View From The Bridge 9-29-10

“VIEW from the BRIDGE”
By Muncie
9/29/10

VISITORS CENTER
By the time you read this, (if you pick the River Press up on Wednesday evening,) you will have one more day to visit the Center. It is hard to believe, that it opened up five (5) months ago. It has been a busy and interesting time as we had many foreign groups visiting. Without checking the Guest Book, I can safely say that the most Visitors are from Canada. They are very interested in the history between Canada and the United States.

They like the story of the whiskey trade and most of them know how, “What goes around, comes around.” In case it slipped your memory, we traded whiskey to Canada during the fur trade and steamboat eras, and they traded back again during prohibition. I also like to tease Canadians by asking when they are going to join the United States. They are always so polite and either just smile or say they do not think that will ever happen.

COUNCIL MEETING
Next Monday evening, October 4th at 7:30 p.m. will be the next City Council meeting. The meetings are being held at the Ag Center while the City Hall renovation is in progress. I urge you to attend these meetings so you can get first-hand information about ordinances that are being passed. These ordinances affect your life one way or another. You should have a say as to your opinion.

I took a tour of the City Hall on my own last week. I visited with Mimi Hayden in her makeshift office and then found my way to the back section. There was one man working and I asked if he had some plans so I would know what each room would be. He said he did not have a set of plans but the room he was working in was the furnace room. That is all I know folks…the location of the furnace room.

I heard at the meeting that the Police Department offices might be complete by the week of October 8th and the rest of the building by the middle of November. It will be a great addition to Fort Benton…a building to boast about and further beautify Front Street.

LONGHORNS
Oh, the difference in the climate between the week before the game at Chinook and last Fridays game at Power. It was perfect weather for a football game. We were cheering all the way Horns and you did have some very hard competition. I think that because it was Power’s Homecoming Celebration, it put extra pressure on them to win on their own field. We were very happy when The Horns made a touchdown because we cannot remember the last time the team was shut-out. As has happened before, you may be playing them again. Let’s look for that in the playoffs. Go Horns.

RECYCLING
BYOB. Last year Americans went through about 50 billion plastic water bottles. Fill up a reusable water bottle at home and take it with you wherever you go. Don’t like the taste of your tap water? Buy a filter! (Remember much of the bottled water sold today is filtered tap water anyway...)

VETERANS
Pictures are coming in every day now and the numbers are in the 20’s now. I really appreciate the response. The neat part of this project is checking the pictures. “What a hunk!” It is not that these men are not good looking/handsome now but way back then…WOW.

I met with Karla Ayers at the Sunrise Bluffs again last week and as soon as we have 50 pictures, we will begin to hang them. I am going to ask for some more help to make some sort of plaques, signs, markers that designate WWI, WWII, BAY OF PIGS, KOREAN, VIETNAM, DESERT STORM, and AFGANISTAN.

If an artist volunteers, we can discuss it further. I am at the Joel Overholser Research every Tuesday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. or call me at 622-3217 after 2:00 p.m. Even some suggestions would be welcome.

SO LONG FOR NOW
I am looking out the window next to my computer armoire at sunshine coming through the lilac tree onto the deck. How beautiful! Yesterday we sat in the gazebo for the first time in a month. We had spent most days (well at least half a day,) during July and August. This will be a “memory” keeper to remember in December and January. I wrote last week that I thought we would have a beautiful October.

My good deed for the day has gone behind schedule but I did see someone practice what he preached by pulling weeds from a neighbor’s lawn. It made my day and I hope that you experience something like it in your life this week. It is almost time for “Make a Difference” nominations. I know several people who have made a difference in my life and they are unsung hero’s. I will leave that for another time.

GOD BLESS AMERICA, OUR VETERANS, OUR PROTECTORS/SERVICE MEN AND WOMEN OF TODAY