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Audrey Stevenson groaned as the volleyball she served hit the net instead of sailing over like it was supposed to. Assistant Coach Shawn Evans told her to keep her arm up, and she walked around the court to get back in line and try again. At a practice in October, many Lady Blackhawks brought up how much serving technique improves when players get on the high school team. And Stevenson, along with fellow eighth grader Kieu Snow, has an extra year to practice. Both young women are playing up...
Inside the Seeley-Swan High School cafeteria, close to 30 people gathered and raised their hands for various ice breaker questions before a meeting began. How many people in the room have lived in Seeley Lake for more than 20 years? Maybe a third of the hands went up. How many people were born and raised in Seeley? No hands. How many are retired? Business owners? Have kids in the school system? Who is worried about the future of Seeley Lake? Every hand in the room went up. "Great, that's why...
The seventh/eighth grade wing at Seeley Lake Elementary School is set to be demolished. Continued concern about mold in the walls due to moisture getting under the foundation of the building led to school board approval for the demolition during its October meeting. Mold was first found in the walls over the summer and was abated, or removed, Board Chair Doc Welter said, which allowed the wing to be used this school year. But since moisture continues to be a problem under the foundation, even with equipment in place to keep it at bay, Welter...
On Saturday, Oct. 26, the senior center hosted a hunters' breakfast to mark the start of hunting season. The senior center has been hosting this breakfast for about 15 years. Last year, they weren't able to host because there weren't enough volunteers for the event. That wasn't a problem this year. Senior center volunteers were supported by the Lions Club, with additional support from the Leos. The event was sponsored by Blackfoot Communications. Members of the Lions Club helped sell raffle...
On Tuesday, Oct. 22, 20 Missoula County officials participated in the “Swan Valley Community Conversation,” held at the Swan Valley Elementary School. The event, designed to foster communication between county government and the more outlying Swan Valley community, had a unique format and was met with positive reviews by attendees. Rather than a large open meeting, eight “stations” of citizens were seated at tables, and the officials rotated every 10 minutes, so that each group of three to five attendees had face-to-face interactions with re...
Thirty five years ago... Thursday Oct. 26, 1989 Blackhawks win first round of playoffs The Seeley-Swan Blackhawks defeated the Twin Bridges Falcons in the first round of the Class C football playoffs. The Blackhawks, the 7C regular season champions, won a hard fought 30-20 victory over the 6C third place finishers. The Blackhawks jumped to an early lead when Scott Olson found a seam in the Falcon line for a one-yard touchdown run. Barry DeLeo, the Blackhawk's "Man of Steel" rushed for...
With fishing access sites overflowing in the summer, drought pressure on the rivers, more garbage, increased weeds along roadsides and packed eateries, it's obvious there's more traffic in the Blackfoot watershed. Over the past few years the Blackfoot Challenge, a local watershed stewardship nonprofit focused on the Blackfoot River drainage, has been hearing more concerns about and interest in growing recreational pressures in the Blackfoot Valley watershed. Meetings have been held in...
On Wednesday, Oct. 16 a new Seeley Lake business hosted a pumpkin painting event. While this was the first event hosted at the Seeley Station - including apple cider, hot cocoa and a piece of halloween-themed pottery to paint for $10 - it isn't going to be the last. There will be a Thanksgiving event on Wednesday, Nov. 13 from 5-7 p.m. and a Christmas-themed event in mid-December. The Seeley Station opened on Aug. 5 and since opening the station has made an effort to support locals and other...
The northern lights have been visible in the Seeley-Swan Valley many times this year, including multiple times this month. Meteorologist Dave Noble, who works with the National Weather Service in Missoula, explained why the northern lights occur. "Occasionally we can have these explosions off the sun that are spewing plasma at a million miles an hour towards space, and sometimes they can be directed towards the earth," Noble said. "If it is carrying the right magnetic field with it, or the...
The Forest Service received notification of a purchase agreement regarding Holland Lake Lodge between Eric Jacobsen, Great Falls native and current Utah resident, and longtime owner of the lodge and holder of its special use permit, Christian Wohlfeil, and POWDR on Oct. 11. POWDR, a company that owns and operates ski resorts across the country, owns about 20% of the assets of Holland Lake Lodge. A controversial plan to expand the lodge was rejected by the Forest Service last fall after being met with forceful local opposition. Ivy Gehling,...
