The Independent-Record from Helena, Montana • 17

Wednesday, September 10, 1997 1 ,,,111 tjf 5 i Associate Editor Dave Shore 447-4071 The Independent Record Section ft coldaolwsiG Brigade has been figurehead of Guard since 1917 Forest Service studies Big Beit travel plan for hunting season Meeting tonight starts at 7 p.m. The Forest Service will host a public meeting tonight to discuss travel management in the North Big Belt Mountains. The meeting will be held at the Helena Forest Headquarters, 2880 Skyway Drive, just north of the Helena Regional Airport terminal and will run from 7 p.m.to 9 p.m. Forest Supervisor Tom Clifford said this will be the 12th meeting on this subject. Clifford said the Wednesday meeting will focus on travel management options for the fall hunting season of Sept.

1 through Dec. 15. Wildlife biologists from the Forest Service and the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks will attend the meeting to discuss habitat security and wildlife vulnerability during the hunting season. For further information, contact Maggie Pittman, public affairs officer, at 449-5201, exL 223. War the need for such a force just isn't there." Today, the brigade consists of a shell of less than 30 soldiers and officers, with most of the unit's force already having transferred to the smaller 1 -163rd Infantry Battalion Between 300 and 500 people are expected to attend the general of the Montana National Guard, and about 175 of the 163rd's WWII veterans and their family members will be in attendance.

The 163rd Brigade has been a figurehead of the Montana National Guard since 1917. The 163rd Infantry Regiment was created to fight in World War I. UAs an Army officer, I've come to expect that nothing stays the BnBnBBB Brig. Gen. Allen Leppink Commander of the 163rd The Montana Army National Guard's most heralded unit will secure its proud tradition in Montana's military history when the 163rd Armored Brigade goes through official deactivation Sept.

13 at 2 p.m. in Memorial Park in Helena. Though the unit has been a primary organization in the Montana Army National Guard for the last 80 years, the changing focus of the reserve forces and other military down sizing measures have made the brigade's presence unnecessary, said Brig. Gen. Allen Leppink, commander of the 163rd.

"As an Army officer, I've come to expect that nothing stays the same," Leppink said. "I would like to see the brigade stay, but since the end of the Cold deactivation ceremony, events coordinator Sgt. 1st Class Ted Benson said. Sen. Conrad Burns will deliver the keynote address, and Major Gen.

John E. "Gene" Prendergast, adjutant Of the 1 ,539 soldiers from the 163rd who fought in World War 1, 91 were killed in (More GUARD, page 2C) ARDIS RICE A MIDTOWN ADVENTURE FAMILY MATTERS Inclusion: jRecognize the strengths of each child 'AS eginning in the 1990s, the term inclusion is used to describe the practices of including persons with disabilities all over the world. In the past children with disabilities were 1 I IR photo by Jon Ebett isolated from the experiences that other children enjoyed; today, they are "part of the group." We have begun to realize that experiences like finger painting, reading stories and playing on the playground are as important "every-day-little-kid" activities for children with disabilities as they are for children without disabilities. Inclusion is not limited to participation in schools. Inclusion describes a commitment to recognizing the strengths and needs of each individual, (regardless of disability) and in looking for ways that will include every individual in sports, entertainments, clubs, birthday parties, outdoor recreation and neighborhood events.

IN 1990, the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA (formerly the Education for All Handicapped Children Act) was rewritten to include funding for additional programs to develop training, technical assistance, education curricula and to conduct research on topics related to young children with disabilities in the following ways: Schools are required to carry out a systematic search for every child with a disability who is in need of a public education (sometimes called Child-Find). Children have a right to a free and appropriate public education (RAPE), regardless of the nature and severity of their disability. Education and related services must be provided at no cost to parents, There is an emphasis on educating young children with disabilities alongside their peers who are nondisabled to the maximum extent possible. ALSO IN 1990, the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) further defined inclusion as an important civil right by requiring public accommodations, employers, transportation, and communication systems to eliminate barriers that prohibit participation or access by people with disabilities. i Child care programs were specifically identified in the Americans With Disabilities Act as a "public accommodation," and therefore are responsible for implementing the ADA.

