Local News

Managing Editor

Drilling for core samples and testing for mineralization is obviously a key task executed by the Kennecott Exploration team. However, there is much more in depth work that must be done in order to advance a project. Recently, the Kennecott Exploration team has been performing environmental baseline testing in the area.

“Although the fundamental purpose of us being here is to drill and try to find nickel and copper, we also are trying to ensure the community understands what we are doing,” stated Robert Peter, Project Manager. “Another element that we are doing is our environmental baseline study. We collect data quarterly.”

Joni (Brekke) Torgerson, a Tamarack local, is the environmental technician for the Kennecott team in Tamarack. It is Joni’s job to go out to 21 field locations and take samples.

“Basically, Joni takes samples from both watersheds that are downstream from the project and extend to Big Sandy Lake and watersheds that our outside of the project area,” shared Robert.

“We do this to understand water flow, water chemistry and pH,” continued Robert. “It is important so that we understand what the condition of the local area’s waters and rivers are at this time and over time in order to establish a good comprehensive baseline record of what the environmental conditions are.”

Along with the quarterly testing of the surface water, Kennecott also tests the ground water. In 2008 they drilled a series of nine wells to help understand the flow and water chemistry.

“We started this program in 2006, and we have been maintaining it ever since, so we have a continuous record of what the environmental conditions here are like,” added Robert.

“This gives us a clear understanding of what the conditions are now. This way we can fully understand the environment within which we may wish to potentially develop a resource,” expressed Robert.

Process of the environmental study

Clearly, Kennecott is taking steps to understand and potentially protect the environment. However, what is the testing process like, and what information is the team gathering? Joni Torgerson (formerly Brekke) explains …

Managing Editors

In a special meeting held Friday, February 19, 2010, the Tamarack City Council interviewed two candidates to replace their outgoing clerk/treasurer, Lynne Black. The position was advertised and posted for two weeks, and two candidates expressed an interest.

The selection was made based on resumes, cover letters, and discussion with the candidates. Council members asked a pre-set list of questions and recorded the candidates’ answers. After the interviews were concluded, the council members individually scored each applicant, and the scores were tallied and announced by Council Black. The council voted unanimously to offer the position to the highest scorer and request a start date. Both candidates were notified of the results.

The new clerk/treasurer of the City of Tamarack, Amber Wyttenback, will begin working during the week of February 22nd, with training provided by outgoing Clerk Black.

“I look forward to handing over the job to someone as competent as Amber,” said Clerk Black. “She is going to be an asset to the city.”

Amber will begin her official work as clerk/treasurer with the regular business meeting on March 3.

Ready to get the job done

Amber Wyttenback, formerly Wencl, has been a longtime resident of the McGregor/Tamarack area. Most people know her as the smiling face behind the counter at the Credit Union in McGregor. However, soon Amber’s smile will be found elsewhere – behind the clerk/treasurer’s desk at City Hall in Tamarack.

“I saw the ad for the job in the Voyageur, and I turned in my resume a couple of days later,” described Amber. “The next thing I knew, there was an interview and I had the job. It all went really, really fast.

Amber is excited to start work as the new clerk/treasurer, not only because she is interested in the well being of the city of Tamarack but …

Editor

It was a wonderful night for food and fun entertainment on Saturday, February 13, when guests boarded the ship (aka the Cromwell Pavilion) to experience a production of The Balmy Bahamas Cruise Murder Mystery.

Presented with floral leis as they entered the tropically decorated pavilion, guests were seated at tables and served appetizers followed by salads. During this time, an ambulance pulled up with lights flashing, and a team of emergency medical service personnel entered the building (aka the cruise ship).

Why was an ambulance needed? Shockingly, a dead body lay on the floor at the front of the room. Without ado, the ambulance crew retrieved the body, and hence began the unwinding of this victim’s murder (aka Act I).

During Act I, cruise ship passengers were introduced, and their relationship with the murder victim, Karla Virgil, was described. Karla was not a popular girl among this crowd of professional entertainers, athletes, writers and even a ghost.

Act I ended, and the actors served a delicious meal of chicken and ribs to their audience and then sat down to enjoy the meal with them.

During Act II, the interrogation of the cruise passengers by Bahaman detective Obie Garraway (Walter Collman) began in earnest, and it seemed that everyone on board had reason to want Karla Virgil dead as they described their relationship with her and presented their alibis.

There was a break in the action for the final course, which consisted of a dessert table filled with a multitude of delectable sweet treats.

Returning to the mystery of Karla Virgil’s murder, the passengers began to describe the events that took place preceding Karla’s death, and it became clear that everyone on board the cruise ship was a suspect.

Did famous singer Tilly Song (Barb Dahl) kill Karla for stealing lyrics from her? Did Twinkle Fingers, an apparition (Thomas Miller), off her for insulting his piano playing and flushing his anti-wrinkle cream down the … (you know)? Was talk show host Hertha Haywire (Beth Collman), whom Karla also insulted by calling her fat, the murderer? Hercules (Tom Simi) and Angelica (Lea Tili-Anderson) might have done the dirty deed in order to protect their precious ambrosia. Or perhaps…