,” she said. Tilly grew up in Virginia and was homeschooled, so she said she painted for fun when not studying. While her family watched movies, she’d be found in another room drawing away. Her grandmother sent her to art lessons when she was in high school, and that’s where

She may be young, but Tilly Mattox has plenty of painting experience. Once she finished up working for ski school, she took to the canvas, creating a number of paintings in just a few weeks. With those complete, she’s now looking forward to teaching the craft to kids at the Discovery Academy Art Camp this summer. PHOTO BY JOLENE PALMER

"Silly" Tilly | 6

Express yourself

Join the Big Sky Chamber of Commerce, Big Sky Transportation District, and Big Sky Community Organization to celebrate the POWER OF PARTNERSHIP that led to the transformative $10.3 M Federal TIGER Grant awarded to Gall-atin County and the Big Sky Community. This 2018 National Infrastructure Week affiliate event will take you on a tour highlighting the changes to come as a result of this grant. Following the procession along MT Hwy 64, come enjoy music, food and beer, with kids activities including a bouncy house on Town Center Avenue!

3 PM Montana Chamber and MT Infrastructure Coalition Media Event

3:30 Board Skyline Bus at Fire Pit Park in Big Sky Town Center

4 PM Leave Fire Pit Park for Future Site Of Pedestrian Tunnel

4:15 Parade along MT Hwy 64 back to Town Center

5 PM TIGER Celebration on Town Center Avenue

The future won’t wait. Neither can we. It’s #TimeToBuild.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

CELEBRATE WITH US! THURSDAY, MAY 17 | 4 - 6:30 PM

BIG SKY TIGER GRANT CELEBRATION

The Big Sky Chamber of Commerce as a member of the Montana Chamber of Commerce and MT Infrastructure Coalition is proud to champion on behalf of the Big Sky Community the sixth annual Infrastructure Week, May 14-21, 2018. We join the Steering Committee (AFL-CIO, American Society of Civil Engineers, Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program, Building America’s Future, Business Roundtable, National Association of Manufacturers, Value of Water Campaign, and U.S. Chamber of Commerce) and more than 300 Affiliates nationwide in telling Congress and the Administration: we can’t afford to keep waiting for fast, modern, safe, reliable infrastructure. The future won’t wait, and neither can we. It’s #TimeToBuild. Visit InfrastructureWeek.org for more information.

MAY 14 - 21, 2018

“Frog Pond Coffee.” Mattox has always been a fan of frogs, and the whimsical creatures are often found in her artwork. PHOTO BY JOLENE PALMER

“How Beautiful the Art that Brings Good News.” This 16X20 inch creation began with a dream Mattox had while in New Zealand; a moving drawing on a piece of paper. Mattox noted that hands have always been important to her, as they help her create art. She thought, feet are as important as hands, “And feet to me, have always meant, sharing the good news of the gospel, like the Bible verse says, ‘How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns.’” Isaiah 52.

“I really want the kids to come away with a love for art.”

—Matilda “Silly” Tilly Mattox

May 10, 20183LONE PEAK LOOKOUTMay 10, 20182LONE PEAK LOOKOUT

Dollars across the county divide

More Airport | 5

BY DAVID MADISON

Airport continued

Big SkyThere are, presumably, lots of secrets in Big Sky as in any small town. But one well-kept secret keeps local kids guessing all winter long: The title of the Big Sky Broadway

musical that will be performed in June. And now that secret has been revealed: The 2018 musical, to be performed June 22-23 at the Warren Miller Performing Arts Center will be….SHREK! This modern Dreamworks musical, based on a children’s book by William Steig, is well-known to kids who’ve never come close to Broadway due to the original animated movie franchise. The musical, like the series, follows the romantic entanglement of an ogre, a princess with a secret, and a very short villain, as well as a sidekick donkey. They are joined by a huge chorus of storybook characters, dancers and a number of other human members of this fictional kingdom. “It’s a great show for our large cast,” said Rowley, with lots of individual parts and ways for kids with different talents to shine. It is also modern enough that the kids know it and can relate to it. And it is based on a children’s story. These are all qualities we look for as we choose the show.” The secretive process of revealing the title of the annual musical is by design and by tradition. “Originally, we kept the name of the show a secret so that all the kids could find out at the same time and have an even playing field in terms of preparing for their auditions,” said Director John Zirkle. “It was also a good incentive to get kids to attend our fundraiser, ‘Big Sky’s Got Talent.’” Producer Barbara Rowley adds one other critical reason: “I think the kids just really like being able to guess. And speculate. It’s just fun.” Big Sky Broadway has come a long way since the days, nine years ago, when the first summer show was a few Broadway songs performed by a few kids with minimal costuming in the Talus Room of Big Sky Resort.

Today, the company annually produces two full-scale musical productions, in the world-class WMPAC, one for high school actors and one for elementary and middle schoolers. The camp fills up months in advance with a waiting list for the siblings and young campers hoping for a spot. This year, Big Sky Broadway had its highest level of interest ever, with more than 50 kids registering. Rowley credits the success of Big Sky Broadway to several factors. First and foremost, she cites the consistent, professional staff of working artists, half of whom helped found the enterprise. In addition to Zirkle, there’s Music Director Klaudia Kosiak, Choreographer Jennifer Waters and Vocal Director Sarah Mitchell. “Our staff has high expectations and the excellent teaching skills that help our cast reach these goals,” said Rowley. Secondly, there’s the vital support of local foundations, especially the Spanish Peaks Community Foundation, which once again is a title sponsor for the summer show. It provides the funding necessary to keep the enterprise stable. “The costs of putting on a show like this can simply not be borne by ticket sales or tuition. We are so grateful to SPCF and our other donors,” said Rowley. Finally, there is the underlying philosophy of the program. Rowley explained, “We are inclusive in our pricing structure and approach as well as the fact that we cast every child brave and excited enough to try out. We also value every part equally—and the kids really understand that.” Another important element to Rowley, whose background is in summer camps and family and parenting journalism, is the program’s dual emphasis on professionalism and fun. “I love seeing how much the kids love being crazy and having fun—our onstage dance parties are a great example—as well as how equally seriously they take on the challenge of learning their

parts and performing them well,” Rowley said. “They get that one of the most fun things in life is to learn something new and to do it really, really well.” —Big Sky Broadway

Big Sky Broadway announces its upcoming performance—“Shrek the Musical”

Date of Course: Sunday/Monday, June 3-4, 2018.Location of Course: Buck’s T-4 Lodge, 46625 Gallatin Rd, Big Sky, MT 59716Mention you are attending this class for a $99 room rate.

Most commuters into the Madison County portion of Big Sky join the train of work trucks winding up

Highway 191 from the Gallatin Valley. The number of commuters from Gallatin County into Madison County remains on the rise, partly because the Bozeman area is growing at a rate of more than 4 percent per year. The funneling of workers into Madison County from Gallatin County is also the result of a quirk in geography. There is no public road connecting job sites and workplaces in the YC, Spanish Peaks, Big Sky Resort and Moonlight Basin to the rest of the county. That’s not news, but research compiled by Headwaters Economics in Bozeman sheds new light on the significant impact this has on take-home pay. Those punching a clock and building careers in Madison County—but not living there—take with them more than $50 million in annual earnings at the collective end of the day. Between 1990 and 2016, this “outflow of earnings” rose from just $3.2 million to $52.1 million—a 1,509 percent increase. Until around 2000, inflow earnings outpaced outflow earnings in Madison County. This means residents working outside the county brought more money home than non-residents who worked in Madison County and lived elsewhere. Around 2011, the outflow of earnings surged passed the inflow, and Madison County Commissioner Jim Hart guesses that had a lot to do with real estate taking off again at the private clubs as they put past financial troubles behind them. “That’s an approximate timeframe,” said Hart, who isn’t often asked about the outflow of wages leaving Madison County. In fact, such questions flip the script on a more commonly discussed topic—the significant flow of property tax revenue from the Big Sky portion of Madison

County into coffers in Virginia City. Hart acknowledged Madison County is more of a second-home community than a bedroom community—that helps explain the outflowing wages earned by commuters who live in subdivisions like those found along Jackrabbit Lane between Four Corners and Belgrade.

