TUESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2017 107TH YEAR/ISSUE 63 RURAL POWELL COUPLE DEAD IN MURDER-SUICIDE A rural Powell man killed his longtime ship,” Lance Mathess, a spokesman the family member called 911 after that, mediately dispatched to the residence. He added that, “we have no indication partner and then himself on Monday for the Sheriff’s Office, said in a news around 4:30 a.m. “Both victims were transported to of previous history of violence or any- morning, the Park County Sheriff’s Of- release. “However, recently the rela- Sheriff’s deputies and an ambulance Powell Valley Hospital, where they thing going on there.” fice says. tionship had soured, and when Bright from Powell Valley Hospital were im- died of their wounds,” Mathess said. He Bier delivered mail in the Powell area Authorities say it appears John C. discovered Bier’s intent to leave him, said a suicide note was found at the for more than 20 years, retiring from the Bright, 74, murdered Mary Ann Bier, 64, he became despondent and shot her scene. Postal Service in 2015. at the home the couple shared on Jona- before turning the gun on himself.” Sheriff’s deputies were continuing She told the Tribune at the time of her thon Road, a couple miles west of Powell Bright called a family member ‘Both victims were transported to investigate the incident on Mon- retirement that she moved to Powell in off of Lane 8. early Monday morning and told them to Powell Valley Hospital, where day afternoon, with an autopsy pend- 1994, because Bright wanted to live in “The investigation revealed that the to come to the house, saying he’d they died of their wounds.’ ing, but Steward said everything at the area. victims, although not married, were left a note in his truck, Park County the home appeared to be consistent It’s the first murder in Park County involved in a long-time, live-in relation- Sheriff Scott Steward said. He said Lance Mathess, Park County Sheriff ’s Office with a murder-suicide. since early 2014. ‘They’re like a canary in the coal mine. Their life spans are short, Heritage Health receives and declines in their numbers can indicate issues in the environment.’ Bobbie Holder, Park County horticulturalist federal funding for Annual count nets numerous butterflies another three years BY MARK DAVIS Tribune Staff Writer CENTER CONTINUES TO PARTNER WITH PVHC BY ILENE OLSON history — 50 years — with bi- he problem with counting Tribune News Editor partisan support.” butterflies is, you have Heritage Health operates Tto catch them first — no eritage Health Center on a sliding-fee scale, with pa- easy feat. has received a federal tients’ fees varying according With nets in hand, more than Hgrant to run the center to their household incomes. a dozen area residents could for another three The center provides be seen trying their hand at years, with $704,000 medical care for capturing the beautiful in- to be awarded an- anyone, including sects in the margins between nually, said Execu- people covered by Chief Joseph Highway and the tive Director Colette Medicare, Medicaid Beartooth Mountains Friday. Behrent. or health insurance. Some employed the stan- Heritage Health, “We have a lot dard chase while others stood a federal commu- of people who in wait, hoping the butterflies nity health center, are grateful that would come to them. None were opened its doors they can get care as proficient as Mindi Oech- downtown in Sep- that they can af- sner, a 5-year-old kindergarten tember 2015, funded ford,” Behrent said. student at Southside Elemen- by a two-year grant. COLETTE “They’re not fear- tary School in Powell. Oechsner Three years is the BEHRENT ful of that bill; they had endless energy for chasing longest grant period know it’s something the winged gems through the for which a center can apply, they can handle.” hillside, but had little to say as Behrent said. People who have high insur- she concentrated on the chase. The federal Health Resourc- ance deductibles also can qual- Her favorite thing about but- es and Service Administration ify for the sliding fee, she said. terflies? “Catching them,” she “has the ability to renew a As of last month, Heritage said. grant period for Health had seen She was bringing in speci- only a year if approximately mens so fast that the adults there are con- ‘We have a lot of 2,000 patients charged with identifying each cerns, so the since opening one were falling behind. But fact that they re- people who are two years ago, while the catching is a light- newed [Heritage grateful that they Behrent said. hearted activity, the data the Health] for three can get care that “In addition, count provides is serious busi- years is a good we’ve helped ness. sign that we’re they can afford.’ around 750 “Butterflies are an indicator doing well,” Beh- people with in- species,” said Bobbie Holder, rent said. Colette Behrent surance counsel- Park County horticulturalist. In fact, Heri- Executive director ing,” she said. “They’re like a canary in the tage Health was The center coal mine. Their life spans are recognized last month by the also partners with Yellowstone short, and declines in their National Committee for Quality Behavioral Health to provide numbers can indicate issues in Assurance (NCQA). mental health services. the environment,” she said. “If your practice earns “We’re actually looking to The count, in its seventh Mindi Oechsner (above), a recognition through NCQA, it maybe bring on a full-time li- year, has been organized by 5-year-old from Powell, shows means you have made a com- censed clinical social worker,” Holder in cooperation with the off a Common Wood Nymph mitment to providing a qual- Behrent said. The center North American Butterfly As- (Cercyonis pegata) — one of the ity improvement within your recently applied for a federal sociation (NABA). The organi- many butterflies she captured for practice and a patient-centered grant that would provide fund- zation has been running counts identification during the seventh approach to care that results in ing to improve mental health and collecting data in the U.S., annual Park County butterfly patients that are happier and services, she added. Canada and Mexico since 1993. count along the Chief Joseph healthier,” she said. Administrative services for There are about 450 local Highway Friday. A Coronis The new grant’s funding the center are being moved group counts, which consist Fritillary (Speyeria coronis) level could change in year two next door, to retired Powell of a compilation of all butter- butterfly (left) takes a breather or three, but Behrent said she Municipal Court Judge Jim Al- flies observed at sites within after being captured, counted believes that’s unlikely. lison’s law office. That’s much a 15-mile diameter count and released during the seventh “We’re pretty confident that more convenient than the Third annual count in Park County. it will remain,” she said. “Luck- See Butterflies, Page 8 Tribune photos by Mark Davis ily, health centers have a long See Heritage, Page 2 County to rent space to family planning organization BY CJ BAKER Planning will be allowed to use Park president of the nonprofit organization. Park County Public Health Nursing and forth,” Crampton said. He said it Tribune Editor County Public Health’s clinic space Since the clinic’s closure, “we feel as Manager Bill Crampton described the could increase walk-in traffic for Pub- and an office on Monday afternoons. though there’s been a gap maybe in proposal as a “win-win.” lic Health and therefore boost access to hile acknowledging it might The commission approved the ar- underinsured and uninsured as far as “We have that space available in the services in the Powell area. prove unpopular with anti- rangement on a split, 3-2 vote on Tues- family planning services in Powell and afternoon on Monday, and it would also Roes said Northwest Family Plan- Wabortion advocates, the Park day, Aug. 1. in that part of the county,” Roes told give us the opportunity … if a [North- ning is “a leading provider … for family County Commission narrowly agreed Northwest Family Planning previ- commissioners. west Family Planning] client comes in planning services — including life-sav- to allow Northwest Family Planning to ously ran a clinic in Powell, but closed That concern prompted the organiza- who needs vaccinations, or we come ing cancer screenings, breast exams, rent out space at the Park County An- it a few years ago “out of our own fiscal tion to ask about using Public Health’s across a client who maybe meets the contraception, STD testing, sports nex in Powell. responsibility” in the face of increased space from roughly 1-5 p.m. on Mon- needs of having a visit with Northwest For $30 a month, Northwest Family overhead costs, said Cathy Roes, the days. Family Planning, we can refer back See Rent, Page 3 Sydney Olsen of Powell shows her lamb at the Junior Junior Livestock Sale brings in $345,000 Livestock Sale on July 29. Olsen was BY TESSA BAKER Sale Committee. Livestock Sale. Kids went out and honored as the Tribune Features Editor Multiple buyers pooled their invited new buyers, and there was reserve champion money to help Lauren Shepperson “a great response,” Bridges said. senior 4-H longtime tradition in Park of Meeteetse, who couldn’t be at The committee ran out of showman. County held true again this the sale due to a family crisis.