Twin Bridges, MT

Those of who who like to walk or run might be interested in some fun facts about the Walking Path at Jessen Park and Riverside Park. If follow the path from the bridge, around Jessen Park and around Riverside Park (outside the baseball fields), you will go exactly 1.26 miles.  If you prefer to do the loop around the baseball fields and the pond only, you will be walking .36 miles, so three times around is about a mile.If you want to get more of a workout, you can start at the Car Wash, follow the dump road east, go right onto the airport road, hit Hwy 287 and go north and you will go 4.37 miles.If you want even more of a workout go up to the Goodrich turnoff on the Bear Gulch Road and it is 4.18 miles there (uphill) and 4.18 miles back.Have fun, get fit. Walking Path 2010

There are many events going on this coming week where your participation is REALLY needed:

RIDE THE BUS WEDNESDAY (7/28) TO THE JEFF. COUNTY VS DEQ LAWSUIT HEARING IN BOULDER. BUS LOADS AT 9:30 AM; HEARING STARTS AT 11 AM. FOOD/DRINKS PROVIDED. PLEASE EMAIL ME TO RESERVE A SEAT - whgeol@gmail.com. Please attend – Jefferson County needs your support!! This will be the last day of hearings – let’s make it a good one.

• FRONTIER DAYS – NEXT SATURDAY, 7/31:
  1. FIGHT MSTI FLOAT SPONSORED BY SAVE SCENIC JEFFERSON VALLEY: Here’s what we have so far – truck and flatbed trailer provided by Jim Alley. One idea is to have hay bales with kids of all ages riding the hay wagon. We can have banners/signs on the trailer about MSTI; maybe have kids waving flags and/or pinwheels? Also have people walking beside float handing out information to parade watchers? Any other ideas are welcome. We should put float together Friday evening, maybe about 6:30 pm.
  2. The Star Theatre is rented by SSJVC for Saturday afternoon for showings of the Montana PBS video – Power Brokers – the story of Montana Power/Touch America and deregulation of the utility industry. Showings are free to all, and are at 1 pm and at 3 pm.

 Volunteers needed badly for the Frontier Days events!!!

OTHER EVENTS THIS WEEK:

Thursday evening, 7/29 – town hall meeting on MSTI in Twin Bridges – 6 pm at the Twin Bridges High School.

• Energy and Telecommunications Interim Committe
• State Capitol - Helena, Room 172, Wednesday and Thursday , July 28-29 (Helena) – Thurs. 7/29 is probably the best day to go.
• Broadwater County Fair – 7/29-8/1

Debra Hanneman, PhD
107 Whitetail Road
Whitehall, Montana 59759
406-287-5408
www.earthmaps.com

–
Rebecca Mayfield Ramsey
Ruby Watershed Coordinator
Ruby Watershed Council/Ruby Valley Conservation District
PO Box 295, Sheridan, MT  59749
406-842-5741 x106
406-843-5257
rubywatershed@gmail.com

The Annual Floating Flotillas Fish Fantasies 5k run/walk is scheduled for this Saturday, July 24, 2010.  The start/finish line is the parking lot at Ruby Valley National Bank in Twin Bridges.  We will have registration between 8:30 am and 8:55 am, with the race kicking off at 9.  The race is $15 for those who would like a t-shirt, free for those who don’t.  There are prizes for the top ten finishers. The course is set up, so if you have any questions, please contact Heather Puckett at 596.2002.

If you missed the fresh vegetables at the Farmer’s Market this week, you have a second chance. Jackson’s Garden in Sheridan will be selling vegetables on Tuesday, July 20th from 5pm to 6pm. It doesn’t get much fresher than that!

Dear Madison Marathon Runners,

The clock is ticking down to the start of the 3^rd Annual Madison Marathon.  I’ve heard from many of you, and some of you have signed up, but I’ve not heard from all of you and not all of you have signed up for this year’s race.  Those of you who have already signed up to run can ignore this email.  Those of you who have not signed up should continue to read on and especially read the attached press release for this year’s Madison Marathon.  It’s really cool! We are going to have a great race.  As of this writing, we have 60 runners with several more to come. 