Instead, Madison County has more second homes than those lived in by everyday residents, said Hart. Hart recalled how he’s heard, “In the Madison Valley, there are more second homes—just in the Madison Valley—than there are permanent homes in the rest of the county.”

Both second homes and permanent residences are found in the Big Sky portion of Madison County. In 2004, these homeowners and others with property paid $5,036,398 in property taxes. By 2017, that amount rose to $19,744,837.68. —DM

Since it’s hard to commute from Ennis to the Yellowstone Club, and easier to commute from Gallatin County into the YC, “That would somewhat account for the growth of the purple line. The outflow of earnings from folks who work in Madison but live elsewhere,” explained Chris Mehl with Headwaters Economics.

“And it’s a lot: $52 million in 2016,” Mehl continued. “The inflow of earnings also is growing, but not as fast.” Those workers are most likely commuting from Madison County into Gallatin County for jobs in Bozeman, Belgrade, Manhattan and Three Forks.

Big Sky tax contributions to Madison County by year

B R I E F S

Moonlight MUSICFEST: A new and rocking community-focused event

More Briefs & MUSICFEST | 6

Seeing green

Charcuterie course with Chef Brian PolcynBuck’s T-4 Lodge will

welcome one of the country’s foremost

experts and educators on charcuterie—Chef Brian Polcyn. He is an author, charcutier (one who prepares charcuterie) and professor from Detroit, Mich. Chef Brian was a part of the Metro-Detroit restaurant scene for nearly 40 years where he ran some of the state’s most acclaimed restaurants, earning six different “Restaurant of the Year” awards and a nomination for a James Beard Award in the category of “Best Chef: Great Lakes/Midwest”. Polcyn is known around the country for his James Beard nominated book on charcuterie entitled, “Charcuterie: The Craft of Salting, Smoking, and Curing,” which has since become the face of the revival of charcuterie amongst chefs and serious home cooks over the past decade. Beyond practicing charcuterie in his restaurants, Chef Brian has been teaching whole-animal butchery and charcuterie at Schoolcraft College in Livonia, Mich., for more than 20 years where he has continued to hone his craft and improve as an educator. For the past five years, Chef Brian has taken his knowledge on charcuterie beyond the classroom conducting two-day, whole-hog butchery and charcuterie courses in cities

across the U.S. His course touches on nearly every part of the craft—making eight to 10 recipes each day and featuring the breakdown of a whole heritage breed hog using European seam butchery techniques, demonstrating pâté, terrine and fresh sausage making. There’s also a demonstration of dry-curing and smoking techniques, an in-depth discussion on the use of nitrites and nitrates, and the importance of using heritage breed pigs in charcuterie and supporting the small family farms that raise them. This class is the culinary equivalent of a postgraduate course with an enormous amount of information presented by someone with a wealth of knowledge. Whether you are new to practicing charcuterie and butchery or have plenty of experience, this course will be of value to you. Chef Brian covers the fundamentals of the craft and progresses throughout the two days to more complex and intricate subjects so that

all levels of knowledge are appealed to. The price for the course is $599 per person and includes a copy of one of Chef Brian’s two books, either “Charcuterie” or “Salumi: The Craft of Italian Dry Curing”. The class is of immense value for the opportunity to learn with truly one of the best in the country at an hourly rate of $20 per hour and continued access to this expert after the class is finished. For more details on the course or Chef Brian Polcyn—reach out to [email protected] or call (248) 953-9833. To book your spot online https://www.eventbrite.com/e/praise-the-lard-with-chef-brian-polcyn-tickets-45603057974

Like Anthony Bourdain, Chuck Schommer and Chef Scott Mechura with Buck’s T-4 are fans of Chef Brian Polcyn. They traveled to Dallas to take his charcuterie class. Both Schommer and Mechura are quite well-versed in the ancient art of smoking and curing meats in their own right, but they recognized a true master when they saw one. They found the class to be eye-opening, bringing back skills and techniques Buck’s now uses in the kitchen every day. That’s why it’s bringing Chef Polcyn to Montana.

“Chef Polcyn has a very entertaining way of presenting his material and he is truly an expert,” said Schommer. “We are only taking 20 students and the class will sell out.”

What is charcuterie?Charcuterie (pronounced “shar/kew/tree”) describes any kind of cured meat, but is typically associated with specialty and gourmet meats that are prepared using artisanal processes. The term “charcuterie board” often refers to an assortment of meats that are paired with different accompaniments,

such as toast, fruit, cheese and sauces. If you want to offer charcuterie on your menu or at home, there are a handful of basics to understand first, from identifying some of the most popular types of charcuterie, to what makes a really impressive completed board. —webstaurantstore.com

COVER IMAGE COURTESY OF CHEF BRIAN POLCYN

Longing for Long Beach? New non-stop service to SoCal

Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport (BZN) announced in late April that JetBlue Airways will offer seasonal service

to California’s Long Beach Airport (LGB). These non-stops should appeal to passengers traveling to and from the greater Los Angeles area and San Diego’s North County. This will be the first-ever JetBlue flight

servicing Montana. BZN Airport Director Brian Sprenger said he expects this flight could bring an additional 3,000 skiers to Big Sky. JetBlue will operate the twice-weekly flights both winter and summer using Airbus A320 aircraft in a one class configuration. Winter flights will operate Thursdays and Sundays

beginning this December. Flights will depart LGB at 10:48 a.m., arrive BZN at 2:27 p.m. and depart BZN at 3:12 p.m., arrive LGB at 4:51 p.m. Flights starting on Dec. 16, 2018 are currently available for sale on jetblue.com—one way tickets start at $139 per person. “A new non-stop flight, from a new city with a new airline is the trifecta of air service

development. We are thrilled to be a part of this partnership with JetBlue to increase tourism and access to Southwest Montana,” said Brandon Bang, Big Sky Resort’s senior director of sales in an April 25 BZN press release. Private clubs also see benefit in the flights.

“Yellowstone Club is thrilled to welcome JetBlue Airways at the BZN airport. The economy is continuing to thrive in Bozeman and Big Sky and another direct flight will be beneficial for all of the businesses in our communities,” said Yellowstone Club VP and General Manager Hans Williamson in the release. —JP

The tower at Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport (BZN). PHOTO BY DAVID MADISON

Bringing new flights to Bozeman

BZN Airport Director Brian Sprenger said the airport is consistently

talking with both incumbent airlines and ones that don’t currently serve Bozeman. The process often takes years, and can come down to mitigating the risk for the airline through minimum revenue guarantees. A minimum revenue guarantee helps ensure the airline will make money on a route as it is developing. If the route is very successful, the airline may not use any of the minimum guarantee. However, if passenger loads or fares are not at the level the airline needs to be profitable, the airline will

be compensated. Generally, minimum revenue guarantees are used for routes where the risk is much higher because the airline has never served Bozeman, or the connecting destination is a long distance away—like New York. “We are fortunate that we have entities in our community (Bozeman Chamber, Bozeman Tourism Business Improvement District, Big Sky Resort, Yellowstone Club, Lone Mountain Land Company, Yellowstone Country and the Big Sky Chamber) that are willing when needed to consider offering minimum revenue guarantees as well

as marketing efforts for new service,” Sprenger wrote in an email to the Lookout. “This partnership works with us each time we talk with an airline regarding a potential new market or further developing an existing market. Fortunately, we generally see our markets mature very quickly and the actual cost to these partners is much, much less than offered.” —JP

Moonlight Basin is pleased to announce the inaugural Moonlight MUSICFEST taking place August 17-18, 2018 at Moonlight’s Madison Village at the base of Big

Sky Resort. The festival features two days of diverse national and local talent in Moonlight Basin’s Madison Base Area, set on the northside of Lone Peak with spectacular 360-degree views of the surrounding mountains. The Wood Brothers and Bruce Hornsby

and the Noisemakers will headline on Friday night. The weekend will conclude on Saturday, August 18 with headliner, Grace Potter as the final act. The weekend’s festivities will also include camping (tents, RVs and campers), arts and crafts vendors, food trucks, family events, a beer garden and more in an unsurpassable setting. “We are thrilled to be a part of such an incredible music festival this summer,” says Tom Garnsey, owner and president of Vootie

Productions. “The line-up is the perfect start for an annual event, with many well-known national artists and some local bands as well. The setting is intimate and welcoming with stunning views in every direction at the base of Lone Peak, amongst Moonlight’s incredible wilderness area.” Garnsey continues, “To have a weekend in Big Sky with this


"Silly" Tilly from 2

Briefs & MUSICFEST from 5

“Melting Snow ‘Round the Creek.”

