Investigators uncover great fun during Murder Mystery Weekend

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The 2008 Murder Mystery has been solved. Rocky Jackson (Chris Newman from American Federal Savings Bank) killed game warden Chet Langdon because he sent him to jail, and John Bonson (Wayne Mitchell from Big Sky Illumination) shot Rocky at the Betsy Bar because Chet was one of his best friends. It wasn’t easy, but it was finally figured out after a day-long investigation into all the witnesses and a thorough search of the crime scene.
The Betsy bar was the location of the initial meeting Saturday of all the “investigators and witnesses” as a search party was being formed to search for Chet Langdon. Then the sheriff came in with the unexpected news that Chet had been found murdered in the backroom of Broadwater Realty. However, before the sheriff could brief everyone on all the details, shots rang out and the convict, Rocky Jackson, was dead on the floor. Despite the sheriff’s quick reaction, the killer escaped out the back and disappeared.
Thirty one investigators scoured the town all day before meeting at the Masonic Hall for a prime rib dinner served by the The Cowboy Coffee and Steak House. The food was GREAT and the libations, served by the Fish Tale Tavern, made for a very enjoyable evening. The investigators participated in a costume contest based on the clothes of 1955. It took a lot of laughs and votes to complete the contest. Bret Tate of Stevensville won the $50 best costume prize.
Sunday morning, all the participants again met, this time at Jaspers, for breakfast and the conclusion of the “who dun nit”. The task of answering all the questions regarding who killed whom and why must have been very difficult based on all the head scratching, erasing of initial answers and the time it took everyone to complete their solution. When the smoke cleared, Chris Dorrington of Helena collected the firs place reward of $250, Spiro and Connie Mack of Bozeman reaped the second place $150 prize and Patrick and Krystal Sherill pocketed the $100 third place prize. Dorrington also received a pair of beautiful handmade glass mugs from Goose Bay Glass and the Macks received a very nice gift from Big Sky Illuminations.
Twenty three witnesses were spread out around Townsend in businesses. All stated they had a “blast” being queried about their character’s knowledge of the events leading to the murders. All were dressed in clothes of the era and several were noted by the investigators as being outstanding actors in portraying their rolls. Both Doris Small (Angie Wintro) at Mountie Moose Bakery and Agnes Schindell (Andrea Halter) at Butch’s Bargain Barn were noted for their realistic characters. Special mention for excellent acting has to go to Chris Newman for his realistic murder when he flipped off his chair and collapsed in to his death throes “Bad ass” Stewart (John Gunmmere) as an intimidating biker at the Betsy Bar who wouldn’t talk to anyone. Almost all the investigators walked a wide path around him, much to everyone’s amusement.
The annual Townsend Murder Mystery is sponsored by the Townsend Valley chamber of Commerce as a means to bring business into the area during the slow winter months and to expose the businesses to people from outside the area. For information as to when and how anyone can participate, please call the Chamber at 266-4101. And if you want to know how much fun it is, contact any of the businesses that have participated in the past. They all agree, it is “a kick.”

Thirty one investigators scoured the town all day before meeting at the Masonic Hall for a prime rib dinner served by the The Cowboy Coffee and Steak House. The food was GREAT and the libations, served by the Fish Tale Tavern, made for a very enjoyable evening. The investigators participated in a costume contest based on the clothes of 1955. It took a lot of laughs and votes to complete the contest. Bret Tate of Stevensville won the $50 best costume prize.

Murder Mystery participants had a lot of fun with dressing the part of 1955 characters for the event.

John Bonson (Wayne Mitchell) is cuffed and hauled away by Sheriff Ludwig for the second murder of the mysterious weekend.
Photos by Kathy Gummere

Last week Dan Rogers, Urban and Community Forester with the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, contacted the Townsend Tree Board to inform them that Townsend has been selected to host the Montana State Arbor Day Celebration in 2008! Mr. Rogers said that the Urban and Community Forestry Program likes what the City of Townsend and the Townsend Tree Board has been doing to manage the community forest in Townsend.
As part of the 2008 Montana Arbor Day Celebration in Townsend on April 25, Governor Brian Schweitzer will help plant a large tree with Townsend School District #1 students on the school grounds. The tree and plaque commemorating the event will be purchased by the Urban and Community Forestry Program.

The Tree Board will be meeting with Fred Bicha, the Eastern Montana Urban and Community Forester from DNRC on Tuesday, February 26th from noon to 1pm at City Hall to begin planning the 2008 Montana Arbor Day Celebration. Watch the Townsend Star for updates as plans are developed.
Patrick Plantenberg, Tree Board member, said “People are noticing Townsend’s efforts to beautify the community by planting trees. This is Townsend’s reward for working hard to develop our community forest program. Everyone that has helped support the Tree Board’s efforts should be congratulated.”
Last year, the Montana Arbor Day celebration was held in Colstrip and in 2006 it was held in Whitefish.

February 21, 2008

American Legion Post 42 presented a $500 check today to a local disabled veteran injured while serving in Iraq. Thanks to a half-million dollar check from The Coalition to Salute America's Heroes to the national headquarters of The American Legion, post Commander, Richard Navarro and Post Adjutant Julie Navarro, presented a $500 grant to Francis (Sam) Cheevar during ceremony at the American Legion Club. "It is with sincere thanks that we present this grant today to a fellow military veteran who served our country with honor and pride," Commander Rick Navarro said. "We present this on behalf of your fellow veterans and a grateful nation."
"These grants are just a small token of appreciation for the sacrifices made by so many of America's men and women in uniform," said Thomas J. Palma, general manager of the Coalition.
Navarro said. "Our members stand ready to assist with veterans and their families." It is not the first time that the two organizations have teamed up to award grants to disabled veterans.
The American Legion distributed checks for the Coalition in 2005. American Legion National Commander Marty Conatser said that “The American Legion is honored to participate in such a worthy project. The program was so successful two years ago that The American Legion's National Executive Committee unanimously passed a resolution at our last convention authorizing our assistance in this great endeavor.” The funds are being divided into $500 grants and awarded to veterans of Afghanistan and Iraq across the country who are rated with disabilities of 30 percent or more.
"Post 42 is honored to deliver this gift to our comrade here in Townsend," Navarro said. "We can never fully heal all of the trauma of war, but we can show our gratitude to those who went in harm's way for America."

American Legion Post 42 Commander Rick Navarro and Adjutant Julie Navarro present a $500 Legion grant to Sam Cheever. Photo by Dean Rhyneer

The Coalition to Salute America's Heroes, www.saluteheroes.org, is a nonprofit organization that was created to provide a way for individuals, corporations and others to help severely wounded and disabled Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans and their families rebuild their lives. The American Legion, www.legion.org, was founded in 1919 on the four pillars of a strong national security, veterans affairs, Americanism, and patriotic youth programs. The Legion's 2.7 million wartime veterans work for the betterment of their communities through more than 14,000 posts across the nation.