Sorted by date Results 26 - 50 of 2089
SWAN VALLEY – Swan Valley resident Barry Brubaker yelled at Swan Valley Centre owner Mike Smith to call the Fire Department. "I was talking to someone on the business phone and I looked over and said, 'Gotta go. The Café is on fire,'" Smith said. "I hung up on them and called 9-1-1." Smith said he saw two-foot flames were shooting out of the north door area which is where the walk-in cooler and freezer are on the north covered deck. "To have flames that big shooting out of that area, it didn't t...
SEELEY LAKE – Missoula Electric Cooperative (MEC) and the Seeley Lake Community Foundation (SLCF) hosted a formal ribbon cutting ceremony to unveil the first electric vehicle charging station in Seeley Lake Aug. 17. Representatives from the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) were also present to celebrate the partnership that leaders on this project feel are "keeping Seeley Lake relevant" for locals and tourists into the future. MEC General Manager Mark Hayden first credited the M...
SWAN VALLEY – While engaging the Swan Valley Café structure fire Aug. 18, Swan Valley Emergency Services (SVES) volunteers were seen drinking from cans with the Anheuser-Busch logo. What was not always visible was the word WATER clearly printed on the outside of the can. "Since the fire there has been a lot of questions asked about us drinking alcohol and it was not, it was water," SVES Fire Chief Randy Williams said. SVES recently received a donation of canned emergency drinking water from th...
SEELEY LAKE - Locals and visitors alike enjoyed this year's Loon and Fish Festival at the Seeley Lake Foundation Building Aug. 19 and Aug. 20. Art was displayed in the West Wing all weekend and attendees enjoyed live music from local musicians, art demonstrations, hands-on activities and several presentations. Alpine Artisan, Inc President and Event Organizer Kris Gullikson said every scheduled event was well attended, the booths outside were hopping as was the kids activities table- and the...
SEELEY LAKE - Approximately 200 lightning strikes over the Missoula area Thursday night, Aug. 11 and Friday, Aug. 12 left their mark. Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation firefighters are currently battling several wildfires near Seeley Lake as a result. Missoula County is in EXTREME Fire Danger which means fires of all types start quickly and burn intensely. All fires are potentially serious. Firefighters are anticipating more lightning-caused fires to appear throughout the...
MISSOULA – Seeley-Swan High School 2018 graduate Keaton Johnson grew up around sports and attended the University of Montana Griz Football games. "Certainly growing up, going to the games with my family and my family being passionate about it too, it is ingrained into me now," Johnson said. "They were walking super heroes or legends. You look up to those people." Even though he never played football, Johnson worked his way up with the Griz Football team - from computer work during the week as a...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Hospital District Board continued their discussion regarding an assisted living facility in Seeley Lake at their Aug. 9 meeting. They also discussed the proper way to raise concerns regarding Partnership Health Center’s policies, procedures, treatment or staff. Trustee Terryl Bartlett said that she had reconnected with BeeHive Homes owner Ty Harding following his presentation at their April meeting. She felt, based on his presentation, the board could either move forward or end the discussion due to lack of fea...
SEELEY LAKE – Every corner of the Seeley Lake Community Foundation annual banquet was decorated to represent different aspects of Seeley Lake – the beauty, recreation, wildlife and nature that makes Seeley Lake "the BEST in the Last Best Place." Nearly 120 attendees filled the tent at the Homestead Cabin Aug. 14 to support the Foundation's efforts like so many whom have gone before and paved the way. "The idea is it is a foundation. The Seeley Lake Community Foundation will be here long aft...
MISSOULA — Missoula County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously July 28 to place a Missoula County Fairgrounds Revitalization Bond on the November 2022 General Election ballot after hearing testimony from fairgrounds supporters at a public hearing July 28. The ballot measure will give Missoula County voters the opportunity to support long-planned improvements to the fairgrounds, including construction of a new Agriculture & Livestock Arena and a third sheet of NHL-sized ice. The proposed bond is for $19 million. This translates to $14.88 an...
MISSOULA—Missoula County Commissioners on Thursday voted unanimously to place a Crisis Intervention Levy on the November general election ballot. The proposed levy is for $5.5 million. This translates to about $54 annually for a home with an assessed value of $200,000 or $135 annually for a home with an assessed value of $500,000. The Missoula County Crisis Intervention Service Levy will help sustain crucial programs, including: • The Mobile Support Team sends EMTs and clinicians trained to assist people in crisis, helping to divert hun...
SEELEY LAKE – The last week of school, six Seeley-Swan High School industrial art students gathered around the back of Carrie Darrah's vehicle after being treated to lunch. Their faces lit up as Darrah carefully handed them their finished pottery bowls that would be sold filled with huckleberry ice cream at the Alpine Artisans, Inc.'s Loon and Fish Festival Aug. 19 and Aug. 20. "The look on their faces was the best for me – they were all excited, talking to each other... That was the most exc...
MISSOULA - BroadbandMT (dba, the Montana Telecommunications Association-MTA) awarded its first annual rural educator stipend to Abby Stitt, fourth/fifth grade teacher at Potomac Elementary School. Stitt will receive $1,500 annually from the MTA's Rural Education Fund for three years. Additionally, Blackfoot Communications is matching MTA's stipend for Stitt for a total of $9,000. MTA represents locally owned, community-based broadband providers serving rural Montana. "MTA's member companies...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Fire Board approved bids to address the water issues at Station 2 at their special meeting Aug. 5. They also reaffirmed the Board Chair’s powers and duties beyond Montana Code Annotated 7-33-2105. At the July 19 meeting, Fire Chief Dave Lane said since the District purchased Station 2, there has been an ongoing issue with moisture getting into the building. The moisture gets into the vapor barrier, in the crawl space and in the attic. The board received three bids to address the water issues at Station 2 which Boa...
