UMTravels

It has been weeks since I heard from my buddy Steve in prison — I’d gotten word that they were moving him from a “Rent A Prisoner” to a State-run Prison in Deer Lodge, Montana. It will be a good move. Deer Lodge is about 100 miles from his mother, and Shelby was 400+ so she should be able to visit him more often.

The upside for me is that is close to Yellowstone National Park and a newly opened WorldMark property just outside the West Entrance.

So — he had written me that there was the possibility that he was moving – but it was confirmed by an email from the state of Montana — intended to notify victims of prisoners release — but anyone can sign up for it, and it apparently notifies you if a prisoner has been transferred internally as well:

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

This email is to inform you that STEVE ATCHISON has been transferred from the Montana State Prison at Deer Lodge to Martz Diagnostic Intake Unit. The transfer took place on 03/25/2008.

For more information about male offenders, please call the Montana State Prison between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Call (406) 846-1320 and enter extension 2430. For female offenders, please call the Montana Women’s Prison. The telephone number is (406) 247-5100.

This notification is sponsored by the Montana Department of Corrections VINE Service. It is our hope that this information has been helpful to you.

Thank you,

The VINE Service

The rest of the day was spent running errands and finishing the strapping down of the “potting shed” front to the top of the van for tomorrows trip to the island. I’ll be on the 3:30 ferry to Lopez. A quiet steak dinner with wine and salad for me tonight, accompanied by the strains of Perry Mason now that Sweet 16 Basketball is off Channel 7.2[228.4]