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FLATHEADBEACON.COM NEWS APRIL 8, 2015 | 31
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UNITED WAY TO HOLD SHARE FAIR 2015 AT KALISPELL MALL
Local nonprofit agencies and com- munity groups are invited to participate in Share Fair 2015, featuring informa- tion give-aways, demonstrations and live entertainment.
The theme for this year’s Share Fair is “Strengthening Community Connec- tions.” Groups providing children’s ac- tivities are also invited to participate in the event, which will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 11 at the Kalispell Center Mall. Share Fair also features activities for children and entertain- ment for adults. Face painting, balloons will be offered and clowns will be on hand to interact with children of all ages throughout the day.
United Way sponsors the annual Share Fair as a way of acquainting local residents with the wide range of clubs and agencies available to meet individual and family needs. This year’s event is be- ing co-sponsored by the Million March Against Chile Abuse and the Nurturing Center. It is being held in conjunction with the Week of the Young Child.
For more information on Share Fair 2015, call the United Way at 752-7266.
SAMARITAN HOUSE HOSTS DINNER,AUCTIONFUNDRAISER The eighth Annual Cowboy Up Din-
ner and Auction to benefit Samaritan House will be April 11th at Gardner’s Auction Barn in south Kalispell. Dinner will be provided by Vista Linda and mu- sic by Smart Alex. Tickets are $35 each or a table of 8 for $245 can be reserved in advance. Doors open at 5 p.m. with din- ner to be served at 6 p.m. and the auction to follow.
The Samaritan House is a local homeless shelter and transitional hous- ing facility at 124 Ninth Ave. W. in Ka- lispell.
For more information call 257-5801.
CONTINENTAL DIVIDES
LEGISLATURE ENTERS FINAL STRETCH
The Montana Legislature returned from a six-day break this week and is in the final stretch of this session.
Work on the overall state budget is far from complete. Here’s a look at some of the issues to be determined before the legislative session’s final day, May 1:
INFRASTRUCTURE
With the governor’s $391 million infrastructure proposal appearing to be dead, a new bill with bipartisan sup- port and input from the governor over-
whelmingly passed through the Senate this week. Sponsored by John Brenden, R-Scobey, Senate Bill 416 would spend a mix of cash, bonding and loans on proj- ects based on the amount of revenue coming into the state. The amounts start at $50 million but more could be become available in the next two years if state revenues hit a higher mark. Eligible city and county projects would include wastewater treatment, drinking water systems and work on roads and bridges.
MEDICAID EXPANSION
The only Medicaid Expansion bill left alive will have a hearing Tuesday in the same conservative Republican-led committee that killed the governor’s proposal in March. Sen. Ed Buttrey, R- Great Falls, introduced Senate Bill 405, known as the Montana Health and Eco- nomic Livelihood Act. It would expand Medicaid eligibility to more than 70,000 low-income Montanans but would re- quire them to pay premiums and copay- ments and ask them to participate in a workplace assessment survey. The fed- eral government would pay for the ex- pansion in 2016 and gradually reduce its share to 90 percent by 2020.
CSKT WATER COMPACT
Lawmakers have yet to include the money necessary to implement a water negotiation between the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and the state and federal governments. The proposed water compact, which is awaiting an April 11 hearing in the House Judiciary Committee, calls for $8 million of the $55 million agreement to be distribut- ed next year. The initial appropriation would be used to begin measuring irri- gation water used on the reservation to later guarantee farmers and ranchers the necessary levels of water.
STATE EMPLOYEE PAY PLAN
A bill to increase wages and health insurance contributions for state em- ployees that was tabled in a House com- mittee could still be part of budget ne- gotiations. Under the proposal, state employees would receive 50 cents more an hour in October 2016 and again in Oc- tober 2017. The measure would also in- crease the state’s contribution to health care costs. The bill’s passage is also tied to a tuition freeze for Montana college students.
EARLY EDGE PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS
Bullock’s $37 million plan to fund public preschool programs in the next two years was removed from his bud- get proposal by House Republicans, but supporters hope it could resurface be- fore the session ends. Under the pro- gram dubbed Early Edge, grants would be available to public school districts — $30,000 for every 10 students — to cre- ate or expand preschool programs.
ARTIST
1 Modest Mouse
2 George Ezra
3 Walk The Moon
4 Mark Ronson Feat. Bruno Mars 5 Ed Sheeran
6 Maroon 5
7 Taylor Swift
8 Imagine Dragons
9 Taylor Swift
10 Decemberists
SONG
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I Walk Down Your Street Keep Me In The Light Polarized
More Than Myself These Times
www.1031theriver.com
The Flathead Conservation District is celebrating its 70th Anniversary & the United Nation has declared 2015 the International Year of Soil.
EARTH DAY
5 Marshall Catch
Join us
Lampshades On Fire Budapest
Shut Up And Dance Uptown Funk! Thinking Out Loud Sugar
Blank Space
I Bet My Life Style
Make You Better
LOCAL TOP 5
1 Jameson & The Sordid Seeds
2 Jameson & The Sordid Seeds
3 Luke Dowler
4 Marshall Catch
in FVCC’s Arts and Technology building, Room 139 at 6:30pm to watch
SYMPHONY of the SOIL A FILM THAT EXPLORES THE SOIL
COMPLEXITY AND MYSTERY OF SOIL.
Afterwards, there will be a short presentation by Jay Skovlin, NRCS, about soilscapes of western Montana, including Glacier National Park.
FREE & open to the PUBLIC For more information, call