Twin Bridges Native's Death Ruled a Suicide
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SPORTS PREVIEW ON PAGE A5! THE LOCAL NEWS OF THE MADISON VALLEY, RUBY VALLEY AND SURROUNDING AREAS Montana’s Oldest Publishing Weekly Newspaper. Established 1873 75¢ | Volume 142, Issue 45 www.madisoniannews.com Thursday, September 4, 2014 Body of MSU student recovered from Ennis Lake The two-day search for a missing MSU student began Monday Abigail Dennis Lake bridge and the Madison suspended at dusk on Monday The Madisonian Dam at the north end of the and resumed Tuesday morning. [email protected] lake, Madison County Under- A Madison County dis- sheriff Roger Thompson said. patcher said the body was After an extensive two- “He started having trouble found in Ennis Lake at 12:20 day search, the body of a and went under once and p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 2. missing Montana State Uni- came back up,” Thompson The Madison County versity (MSU) student who said. “Then he went un- Sheriff’s Office, the Madi- disappeared while swimming der again and that was the son Valley Rural Fire De- in Ennis Lake was recov- last his friends saw him.” partment, Fish, Wildlife & ered on Tuesday, Sept. 2. Responders first received Parks, the Gallatin County Trevor Ball, a 19-year-old the call for assistance around Sheriff’s Office and private from Helena, was swimming 1:30 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 1, citizens were all involved in The Madisonian/Abigail Dennis with friends between the Ennis Thompson said. The search was the search, Thompson said. A Gallatin County Search and Rescue dive team searched for the 19-year-old MSU student who went missing on Monday. His body was found Tuesday, just after noon. Twin Bridges BACK ON TRACK native’s death ruled a suicide YNP employee found dead near Old Faithful Lodge area Abigail Dennis “After a brief search in the The Madisonian Old Faithful Lodge area, the [email protected] body of the 21-year-old from Twin Bridges was located not A Twin Bridges woman far from the point she was was found dead in Yel- reportedly last seen by a fellow lowstone National Park employee,” the release stated. (YNP) on Aug. 26, 2014. Details surrounding her Kassandra “Kassie” Wief- discovery were released on erich, 21, was working as a con- Aug. 27 to allow time for cession employee at the park and her family to be notified. reportedly missed several shifts The incident was investi- and work and “failed to meet a gated by National Park Ser- family member the previous af- vice park rangers and special ternoon as planned,” according agents – on Aug. 29 in a to a news release from Al Nash, press release, Nash said the YNP public affairs officer. death was ruled a suicide. Remining in Alder The Madisonian/Abigail Dennis Gulch is profitable Construction on the new Madison County Courthouse Annex is nearly back on schedule after early delays and will hopefully be complete by June 2015. to community Construction on the new courthouse Cleaning up mine waste piles creates annex in V.C. is nearly back on jobs, cleans up the area and brings track after early delays money to the community Abigail Dennis Madison County commissioner Abigail Dennis said. “We ran into a bit of an Though there were issues The Madisonian Dave Schulz said. “Today, The Madisonian issue early on with helical with the helical piers, Happel [email protected] remining can clean up a lot [email protected] piers and were delayed by added the commissioners “We’re still of those scars and people are about 2 1/2 weeks but we’re have not seen any chang- looking at the The public has a chance profiting – it’s a win-win.” It’s been a busy sum- nearly back on track.” ing costs related to that. first part of June to comment on a potential When tailings have enough mer for Virginia City and Helical piers are the foun- To meet a June comple- remining site in the Alder mineral value left to be profit- one of Madison County’s dation system chosen by the tion date, Happel said the next year for Gulch, which, if approved by able, mining companies often main projects is not ending project’s architects and struc- hope is to have the structure a completion the Bureau of Land Manage- remine them to extract that any time soon. Construc- tural engineers, Happel said. completely enclosed by the date.” ment (BLM) will remove value – the act of remining tion on the new courthouse Since the hitch with the time the cold weather hits. approximately 2,000 tons of then cleans up and removes annex is entering its third foundation that stalled the “That way they can - Dan Happel mine waste from the county. the waste pile, BLM