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NEWS
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FWP Proposes Tearing Down Historic but
banking...
Crumbling Building on North Shore
Agency seeking to clean up debris from old homestead near waterfowl protection area
BY DILLON TABISH OF THE BEACON
A ramshackle bunkhouse from the 1930s along the north shore of Flathead Lake is slated to come down as state offi- cials propose cleaning up a scenic section of public space and habitat near Bigfork.
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is proposing to restore natural conditions on a 70-acre section of property in the floodplain called the Osprey View Fish- eries Conservation Area. The agency, which acquired the land in 2009 for public access and to preserve waterfowl habitat, is seeking to clean up the his- toric remnants of a homestead, includ- ing leftover debris, lumber and a dilap- idated building. The site is located near Holt Drive and is adjacent to the private property leading to Dockstader Island on one side and protected waterfowl and wildlife management areas on the other.
Public comment is accepted through Sept. 23.
Neighbors have expressed opposition to tearing down the historic building on site, but agency officials say the structure is already falling down and presents a safety hazard.
“Unfortunately we don’t have the funding to maintain the structure,” Kris Tempel, FWP resource specialist, said. “We are concerned for public safety.”
The property is open to the public from July 16 through the end of Febru- ary. It is a popular location for visitors to
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is proposing to restore natural conditions the property near the north shore of Flathead Lake. COURTESY MONTANA FISH, WILDLIFE AND PARKS
What does it mean to you?
the north shore during summer and for hunters in fall.
Tempel said another nearby building has already almost completely collapsed and the last standing structure is begin- ning to fall apart as well. She said the agency would be open to other ideas for keeping the structure but the preserva- tion would have to be publicly funded.
The buildings are believed to be for- mer bunkhouses for an historic farm that operated along the agricultural lake- shore in the 1930s. A barn and homestead were also once on the property but no longer exist.
A cultural survey was completed in 2012 but determined that the site failed to meet several criteria to be protected on the National Register of Historic Places, according to FWP.
The site consists of 20 acres of land and 50 acres of floodplain. It was origi- nally purchased using Bonneville Power Administration funds. If approved, the cleanup project would commence in October. FWP would put the cleanup project out for bid and the old wood could be reclaimed as part of the cleanup, Tem- pel said.
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Report: Montana Highest Suicide Rate in U.S. Flathead health officials providing training in effort to prevent deaths
BY DILLON TABISH OF THE BEACON
Last weekend family and friends of the late Trevor Mead gathered at Rebecca Farm near Kalispell for an event aimed at raising awareness about suicide, a dark reality that claimed the life of the 31-year-old man from Hungry Horse in 2011 and continues to plague the Flat- head Valley and all of Montana.
Montana had the highest suicide rate in the nation last year, according to a new report released last week by the state’s Department of Health and Human Ser- vices. There were 243 suicides across the state in 2014, an average of 20 per month. The rate of 23.8 per 100,000 people is the highest in the U.S. The national average is 13 per 100,000 people.
This corner of the state, encompass- ing Flathead, Lincoln, Sanders, Lake, Missoula, Ravalli and Mineral counties, had the most suicide of any other region
last year, 85. Flathead County had 17 con- firmed suicides last year and is on pace to surpass that mark in 2015.
Officials at the Flathead City-County Health Department are trying to address the high rate by providing training to residents, school staff and others. The department is hosting mental health first aid sessions that help identify signs and hopefully prevent deaths.
Residents can sign up for the training sessions by contacting the health depart- ment at 751-8100. The agency also offers free gun locks for those concerned of someone else’s suicidal behavior.
The latest data surfaced as a result of the Montana Suicide Mortality Review Team, a group that formed in 2013 to address the state’s persistently high rates.
The group found that firearms con- tinue to be the primary means of suicide, constituting 61 percent of the deaths, above the national average of 52 percent.
A majority of suicides — 81 percent — were males, similar to national trends. A total of 59 veterans died by suicide, or 24 percent of the total amount that year. Nearly 9 percent of the state’s suicides involved American Indians, who make up just 6 percent of Montana’s popula- tion. Nearly 70 percent of the victims were not married. Sixty percent suffered severe medical issues, including chronic pain and terminal illnesses.
The group proposed closer assess- ments of people who have a history of concussions or traumatic brain injuries; heightened awareness of firearm safety; depression screening as part of DUI con- victions and screening and prevention training for staff in schools.
A 24/7 crisis line has been established in an effort to prevent suicides, 1-800- 273-8255. Other resources are available at afsp.org.
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SEPTEMBER 23, 2015 // FLATHEADBEACON.COM
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