Ponzi schemes up this year

I just read an interesting AP article detailing the almost-quadruple increase in the number of Ponzi schemes being investigated in the U.S. this year.
We've seen in Lake County how an alleged Ponzi scheme can hurt investors. Here, investors translated into our friends and fellow valley residents who lost thousands. The Cornerstone Financail investigation by the state alleges more than 100 investors lost upwards of $14 million.
The article highlights the Madoff case, which alleges BILLIONS lost. It says "tens of thousands of investors" lost more than $16.5 billion this year.
It's sad and scary news. Experts quoted in the article say the recession scared investors, and dried up new investors, so the schemes collapsed.
The Montana Auditor's officials who are investigating Cornerstone told me their case load has increased five times this year.
Bob Congond and Keith Kovick, Cornerstone owners, are named in the MT state action, which also points out it could be the largest Ponzi scheme in state history. A hearing is set for April (but already delayed twice).
Congdon maintains his innocence.

Here's a link to the entire article PONZI SCHEME

A1 preview, final 2009 issue

FINAL 2009 issue preview

A quick look at what we've got for the final 2009 edition: I compiled a Year in Review, grabbing some of the news from each edition this year. We've got some great photos to go along with the recap. It's always fun to look back, and we've had some interesting news come out of our valley this year.
Aimee has the latest on the Metzger trial - the judge did not rule on the final dismissal motion. We've got the full story on A1.
Sasha gives us a look at the thriving S&K businesses run in Pablo and St. Ignatius (owned by CSKT tribal members). It's nice to see the local businesses flourishing.
Heidi, as always, has great updates of all the Mission Valley wrestling and basketball teams, along with a very interesting story on a "hunters Facebook" started by several local boys.
Can't wait for you to read it.

Dec. 24 A1 Preview

I'm off to Missoula for the rest of the week, so Happy Holidays to everyone. See you next week.

Christmas Eve edition - a preview

It's the edition before Christmas and it's no surprise, but we've got some awesome stories of giving to share. Students from school's all around chipped in time and money to help bring the holidays to the less fortunate. Aimee and I both have stories there.
As I blogged about earlier, the adult parole office was considering a move to behind Cherry Valley Elementary school. I talked to the DOC regional manager today, and he said they are no longer considering that move. I'll have that full story.
Sasha wasn't left out of the holiday spirit, he found a little bar in Ronan that has raised thousands of dollars for Toys for Tots. You're going to want to read his "Linderman Village" story too, it's great.
We have (again!) a ton of holiday photos. Oh, and Aimee wil have some photos for the new rural fire station to be opening soon north of Polson.
Heidi's got a handle and rundowns on the blossoming winter sports action.
Can't wait for you to read it.

Parole office proposes disturbing move?

We received an e-mail from the Polson School District yesterday explaining that the Adult Parole Office in POlson may be moving next the Cherry Valley. I called Superintendent Whitesell and he said he and other staff are working to protest the move.
“We have contacted people associated with the school, whether it be staff or parents. We ent out 1971 phone calls last night. We are asking that if the community has concern, to contact either the governor’s office or dept of corrections to voice their opinion,” Whitsell said this morning.
We'll have the full story soon with reaction from the DOC. Below is the full press release from the Polson district and contact information for the MDOC:
Adult Parole Office may move next to Cherry Valley Elementary School
Polson School District’s administrators, teachers, parents and trustees have learned of plans to move the State Adult Probation and Parole Office to within a few yards of Cherry Valley Elementary School. Cherry Valley is an early childhood school for preschool through first grade; children ages 3 to 6. Locating the Adult Parole and Probation office just a few steps away from an elementary school is extremely disturbing, especially when there are many other locations in Polson that would be more suitable.
Often people who commit crimes lack impulse control; this includes both violent and sex crimes. It is inadvisable to move an adult parole and probation office so that it shares a street with an early-elementary playground, and in an area where young children walk to and from school.
The Polson School District considers the safety of our students to be a top priority. Anything that puts the safety of our children at risk is unacceptable.
The School District is encouraging anyone who shares their concern to write to:
Mike Ferriter,
Director of the Department of Corrections
P.O. Box 201301
Helena, MT 59602-1301
406-444-4913
mferriter@mt.gov
www.cor.mt.gov

Gingerbread winners

The Lake County Leader's First Annual Gingerbread House contest has seven wonderful entries. Thanks to Kyle Slinger, Amy Smith and the Salad and Sippy Cup crew (for two entres), Trevor Schultz, Sam Schultz, Tiffany Thomas and Erin Jager for your entries. They brightened our office and tempted all of us while they were here.
Slinger won the adult category. The Sippy Cup crew came in with first and second in the second category and Tiffany Thomas won the kids category. Congratulations!

