ANGLERS' HELP NEEDED FOR BIG HOLE RIVER FISH TRACKING PROJECT

Beginning this spring, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks' Butte-area fisheries biologist Jim Olsen and his crew are tracking fish in the Big Hole River and they need anglers' help.

Olsen and his crew are tagging approximately 10,000 fish over the next four years, mainly rainbow and brown trout, as well as a few cutthroats, whitefish and brook trout, to gather data about the movements and growth of these specific populations in the Big Hole River.

The crew will collect data from anglers who fish on the Big Hole from the BLM East Bank Fishing Access Site near Wise River to the FWP Pennington Bridge Fishing Access Site near Twin Bridges.

Anglers on the Jefferson and lower Beaverhead Rivers should also keep an eye out for tagged fish.

All of the fish are fit with a uniquely numbered blue tag at the base of the dorsal fin. Anglers are asked to pick up data cards (small enough to fit in a pocket) from an FWP box at any of the fishing access sites between East Bank and Pennington.

When an angler catches a fish, he or she should report on the card the species of fish, where it was caught, its approximate length and weight, and whether it was kept or released.

Completed cards can be returned to any FWP office or to one of the boxes at fishing access sites between East bank and Pennington.

Over four-year study with recaptures of individual fish, FWP will get a better sense of where the fish move and if trout from the lower river are moving upstream into areas traditionally inhabited primarily by grayling and brook trout. The data will also help FWP better understand how drought, river temperatures, and overall fish densities affect trout growth, leading to better fisheries management.

For more information, contact FWP Butte-area fisheries biologist Jim Olsen at jimolsen@mt.gov <mailto:jimolsen@mt.gov> .

-FWP-

Safe Space to Present “Take Back the Night,” Other Events

BUTTE, MT - Thanks to its volunteers and supporters, Safe Space of Butte is “kicking it up a notch” later this month in its efforts to make the community aware of sexual assault and domestic violence dangers and prevention efforts.

“Break the Silence – Stop the Violence” is the theme for this year’s Take Back the Night event. Activities begin at 4:30 p.m. Friday, April 30^th, at the grand opening of the new location of Suited for Success, a Safe Space clothing assistance program. Located at 27 W. Park in Uptown Butte, Suited for Success provides professional and work-appropriate clothing free of charge to applicants who qualify. Betty’s Basement, at the same location, is Butte’s newest clothing thrift store. Also operated by Safe Space, the thrift store offers clothing and accessories for men and women. All donations support Safe Space.

There is an old saying: "You can't really understand another person's experience until you've walked a mile in their shoes." Immediately following the grand opening, area men and their families are invited to show their support for victims of domestic and sexual violence - and women at risk of becoming victims – by literally walking in women's high-heeled shoes from the new store to the Butte-Silver Bow County Courthouse. According to organizers, “It's not easy walking in these shoes, but it's fun and it gets the community to talk about something that's really difficult to talk about: gender relations and sexual violence.”

Following the walk, the traditional Take Back the Night program will begin at 5:30 p.m. on the steps of the Courthouse. As in years past, Chief Executive Paul Babb and Safe Space Police Officer of the Year Dan Murphy will address Butte’s commitment to end sexual violence. A potluck dinner and program hosted by Safe Space volunteers and staff will immediately follow at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 15 N. Idaho Street.

All events are free to the public and families are welcome. For more information contact Safe Space at 782-9807 or 782-8511.

72nd NATIONAL FOLK FESTIVAL SELECTS NATIVE AMERICAN INDIAN ARTISTS TO SHOW AT FIRST PEOPLES' MARKETPLACE

A jury of art experts convened in Great Falls recently to select 19 Native American Indian artists from throughout Montana and the West to show and sell their works in the Festival Marketplace of the 72nd National Folk Festival that will be held in Butte, Montana July 9-10-11, 2010.

The jury sifted through applications to select 19 artists in the market to show their work at the festival. The jury made its selections from a pool of applicants based on criteria including traditional, regional culture, and the artists' relationship with his or her community, quality, and uniqueness.

Both deeply traditional crafts and more contemporary artistic expressions will be on display and available for purchase at the First People's Marketplace of the 72nd National Folk Festival in Butte, July 9-10-11, 2010.
Native American Indian artists selected for the Market include:

Merle & Nicole Big Bow
Painted shields, drums rattles, antlers, sculpture, war clubs, bead-work, painted feathers, dream catchers, and beaded jewelry
Chippewa-Cree and Laguna Pueblo, Ronan, MT

Algie Piapot
Paintings
Chippewa Cree, Box Elder, MT

Annette Archdale Linder
Traditional Star quilting
Assiniboine, Wolf Point, MT

Angela Babby
Glass mosaics and giclee prints on canvas
Oglala Sioux, Billings, MT

Alaina Buffalo Spirit
Ledger drawings and fine art
Northern Cheyenne, Billings, MT

Leroy Whiteman
Antler carving art
Northern Cheyenne, Lame Deer, MT

Monte Yellow Bird, Sr.
Paintings and ledger art
Arikira & Hidatsa, Great Falls, MT

Leonda Fast Buffalo Horse
Porcupine quillwork
Blackfeet, Browning, MT

Deborah Magee
Beadwork and quillwork
Blackfeet, Browning, MT

Frank A. Finley
Jewelry made from silver, turquoise, and other stones. Handmade baskets and other crafts.
Flathead, Confederated Salish & Kootenai, Polson, MT

The complete list of invited artists and images of their art can be found at: http://www.nationalfolkfestival.com/2010/festivalinfo_marketplace_firstpeoples.php .