[email protected] JOLENE PALMER

Dan Clark, from MSU’s Local Government Center, is returning to Big Sky following last month’s Eggs & Issues discussion on local governance facilitation. He will present research findings for options available to the Big Sky community and make recommendations to help it address the need for a more formalized areawide governance operating infrastructure. The goal being to help the Big Sky community speak with one voice because together, we are better.

Local Governance Facilitation Discussion with Dan Clark

Tuesday, May 15, 2018 6:00—8:00pm

Water and Sewer District Conference Room

she started painting. “And it was way more fun than I thought it was,” Tilly said. “So I guess I’ve been painting ever since then.” Early on, Tilly created more realistic paintings, from pencil portraits to landscapes. She said it was a good foundation, but it wasn’t that much fun for her. More recently, she’s moved to colorful, whimsical paintings. “For a little while, I felt like I had to prove my artistic skills. But I really like cartoons the most,” she said. “But now, just since November, I’ve started painting things for myself, because it’s just a lot more fun to do. It’s a way to express myself.” The upcoming youth art camps, held for students entering first through third grade and fourth through sixth grade, will be held at the Discovery Academy and Community Learning Center throughout the summer. The cost is $180 per student. To register, email [email protected]. Check out more of Tilly’s art at www.artbytilly.weebly.com.

VOTE June 5th Troy Downing for U.S. Senate

COMBAT VETERAN, BUSINESSMANNOT A CAREER POLITICIAN

www.troydowning.com

Paid for by Troy Downing for U.S. Senate

B R I E F S C O N T I N U E D

Monkey around with author

More Briefs | 15

BIG SKY TREESTom Newberry

Licensed and Insured Local Contractor

Forestry Management | (406)[email protected]

Wildfire Defensible Space Grants Available

Saturday, May 12, 1 p.m., at Caliber Coffee Shop

Sherry Lucas, author of “The Orang Gang et al” (Loved, Hugged and Peed On) will share her experiences helping hand-raise four baby orangutans at the Houston Zoo, along with stories of other adventures. Lucas’ book will be available for purchase—$20—with 25 percent of proceeds going to orangutan conservation. These animals, who

share 97 percent of our DNA, face extinction in the wild.

Grace Potter (pictured with child) headlines a new summer music festival in Big Sky. All the proceeds from the weekend not only go to the Big Sky Arts Council, but the Moonlight Community Foundation, which will distribute the donation to various organizations within Big Sky. PHOTO COURTESY OF @graciepotter.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Big Sky aims to make more matchesAnd looks forward to this summer’s Celebrity Golf Tournament

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Calling all Bigs! There are Littles out there looking for a match. So says Jolene Clark, branch coordinator for

the Big Sky Chapter of the Big Brothers Big Sisters Program—adult mentors for the BBBS Community Program are always needed. The organization recently wrapped up its school-based program, Big Sky Buddies, in which high school students are matched with an elementary counterpart. The pairs meet for an hour once a week at the school to play games, do school work and just chat.

“It’s all about relationship building,” said Clark. “These aren’t necessarily high-risk kids, just kids who want a mentor.” With school almost out, the focus has shifted to the adult mentor program where “Bigs” are matched with “Littles” and meet up in the community for one hour a week to do things like hiking, biking, cooking, and more, with

the goal of giving each child the best chance for success. “The best part about BBBS is watching the relationships blossom,” Clark said. “Both Littles and Bigs come to the match a little bit nervous. It usually takes a short time for the match to grow fond of each other and you really start to see the meaningful interactions happen.” Clark and BBBS are also looking forward to the organization’s biggest fundraiser of the year, the 16th Annual BBBS Celebrity Golf Tournament at Big Sky Resort Golf Course, this year to be held Monday, July 9.

Since its inception in 2001, this tournament has been a main fundraising event for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Gallatin County. The tournament has won the support of dozens of sports and entertainment celebrities, including Matt Morris, Autry Beamon, Tom Weiskopf, Dave Coulier, Chris Kirkpatrick, Jeff Fisher, Marty Pavelich, Chase Reynolds to name just a few, who have committed to playing for the cause. There are a number of ways to get involved with the tournament. Sponsors, volunteers, auction donors and golf teams are all urged to sign up soon. New this year is the “Entertainment

Sponsorship,” where the $250 to $5,000 sponsors can donate and then get the opportunity to meet Sunday night’s celebrity entertainment—“The Voice” contestant Preston Pohl. Donors can also place their names on a banner, and much more depending on sponsorship level. To become a Big, or to get involved in the upcoming tournament fundraiser, contact Jolene Clark at (406) 855-6544 or [email protected]. Visit https://bbbs-gc.org/program/big-sky/ for more information on the BBBS in Big Sky.

Lily and Olivia were part of the Big Brothers Big Sisters Big Buddies program this school year, spending lunchtime on May 7 with the rest of the matches at Big Sky School District in celebration of a successful year of youth mentorship. PHOTO BY JOLENE CLARK

Meet the 2018 Big Buddies. Left to right: Tristan, Kole, Eli, Frankie, Pepper, Ms. Jolene, Bri, Vanessa, Mina, Mayla and Frankie. Not pictured: Lily, Solae, Olivia and Ethan. PHOTO COURTESY BBBS

Hours.Sunday 1-5pmMonday 10am-6pm(Toddlers Storytime 10:30am)Tuesday: 4-8pmWednesday 4-8pmClosed Thursday-Saturday

Public Computers Available.

All Are Welcome.

Visit.Located at the north endof Lone Peak High School

Announcement.Volunteers Meet Wed 5/16 10:00 am

bigskylibrary.org

caliber of music, and with all the outdoor pursuits available, it’s going to put the event on the list of must-go festivals.” To kick off the weekend in Big Sky, Lone Mountain Land Company and The Big Sky Real Estate Company will host the weekly Music in the Mountains on Thursday, August 16. The show will feature opener, The Two Bit Franks, followed by the Jeff Austin Band in Big Sky’s Town Center Park. “The Arts Council is thrilled to partner with Lone Mountain Land Company, The Big Sky Real Estate Company, Moonlight Basin and Big Sky Resort to kick off the music festival in Big Sky’s Town Center Park,” says Arts Council of Big Sky Executive Director Brian Hurlbut.

“Partnerships like the one we have with Moonlight Basin are critical to the success of the arts council, and emphasize our efforts in building the community and its art-centric culture. It’s going to be another fantastic weekend in Big Sky.” Tickets go on sale May 15, with an early bird special of $95. Regular price is $125 for the whole festival and $50 per day with advance purchase. Camping is $100 and kids 12 and under are free For more information, visit: moonlightmusicfest.com. Also @MoonlightMUSICFEST on Facebook and Instagram.—Lone Mountain Land Company

Ciara Wolfe, executive director of the Big Sky Community

Organization, was recently appointed by the Gallatin County Commissioners to a second term with the Big Sky Meadow Trails, Recreation & Parks Special District. Wolfe will serve a three-year term with the district, whose five-member board serves as the governmental arm of parks, trails and recreation for Big Sky. The district board reports directly to both Gallatin and Madison County commissioners and is able to provide opportunities for potential funding and community planning input and review regarding parks, trails and open space within new subdivisions in Big Sky. Wolfe said the parks district works closely as the public partner with the BSCO, which is the 501 c(3) that manages, develops and funds the parks, trails and open space in Big Sky. During her first term, Wolfe and the rest of the board—

comprised of Mary Wheeler, Steve Johnson, Madeline Feher and Jon Olsen—conducted a statistically valid community-wide survey on Big Sky’s parks, trails and recreation. Out of that came the first ever “Parks & Open Space Master Plan for the Big Sky Community.” Wolfe said she was motivated to rejoin for several reasons. “The master plan has been completed, however, now there is quite a big work plan with several action items in order to implement the planning work we have done,” she wrote in an email to the Lookout. “Having the background of raising my family here in Big Sky and being heavy users of parks, trails and recreation, in addition to serving as the executive director of the BSCO, allows me to bring a comprehensive perspective to the district board while also being a support mechanism to help get things accomplished with a professional staff team at the BSCO.” —JP

Ciara Wolfe. PHOTO COURTESY OF BSCO

Wolfe signs on for second term


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“Every now and then golfers go through a little funk and you have to reset them.” Those encouraging words are from Big Horn Coach Jenny Wilcynski, who watched player Ethan Parker step up his game in Deer Lodge May 4 after a bit of frustration (pictured) in Three Forks the day before. PHOTOS BY DAVID MADISON

How many Big Horns will make it to state at Fairmont?

