Rally Fast

“You’ll have an experience that will fill your heart with joy,
your nether regions with excitement,
and the rest of you with dirt.”

DirtFish Rally School Website

The driving school in Snoqualmie, Washington (population 1,741) is not your typical kids' drivers ed program. At this school it’s not so much about simulator driving, parallel parking, and keeping your hands at 10 and 2 as it is about driving fast, real fast, in real road conditions. The DirtFish Rally School, set on 315 acres in the Cascade foothills, teaches thrill seekers and prospective pros how to keep it under control while powering through dirt roads, hairpin turns, and skidding stops.

When DirtFish moved into Snoqualmie last fall, civic leaders were tickled to welcome a new business to town—a hook to pull in tourist dollars. But some of the residents aren’t laughing now. They say the driving school is loud, especially during the recent ESPN Global RallyCross, and that just doesn’t fit in with their peaceful mountain lifestyle. One neighbor said it sounds a bit like a hornets nest. Residents have been invited to “sound off” about the noise problem, but so far there’s been no outcry. In the meantime, DirtFish continues to create a buzz among the fast and fearless looking for a thrill ride.

Check out this video of the DirtFish rally course:

Read the Article ® Daredevil driving school sore subject in Snoqualmie

Bonus Link ® DirtFish Rally School Website

Not Your Typical Festival

I’m adding a new feature to my blog today: a festival feature. As summertime draws near, so do a bushelful of small town festivals. It’s one of the signs of the changing seasons, like falling leaves in autumn, first snowfall in winter, tulips in spring . . . and festivals in summer. My own small town of LaMotte, Iowa (population 266) throws a traditional 4th of July festival. It’s a good time. We stuff ourselves on grilled brats & burgers, visit the beer tent, watch the parade, play a little bingo or paddleboard poker, and finish up the night in lawn chairs watching the fireworks overhead. 

But I’ve noticed while trolling through small town papers that some towns have turned the idea of celebrations on their ear. These towns do not throw the typical small town festival; they get a little crazy. They throw festivals like Frozen Dead Guy Days, Duct Tape Festival, National Hollerin’ Contest, Combine Demolition Derby, Nothing Festival, and Underwater Music Festival. These are the kinds of festivals I’ll be featuring on my site. I’ve created a tab at the top of this blog called Not Your Typical Festival. Click on the tab for a month’s worth of offbeat, silly, and sometimes weird festivals. I’ll update at the end of each month.

If you know of a festival that should be included, please click on Contact Me and let me know. 

Let the summer begin!

Rat Race

“We don’t consider it gambling at all . . .

If you win you win, if you lose you lose.”

Jan Beach, Co-owner of the Bucktail Lodge

This story has all the makings of a big city crime drama: illicit activity, perps, informant ratting out the perps, and a sheriff’s raid. But this didn’t happen in the big city; it happened in Small Town, America, so there must be a twist, right? Right.

The crime is real: gambling. But it’s not what you might expect. Not poker or dice or horse racing. Nope, it’s mouse racing. Yep, mouse racing.

Last week sheriffs raided the Bucktail Lodge in Danville, Iowa (population 865) after getting tipped off that illegal betting was taking place. What they found were Plexiglass mouse tracks set up along the back wall by the pool tables. The owners of the Bucktail Lodge have been charged with illegal gambling. They say it isn’t gambling at all—just folks having fun putting down a buck or two on their favorite rodent and some winning, some losing.

The Sheriffs Department disagrees. They’re not done nosing around and say they could file additional charges. The owners of the Bucktail Lodge say they’ll go to court to keep their mice running. I don’t know about you, but it sounds like a bit of cat and mouse to me.

Read the Article ® Iowa bar owners ticketed over illegal mouse racing

Short and Sweet

“We didn't have a prom king.”

2011 Graduate of South Platte High School

The 2011 graduating class of South Platte High School is big news in Big Springs, Nebraska (population 371). That’s because it’s so darn small: five seniors, and all of them girls. It’s the smallest graduating class in Nebraska, and among the smallest in the nation. The girls also make up the smallest class at South Platte School, a K-12 with an average class size of 15-18 students and a kindergarten class bursting at the seams with 23 kids. The principal says the school is on a real growth spurt—he expects 190 students next year. 

