Articles from the February 15, 2018 edition


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  • Gullikson Named AAI's Art Benefactor of the Year

    Andi Bourne, Pathfinder|Feb 15, 2018

    SEELEY LAKE – Kris Gullikson was completely surprised when she received the Alpine Artisan's 2018 Art Benefactor Award at Alpine Artisan's, Inc. Annual meeting in January. During the presentation, AAI Project Manager Jenny Rohrer called Gullikson a leader, dreamer, communicator, recruiter and collaborator for her years of work with AAI. Gullikson said she has been a member "in heart" since AAI started in 1991. When she moved to Seeley Lake full time in 2008 she officially joined and "jumped i...

  • Snowmobilers Rescued from Deer Creek

    Andi Bourne, Pathfinder|Feb 15, 2018

    SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley-Swan Search & Rescue responded to a report of missing snowmobilers Wednesday, Feb. 7 around 7:30 p.m. All four snowmobilers were found in the Deer Creek drainage at 1:30 a.m. Thursday morning and were in Seeley Lake by 5 a.m. While they had no injuries, they were soaked from the continual rain and according to Incident Commander Missoula County Sheriff’s Sergeant Robert Parcell, they would have had “a miserable night and would have dealt with hypothermia.” A woman from Bigfork, Mont. reported three snowmobilers missing...

  • Condon Community Church Thanks Emergency Personnel

    Betty Vanderwielen, Pathfinder|Feb 15, 2018

    CONDON – Volunteerism is a way of life in rural communities. Perhaps no volunteers deserve more credit than the emergency personnel – the firefighters and members of the Quick Response Unit (QRU). To express their thank to these individuals and also to the local law enforcement personnel, the Condon Community Church (CCC) hosted a special appreciation meal Feb. 10. CCC Pastor Bruce Rippy said their church likes to be involved in Condon community events and are always looking for ways to reach ou...

  • Snow Conditions Help Make Race to the Sky Best Ever

    Andi Bourne, Pathfinder|Feb 15, 2018

    SEELEY LAKE – With some of the best snow conditions in the past several years, Young Living Race to the Sky 300 mile mushers started showing up at the Seeley Lake Check Point Sunday morning just after 4:30 a.m. The 100 mile finishers started to come in just after 7 a.m. Seven mushers completed the 300 mile race, eight completed the 100 mile race and one of the two juniors finished the 100 mile junior race. Race Director Pam Beckstrom wrote in the Sunday morning press release, "Trails were h...

  • Seeley Lake Fire Board and Seeley Lake Sewer District to Hold Elections

    Andi Bourne, Pathfinder|Feb 15, 2018

    Special District Elections will be held for the Seeley Lake Rural Fire District and Seeley Lake Sewer District during the May 8 mail-in election. For the rest of the boards, if the number of applicants is equal to or less than the number of seats open, no election will be held. Candidates have until March 29 to file for the four school districts with open trustee positions. Five candidates applied for the two, three-year terms on the Seeley Lake Rural Fire District. Incumbents Gary Lewis and Connie Clark filed to remain on the board. Seeley...

  • WSAs Are Still Wildlands

    Ron Cox, Seeley Lake, Mont.|Feb 15, 2018

    Some of my Wilderness-friendly friends are bent out of shape because politicians want to release Montana Wilderness Study Areas (WSA) of that status, envisioning instant clearcuts and oil fields. Concern has been expressed that the action is being done without public involvement. These areas would then be managed in compliance with the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) and the National Forest Management Act. Anyone who has followed or been involved in National Forest planning know any great changes won’t happen overnight. Some are a...

  • Winter Funk

    Heather Layman|Feb 15, 2018

    God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know when to just pull my lip over my head and swallow… Riding my horse is a wondrous salve for my salty soul. The salty soul is getting saltier with every falling snowflake. Winter is getting to me this year. I think it may have something to do with the fourth broken snow shovel, armpit deep snow and the 20-foot snow banks outside my door. I’ve seriously thought about packing up and heading south for the winter but then I rem...