Snow may scuttle Montana high school golf in early April. But by May, area courses turn vividly green right when players are rushing

to qualify for state finals. This year, several Big Horns have either qualified or remain on the cusp of breaking 100 (boys) and 120 (girls) during a “marked” round of competitive play. Snowdrifts in the sand bunkers and other winter hazards caused so many delays in 2018, players now have extra time to qualify. On May 3, Coach Jenny Wilcynski traveled with the team to the Three Forks Invitational, where Class C Lone Peak faced Class B competition. “Couldn’t ask for better conditions,” recalled Wilcynski. “The course is in great shape.” Headwaters sits right off I-90, bordered by nearby lakes and framed in the distance by horse pastures and the Bridger Mountains. It was shorts weather, and a few spectators gathered near the final ninth-18th hole at Headwaters. It emerges from a stand of pines and pushes players into view from the clubhouse. During tournament play, this hole becomes a

gallery where a mostly spectator-less course turns up the attention. Parents sat parked in SUVs facing the course’s final-stretch fairway. Officials and Headwaters regulars relaxed in the shade. Both looked up when they heard the crack of a long drive. Then they watched each foursome advance deeper into the limelight. When they got close enough, someone on the grill called out, “Anyone want a cheeseburger?” Most players shouted “yes” or hand signaled an answer before returning their attention to the ninth-18th hole. It’s 337 yards for the men and 287 yards for the ladies and juniors. “Willow trees some 100 yards out compel golfers to drive the ball to the right of this dogleg left hole—and to the right is an out-of-bounds,” reports the Headwaters website. “There is a fairway bunker to the left of the fairway leaving a 75 to 100-yard bunker shot to a green that’s sloped from back to front.” For Lone Peak’s Ethan Parker and Brooke Meredith, the final hole at Headwaters was a tough one. Wilcynski said she was impressed by the effort and experience gained by Parker,

Meredith and other Big Horns. Highlights include Delaney Pruiett (96) and Sarah Maynard (97), with both finishing in the top 10. On May 4, Parker—along with Sam Alvin and Kole Maus—gained more productive on-course experience in Deer Lodge during a junior varsity event. “Everybody played out every shot and they finished and so I was pretty proud of those kids,” said Wilcynski about the trip to Deer Lodge. Looking ahead to the state finals, Lone Peak can take four from each team, and so far, five boys have qualified: Nick Iskenderian, Liam

Germain, Harry Schreiner, Evan Iskenderian and Sam Johnson. Wilcynski hopes Lyli McCarthy and Brooke Meredith will hit a marked score of 120 or better in time to qualify. McCarthy has broken 120, but it was during unmarked play, said Wilcynski. “We’d love to get Lyli and Brooke qualified. Because having four at state gives you more leeway as far scoring potential,” added the coach. The team’s next shot at bringing more players to

state came in Columbus at the Stillwater Golf Course on Monday, April 7. The weather forecast called for light showers—and they showed up, causing delays. But the four Big Horn freshmen who made the trip—Nolan Schumacher, Pierce King, Parker and Meredith—all played hard, with King coming closest to a state-qualifying score by hitting 106. Next came marked play in Livingston on Thursday, May 10, with showers again a possibility. Each match builds up to the state finals at Fairmont Hot Springs, May 14-16. The class C tournament is a chance for high school golf fans to have a soak and volunteer as markers in championship play. “This would be a great community service effort,” said Wilcynski about volunteering as a marker. It’s kind of like being a timer at a swim meet, but you get to walk around and take in the lush course conditions while monitoring strokes and marking scores. Contact the Montana High School Association for details: (406) 442-6010. —DM

Brooke Meredith (pictured) and her teammate Lyli McCarthy are vying for a place in the foursome Lone Peak sends to state. Meredith is pictured here playing in the gallery at Headwaters in Three Forks, where the final hole passes by the clubhouse. In one image, a marker monitors from across the green.

Results from Three Forks Invitational on May 3

Looking south toward Big Sky, Brooke Meredith on the green with green pastures in the background at Headwaters Golf Course in Three Forks.

BOYS GIRLSTeam scores: Three Forks 340, Big Timber 342, Manhattan Christian 351, Townsend 361, Gardiner 367, Jefferson 409, Lone Peak 442, Deer Lodge 518.

Top 10: Blake Finn, Big Timber, 76; Cody Graveley, Townsend, 80; John Jennings, Three Forks, 82; Caiden Hill, Manhattan Christian, 83; Chase Mohr, Three Forks,

85; S. Rehmer, Gardiner, 85; Caleb Patton, Big Timber, 86; Riley Blaker, Three Forks, 86; Tanner Sayers, Three Forks, 87; J. Perius, Gardiner, 88. (Highest placing Big Horn, Harry Schreiner with a 95).

Team scores: Three Forks 351, Manhattan Christian 415, Big Timber 451, Lone Peak 455, Deer Lodge 558.

Top 10: Shainy Mack, Three Forks, 77; Jill Frye, Manhattan Christian, 84; Landri Paladichuk, Ennis, 89; Makayla Rowan, Three Forks, 89; Brittney Robinson,

Three Forks, 92; Taylor Jones, Three Forks, 93; Delaney Pruiett, Lone Peak, 96; Sarah Maynard, Lone Peak, 97; Maddie Liudahl, Manhattan Christian, 102; Makenzie Rowan, Three Forks, 104.

Venue for state finals

Big Horns battle for chance to compete at state on Fairmont’s green acres, including a massive par five. PHOTO COURTESY OF FAIRMONT HOT SPRINGS

Fairmont’s golf course features an outstanding 6,741-yard, 18-hole, par-

72 layout. Its “mile high, mile-long” fifth hole is recognized

as one of the most challenging among Montana golf courses. The green is a mile high and the tee box is 649 yards away, making this par five one of

the longest holes in Montana. Fairmont’s third hole features Montana’s largest green, a three-tiered 10,000 square foot putting surface.

Gorge on Montana golfThere are many

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mountain views at the Choteau Country Club to the edge of the prairie vibe at Marian Hills in Malta. Now you can play 44 courses under the Big

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Record breakers strike in Laurel

Track team members had to arrive at Lone Peak High by 5 a.m.

on May 5, the day of their last regular season meet. Then they made the three-hour drive to Laurel from Big Sky. But the drowsy pre-dawn start didn’t seem to slow down the team. Madi Rager broke the LPH record in the 1600 meter, Maddi Strauss did the same in the 300-meter hurdles, and the record breaking went on throughout the day. Rowan Merryman, Ivy Hicks, Emma Flach and Chloe Hammond broke the LPH record in the 4X100 relay. Then Hicks, Reilly Germain, Jayleen Cole and Hammond also smashed the school record in the 4X400 relay. Meanwhile, Brooke Botha put up a

school record in javelin. While the season has been short due to a number of meets cancelled because of snow, Head Coach Dave Brekke said he’s seen his team excel. “They’ve finally been in enough events that we can direct them better into the events they should be good at,” said Brekke. “Up to this point, they’ve tried things to see how they do. So, we are narrowing it down better, and they’re a lot closer to where they should be.” The team’s next meet will be at Bozeman High School for the 11-C Districts on May 12. If the athletes finish in the top 10 of this event, they’ll move on to divisionals in Frenchtown. —JP

