The Billings Gazette from Billings, Montana • 10

28 Monday, May 2, 2005 gillies (gazette LocalGuide Youngsters still dance around the Maypole, exchange baskets Local events FREE HEALTH SEMINAR "Carpal Tunnel" 10 to 1130 a.m, DBC conference center ngrjup announces ceremony SD2 trustees to discuss insurance, ownership By JOHN FITZGERALD Of The Gazette Sufi The School District 2 Board of Trustees will meet tonight to discuss insurance premiums and building ownership. The special meeting of the board will begin at 530 p.m. in the board room in Lincoln Center, 415 N. 30th St. The board will consider setting rates for health insurance and for life and long-term disability insurance.

Any increase in insurance premiums will need to be negotiated with the district's bargaining units. Chief Operations Officer Dan Martin has already met with the units and will report the results of his talks to the board. Trustees will also hear from a special board committee that has been investigating ownership of the district's four middle schools. The buildings were originally configured to hold seventh, eighth and ninth-grade students. The ninth-graders were later moved from the schools and into the high schools.

The committee will report its research into whether the high school district actually owns one-third of the middle schools, which are run by the elementary district quintuplets and a doctor named Dafoe, who delivered them, became almost as famous as did the parents and their five daughters. The German dirigible, "Hindenburg," caught fire on landing at Lakehurst, N.J., toward the end of the month of May, and there are those who still debate the reason and whether it was weather or sabotage that caused the explosion. In my life IYe had little to do with May customs, traditions or history. I recall an English folk song, "Here we go gathering nuts and may" (may being a type of flower in England), and another that begins "Mother called me early for I'm to be crowned the queen of May." I never got around to giving a May basket to anyone, and the only one I got was placed on my desk at school by mistake. On the whole I can go through a lifetime thus far letting the years pass without going overboard celebrating every month.

I like September because I was born on Michaelmas, October for Halloween and November when Guy Fawkes Day shows up on the fifth, when I always take a firm stand against gunpowder, treason and plot Not a crowded schedule, come to think about it I may be able to squeeze in a couple of cheers for May's arrival after alL Heaven only knows how many anniversaries, parades, ceremonies and traditional dates to buy that straw hat or "sailor," now that last year's has begun to yellow after its winter in the closet In addition, governments and professional and fraternal organizations, both here and abroad, affiliated either with political or patriotic origin have local celebrations and turnouts. I'm certain that people, young and old, still dance around maypoles in many places around the world, and youngsters still exchange "May baskets" as a sign of love and affection (or just because everybody else in your grade is doing it and you don't want to be left out). And there are probably a few still around who remembers Ogden Nash's poem about the guy who heard them cheering the arrival of May Day and he thought they said "pay day and was so disappointed he shot himself. Nash's verse ended with the fact that the weapon was, inappropriately enough, an "autumnatic." Norwegians from Eidsvold to Big Timber red-lined "syttendemai dagen" when their constitution was adopted on May 17 in 1814. And in Guadalupe Parish in Billings, "Cinco de Mayo" is a national tradition and Addison Bragg BRAGG ABOUT BILLINGS a time of menudo and maracas.

Time was that when the Soviet Union was still around, fearsome military units and weapons told the world about the importance of May Day. Later, the American Bar Association here managed to put the date on its calendar as "Law Day." Fortunately the ABA move met with no reprisals in that no bombs were dropped, no hostages taken, and we still drank their vodka and they continued to steal our military secrets. Some other May dates made international headlines, beginning with a solo flight across the Atlantic by a 26 -year-old named Charles Lindbergh. A Canadian mother gave birth to Partners in Education, the Billings Education Foundation and Celebrate Billings announce the first annual "Partners in Education Salute" luncheon from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Thursday, May 12, at SL Vincent Healthcare's Mansfield Center, 2900 12th Ave. N. The event will honor businesses, business people and organizations that partner with schools. All 2005 Billings high school valedictorians will also be recognized. Special awards will be given to businesses and individuals that have made extraordinary contributions to the success of Billings' area school children and schools.

