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SEELEY LAKE - When the annual Junior Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) event in Missoula was canceled, the Cahoon family was not discouraged. They decided they would still do the walk in Seeley Lake despite COVID-19 to raise money and awareness for Type 1 Diabetes research in support of their son. "The reality of our lives is that Chase will always be a Type 1 Diabetic for the rest of his life," wrote Bekah Cahoon, Chase's mother, in an email. "There is no vaccine that will take it away, there...
OVANDO – When Governor Steve Bullock announced his reopening plan Wednesday, April 22, he said that he has yet to talk to an educator in the state that feels their students are gaining during this time of remote learning. He obviously hadn't talked to the teachers at Ovando School. Not only do teachers Leigh Ann Valiton and Andrea Tougas feel their students are gaining, they said they are excelling. While many schools grapple with the decision to reopen or not May 7, Ovando School finishes f...
SEELEY LAKE – "I want to make sure you guys are safe and customers have the ability to be safe in here," said Kris Martin, owner of The Filling Station as she stood in front of her employees April 26. "I have to get back in business so I can stay alive and hopefully everyone has a job when all of this is over and not with someone else." After reviewing Governor Steve Bullock's statewide reopening directives released Wednesday, April 22, Martin called a meeting with her employees. Even though t...
Shannon O’Brien is running for Montana Senate District 46 and is well suited for the job. She is smart, outgoing, curious and a good listener. Shannon seeks information and makes an effort to learn from experts and constituents. She asks people for their knowledge, ideas and opinions. She is articulate and authentic. Easy to talk with, she remembers the names of many of the people she has met while campaigning. Shannon is a good leader and is actively involved in many community events and programs. She follows through and does what she says s...
I strongly support Shannon O’Brien, who is running as a Democrat for the Montana State Senate, District 46, which stretches from Condon to Bonner, includes half of downtown Missoula and part of the University district. Shannon’s resume is highly impressive. She earned a doctorate in educational leadership from the University of Montana and served as Dean of Missoula College. While there she prioritized the statewide apprenticeship program, increasing the number of rural healthcare workers by hundreds. Shannon served as policy advisor to Gov...
With the state/county plans for beginning to reopen Montana and Missoula’s economy now public, we know over the next few weeks we will start to see businesses reopening and commerce returning. It’s hard while we are still in the midst of our response to COVID-19 to see accurately whether the choices that have been made at the city, county, state and federal level have been the correct ones. But I think there are a couple things so far that we can say for sure. First, to the extent that we have kept folks in at risk populations and those who...
News update: We now know that masks are protecting and are necessary. But how do we start this practice, make it fun and easy (do-it-yourself) so it does not take medical masks from our treasured providers? YouTube is full of fun ideas on making a safe mask with the right materials. I will share the one I use. Needed, one t-shirt and paper towel. By cutting the bottom of the t-shirt off five inches from the bottom you now have two layers of t-shirt. Put one paper towel in the middle of these...
Offer additional support to local small businesses SEELEY LAKE - As we face the prospect of re-opening our economy due to the coronavirus, I have been very worried about the small businesses that have been deemed non-essential and their economic condition due to the unprecedented actions that have been taken. I am particularly worried about our local businesses that struggle even during good times. I know that the actions put in place by our governor have caused substantial economic hardship for many service providers, restaurants and other...
I feel a community Facebook page is the wrong place to CALL OUT local citizens who have put forth an effort to volunteer to sit on a local board. I was called out in a post on a local site post so here is my comment. I am running for the sewer board to work hard for the people in our community even though a couple loud apples will bash me. Yes, I am PRO sewer. I am a full time, year-round resident and business owner of Seeley Lake and believe strongly in supporting our local economy (a study says $1 spent in a community gets spent an average...
Well, the left liberal Democrats, fake news and the deep state swamp are doing it again. They are standing up for Communist China (who in my opinion sent the China Coronavirus to America on purpose) which has killed many Americans. Instead of giving all of the relief money to hurting, hungry American citizens, the Dems are giving money to the arts, the Kennedy Center and criminal illegal aliens, while our children go hungry and businesses fail. Is that Patriotism or love for America? No, it is not. And to add insult to injury the liberal Dems,...
MISSOULA – Friday, April 24 Missoula Health Officer Ellen Leahy issued additional local orders to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 for Missoula County. These measures followed Governor Steve Bullock’s announcement on Wednesday, rescinding the “Stay at Home” directive for individuals on April 26 and allowed some businesses to reopen on April 27. “Given Missoula’s large population [second largest in the state], our need to protect our health care hub and particularly to avoid preventative transmission of disease and reduce the likelihood...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Sewer District (SLSD) held its April 16 meeting four days later on April 20 after a glitch in their online meeting software prevented the login instructions printed on their agenda from functioning. While the Board eventually was able to join into the first meeting, they delayed it to ensure the public was able to participate. At last month’s meeting the Board held off paying an invoice from Beal Law Firm that covered charges from March through December 2019 totaling nearly $48,000. The charges were for Dis...
