Year in Review: January through April

(Editor’s note: This is the first of three stories reviewing Libby and Troy news of the past year. In this issue, read about the first four months of 2008. In Friday’s edition, May through August will be reviewed, followed by September through December on Jan. 7. Also, take note of the list of names that accompany this series. They are the friends, neighbors and relatives that we lost over the year).

JANUARY

• Former Troy resident Bronson Parsons was killed on New Year’s Day in Missoula in a hit-and-run accident. Parsons, 25, was walking alongside a road in east Missoula at 1:40 a.m., when the accident occurred.

• Police determined that a Libby couple found dead on Dec. 28 was the result of a murder-suicide. Police believed that Louise Plough, 54, shot her husband, Robert Plough, 49, twice in the chest with a revolver before turning the gun on herself.

• Turner Mountain Ski Area reported high turnout for its early season. Turner’s Bruce Zwang called it the best holiday season in a number of years. The ski area opened on Dec. 22.

• St. John’s Lutheran Hospital’s “New Year’s Baby” was born on Jan. 4. Ashlenn James, daughter of Heather and Mitchell James, arrived at 8:10 a.m., and was delivered by Dr. Jana Hall.

• Libby mayor Tony Berget delivers his “State of the City” address at a Libby Area Chamber of Commerce meeting on Jan. 9. Berget cited examples of the work city crews accomplished while going over plans for 2008.

• EPA officials announced during a town meeting on Jan. 10 that a funding shortfall would negatively impact cleanup plans for the year. Axed from the work plan was the cleanup of greens and tee boxes at Cabinet View Country Club.

• Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks released six rams near Bighorn Terrace in an effort to boost a declining herd in the area. The bighorns were pulled from Wild Horse Island on Flathead Lake. The agency also released 18 wild sheep.

• Montana Highway Patrol officer Bryce Ford sustained minor injuries in an accident on Jan. 14. Responding to a one-vehicle accident on an icy Highway 2 during heavy rainfall, Ford’s vehicle was hit by a United Parcel Service semi truck that lost control. Ford’s vehicle actually saved possible further damage and injuries by deflecting the truck away from emergency personnel and other bystanders.

FEBRUARY

• The snow began to pile up in Libby and Troy. As of Feb. 3, snow depth was measured at 37 inches on the ground in Libby.

• Montana Rep. Ralph Heinert, District 1, announced he would not seek re-election.

• Libby High School’s wrestling team placed third in the Northwestern A championships and qualified 13 for state.

• More than 75 people showed up at a Libby City Council meeting to voice concern over another gambling establishment moving into the community.

• Montanore Minerals president Glenn Dobbs spoke of a positive future in Lincoln County during a luncheon in Libby.

• Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office deputy Matthew J. White died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound at his home in Libby.

• Don Cox became the third resident to file for a seat on the Lincoln County commissioners. Tony Berget and Mike Munro were other candidates that had filed.

• Troy mayor James Hammons was the subject of a lawsuit over his residency. Hammons had moved about a half-mile outside the Troy city limits in late 2006. The council planned to annex the property where Hammons lives. Former mayor Tony Brown brought the suit.

• Libby wrestlers Justin Graham (third), Seth Wright (fourth), Brandin Mills (fifth) and Steve Gary (fifth) placed at the state tournament in Billings.

• More than 200 people turned out for a special Libby City Council meeting on whether or not to allow a casino to go into a building formerly occupied by Ben Franklin. Moose Lodge No. 2671 was seeking approval for the casino.

• Susan Farmer filed her intentions to run for county clerk. She had previously been appointed to the position to serve out the term of Nadine Pival.

• A Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway freight train hit 16-year-old James Schnackenberg on Feb. 21. Schnackenberg and a 16-year-old girl were walking along the tracks in Libby when the incident occurred at 6:10 p.m. Schnackenberg was airlifted to Kalispell Regional Medical Center for various injuries, including serious trauma to his leg.

• Two more candidates for Lincoln County commissioners threw their names in the hat. Dennis Souther and Jerry Okonski joined Tony Berget, Mike Munro and Don Cox on the ballot.

• The Lincoln County SnoKats staged its annual “fun run” on the East Fork Trail up Pipe Creek. About 100 people from the tri-state area participated.