The snapshot of this year’s runners include:

• A 60 year old runner from North Carolina who will be completing his 258^th marathon overall and 31^st for this year
• A Brazilian cartoonist/standup comedian/ fly fishing nut/writer who will be running and writing for the biggest running magazine in Brazil.
• A high school relay team who is intent on setting a course record.  We need more teams so get four of you together and give these kids a challenge.
• A Marathon Maniac who has run 30 marathons in 30 different states for three years in a row.
• A 50 State Club Member from Billings who has already run two marathons and two ultra-marathons in June of this year (the 50 staters have the goal of running a marathon in every state – the 60 year old guy mentioned above will have done this three times sometime early next year).
• More than one runner who will have run ALL THREE Madison Marathons.
• A 60 year old runner from Florida who will be completing his 151^st marathon.
• Three Canadians – Yes!!!! We’ve gone international!!!  The Kenyans are coming next!!

Note that I didn’t mention the Madison Marathon is the highest road marathon in America (and probably the world) and the Gravelly Range is unbelievably beautiful and because of so much late snow that the wild flowers should be totally amazing come July 25^th.  Also, we’re having a pre-race dinner on Saturday the 24^th from 6 to 8 PM in Ennis.  A mere $8 will get you spaghetti, garlic bread, salad, dessert, and drinks and you’ll be supporting the Ennis Teen Center which gets all the proceeds. 

If you have not already done so, please go through our new website at www.themadisonmarathon.com  Also, please read and then pass on to all your running friends the attached press release.  Online registration is open until Friday, July 23^rd.  You can register in person on Saturday from 4 to 6 PM in Ennis.  There is no race day registration. If you have any questions, please call or email me.  I hope to see all of you on Sunday July 25^th.  Stay healthy, happy, and keep running forward.

Cheers, Sam

Our next meeting is July 23, 2010 at 8:30 at The Old Hotel in Twin Bridges.  Check out the Tentative Meeting Agenda .

Submitted by Jerry Aaker

Several of us have decided to put a hold on officially signing an agreement with Montana Community Foundation and any promotion of the Ruby Valley Foundation (brochure printing and distribution) until we have organized a board of directors.  We need good input and a commitment from a group that represents the valley before proceeding on.  More later on a meeting date and agenda. 

Ruby Valley National Bank is holding their annual Customer Appreciation Picnic on Thursday, July 15 in Sheridan at the football field.  Dinner will be served from 5 t0 7 pm. Roast pork and all of the delicious trimmings will be served during the event.  The lobbies at both branches will be closing at 4 pm to allow the staff time to set up the picnic area.  The walk-up/drive-up will be open until 5 pm.

Energy Committee Short Comments

The Energy and Telecommunications Interim Committee of the Montana Legislature is seeking public comment through July 7 on a proposed state energy policy. Over the past year, the bipartisan committee has been studying the state’s existing energy policy, as directed by the 2009 Legislature through enactment of Senate Bill 290. After several meetings and public hearings, the legislators agreed to expand the existing policy.

The committee’s work has resulted in two pieces of draft legislation for potential consideration by the 2011 Legislature, as well as a draft energy report that discusses the process the committee used to reach its conclusions. All three documents are now available for public comment on the ETIC Web site at http://www.leg.mt.gov/etic.

The ETIC will meet July 28-29 in Helena to review and discuss the public comments it receives and consider whether to revise the report, its findings, or the draft legislation. Public comments should be submitted to Sonja Nowakowski, ETIC staff, at snowakowski@mt.gov (put energy policy in the subject line) or to Legislative Services Division, Attn. Sonja Nowakowski, P.O. Box 201704, Helena, MT 59620-1704.

Members of the Energy and Telecommunications Interim Committee are Rep. Robyn Driscoll, D-Billings (chair); Sen. Jerry Black, R-Shelby (vice chair); Rep. Duane Ankney, R-Colstrip; Rep. Tony Belcourt, D-Box Elder; Sen. Ron Erickson, D-Missoula; Sen. Verdell Jackson, R-Kalispell; Rep. Harry Klock, R-Harlowton; and Sen. Cliff Larsen, D-Missoula. For more information, contact Nowakowski at 406-444-3078.

Minutes of the June 25, 2010 Meeting  All the news that is new and improved.