Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 27
SEELEY LAKE – Two employees of Pyramid Mountain Lumber, Inc. were killed in two separate incidents Thursday morning, Nov. 17. The first, 60-year-old David Solum of Condon, Mont. was killed in a vehicle accident while travelling south on Highway 83 around 6:15 a.m. The second victim, 66-year-old Phil Pohlman of Seeley Lake, was killed in an industrial accident during his shift at Pyramid. Solum was involved in a single-vehicle accident on Highway 83 near mile marker 25. He was heading south to w...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Council hosted a question and answer session with experts involved in the proposed wastewater treatment plant. Voters will decide whether or not to allow the board to move forward. Ballots for the bond election are being mailed Nov. 23 and are due back to the Missoula County Elections Office Dec. 13. Seeley Lake Sewer District Vice President Mike Lindemer introduced the panel. Engineer Craig Pozega from Great West Engineering (GW) was attending to answer...
SEELEY LAKE - As of their Nov. 17 regular meeting, the Seeley Lake Sewer Board will not be sending out informational packets on the proposed wastewater treatment plant. Concerned residents discussed the possibility of sending out information on their own at the meeting. District Vice President Mike Lindemer said the district planned to publish an informational packet but hit a legal roadblock. An attorney with the public relations company the district hired to produce the packet said it would be illegal to send. Lindemer said the board was...
SEELEY LAKE – An estimated 80 to 90 people piled some combination of turkey, ham, gravy, stuffing, rolls, mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes on their plates at the annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner at the Swan Valley Community Hall, Nov. 20. They then chatted with their neighbors, visited with old friends or met new acquaintances. When their plate was empty they went back for a slice of apple or pumpkin pie, both of which disappeared quickly. The Condon Community Church sponsors the event. C...
SEELEY LAKE - The very life of Seeley Lake depends on getting a sewage treatment system into Seeley Lake. This is not just rhetoric on my part. Seeley Lake cannot build affordable housing without a sewer system. Seeley Lake cannot progress and bring more businesses in until we get a sewer system. This is not just for us but for those that will follow. Loren Rose, Chief Operating Officer at Pyramid Mountain Lumber Inc., has stated, “The high cost of housing in and around Seeley Lake means more Pyramid employees are commuting to work. A sewer s...
SEELEY LAKE - After attending the Seeley Lake Community Council meeting last Monday with the opportunity to ask any questions about the pending waste management (sewer) project, I came away with these thoughts: A premium roof is expected to last about 40 years. If, near the end of its life, someone offered to pay you 70 percent of its replacement and finance your 30 percent for 2.5 percent interest over 40 years, wouldn’t you definitely accept the offer? Especially knowing its later replacement could be all your cost. A premium septic system h...
SEELEY LAKE - The crucial moment is here. After more than ten years of planning, voters in the Sewer District will make a decision that will profoundly impact Seeley Lake. The sewer issue is complex, but for me it boils down to two simple facts: our groundwater is getting more and more contaminated and that’s already visible on our lake with the increase in algae. Secondly, we have a one-time opportunity to receive $8 million in federal grants for the project, the largest award ever made. If we turn the sewer down, that pile of money will be p...
SEELEY LAKE - It is clear by now that getting full, accurate and timely information about the proposed sewer project is like “getting blood from a stone.” To have confidence in the costly project, one needs time to think about all the implications. Forty years with no escape clause is a long time to be stuck. The sewer board has already announced four quick-fix, unfair policies. First, debt service is not being pro-rated by assessed property value as are school and other debts. Sewer debt will fall proportionately heavier on low- and fix...
SEELEY LAKE - In October Seeley Lake Elementary's (SLE) volleyball C team played Drummond. In the first match Drummond served first, and by the end the score was 25 (SLE) to 17 (Drummond). The second match Dani Sexton served and SLE won 25 to 14. In the third match the score by the end of the game was 15 to 7 -- we won! SLE has amazing servers on the C team. The servers hit the ball over the net so the teams are able to play the ball. If you can't make a serve over, then the other team gets a...
SEELEY LAKE – Public comment on the SLE Outside store, current school district policies for conduct on school property and the Drug and Alcohol Free Workplace were topics of discussion at the Seeley Lake Elementary School Board meeting, Nov 15. The board made no changes to the current policies. They anticipate discussing the profit and loss report for the SLE Outside store at their January meeting. Business owner Duane Anderson inquired about the profit and loss statement for the SLE Outside store. District clerk Sally Johnson said she had o...
SEELEY LAKE - Two tragedies befell the Pyramid Mountain Lumber family Thursday, Nov. 17. We lost two key contributors to our success, Dave Solum and Phil Pohlman. While neither were on the production line, both were integral ensuring production workers could do their jobs. Dave started working at Pyramid April 16, 2012. He spent his day in a Bobcat, on a loader or in a dump truck. His primary responsibility was keeping all of the bark, broken logs ends and other debris cleaned up under and around our three debarkers. If he was not doing his...
Thanksgiving greetings from your partners at the Blackfoot Challenge. Please read on for a few updates on what we've been up to. We hope you and yours have a wonderful Thanksgiving Day. Trumpeter swan restoration program marks a milestone this year The Blackfoot Challenge has been working with a host of partners to restore trumpeter swans to the Blackfoot watershed since 2003. We are excited to report that 2016 has seen the most pairs of trumpeters in the Blackfoot, the greatest number of nests...