The Seeley Lake Sewer District Board met last Thursday for a relatively short meeting to discuss ongoing fundraising efforts and the still vacant staff positions. Steve Anderson, engineer with Water & Environmental Technologies (WET), said the engineering firm’s staff continue to work on pursuing grants to help cover costs of creating the preliminary engineering report, which once completed opens the door for other grant opportunities for which the board could apply. WET staff are working through a reclamation and development planning grant a...
It's a curious sight - upwards of 120 mountain folks decked out in lobster bibs, trying to figure out how to operate stainless steel seafood crackers. And atop Potomac's Copper Cliff Road, it's become an annual early-fall phenomenon. A robust group of local bluegrass pickers, jamming in a circle, provided the soundscape for the Copper Cliff Cafe's capstone event of the season earlier this month - as they have at every dinner since the operation's 2019 inception. For this year's lobster feast,...
Convoys of cattle trucks will soon be trundling loads of cattle along Highway 141 and Highway 200, moving cattle from mountain pastures to home ranches and hauling weaned calves to feedlots across the Midwest. Selling calves marks the fall rotation of cattle ranching in the Blackfoot Valley and throughout ranching country in the United States. It's payday for ranchers as they ship off their main commodity - beef calves - to feedlots. Cattle receipts of $1.8 billion dollars in 2021 rank cattle...
Whoever wins the race for Montana’s Superintendent of Public Instruction in the general election on Nov. 5 — Republican Susie Hedalen or Democrat Shannon O’Brien — they will inherit an office in disarray. A recent legislative audit of the Office of Public Instruction, which the superintendent leads, found more than $67 million in questionable spending of federal education funds, including one school district that used the money to buy massage chairs for the teachers’ lounge. “OPI is kind of in shambles,” said Jessi Bennion, a professor of...
Twenty years ago... Thursday Oct. 28, 2004 Who homesteaded here? Another reason to visit the Seeley Lake Museum Have you ever wondered who homesteaded the property where you live? Have you ever wondered if any of your family namesakes homesteaded in the valley? Now you can find out. The Seeley Lake Historical Society has a listing of all the people who successfully homesteaded in the Clearwater Valley. A project entitled “Who Homesteaded Here?” was completed with a grant from the Hansen Endowment Committee through the Wilderness Institute at...
Editor's note: Due to an unfortunate oversight, part of this article was missing from the printed paper. We will be reprinting the full article in the paper next week and the entirety is featured here. We deeply regret the error. The Seeley-Swan Hospital District Board is conducting a survey to get a more comprehensive idea of how the board and clinic can better respond to the needs of those in Seeley Lake. Board Chairwoman Terryl Bartlett said living in Seeley Lake, one can get used to running into Missoula for various medical needs that the c...
With political polarization strengthening across the country, even the races far down on Montana’s ballot are feeling the heat of identity politics. The state auditor is arguably the lowest-ballot race there is, but the position is responsible for supervising the state’s insurance and securities industries and investigating fraud. Two years ago, Republican Jim Brown mounted a campaign for the state Supreme Court, trying to secure a spot on the high court by stressing his support from Republicans. That race ended in Supreme Court justice Ingrid...
On a sunny September afternoon in Butte, Democratic Sen. Jon Tester stood in a small room in a brick building and rallied a group of volunteers by casting his opponent, Republican businessman and former Navy SEAL Tim Sheehy, as a wealthy transplant out of touch with local values. “He doesn’t know Montana, and that’s the problem,” Tester told the crowd. “He doesn’t know Butte, America, and that’s the problem. He doesn’t know the labor movement started here, and that’s the problem. He doesn’t understand people had to work their butts off to...
A head-on collision on Oct. 6 left two people dead and two injured at 9:20 p.m. on Highway 83 in Seeley Lake. According to a release from Montana Highway Patrol, a vehicle driving south on Highway 83 failed to make a curve to the left near Double Arrow Road. It traveled in the ditch for 340 feet and got back into the southbound lane before it crossed onto the wrong side of the road and collided head-on with another vehicle traveling north. Per the release, drugs and speed were suspected as conditions of the crash. All passengers were wearing se...
