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DEER LODGE - The Powell County Board of Adjustment unanimously approved a zoning variance request for a 61-lot subdivision named Swan Mountain Estates near the Seeley Lake Airport at the March 20 public hearing. The variance was the beginning of the official process with the county and the first of many steps for developers to complete before the subdivision can be finalized. Developers Martin Cahoon and Gary Chilcott gave a short presentation on their plans for the subdivision before the board deliberated the variance. The land is currently pa...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley-Swan High School Band and Choir joined with the Seeley Lake Elementary and Swan Valley School Bands Wednesday, March 21 to celebrate Music in Our Schools Month® (MIOSM®). The National Association officially designated March for Music Education for the observance of MIOSM®. The purpose of MIOSM® is to raise awareness of the importance of music education for all children – and to remind citizens that schools is where all children should have access to mus...
SEELEY LAKE – The repair efforts on the Liberty Fire are nearly complete with only a few roads still needing work in the Gold Creek area. The Nature Conservancy Resource Advisor for the Liberty Fire Steve Kloetzel said the number one goal for TNC was collaboration with the Montana Department of Natural Resources and other agencies to get the work done to stabilize the area following the suppression actions. He has been happy to see carnivore use in the burn area has not changed since last s...
The wildfires of 2017 took a direct toll on millions of trees across the Montana landscape. In some cases, trees on the periphery of these fires and in areas of lesser severity were merely scorched. Although these scorched trees may not die outright, they could be poised for attack by a variety of beetles. Partially burned Douglas-fir are particularly susceptible to Douglas-fir beetle. Douglas-fir beetle is not an especially aggressive beetle and generally attacks Douglas-fir trees that are stressed by root disease, windthrow or fire scorch. As...
Survival of the species with rabbits is successful. Every 28 to 31 days, five to 10 blind, pink, slightly velvety and squirmy rabbit kits are kindled, or born. If unregulated breeding occurs, one pair can add 120 rabbits to their habitat in a year. Female rabbits, called does, are able to be bred at five months. Reproduction is ensured by the evolutionary trait of ovulating while pregnant. Usually lactation slows or prevents ovulation in some mammals. According to Eastgate Veterinary in...
I read about the permitting of commercial mushroom hunters being allowed and possible recruitment of additional law enforcement. I admit to not seeing these commercial mushroom gatherers in action but have witnessed first hand the actions of the wild grape vine harvesters. They come in hoards and strip the forest completely of grape vines. The worst is the trash left in their wake, what were clean logging roads become littered with Styrofoam food boxes, hamburger sacks and beer cans. I suspect it is the same with commercial mushroom hunters (I...
MISSOULA - Missoula County is at a crossroads. The city is in the midst of a building boom, planners forecast 2000 additional city residents annually, and the county confronts increasing recreational and residential subdivision pressure and challenges to rural livelihoods. These trends pose opportunities as well as challenges. If Missoula is to avoid the fate of Boulder, Bend and Bozeman, the county needs affordable housing, living wages and vibrant agriculture, ranching and forestry sectors linked to local use, value-added processing and land...
MISSOULA - I write in support of Josh Slotnick, the Democratic candidate for the Missoula County Board of Commissioners. Josh has been my mentor since I worked at his family farm in 2011, then as a Teaching Assistant and employee at the PEAS Farm. He continues to mentor my work as a beginning farmer and professionally in Missoula’s nonprofit sector. Josh models how to build community for long-term sustainable growth. I experience firsthand his ability to listen respectfully to divergent viewpoints, resulting in constructive and forward-thinking...
by Elizabeth Done Seeley-Swan High School, Grade 12 I know a place where the lilies do not thaw, A place where beauty collides with all that is raw. White petals extend past thick brush Close by morning songs are sung by a thrush. Breathing in adrenaline while mulies exhale steamy grunts Never has it been about the hunts. Where white lilies grow cow elk drop calves. Sows guide cubs along narrow shale paths. You can find me somewhere there about. Most likely following a buck's route. Is it wrong...
It is of utmost importance to the Seeley Lake Rural Fire District and its Board of Trustees that we are not only providing the best emergency services possible to our community, but that the community we serve has faith in the services and the people who provide it! We strive to honor and maintain that faith through rigorous screening of our members and employees as well as providing exceptional training and the best tools possible. It has come to our attention that the credentials of our current Chief, Michael Greer have been called into...
SEELEY LAKE – The Missoula Community Concert Band will join Seeley-Swan High School for a joint concert Tuesday, April 3 at 7:30 p.m. in the SSHS Auditorium. SSHS Music Director Kristen Cottom said this is a unique opportunity for her students to get to play more challenging music with better musicians and with a full concert band. The community is invited to this free event. The Missoula Community Concert Band is a non-profit organization devoted to promoting and performing concert band m...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Elementary student walkout, school safety upgrades and required facility maintenance were the main topics of discussion at the March 20 school board meeting. The student-led Walkout at SLE occurred March 14 at 10 a.m. along with the National School Walkout. While fourth through eighth graders could have participated, only 12 fourth, fifth and sixth graders left class. Students met by the flagpole in front of SLE. After a moment of silence for the 17 students and staff killed a month ago at Marjory Stoneman Douglas...