SWAN VALLEY - Justin and Crystal Taylor of Condon enjoy their hobby of working with their horses and competing in rodeos and jackpots in their spare time. While Crystal's focus is barrel racing and Justin's specialty is team roping, they enjoy the love of horses and passing that love to their children. Both Taylors started riding horses at a young age. Crystal said that she probably began riding her family's horses when she was about three years old. "My mom, [Lily Wood of Condon], gave me my...
SWAN VALLEY - At their Nov. 15 meeting, the Swan Valley Community Council (SVCC) voted to form an Ad Hoc committee to research issues that came from the proposed renovations to the Swan Valley Library and the septic system used by the Community Hall and library. SVCC chair Ken Donovan said the purpose of the meeting was to identify issues facing the community hall and library and offer solutions to be considered. “We need to consider our options as a community.” The nearly 25 attendees discussed their thoughts on how to spend the $100,000 set...
SEELEY LAKE - As a resident of Seeley Lake and a fairly active part of the community, my feelings concerning the possible construction of a sewage treatment plant, come a lot closer to excitement than despair. It would be a tremendous step forward to our march towards civilization than stepping back into the forests and turning our backs to the rest of the world. I am sure that most of my neighbors have similar feelings, maybe expressed somewhat differently but along these lines. But, together with most of my neighbors, I have no say in the...
SEELEY LAKE - Sewer board members have been yelling “wolf” telling residents the federal and state government will force us to put in a central sewer if we don’t approve this present proposal. That is wrong...here are two reasons why: 1. Donald Trump has publicly promised he will force the federal EPA to pull back on excessive environmental mandates and with a republican-controlled congress he just might get that job done. 2. Montana state law (MCA 1-2-112) says if the legislature enacts a mandate to a local government it must provide a fundi...
SEELEY LAKE - There are general and yet specific “ISSUES” to be considered in deciding to vote for the COMMUNITY SEWER PROJECT. They are as follows: 1. Decisions should be made with facts and proper education of choices & consequences. 2. The cost of the initial and final project. 3. The serious present and future human health consequences. 4. The short and long term environmental conditions. 5. The economic impact on the entire community of Seeley Lake 6. The image of residents and businesses of the community, present and future. 7. The pro...
SEELEY LAKE - Sewer hook-up is a hot-button issue in Seeley Lake. It costs money—particularly when laying down pipes. People are fearful of the added homebuilding a sewer might bring. However, the facts demonstrate that sewer remains the best choice for protecting Seeley Lake’s clean, safe and irreplaceable waters. Growth and development have been stifled in our community. Financial prosperity, jobs and opportunities for our residents, children and grandchildren have been limited. All these things could improve and provide all of us a bet...
When small businesses do well, local communities do too. These are the businesses that generate two of every three net new jobs and deliver essential goods and services to America’s communities 365 days a year. On Small Business Saturday, Nov. 26, millions of Americans in communities across the country will “shop small” to complete, or start holiday shopping. On the heels of Black Friday, shopping small is a concrete way to support small retailers. Since 2010, Small Business Saturday has been a growing economic force in Montana and acros...
SEELEY LAKE – Based on the current budget, Seeley Lake Rural District Fire Chief Bob Vanden Heuvel does not see the financial ability to afford an Assistant Chief. However, at the monthly Fire Board meeting, Nov. 22, he continued to advocate for officer pay when assigned as Officer in Charge and for a three percent raise for both District Administrator Lynn Richards and maintenance employee Mark Kues. Board member Gary Lewis suggested having a volunteer assistant chief. Vanden Heuvel was not in favor of the idea. “I have good officers in pla...
MISSOULA - Anneliese Marie Nilsen was born Aug. 2 at 8:02 a.m. to parents Tami and Matt Nilsen of Missoula, Mont. She weighed 7 pounds, 5 ounces. Anneliese was also welcomed by grandparents Dave and Sharon Harrison and Vince Chappell all from Seeley Lake and Fred and Debbie Nilsen of Lake Arrowhead, Calif....
SEELEY LAKE - Darin & Brooke Woodside of Seeley Lake are proud to announce the birth of their son, Steel Michael Woodside born Oct. 28 at 12:05 a.m. He weighed 7 pounds, 8 ounces. Steel was also welcomed by proud grandparents Mike and Joan Dellwo of Seeley Lake, Mont., Ray Woodside of Potomac and Merry Woodside of La Center, Wash....
POLSON – Dianne Lynn (Lockwood) Harpine, age 66, passed away after a long struggle with multiple health problems Wednesday, Nov. 9, at St. Joseph Medical Center. She was born on Sept. 3, 1950, in Polson, Mont. to Marvin and Florence (McCollum) Lockwood. In 1986 Dianne married Verland Harpine. Dianne enjoyed gardening and had a great passion for crossword puzzles and football. Family was her greatest love and joy. Dianne is survived by her husband Verland Harpine of Polson; son Mark Lockwood (Sheryl) of Columbia Falls, Mont.; stepchildren Rusty...
Its turkey time again! If you are like most people a big meal with family or friends is the big cause for celebration on this national holiday. With a full stomach we settle on the couch to watch a football game or two and hopefully stay awake the whole time. But are we missing the point of the day of celebration? Probably so. Reflecting on the original words of the 1863 Proclamation issued by Abraham Lincoln we read: “It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart a...
POTOMAC - There were 2,650,000 Montana cattle including calves as of Jan. 1, 2016. According to Montana Department of Livestock (DOL), more than 600 head will be shipped this month from Potomac producers. On shipping day, the cattle are sorted into pens. Brand inspectors check brands and ear tags. They must clarify cattle ownership by the brands before the cattle are sold and shipped. Livestock cannot be sold or owned without proof of ownership according to the DOL. Owners need to prove...