  • DEQ Disapproves Cottonwood Gravel Pit Opencut Mining Permit

    Andi Bourne, Pathfinder|Feb 15, 2018

    SEELEY LAKE – The Department of Environmental Quality notified Deer Creek Excavating, LLC’s that their application for an Opencut Mining Permit contains deficiencies that must be corrected prior to approving the application. If Deer Creek still wants to pursue the application, they can appeal DEQ’s decision within 30 days or submit a revised application that resolves all deficiencies within a year. If DEQ deems the revised application acceptable, the application will be approved. The proposed Cottonwood Pit is 26.5 acres located appro...

  • Take the Plunge!

    Andi Bourne, Pathfinder|Feb 15, 2018

    SEELEY LAKE – What better way to shake off the winter blahs than with a plunge into Seeley Lake. Join the Seeley Lake Area Chamber of Commerce Saturday, Feb. 17 for the first annual Chamber Chill and Plunge at the Tamaracks Resort at 1 p.m. The Chamber’s Executive Director Lisa Hayhurst guarantees that this will be a “life time event that you’ll never forget.” The Hayhurst family came up with the idea for the plunge. “Our family has been to many plunges in the past and have always looked forward to them as they tend to have lots of energy and...

  • Choose Valinor for Valentine's

    Carol Evans, 2VS Program Director|Feb 15, 2018

    SEELEY LAKE - Looking for something special for your special Valentine? Hoping to make Valentine's Day last longer? Bring your Valentine to a performance of the Valinor Quartet Feb. 25, 3 p.m. at the Seeley-Swan High School Auditorium. Included in the ticket price is a dinner reception and a chance to meet the musicians, compliments of Citizens Alliance Bank. The Valinor Quartet is a unique collaboration between Victor Prieto, considered to be the leading jazz accordionist in the U.S., and the...

  • New Beginnings

    Upper Swan Valley Historical Society|Feb 15, 2018

    The Mission Mountains Mercantile, one of the upper Swan Valley's landmarks, was destroyed by a devastating fire nearly two years ago. Owner Len Kobylenski decided to rebuild and a new version of the iconic store has risen from the ashes. The old Merc was more than just a grocery store. It included a deli, an art gallery, a real estate office and a gas station. Visitors to the area were often amazed to find such a well-stocked store in the middle of nowhere. As a central part of the community,...

  • Engagement Announcement

    Feb 15, 2018

    OVANDO - Margaret Jean Henrekin was engaged to Joshua Robert Lee Jan. 10. They met two and a half years ago at Montana Bible College and after a year of knowing each other he asked her out. Lee is 21 and from Belgrade, Mont. He is the son of Robert and Melanie Lee. Henrekin is 20 years old from Ovando and the daughter of Rob and Raeann Henrekin. They will be married April 21, 2018 in Whitehall, Mont.... Full story

  • Tourism Gives Philipsburg New Life - Brought Few Families

    Eric Dietrich|Feb 15, 2018

    PHILIPSBURG - As the holiday season gets its start on a clear morning in late November, Main Street here looks like something out of a Hallmark movie. A window washer cleans down storefronts along blocks of historic brick buildings - a candy store, a microbrewery, coffee shops, restaurants, antique stores. Wreaths hang off ornate light posts. The surrounding hills are scattered with snow. Banners hung from windows and balconies celebrate the high school football team the Titans which has won a...

  • Alexander Wins Chance at County Spelling Bee

    Colleen Kesterson, Pathfinder|Feb 15, 2018

    SWAN VALLEY - Seventh grader Trista Alexander who competed against six other spellers won the Swan Valley Elementary School Spelling Bee for the second time Feb. 6. She will be attending the Missoula County Spelling Bee to be held at Sentinel High School Feb. 22 at 3:30 p.m. in Missoula. Another seventh grader Chris Auchenbach was the runner-up who will fill in for Alexander if she can not attend. The contest is open to fifth through eighth graders. The eight spellers volunteered to be in the...

  • Bringing the Standard of Excellence

    Andi Bourne, Pathfinder|Feb 15, 2018

    MISSOULA – The butterflies and nerves were more than three students from Seeley-Swan High School had ever experienced before as they took the stage at the University of Montana during the UM High School All-Star Honor Choir. The lights were hot making ovens out of their robes but all three said once they started singing, "It was just amazing." This was the first year Seeley-Swan High School students were chosen for the Honor Choir. Tenor Lane Mackie-Wendel and Alto Amaya Harman sang in the All-S...