Looking at the numbers, it appears good things do come in small packages. For the 2011 graduating class of South Platte High School:
·        Budget: $15,665 per student (national average, $10,259)
·        Student-to-teacher ratio: 5 to 1 (national average, 16 to 1)
·        Graduation rate: 100 percent (national average, 68.8 percent)
·        Graduation ceremony: Short and sweet

Read the Article ® Five friends

Magic Bullet

This is one of those good news/maybe not so good news kind of stories. Jobs are coming to Payson, Arizona (population 15,547), and that’s always good news. HPR Ammunition is opening a manufacturing facility that will provide dozens of jobs by the end of the year. This is the first manufacturer in 20 years to move into the mountain community. With unemployment rates hovering around 11 percent, the mayor and townsfolk are happy to put out the welcome mat.

The maybe not so good news is the reason HPR Ammunition is setting its sights on Arizona. The bullet maker says there’s an increasing number of gun enthusiasts in the Southwest, and they want to get in on the action. HPR Ammunition is on target to churn out 15 million small arms bullets this year. With Arizona crime rates above the national average and tensions growing over illegal immigration, let’s hope shooting ranges are the only places where these bullets take aim.

Read the Article ® Bullet maker bringing jobs to N. Arizona

Wet Next?

“There are definitely benefits to a community going ‘wet.’ It’s going to bring in extra revenue for the police department.”

Roger Guined, Resident & restaurant owner

Earlington, Kentucky

It’s wet in Earlington, Kentucky (population 1,559), and it has nothing to do with the rain. This is the kind of wet that comes after more than a century of prohibition. When the coal mines first opened in the 1870s, Earlington was a wild and wooly place—many saloons and a handful of slayings, according to town history. In 1882 town leaders had enough and put a halt to the drunken calamity, passing the first “dry” law in the county. And dry it has stayed until last month when townsfolk voted 158 to 107 to lift the ban. Feelings in town are mixed. A local restaurant owner called the mayor a visionary, and one woman says it will save her gas money driving to neighboring Madisonville everyday to buy alcohol for her husband. But another resident says it spells drunkenness and trouble, and a local preacher asks what next: liquor stores and night clubs? Who knows . . . maybe even happy hour and ladies night out.

Read the Article ® Citizens speak out on Earlington going “wet”

Wish List

“If we had a mass disaster, what are we going to do?”

Tom Iverson Jr.

Director of the Piscataquis County Emergency Management Agency

Tom Iverson Jr., director of the Piscataquis County Emergency Management Agency in Maine, took his wish list to county commissioners last month. At the top of his list? A portable morgue. Made me wonder: What’s been happening in Piscataquis County, with its picturesque forests and 17,535 residents, to give Mr. Iverson concern? I did a quick Google search. Perhaps the county had suffered calamitous natural disasters. Not really—mostly what it suffers are snowstorms, some pretty darn heavy, but this is Maine so that can’t be unexpected. Okay, maybe a catastrophe? There was a terrible fire in 1947 that burned 175,000 acres, but the fire was in southeastern Maine and Piscataquis County is in the middle of the state. How about an epidemic? The only one I could find was a blight epidemic, and that one attacked plants not people.

So what put the bee in Mr. Iverson’s bonnet? He’s concerned because Piscataquis County hosts events, such as the U.S. Cross Country snowmobile races, that draw thousands of people each year and, worst case scenario, what if something terrible happened during such an event? That might give you pause for thought. So how big would this portable morgue be? According to Mr. Iverson, it would be a “rack morgue” and could keep 16 bodies cooled at one time. Hmm. Looking at the big picture in Piscataquis County, perhaps Mr. Iverson’s wish list would do better to include parkas and snow shovels and not cooling racks for bodies.

Read the Article ® Pitch made for purchase of portable morgue for Piscataquis County

Tons of Taters

“You can take pride in being an Idaho potato farmer.”

