Sorted by date Results 1 - 24 of 24
MISSOULA — Missoula County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously July 28 to place a Missoula County Fairgrounds Revitalization Bond on the November 2022 General Election ballot after hearing testimony from fairgrounds supporters at a public hearing July 28. The ballot measure will give Missoula County voters the opportunity to support long-planned improvements to the fairgrounds, including construction of a new Agriculture & Livestock Arena and a third sheet of NHL-sized ice. The proposed bond is for $19 million. This translates to $14.88 an...
MISSOULA—Missoula County Commissioners on Thursday voted unanimously to place a Crisis Intervention Levy on the November general election ballot. The proposed levy is for $5.5 million. This translates to about $54 annually for a home with an assessed value of $200,000 or $135 annually for a home with an assessed value of $500,000. The Missoula County Crisis Intervention Service Levy will help sustain crucial programs, including: • The Mobile Support Team sends EMTs and clinicians trained to assist people in crisis, helping to divert hun...
SEELEY LAKE – The last week of school, six Seeley-Swan High School industrial art students gathered around the back of Carrie Darrah's vehicle after being treated to lunch. Their faces lit up as Darrah carefully handed them their finished pottery bowls that would be sold filled with huckleberry ice cream at the Alpine Artisans, Inc.'s Loon and Fish Festival Aug. 19 and Aug. 20. "The look on their faces was the best for me – they were all excited, talking to each other... That was the most exc...
MISSOULA - BroadbandMT (dba, the Montana Telecommunications Association-MTA) awarded its first annual rural educator stipend to Abby Stitt, fourth/fifth grade teacher at Potomac Elementary School. Stitt will receive $1,500 annually from the MTA's Rural Education Fund for three years. Additionally, Blackfoot Communications is matching MTA's stipend for Stitt for a total of $9,000. MTA represents locally owned, community-based broadband providers serving rural Montana. "MTA's member companies...
SEELEY LAKE - Raised on a rugged ranch in Northwestern Montana, Bozeman-based artist Amanda Stewart discovered the way Montana's unique landscape inspired her music from a young age. Her vivid memories of Country Fair karaoke contests with her mom and singing ballads in her dad's Silverado are part of the reason she signed onto the sixth annual Bob Marshall Music Festival - to experience the talent of Montana-based artists in a place close to the country. "The experiences Montana has are just...
SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley Community Council will meet in-person Tuesday, Aug. 16 at 6 p.m. in the Swan Valley Community Hall. The agenda includes presentations from Missoula County staff regarding taxes and funding and road and bridge maintenance. There will also be an opportunity to comment on non-agenda items. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend. There is currently one open position on the Council through May 31, 2025. Applicants must be residents of the Swan Valley community. Vacant terms are to be applied for...
SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Lake Ranger District is offering a temporary firewood cutting opportunity in the Condon Mountain Area. National Forest System Road 9813 will be open through Aug. 30 for access to firewood. Please use caution when traveling on the road as it is narrow with switchbacks and provides few turnouts. The 9813 road has also received significant blowdown with trees across the road. Woodcutters must have their permit with them while collecting wood and fill it out as required. Please read and follow all terms and conditions...
Right now, as I am writing this piece, Aug. 3 at 10 a.m., the Missoula County Sheriff’s Office is engaged in a standoff just north of the Wye with at least two people that were discovered committing a residential burglary. These two men are well known to local law enforcement, the courts, prosecutor’s office and are regulars at the Missoula jail (aka Career Criminals). Most people will probably never hear about this incident because it is just commonplace anymore. What is also not unusual about this is that one of the people involved in the...
MISSOULA — Stage I fire restrictions went into effect Aug. 5 for the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribal, tribal trust and tribal fee lands within the exterior boundaries of the Flathead Indian Reservation, Lake County private lands outside of city limits and all State lands throughout Lake County. Factors influencing this decision include persistent high numbers of human-caused wildfires (75-80% throughout area); low fire suppression resource availability at the area and regional level; continued hot and dry weather pattern; near drought c...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Fire Board approved bids to address the water issues at Station 2 at their special meeting Aug. 5. They also reaffirmed the Board Chair’s powers and duties beyond Montana Code Annotated 7-33-2105. At the July 19 meeting, Fire Chief Dave Lane said since the District purchased Station 2, there has been an ongoing issue with moisture getting into the building. The moisture gets into the vapor barrier, in the crawl space and in the attic. The board received three bids to address the water issues at Station 2 which Boa...
SWAN LAKE - It’s that time of year again! For more than 40 years, the second Saturday of August has meant art, food and fun on the shores of Swan Lake. The original Swan Lake Huckleberry Festival will take place on Saturday, Aug. 13 at the Swan Lake Day Park near mile marker 72 on Montana Highway 83. Admission is free. The event will open with a huckleberry pancake breakfast served from 8 - 11 a.m. The rest of the day’s activities will begin at 9 a.m. and continue until 4 p.m. The Arts and Crafts Fair will feature more than 50 booths where art...
The one-track roads leading from Stevensville, Montana, into the Sapphire Mountains are lined with wildflowers like beargrass and lupines by early July. As the truck climbed, the view of the Bitterroot Valley got better and better, as it was a clear, sunny day with temperatures in the 80s. I was tagging along with Russell Talmo, a program associate for Defenders of Wildlife, and Gypsy, Talmo's seven-year-old German shepherd. Talmo goes into the Sapphires monthly to check on six field sites....