SEELEY LAKE – Monday, Aug. 1, the Seeley Swan Pathfinder turned a new page. The weekly publication sold to brothers Jesse Mullen and Lloyd Mullen, owners of Ponderosa Publications, and will be managed by Mullen Newspaper Company. Ponderosa Publications looks forward to continuing to provide a positive environment for community journalism to thrive. The Mullen brothers grew up in the newspaper industry. They worked as delivery boys for Sioux City Journal and began writing stories for the N...
MISSOULA – While shooting sports, dog projects and horse projects have wrapped up, 4-Hers are finishing their animals and wrapping up their projects for the Western Montana 4-H Country Fair next week. The Country Fair gives 4-H members a chance to educate the public about livestock as well as other projects and highlight the results of their hard work. The Potomac Valley 4-H Club has 14 participants this year working on 25 projects. The Non-Animal Projects will be on display in the 4-H Barn s...
SEELEY LAKE – One night in November 1950, Ray Cebulski returned home to surprise his wife Barb and their newborn daughter. Instead he was surprised to find his newborn daughter alone in her crib. Rushing outside to find his wife Barb, he heard her hollering from the coal shed. Barb had gone out an hour before to get coal for the night and the wind had closed the heavy door behind her. With no handle on the inside to open it and no windows, Barb was trapped. "I couldn't get out," Barb said. "...
SWAN VALLEY – "Don't have too much fun," Danni Parcell told her husband Missoula County Sheriff's Deputy Robert "Bob" Parcell as he headed out the door to respond to an assault call in Lake County June 27, 1992. At 11:17 p.m. Bob was shot in the chest with a 41-magnum from 20 feet away after pulling over an alleged witness to the assault. Thirty years later he returned with Danni and their son Rincon to the exact spot where he remembers everything happened. "I went back and kind of hugged my t...
SWAN VALLEY – At a special meeting July 19, the Swan Valley School Board voted unanimously to rehire Chris Mauldin as the kindergarten – second grade teacher for the 2022-2023 school year. Principal Aaron Morgenstern said this decision was based on the Office of Public Instruction’s (OPI) willingness to extend his provisional license for one more year. In an interview after the meeting, Morgenstern said Mauldin received an email from OPI that said, unlike in 2021, they were not going to extend any expiring provisional licenses for 2022-2023 due...
SEELEY LAKE – While it takes a semi-trained eye, the mat of waterlilies at the north end of Seeley Lake received a significant thinning Saturday, July 23 during the third annual "Make the Cut Invasive Waterlily Event" hosted by Clearwater Resource Council. Of the nearly 30 participants, a total of 877 pounds of invasive water lilies were removed, topping last year's record of 850 pounds. "I like how gratifying it is to see a native leaf all by itself in the water," said volunteer Heidi S...
SEELEY LAKE – At their July 19 meeting, the Seeley Lake Fire Board approved the purchase of a new enclosed trailer. They also approved Fire Chief Dave Lane to seek bids to mitigate and fix water issues at Station 2 north of Seeley Lake. In other business, Board Chair Scott Kennedy addressed correspondence regarding concern that Open Meeting Law was violated at the May meeting. As requested at the June meeting, Lane presented the board with additional quotes to replace the enclosed trailer that collapsed from snow damage. The insurance t...
SEELEY LAKE – A customer walked into j's you-nique boutique Clothing and Gifts after being encouraged to check out the new store in the Bison and Bear Center. She proceeded to browse and was excited to see the selection and the reasonable prices. Owner and saleswoman Jody Heryford smiled, quickly struck up a conversation with her new customer and helped her find other items she may like. "I hope my customers like the clothing and I hope they like the prices," Heryford said. "I hope they feel c...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake resident Tripp Mincey and his family were enjoying a beautiful afternoon fishing on Seeley Lake Friday, July 8. They were watching a storm brewing to the west but it looked like it was going to head north. Their weather apps said the main storm was not going to hit until 7 p.m. "I said you know what, I think we are about to get hammered. We need to get out of here," Mincey said. "We were by the Seeley Campground and as we were headed across the lake looking back you c...
MISSOULA – At their July 7 meeting, the Missoula County Commissioners unanimously approved the proposed Clearwater Meadows Ranch 20 residential lot major subdivision proposed approximately one mile west of Clearwater Junction. While most of the recommendations of the Missoula County Planning Board were approved, the Commissioners approved a compromise proposed by Missoula County Community and Planning Services (CAPS) and the IMEG Corp for the developer. This maintained Lot 20 as a buildable l...
SEELEY LAKE – On June 20, Seeley Lake Ranger District Fire Management Officer Phil Shelmerdine officially handed off his duties to incoming FMO Adam Carr. While District Ranger Quinn Carver said, "Phil leaves some big shoes to fill," Carr is up to the task. "I'm happy to be here. I still have a lot to learn," Carr said. "Phil has a lot of years under his belt in this community and has been through some pretty large events that were publicly and politically challenging." Carr grew up in Libby, Mo...
SEELEY LAKE - The votes are in for the Seeley Lake Parade People's Choice Award. Luis Caro and his 1978 Camaro Z28 received 57 "likes" followed by Faith Chapel Youth Campout float with 46 "likes." The Rich Ranch Color Guard with Kiley Layman and Nikki Scheer took third with 41 votes. The People's Choice Awards were sponsored by the Seeley Lake Area Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber appreciates everyone who participated in the parade and voted....
