Local Schools Eye Increased Funding
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
LIFESTYLE - Inpirational speaker encourages students OUTPOST EVENTS CALENDAR For up-to-date local events Page C1 & C4 THE LOCAL NEWS OF THE MADISON VALLEY, RUBY VALLEY AND SURROUNDING AREAS Montana’s Oldest Publishing Weekly Newspaper. Established 1873 75¢ | Volume 141, Issue 16 www.madisoniannews.com Thursday, February 14, 2013 Sheridan man enters Alford plea in sexual assault case Ben Coulter fore Judge Loren Tucker. Street business in Sheridan in of sexual abuse of children was vince a judge or jury to find Madison County Deputy The Madisonian Dennis Ray Jensen entered June 2012. The girls were be- dismissed by a motion from the the defendant guilty beyond a Attorney Chris McConnell said [email protected] an Alford plea of guilty to one tween 11 and 12 years old at the prosecution. reasonable doubt. According Jensen must undergo a pre-sen- count of sexual assault, a felony. time of the incident, and the al- An Alford plea is similar to to Montana law “a person who tence investigation that includes A Sheridan man arrested in According to the affidavit for leged victims were all included a no-contest plea in in which a knowingly subjects another per- a psychosexual evaluation by the July on sexual assault charges probable cause in the case, Jen- in the one count of sexual assault. defendant admits that sufficient son to any sexual contact without Adult Probation and Parole Bu- entered a change of plea in Dis- sen allegedly grabbed three girls After the Court accepted evidence exists with which the consent commits the offense of reau before a date is set for his trict Court on Monday, Feb. 4 be- inappropriately inside his Main Jensen’s plea, a second count prosecution could likely con- sexual assault.” sentencing. Regional land agencies present updates, coordinate efforts Ben Coulter table,” Schulz said. The Madisonian Ennis National Fish Hatch- [email protected] ery biologist Ron Hopper report- ed that they are currently spawn- The Madison County Com- ing four of their six strains of missioners met with representa- rainbow trout that will produce tives from various regional land approximately 23 million eggs and resource management agen- that will be sent out all over the cies at a the Alder Fire Hall on country. They are also producing Thursday, Jan. 31 to report on sterile triploid eggs to be sent to current and ongoing projects Arizona. running through their respective Tim Egan, a Department offices. of Natural Resources and Con- As those in attendance in- servation unit manager out of troduced themselves, Commis- Dillon, reported a recent sale fa- sioner Dave Schulz explained the cilitated by the Bureau of Land purpose of coordination meet- Management of approximately ings is to help facilitate the shar- half a million board feet of tim- ing of useful information in an ber from the Monkey Gulch Area interactive and informative set- near California Creek. Egan also ting. reported on March 15 -17 there “The value of that is how it will be firefighter training hosted might reflect, benefit, alter or be a means to anybody else at the Turn to REGIONAL on pg. 2 Harrison community receives Photos by Ben Coulter Several members of the Harrison community gathered during Monday night’s school board meeting to listen to a presentation on school security presentation on from Madison County Undersheriff Roger Thompson. school safety Schools around the county Ben Coulter by Madison County Undersher- The Madisonian iff Roger Thompson and outlined take closer look at safety plans [email protected] the different types of scenarios that law enforcement agencies By Faith Moldan safe,” Harding said. “All doors safety issues oc- The Harrison School Board plan for when they conduct an For The Madisonian at the school are locked except cur, the plans do and members of the surrounding emergency rescue operation at a the front door. Visitors must not do any good community listened to a presen- school. Schools across the coun- walk by and check in with the if they are not tation on school safety presented “It was designed to give the try, including area schools, be- administration before proceed- routinely prac- by the Madison County Sheriff’s schools and school staff an idea gan taking a closer look at their ing elsewhere in the building.” ticed, reviewed Office at their regular school of what to expect in worst case safety plans after the December The procedure for visitors is and updated. To board meeting on Tuesday night. scenario for law enforcement re- 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook El- nearly identical in Ennis. get school staff While the presentation was sponse,” Thompson said of the ementary in Connecticut. While “The outside doors are and boards of Madison County Undersheriff Roger Thompson scheduled at