Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 25
SWAN VALLEY – With the help of multiple law enforcement agencies and a Swan Valley resident, two individuals were arrested following an high-speed chase on Highway 83 April 17. No one was injured in the pursuit. At approximately 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Missoula County Sheriff’s Detective Mike Sunderland was dispatched to a report of a burglary on Scenic Drive off Guest Ranch Road in Condon. According to court documents, resident Sharon Gressle pulled into her driveway and noticed a dark colored pickup in her driveway. The man was loading the...
SEELEY LAKE – It has been widely reported that nationwide there is a shortage of volunteer emergency medical technicians (EMT) and firefighters. While Seeley Lake Fire Department does have a paid chief, district administrator and facilities manager, it relies heavily on volunteer responders to cover calls. Social media posts sharing information, raising concerns and asking questions about the Seeley Lake Fire Department response are becoming more common. The Beery family attempted to engage the...
SEELEY LAKE – There have been numerous reports of bear tracks and sightings in the area this spring. Last week Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Bear Biologist James Jonkel received reports of two black bears checking out residences on the Double Arrow, a grizzly checking out a residence at Clearwater Junction and another that got into garbage on Boy Scout Road. Jonkel reminds residents to properly store all attractants to keep the bears from becoming problem bears that need to be removed. J...
SWAN VALLEY – Children and adults gathered with anticipation for the first Condon community Easter Egg Hunt at the Condon Ball Field April 20. Swan Valley residents Edward and Heidi Klassen spearheaded the event with the help of many local businesses and residents. The Klassen family sees a lot of value in offering fun activities for children and members of the community since there isn't a lot to do in Condon. They joined the American Legion Post #63 and helped with many community events, m...
HELENA - We are coming up on our last week here in the Legislative session. During the 2018 election, I said that if you elected me to represent you in Helena that I would chair the states infrastructure committee and work to shepherd a complete infrastructure package through the legislature. With one week left to go, the legislature has passed HB5 (Long Range Building Program), HB6 (Renewable Resource Grant Program) HB7 (Reclamation and Development Grant Program) and HB11 (Treasure State Endowment Grant Program). Now with the recent passage...
Everywhere I went this last winter seems like everyone sez "Are you tired of winter yet?" Ya, I guess the older I get the more I long for spring. At about the 21st of March, the red, red robin came bob bobbin along (wishful think'n) snow banks everywhere. Of course the humble chickadee and the upside down Nuthatch were with us all winter. I've fed'em. I see'um sneak in the barn a lot. Some Grosbeaks showed up after the salt by the back steps. Why? I have no idea. There has been bunches of Pine S...
Some watercraft inspection stations are opening across the state for the 2019 boating season, and boaters transporting motorized or non-motorized watercraft are required to stop at stations they pass, as directed by signs. Additionally, western Montana boaters should review specific watercraft inspection requirements and local station information. In west-central Montana, boaters must stop at any station they pass and also seek out an inspection (even if they don’t pass a station) if they are bringing a boat over the Continental Divide into wes...
As Montanans look to enjoy the great outdoors this spring and summer, Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) and local public health officials urge everyone to follow a few simple steps to prevent tick bites and their illnesses: Limit, repel and inspect. On average, state public health officials receive an average of eight tick-borne illness reports every year, including Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Tularemia, Colorado Tick Fever and Tickborne Relapsing Fever. Other repo...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Ranger District is planning to conduct spring prescribed fire projects, when weather, fuel conditions, and air quality become favorable. Smoke will be visible from various places on the District depending on the location of the burn units and weather conditions. Burns could start as early as later this week. Each project follows a Prescribed Fire Burn Plan. The prescribed fire projects are located and designed to be controlled to reduce the potential for adverse effects and escape as a wildland fire. These...
SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley Community Council heard presentations from Swan Valley resident Donn Ware about possible threats from Smart Electric Meters in the valley and from Missoula County employees about a climate resiliency planning process called Climate Ready Communities: Building Resiliency in Missoula County at their monthly meeting April 16. Ware said that beginning in August 2016, Missoula Electric Coop changed out Swan Valley residents’ meters to level two Smart Meters. Ware claimed these meters are a “huge invasion of our pri...
SEELEY LAKE – The family of Nick Beery addressed the Seeley Lake Fire District board regarding their concerns with the response they received to their home April 6. While the Beery family was grateful for the three volunteers who responded, they asked why the response time, qualifications and training of the volunteers and number of volunteers was so different from when they had called 9-1-1 in the past. Barbara Beery read a letter to the Fire Board at their April 16 meeting during public c...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Fire Board approved increasing the hours for the facilities manager at their April 16 meeting. Fire Chief Dave Lane also promoted training officer Michael Richards to captain. Lane asked the board to increase facility manager Kody Kelley's hours from 25 to 32 hours. This would allow larger projects to be completed and maintain the part-time status, eliminating the need for the Fire District to pay benefits. "I think with a few extra hours I can get him into a better...
Potomac School eighth grader Connor Bush and seventh grader Lauren Nordberg recently competed in the Missoula County Orthography Bee and state Geography Bee. Both received a certificate of participation....