geolo- month of construction in the project, Happel said the do their interior work Commissioner Madison County boomed in gist Robert Gunderson said. yearlong project, which will project is quickly catching when it’s cold,” he ex- the late 1800s and early 1900s, The BLM’s Dillon field give the county facilities up to its projected timeline. plained. “I’m hoping we’ll riding on the success of the office is currently evaluating to compliment the Madi- “We’re within another have a decent winter.” ing and the steel for the mining industry. If you drive a permit application submit- son County Courthouse. two or three weeks of being The masonry work on first floor, Happel said. from Virginia City to Alder, ted by Moen Building to “We’re still looking at back on schedule,” he said. the entire lower level of the “Now that we’re nearly tailings – or waste piles – are remove approximately 2,000 the first part of June next The project is also on building is nearly com- back on track it looks tangible evidence of the impact tons of tailings from a loca- year for a completion date,” schedule budget-wise, Com- pleted – the next step is good,” he said. “We’re the industry had on the area. tion along the Alder Gulch, Commissioner Dan Happel missioner Jim Hart said. installing the floor fram- excited about it.” “The Virginia City area has about six miles south of Vir- 100 years of mining scars,” Turn to MINING on pg. 2 Banking YOUR Way - When YOU Want it TABLE OF CONTENTS Local News----------------A3 Comics/Games----------- B4 BillPay @ www.rubyvalleybank.com Opinion--------------------A4 Columns-------------------B6 Obits--------------A4, A5, A9 Public Notices/ WebStatements Classifieds-------------B7-B8 Member Lifestyle---------------------B1 Calendar-----------------B12 FDIC Visa® Check Card Health & Wellness ----B2-3 P.O. Box 417 • Twin Bridges, MT P.O. Box 587 • Sheridan, MT 24 Hour Better Banking @ 888-842-5121 59754 59749 Visit us online at (406) 684-5678 (406) 842-5411 www.madisoniannews.com A2 Thursday, September 4, 2014 MINING from pg. 1 patented, private land and ing to a press release from period, removal would be- BLM land, Gunderson added. BLM public affairs agent gin after Oct. 1, 2014, and Conforming Mortgage Fixed Rates ginia City, Gunderson said. “There was a mining claim David Abrams. “Following would be completed in 2015. The BLM is involved be- 30 Years - .000% Points staked up there,” Gunderson processing at Golden Sun- cause the site is split between said. “Then the minerals from light’s mill, the waste mate- % Rate % APR 4.125 4.229 the tailings were sampled rial will be placed in a lined, Have a 15 Years - .000% Points and there was enough value permitted tailings facility.” comment about Rate APR in them to be remined.” “From our past experience the proposal? 3.250% 3.419% “Today, Since a sliver of the land is working with mine opera- Rates subject to change without notice, APR calculation is based on a $200,000.00 loan amount with a 1% remining can BLM-owned, the agency is ex- tors or owners, remining is a loan origination fee, $975.00 underwriting fee, $295.00 document processing fee, Mers fee $11.95, $15.00 amining the permit application positive thing for our commu- flood determination fee, $4.00 transcript fee, 15 days of prepaid interest and *discount point fee as stated above. clean up a lot Call Robert to determine that the opera- nity,” Schulz said. “It creates Gunderson at the of those scars tion will not do “undue and some additional employment, Dillon field office at If you haven’t enrolled for and people are unnecessary degradation to the it cleans up an area that has environment,” Gunderson said. been an eyesore or hazard 683-8000 or email E-Statement delivery, the time is now. profiting – it’s a “The material would be for up to 100 years and it him at MT-_Dillon_ Your statements will be made available to you at the touch win-win.” removed from an unpatented brings money into the area.” [email protected] with “Alder Gulch Waste of a button ... no more waiting for the - Dave Schulz mining claim and patented The proposal is cur- mail and, most importantly, it’s paperless! property and ultimately rently out for public com- Removal” in the Thank you for banking with www.bankingonthefuture.com Commissioner hauled to the Golden Sunlight ment until Sept. 27. If it is subject line. Mine east of Whitehall for approved as it currently is final processing,” accord- after the public comment AUTO LOANS AS LOW AS % 4.5 rate % 4.879 APR Rates subject to change without notice. APR calculation based on $20,000.00 loan amount with a $149.00 loan fee, • 48 payments of $459.67 on approved credit.