Melea Burke/Valley Journal

Adult tricycle races at the Stockman's Bar were part of the fun at Saturday's end-of-construction party in Arlee.

Arlee community celebrates end of highway construction

By Melea Burke
Valley Journal
ARLEE — The dust from a hectic, trying summer of road construction is finally settling in Arlee. Locals, relieved that they won’t have to find new routes around town every few days and delighted by the downtown area’s makeover, celebrated the town’s new look with a community party Saturday evening.
Kids rode bikes and scooters on the freshly paved Main Street, enjoying the last few days of freedom before vehicle traffic takes over the road. Below shiny new street lamps, adults mingled on the ample sidewalks and enjoyed music from local music groups Odyssey and The Dirty Corner Band. Face painting, cowboy poetry readings and adult tricycle races were all part of the fun.
Dave Marsolek, who lives a block from Main Street, enjoyed a seat in the shade while watching grandkids play in the street. When the road opens, he hopes more residents will make use of the new sidewalks for bicycle travel — he said he’s one of three adults who ride bikes around town.
“Hopefully that will change,” he said. “I’m glad we have somewhere to ride (that’s) not in the street … It’s going to be great.”
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Bridge quandary continues, county officials await state’s recommendations

Melea Burke/Valley Journal
Commissioner Paddy Trusler makes a point during a discussion with residents about the status of the South Valley Creek Road bridge.

By Melea Burke
Valley Journal
Lake County Commissioners are still waiting for a report from state bridge inspectors before they decide whether to repair or close the South Valley Creek Bridge, commission chairman Paddy Trusler said Tuesday.
Kent Barnes, state bridge engineer with the Montana Department of Transportation, and Doug Moeller, MDT’s Missoula District Administrator, inspected the bridge last week, Trusler said, and now he’s waiting for their recommendation on whether or not temporary repairs to the structure to allow for normal vehicular traffic would be cost-effective.

“What we’re waiting for right now is the report from the state as to what their recommendation would be to get that bridge to 10 tons,” Trusler said in a meeting with South Valley Creek residents Monday.

“What I’m really interested in is ‘What is the state willing to certify?’ If we don’t have the information, I’m not inclined to close the bridge on the 30th (of August), but I’m not going to wait six months.”

August 20, 2009

County reexamines South Valley Creek Bridge options

Melea Burke/Valley Journal

A reevaluation of the South Valley Creek Bridge by MDT is hoped to perhaps identify some repair solutions that might provide some limited traffic until the bridge can be replaced in the long-term.

August 13, 2009

County to close South Valley Creek Bridge

Melea Burke/Valley Journal

Mac McClure of the Lake County roads department prepares to hang signs Monday morning informing travelers on South Valley Creek Road that the bridge will close Aug. 31.

By Melea Burke
Valley Journal
ARLEE — It was a bridge well travelled for generations, a pathway across the Jocko River that has so far survived the test of time. But time and budget priorities are about to take their toll.
Starting Aug. 31, residents of South Valley Creek Road north of Arlee will have to take a new route to access U.S. Highway 93. Lake County is closing the century-old South Valley Creek Bridge after a Montana Department of Transportation bridge inspector advised that the bridge is unsafe.
“The information that was given definitely implied that we needed to do something with the bridge,” Lake County Commissioner Paddy Trusler said.
Unfortunately, the closure means that area residents will have to detour up to 10 miles via North Valley Creek Road, a narrow, winding gravel road, to reach Hwy. 93, making the drive to Arlee 30 minutes long for some. Needless to say, the news isn't sitting well with some of those folks.
And locals say they’ve only recently learned that emergency services to the area are restricted, too.
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Meal deliveries available for Arlee seniors

