News Briefs
Feb. 12
Traffic stop leads to arrests
The Ronan Police Department is conducting an investigation after three subjects were arrested on Feb. 2, a RPD press release said. At approximately 3:05 p.m., Ronan Police were called to assist Confederate Salish and Kootenai Tribe Tribal Police on a traffic stop near Total Home in Ronan. The vehicle contained three subjects from California. During the initial stop the driver, Tanna Oates, 19, of Redding Calif., was arrested for multiple traffic offenses and obstructing a peace officer and a second passenger, Donald Roberts, 36, of Redding, Calif., was arrested for carrying a concealed weapon. A third passenger was released after providing false name to the police. After the passenger left the scene an ID with his true identity was discovered. Officers booked the two arrested subjects into the Lake County Detention Center and then conducted follow up.
The third subject was then correctly identified as Nicholas Curran, 31, of Redding, Calif. Nicholas was on parole in California for armed robbery and had a felony warrant for absconding on that parole. Nicholas was arrested on Feb. 3 during an area search for him by the Tribal Police. Roberts and Oates have already pled guilty on their charges from Ronan and are serving 30 jail sentences in the Lake County Detention Center. Oates also has pending charges in Redding for having a meth lab in her car. Oates and Curran will likely be extradited back to California to face their charges there.
- Courtesy of RPD
PHS students help reACt
Jordan Gochis and Jerry Wachal, students from Polson High School and members of Mission Valley reACT-Against Corporate Tobacco attended the “Celebration on the Hill” event at the State Capitol in Helena on Jan. 27. More than 100 teens and adult tobacco prevention advocates from Montana attended the event. reACT is Montana’s only teen-led movement against the corporate tobacco industry. Teens attended workshops on reACT’s history, smokeless tobacco and spoke with legislators. During the noon hour Jerry and Jordan met with Senator John Brueggeman, Representatives Janna Taylor, John Fleming and Scott Reichner. The teens shared with legislators about activities and projects they have been involved in which help to recognize the power of young people to effectively take on one of the leading preventable causes of death: tobacco use. Mission Valley reACT will be sponsoring several upcoming events in area schools during “Through with Chew Week,” Feb. 16 and “Kick Butts Day” in March.
-Courtesy of Bev Machacek
Students start local Pennies for Patients
Throughout the month of February, students at St. Ignatius schools will be working together in a fundraising effort for leukemia and lymphoma research with the program Pennies for Patients.
The program, run through the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, raises funds to find cures for the two deadly blood cancer diseases. While aiding in a good cause, district students also develop compassion and learn the value of helping others, a press release said.
The top fundraising elementary school class will receive a pizza party courtesy of the society, while an ice cream party will be the top reward for middle school and high school students. The top schools participating in the program are also eligible for school supply gift certificate awards.
The local fundraising campaign has been spearheaded by St. Ignatius senior Mattea Grant this year as part of her senior project. During the 2007-08 school year, more than 10 million students across the country raised over $19 million through Pennies for Patients.
- Reporter Ty Hampton
Through with Chew Week, Feb. 15-21
February 15-21 is “Through With Chew Week.” This day of action was established in 1989 by the American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery Inc., to decrease spit tobacco use and increase awareness of the negative health effects caused by using these products.
In Lake County, “Quit Spit Kits,” with brochures containing the Montana Quit Line number, 1-800-QUIT-NOW, along with some other items intended to assist with quitting, will be available in various Polson businesses, including: Insty Prints, Centurytel, Stageline Pizza, True Value, Ace Hardware, Napa Auto Parts, Mountain West Bank and Eagle Bank. Quit kits will also be available in CSKT’s Tribal Health facilities in Elmo, Polson, Ronan, St. Ignatius and Arlee.
A recent survey of Montana high school students revealed that fewer than half, 45 percent, believe that people using spit tobacco incur great risk, when just the opposite is true. Spit tobacco causes oral, esophageal, and stomach cancers, as well as a number of tooth and gum diseases. If you are ready to quit chewing tobacco, please stop by one of the businesses mentioned above to pick up your complimentary quit spit kit, with the alternative non-tobacco chew product, BACC-OFF, to help make that transition easier. Or, stop by the Lake County Health Department’s Tobacco Prevention office, 802 Main St. in Polson, for a complimentary can of BACC-OFF with information on how to use product successfully.
-Courtesy of Diana Schwab, Lake County Health Department
Arlee Close-Up auction
This past Friday afternoon, the Arlee High School Close-up Club held a silent auction to raise funds for a trip to Washington, D.C. in late March.
The club’s adviser Val Espinoza said each year an average five students make the trip, but this year six students are already signed up to attend the educational expedition. While in D.C. students will sit in on senate and house sessions and tour historic monuments.
In order to make the March 29- through April 3- trip, students must raise $1,978.
-Reporter Erin Scott