The partners of Celebrate Billings are thrilled to provide the financial and promotional support to launch the first 'Partners in Education Salute' luncheon. It is a time to celebrate when we can honor our high achievers in the local high schools and recognize individuals and businesses making a difference in our city" says Mike Gulledge, publisher of the Billings Gazette. Partners in Education was established in 2003 to develop partnerships between schools and community businesses. Partnerships developed by P.I.E. provide strong volunteer support as mentors, "hands-on" support and financial support Partnerships foster special bonds of cooperation, as well as mutual respect and understanding between schools and businesses.

For students, P.I.E. can help improve academic achievement, expose them to business professionals who serve as mentors and increase their awareness of the greater Billings community. Business people are able to make huge impacts in kids' lives, while getting firsthand views of the challenges faced in our schools by teachers and principals. Cost of the luncheon will be $10 per individual. For reservations, call Teresa Cox at the Billings Gazette: 657-1443, by May 6.

East Entrance traffic down YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK Traffic through the park's East Entrance fell 36 percent last winter, the steepest drop of any entrance. Only 917 visitors went through the East Entrance between December and March, compared to 1,433 the winter before, according to the National Park Service. In all, 244,739 people visited the park, down about 3 percent from the previous winter. At the West Entrance near West Yellowstone, Mont, the number of visitors fell from 29,036 in 2003-2004 to 24,514 this past winter, or 15.6 percent But increases were recorded at the North Entrance (47,017, up from 46,287, or 1.6 percent) and South Entrance (13,877, up from 11,716, or 18.5 percent). Poor snow conditions that left roads bare in some areas, coupled with new regulations for snowmobiling, are blamed for decline at the East Entrance.

Republican group warns of division wrote. "I think they're mistaken in their views," said Denise Cofer, a Republican Assembly member and former Flathead coordinator for the Christian Coalition. She ran for the Flathead County Commission last year and lost narrowly to a Democrat. Moderate Republicans such as Williams campaigned against Cofer and backed the Democrat Cofer scoffs at their stated concern about future GOP elections, saying, "These are the guys who supported a Democrat, right?" She said the "Republican Assembly works to elect Republican candidates, pure and simple." Williams and others find that Assembly members define "Republican" too narrowly, excluding people who might agree with the party platform in general but disagree on matters such as gay marriage or abortion. Imposing too strong a litmus test costs Republicans some standing with the mainstream, he said.

In the last election the KALISPELL (AP) A Flathead Valley Republican group has distributed a letter warning that "our local Republican Party structure may be on the verge of capture by local extremists." That would make "a successful party effort in the next election cycle more problematic," Republicans for the Flathead said in the letter sent to members last month. Republicans for the Flathead formed during the last campaign season to fight what member Paul Williams calls the "ultraconser-vatism" of the Republican Assembly. Active in 47 states, assemblies consist of people who have questioned, among other things, the modern separation of church and state. In recent years, Williams told the Missoulian, candidates active in the Republican Assembly have positioned themselves politically in the Flathead Valley. "At this point, the strength of our local party is at stake, and divi-siveness will not foster future success," Republicans for the Flathead Assembly won several uncontested precinct committee seats, the official party-boss positions that drive the Republican machine here.

Williams is uneasy with the speed at which the Assembly has appointed people to various empty positions, action he sees as an attempt to "stack the deck" before the May 12 convention of area Republicans. With a largely appointed voting majority, he said, Assembly members will be in a position to elect their favorites to executive posts, effectively taking over the party. In the letter, Republicans for the Flathead warned that "ultraconser-vatives" seem poised to "throw out all the long-serving local party officers, loyal mainstream Republicans, and substitute extremist Assembly members." The language bothers J.D. Coleman, an Assembly adherent and party precinct member who says calling people "extremists" is a sure sign of desperate political manipulation. "It's an attempt to polarize things," he said.