Justin Wootan, Idaho potato farmer

Potatoes are big business in Idaho. The state produces more potatoes than any other state in the nation, about 11 billion pounds each year. That’s a lot a potatoes—enough to fill 500 NFL football fields. Since Idaho doesn’t have hundreds of NFL football fields lying around, it turns to potato cellars to do the job. And that’s where towns like Glenns Ferry come in. This small town of 1,600 people is home two potato cellars, which store 1.75 million pounds of potatoes. The potatoes are coddled until they go to market, sometimes months later. Oxygen is pumped in through ventilation pipes and temperature sensors keep the potatoes cooled. When the time is right, the potatoes are sent on their way: some destined to become potato chips, others french fries, and still others fresh spuds. Myself, I like my potatoes fried with onions and green peppers. Yum. 

Tater Trivia:

·        First potato planted in Idaho: 1837. Idaho did not become a state until 1890.

·        Biggest potato grower in the world: China, of course.

·        Most extreme location to grow potatoes: Outer space. In 1995, potatoes were the first food to be grown in space.

·        World’s biggest potato: 24.9 pounds in Lebanon. That comes out to around 100 orders of fries.

·        First french fries served: White House dinner hosted by Thomas Jefferson in 1802. At that time the dish was called “potatoes served in the French manner.” Yeah, I can see why it was shortened to "french fries."

Watch the video clip ® Millions of potatoes stored in small Idaho town

Not Your Grandma’s Coffee Shop

“I wanted to have some fun; I wanted to see people smile.”

Donald Crabtree, Owner of Grand View Coffee Shop

A small town’s restaurant says a lot about the town itself. Most boast a mom and pop joint—the kind that serves up biscuits and gravy for breakfast and broasted chicken for dinner. A lot of these do double-duty as a tavern, with a long bar up front and a few scattered tables in the back. It’s a place for locals to share a cup of coffee or cold beer, swap some gossip, and get a bite to eat. But there’s one coffee shop in Maine that has stepped outside the box—way out—and has been pushing the limits of small town eateries, and the buttons of locals.

Its name says it all: the Grand View Topless Coffee Shop in Vassalboro, Maine (population 4,518). Yep, a topless coffee shop. The waitresses serve up a $3 cup of coffee ($6 for refills) with a smile and . . . shall we say, a twinkle? The regulars love it; the locals hate it. The owner, Donald Crabtree, says he’s simply trying to make a living like everyone else and have some fun along the way.

The restaurant has been around for two years, and it was burned down once. It doesn’t violate zoning codes, but its opening did prompt Vassalboro, and many surrounding communities, to tighten zoning restrictions. It’s been a bumpy road for the little coffee shop, and that road will soon be coming to an end. Mr. Crabtree announced he’ll be closing when his inventory runs out. Like a lot of small businesses, it’s been squeezed by the economy—not everyone can afford $6 refills these days. On top of that, Mr. Crabtree ran afoul of authorities recently when he posted a sign advertising: “Boobies wanted.” It wasn’t the message that was the problem—the sign was too big. Yes, it turns out that size matters.

Read the Article ® Owner plans to close Grand View Topless Coffee Shop

What Next? Dancing?

“Why should I have to go to Pembroke to play Pac Man?”

George Mallet, Video arcade game afficionado

Twenty-nine years ago—the year the term “Internet” was first used, the personal computer was named Time Magazine Man of the Year, and CDs were introduced—townsfolk in Marshfield, Massachusetts (population 25,137) were dealing with technology issues of their own. Video arcades had come to town, and folks didn’t like it one bit. A town meeting was held, and the citizens passed a ban on video arcade games in all businesses.

Fast forward to today, the 21st century, and computers are everywhere—homes, cars, phones, airports, restaurants, shops . . . you get the idea. Certainly the townsfolk don’t mean it anymore, do they? They must’ve simply forgotten the dusty old bylaw was still on the books. That’s what long-time resident George Mallet thought. He petitioned the town to reconsider. Fair enough, the town put it to a vote last month, and whaddya know? They meant it. In a vote of 655 to 554, the good citizens of Marshfield upheld the ban on video arcade games. And it looks like the ban is here to stay. Back in 1982 when the bylaw was originally passed, every appeal failed, including a request to the U.S. Supreme Court to hear the case.

