Building justice center in Virginia City wrong

An open letter to the people of Montana,

This letter is to request your intervention with a proposal by the Madison County Commission to construct a four-story, 23,000 square-foot jail, justice center and office complex across from the existing historical Madison County courthouse on Virginia City's main street.

This issue is of significance to all the people of Montana. The construction of such a large jail and office building in Virginia City is in direct conflict with the future of Virginia City as Montana's historical treasure. If the results of last November's failed bond election are an indication, voters in Madison County feel that the nationally registered historic site of Virginia City is just the wrong place for such a building. However, the Madison County Commissioners, armed with a slick power point presentation and a marketing team, are trying, again, to win support — this time with a mail-out ballot, slated for Sept. 18.

Despite the large costs of this facility, a more practical argument that Virginia City is the wrong place, is the lack of support services in Virginia City. There are no opportunities for combining food and maintenance services with other public facilities. There are no medical services, mental health or rehabilitation services in Virginia City. There isn't even cell phone service in Virginia City. The proposal plans 22 jail beds, yet the average daily jail occupancy for Madison County is 3.6 prisoners per day. The building has a 90-by-90-foot footprint. It will be hard to conceal the sheer size of this building in quaint Virginia City.

Most local voters seem to agree that some improvements are in order, but current thinking by local officials is to throw one BIG building at Madison County's problems. Architectural studies completed included only analysis of one option and one location. There are potentially many unexplored creative solutions. One is development of a county office campus comprised of smaller scale historically renovated buildings; adding handicapped access and an elevator to the rear of the existing courthouse (a design included in the current proposal, which should be kept); and for Madison County to make improvements to a smaller scale holding facility and transfer its prisoners requiring longer term incarceration (as they currently do).

I urge the citizens of Montana to contact the Montana Heritage Commission (101 Reeders Alley, Helena, MT 59601), the state entity charged with the protection of Virginia City, and ask them to break their silence on this issue. And contact the Madison County Commissioners (100 W. Wallace St.,, Virginia City, MT 59755) and ask them to go back to the drawing board.

Nancy Lien Griffin

Ennis

You can make a difference in suicide prevention

To the editor,

The fact is that depression affects more than 20 million people each year in the United States and that every year 30,000 people will die by suicide in this country. The fact is that no less than 10 people will be closely affected by a suicide and that at least one of those survivors will suffer from depression or die by suicide.

Suicide is a national public health problem that claims a life every 16 minutes with a suicide attempt estimated to occur every minute of every day. There is a relationship between depression and suicide and also a relationship between substance abuse and suicide, with the risk of suicide increased by more than 50 percent among those individuals who are either depressed or engaged in substance abuse. Research shows that more than 90 percent of the people who die by suicide have an underlying, although not always diagnosed, psychiatric illness at the time of their deaths. There are misconceptions about mental illness that continue to prevent those in need of help from seeking and getting that help.

The state of Montana has the second highest rate of suicide in the country and has had no lower than the third highest rate of suicide in the country for the past 15 years. In addition, the suicide rate among the youth (ages 15-24) in northwestern Montana is the highest in the country and ranks as the third leading cause of death among that group. Depression, alcohol and drug abuse, social alienation and access to lethal means are major risk factors for youth suicide.

Have you lost someone to suicide? Do you know someone who has? With the astonishing rate of suicide in this country, almost every one of us has been close to someone who has died in this lonely, isolated way.

National Suicide Prevention Week is Sept. 9-15 and I would like to use this time to encourage the public to learn more about depression and suicide.

I also encourage you to walk with us on Saturday, Sept. 29 when the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention will conduct one of their Out of the Darkness Community Walks in Kalispell at Depot Park to raise funds and awareness for suicide prevention. The funds raised will support research, education, and awareness programs — both to prevent suicide and to assist those affected by suicide. Please visit www.outofthedarkness.org for more information.

Together we can make a difference and help shed light on suicide, its impact and its prevention. Let's take a bold step together in the prevention of suicide.

Mary Weston

Kalispell

Editor's note: Weston is a survivor of suicide loss and coordinator for the Out of the Darkness Community Walk in Kalispell.

Soccer Club board members sought

To the editor,

Glacier United Soccer Club is dedicated to providing the highest quality of competitive soccer to the North Valley for our communities. We strive to provide highly qualified and licensed coaches and one of the best soccer facilities in the State of Montana.

Glacier United would like to thank all of our great volunteers from Columbia Falls and Whitefish who have given generously of their time and energy to the club.

For the 2007-08 season, we are now looking for people to join our board, coach or become a volunteer for our community — helping to expand youth soccer and develop all committed young players.

Terry Stoneman, president

Natalie Valov, administrative director

Glacier United Soccer Club