By Brooklynn Reid
On August 10th at 7:00 p.m. the 6th annual Guns vs. Hoses fundraiser was held at J. Neils Baseball Field. The two teams played against each other once again. With an astounding crowd of more than 600 hundred supporters and over 100 volunteers, coming to cheer on their favorite team and our first responders.
This annual event has become a community tradition that features a great competition between local Law Enforcement and Libby Volunteer Fire Department. Many other joyous activities include bouncy houses, games, delicious food, and face painting. Families and supporters sat along the sidelines watching the game and enjoying the community gathering.
Along with bringing awareness and support to Unite for Youth’s (UFY) mission, to elevate the well being of youth and families across Lincoln county. Proceeds from the annual event will be used to bring families together, support youth programs, and creating opportunities to learn and grow together.
For the victory game, the winner goes to the Libby Volunteer Fire department. Great effort was put forth by the two teams, with some amazing highlights with the ending score of five to fourteen. Even though the area Law Enforcement lost this year, they walked around with positivity.
“A special shout out to Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office – Montana, Troy PD, Montana Highway Patrol, and Libby Volunteer Fire Department, Ms. Lorraine Braun and Libby’s Select Choirs, Kaytee and Heather Benjamin and The Krushers, our announcers, umpires, cook shack and concession crews; our sponsors, donors, and nearly 100 volunteers who said yes to creating an event that brings people together to celebrate youth and families, and shines a light on what it means to be a community”. Said the Unite for Youth Staff.
Excited families took a stand applause to show support for their local Volunteer Fire Department and area Law Enforcement. This event was not only entertaining but it was funny, and ultimately raised funds to support local youth programs. The planning has already begun for nest year.
Clearwater Montana Properties Donates to Non-Profits in Troy, MT
Submitted by Clear Water Montana Properties
Since its founding in 1993, Clearwater Montana Properties has emphasized community-building as a key component of its company culture. Through its Charitable Giving Program, the company’s Agents give back a portion of all real estate proceeds to the communities in which they were earned. To date, the program has produced over $1,078,132 in charitable donations to causes throughout Montana, Idaho and Washington.
“Each year Clearwater and our agents give a portion of each commission earned to an entity of the agents choosing in the community in which it was earned,” said CEO/Broker Kevin Wetherell. “We are very grateful for the business that we receive from each of our valued clients that enables this support within our communities.”
The positive effects of the company’s Charitable Giving Program were recently felt locally, as Troy Agents Josie Hermes and Sharon Denton presented donations totaling $8,213.66 to local non-profit groups Troy Volunteer Fire Department, Upper Yaak Fire Department, McCormick Volunteer Fire Department, Bull Lake Volunteer Fire Department, Morrison Elementary Backpack Program, and Lincoln County Crisis Solutions.
“Giving back to the community where I was raised is good for my soul. I am honored and proud to play a small role in creating a stronger and healthier community.” Josie Hermes “I love our volunteers and my community, I really appreciate all they do and it’s a real blessing to be able to give back to those who give of themselves.” Sharon S. Denton With nearly 100 Real Estate Advisors throughout the region, the effects of Clearwater Montana Properties’ donations have been and will continue to be far-reaching and impactful.
Clearwater Montana Properties, founded in 1993, is Montana’s largest real estate brokerage firm with a network of over 30 offices across Montana, Idaho, and Washington. Clearwater focuses on providing quality customer service, superior market knowledge, and giving back to the communities we serve. Visit Clearwater at CMPMontana.com.
USFS Trojan Defense Fuels Reduction Project in Troy Comment Period Open
Submitted by Sam Martin, USFS Three Rivers Ranger District Forest Ranger
The Three Rivers Ranger District is preparing to analyze resource conditions and management of Forest Service lands in the area adjacent to the west and southwest of Troy, Montana. The area of analysis is a mixed ownership of, and intermingled within rural areas of Forest Service, private timber lands, and residential homes and businesses outside of the Troy city limits. All proposed treatment would occur on Forest Service lands only. This area of the district includes Forest Service land from the South side road to Iron Creek Road including McConnell Mountain, Callahan Creek, and Iron Creek (please see included map of the planning area). The project area is located within the
Wildfire Crisis Strategy – Kootenai Complex and the Lincoln County Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) which was designated to treat hazardous fuels surrounding the community of Troy. Therefore, this project will be designed as part of ongoing cross-boundary efforts to connect past, present, and future activities to reduce and mitigate wildfire threats to the Troy community. Please note that any proposed treatments would occur only on Forest Service lands. The District plans to apply for an emergency action determination through section 40807 of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. For an environmental assessment, this emergency action requires only a propose action and no action alternative. The proposed action will be designed to treat and reduce fuels within the project area by shifting species composition, size class, and stand densities towards Forest Plan desired conditions. Forest Plan forest-wide and geographic area desired conditions align with Fireshed desired conditions which includes reducing hazardous fuels within the wildland urban interface (WUI), reduce the threat of
wildfire to communities and structures, and increase resiliency within ponderosa pine dominated old growth stands. The Lincoln County Commissioners are advocating an inter-jurisdictional, cross boundary plan to assist agencies, industrial land managers, and private land holders with prioritization, management, and increased pace and scale of WUI treatment. The project area is entirely within the 2023. Lincoln County Community Wildfire Protection Plan WUI and the Kootenai Complex. Potential actions occurring on Forest Service lands could include the following treatments: pre-commercial thinning, mechanical fuels reduction, commercial treatments including intermediate harvest, mosaic harvest, and/or regeneration harvest, activity fuels treatment and disposal, low to mixed severity under burning. At this early stage of the analysis, we would like to hear your thoughts on Forest Service land management in these areas.