August 6, 2009

By Melea Burke and Jim Blow
Valley Journal
ARLEE — It wasn’t the kind of challenge course that might be expected at a summer camp. Instead of rope bridges and primitive obstacle courses that tested the mettle of the group of six middle school girls, this seven-station challenge course emphasized problem-solving, team-building and leadership.
It was also about discovery.
What sounded easy turned into real challenges, from crafting a piece of sculpture to leading a blindfolded teammate through a course to deposit a ball in specific spot. Though not physically difficult, the girls quickly learned the complexity and difficulty of jointly solving difficult problems, along with the power of communication, listening, patience and leadership.
And the outdoor adventure camp, sponsored by the DOVES Birds of a Feather program and held July 23-28, was a great opportunity for middle school girls to discover strengths they didn’t know they had.
Bringing the students out of their normal surroundings helps them to focus on learning, communicating and appreciating each other’s strengths.
“The wilderness is just a really great environment for working with the girls,” Euell explained. “The woods set up a lot of natural challenges.”
And of course, it’s fun.
After spending some time getting to know their fellow campers on day one, the six girls, ages 11 to 13, enjoyed adventures ranging from picking raspberries at Common Ground Farm, canoeing at Twin Lakes and backpacking to Three Lakes Peak. Six girls attended this year’s camp, but there are 11 camper spots available.
“We usually try to take about 11 girls, so we’re hoping for more next year,” said Heidi Sanders, coordinator of Birds of a Feather.
On the other hand, the smaller group provided a more intimate atmosphere, which makes answering questions and voicing opinions less intimidating for the campers.
“It’s harder to speak out in a larger group,” Euell said.
Successful communication was one of the main goals of Sunday’s challenge activities. The first challenge required some orienteering to a tree where a container of clay was used to create a team sculpture. The girls quickly learned that you can’t always get everyone to follow you just because you are first or loudest or talking the most.
“Listen to me. Listen to me. Listen to me,” one frustrated girl exclaimed repeatedly to deaf ears.
The fun game of dropping the ball inside a triangle of sticks involved two blindfolded team members and one not blindfolded. One blindfolded girl followed directions provided by the only talking member of the team, the other blindfolded person, who received touch hand-signals from the non-blindfolded person, who could not speak. Skills emphasized included listening with your ears and touch, translating directions into a different language (touch commands), and trusting your teammates.
But by the time the team tried to identify five species of plants, sharing of reference material and ideas of what to choose began to leave some members out of the team effort.
Then by the time they tried to lower a tent peg with only their two index fingers, touching a partner’s in front of them, nerves began to frazzle and voices elevated to shouts. In the end, a group circle identified some weaknesses in the group, along with emphasis on what worked and why.
“We try to incorporate different skill sets (into challenges) because everybody has their own strength,” Euell said.
A challenge to write a group poem sounded easy at first, but quickly turned difficult as a theme was considered amid general silliness. Claudia started to take the lead and suggested a structure for the poem by incorporating the acronym GUTS and word “camp” into the poem. Eventually they came up with Girls Unite To Survive Connect All Mighty Powers — not a particularly poetic stanza, but one that satisfied the counselors.
Beads, collected in containers worn around campers’ necks, were awarded to each member upon successful completion of each challenge. By the end of the challenge day, the girls had collected quite a few beads.
Five of the girls were first-time GUTS! campers, and explained they were attending the camp because their mothers thought it would be a good idea. Returnee Claudia Hewston said she enjoyed herself so much last year that she asked to attend again this year.
And they all said they’d like to return next summer. Euell said and the other counselors have already received letters from some of the girls raving about their fun week at camp.
In addition to being a great place to break down barriers and learn to appreciate diversity and the ideas of others, the week provided all the fun and excitement expected at a summer camp. Crashing noises by the latrine and shower area caused three of the girls to reconsider their plan to sleep outside of their tent.
“We were freaking out,” Hewston explained. They thought for sure it was a bear until they pointed a flashlight in the general direction of the sound to see the flash of a raccoon’s tail before it disappeared around the corner.
For information about next year’s DOVES camp and the Birds of a Feather program, contact Sanders at 883-3350.

Melea Burke/Valley Journal
A visitor in Arlee takes in “Arlee 4th of July," a watercolor by local artist Karl Stein.

By Melea Burke
Valley Journal
ARLEE — Arlee is the place to be on Sunday, Aug. 2. Before the Raspberry Jam — featuring bluegrass music and all-you-can-pick organic raspberries — kicks off at 5 p.m. at Common Ground Farm, the Hangin’ Art Gallery will host a reception for the artists of the newly-formed Killdeer Artisan Guild. From 1 to 4 p.m., community members will have a chance to get to know the creators of the Killdeer Artisan Guild Opening Invitation Exhibit currently on display at the Hangin’ Art Gallery.
The exhibit features sculpture by Danny Kraus, a leather fly rod and reel case by Judy Fundingsland, photography, paintings and encaustic work by guild members Malcolm O'Leary, Marti deAlva, Joe Weyndt, Janet McGahan, Jerry McGahan, Karen Francis, Joe Weydt and Karl Stein.
Charlie Vogel, another guild member, creates one-of-a-kind furniture and other installations from recycled cardboard and wood. In this exhibit, Vogel is displaying a room divider created for the Hangin’ Art Gallery and a confessional booth that was commissioned by Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Arlee.
Other works by invited artists include pottery by Jerry Baldwin of Mission Mountain Pottery, furniture and cabinetry by Gerald Garcelon, assemblage by Caroline Meyre, two-dimensional works by Dana Boussard, Eugene Beckes, Lila Fayler, Lois Joan Mason, Louise Lamontagne, Karen Fisher and Carol-Lynne Toleno.
“It’s an absolutely beautiful show,” Mollica said. “They did an amazing job.”
The artists’ guild formed over the last year with help from the Arlee Community Development Corporation and Mollica, who provided a meeting place for the group at the Hangin’ Art Gallery. Killdeer’s mission statement identifies the group as a “non-profit cooperative association of artists who are committed to our growth and development as artists, and seek to create a strong center for the arts in our community.”
The purpose of the cooperative is similar to that of other local organizations like the Western Montana Growers’ Coop, Mollica explained. The 10 artists now involved in Killdeer can share expenses like marketing and transporting artwork, and as a group, they’ll have more opportunities to show their work.
“(The guild) is brand new, and we’re hoping that it will really grow into something,” Mollica said.
Membership in the Killdeer Artisan Guild is open to artists that live in Western Montana between Evaro and Ninepipe, including Dixon, Charlo and Moiese.
The Killdeer Artisan Guild Opening Invitation Exhibit runs through Aug. 31 at the Hangin’ Art Gallery on U.S. Highway 93 in Arlee. For more information, call the Gallery at 726-5005.