  • Shooters Set New Personal Records

    Andi Bourne, Pathfinder|Feb 15, 2018

    FORT BENNING, GA. – The Hellgate Civilian Shooters set new individual personal records and placed sixth and 11th as a team at the Army Junior Nationals in Fort Benning, Ga. the first weekend in February. With three seniors on the team this year, Head Coach Trace Weisenburger said the shooters continue to improve and he looks forward to going to the Civilian Marksmanship Program National Championships again this summer. The Hellgate Civilian Shooters were invited to Fort Benning, Ga. the first we...

  • Winter Rain Causing Potomac Flooding

    Sigrid Olson, Pathfinder|Feb 15, 2018

    POTOMAC - Some county and non-county roads throughout Potomac have recently been flooded out, iced up, washed out, slushed up and snowed in. According to the National Weather Service (NWS) in Missoula, this winter the La Nina weather has brought warm and moist Pacific systems and less arctic air temperatures causing Potomac precipitation to fall as rain instead of snow. NWS forecaster and meteorologist Stefanie Henry said, "Last winter was a much colder and harsh winter while this one has more...

  • Blackfoot Challenge Announces New Executive Director

    Blackfoot Challenge|Feb 15, 2018

    OVANDO - The Blackfoot Challenge is pleased to announce that Charles Curtin has been selected as the organization's next Executive Director. As of Feb. 1, Charles assumed the position full-time and has been touring around the Blackfoot Watershed, visiting with Board members, staff and residents. "Our Hiring Committee set out to find an individual with the vision to build upon the Challenge's success and who could lead this now 25-year-old organization into its next stage," says Jim Stone, Board...

  • Swan Mountains a Gateway to Montana Adventure

    Rick and Susie Graetz, University of Montana Department of Geography|Feb 15, 2018

  • Blessed Are the Meek

    Todd Fife, Seeley Lake Branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints|Feb 15, 2018

    When Jesus taught the Sermon on the Mount, He began with the Beatitudes. These are the ‘blessed are the’…verses found in the fifth chapter of Matthew. These describe the Christ-like attributes that I imagine He is asking us to develop—He being perhaps the perfect example of each. When I read “blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth’, I feel a bit confused as it appears to be somewhat of an oxymoron. I am confused because I don’t think of Christ as being meek—at least in the sense that I understand it today. We have a tendency to...

  • SSHS Recognizes Four Blackhawk Seniors

    Feb 15, 2018

    SEELEY LAKE - Seeley-Swan High School (SSHS) recognized their senior basketball athletes and manager with their families at the last Blackhawk's home game of the season Saturday, Feb. 10....

  • Blackhawks Rack up Victories, Head to District Tournament

    Nathan Bourne, Pathfinder|Feb 15, 2018

    SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley-Swan Blackhawks and Lady Blackhawks both wrapped up their regular season with a pair of district victories against the Darby Tigers and Victor Pirates. The Boys head into the District 13C Tournament seeded in the top spot while the Lady Blackhawks are seeded in third. The Boys get a bye in the first round while the Lady Blackhawks will face Victor in their opening game of the tournament. For more information, the tournament brackets are printed in the Cory's Valley...

  • New Salad Bar Great Addition to SSHS Lunch

    Andi Bourne, Pathfinder|Feb 15, 2018

    SEELEY LAKE - Thanks to a generous donation from the Hungry Bear in Condon, the Seeley-Swan High School students and staff now enjoy a full salad bar everyday with their lunch. Head Cook Karla Triepke said it is a perfect way to offer the greens and vegetables grown in the greenhouse, students are eating more vegetables and more staff are utilizing the salad bar for their lunch. This fall, Triepke was talking with the other teachers and expressed how she would like to get a salad bar for the...

  • Community Briefs

    Feb 15, 2018

    Blood Drive in Potomac Feb. 19 POTOMAC – The Blackfoot Home and Community Club are sponsoring an American Red Cross Blood Drive at the Potomac Greenough Community Center, 29827 Potomac Road, Feb. 19 from 3 – 7:15 p.m. The schedule an appointment call Janelle at 244-6156. SSHS and SLE Eighth Graders Announce Seeley-Swan 2018 Career Day! SEELEY LAKE - Business owners and managers interested in reaching out to inform and/or hire students for summer employment/internships are cordially invited to the Seeley-Swan 2018 Career Day Wednesday, March 7 a...