Sorted by date Results 5926 - 5950 of 6303
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Volunteer firefighters and Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) responded to their first out-of-control debris burn April 2 around 2:30 p.m. on Whitetail Drive in Seeley Lake. The fire was contained at 0.10 of an acre and no structures were lost. Seeley Lake Fire Chief Bob Vanden Heuvel said that it was a classic scenario for burn piles to spread. Burning conditions were perfect in the morning but changed in the afternoon getting warmer,...
HELENA - Wolf numbers in Montana remain healthy and well above federally-mandated minimums as the fifth and final year of federal oversight of state wolf management comes to an end in May. Montana's annual wolf report shows a minimum wolf count of 536 wolves in 2015, which is down from 554 in 2014. Included in this number is a minimum number of breeding pairs of 32, which is down from 34 in 2014. The difference between the overall minimum wolf counts in 2014 and 2015 is 18, well within the...
SEELEY LAKE - Pyramid Mountain Lumber excels again this year in grader performance. The Western Wood Products Association (WWPA) recognized Monie Bergeson and Rod Groom with the High Quality (Hi-Q) Award for their timber grading accuracy in 2015. They are two of the 10 graders currently employed by Pyramid. WWPA performs a monthly inspection of graders at various mills. Graders must be at least 95 percent accurate over the course of the year to qualify for the award. Typically more than half of...
SEELEY LAKE & DRUMMOND - The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) would like to notify the public and seek comments on a proposal to install safety improvements on Highway 83 and Interstate 90 in the Seeley Lake and Drummond areas. The proposed project includes the following work at three sites: • Site 1: Highway 83 north of Seeley Lake between reference posts 19.2 and 19.7: Install a northbound advance intersection sign, nameplate and actuated flasher assembly for northbound traffic and upgrade the intersection signing for southbound t...
SEELEY LAKE - Todd Johnson, Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE) School Board Chair, will kick off the next Seeley Lake Community Council (SLCC) meeting with a discussion of the proposed SLE levy, which will be voted on in the May 3 Special Election. Filmmaker Jenny Rohrer will follow with the presentation of two movie shorts: “Keeping Clearwater” tells the story of the work that local volunteers and students are doing in collaboration with the Clearwater Resource Council (CRC) to learn about and protect local waters. The film illustrates how the...
SEELEY LAKE - On April 17 the Tappan/Williams Quartet will amaze audiences with their jazz selections and enormous talent. The concert, to be held at 3 p.m. at Seeley-Swan High School (SSHS), is the final concert for the 2 Valleys Stage 2015/16 season. The venue was originally to be the Presbyterian Church, but has been changed to SSHS. The four musicians of the quartet have vast experience and acclaim, nationally and internationally. The networks and collaboration these four have with famous...
MISSOULA – As it begins revising its 30-year-old Resource Management Plan (RMP), the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Missoula Field Office wants to make public involvement in the process one of its top priorities. The RMP, a key source for the field office’s planning and operations of 156,000 acres of surface BLM-managed lands and about 268,000 acres of sub-surface minerals, provides goals, objectives and direction to the field office for managing those public lands. The Missoula RMP revision process could last up to four years and will...
HELENA - Attorney General Tim Fox and the Montana Department of Justice want to make Montanans aware of deceptive vehicle service contract “notices” that claim to be issued from the “Motor Vehicle Division (MVD)” that may be appearing in consumers’ mail boxes. “We consider these notices deceptive because neither our Motor Vehicle Division nor the motor vehicle division of any other state is mailing them,” said Fox. “These governmental entities are not in the business of selling vehicle service contracts. However, these notices are often addre...
Part I established the rusty Model A Ford in Dick Wolff's backyard is what remains of the 1930s mail delivery vehicle called the Seeley Lake Stage. That vehicle was outfitted by Orlie Coates with a snow mobile kit to make winter service possible in the Seeley Swan Valleys. After its stage career ended the Model A was taken apart, reportedly to make it into a tractor. Though that transformation never occurred, parts and pieces of the Model A were subsequently scattered from Swan Valley to...
SEELEY LAKE –Co-owners Kristy Pohlman and Shawn Ellinghouse opened Blackfoot Lawn Care and Property Maintenance this spring. They offer quality, affordable lawn care with the hopes of giving their customers their weekends back to spend more time with friends and family. Pohlman realized how much she enjoyed mowing lawns after working for a friend in Alder, Mont. two summers ago. "I love being outside and I'm detail oriented," said Pohlman. "I enjoyed the heck out of mowing lawns." Last summer P...
Goal: Potomac residents and owners of Blackfoot Native Plants Kathy and Michael Settevendemie promote the use of native plants through landscaping. "If we grow native plants in our landscapes we can look like Montana and have a sense of beauty and of place that is Montana," Kathy said. The Settevendemies try to capture Montana through their native plants. History: Blackfoot Native Plants began as a small business 15 years ago in Potomac. It started when Kathy was implementing weed management on...
HELENA - In an effort to remind everyone about safe practices when digging, the non-profit Common Ground Alliance sponsors National Safe Digging Month every April. Montana Public Service Commission (PSC) Chairman Brad Johnson delivers the following message to kick off National Safe Digging Month, “As spring projects get underway, I would like to remind Montana that anyone digging take the proper precautions to ensure their own, and others’, safety. A quick call to 811 before you dig can save a life and as April is National Safe Digging Mon...