KkMFrafyfi Artist wins Guggenheim Fellowship BOZEMAN A Montana State University art professor is the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship, one of the leading art awards in the United States. Eric Hongisto says it was tumbleweed that caught his artistic eye when he moved to Montana from New York City two years ago, for his first teaching job. "I became obsessed with tumbleweeds," he said. "I collected them and analyzed them and worked to come up with a good artistic response." He created huge balls of yarn, which he believes contributed to his selection as one of 186 recipients of the John Simon Guggenheim Fellowship for 2005. Hongisto, 31, will receive $31,000.

The last Guggenheim winner at MSU in Bozeman was Deborah Butterheld, chosen in 1980 for her horse sculptures. "Being recognized for your art is all you can ask for," said Hongisto, who came to Montana soon after receiving a master's degree at Yale University. "I think my work reflected that I had been in the city for a while, and it looked like I had been in the country for a while. If exotic to be from Montana. I'd probably be another Joe Schmoe if I was in New York." Since moving here he has advanced his interest in chess by competing across the state, something he said has enhanced his understanding of Montana's people and the landscape.

"You get a real different flavor in Great Falls and Missoula and Butte and Helena than you do from Bozeman," he said. The Guggenheim family operated the American Smelting and Refining which became known as Asarco. John Simon Guggenheim's grandfather immigrated to the United States from Switzerland in 1848. COLSTRIP To launch this year's American Cancer Society Colstrip Relay for Life, the planning committee has scheduled a Relay for Life kickoff rally for 630 p.nt Wednesday in the Colstrip High School lunchroom. For information, call Ricci Harbuck at 749-0085, Desiree Harris at 477-8141 or Vonda Lancaster toll-free at (800) 252-5470 option 3.

Sunstone is topic of gem club meeting "In Search of East Africa's Eyecatching Massai Sunstone" will be presented by Donald Thompson of Quest Minerals of Billings at the May 5 meeting of the Billings Gem and Mineral Club. The group meets at 730 p.m. at First Christian Church at 522 N. 29th SL Use the Sixth Avenue entrance. Williston to see some money from pasta plant investment Heartland Durum Growers Cooperative, a group of 227 farmers in North Dakota and eastern Montana who invested millions of dollars in the venture.

Shareholders voted last August to dissolve the co-op. The plant opened in Crosby in the spring of 2002, but shut down about a year later after it had problems finding a business partner. WILLISTON, N.D. (AP) This city is getting back part of a loan made to the now-defunct Bushel 42 pasta plant in Crosby, but it will not recoup its $50,000 investment in the plant, Economic Development Director Tom Rolfstad says. Williston will get $13,667 of the $21,000 loan, Rolfstad said.

The plant was operated by the The xLewis Clark A 'the tale a most delicious morsal' Index to areas Area 1-BiHings Heights (west of Lake EhwRd.) Area 2 Billings Bench (east of Lake Elmo Hd.) Area 3 -South Billings Area 4 -Downtown Biings AreaS -Northwest -wJ Billings Area 6 -West Billings Yellowstone River s. No tickets match jackpot numbers HELENA No tickets matched all the numbers needed to win any of the jackpots in Saturday's Montana lottery drawings. The jackpot for the Montana Cash game rises to an estimated $40,000 for Wednesday's drawing. The Wild Card jackpot rises to $105,000 and the Hot Lotto jackpot is estimated at $6.83 million. The Powerball jackpot is estimated at $72 million.

The winning numbers drawn Saturday night Montana Cash: 08, 14, 16, 21, 24. Wild Card: 02, 03, 14, 24, 25. Wild Card Jack of Clubs. Hot Lotto: 04, 07, 33, 37, 38. Hot Ball 12.

Powerball: 08, 15, 17, 32, 48. Powerball 24. Power Play 04. Players won $9,690 in Montana Cash on sales of $44,449. In the Wild Card game, Montana players won $9,825 on sales of $21,403.