Stillwater Track Meet in LaurelBig Horn results

200 metersKolya Bough 26.17 Bo Wakan 27.10

400 metersMikey Botha 1:05.52

800 metersKolya Bough 2:16.03Tracen O’Connor 2:40.62

1600 meters Cody Clack 5:41.07Tracen O’Connor 5:44.89

Shot putKaleb Gale 26 feet

Discus Kaleb Gale 80 feet

BOYS GIRLS100 metersRowan Merryman 15.33 Emma Flach 15.45

200 metersReilly Germain 31.94Jayleen Cole 32.99

400 meters Reilly Germain 1:09.73Jayleen Cole 1:12.30 Chloe Hammond 1:10.50

800 metersMadi Rager 2:46.16Ivy Hicks 2:58.53Reilly Germain 3:02.22

1600 metersMadi Rager 6:10.47 (school record) Ivy Hicks 6:26.40

300 meter hurdlesMaddi Strauss 57.65 (school record)

Madi Rager 59.15Jayleen Cole 1:01.44

4x100 RelayRowan Merryman, Ivy Hicks, Emma Flach, Chloe Hammond 59.07 (school record)

4x400 Relay Ivy Hicks, Reilly Germain, Jayleen Cole, Chloe Hammond 5:01.40 (school record)

JavelinBrooke Botha 106.00 (school record)

DiscusBrooke Botha 71.11

ShotBrooke Botha 25.04

Time to qualify Tennis headed to divisionals in Belgrade

On a warm Wednesday afternoon at the tennis courts by Community Park, Lone Peak High School Tennis Coach Joe

Gorman told his team to abandon their racquets before running them through a drill where each tried to catch a tennis balls at waist level. Players reached high and low while Gorman shouted, “Too high! Waist height!” “You want to have that same hitting zone each time,” explained Gorman, as he coached his players not to chase balls way over their heads, but instead focus on always connecting with even, waist-height swings. Reflecting on the season so far, Gorman said, “Our new players. They’re playing like they’re new players. Getting better, but still not able to beat these experienced players that they have to play

against.” Gorman continued, “Our experienced players. Number one seed on the doubles from last year who made it to state—that’s KP Hoffman and Solae Swenson.” Junior Kodi Boersma, said Gorman, “She’s our number one singles player. And she’ll be seeded in the top eight at divisionals.” Class B-C divisionals begin in Belgrade on May 10 and will include players from Townsend, Whitehall, Jefferson, Three Forks and Lone Peak. Gorman expects Swenson and Hoffman to succeed in Belgrade and make it back to state. “And we’re hoping that Kodi will make it, too,” said Gorman. —DM

Coach Joe Gorman and junior singles player Kodi Boersma laugh through a recent workout. Gorman hopes Boersma—the team’s leading singles competitor—has what it takes to succeed during divisionals in Belgrade and make it to state in Great Falls. PHOTOS BY DAVID MADISON

The Big Horn doubles team to beat—Solae Swenson and KP Hoffman (in background). Here the pair warms up to play against coaches Missy Botha and Suzanne Schreiner. PHOTO BY DAVID MADISON

Sophomore Riley Becker chases the ball during a recent practice. PHOTO BY DAVID MADISON

Senior KP Hoffman returns a shot while freshman Nadia Benjdid waits her turn. PHOTO BY DAVID MADISON

Chloe Hammond hands off the baton to Jayleen Cole during a May 5 track meet in Laurel. The team’s efforts—along with relay cohorts Ivy Hicks and Reilly Germain—resulted in a Lone Peak High record-breaking run clocking in at just over five minutes. PHOTO BY DAVE BREKKE


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This week we would like to recognize students who have almost-perfect attendance. These three students show their dedication and school pride on a daily basis. We are proud to announce that fourth grader Shea Grupe, sixth grader Vera Graybow and junior Dawson Raden are this week’s Miners/Big Horns of the week. Shea, Vera and Dawson are role models for the school, as they have shown commitment to their education and being present in class. Congrats Shea, Vera and Dawson. —BSSD

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Election from 1

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Shea Grupe Vera Graybow

Dawson Raden

of Montana. That to me takes some serious work. That’s what I aim to do,” said Johnson, adding he’ll support, “Key investments in infrastructure. Investments that make sense to the actual resident community”—as opposed to those of large local employers. “I don’t work for any of those people but I live here,” said Johnson, a retired business consultant at Accenture. “There are serious challenges ahead of us. Serious work in my book.” Blechta was prepping for a trip to Washington D.C. on election night, where she will attend a national conference for managers of home owners associations. This is her second time running for office in Big Sky, having lost an earlier bid for school board. Blechta and Johnson have about a month

to prep for the allocation period, when in June the resort tax board awards funds to applicants. They’ll both have to read “a pile of applications” said Johnson, who along with Blechta, has experience reading through numbers and fine print. “I think what really sets me up for success is my background with financials,” Blechta told those gathered for a candidate forum in April. “I work with 15 different homeowners associations. I oversee several million dollars in budgets, report on this monthly to various boards. And it gives me that understanding of where we’re at, what we’re spending money on, why we’re spending money on it and really kind of looking at it holistically.” After hearing about not only winning but placing first with 371 votes, Blechta said, “Super

excited. Kind of shocked. I think mostly, number one, I wasn’t expecting to know for a couple of hours. This is something I was really hoping to get. It’s going to be unbelievably busy.” Blechta said she’s been preparing to take on the responsibility of a board member by speaking with current and retiring members, along with the resort district staff, Whitney Brunner and Kristin Drain, who Blechta described as, “so entrenched in it and will be unbelievable resources.” Buz Davis was traveling through Utah, coming back to Big Sky from Arizona, when reached with the election results. Looking back on the race—in which Davis spent time meeting with a variety of groups and community members—he said, “It was just a fantastic experience. I’ve had pretty good connections in the community. It just took

it to another level. What a great town. I mean really, there are so many dedicated people.” Including Johnson, who during the April candidate’s forum, said, “My volunteer work has taught me a lot about the other end of the resort tax allocation process. I’ve seen that stuff first-hand. And I think with my work experience I think I have some ideas about how it might work better. I’d like to blend the experience that I have in Big Sky and before getting here and try to make this a better functioning organization.” The nitty gritty begins June 4 at 1 p.m., when resort tax funding applicants will come before the board for a Q&A about their applications. The board will then make funding decisions on June 18 starting at 6 p.m. Both meetings will be held in the Warren Miller Performing Arts Center.

Big Sky resort tax board (pick two)Sarah (Wooldridge) Blechta: 371 votes—29.08 percentSteve Johnson: 316 votes—24.76 percentBuz Davis: 301 votes—23.59 percentCraig Smit: 279 votes—21.87 percentWrite-in (preliminary): 7 votes

$40,000 Big Sky School District levy passes

For: 460 votes—70.66 percentAgainst: 191—29.34 percent

Unopposed school board candidates awarded seats

But one candidate moved recently to Missoula

Matthew Jennings and Margo Magnant are voter-

approved to take seats on the Big Sky School District board, but a new job opportunity with the Missoula Chamber of Commerce recently pulled Magnant away. “I am sad to leave Big Sky, my home of eight years, and one of the hardest parts of leaving is resigning from my seat as trustee on the Big Sky School District Board,” wrote Magnant in an email to the Lookout. “Unfortunately, the timing was pretty terrible too, as the opportunity in Missoula came about just a day after the filing deadline for anyone else to take my spot on the ballot.” Magnant went on to say this unfortunate

circumstance, “really limited my excitement over the change. I wish to thank my fellow board members, and the Big Sky School District staff for their time in helping me get up to speed on the board since my appointment in October. I’m thrilled for the direction the school district is going, and look forward to continuing to follow the great paths of the students, teachers and staff, especially with the continued hard work in implementing the IB diploma program in the district. Big Sky kids are in great hands!” Stay tuned for coverage of how the district plans to fill Magnant’s seat.

Big Sky School District Trustee election (pick two)

Matthew Jennings: 517 votes—55.47 percentMargo Magnant: 372—39.91 percentWrite in: 43—4.61 percent(All preliminary)

M I N E R S

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HELP WANTED

CL ASSIFIEDS

May 1, 2018

g A silver Chrysler minivan was stuck and needed a wrecker near Taylor Fork Road just before 9 a.m.

g The driver of a white truck was warned for speeding on Gallatin Road at 12:20 p.m.

g A caller reported a reckless semi driver was traveling through the Gallatin Canyon at 12:30 p.m. speeding, tailgating and passing in no passing zones. The caller could not provide enough information for a deputy to identify the semi as two were seen in the area.

g A deputy spoke with a parent about her child being audio recorded without her knowledge, and what options were available to address the matter involving the sheriff’s office.

g Multiple verbal warnings were given to a driver who was pulled over on Gallatin Road just before 5 p.m.

g A husky was found near the intersection of Gallatin Road and Lone Mountain Trail at around 8 p.m.