This got me to thinking. Wouldn’t it be nice if we really could turn back the hands of time? Our walkmans would be tuned in to Thriller, we’d be watching ET at the theater, and gas would be $1.30 a gallon.  

Read the Article ® New England town keeps 29-year-old ban on arcades

Something Fishy

“I love fishing.”

Andrew Bolton, Member of the Bulldog Anglers

There’s something fishy about Belgreen High School in Russellville, Alabama (population 8,973). It’s not like other schools in the state. For one thing—and this is a big thing in Alabama—it doesn’t have a football team. Never has. It’s only one of a handful of schools in the state that doesn’t. Kids at Belgreen got tired of being singled out for what they don’t have and decided to create something no other school in their county does have: a bass fishing team. Fishing is second nature to many of the students at Belgreen—the area is sprinkled with lakes and crawling with fisherman—so after a bit of planning, the Bulldog Anglers were born. The team has fourteen students and eight coaches. Eight coaches? Sounds like the kids aren’t the only ones who are hooked on the idea of fishing.
Read the Article ® Belgreen has county’s first fishing team

Another Fish Story . . .
Four students at Dayville High School in Dayville, Oregon (population 111) are up to their eyeballs in fish. As part of an FFA project, they’ve been raising fish from eggs to fingerlings. So far the kids have had raised 25,000 fish, with a phenomenal survival rate of 98.7 percent. In the wild, only about 10 percent survive. The fish will be used to stock local ponds and lakes, and one of the students is going to try to sell his share directly to the fish counter at the local market. Besides the money the kids can earn from selling their fish, two have applied for college scholarships through the American Fisheries Society. This is one bunch of students who won’t need to fish around for career ideas.
Read the Article ® Something’s definitely FISHY in Dayville

Friday Feature: Monowi, Nebraska

“After me, I suppose there will be nothing here. But I aim to be around for quite a few years yet.”

Elsie Eiler

Mayor of Monowi, Nebraska

“One is the loneliest number.” At least that’s how the song goes made famous by the Three Dog Night. But Elsie Eiler isn’t buying it. She’s the sole resident of Monowi, Nebraska—the only incorporated town in the United States with population 1—but she’s not lonely. She doesn’t have time to be.

Mrs. Eiler runs the Monowi Tavern, the last establishment standing in town (the general store closed during World War II when the owner left to work on the draft board and it’s not really standing today—more leaning). Her regulars come from 80 miles around to wet their whistle, eat her home cooking, and enjoy her company. And they come for the books. You see, Monowi isn’t just a one-woman town—it’s a one-woman town with a library. 

Out behind the tavern, Mrs. Eiler opened Rudy’s Library in memory of her husband of 49½ years who died in 2004. The library contains the treasure trove of books Mr. Eiler collected throughout his lifetime—5,000 of them in all. Mrs. Eiler says her husband read endlessly and was “forever buying something for a little bit of nothing.” The library is operated on the honor system: take out a book if you like it, and return it when you’re done.

These days Mrs. Eiler has an additional job—she’s kept busy holding court for reporters from around the country and across the pond. In 2005 the Los Angeles Times did a piece on her little library, and the national and international media ate it up. Among the many reporters beating a path to her door, the Today Show and London Times came calling, as did CBS Sunday Morning. Things were just settling down, when in March of this year Larry the Cable Guy announced on his radio show that he was holding a hot dog roast that very day in Monowi to raise money for the town. Within hours 1,200 folks turned up to eat a few hot dogs and show their support.

If you find yourself in the northern prairie of Nebraska, stop by Monowi. You can grab a cold beer and fried egg sandwich at the Monowi Tavern, browse the stacks in Rudy’s Library, and enjoy a bit of Americana history.

Sources:
Spirit of 5,000-book library enlivens ghostly hamlet of 1 [Original Los Angeles Times story (as retold in Chicago Tribune)]
Introducing the mayor of Monowi: (population: 1) [London Times]
Slide show of photos from Monowi
Monowi Wikepedia page

For Sale

“It's out in the middle of noplace and nobody bothers you.”