the January board presentation. “There is no fool- this reexamination of proce- locked and visitors must be trustees thinking meeting following the mass proof way to do this.” dures is recent the desire to keep buzzed in by the secretary or even more about rison School Board’s Feb. 11 school shooting in Connecticut The three scenarios that law local students safe is not new. principal,” Ennis Superinten- student safety, Madison County meeting. on December 14, several mem- enforcement agencies plan for Kim Harding, Superin- dent John Overstreet said. “Vis- Undersheriff Roger Thompson “Obviously for us it is a bers of the community took an are barricaded suspects, hostage tendent in Sheridan, said her itors check in and get a visitor’s has presented information at all little closer to home,” Harrison extra interest in the topic follow- rescues and active shooter in- school’s safety plan was imple- badge.” the schools on school hostage Superintendent Fred Hofman ing an incident on Jan. 25 where terventions. Thompson said that mented long before she began Although all the Madison and active shooter incidents. said of safety concerns. A Har- a Harrison student brought fire- a barricaded suspect is the best work there. County schools have strate- Thompson most recently pre- arms to school. “The school is extremely gies in place in case various sented this information at Har- Turn to SAFETY on pg. 2 The presentation was given Turn to HARRISON on pg. 2 Local schools eye increased funding By Faith Moldan mously cleared the Senate lican Llew Jones of Con- “We have a low prop- the school is happy to have resource development and For The Madisonian Education and Cultural rad, SB175 had few oppo- erty tax base and declin- used computers from the school taxpayer success. Resources Committee on nents at a Jan. 30 hearing. ing enrollment,” Hokanson Department of Corrections Larger school districts, Students will not be Feb. 6 with some technical There were more than 40 said during the committee for students to use, the 89 such as Billings, would re- the only ones benefitting amendments, but is not yet proponents representing hearing last month. “We students in Harrison de- ceive a larger basic entitle- from a popular schoolSchool scheduled for a Fundingvote on the school districts of all siz- seem to be continually serve better. ment compared to smaller funding bill if it passes Senate floor. es from all corners of the asking for more and more The bill, which can schools like Harrison. Oil the senate and house. Sen- “It’s fairly complete,” state and only two oppo- just to keep up.” be found online in its new- and gas revenue provides ate Bill 175, which along Ennis Superintendent John nents. Among the propo- Keeping up includes est amended version, calls much of the funding, so if with increased funding Overstreet said of SB175. nents was Harrison School implementing new Com- for funding and flexibility the revenue goes away so also proposes property “It includes funding for Board Trustee Ann Ho- mon Core standards as for student achievement, does the tax relief, Har- tax relief, is backed by large and small schools. kanson. She said that while well as updating school statewide tax relief, tax rison Superintendent Fred both parties, schools of All schools are facing bud- the bill is not perfect, it’s infrastructure and tech- relief for oil and gas im- Hofman said. He added Llew Jones all sizes, and numerous get shortfalls.” the best thing the board nology. Hokanson told the pacted areas, and an education groups. It unani- Sponsored by Repub- has seen. committee that although alignment of natural Turn to FUNDING on pg. 2 Banking YOUR Way - When YOU Want it TABLE OF CONTENTS Local News----------------A3 Sports-------------------B2 BillPay @ www.rubyvalleybank.com Letters to the Editor/ Health & Wellness ----B5 WebStatements Opinion/ Obituary -------A4 Calendar-----------C1&C4 Member Comics/Games------------A5 Public Notices/ FDIC Visa® Check Card Lifestyle--------------------B1 Classifieds----------C2-C3 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, February 14, 2013 REGIONAL from pg. 1 one of the many duties his office Suzuki also reported the BLM submitted their response is responsible for is permitting completion of the Noble Dam to the Department of the Inte- in Twin Bridges, and he said Conforming Mortgage Fixed Rates for on site wastewater systems. project in the Noble Fork Drain- rior Board of Land Appeals and there may be an opportunity for This includes working with the age of the Tobacco Root Moun- there is currently a stay in place. Type 3 Incident Management 30 Years - .000% Points county planning department to tains. The dam was damaged by If the stay is approved the BLM training to be scheduled at a look at the planning aspects of heavy runoff in spring 2011 and will not bring in horses, and later date.