As the houses start to pop out of the snow banks this spring, the Seeley Lake real estate market is set to take off! What this Means for Sellers: We all know that the best time to sell anything is when demand for that item is high and the supply is limited. Listings are scarce in Seeley Lake and buyers are abundant! Today, because of the tremendous lack of inventory, sellers can expect a great price for their home; keeping in mind that a "great price" doesn't mean "overpriced!" Sellers can...
SEELEY LAKE – Part I of the report on the March 7, 2018 public trails meeting gave the results of the resident and visitor survey conducted in 2017 by the Clearwater Resource Council (CRC) Trail Advisory Council. Part II presented the views of local business owners and a discussion on partnerships between land managing organizations and special interest user groups. Part III presents the Trail Advisory Council's recommendations derived from the surveys, as well as suggestions for how to p...
CHOTEAU – "I'm really into formulas," says Choteau Area Port Authority board member Blair Patton. "People who are successful know the formula. You do not have a successful small community accidentally. There is a focused, purposeful action that leads into that." Patton returned to his family's ranch outside of Choteau after living many years in Lewistown. He operated a sports clothing and graphics business here, served on the Choteau City Council and now runs a lawn care service. He and his w...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Fire Board continues through policy updates and was informed of new groups to help support the fire department at their March 20 meeting. Thanks to the Montana Community Foundation $15,000 grant, 13 new turnouts, six new BK radios and accessories, four mobile truck radios and 18 new high visibility jackets were purchased. Board Chair Scott Kennedy said that they are continuing to work through the policy updates. Next on the list is blood borne pathogens and the district’s harassment policy. The volunteer mem...
SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley Community Council answered questions and addressed other concerns pertaining to the second draft of the Swan Valley Regional Growth Plan at their March 20 meeting. Missoula Community and Planning Services (CAPS) planner Andrew Hagemeier also presented the beginning stages of the Missoula County mapping update. He explained the project will be a “visual of the policies and visions” of the future of the county. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the second draft of the regional plan as presented by the pla...
SEELEY LAKE – "Real estate has always been an interest of mine so I thought I would try it. Turns out I like it," said Stephanie Cahoon, a new real estate agent with Keller Williams. Cahoon is offering services from Seeley Lake to Missoula and everything in between. Her goal is to make the buying and selling of a home as stress free as possible Cahoon graduated from the University of Montana with a degree in psychology. She met her husband Tyler while at UM and moved to Seeley Lake. "I've a...
SEELEY LAKE – The music of John Robert y Pan Blanco not only filled the Seeley Lake Community Hall for three hours Sunday, March 25, the rhythms and high notes could be heard in the parking lot. The six-piece ensemble had some audience members up dancing while others enjoyed moving to the blend of funk, African and Latin grooves in their seats. This was the final concert of the 2 Valleys Stage 2017-2018 concert series. It took on a different format with Roberts giving a presentation about the hi...
SEELEY LAKE - Pyramid Mountain Lumber excels again this year in grader performance. The Western Wood Products Association (WWPA) recognized Monie Bergeson, Tim Wood and Justin Simon with the High Quality (Hi-Q) Award for their timber grading accuracy in 2017. To be eligible for the award, graders must be a certified grader in each product. They also must meet the minimum footage requirement per product. For the common one-inch boards, 12,000 board feet must be inspected per grader. For two-inch...
Have you ever wondered why a world in such obvious trouble would choose to resist good? In the midst of a world which is filled with misery and dysfunction, does it not strike you as odd that we seem to look in all the wrong places for answers to the problems which beset out culture today? Some years ago I was looking at statistics on our schools to see if there were any correlation between the removal of the Bible and school prayer from our schools. On June 25, 1962 the Supreme Court of the United States decided in Engle versus Vitale that...
CORVALLIS - The Seeley-Swan Blackhawks fielded seven boys and 12 girls in the opening track meet of the season March 24. They competed against 15 A, B and C class teams. Seeley-Swan's athletes did well despite Seeley Lake still being under a couple feet of snow and having to practice in the gym. The Girls earned 85 points for second place while the Boys took sixth with 46 points. Klaire Kovatch and Terra Bertsch, scoring team points in three individual events each, led the Lady Blackhawks. Kovat...
Donations Needed SEELEY LAKE - Loving Hearts is in need of clothing and household items. Consider donating gently used, no longer needed items that are in good shape and in good working condition. Clothing should be clean, no holes or stains, no missing buttons and no broken zippers. Large items, including big TVs and furniture, are not accepted. Donations are accepted at Loving Hearts Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Saturdays from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Please do not leave items on the doorstep as the rain and snow ruins them. Planning...
In November Montana voters have an important role to play in giving Republicans a 60 vote majority in the Senate. Since each state gets two Senators one Montana vote is worth 19.85 New York and 39.54 California votes since our population is 1.05 million and those states have 19.85 and 39.54 million people. The last 12 years Senator Jon Tester Democrat has taken it upon himself to give your votes to New York and California. He decided to represent the liberal wing of the Democratic Party not Montana. Chuck Schumer calls the tune and former...