• A hole 3 inches in diameter is discovered in an exterior wall at Asa Wood Elementary School in Libby. Vermiculite insulation was detected and the hole sealed.

• Ten conservation groups filed a lawsuit in opposition to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s approval of the Rock Creek Mine near Noxon.

• Buster Barnett of Libby Middle School won the Lincoln County Spelling Bee in Eureka.

MARCH

• The Libby City Council voted 4-2 to block Moose Lodge’s application for a business license. The vote kept a casino from going in the former Ben Franklin building.

• Sen. Max Baucus of Montana renewed his vow to fight for a public health emergency for Libby’s asbestos exposure. He also indicated that all areas need to be cleaned up, including the golf course.

• The Libby Irish Fair was staged in Libby on March 8 with music, food and a bread-baking competition among the activities. The Rotary Club also held its wine tasting and Turner Mountain Ski Area put on “Crazy Days.”

• The Libby City Council voted to name a new pavilion at Riverfront Park in honor of former longtime mayor Fred Brown.

• The Environmental Protection Agency announced a $250 million settlement with W.R. Grace to reimburse the government for asbestos-related investigation and cleanup costs in Libby. Sen. Max Baucus called $250 million “a drop in the bucket compared to the destruction and pain our neighbors in Libby have been through.”

• A movement to try to save Libby’s drive-in theater attempts to get off the ground.

• Rep. Denny Rehberg cites a recent study on the effects of asbestos exposure and calls for a renewed “sense of urgency” from the EPA on the cleanup in Libby.

• Libby High School crowned two prom kings because of a tie in voting – Matt Schad and Sebastian Petzing. Prom queen honors went to Jessica Jameson.

• Troy High School’s prom king and queen honors went to Sawyer Swanson and Teresa Wagner.

• A sixth candidate entered the race for Lincoln County Commissioners when Lee Disney filed.

• The deadline to file for county commissioner passes with no Democratic candidates.

• The team of Cyrus Maloney, Ben Bernall, Jay Forsyth and Greg Rice takes first place in the Turner Mountain Top to Dog Relay Race.

• Federal regulators release a proposed fine amount of more than $900,000 against Troy Mine for safety violations. The fines were the result of an inspection that took place in July 2007 following a fatality.

APRIL

• The Troy City Council continued its work on revamping a crumbling water distribution system. The city was heading into Phase II which involved replacing a large portion of underground piping and installing a disinfecting system.

• Libby businessman Jerry Bennett announced his candidacy for the District 1 seat for state representative. Other Republican contenders were Susan Ague, Ginny Emerson and Albert R. Purviance. Democrat Eileen J. Carney and Freeman Johnson of the Constitution Party were other candidates.

• Shane D. Sichting of Libby was sentenced to 10 years in prison on a charge of using interstate communications to commit murder-for-hire. Sichting was found guilty in December 2007 of hiring an Oregon man to kill his wife.

• W.R. Grace & Co. announced an agreement to resolve all present and future asbestos claims. The agreement, valued at an estimated $2.9 billion in cash and equity, calls for Grace to pay into a trust fund of $250 million for victims of asbestos poisoning. Public meetings to help eliminate confusion were held in the days following the announcement.

• Libby City Council members meet to envision the community in 100 years. Several issues were discussed and council members decided to narrow their focus on Libby’s future in the next 20 years.

• Libby High School teacher Shelley Fisher won Class A Drama Coach of the Year for the region and state.

• Troy Mine faced another set of fines adding up to $417,400 from the Mine and Safety Health Administration for violations. Despite the fines, Revett Minerals vice president of operations Carson Rife said daily inspections are done and “we have an overall good safety record.”

• An 11-page complaint filed by Kalispell attorney Stephen Berg accused Libby justice of the peace Gary Hicks of sexual misconduct. The Montana Judicial Standards Commission looked into the allegations and would eventually hold a hearing on the issue in August.

• About 30 people attended a meeting to discuss the possibility of closing Asa Wood Elementary School. School superintendent Kirby Maki said a first step would be to develop a planning committee to look into details and options in the process of whether or not a new school is needed.

• Local officers participated in the Montana Law Enforcement Torch Run to raise money for Special Olympics.