SEELEY LAKE - It's mid-August in Seeley Lake and that says "Montana Shakespeare in the Park." Alpine Artisans' 2 Valleys Stage and Double Arrow Lodge are once again hosting this free event, Monday, Aug. 15 at 6 p.m. Bring a lawn chair and a jacket. Double Arrow is providing food and drinks for sale. Families are encouraged! This year's play is "King Lear," a tragedy that portrays an entirely shattered world. What follows are excerpts from a plot description by the author of Shakespeare in...
HELENA – Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is seeking public comment on proposed 2022 snowmobile grant proposals. Public comments will be accepted through Monday, Sept. 5 at 5 p.m. Montana’s Snowmobile Program received 25 grant requests and proposes to award $460,000 including $27,000 to the newly formed Scenic Montana Trails group in Seeley Lake. The program receives funding through snowmobile registrations, gas tax and Snowmobile Trail Pass revenues. Montana’s Snowmobile Program supports projects such as grooming, trail maintenance, signs...
OVANDO - “We know that prescribed fire is an important part of the ecosystem here. It makes our plant communities and forests healthier and makes our home safer,” said Steve Kloetzel, landowner. A prescribed burn was done May 21, 2021. It included 80 acres of the Kloetzels’ land, 10 acres of Blackfoot Challenge land and 10 acres of Larry Richardson’s land on Boot Tree Road near Ovando, Montana. “While prescribed burning is often used on public lands to benefit wildlife and reduce fuels, th...
Celebrating Leo and Laura Dougherty's 50th Wedding Anniversary Aug. 5, 2022. They thank everyone for the love, joy and laughter....
HELMVILLE - Nevada Creek 4-H, based in Helmville, has 13 members from Ovando, Helmville, Avon, Bozeman and Cascade. Members are preparing projects for the Tri-County Fair Aug.16 - 22 at the Deer Lodge Fairgrounds. Those with market animal exhibits will be selling their beef, hogs, goats, turkey and lambs at the Market Animal Auction Friday Aug. 19 at 6 p.m. The public is invited to attend and support the 4-Hers. Market animal projects began between January and April depending on the animal...
SEELEY LAKE - Before 69-year-old triathlete Terry VanderWert turns 70, he wants to complete 50 triathlons across all 50 states. After participating in the 16th annual Youth for Christ (YFC) Triathlon on Saturday, Aug. 6. He's only one state away from achieving his goal. "My wife and I recently became empty nesters and we had traveled around at least the Midwest with our son but now he's gone," VanderWert said. "We like road trips, so we figured why don't we just take this triathlon on the...
SEELEY LAKE – Monty's Agate Lamps have been for sale at the Seeley Lake Market since its inception. Howard "Monty" Montgomery has been making and selling lamps made from wood for 25 years. His first lamps didn't include the agate stones. Monty's son Tom got him started in the lamp making business. "He would take me out looking for wood for projects," Monty said. "It was something to keep busy." His product has progressed from lamps made from logs with what is referred to as a "cat face" burl t...
In celebration of 36 years of the Seeley Swan Pathfinder, each week we will run parts of articles that appeared in the issue 35 years ago and 20 years ago. The entire issue will be uploaded to our website seeleylake.com for you to enjoy. We hope you will enjoy the journey with us as we follow our community through the past 36 years as documented by the Pathfinder. 35 years ago: August 13, 1987 issue Promoting our culture Timber, tourism and cottage industries create a unique lifestyle When we st...
Phone number correction In the July 28 story “Reducing forest fire damage to homes with Firewise planning,” Blackfoot Challenge Forestry and Prescribed Fire Coordinator Cindy Super’s phone number was incorrectly listed. To reach her to further discuss creating defensible space around homes or to schedule a site visit call 406-544-2831 or email cindy@blackfootchallenge.org. Seeley Lake Community Park community survey and meeting Aug. 16 SEELEY LAKE – The public is invited to attend the Seeley Lake Community Park Committee meeting Tuesday...
Each article I have been walking through the Lord's Prayer phrase by phrase. Rather than a rote prayer, the Lord's Prayer is an outline of how we can learn how to pray, on our own, following the example of Jesus Christ. Anytime you visit the ocean, there are always warning signs before entering the beach. Especially on the West coast there are signs warning against what are called "sneaker waves." A sneaker wave is one that is unusually larger or more powerful than the normal surf that is...
SEELEY LAKE - Approximately 200 lightning strikes over the Missoula area within the last 24 hours left their mark. Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation firefighters are currently battling several wildfires near Seeley Lake as a result. Missoula County is in EXTREME Fire Danger which means fires of all types start quickly and burn intensely. All fires are potentially serious. Firefighters are anticipating more lightning-caused fires to appear throughout the next several days...
SEELEY LAKE — The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) and Knife River Corporation will be working on Montana Highway 83 (MT 83) between Seeley Lake and Salmon Lake beginning the week of Aug. 15, weather permitting. Crews will be resurfacing the roadway with a thin lift overlay north of the Salmon Lake Reconstruction Project area beginning around mile marker 9. Road work signs will be posted just north of Salmon Lake State Park at mile marker 7.5 and heading north ending near Redwood Lane at mile marker 14. Road work is anticipated to l...