Hot Lotto players in the state won $7,481 on sales of $33,001. Montana players won $20,028 in Powerball, on sales of $136,909. Burglaries Area Four 2400 block of 11th Ave. on April 2900 block of 12th Ave. on April An excerpt from the journals of members of the Lewis and Clark Expedition from this day 200 years ago edited by Gary Moulton.

May 2, 1805, Lewis. on our way this evening we also shot three beaver along the shore; these anamals in consequence of not being hunted are extreemly gentle, where they are hunted they never leave their lodges in the day, the flesh of the beaver jsesteerraQlecaanwrgusilthinkthereamost delicious morsal, when boiled it resembles in flavor the fresh tongues and sounds of the codfish, and is usually sufficiently large to afford a plentifull meal for two men. Joseph Fields one of the hunters who was out today found several yards of scarlet cloth which had been suspended on the bough of a tree near an old indian hunting camp, where it had been left as a sacrefice to the deity by the indians, probably of the Assinniboin nation, it being a custom with them to offer or sacrefice in this manner to the deity watever they may be possessed of. Wash. Nnr V----, Great Falls Portland Lewistdg, Mont Mandaiff Bismar 22.

2 23. 2 24. 2 24. 2900 block of 12th Ave. on April 2900 block of 12th Ave.

on April 400 block of N. 33rd, on April 25. Area One 1400 block of Easy, on April 21. 1300 block of Nutter on April 23. 100 block of Hilltop, on April 23.

Total number of reported burglaries since Jan. 122 Area Two 1000 block of Cottonwood on April 25. Total number of reported burglaries since Jan. 1:10 Area Three 500 block of S. 33rd, on April 23.

900 block of S. 30th, on April 24. of driving under the influence of alcohol, or of operating a motor vehicle while having a blood-alcohol content above the legal intoxication level. City Court Convictions Chad Michael Barnett, 24, 302 Jackson, on April 22, $660 fine, 2 days jail. Justice Court Convictions Jess Holds The Enemy, 24, 2900 Olympic on April 23, $1060 fine, 7 days jail.

Charles Neil Hedeen, 42, Three Forks, on April 24, $660 fine, 1 day jail. Sex-offender registry Montana's Sexual or violent Offender Registration Act requires offenders to register with local law-enforcement agencies in communities where they live. Information about these offenders is made available to the public Two Web sites provide lists of offenders, their addresses and crimes: ffttpdcistatejntussvor. wwwxo.yellowstonejrrt.us sherm7offetKlernewoffender.asp. Oregon Wyo.

S.D.X City Ponca7oiva Neb. JWo. 4600 block of Ruth on April 24. 2900 block of 12th Ave. on April 26.

400 block of 3rd on April 28. Total number of reported burglaries since Jan. 150 Area Five 1700 block of Iris, on April 22. 2400 block of Nikki, on April 24. 1500 block of Peony, on April 25.

Total number of reported burglaries since Jan. 130 Area Six 5100 block of Laurel Road, on April 23. 800 block of Broadwater, on April 26. Total number of reported burglaries since Jan. 1:47 DUIs The following have been convicted 2700 block of 4th Ave.

on April SL Louis Lewis and Clark's A location 200 years 24. to the mouth of the Columbia River ago mis ween lee Enterprises Area fire managers report that the current fire danger Check out www. Iewisandclark.com 4800 block of Underpass Ave, on April 25. 300 block of Monroe, on April 25. 700 block of S.

28th, on April 26. 600 block of S. 31st, on April 27. 400 block of S. 28th, on April 2a 400 block of S.

28th, on April 28. Total number of reported burglaries since Jaa 151 is high. Fire Find out more at billingsgazette.com danger fluctuates by area. For more information, go to www.fs.fed.us rLrenrcgrestridkmsJndexiitm or contact your local fire department or sheriffs office. For more journal excerpts, go to www.billingsgazette.com and click on the Lewis and Clark icon..