The North Fork Blackfoot River is an iconic Montana River. Flowing through the heart of the Blackfoot Watershed, the North Fork is a stronghold for native bull trout and westslope cutthroat trout owing to its crystal clear and ice-cold waters. Even if you don't cast a fly, you will find yourself mesmerized by the kaleidoscope of river rock framing the river bed. This river is not only important to trout, it is also very important to the landowners living nearby, many of whom are sixth generation...
HELENA -- Gov. Steve Bullock has signed into law the Firefighter Protection Act, which requires workers’ compensation insurance to cover presumptive occupational diseases, like cancer, for the state’s firefighters. Senate Bill 160 was carried by Sen. Nate McConnell, D-Missoula, who said at the bill signing that his brother is a firefighter, so the issue is personal. The bill has been a goal for the governor for several sessions. “Every firefighter should know Montana has their back. And it’s about damn time,” Bullock said at a bill signing cere...
SEELEY LAKE – Students in the Seeley-Swan valleys were immersed in Balinese music and culture during the final 2 Valleys Stage informances April 15 and 16. Dorothy Morrison, musical director of Gamelan Manik Harum and music teacher at Lewis and Clark Elementary School, introduced students to the culture of Bali and taught the students the various instruments in the gamelan, a traditional percussion orchestra from the Indonesian islands Java and Bali. Gamelan was first developed between 1...
Alfred "Paul" Bergeson was born Sept. 3, 1935 in Pierre, S.D. to John and Johanna Gunhilda "Hilda" (Opsal) Bergeson. He attended Stanley County Schools through eighth grade, then attended Pierre High School in Pierre. Paul then went to work for local ranchers as a ranch hand before joining the United States Air Force. He was stationed at Parks Air Force Base in California before being medically discharged and returning home to South Dakota. Paul married Shirley Hillmer on October 27, 1956 in...
WHITEFISH, MONT. - On Friday, April 19, 2019, Michaela Mae Hulett, loving wife and mother of two, passed away at the age of 32. Michaela was born March 14, 1987, in Powell, Wyo. to Patti Bartlett and Mike Dunlap. She grew up in Seeley Lake, Mont. where she graduated in 2005. During those high school years, she met the love of her life, Tyrel Hulett. They went to college together at Northern Idaho College. Michaela finished her nursing degree in both Missoula and Flathead Valley Community College...
Of all the subjects being discussed today, the one most polarizing is abortion. As a Christian I believe all abortions are an affront to God. This is clearly spelled out in the Scriptures. Genesis 1:27 states, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Psalm 139:13 states, “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.” Jesus stated in Luke 20:25 for us to “Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar’s, and unto God the things which be God...
SEELEY LAKE – In less than 15 minutes all 3,000 eggs that covered the Seeley Lake Elementary fields were collected. Families sat huddled under umbrellas and in the dugouts sorting their candy and looking for one of the 21 numbered tickets for a toy prize. Despite the intermittent rain, the Seeley Lake Lions Club Easter Egg Hunt and Treasure Hunt were a huge success Saturday, April 20. The Seeley-Swan High School Leos Club helped with the set up and the Easter bunny greeted everyone. Thirty y...
SEELEY LAKE - Nine seniors participated in the Easter Bonnet contest at the Seeley Lake Senior Center April 19. Each participant received a basket of goodies....
State Golf volunteers needed SEELEY LAKE – Seeley-Swan High School will be hosting the State Golf meet at the Double Arrow Golf course May 14-15. Athletic Director Shawn Holmes is looking for individuals to help score one or both days. To volunteer, call the Double Arrow Lodge at 677-2777 and leave a message for the Club House with your name and number. Summer fun with Essential Oils, May 1 SEELEY LAKE – Join DoTerra Consultants Mari Bergeson and Marjorie Pelletier May 1 from 6:30-8 p.m. in the Seeley Lake Elementary Multi-purpose Room to lea...
The Hellgate Civilian Shooters team posted a second place finish and Jonna Warnken and Berit Bedord placed in the top eight individuals at the Civilian Marksmanship (CMP) Regional Championship April 4-6 in Sandy, Utah. The next weekend Marcus Klemp and Sam Weisenburger participated in the National Junior Olympic Shooting Championships held at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. Each Regional Championship is a three-position air rifle competition. Sporter and precision class...
MISSOULA – Two Seeley Lake Elementary records fell at the opening Copper League Track and Field meet April 12. Eighth graders Dani Sexton and Wyatt Stout made it onto the record board in the javelin and 1600m. This season, Sexton had her sights set on beating Klaire Kovatch's 2017 long javelin record throw of 93 feet, 3 inches set in 2017. At the first meet of the season, Sexton said she wasn't nervous and really wasn't expecting to beat the record. She knew she could throw farther than she d...
MISSOULA - Nearly 20 teams from A, B and C Class schools sent athletes to the Seeley-Swan High School Invitational track meet April 20. Despite the rain, the Girls and Boys of Seeley-Swan shined. The Girls took first place with 112 points ahead of Big Fork's 94.5 while the Boys were second place trailing Big Fork 74 to 104. The Lady Blackhawks had a well-rounded victory with individuals placing in 12 events including 4 first places. Klaire Kovatch not only won the discus but she extended her...