After the announced closures of Pyramid Mountain Lumber and Roseburg Forest Products this spring, the state of Montana was awarded a national emergency grant to assist those laid off. That funding can go beyond directly helping employees and is available for any business in Seeley Lake that might be able to link a loss of revenue or a closure to the wind down of Pyramid. On Friday, Pyramid announced the end of its final stage of operations, with the final load of lumber shipped last week. About...
The Missoula County Commissioners approved spending a portion of funds from a 2018 bond to preserve 158 acres in the Swan Valley for conservation. The funds made available in 2018 were part of a voter-approved open space bond measure. This bond provided $15 million that was to be used to enhance open space for purposes including access, agriculture, fish and wildlife habitat, rivers, streams and scenic views, per the ballot language. One way those purposes can be realized is through the...
The 22nd annual Tour of the Arts on Oct. 12-13, put on by Alpine Artisans, gave local people and visitors a chance to visit working studios, galleries and museums from Condon to Lincoln. Sixteen local artisans in the Seeley-Swan and Blackfoot Valleys had their crafts on display and often showed their production processes to attendees. Martha Swanson, from Ovando, demonstrated the steps of bowl making during the tour. The Swansons had several finished bowls on display despite losing one of their...
Steve Lamar has only lived in these parts for 48 years. I asked him if he was a rich out-of-stater who doesn't understand our Montana values. He assured me he isn't running for political office. Perhaps you have heard of the Lamar Valley in Yellowstone National Park, the Lamar River or Lamar Mountain. An ancestor of Steve's was head of the Interior Department under Grover Cleveland. An army friend of Mr. Lamar was sent to the Yellowstone area to survey it and was given the responsibility of...
Whoever said "dyeing is easy" has never tried it. Twenty women took on the challenge to learn the process at the Nature of Art Workshops sponsored by Alpine Artisans on Saturday, Sept. 20-21 in Seeley Lake. The workshop convened for the second year to offer experimentation with new techniques in eco-printing as taught by Crystal McCallie, University of Montana textile art instructor. In the end, they turned the paper and fabric they had dyed into a lovely handmade book. Following the dying...
Since its founding in 1993, Clearwater Montana Properties has emphasized community-building as a key component of its company culture. Through its Charitable Giving Program, the company's agents give back a portion of all real estate proceeds to the communities in which they were earned. To date, the program has produced over $1,248,284 in charitable donations to causes throughout Montana, Idaho, North Dakota, Washington and Wyoming. "Each year Clearwater and our agents give a portion of each...
Thirty five years ago... Thursday Oct. 12, 1989 Timber harvest down in ‘88 The total volume of timber harvested in Montana decreased in 1988 by 12.8% from the previous year. Timber from all lands of all ownerships declined from 1,376,466,000 board feet in 1987 to 1,199,798,000 board feet in 1988. Timber harvest records for 1989 are not yet available. In 1988, 50.7% (609,507,000 board feet) of the total Montana timber harvest volume was from private lands. Montana’s 10 national forests provided 40.5% (486,033,000 board feet). The remaining 8.8%...
Come and join us at the Seeley Lake Senior Center on Oct. 26 for a super breakfast before hunting. Every year on opening day many folks that are experienced deer hunters and those going out for the first time head for the Seeley Lake area. The many back roads in our forests provide access to lots of terrific deer hunting. Each year proves to be good as some dandy bucks are harvested here. If you arrive in Seeley or live here you may already know about the Hunters Breakfast served at the Senior...
Many Americans express concern about how the political system is or is not working, but Montana voters will get a chance to change up the way elections are run in a way supporters hope will benefit more moderate candidates. The changes are included in two separate constitutional amendments, CI-126 and CI-127, on this fall’s ballot. CI-126 would amend the Montana Constitution to change the voting process to a “top four” primary election. This means that all candidates regardless of political party would appear on the primary ballot and the t...
