These are a sampling of news articles in the November 19th, 2008, Whitehall Ledger. For the complete articles and other Whitehall news, ads and photos, copies of the Ledger are available for purchase at The Corner Store, Jefferson IGA, Whitehall Drug, Town Pump, Super 8 Motel, the Cardwell Store and the Whitehall Ledger office.

Local quilters do their part in comforting wounded veterans

They may not be rolling bandages for War wounded soldiers, as their ancestors may have done, yet they are doing their part to comfort wounded veterans. It all started with an article in the Bozeman Chronicle about area quilters getting together to make what are known as “Quilts of Valor”. The Quilts of Valor Foundation began when a Delaware quilter, Catherine Roberts, simply wanted to make a quilt that would be donated to a wounded service member. The idea spread rapidly through the nationwide quilting community. By January 2007 more than 8,000 quilts had been distributed at Walter Reed and 70 other military medical centers.

The quilters themselves come from a variety of backgrounds. They include men and women, quilters and non-quilters, young and old. Children at Colorado School for the Blind have created Braille quilts for soldiers who have lost their sight. Native Americans make quilts with warrior symbols and Mennonites donate quilts anonymously. People from all walks of life, wanting to say “thank you” to our soldiers.

The recipients are male and female from all branches of the service. Even wounded soldiers from WWII, Korea, Vietnam and other wars are included. Their “wounds” may be either physical or mental.

Quilt tops are made locally and then sent off with backing and batting to one of the many nationwide longarm quilters who donate their time to do the finish quilting. The quilts, along with handmade “bags” for safe keeping, are then matched to service men and women across the country in various medical facilities.

Six local quilters involved in the project meet at Cozy Mountain Quilts in Whitehall. To date five completed quilts have been given to veterans- one to local Vietnam veteran Bob Clark, the others to troops in Texas. The group has seven more quilts waiting to be completed and sent out as “thank you” to those who fought for our country.

“We may never receive a personal thank you in return and yet just knowing we may have helped brighten someone’s day and let them know they are appreciated is enough reward,” said one of the local quilters.

A chaplain who helps distribute the quilts tells of a father who, with tears in his eyes, tried to return a quilt. He did not feel he should keep the quilt since his son had not survived his injuries. The chaplain returned the quilt to the man saying, “Keep it as a remembrance.” Thus, a simple “thank you” quilt became an heirloom quilt.

After a recount of ballots in two county precincts by Jefferson County Commissioners last Wednesday, Nov. 12, the Jefferson County public safety issue on the Nov. 4 general election ballot passed by one vote.

But this may not be the final outcome of the measure.

Jefferson County Election Administrator Bonnie Ramey said Monday afternoon that she received three separate petitions — one on Friday and two Monday — requesting a recount.

It only took one petition with at least 10 signatures on it to start the process of a recount, so the two petitions submitted Monday were disregarded. Danny Burget of Whitehall submitted the petition on Friday, and Timothy Sizemore of Whitehall and Robert L. Marks of Clancy turned in petitions Monday. Forty-five total signatures were on the three petitions.

The recount has been scheduled for today (Wednesday) in the courthouse courtroom in Boulder. The recount will begin at 8:15 a.m. with hopes to conclude the process by late afternoon.

Ramey told the Ledger last Thursday afternoon that county electors have five days from the time the final votes are counted to petition the county for a recount; and last Thursday morning Ramey said she had received three phone calls from people inquiring about a recount.

The recount will be performed by county commissioners and county employees appointed by the county commissioners.

Those interested in submitting a petition had until this past Monday at 5 p.m. to turn them in to the county elections office.

Ramey said 6,398 ballots will have to be recounted manually at an estimated cost of $1,600 to $1,700.

The measure, if it passes, will generate an additional $393,497 annually for the county over a four-year period for public safety. After last Wednesday’s missing ballots were found and counted, the issue passed 3,117 vote for and 3,116 votes against.

The measure was actually on line to pass by a couple hundred votes on Election Day; but when Whitehall and Cardwell precinct ballots were added tothe other county ballots late Tuesday night, Nov. 4, the outcome changed. A total of 3,108 votes were against the measure, and 3,104 votes were for the measure. Whitehall and Cardwell precincts defeated the measure 786 votes to 513 votes.

Following the election, 20 provisional ballots still had to be counted. In addition to that, two ballots were unaccounted for — one in a Boulder precinct and one in a Cardwell precinct. After the 20 provisional ballots (ballots that need verification) were counted on Monday, Nov. 10, the measure passed by one vote—— 3,116 for and 3,115 against.

The two missing ballots were found and counted last Wednesday, but they didn’t change the outcome. The Cardwell vote was against the measure and the Boulder votes was for it, giving election officials the tallies of 3,117 for and 3,116 against.

If the measure does pass, taxes would go up by $59.60 on a home valued at $200,000. The extra funds, generated through a mill levy, would pay for one additional sheriff’s deputy, along with the necessary equipment, and would help maintain a number of Sheriff’s Office services, such as the DARE program.

Tony Scarborough, the new owner of Patacini Tire, may have been raised in Idaho, but he likes to think of himself as a Montanan.

After years back and forth, he’s spent the majority of his life living in Montana, in West Yellowstone and Bozeman, and now plans to call Whitehall his home.

Scarborough’s choice of Whitehall came by logically.

“I was looking to get back into Montana. I wanted to own my own business, somewhere between Bozeman and the Bitterroot area. That, and I didn’t want to shovel a lot of snow,” he explained with a laugh.

When he heard the business brokerage grapevine that Patacini Tire’s owner Sue Patacini was looking to sell, he jumped at the chance. Previously a chief financial officer in a mid-sized government contracting business in Colorado Springs, Colo., Scarborough knew he wanted to own a business that was interesting and hands-on, not a desk job, and something a little physically challenging. Patacini Tire fit the bill.

Scarborough knew employee Matt Dove and plans to learn the tricks of the trade from him and the other employees. He assumes ownership of Patacini Tire, which will be keeping its name, on Dec. 1.

“The tire business Patacini gets is exceptional. When I was talking to locals and mentioned Patacini Tire, it’s obvious they have a great reputation, for their mechanics and their business,” he said. Scarborough hopes to keep the business’s customer base by offering the same exceptional service that everyone is used to.

Former owner Sue Patacini will be sticking around, showing Scarborough the ins and outs of his new business. Both joked that they may need to toss her out the door, kicking and screaming.

“I’m going to be like Milton on Office Space, where they keep moving him closer and closer to the exit, but he keeps coming back,” Patacini joked.

“This is new for me, but I understand what it takes to run a business in a tight-knit community. I came from a small town and I want to keep the same atmosphere, with the same great service,” Scarborough said, adding that the door is always open and he’s looking forward to meeting more of the people of Whitehall when they come in.