We would like to hear from you by August 18, 2023, so we can incorporate your ideas into our review of the area. Some suggested items for input are: What would you like to see done to reduce hazardous fuel loading and potential fire severity? What would you like to see done to improve opportunities for firefighters to safely engage wildfires within the project area? What would you like to see done to maintain and/or improve forest health, ecological function, and resource conditions? How do you use Forest Service lands within the project area? Do you know of unique or important habitats that should be maintained or enhanced? Do you have site-specific areas you would like to see treated? Do you have information about specific past management activities?
COMMENTS THAT ARE MOST HELPFUL: Specific Comments, be as specific as possible. For example, give us site-specific information about resource conditions for roads, streams, past timber harvest, or wildlife species you know about or have a concern about in the Planning Area. Constructive Comments: Focus on what you want to see happen in the Planning Area and why. Try to be as specific as possible. Give examples and/or potential solutions to the concerns you have identified. Timely Comments: Comments received by August 18, 2023, will give the team time to consider the information as they develop more specific plans for management. Additionally, comments received early in the process allow time for meetings with interested parties if additional information is needed.
HOW YOUR COMMENTS WILL BE USED: Comments received, combined with our interdisciplinary analysis of the area, will lead to management recommendations for the area. Management recommendations will be presented to the public in the form of “public scoping.” A copy of the scoping letter, which presents a proposal to the public, will be sent via GovDelivery, see below. We will also advertise the proposal in the Western News, Kootenai Valley Record, and the Missoulian. You will be given the opportunity to comment on the specifics of the proposal at that time.
YOUR COMMENTS ARE IMPORTANT: You can comment at any time during the planning process. However, the earlier we receive your comments, the more useful they will be in helping to shape the Trojan Defense Project. There are two ways to submit comments, and these are listed below: CARA application: You can provide comments through CARA (Comment Analysis and Response Application) using the following web address: www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=64354.
On the right side of the page under the Get Connected tab click on Comment/Object on Project and then submit your comments via the form on this page.
Mail: You can mail hard-copy comments to:
Trojan Defense Project
Three Rivers Ranger District
12858 US HWY 2
TROY MT 59935
As the project develops information will be posted to the project webpage: www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=64354. A public information booth will be set up at the Troy Apple Festival on Friday September 29, 2023. The public scoping comment period for this project will begin approximately on September 29, 2023. GOVDELIVERY The Kootenai National Forest has decided to utilize GovDelivery, an electronic messaging program that allows us to provide better communication with interested members of the public like you. This new program allows you the ability to manage your subscription to Forest Service project electronic mailing list(s) and access immediate electronic information to project documents.
To take advantage of electronic delivery, you may subscribe by visiting the GovDelivery sign up page at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/projects/kootenai/landmanagement/projects. Enter your email address and click the submit button. After you sign up, don’t forget to click on the “Add Subscriptions” tab to select your areas of interest to ensure you are kept up to date on upcoming projects. Electronic delivery provides subscribers immediate access to downloadable project documents that are then easy to share with staff or interested colleagues. Electronic delivery will also reduce the number of unwanted letters and extra copies of large documents. You may still request paper copies or thumb drives for specific projects.
The current postal mailing list will be retired. After that date, you should not expect to receive project notifications by postal mail. However, if you wish to remain a postal subscriber, please resubmit your postal information by sending a letter to:
Three Rivers Ranger District
Kootenai National Forest GovDelivery
12858 US Highway 2, Troy, MT 59935. If you have questions, please contact Sam Martin at (406) 295-4693 or sam.a.martin@usda.gov. Project map on page 2.