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Ovando School celebrated its centennial on Aug. 3. Nearly 60 past students, community members and teachers gathered to reminisce at the schoolhouse and visited the Ovando Museum to see class photos and memorabilia collected over the years. Last spring students in grades four through eight interviewed some of Ovando's citizens about the Ovando School. The interviewers asked the 10 participants what they liked about the school and what was important about it. Overwhelmingly interviewees said the...
Pyramid Mountain Lumber is currently in the process of shutting down, leaving some employees uncertain about the future. As a way to help the 99 employees directly impacted by the closure the Missoula Job Service is hosting a job fair in Seeley Lake. In March, Pyramid Mountain Lumber announced their closure due to workforce shortages. The high cost of living in western Montana was cited as one of the main reasons for closure. Pyramid is the largest employer in Seeley Lake and has been...
Even after a rainy Tuesday, the Blackfoot River looked low on July 31 as experts and community members gathered to talk about the record drought in the watershed. Data from the United States Geological Survey showed an increase in river flows after the rain, and at 10 a.m., when the press conference started, the Blackfoot River was at 476 cubic feet per second. The last time the river dropped below 500 cfs was in 2015. Montana is the epicenter of drought in the western United States right now,...
It was an interesting start to the morning. I was sitting in the cockpit (back deck of the boat) in the Liberty Landing Marina, just off the Hudson River, looking directly across at Manhattan. The "Freedom Tower," the replacement for the destroyed Twin Towers, dominates the skyline, a magnificent rebuttal to the cheap shot terror vendors of the world. I glanced at my phone-delivered morning news feed, and the lead article related the plea agreement between the 911 perps and the US government -...
The Powell County Community Foundation is currently accepting grant applications from nonprofits throughout Powell County. The PCF awards grants, usually ranging from $500 to about $2,000, are for charitable purposes in the following broad focus areas: basic human needs, arts and culture, recreation and economic development. The application deadline is Friday, Sept. 13, 2024. The short application form is available by writing to the PCF at P.O. Box 834, Deer Lodge, 59722, or by contacting board members Kirk Sandquist, Steve Owens, Kathy...
On July 30 at 9 p.m. Ovando and Helmville volunteer firefighters as well as Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation firefighters from Sperry Grade in Greenough responded to a structure fire on Woodworth Road. “The structure was completely engulfed when we arrived,” Monte McNally, Ovando Volunteer Fire Department Chief, said. “The strategy was to get the heat out of the fire and keep it from spreading.” DNRC crews sprayed down the perimeter of the property to prevent spread into nearby forest and fields while Ovando and Helmvil...
Glenda Ella Hawkins-Smith died July 27, 2024 with her family by her side. She was born on March 15, 1961 in Medford, Oregon to Robert and Sarah (Baker) Hawkins. She attended school in Yaak, Philipsburg and Seeley Lake. She graduated from Seeley-Swan High School. Her early years were spent taking care of children at the Community Hospital Staff Daycare. She enjoyed having her own business, The Fun-Loving Daycare. In 1986, she married Stephen H. Smith and enjoyed many happy years married to him...
Elden LeRoy Rammell, best known as "Papa Smurf" passed away on Dec. 6, 2023. He was 87. Elden was born in Idaho Falls and was raised on a farm in Fort Shaw. He married his wife, Dorine Mable Dorr on June 16, 1957 in Vaughn, Montana. They made their home in Seeley Lake. Elden's passion was working in the woods as a sawyer. Later in his life, he loved helping others in the Seeley Lake area by making sure they had plenty of firewood for the long winter ahead, including his fire starters that he...
James "Jim" Strizich, an avid outdoorsman and professional trap shooter, passed away peacefully, leaving behind a legacy of love, laughter and unforgettable memories. Jim's passion for the great outdoors was unmatched. He spent countless hours hiking, picking huckleberries, gathering firewood and immersing himself in forestry. His deep connection with nature was a testament to his adventurous spirit and love for life's simple pleasures. As a professional trap shooter, Jim's precision and skill...
Yoann Destremau pulled into Ovando after cycling in the rain for hours. Soaked and exhausted he visited the Blackfoot Angler and found out about dry overnight lodging for bikers around Ovando. The morning of July 30 he was happy to have a cup of coffee in his hand and blue skies overhead for a chat outside the Stray Bullet. Currently Destremau is on his third international bike tour. He left Victoria B.C. on July 8 and plans to arrive in Patagonia in two years. He carries everything he owns on...
Potomac Valley 4-H members Cooper and Ella Hathaway have been feeding and training their sheep Buddy Alexander Lambilton and Fiona for the Missoula County Fair since purchasing them in April. For the past three years Cooper, age 12, has taken hogs to the fair. This year he moved into lambs in order to get more practice handling livestock in preparation for possibly taking a steer in the future. In addition to showing livestock Cooper participates in 4-H Shooting Sports/Shotgun. The shotgun...
Thirty-five years ago ... Thursday Aug. 10, 1989 Willy Bill's founder in retirement The kitchen smelled of homemade rolls, grandchildren were running in and out, chattering and laughing. Several adults stopped by for a short chat. This kind of day is becoming typical for Bill and Ardyce Gehrke, retired after 18 years at Willy Bill's ChainSaw Business. And the Gehrkes are enjoying their family and retirement. Twenty-one years ago the Gehrke's and their six children moved to Seeley Lake from...
SUMEMR SALES ON PACE WITH PREVIOUS YEAR Following four years of a dramatic covid-19 real estate market that saw rapid price appreciation, very limited inventory and multiple offers on many properties, the past two years have seen sales in the local market stabilizing. Locally, we are coming off a real estate run with virtually no inventory, to an increasing inventory. Nationally, active home inventory for sale is 22% higher than it was this same time last year. Properties with unique aspects like creek front, bordering forest service, mountain...
Summertime in Montana is an amazing time of year. Even with storms and fires, it is a time that emphasizes fun outdoors, camps, travel and lots of fun in the water and the sun. Often, this is a time for barbecues, for family dinners, for get-togethers. Unlike the strict schedules of the school year or the cold early evenings of winter, summer seems to invite some rule relaxation. It is a time when we relax some rules around playtime and bedtime and often dessert time. And when we seek the best dessert for summer, we can never turn away from...
At the last sewer district board meeting, there was conversation about how rumors and social media were spreading concerns that often were not based on facts. Everyone is encouraged to participate in the meetings either in person or through zoom. It is only through direct participation that we can move together to an informed collaborative resolution to our increasing nitrate problem. We do have nitrate issues in varying intensity within the boundary of the district. North of town it is nearly negligible. Near the corner of Juniper and Alder,...