Anonymous resident of Cal-Nev-Ari, Nevada

When you hear that a town is “selling itself,” do you picture a town rolling out the red carpet to attract newcomers? Or a town literally up for sale? Either way, I’ve got a story for you.

Tecoma Valley in Nevada, which includes the community of Montello (population 216), ran a classified ad last month selling itself as an off-grid paradise—a place where folks can live self-sufficiently without relying on public utilities. If this is what you’re looking for, Tecoma Valley’s the place for you. It boasts good drinking water, plenty of sunshine, and lots of wind. Although you can’t buy a town, you can purchase a big chunk of land. Prices are cheap—$300 to $500 per acre. And privacy is abundant. The nearest “big” city is Elko, Nevada (population 17,430), an hour and twenty minutes away. 

Located in the same state, but a universe away in lifestyle, Cal-Nev-Ari, Nevada (population 366) is also looking to attract folks. But this town isn’t just selling its charms, it’s selling itself . . . lock, stock, and barrel. The package consists of 640 acres and all of the town’s businesses, including a casino, restaurant, store, RV park, motel, and mobile home park. This town was founded in 1965 as an aviation community, and still today you can find cars sharing surrounding dirt roads with airplanes. The town started with a population of 4, including the founders’ cat and dog, but in the last decade it’s seen a bit of a boom. After September 11, 2001, traffic was routed around Hoover Dam, and right through Cal-Nev-Ari, for security reasons. But lifestyle isn’t the only difference between Tecoma Valley and Cal-Nev-Ari. To scoop up this boomtown, you’ll have to fork over a cool $17 million. A little too rich for my taste.

What’s in a Name?

·        Montello means “rest” in the Shoshone language. In its heyday in the 1910s and 1920s, Montello was a stopping point for the railroad, a supply point for local miners, and a community center for ranchers—a “rest stop” if you will. Montello’s population peaked at about 800 and dipped with the decline of the railroads in the late 1920s.

·        Cal-Nev-Ari is named for the three states the town is near: California, Nevada, and Arizona. Not original, but certainly descriptive.

Sources:

Looking for family-oriented to join growing offgrid community
Small Nevada town put up for sale
Montello’s Wikipedia page
Cal-Nev-Ari’s Wikipedia page

Dam Shame

“The flood is over but there is still a lot of work to be done.”

Joe Wilkinson, Iowa Wildlife Federation

Lake Delhi dam breached last July; left one heck of a mess in its wake

When floodwaters broke through an earthen section of the Lake Delhi dam last July, it was like pulling the plug on an oversized bathtub. The nine-mile-long lake, which had weathered storms for 92 years, drained within hours. Its waters rushed along the bulging shores of the Maquoketa River, spilling into cropland and threatening towns downriver. In the end, the towns were spared, but what was left in the wake of the flood was a mess. 

The Lake Delhi Homeowners Association, politicians, and bureaucrats have been dealing with the legal mess. The dam was privately owned by the homeowners association, and estimated costs of replacing it range from $10 to $15 million. Last month the Iowa Senate approved $5 million to help with repairs.

As for the physical mess, homeowners have been cleaning up their sodden homes and insurance companies have been grappling with the costs. Downriver, debris still clutters the shores of the Maquoketa River nearly a year later. Students from West Delaware High School in nearby Manchester, Iowa (population 4,872) decided to do something about it. Last week, they rolled up their sleeves and got to work. Trudging along the shoreline, the kids pulled out everything from life jackets and flip flops to pieces of dock and a refrigerator. It was a long day and in the end they cleaned up about 200 yards. There’s still a ways to go, about 2 miles according to the Iowa Wildlife Federation. 200 yards down; 2 miles to go. Any volunteers?

Sources:

Iowa’s Lake Delhi dam bursts due to flooding

Lake Delhi dam officials unveil $9.9 million plan to rebuild by next summer

Iowa Senate OKs $5 million to help repair Lake Delhi dam

Manchester students clean-up Lake Delhi

Friday Feature: Greensburg, Kansas

“What we have gained is not measured in physical buildings but in the character of the community.”