May 2, 2018

g A semi-truck driver coming from Idaho was reportedly swerving, slamming on his brakes and traveling in the oncoming traffic lane with high beams on at 3 a.m. on Gallatin Road.

g A dead elk was in the middle of the southbound lane of Gallatin Road at 6:30 a.m.

g A woman left a message for the Big Sky Fire Department reporting multiple crimes committed against her. The voicemail was passed on to a deputy.

g A caller wished to discuss an abandoned vehicle at the Community Park.

g A concerned parent spoke to a deputy regarding the security of Ophir School in the event of an active shooter. The parent was advised of security measures that are currently in place and directed to other resources relating to questions the deputy did not have an answer to.

g For the second time, a deputy escorted a utility company employee to a Gallatin Road residence where the owner once fired a shotgun towards an employee when they attempted to shut off the power. The resident keeps turning the power back on despite nonpayment, and a utility company employee has to keep returning to shut it off. This time no contact was made between the parties and the job was completed without issue.

g A victim of privacy in communications was spoken to by a deputy. The woman requested that the offender be verbally warned and educated on the law that was violated.

g During a traffic stop on Lone Mountain Trail at 6 p.m., a driver was cited for possession of dangerous drugs and for driving with a suspended license. The passenger of the vehicle was a valid driver and took the car from there.

May 3, 2018

g Someone reported witnessing a driver who crashed into a home on Candlelight Meadow Drive at around 8 a.m. and sped away.

g The operator of a delivery truck was stopped and warned for having no rear license plate as well as an open backdoor.

g The driver of a bus traveling 15 to 20 miles under the posted speed limit was stopped and warned on Lone Mountain Trail at 8:45 a.m.

g A caller had questions about a person who was still on a lease but no longer welcome at the residence. A civil standby was requested.

g A deputy patrolled the Beehive Basin Trailhead at 2 p.m.

g A deputy was able to locate a white Toyota car seen driving

on the wrong side of the road at around 6 p.m. The driver was found to be intoxicated. She was taken to the Gallatin County Detention Center and held on a $685 bond.

g A caller on Anaconda Drive reported a street cleaner was being noisy at 10 p.m. A deputy responded, but the cleaner was already gone.

May 4, 2018

g During a patrol check at 12:30 a.m., a deputy located a blue, red and yellow Trek bicycle near a storage unit.

g Two vehicles were illegally parked in a fire lane at the Firelight Condos at 8 a.m. Both owners were verbally warned.

g A deputy was approached by a man outside the Big Sky Sheriff’s Office who wanted to notify the deputy of the strange things his neighbor has been doing. These things included getting very drunk and randomly yelling at no one. The man was asked to contact law enforcement when this was occurring and they would address the situation.

g A motorcyclist was warned for running two stop signs on and around Aspen Leaf Drive at 4:40 p.m.

g A man called a deputy stating an intoxicated woman was on his porch at 7 p.m. on Juniper Berry Drive. She was contacted and talked with a deputy about personal issues.

May 5, 2018

g No illegally parked vehicles were found during a patrol check of the Firelight Condos at 8 a.m.

g A man asked a deputy what he should do with his roommate’s belongings since she was arrested and won’t be getting out of jail anytime soon. He was advised he should leave the items at his residence, allowing the roommate to pick them up when she is out of jail. He was advised against selling them. He was also notified by the deputy that his other roommate was wanted for questioning about a theft investigation.

g A man was given information on Montana gun laws.

g A Montana game warden was notified of an unspecified dead animal at the Cinnamon Creek Trailhead at around noon.

g Deputies attempted to stop a driver on Gallatin Road at 4:15 p.m. He pulled over at the Corral Steakhouse & Motel, jumped out of his vehicle, and was detained and handcuffed by officers. He was cited for speeding and driving without a license.

g While parked on the shoulder of Gallatin Road, a deputy witnessed another driver pull in behind him with no traffic hazards on. The deputy got out of his vehicle and the motorist drove away. This was deemed suspicious.

May 6, 2018

g A truck struck an elk on Gallatin Road near the entrance of Big Sky just after midnight and needed a tow. A deputy assisted with traffic control and gave the two occupants a ride home.

g A man who was thrown off of a deck the day of the Pond Skim recently went to the doctor and discovered he had more injuries than he’d thought. He had another recent conflict with the person who had thrown him from the deck and wanted to report the original incident.

g A deputy checked on a van parked in the free skier parking lot at Big Sky Resort. It was missing both license plates and appeared to be disabled.

g While responding to a 911 hang up at the Moose Creek Trailhead at 10:30 p.m., a deputy found no one there. He also checked the trailhead and campground, finding no signs of distress.

May 7, 2018

g A driver was stopped and warned for obstructing the flow of traffic on Gallatin Road at 9:45 a.m.

BEST OF THE BLOTTER

An apartment dweller who thought they may have found methamphetamine in a container labeled “ice cream salt” called deputies to report the finding. A deputy checked

the box, a test indicated it was not meth, and it was concluded the contents were in fact large crystals of rock salt used for making ice cream.

HOME | AUTO | FARM/RANCH | HEALTH | LIFE | RENTERS | MOTORCYCLE/BOAT/RV

FOR ALL of YOUR INSURANCE NEEDS

Offices in big sky and ennis | insuringthe406.com | Call (406) 993-9242

Agency Insurance.qxp_Layout 1 11/14/17 12:03 PM Page 1

BLOTTER IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

Alcoholics Anonymous can help ifyou think you might have a drink-ing problem. Call 888-607-2000to talk to a member of A.A. or goto aa.montana.org for meetingtimes and locations.

A.A.Alcoholics Anonymous

Buck’s T-4 offers benefits and is currently hiring:Hotel Guest Service

RepresentativesHousekeeping AttendantsHousekeeping Inspectors

Experienced Banquet CookContact Bethany@buckst4.

com or 406-993-5230

FOR SALE

2013 Toyota Prius II. Winter Grey Metallic, 85,000 miles, one owner, very good condition. Great gas mileage, tons of space inside. This has been an extremely reliable car! $11,500.406-596-0661

Yellowstone’s economic upside

Big Sky Community Food Bank HOURS:

Tuesdays 3-7 p.m. & Fridays 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Big Horn Shopping Center on HWY 191

(406) 995-3088Emergency Food and Social

Services. Donations Welcome.

Real Estate– Northwest Montana – Company owned. Small and large acre parcels. Private. Trees and meadows. National Forest boundaries. Tungstenholdings.com (406) 293-3714

Farm Auction: Thursday, May 17, 10a.m., Fairfield, MT. Featuring: tractors, trucks, trailers, tillage, haying, harvesting, livestock equipment and skidsteers. View online at laauctionco.com and lewistownlivestock.com. (406) 590-3333, (406)366-2303.

SERVICES

Authentic Timber Framed Barns. Residential and Commercial Timber Packages. Full Service Design - Build Since 1990, (406) 581 3014 [email protected], www.bitterroottimberframes.com

Northwest Community Health Center (NWCHC) is looking to add a full time Financial Officer to manage and provide oversight in all aspects of finance operations. Full job posting at http://northwestchc.org/jobs/. To apply please submit resume and/or public sector applications at http://northwestchc.org/jobs/.are interested in this practice opportunity please inquire with Maria Clemons, Executive Director. [email protected] or (406) 283-6919

200 PRIVATE TREATY ANGUS BULLS 150 Yearlings, 50 Two Year Olds. Fertility Tested & Ready to Work!Proven Calving Ease & Performance Genetics. STEVENSON’S DIAMOND DOT – Hobson, MT. Clint Stevenson: (406)366-9023

Pest Control

Dax Schieffer

STORY & PHOTOS BY MIKE COIL

HELP NEEDED! CORRAL BAR STEAKHOUSE NEEDS YOU! WAITSTAFF/BARTENDERS/PREP COOKS. START TODAY! COME IN TO SIGN UP OR SEND RESUME [email protected] FOR APPLYING! MANY BENEFITS.

