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Community safety and bridge repairs were topmost in the minds of over 50 people who gathered for the January Seeley Lake Community Council meeting. Participants expressed confusion about continued safety concerns and a bridge repair timeline. At the November community council meeting, Seeley Lake community member Michelle Dunn introduced discussion on community safety concerns, including animal control, community decay, drug activity and the presence of registered sexual offenders, especially...
The Seeley Swan Hospital District met Tuesday, Jan. 14 to discuss challenges and changes within the health care system broadly — the future of Medicaid expansion this legislative session — and more locally at the medical center in Seeley. After a survey went out to Seeley Lake area residents in late November and responses indicated a need for better communication regarding what Seeley’s medical center offers, the board has been discussing how to better share information with the public and how to be in better communication with Partn...
HELENA - From tax relief to programs that foster "prosperity" and "self-sufficiency," Montana Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte laid out his plan to grow Montana's economy and address what he called "the affordability crisis" during his State of the State address Monday Jan. 13, one week into the 69th legislative session. One of the plans he touted is the 1% decrease in the income tax rate he has built into the budget he has proposed to the legislature, a change he said would provide over $850 mill...
Thursday Jan. 18, 1990 YAMAFEST The mountains around Seeley Lake will be buzzing with caravans of snowmobiles as the fifth annual YAMAFEST celebration gets underway this weekend. Though we'd like more snow, we still have more than most, and trails above the valley floor are in very good condition and being groomed constantly. This picture was taken on Rice Ridge above Seeley Lake last Sunday when around 30 snowmobilers took part in a poker run and cookout. The trail was well groomed. Read this...
HELENA — Proponents lined the walls of the House Taxation Committee room Friday, Jan. 10, in support of establishing a $1.5 million Montana workforce housing tax credit program. House Bill 21 is a state-specific version of an existing federal program. The bill would give tax credits for affordable housing projects, which proponents said would help increase much-needed supply. Don Sterhan is the president of CR Builders in Billings and a member of Gov. Greg Gianforte’s Housing Task Force. He supports HB 21, giving examples of where the federal c...
Seeley Lake Elementary School is going through its accreditation process and is looking for community input to complete one element of the requirements. The state Office of Public Instruction rolled out a new portion of the rotating accreditation schedule this year for elementary and high school districts across the state. Schools are accredited as a way of holding districts accountable to their roles and purposes laid out in the state Constitution, like staffing levels and test scores. Generally the schedule includes developing a mentorship...
The pond at Seeley Lake's Lions Club Park has been impacted by large muskrats and unseasonably warm temperatures. On Jan. 2, the Seeley Lake Lions Club shared a Facebook post informing people about the issue and potential safety concerns of being on the ice this winter. The post stated muskrats have been digging holes in the ice and keeping it from refreezing. The post mentioned a hole 18 inches wide that is marked off with caution tape. There is a very thin layer of ice over the hole and the...
Winter outdoor enthusiasts have more to look forward to so far this year, particularly as recent precipitation has boosted snowpack levels across the area watershed. While starting the fall and winter at low snow levels, the Blackfoot watershed - which runs from the Continental Divide east of Lincoln to the Blackfoot River's confluence with the Clark Fork River east of Missoula - is in a better condition than it was last year when snowpack was at a record low. More recent precipitation has put...
HELENA — Lawmakers are considering a bill that would make local agencies ask voters for a specific dollar amount of property tax increases on ballot levies rather than rely on mills — a property tax-based increase that can help account for inflation and changes in property values. Local levies are often used for public services like libraries or fire stations. The bill would still allow mills for public schools. Supporters of House Bill 20 told lawmakers in the House Taxation Committee on Tuesday Jan. 7 that the change would stabilize loc...
When it comes to writing coaches, the best ones may not look like editors, nor even claim any authority around semicolon usage. They may have backgrounds not in writing but as chefs, ranchers, or engineers. The greatest mentors, in fact, are the best listeners, and the ones who care most about their communities. This is according to Cassie Sheets, executive director of Writing Coaches of Montana (writingcoachesofmontana.org), a Missoula-based nonprofit that recently partnered with Potomac School, as well as Seeley-Swan High School, to enlist...
Non-profit organizations are invited to submit grant proposals to the Seeley Lake Community Foundation for 2025 projects. The SLCF awards grants of up to $3,000 for projects to benefit the area of Seeley Lake. Applications are due Jan. 31 each year, and grant award decisions are made by early March. The Seeley Lake Community Foundation helps local groups fund important community projects in the areas of: art and culture, community and economic development, basic human needs, education and natural resources and conservation. In this capacity,...
Thursday Jan. 11, 1990 Blackhawks shipwreck pirates The Blackhawks of the Seeley-Swan traveled to the Bitterroot Valley to engage the Victor Pirates in a 12C basketball game. The local quintet led from start to finish. The score at the end of the first quarter was 17-9. By the half, the Blackhawks had a comfortable lead, 30-17. The Hawks offense exploded for 25 points in the third stanza, taking a 55-36 lead. The two teams played the fourth quarter evenly, and at the final buzzer the Blachawks were victorious, 76-56. The Blachawks dominated...
Swan Valley Connections, a natural resource conservation and education nonprofit based in Condon, has purchased a new office space. After 28 years in the Condon Work Ceter, staff members anticipate moving into their new location, named the "River House," early this spring. It is located about a mile south of their current location. In May 2024, staff at Swan Valley Connections were told the Northern Region of the Forest Service, based in Missoula, was considering conveyance, or a transfer of...
