Sorted by date Results 326 - 350 of 1846
HELMVILLE - As the Helmville Rodeo approaches the 60-year mark, Helmville Rodeo Club President Bill Baker is confident of one thing, "I always say this is the biggest little rodeo in Montana." This Labor Day weekend, the event that has been pulling in competitors and rodeo fans from around Montana since 1964, was bigger than ever in its 58th year, as locals and tourists packed into the seats for barrel racing, bull riding, bronc riding and roping events as a surge in temperatures "kept it...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley-Swan High School Lady Blackhawks fell to the Drummond Lady Trojans Sept. 1 at home and beat Lincoln on the road Sept. 3. The Ladies played strong against the Lady Trojans to win one of four sets. Scores were Seeley 22-25, 25-23, 21-25 and 10-25. "We played hard and fought for every point but made some mistakes at crucial moments," said Janelle Greenwood, head coach. "It's still early in the season and we have a lot of things to learn." Team leaders on the night were Kyla Con...
SEELEY LAKE – The 2022-23 school year is in full swing with area schools opening their doors last week. Potomac Elementary School has two new teachers and a few open positions. Seeley-Swan High School was able to fill the Science Teacher position at the last minute. The Swan Valley Elementary School had no staff changes. For the past couple of years students have enjoyed the free breakfast and lunch programs funded by the Federal government due to COVID. Those programs have ended with the start of school this year. Seeley-Swan High School Princ...
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. 35 years ago: September 10 , 1987 issue - Country Schools Salmon Prairie kids have "best attitude" Peggy Perna, a South Carolina and Georgia native, wasn't even sure that one-room country schools still existed until she applied for a teaching job at Salmon...
SWAN VALLEY – On Aug. 19, the Missoula County Commissioners and Missoula County Parks, Trails and Open Lands honored Swan Valley residents Barb and Joe Raible as the recipients of the 2022 Land Stewardship Award and toured their property. The Land Stewardship Award recognizes Missoula County landowners and residents who prioritize stewardship of the land and undertake projects and practices that make a difference for land, water, forests, wildlife and communities. The Raibles have owned the 1...
SWAN VALLEY – Swan Valley resident Barry Brubaker yelled at Swan Valley Centre owner Mike Smith to call the Fire Department. "I was talking to someone on the business phone and I looked over and said, 'Gotta go. The Café is on fire,'" Smith said. "I hung up on them and called 9-1-1." Smith said he saw two-foot flames were shooting out of the north door area which is where the walk-in cooler and freezer are on the north covered deck. "To have flames that big shooting out of that area, it didn't t...
SWAN VALLEY - Officials from Missoula County presented information on property taxes, how taxes fund road maintenance and answered questions about the quality of maintenance in the area at the Swan Valley Community Council meeting Aug. 16. The Council also discussed the open Council seat and how it will be filled. New Council member Grace Siloti questioned some of the Council’s recent activity and transparency. Missoula County Treasure Tyler Gernant explained that property taxes are the primary source of funding for local governments in M...
SWAN VALLEY – At their Aug. 18 meeting, the Swan Valley Elementary School Board voted to contact Missoula Electric Cooperative and request a bid for burying the power lines at the school access points. They also approved contracts for certified and classified staff. Chair Jimmy Boyd presented information to the board regarding the process of burying power lines. The lines currently cross both access points to the school. If the lines were down and emergency services needed access to the school, responders would have to wait for the crews f...
SWAN VALLEY – While engaging the Swan Valley Café structure fire Aug. 18, Swan Valley Emergency Services (SVES) volunteers were seen drinking from cans with the Anheuser-Busch logo. What was not always visible was the word WATER clearly printed on the outside of the can. "Since the fire there has been a lot of questions asked about us drinking alcohol and it was not, it was water," SVES Fire Chief Randy Williams said. SVES recently received a donation of canned emergency drinking water from th...