Bob Dixson, Mayor of Greensburg, Kansas

EF5 tornado nearly destroyed Greensburg, Kanas in 2007

May 4, 2007 is a date no one in Greensburg, Kansas (population 777) will ever forget. That’s the day an EF5 tornado, with winds 205 miles per hour, touched down more than 75 times, destroyed 95 percent of the town, and claimed the lives of 12 of its citizens. With the nearly total destruction, it would have been easy for townsfolk to throw up their hands and walk away—who could have blamed them?—but they didn't. That’s not the way people in this town operate. Instead, they stood among the rubble and, with a real “cup half full” vision, saw opportunity. They made the decision not only to rebuild, but to rebuild better and greener.

Rebirth: Greensburg’s 5.4.7 Arts Center

In 2007 the City Council voted to rebuild all city buildings in accordance with Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) platinum standards, making Greensburg the first town in the United States to do so. Extending that vision to the arts, the new 5.4.7 Arts Center is entirely solar and wind powered. Private companies got in on the act, too. A 10-turbine farm just outside of town produces enough energy to power 4,000 homes. The John Deere dealership has a new facility powered by wind and it has become a distributorship for small- to medium-sized turbines. And there’s a new a business incubator, which provides temporary office and retail space to businesses, funded by donations from Frito Lay and the actor Leonardo DiCaprio. 

On the homes front, 193 permits have been issued for single-family homes. There’s still a ways to go—more than 900 homes were lost—but how many towns, small or large, can claim such strong construction numbers in this tight economy? On top of that, the town is planning a chain of eco-homes to demonstrate cutting-edge technologies for sustainability. The first home is the Silo Eco-Home, which was inspired by the grain silos still standing after the tornado’s tear through town.

The road to recovery has been tough, but town leaders say the way to stay on course is not to look back but to go forward. And it seems to be working. The town was recently named a top 10 “Coolest Small Town in America” by Budget Travel for its tenacity and vision. The tornado may have nearly wiped out Greensburg, but it did nothing to wipe the resolve of its people to survive.

Sources:
Greensburg still growing four years later
Voted top 10 coolest small town in America
Greensburg, Kansas website

Guest Post: A Look at Why Small Towns Grow

Today I’m doing something different. Instead of featuring a small town story and providing my own little commentary, I’m publishing a guest post from Father John Bauer. It’s a look at why small towns grow. This piece caught my attention because it’s not so much about the economics and infrastructure of small towns as it is about the dynamics of the people who live there—the townsfolk who shape the future of their place in the world. 

Father John Bauer is the pastor of the Basilica of Saint Mary in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Besides administering to the 6,400 households in his parish, Father John writes the blog, Weekly Musings from the Basilica of Saint Mary. He kindly gave permission to reprint his article here. Hope you enjoy . . . 

A while back, while I was looking for something else in my files, I came across an article I had saved from many years ago. It was entitled "Applying Research to Why Towns Grow."

The author, a former Kansas State University professor, had done extensive research on small towns. Her work has focused on why some small towns grow while others fail. In looking at her research it occurred to me that her findings could easily be applied to every community. I also think her findings could be applied to parishes. A summary of the article is below.

1. Research reveals that in growing communities, controversy was considered normal. It was expected and regarded as necessary for participatory government. Just the opposite was revealed in dying towns. People avoided controversy and refused to address issues, regulations and the people who made them.

2. People in growing towns held an objective view of politics. They did not take sides on an issue because of friendship alone, nor did they oppose someone simply because that person was an educator, a business person or a farmer. On the other hand, dying communities had a "my side of the street vs. your side" mentality. People personalized their politics. They did not separate the person from the job. They gave loyalty to people rather than issues, an attitude that prevailed right up to the end.

3. In prosperous small towns the emphasis in schools was on academics, rather than sports. In dying towns schools tried to hold people's interest by promoting loyalty to sports. However, when academic programs deteriorated, people moved their children to better schools.

4. In growing towns, there was a willingness to risk for the good of the town. After all, if we don't risk, we will stagnate. There is also a side feature to this characteristic: growing towns had enough success to want to risk and they had success because they did risk. Dying towns had neither.