Tribal elections final

All the council incumbents held their spots after the general election. View the updated story at www.leaderadvertiser.com

Dec. 17 A1 preview

Dec. 17 issue preview

With only three 2009 issue left, we've got another packed paper for everyone this week.
As far as we can tell, even with the snow it was a fairly quiet weekend for the most of the authorities. We did get news this weekend that a man who was found guilty of murdering his mother in 2006 hanged himself at the prison in Deer Lodge on Saturday night. Aimee Niles will have the full details.
I've put together a story on how the property tax reappraisal process is setting Lake County budgets up to be thousands of dollars behind because of readjustments being granted on protested bills.
On a lighter note, we've again got dozens of great holiday photos from across the valley: Sasha was at the Arlee Parade of Lights and the North Crow Creek Christmas play. I hit up the homeschool Christmas concert. Aimee got in on the fun at Polson's Living Windows.
We've got this and more.
Can't wait for you to read it.

Don't forget to vote Saturday

Polls open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. -
Polling sites for non-candidate districts include the Tribal Complex in Pablo, the Hot Springs Indian Senior Citizen Center in Hot Springs and the Dixon Senior Citizen Center in Dixon.

Here's Sasha's story as run in the Dec. 17 issue

CSKT vote on Saturday
FLATHEAD RESERVATION — Voters around the reservation will have a chance to cast their votes for several Tribal Council seats during the general election this Saturday, Dec. 12. Polls will stay open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

No registration is required, but a press release from the Election Board of the Salish and Kootenai Tribes said all tribal members “over the age of 18 years shall have the right to vote in all Tribal Elections provided they have physically resided for at least one year on the Flathead Reservation next preceding the General Election.”

A planned Tribal Council Candidate forum for last Friday, Dec. 4 was canceled after several deaths in the community.

Non-candidate districts include Dixon, Hot Springs and Pablo. Tribal members in these areas may still vote; their polling sites are listed below. The following is a listing of the candidates in each district.

In St. Ignatius, incumbent Joe Durglo faces off against Patty Stevens. Durglo received 536 votes during the primary, while Stevens trailed with 452. Polling site is the St. Ignatius Indian Senior Citizen Center.

In Ronan, incumbent Carole Depoe Lankford and Gene Sorrell are the final two candidates. Lankford led the Ronan primary with 758 total votes, while Sorrell received 435. Polling site is the Ronan Indian Senior Citizen Center.

Polson sees incumbent Steve Lozar square off against Naida R. Lefthand. Lozar garnered 969 votes during the primary, while Lefthand had 331. Polling site is the Polson Indian Senior Citizen Center.

In Elmo, incumbent Reuben Mathias defends his seat against William “Willie” Burke. Mathias had 622 primary votes, while Burke had 365. Polling will be at the Elmo Community Center.

Arlee’s seat comes down to incumbent Jim Malatare against James “Bing” Matt. Malatare received 501 primary votes while Matt had 273. Polling will be held at the Arlee Indian Senior Citizen Center.


Eligible voters that will not be able to vote at their polling center on election day may send in a written request for an absentee ballot or visit the Office of the Tribal Election Board prior to election day.

Lake County real estate sales breakdown

Here are some interesting numbers about sale in Lake County. It's easy to see why things are harder this year - all around. Land is selling at a much lower art, that menas real estate agents are slow, the construction companies too. The city building department is feeling it too.

Lake County Total Residential Sales
Jan - Nov '08: 157
Jan - Nov '09: 129

Lake County Total Land Sales
Jan - Nov '08: 72
Jan - Nov '09: 43

COLD Dec. 10 preview

We have been absolutely crazy busy this week - we had three holiday parades, lots of news to report and the beginning of winter sports packed into one week.
Of course, that means we have dozens of photos and solid news stories to share for the Dec. 10 issue.
Aimee will have a rundown of a Condon group's proposal to secede from Missoula County and move to Lake County.
I will have the second installment of my Cornerstone series. I had a great conversation with the securities office deputy and a state lawyer. Also, they are getting close to setting a hearing date for the administrative case against the men.
Heidi will have the area wrestling results, along with a few features to round out the Sports section.
Also look for a special Home of on Polson Police Chief Doug Chase.
Like I said earlier, we've got a ton of great holiday photos - so look carefully you might just be in one.
Can't wait for you to read it.