SEELEY LAKE - Locals and visitors alike enjoyed this year's Loon and Fish Festival at the Seeley Lake Foundation Building Aug. 19 and Aug. 20. Art was displayed in the West Wing all weekend and attendees enjoyed live music from local musicians, art demonstrations, hands-on activities and several presentations. Alpine Artisan, Inc President and Event Organizer Kris Gullikson said every scheduled event was well attended, the booths outside were hopping as was the kids activities table- and the...
SEELEY LAKE - The beauty of the Seeley-Swan and Blackfoot Valleys is reflected and enhanced in the diverse artwork that is the heart of the annual Loon and Fish Art Show and Festival. This unique festival sponsored by Alpine Artisans returns Friday, Aug. 19 from 5-8 p.m. and Saturday, Aug. 20 from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. at the Seeley Lake Foundation Building. The festival is free and everyone is welcome. "This year's festival has many exceptional features," said Alpine Artisans' President Kris G...
A dream became reality when the Upper Swan Valley Historical Society (USVHS) celebrated the grand opening of the Swan Valley Museum on July 4, 2013. Longtime residents Neil and Dixie Meyer cut the ribbon that officially opened the museum to the public. Twenty-five years earlier, on March 10, 1988, the first meeting of the USVHS was held at Evelyn Jette's residence. The next week officers were elected: Ken Wolff, chairman; Bud Moore, vice-chairman; Fern Kauffman, recording secretary; Claudia...
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 20, 1987 issue Chaffins celebrate 50 years What does it take for a marriage to last 50 years? Well, you take...
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...
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...
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....
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...
It’s mid-summer and peak vacation time in the scenic and majestic Seeley-Swan Valley. Every summer there’s a mass migration of visitors and adventurers on the highway, on the trails and in the local shops. Even when gas prices are high and lodging costs exorbitant, people are vacationing across the land. And why, one might wonder, is that? Certainly, relief from COVID travel restraints is part of it. But it’s not new, the yearning to travel, to break away from routine, to be free and spontaneous, to discover new places, people, things and t...
SEELEY LAKE - Carleen Gonder said if she ever writes a memoir, she wants to include a chapter about her time as the crazy lady up Bird Creek. She commandeered the nickname while living in a small cabin in the wilderness of the Ninemile valley. The cabin had no running water or electricity and Gonder and her son relied on kerosene lamps, a wood-burning stove and a nearby river to fetch water. Because they were roughly a mile and a half from any dirt or paved road, her son would hike and cross cou...
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 6, 1987 issue Sheri's Stained Glass Story Suzanne Vernon Kaleidoscopes are the latest in stained glass...
The Swan Valley Council Board members voted unanimously to “cease and desist” with any further discussion of a garbage container site in the Swan Valley at their July 19 meeting. In addition to the container discussion, the nearly 40 people in attendance heard remarks from House District 92 Democratic Candidate Gary Stein. Representatives from the DNRC at Goat Creek, the Swan Valley Volunteer Fire Department and Swan Valley Connections discussed their response to fire in the valley and what residents can do to aid in the efforts to respond to i...
SWAN VALLEY – "Don't have too much fun," Danni Parcell told her husband Missoula County Sheriff's Deputy Robert "Bob" Parcell as he headed out the door to respond to an assault call in Lake County June 27, 1992. At 11:17 p.m. Bob was shot in the chest with a 41-magnum from 20 feet away after pulling over an alleged witness to the assault. Thirty years later he returned with Danni and their son Rincon to the exact spot where he remembers everything happened. "I went back and kind of hugged my t...
The last several years have certainly seen no lack of breaking news topics. Thankfully, the Seeley-Swan Valley of Montana continues to offer a mostly quiet refuge from much of the excitement faced in other areas of the country. Topics of discussion seem at times to change like seasons, which are rolling by more quickly with each change. It wasn’t all that long ago that the headlines discussed a record lumber market with homebuilders and home buyers catapulting the industry to levels of demand unseen before. A perfect storm of sudden demand m...