SLE School Board Approves Levy Amount SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE) School Board will run a trustee election and a general fund operating levy of $17,056 or 2.21 mills on the May 3 ballot. Three candidates have filed for two open positions on the board. Incumbents Jenny Lindemer and Karen Kovatch are running along with write-in candidate Amanda Fowler. The general fund levy would increase taxes on a $100,000 home by $2.98 and on a $200,000 home by $5.96 annually. This year, the District’s 20-year bond will be paid off, r...
Editor's note: I know full well many people would just as soon never hear the name Ted Kaczynski again. While Kaczynski deserves no press, the story of his arrest and it's impact on the community, like it or not, is a fascinating and indelible part of the town's history and it isn't a simple one to tell. This week looks at how people saw him while he lived here and at his arrest. Next week's issue will look at the fallout, both good and bad, that came out of it. April 3,1996. LINCOLN - A lot of...
SWAN VALLEY - Dixie and Neil Meyer learned in February they would receive the Montana Neighbor Award, offered by a group of Montana agencies and organizations, and the office of the Governor. The award program recognizes "land-owners who go the extra mile through collaborative efforts to enhance our Montana sense of community." Swan Ecosystem Center, with the support of the Upper Swan Valley Historical Society (USVHS), nominated Neil and Dixie last fall. USVHS President Steve Lamar said, "If...
SEELEY LAKE - The Missoula County Sherriff's Office recognized Seeley-Swan Search and Rescue (SSSAR) volunteers Gerry Connell, Pat Caffrey and John Anders for more than 30 years of service with search and rescue at SSSAR's March 15 meeting. SSSAR Coordinator Sgt. Robert Parcell said, "They have been the backbone of the unit(s) and could always be counted upon to assist when called out at all times of the day and night, in all kinds of weather, in all kinds of terrain, when varying types of...
SEELEY LAKE - Locals and visitors to Seeley Lake enjoyed the annual Seeley Lake Lions Club Easter Egg Hunt Saturday, March 26. The 3,005 plastic eggs were gathered in a record time of seven minutes and more than 100 prizes were given away to lucky egg hunters. Preparation for the egg hunt starts the day after Easter when many of the prizes are purchased for the next year. Two weeks ahead is when the real planning begins. Lions and other volunteers gathered Friday night to fill the plastic eggs....
KALISPELL - The Flathead National Forest (FNF) is planning to conduct spring prescribed fire projects when weather, fuel conditions and air quality become favorable. Smoke will be visible from various places in the Flathead Valley depending on the location of the burn units and weather conditions. Each project follows a Prescribed Fire Burn Plan. The prescribed fire projects are located and designed to be controlled to reduce the potential for adverse effects or to escape as a wildland fire. These projects will be in compliance with Montana...
SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley Regional Planning Committee (SVRPC) decided how they would review and assess the public’s comments at their March 23 special meeting held at the Swan Valley Community Hall. This round of comments ended March 16. The committee members agreed to divide and reread the comments to become familiar with them as they work through the draft’s wording at the next meeting. The SVRPC also agreed to project the plan draft on a screen at following public meetings as they edit the draft so it is visible to all in att...
LINCOLN - The Blackfoot River Committee of Ducks Unlimited (DU) is hosting its 17th annual dinner banquet at the Lincoln Community Hall Saturday, April 16. Doors open at 5 p.m. A tasty dinner, prepared by Bushwackers will be served at 6 p.m. The evening's activities include live and silent auctions, raffles, games, and giveaways. A wide array of items including local and original art, furniture, gift baskets, goods and services by area businesses and 20 guns will be up for grabs. To add to the...
HELENA – Montana State Parks (stateparks.mt.gov) announced today that public comment is being sought on the proposed Public Use Rules. The current Public Use Rules, which guide the public’s use of state parks, are out of date, many of which were last updated in 1988. Public comments will be accepted through Friday, April 15. The proposed draft Public Use Rules updates existing rules while identifying new rules which address emerging park uses or management concerns. The changes balance public service responsibilities with resource pro...
MISSOULA - Entering 2016, the Missoula County Elections Office needed to recruit 800 election judges for the estimated high voter turnout Presidential Election. Despite being a large hurdle, staff remained cautiously optimistic this goal could be achieved, and as of Feb. 18, 808 community members have signed up. “We cannot thank our community enough for stepping up to assist with the election,” Elections Administrator, Rebecca Connors said. “We’ve had overwhelming support from so many, whether Elections Advisory Committee members, the media o...
OVANDO - The Nevada Creek Wildlife Management Area (WMA) is expanding thanks to the transfer of 760 acres of land from The Nature Conservancy (TNC) to Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. The transfer protects a habitat corridor that connects elk and mule deer with winter range and protects headwater areas for the sensitive westslope cutthroat trout. In the process, it will double the size of the Nevada Creek WMA and provide a new public access point to Helena National Forest land. The project is...
SWAN VALLEY - Unsolved Mysteries in the Swan Valley was the topic March 11 at the Swan Valley Museum. Upper Swan Valley Historical Society (USVHS) president Steve Lamar told the stories with the aid of projected photos to a group of more than 60 people. Mysteries in the Swan include persons that did not return home, some who avoided the law or the unknown location of gold mines. Unknown Gold Mines Hall Peak, seen behind the village of Swan Lake, is named for a prospector who in the early 1900s...