To see more about any aspect of the 72nd National Folk Festival, visit www.nationalfolkfestival.com.

Thompson Park Folf Course Redesign Meeting

Butte, Mont., April 23, 2010 — The Butte Ranger District, as part of the Thompson Park Rehabilitation Project, is hosting a meeting on Sunday, May 2 at 4 p.m. for anyone interested in the redesign of the folf course (disc golf) at Thompson Park. The meeting will be located at Eagles Nest Road at the first entrance.

District staff would like to meet with local folfers to address the location of the tees/holes as well as the type of targets to be used. Several targets are currently being affected with the rehabilitation of the road and day use facilities. Additional topics to be addressed include garbage and unauthorized marking of the course with paint. Folfers are reminded that the only approved folf course in the Butte area is at Thompson Park.

The folf course is part of a Natural Resource Damage Program Grant to Butte-Silver Bow to rehabilitate roads, trails, and picnic areas in and around Thompson Park. Contact the Butte Ranger District at (406) 494-0246 for more information.

Election Judge Training

Mandatory training for all 2010 election judges will take place Monday, April 26th at 1:00pm and Wednesday, 28th at 9:00am. Judges must attend one of the sessions per Montana election laws.

Training will be help at the Courthouse, Council Chambers, Room 312.

Judges will be compensated for training time in addition to hours worked on Election Day, Tuesday, June 8th.

Judges are asked to call 497-6342 or 490-8786 if they are unable to attend or work the upcoming election.

BET on Butte Concept proposed for Butte's Festivals

BET (Butte Events Team) on Butte is a concept developed by several local entities with the goal of sustaining, in the long term, the feasibility of Butte's Festival City identity. The idea behind the BET is to establish a trust account that all festivals will be able to apply to for funds, and is in no way looking to provide full funding for all community festivals, rather a common source of funding for the shared needs of our many festivals. Putting the common expenses such as toilets, garbage control, fencing, insurance, stages, tents, and security under one umbrella would hopefully provide great communication and efficiency.

Public support will be crucial as they hope to have funding through URA, Economic Development Mill Levy, and the Hard Rock Trust and at some point the Superfund Redevelopment Trust. Once the group is created and the fund started, organizers hope to look for other avenues of funding for the long term goals of BET on Butte.

National Folk Festival to Feature Food from 30 Montana Vendors

Organizers of the 72nd National Folk Festival have announced there will be 30 food locations for this years festivities. From burgers to Asian kabobs the festival will accommodate every taste during the festival which runs here in Butte July 9th, 10th, and 11th. For more information on the National Folk Festival visit http://www.nationalfolkfestival.com

Defibrillators Installed at the Butte Civic Center

The Butte Civic Center is now equipped with two LifePak CR-T Defibrillators thanks to a generous donation by Town Pump Corporation. The new devices have been installed in the main arena and the annex; all Civic Center employees have been trained on the operation of the state-of-the-art machines and have completed CPR Training.

"The Civic Center has a successful history of hosting many state-wide and regional events and in continuing this tradition; these defibrillators provide a needed protection for all staff and attendees," said Bill Melvin, Civic Center Manager. All those from the Butte Civic Center are grateful for the contributions of the Town Pump corporation and Dr. Jill Bolstad for her commitment and concern of the safety and well-being of our community.

A Few Pictures from the Tourism Award Ceremony

Veteran Butte Officer Acquitted by Jury

Kent Fargher was found to be not guilty of misdemeanor official misconduct by a 6-member jury earlier today in Butte District Court. Fargher was accused of releasing a police report that was circulated around the BSB Health Department last June, and has been on paid administrative leave since charged in November.

Courthouse to celebrate Butte's Tourism Community of the Year Award

The Governor's Tourism award was recently presented to county officials and there will be a brief ceremony at the Courthouse Rotunda Wednesday April 21st at 1:30pm. The award was earned by tourism efforts over the last year to develop a festival economy and will be delivered by Main Street Uptown Butte which nominated the community for its hard work.

"This is a great honor for Butte and acknowledgement of hard work by a lot of our people," said Chief Executive Paul Babb. "Only one community each year is singled out for this recognition, and thanks to the hard work of a lot of our citizens, this year it's all about Butte's efforts to establish and grow a festival economy," Babb added.

The whole community is invited to the brief ceremony.