On Dec. 29, some members of the Seeley Lake community experienced an internet outage. Blackfoot, AT&T and T-Mobile services were affected. Verizon services were unaffected. The outage was limited and many businesses in town were able to operate normally. Missoula Electric Cooperative announced a planned outage in the Double Arrow area on Jan. 2, which was expected to impact members from Jan. 6 through Jan. 9 for one, one and a half hour time frame throughout the day. Once an area had an outage,...
Missoula County is now accepting Impact Grant applications and is continuing to accept Micro Grant applications to support community-driven projects that enhance the quality of life in rural areas of Missoula County. Individuals, nonprofit organizations, citizen groups, community councils, schools and special districts are encouraged to learn more and apply online at http://missoula.co/ruralgrant. The Rural Grant Program, which the Missoula County commissioners initiated in 2023, includes two unique funding opportunities: Micro Grants, with...
The January meeting of the Seeley Lake Community Council will be held at the Barn (2920 Highway 83) on Tuesday Jan. 14. Pizza will be served starting at 5:30, and the meeting will begin at 6 p.m. Planned speakers/topics are as follows: ● Commissioner Strohmaier — Missoula County updates ● Undersheriff Meeder (via Zoom) — Community safety concerns ● Shane Stack — Public Works Director, update on bridges ● Heidi West, Missoula County Rural Grant Program — Grant applications ● Cheri Thompson, Seeley Lake Sewer District — Updates ● Quinn Car...
Thursday Jan. 4, 1990 New S.O.S. doctor begins five-day schedule Dr. Robert (Bob) Nelson, 51, of Great Falls began practicing full time in Seeley Lake at the S.O.S. Health Center this week. This S.O.S. Center had announced in December it had secured a new doctor for the facility after a long search following the retirement of Dr. Schreiber last May. Dr. Nelson has rented a place to live here and will be working on a tentative five-day schedule Monday afternoons through Friday mornings. His...
To ring in 2025, the Pathfinder's looking back on staff-curated "best ofs," or the stories we thought were notable from the past year. We hope you enjoy our selections and that your New Year is off to a great start. Jan. 11, 2024 Lack of snow hurts towns economy By Griffen Smith Jack Frost went missing this December, and local Seeley Lake businesses said the lack of snow has hurt the town's winter sports economy, although there might be relief in sight. The Clearwater, Swan and Blackfoot... Full story
On Dec. 22, Seeley Lakers adorned trucks, ATVs, businesses and other vehicles with festive lights for its Parade of Lights. The parade traveled along Highway 83 and a bonfire was lit later in the evening....
On the night of Dec. 17, the parking lot at Seeley Lake Elementary School was full. People were gathered for the 2024 holiday concert. At the door, a student greeted incoming audience members with programs, which had pastel drawings of items like gloves and candy canes. The concert began with Principal Christina Hartmann welcoming the crowd. She then passed the microphone to Sheila Devins, the music teacher at SLE. Devins thanked the crowd as she stood in front of a painted mountain backdrop...
Swan Valley Connections, a natural resource advocacy and education nonprofit based in Condon, was awarded just over $219,000 from Missoula County’s Department of Emergency Management as part of a federal grant the department was awarded in October. The funding was officially approved at a Missoula County Board of Commissioners meeting on Dec. 17. The Community Wildfire Defense Grant was funded from money within the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed during the Biden Administration. Missoula County was awarded $4.8 million to spend over f...
The Grouch That Stole Christmas was performed by Ovando School students in the Ovando gym Dec. 19. All 23 students, prekindergarten through eighth grade, participated in the music recital and the play. The evening program began with the students' winter music recital showcasing the xylophone and ukulele music the students have been learning from Michael Nord of Tangled Tones studio. Ten songs were played with a mix of holiday and modern tunes from Blue Suede Shoes and Peace Like a River to Amazi...
The Sunset School Christmas Program, "Yours Truly, Jack Frost" graced the halls at the Paws Up Bull Barn on Dec. 20. The student body of 12 performed the play in several acts using only one scene. The story began with Mrs. Claus coming to Jack Frost for decorations for the North Pole. His team of frost makers was quite impressed that "The Mrs. Claus" was coming for Jack Frost's services. Although, one of his main scientists was unimpressed with Jack Frost's casual approach to business "He...
8 years ago... Thursday Dec. 21, 1989 Swan Valley Christian Singers The Swan Valley Christian Singers presented their fifth annual Christmas concert Sunday with performances before packed houses at the Condon Faith Lutheran Church and at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Seeley Lake. This photo was taken during the evening performance in Seeley. Read this and more at: https://www.seeleylake.com/home/customer_files/article_documents/1989-12-21.pdf 20 years ago... Thursday Dec. 23, 2004 The meaning of Christmas to children of the community Seeley...
The Governess disapproves of the Maid and Bulter's flirtations and she hates Drosselmeyer. She throws her hands up in dismay at Drosselmeyer's arrival and doesn't like his antics during the party. What she does get on board with, though, is the Nutcracker March. After watching the children dance it, she decides the whole crew should try it out. She stands front and center, the Christmas tree displayed behind her, and leads the cast of Garden City Ballet's 40th Nutcracker in the steps. For three...