Two years after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, Montanans will vote on whether to enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution. Constitutional Initiative 128, advanced by a group called Montanans Securing Reproductive Rights, would create a new section of the Montanan Constitution establishing “a right to make and carry out decisions about one’s own pregnancy, including the right to abortion.” The initiative would allow the government to regulate abortion after fetal viability, except in cases when the mother’s health...
In a move meant to champion public sewer systems, Rep. Ryan Zinke expertly tossed a well casing line down a hole drilled some 40 feet into the ground on School Lane near Seeley Lake Elementary School last Thursday. "Well, I did come from three generations of plumbers," the Republican U.S. Congressman reasoned to the small group of civic leaders and reporters gathered around the groundwater monitoring well Zinke had come to test. Reeling in the well water sample - which was later revealed to...
Last Wednesday, a one-acre, human-caused fire started in open grass near the intersection of Riverview and Grizzly Drive in Seeley Lake. No structures were damaged, but residents received evacuation warnings early that morning, around 6 a.m. The warning was lifted by 10 a.m. The cause of the fire is being investigated by the Missoula County Sheriff's Office, Seeley Lake Fire Chief Dave Lane said. As of Oct. 3, it was fully put out. Lane said there were "remnants of items" where the fire started...
The Seeley Lake Nordic Ski Club held a ribbon-cutting event on Saturday to celebrate moving their groomer into its new home. Chris Lorentz, nordic ski club president, said over the past 35 years the club has been outgrowing its facilities. The new building will allow the club to have a space to store the groomer - instead of having it sit out in the snow with volunteers waiting about three hours to get it warmed up before starting the actual grooming work - that will protect it from the...
People came from across the country to Seeley Lake for the 2024 Dryland Showdown. The event took place on Sept. 28 through Sept. 29 and was hosted by Bitterroot Dog Powered Sports. This event was significant because it was the first race of the season. Some participants were preparing for the Dryland Dog Dash Continental Championships that will take place in Wisconsin later this month. According to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, dryland racing is a dog-powered sport that can be...
Seeley Lake started off the homecoming weekend in style with a parade requested by student athletes and assembled by the newly re-established Seeley Swan Blackhawk Booster Club. Various official vehicles and floats with the football and volleyball team players drove down local roads for about 30 minutes to help get the town hyped for the football game later in the day on Oct. 4 and the volleyball game the day after. The booster club also sold burgers at the football game. Jamie Wood-Hanson,...
A person is dead after a high-speed chase south of Seeley Lake on Saturday. Shortly after 3 p.m. on Oct. 5, a male driving south on Highway 83 passed another vehicle over double-yellow lines and fired shots through the driver’s side window, according to a news release from Missoula County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Jeannette Smith. Information from Smith said Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks located the dark blue Toyota pickup the person was driving and followed the truck from the Clearwater Junction as he traveled west on Hig...
Tour some of western Montana's most amazing artist studios while driving through the explosive fall color of our region's tamaracks during the 22nd annual Tour of the Arts. Alpine Artisans offers this self-guided artist studio tour on Oct. 12-13. Saturday hours are 10-5 p.m., and Sunday from 12-5 p.m. This free tour stretches from Condon through Seeley Lake to Ovando and Lincoln, Montana. The tour features 10 studios and galleries and over 25 artists showing and demonstrating their work...
Amy Truett, Potomac School food service manager, was presented the Montana School Nutrition WOW award by Patrice O'Loughlin, President of MTSNA. This award recognizes a school food service employee in Montana with a lot of heart. As Potomac knows, Ms. Amy works tirelessly each day feeding students nutritious, well-balanced meals. The WOW award is sponsored by the Julie Leister family of Missoula and memorializes Julie who passed away from cancer. Her school nutrition legacy lives on every year...
The Seeley Lake Community Foundation, in partnership with Missoula-based nonprofit Recycling Works, will hold the last glass recycling drop-off event of the year in Seeley Lake from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Oct. 12. Community members are invited to bring their glass to the parking lot of the Foundation Building, where Recycling Works staff will help load clean glass into their recycling trailer. The Foundation Building is located at 3150 MT Hwy 83 N, in downtown Seeley Lake. You can sign up to receive a text message the week before the event...