The Fort Belknap Indian Community, in Fort Belknap Montana, is seeking applications for the position of Chief Finance Officer (CFO). BS in accounting is required, MBA and/or CPA proffered and 10+years in progressively responsible financial leadership roles. For further information or a full job description please contact the FBIC Human Resources Staff at (406) 353-2205 or mail applications to: Fort Belknap Indian Community. Attn: Human Resources. 656 Agency Main St. Harlem, MT 59526. Position will close Friday, May 18, 2018 @ 5:00 PM.

“The economic benefits our neighbors enjoy are a direct result of preserving Yellowstone’s abundant

wildlife, spectacular thermal features and dramatic scenery.”

—Dan Wenk, YNP superintendent

Briefs from 6

If you are reading this ad, you can see that classified advertising works! Reach over 400,000 readers in Montana and beyond to promote your product, service, event and business. To get results, contact this newspaper, or the Montana Newspaper Association at (406) 443-2850 or email [email protected] or [email protected].

STATEWIDE CLASSIFIEDS

Buck’s T-4 offers benefits and is currently hiring:Hotel Guest Service

RepresentativesHousekeeping AttendantsHousekeeping Inspectors

Experienced Banquet CookContact Bethany@buckst4.

com or 406-993-5230

EVENTS COORDINATOR

Seeking highly organized, motivated and caring applicant

with extensive event and restaurant/hospitality

experience. Email [email protected]

to apply.

FOR HIREJim Holmes Construction

Ready for your next project.New construction to remodels, kitchen and baths, siding and

roofing, decking and additions.

Call Jim @ 406-581-9427

Nuverra is hiring for CDL Class A Truck Drivers. Drivers can earn a $1500 sign on bonus. To apply call (701) 842-3618, or go online to www.nuverra.com/careers. Nuverra is an equal opportunity employer.

A crystal by any other name

What’s the person under the umbrella actually spilling?

B R I E F S C O N T I N U E D

A new National Park Service (NPS) report shows that the 4.1 million people who traveled to Yellowstone in 2017 spent

$498.8 million in communities near the park. That spending supported 7,354 jobs in the local area and had a cumulative benefit to the local economy of $629.6 million. “Yellowstone welcomes people from across the country and around the world who

contribute significantly to the local economies in Wyoming, Montana and Idaho,” said Superintendent Dan Wenk. “The economic benefits our neighbors enjoy are a direct result of preserving Yellowstone’s abundant wildlife, spectacular thermal features and dramatic scenery. As we look to the future, preservation has to be the key value we consider as we address increasing visitation. Protecting the park also protects the regional tourism economy.” The peer-reviewed visitor spending analysis was conducted by economists Catherine Cullinane Thomas of the U.S. Geological

Survey and Lynne Koontz of the National Park Service. The report shows $18.2 billion of direct spending by more than 330 million park visitors in communities within 60 miles of a national park. This spending supported 306,000 jobs nationally; 255,900 of those jobs are found in these gateway communities. The cumulative benefit to the U.S. economy was $35.8 billion. The lodging sector received the highest direct contributions with $5.5 billion in economic output to local gateway economies and 49,000 jobs. The restaurants sector received the next greatest direct contributions with $3.7 billion in economic output to local gateway economies and 60,500 jobs. According to the 2017 report, most park visitor spending was for lodging/camping (32.9 percent) followed by food and beverages (27.5 percent), gas and oil (12.1 percent), souvenirs and other expenses (10.1 percent), admissions and fees (10.0 percent), and local transportation (7.5 percent). The report authors also produced an interactive tool that enables users to explore visitor spending, jobs, labor income, value added and output effects by sector for national, state and local economies. Users can also view year-by-year trend data. The interactive tool and report are available at the NPS Social Science Program webpage: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/socialscience/vse.htm The report includes information for visitor spending at individual parks and by state. —NPS

View from Yellowstone

It is a good time of year to be in Yellowstone. Not surprisingly, the dominant feature is running water. The roadside snowbanks

of a few weeks ago are gone and snow melt is everywhere, collecting in the ponds and rivulets. Phantom Lake has appeared and the Little America pond is full. Abundant snow can still be seen in the high country, including from Gibbon Meadows to the Swan Lake Flats, which promises a thundering runoff season and good water through the summer. There is still snow on the ground above Pebble Creek to Silver Gate. The Electric Peak rain shadow has accelerated spring around Mammoth and the best wildlife viewing at the moment is from Mammoth to the Pebble Creek parking lot. Everything else from West Yellowstone to Mammoth is still snow covered or very wet.

Wildlife is everywhere. Much of the northern elk herd is still north of Gardiner in the Tom Miner and Dome Mountain pastures, but a few elk have trickled back into Mammoth and the Slough Creek area. There is a sizable herd in the pastures by the Stephens Creek buffalo facility. The infamous lack of herd bulls continues. The bighorns are showing at the Yellowstone Picnic Area and the cliffs along the confluence of Soda Butte and the Lamar River. There are two pairs of trumpeter swans resting on the Lamar near the Buffalo Ranch, but they will probably not stay long. All of the small ponds have birds and the dawn chorus is strong, backed up with frog undertones. The buffalo calves are just starting to appear and many are umbilical-cord fresh. Calving should peak in the next couple of weeks with all the attendant cuteness. The bears are out,

so be bear-aware. The green bite is on around Mammoth, but not so much West Yellowstone. As the grass greens above Mammoth, the bears should be along the stream courses. Late snow storms seem to activate the bears even more, so be ready to dash out in the weather if we get a late storm. The elk and deer are losing their fur so they look pretty ragged. The moose are still hanging out at Round Prairie near the Pebble Creek parking lot. The tourists are starting to trickle in. There are a few motorhomes around, but no tour busses yet. The excellent coffee bar at the Mammoth Hotel is open starting at 6:30 a.m., and there is splendid seating in the rehabbed map room or on the sunny morning deck. The traffic is light, but that will end shortly as we approach Memorial Day. Most YNP roads will be open by May 15, but

check the signs at the entrance gates for the latest information. The scopers are out as usual and having their morning convention in the Slough Creek parking lot and hiking in on the still-gated Slough Creek Road to view the Slough Creek wolf pack. None of the dirt roads are open yet and may be delayed in opening because of wet conditions. Photo tip: Keep your camera in your lap and turned on with all settings ready to fire without adjustment. Some photo moments along the park roads can be very fleeting and the difference between a good photo and no photo can be a matter of seconds—no time to fumble around getting the camera out. Good shooting and I hope you get that shot of a lifetime.

Wildlife from 1

Letters to the Editor Consider how we can appreciate tourists this summer

May 6 through 12, 2018 marks the 35th anniversary of the 1983 congressional

resolution that established National Travel and Tourism Week. This is a week to reflect on the contributions and accomplishments of the travel community and celebrate the value travel holds for our economy, businesses and personal well-being. In Montana, with successful promotions attracting 12.4 million non-resident visitors—most who arrive during the summer months—it can be easy to get hung up on the inconveniences created with more people on the roads, lined up in stores

or in the places we like to eat. I believe National Travel and Tourism Week is a great time to reflect on the positive impacts the visitor economy brings to Montana. Tourism fuels Montana’s economy as non-resident visitors spent $3.4 billion in 2017, according to the Institute of Tourism & Recreation Research at the University of Montana. Those dollars are spent on guides, outfitters, restaurants, retail, farmer’s markets and hotels. That helps Montana’s small businesses and main streets. Tourism creates jobs. According to ITRR, visitors supported 53,000 jobs with $1.35 billion in salaries directly related to tourism industry jobs. Those dollars that were injected into Montana’s economy from visitors will circulate in our communities many times over. Tourism lowers the tax burden on all Montanans. In the past seven years, more than $161 million has been deposited to the state general fund from lodging taxes alone. Tourism lowers taxes $491 for each Montana household. Tourism improves Montanans access

to other places with growing air service that includes new non-stop cities, large aircraft and even new airlines. The foundation for continued expansion of Montana’s economy across many sectors including high-tech, healthcare and manufacturing relies on reliable air access. Since 1987, when Montana’s tourism industry began to grow, airline enplanements have more than doubled to nearly 2,000,000 per year. Tourism supports communities to promote and preserve the qualities that make Montana a great place to live, work and play. Travelers add to the lifestyle many Montanans enjoy by supporting more restaurants, shops and special events. What we enjoy now is far more than what the state’s population could support on its own. I’m proud to live in a state that is a desirable place for others to visit. I feel lucky about that. Sure, I may wait in line a little longer this summer, but I’m going to thank and welcome that visitor, because they are making Montana better. Dax SchiefferDirector of Voices of Montana Tourism Helena

