Time Capsule: From the archives of local weeklies

Flathead Courier, May 10, 1984

University Women sponsoring program on nuclear war

"Medical Effects of Nuclear War" will be the topic of discussion at the meeting of the American Association of University Women at 8 p.m. Thursday, May 10 in the Polson Middle School Library.

Dr. Ann Murphy, a Missoula physician affiliated with Physicians for Social Responsibility, will be the speaker.

Dr. Murphy's program will be illustrated with a slide show and a film entitled "The Last Epidemic." A question-and-answer period will conclude the program.

This program is in conjunction with AAUW's national study issue "Peace and National Security," and was arranged through Chairperson Vicki Morin-Gallagher.

Members have been studying this issue for several months. The public is invited to attend.

Editor's notebook: Newcomer Craig Johnson

About 15 years ago, on a lake somewhat smaller than Flathead Lake, I would spend one day a week during the summer with a friend of mine putting around in the only motorboat allowed on the water. Trailing about 10 feet behind the boat was a bushel basket inside an inner tube.

The bushel basket was filled with copper sulfate.

The lake was small, so small as to tax the meaning of the word. It was definitely a warm-water lake, filled with weeds and algae and such unexciting fish as bluegills, perch, and catfish. It was also surrounded by homes, some of which had that second home appearance, but many were year-round residences.

And that is why we pulled copper sulfate around the lake: to keep the weeds down.

Wastewater from homes, fertilizers from lawns that led right to the lakefront, and other problems plagued that little jewel in northern New Jersey. We treated the symptoms, not the disease.,

They say Easterners make the best (or worst, depending on your point of view) environmentalists, because the East is so screwed up. Well, that may be a simplification, but it is essentially true.

Easterners look at the West and want to "save" it, much to the chagrin of the Westerners that live here.

Let it be enough to say that the scientists employed by the state of Montana see a potential problem looming for Flathead Lake. Phosphorus, they say, is causing the lake to age, algae to bloom in increasing numbers, and predict some decline in the quality of the lake.

The phosphorus is coming from the same sources that it comes from anywhere in the country: detergents, agricultural chemicals, and other human sources.

The difference here for Flathead Lake is that something can be done about it; it isn't too late to come up with a plan to limit the potential damage to the Flathead. Here's to the folks at the Department of Health and Environmental Sciences – good luck.

I have been in Polson just about a week now, and it's been everything I could have wished for. I was in town for a very short time a year and a half ago, when the Sidney Eagles played the Polson Pirates for the state football semi-final championship (no need to go into the score here).

I liked Polson immediately, so it was no hard decision to leave Sidney, where I worked at the Sidney Herald for more than two years. And since coming here, I have been impressed by how much interest the community takes in the newspaper by bringing in much of the material that finds its way into the Flathead Courier each week. I don't know how often it's been said before, but we sure appreciate it and hope it keeps on coming.

Polson students get honors at Missoula music festival

Thirty students traveled to Missoula last Friday and Saturday to compete in the Western Montana State Festival at the University of Montana. These students earned the right to go to state by receiving a superior (I) rating at district festival several weeks ago. Out of 16 entries half (8) received a superior (I) rating while the other half received a good (II) rating.

Top honors (I) were earned by the following groups or soloists: Jazz Choir, Madrigal Choir, Eighth Notes Quartet (Barb McAlpin,Wendy Sampson, Scott Heinz, Brian Sawyer), Junior Quartet (Karen Dahl, Tammy Ross, Shawn Wegner, Scott Elder), vocal soloists Teresa Hill, Nancy Campbell, Brian Sawyer and piano soloist Anne Thurston.

Groups or soloists receiving Good (II) ratings were:

Junior-Senior Quartet (Nancy Campbell, Teresa Hill, Shawn Wegner, Scott Elder), Freshman Men's Quartet (Steve Elder, Joel Hoogerbeets, Shane Wegner, Dan Pinsker), Teresa Hill-Lorina Clark Duet, vocal soloists Shane Merganthaler, Jennifer Hill, Karen Dahl and piano soloists Todd Cooper and Cassie Pickerill.

All of these students are to be congratulated for this fine accomplishment.