As we grapple with adjusting to a new normal, I find many people seeking outdoor recreational therapy. I expect renewed interest to continue as spring gives way to summer and summer to fall and I can only hope that our lives can continue to take on more normalcy in that time. For those of you already looking forward to the fall hunting seasons, I will give you an update of what I have learned over the winter and spring. I will also give updates on the Blackfoot Clearwater Wildlife Management...
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks euthanized a young male grizzly bear on Monday, April 13 after it killed three calves over a period of several days on a ranch east of Ovando in the Blackfoot Valley. The grizzly killed three calves from April 10 - 12. The bear was also suspected to have been responsible for another livestock injury in the same area the week before. Because the bear remained in the area, continuing to pursue livestock, wildlife officials set traps for the bear. FWP bear management specialist Jamie Jonkel said that unfortunately...
Last week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service offered to extend contract deadlines on certain timber sales, sale of property stewardship contracts and forest product permits awarded or issued before April 1. Extending these deadlines supports the long-term viability of the timber industry in markets where conditions have been significantly disrupted, especially in rural, forest-dependent communities. The extensions do not apply to projects implemented under the Good Neighbor Authority or the salvage projects currently u...
MISSOULA, Mont. – The Missoula Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) is now accepting new project proposals. The application deadline is Aug. 1. The committee has approximately $151,500 in project funding to award. Funding and administration for the RAC is provided under the authority of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self–Determination Act (Title II). Projects must benefit National Forest System lands and ecosystems in Missoula County. The Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 was passed by Congress to restore s...
MISSOULA - Gail passed away in her home surrounded by the love of her family. Gail was born in Butte, Mont. to Clarence and Lyle Gilbert. She was raised in Butte by her Aunt Bea until her late adolescence when her father and stepmother Sarah moved to Missoula. Gail married Howard (Chris) Christiansen in 1973. With that union, the blended family made a full house of eight sons and two daughters. Gail and Chris moved to Seeley Lake in 1985 after vacationing there for years. Gail worked at... Full story
Synopsis: God made us to know, love and serve Him and to gain eternal happiness with Him in heaven. God’s grace saves us through faith, when we do His will. With sin we disobey and offend God. God sent His dearly beloved Son, Jesus, who founded His universal/Catholic Church. Jesus’ willing sacrifice on the cross paid the price for our sins and restored our right relationship with God; Jesus’ resurrection restored our life. By God’s justice, through His Sacraments and Masses, everyone owes a grave debt of worship and thanksgiving to Him. Pa...
SEELEY LAKE - Many of the places of worship in the area reopened for in-person worship Sunday, April 26 in accordance with the Governor Steve Bullock's reopen plan. Others will continue through their online platform into May. According to the statewide phased reopening strategy, places of worship could become operational with reduced capacity and where strict physical distancing protocols can be maintained between non-household members. Places of worship should avoid gathering in groups of more...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley-Swan Hospital District Board met April 21 via teleconference for their April meeting. Partnership Health Center’s Executive Director Laurie Francis provided an update on PHC innovations and the Seeley-Swan Medical Center operations in light of the coronavirus pandemic. The board received an update on the RV Park and trustee elections. Francis said that of the 290 people employed by PHC, 72 are working from home. None of these employees have been furloughed or laid off even though their patient load is down due to lim...
POTOMAC – With more than 30 staff, parents and board members participating in a Zoom meeting, Potomac School Board unanimously voted Monday, April 27 to declare an Unforeseen Emergency through June 30 based on the risks presented by the coronavirus pandemic. They will not return to the classroom for the remainder of the year and finish the 2019-2020 school year with distance learning. All of the board members shared feedback that they received from parents and staff. The staff agreed they w...
SEELEY LAKE – There is a new art gallery in town that looks to attract Montana artists to display a diversity of work. Located in the south end of the Lazy Pine Mall on Highway 83, Gallery 83 owner Chris Larabee looks forward to offering an affordable location for artists to share their artwork and where the community and visitors can appreciate the artists' creativity. Brian Larabee, father of Chris who is looking after the operations of the store, said he has been doing stained glass for 30 y...
• Did you know that there is a rise in diseases in children that in the past had only been seen in adults? • Things like obesity, type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure are being seen more frequently in children. • One of the best ways to decrease the incidence of these diseases is to ensure that your kids are getting enough physical activity. • The Department of Health and Human Services recommends that kids 6-17 years old participate in 60 minutes or more of moderate to vigorous physica...
"I remember the teachers telling us as we were walking out the door, "Happy spring break." "Have a good break." I didn't think that would be the last time I went to school...or seeing all my friends, laughing and smiling. I miss them, I miss them a lot. I wish I could see them again without having to worry about getting sick. I text or FaceTime a lot of my friends but it doesn't feel that same. It's like we're being social but not really. We can't actually talk face to face like we used to. With...
Local and statewide COVID-19 updates Governor Steve Bullock announced a gradual and phased reopening of the state beginning April 26 for individuals and extending to businesses April 27. Individual counties still had the authority to impose more restrictive local ordinances. “As these businesses open and more Montanans leave their homes, I’m asking all Montanans to continue to act like a loved one’s life may well depend on your actions, because they do,” said Bullock during the press conference April 22. Businesses where groups gather without...