5. In the same vein as risk, growing towns had a willingness to tax themselves. They moved beyond "want" to "action." Dying towns accurately identified needs, but that's where everyone stopped. They thought someone else should pay the bill for their gain, and weren't willing to tax themselves.

6. Growing towns had the ability to expand. They made a place for more people - including those who were new to the community. This was not true of dying towns. The townspeople would not share their power and small groups held all the leadership.

7. Growing towns also had the ability to network horizontally as well as vertically. Therefore they could learn from anyone.

8. Growing towns were flexible. They disbursed community leadership. Many people were involved in the work and mission of the community in leadership roles. Therefore, if someone dropped out, another took his or her place. In dying towns, leadership was often in the hands of one person. When that person died, the community stopped and died with him or her.

Even many years later I still find this article fascinating. More importantly, when I looked at our community here at the Basilica, I thought we compared very favorably with those towns that were growing. This article gave me something to think about. I hope it does the same for you.

Treasured Timber

“This is Montana history.”

Bill Coats, Forester for Northwest Management

Flathead Lake, Montana

A logging company near Somer’s Bay, Montana (population 648) has figured out a way to do their job and keep the environmentalists happy. Northwest Management is harvesting high-end, historic lumber without clear cutting old-growth forests, eroding the soil, or even ruffling the feathers of the infamous spotted owl. That’s because the logs they’re after are resting at the bottom of Flathead Lake. They’ve been there for decades: some are from the Somers Saw Mill that burned in 1957, some sank while being transported downriver, and some had been stored along the shores of Somer’s Bay and eventually drifted to the bottom of the lake. The logs are ripe for picking . Divers go down and attach eyebolts to the aged logs, which are then wenched up to the surface. Northwest Management estimates there are 40 million board feet of logs in Flathead Lake. The wood has been well preserved in the chilly waters—it’s being marketed for high-end uses: tongue-and-groove flooring, table tops, and even a bartop in a Missoula saloon. In the end, logs that were once abandoned as lost have now become sunken treasure.

Read the Article ® Sunken treasure: Looking for logs in Flathead Lake
Want to get your hands on some of this timber? Go to Northwestern Management’s website ® Flathead Lake Historic Timber

Small Schools, High Tech

“It rocks!”

Dalton Baum, Second Grader at Legacy Academy Charter School

iPads given to every student at Elizabeth Charter School

Back in the day, when I went to St. Columbkille’s Catholic School, most classes started with instructions from the teacher to “take out your books and turn to page . . .” That’s not happening so much these days. It’s not that kids aren’t book learning anymore, but instead of taking out their textbooks, they’re pulling out their iPads. And not just at big city schools—small town schools are going high tech, too. 

In Roy, New Mexico (population 484), students at the K-12 (42 students) are given laptops. That’s where they receive homework assignments, read from online textbooks, follow interactive tutorials, and take quizzes. The school ran into a problem, though, because a lot of kids didn’t have Internet at home so they were coming back to school after hours and trying to catch the WiFi signal outside the building. Not anymore—the Roy school district was recently chosen by the Federal Communications Commission to receive a WiFi station. The signal will span a five-mile radius, which effectively covers everyone living in Roy and anyone passing through. The school is delighted—it’s the only district in the state to get in on the deal—but they’re not stopping with WiFi. Next up: touch tablets for use in the classroom. The tablets will allow the school to download textbooks at a lower cost than buying printed books, and it’ll save the kids from toting a heavy load back and forth in their backpacks. 

Schools in Little Falls, Minnesota (population 7,719), Elizabeth, Colorado (population 1,464), and Tillamook, Oregon (population 4,391) are one step ahead. They’ve already taken the leap and have invested in iPads for their students. In all three districts, school officials say that in the long run online textbooks are cheaper than printed books, they’re easier to update, and their materials are more interactive and interesting for kids. In Elizabeth, the Legacy Academy Charter School is looking at the investment as a way of keeping its doors open. Hoping to reverse declining enrollment, school officials say they are optimistic the high tech approach will have students lining up to learn. 

Read the Articles:

Small school stays high-tech

More LF students to get iPads beginning next school year

iPads given to every student at Elizabeth Charter School

Tillamook School District to test iPads as replacement for print