The intent of the ADA is to change both physical and attitudinal barriers about persons with disabilities. Providers of child care programs are asked to make a good faith attempt to provide reasonable accommodations and to make any "readily achievable" modifications to their routine, policies or environment in order to include young children with disabilities into the typical early childhood setting. Along the way, we have learned about the similarities as (More CHILD, page 2C) BRIEFS Environmental group sues to stop Swan Lake timber sale required watershed analysis plan. The Middle Soup Creek Project covers 2,500 acres and a total volume of 5.2 million board feet, according to Pat Flowers, chief of DNRC's forest management bureau. The project was awarded to Plum Creek in early September and work could begin as early as mid-November.

According to the complaint, there is no EIS or programmatic plan in place specific to the Swan River State Forest. DNRC uses a state wide plan, the State Forest Land Management Plan, as its programmatic plan then conducts an environmental review specific to each project, Flowers said. "Obviously we feel we have addressed those concerns adequately. They are pretty clearly addressed in the document," Flowers said. "But reasonable people can form different opinions from the same information." Frontier Montana Days planned at Grant-Kohrs DEER LODGE Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site joins the Powell County Museum Arts Foundation in hosting Frontier Montana Days Sept.

12-14. As summer admission fees end Sept. 1 1 at Grant-Kohrs Ranch, the public is invited to participate at no charge. Activities will include a pubiic mule packing demonstration by the Northern Region Pack Train at 10 a.m. Friday at the ranch dairy bam.

A wagon encampment will pitch camp behind the ranch visitor center, the encampment will be the scene of a campfire sing along of traditional cowboy songs with musical accompaniment by the Double-D Drifters at 8 p.m. Friday. Blacksmithing demonstrations, along with hourly ranger-led ranch house tours, will take place during park hours of 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The ranch is located off 1-90 at the north end of Deer Lodge.

By PAULA CLAWSON IR Staff Writer An environmental group has sued to stop a timber sale in the Swan River State Forest near Swan Lake. The Friends of the Wild Swan claim that the Middle Soup Creek Project timber sale will violate their constitutional rights to a clean and healthful environment. According to the complaint, the sale would damage old-growth habitat, wildlife habitat and aesthetic and recreational values of the land. The suit is against the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, which manages the school trust forest lands which include the Swan River State Forest The Friends of the Wild Swan claims DNRC's environmental analysis inadequately evaluates the impact to grizzly bears and other old-growth associated species. The group also claims the EIS did not include a German couple identified as Bowman's Corner crash victims STUDENT NEWS Mobile home tax bills have been mailed to owners The 1997 Mobile Home tax bills have been mailed to property owners.

These bills are approximately four months late due to the passage of Senate Bill 195. Normal process would have been to mail the 1997 mobile home bills in April, 1997. The first half payment on these bills would have been due 30 days after receipt of the billing, the second half payment would be due on Sept. 30, 1997. Because of the delay, both the first and second installments for mobile home bills will be due Oct 17, 1997.

BOWMAN'S CORNER The Highway Patrol on Monday released the names of two Germans who were killed and two Great ills residents who were injured in a weekend crash south of Augusta. Rolf Reith, 67, and Dietland Reith, 68, were killed when their passenger car pulled into the intersection of Montana 200 and U.S. 287 about 2:40 p.m. Sunday, and was struck broadside by a Chevrolet Suburban. It was unclear if the Reiths were tourists or in Montana for some other purpose and the patrol said it could not reach family members in Germany.

The other vehicle was occupied by Elmer and Lola Brandt, who were both hospitalized at Benefis East. Elmer Brandt, 60, was in good condition Monday, a hospital spokesman said, and Lola Brandt, 57, was in serious condition. Matthew Walter Miller of East Helena has been named to the spring semester president's honor roll at the University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, N.D..