The Fish Eye Guy is headed to the arctic. IMAGE COURTESY OF PATRICK CLAYTON

Support conservation through photos

Thank you for following along and supporting my art and conservation efforts. I have

been tasked to head north again, this time to the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to document the landscape and arctic char of the north slope. I am honored to be joining a collaborative effort with the International League of Conservation Photographers to raise awareness about the threat of oil drilling on the arctic plain. This is the wildest place left in North America. It is an ecological gem and home to the greatest ungulate herd left on this continent. Industrial-level development threatens some of the most special rivers on Earth, the porcupine caribou herd and the subsistence cultures of the Gwich'in. This fight is not over. It is just beginning. Please consider supporting my project by helping me get to where I need to be. The images I return with

will travel the globe and be utilized for years to come by innumerable relevant groups. This is your chance to get an awesome piece of art and support a good cause. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/131154734/arctic-national-wildlife-refuge?ref=email Patrick Clayton www.fisheyeguyphotography.com Bozeman

Full-time, Year-round Retail Manager needed in Big Sky ASAP– The Cave Spirits and Gifts is looking for someone who is reliable & self-motivated to Co-Manage the retail store. Will be responsible for retail sales, ordering merchandise, stocking & displays, scheduling and hiring, inventory counts, as well as managing staff. Experience preferred. Stop in The Cave in the Town Center and see Kara or David for an application & details. Or, send resume to: [email protected]

Sunning Yellowstone bighorns and stumble-prone bison calves.


Bull elk lost their antlers just a few weeks ago, but they’re quickly growing back. They shed every single year when their testosterone levels are at their lowest. This “gentleman in velvet” was seen in the Jack Creek Preserve in early May, munching on freshly sprouted greens with several other elk. The 4,500-acre preserve, established in 2005 by Jon Fossel, is protected to secure a key migratory route for wildlife traveling from Yellowstone National Park, through the Madison Range and northward. PHOTO BY JOLENE PALMER

BIG SKYLivingPresents

ThursdayMAY 10

11:30 a.m to 1:30 p.m. g Visit Big Sky Inaugural Marketing Outlook Luncheon & Annual Members’ Meeting at Lone Mountain Ranch’s Horn & Cantlel

Join Visit Big Sky in its first annual marketing outlook luncheon. We will take a look back at the successes of the previous year in tourism including the celebration of standouts in the Big Sky hospitality industry. The discussion will look at the outcomes of our Tourism Master Planning with Destination Think! and how that will shape the upcoming marketing strategy for Visit Big Sky. Dax Schieffer, the director of Voices of Montana Tourism, will also provide insight on the impact tourism has on our state and community. $35 open seating. To purchase, call (406) 640-0012 or email Caitlin Lundin at [email protected]

4 p.m. g Al-Anon at the Big Sky Chapel

A support group for friends and families worried about someone with a drinking problem.

8 p.m. g Alcoholics Anonymous at the Big Sky Chapel

SaturdayMAY 12

7:30 a.m. g Big Sky Resort Golf Course opening day

You’ve been “fore” warned! Big Sky’s 18-hole, 72-par, Arnold Palmer-designed golf course opens for the season. Call (406) 995-5780 to set up a tee time.

7:30 a.m. g Alcoholics Anonymous at the Big Sky Chapel

SundayMAY 13

It’s Mother’s Day! According to History.com, the American incarnation of Mother’s Day was created by Anna Jarvis in 1908 and became an official U.S. holiday in 1914. Jarvis would later denounce the holiday’s commercialization and spent the latter part of her life trying to remove it from the calendar.

Sunday services at Big Sky Chapel

8 a.m. g St. Joseph’s of Big Sky - Catholic Mass

9:30 a.m. g All Saints in Big Sky - A shared ministry of the Episcopal and Lutheran (ELCA) Churches

11 a.m. g Big Sky Christian Fellowship

TuesdayMAY 15

6 p.m. to 8 p.m. g Local government discussion with Dan Clark at Big Sky Water and Sewer District conference room.

Dan Clark from MSU’s Local Government Center returns to Big Sky with his research and recommendations on options available to the Big Sky community to formalize an area-wide governance structure that channels a representative voice for the community. Free public event. BSW&SD is located at 561 Little Coyote Road.

WednesdayMAY 16

6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. g

Spring Celebration! at Santosha Wellness Center

Join Santosha to celebrate spring, get some fun new ideas for ways you can get creative with healthy foods and enjoy a delicious meal done by Kira Rogala, LMT. After a short explanation and demonstration, participants will get to enjoy many courses filled with fabulous flavors. This will be followed by a sound bath of crystal and Himalayan singing bowls. Cost: $25, pre-registration required by May 14. Santosha is located at 169 Snowy Mountain Circle. (406) 993-2510.

Down in the

Valley

Dust off your gear—golf is back in Big Sky. Walk the course, rent a cart or try your hand at a golf board, new to the links last year. PHOTO BY CODY WITMER

Saturday, May 12

7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Owling walk at Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park

Montana State Parks hosts the eighth annual owling walk. Owls frequent the park year-round and are most vocal in early spring. Most years both northern pygmy owls and northern saw-whet owls can be heard in the park depending on conditions and time of year. This is an easy night walk (approximately two to three miles) up the park road to search for owls. This year’s walk will leave from the Main (lower) Visitor Center. There is a $4 charge per participant. Please call ahead to reserve a spot. A bottle of water, a snack, sturdy footwear, weather appropriate clothing and binoculars are all recommended. Flashlights are optional and strongly discouraged while actually looking for owls. For more information, call the park visitor center at (406) 287-3541.

Sunday, May 1310 a.m. to 1 p.m. Annual Mother’s Day 5K Run/Walk presented by First Security Bank—Bozeman

Help celebrate seven years running with the HAVEN Mother’s Day 5K. This year’s course begins and ends at Bozeman Ponds, located on Fowler Avenue. Honor the special women in your life by signing up for this fun family event at https://runsignup.com/Race/MT/Bozeman/HAVENMothersDay5K. Registration for adults is $25 by May 11 ($35 after). Registration for children 12 & under is $5 (t-shirt not included).

Lucky attendees of the owling walk might encounter the northern pygmy owl, the smallest owl to call Montana home. It’s barely larger than a soda can and weighs only 2.5 ounces. PHOTO BY KEN RUSH

Take one, leave oneDuring the off season, the Town Center Community Library is open at Compass Café. It’s a great opportunity to unload some old books during spring cleaning, or to snag a new read to while away the hours of the shoulder season. Need some incentive? Anyone who drops off a book gets a free cookie.

PHOTO COURTESY OF COMPASS CAFÉ

Vendor registration time

PHOTO BY JOLENE PALMER

Ah, summer. The Big Sky Farmers Market celebrates a decade this year, showcasing crafts, clothing, jewelry, fresh veggies and more each Wednesday from June 6 to Sept. 26, 2018. The market is now accepting vendor applications. Due to the popularity of the market, high vendor interest and limited capacity at the Fire Pit Park venue, Town Center will be capping the event at 90 vendor booth spaces/vendors this summer. Applications will

be reviewed for approval with an emphasis toward local/regional farmers, professional artisans, young artists/entrepreneurs and community organizations— all with a goal of helping to foster and maintain a market that is true to Big Sky’s mountain culture. To register, visit http://www.bigskytowncenter.com/farmers-market/. Cost is $10 per week.

May 10, 201816LONE PEAK LOOKOUT

volume 1, issue 23 lone peak lookout · 2018-05-10 · black bear in glacier park on may 23, 2005....

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