Condon looks to move to Lake County

A group of residents from a small town of Condon began a campaign to secede from MIssoula County and move into Lake County. Among their complaints was the concern Missoula County didn't provide needed services (like surveying) in a timely manner and that permits cost much more.
After meetings with both counties commissioners, the group has scheduled a meeting at 7 p.m. tonight at the Seeley-Swan gym where all sides will discuss the matter.
Condon are 80 miles away from Missoula and most county services, but almost, if not further, away from Lake County seat, Polson.
From what I've heard, the "affected" residents will have to sign a petition and both counties would then have to approve a ballot measure to seal the move.
Reporter Aimee Niles will be there to see how the meeting turns out, and have reactions from both sets of commissioners.
I'm looking forward to see what she brings back.

Prerelease center search renewed, Polson not top option

We ran a story back in early summer that Polson was talked about as an option for a new prerelease center.
As Ty Hampton reported:
The primary aim of prerelease centers is to help offenders as they transition from prison back into the community. There are currently four prerelease centers in Montana, located in Missoula, Helena, Great Falls and Butte.
Because the Montana Legislature authorized adding a prerelease center in northwestern Montana during the 2007 session, the Montana Department of Corrections has been seeking a site for a proposed center for the south side of Kalispell. The idea was met with some opposition though last month, as nearly three-quarters of the nearby property owners objected to the site’s location in a survey.
Although department officials say they are committed to developing a center in Kalispell, the state is prohibited from proceeding with the process if the opposition stays a majority. After the survey was taken, Lake County Commissioner Bill Barron was contacted by the MDOC about the possibility of bringing a prerelease center to the Polson area.
“It’s all very preliminary right now,” Barron said. “The state still wants to put one in Kalispell, but if they can’t get it passed they asked us if we would be interested in a center in Polson.”
The commissioner and former Lake County Sheriff explained the center would provide jobs and a boost to the local economy, while making it easier for area families to visit their loved ones in the facility.

The DOC board considering other options met this week in Kalispell to consider several other options.
Here's the Daily Interlake's story explaining the latest:
Panel renews search for pre-release center site
By NICHOLAS LEDDENThe Daily Inter Lake

The local working committee tasked with finding a site for a Kalispell-area prerelease center met Thursday morning to begin the process of picking a new location for the proposed 40-bed facility.
Residents in May rejected the previously proposed site in the old Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services building at 2282 U.S. 93 South.
The working committee, which convened Thursday following a revision of state rules governing the siting process, began considering general geographic areas suitable for the proposed facility.
Possible locations include areas along U.S. 93 South in the Four Corners area, commercial and industrial areas in the Kalispell city center, and along U.S. 2 in Evergreen.
The state requires pre-release centers to be within a 15-minute response time from
law enforcement and have access to 24-hour fire and medical services.
In addition, the working committee implemented further restrictions barring the pre-release center from residentially zoned areas and from areas within 1,500 feet of a school.
Public meetings and a survey of surrounding residents must be conducted when a new site is chosen.
“I think we need to go back and pick a geographic area, then survey the area, then let [Community, Counseling and Correctional Services] go find what they can in that area, and go from there,” said Kelly Speer, chief of the Montana Department of Corrections’ Facilities Program Bureau.
A survey of residents within a half mile of the previously proposed site on U.S. 93 South found that 74 percent of property owners opposed the location, sinking the project in its final stage.
Community, Counseling and Correctional Services — a Butte-based nonprofit that operates 12 detention or treatment facilities in three states — won the contract to operate the Kalispell pre-release center last December.
Should the nonprofit be unable to buy or build a facility within a reasonable range of its original proposal, which was site-specific, the project could be reopened to bidding.
“As soon as the site has been selected we’ll do our due diligence... We’ll have to crunch the numbers and make sure it’s feasible for us,” said Steve McArthur, Community, Counseling and Correctional Services’ director of community correctional programs.
The working committee, appointed jointly by the city and county in January 2008, strongly supports a Kalispell pre-release center. Officials have been clear the debate is now more about siting the facility than whether a pre-release center should be built.
A survey, conducted in mid-2008 by MSU-Billings, polled residents both inside Kalispell and within a 10-mile radius of the Kalispell city limits and found support to bring a pre-release center to the area.
“We know we have people here who have committed crime, however they come,” said working committee chairwoman Bonnie Olson.
Pre-release centers hold inmates nearing the end of their prison sentences and help them readjust gradually into society. Residents, whose average stay is six months, receive treatment, counseling, job training and placement services.
Flathead County has more than 1,300 people in the state corrections system and is the only large county in Montana without a pre-release center. Lake and Lincoln counties have contributed about another 650 offenders.

Reporter Nicholas Ledden can be reached at 758-4441 or by e-mail at nledden@dailyinterlake.com

A1 Dec. 3 preview