Thirty five years ago... Thursday Oct. 5, 1989 A black bear is released to the wild It was a quiet year for bear and people confrontations - up until a couple weeks ago. Suddenly, reports of bears in and around town became numerous. People were hearing the critters rumbling through trash cans at night. And, a bold bear entertained himself on the front porch at Rich and Sharon Stauffer's home on Double Arrow while Sharon photographed some interesting pictures through a window. Sandie Baker found...
Nearly 60 community members piled into Seeley Lake's Sullivan Community Hall last Tuesday evening to hear what the people vying to represent them in Helena had to say. Sponsored by the Seeley Swan Pathfinder, the candidate debate, moderated by editor Keely Larson, starred seven hopeful state representatives and senators, plus written statements shared aloud by Larson from one absent candidate. Audience members, about a third of whom wore bright red "Ted Morgan" t-shirts in support of House...
Scientists along backroads in the Blackfoot Valley have been seen holding up radio telemetry antennas. Instead of tuning into their favorite station, they could be dialing in a sharp-tailed grouse, part of a massive reintroduction plan. Sharp-tailed grouse were once the most abundant grassland bird in western Montana, as they are east of the Continental Divide today. For unknown reasons, the flocks began declining in the 1940s and the last known sharp-tailed grouse sighting in western Montana...
The Leos club, which partners with the Seeley Lake Lions Club, is back in session now that school has started up. On Sunday, Sept. 29, the Leos joined the Lions to clean up Highway 83 from the Seeley Lake Community Foundation building to Tamaracks Resort. James Hayhurst, a Seeley-Swan High School senior, participated in the cleanup and said, "This was my first highway cleanup and it was fun. It's nice to start my day off by helping my community." The Leos club has a new advisor, Bridget Laird,...
The average age of the crowd listening to Bill McKibben speak at the Wilma Theater in Missoula over the weekend was probably close to his age - 63. But McKibben grasped that, and took it in a particular direction. As the keynote speaker for the fifth In the Footsteps of Norman Maclean Literary Festival put on by the Seeley-Swan Valley's Alpine Artisans, McKibben said 70 million Americans are over the age of 60. (In Montana, over 20% of the population is 65 or older.) This demographic "punches...
On Sept. 17, the House Bill 5 Select Committee on Correctional System Capacity held its final meeting where it adopted its final report and recommendations. The report now goes to the Law and Justice Interim Committee and to the Governor for their consideration. The Select Committee was created by the 2023 Legislature and directed to study capacity issues in the state’s Correctional System and provide recommendations to address problems. Montana’s Correctional System is completely full with both state owned and contracted facilities ope...
Folk-rock musician Rebecca Folsom and Friends are returning to the Seeley-Swan for a third encore performance in the 24-year history of 2 Valleys Stage, performing on Sunday, Oct. 6, at 3 p.m. at the Seeley-Swan High School. Tickets are available at the door. Born and raised in Boulder, Colorado, Rebecca's formative years were inspired by the alternative pulse that beats in a town nestled at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. She grew up running trails and writing songs amongst the pines and...
Thirty-five years ago... Thursday Sept. 28, 1989 Uninvited guest - bears on the prowl Numerous reports of bear sightings in and around Seeley Lake have been coming in the past two weeks, but few pictures have surfaced. This, however, is one of a series taken by Sharon Stauffer from inside her home on the Double Arrow Ranch. The black bear appeared one morning after Sharon's husband, Rich, had left for work at the Valley Market. She photographed the bear as it climbed up the porch railing, sniffe...
Last Thursday evening, upwards of 30 people piled into the Potomac Bar and Grill's compact upper level to talk secession. While meeting leaders themselves admitted to uncertainty about what jumping ship from Missoula County would look like, how exactly one goes about seceding and how possible, or even effective, such a measure would be, citizens present were aligned on the raison d'etre behind what some are referring to as Potomac's "Secession Movement:" rising property taxes; specifically, a...
The Seeley Lake Rural Fire District added three new firefighters and a new paramedic to its team. Now, the department has 28 volunteer firefighters on the roster, four paramedics and one advanced emergency medical technician. Jon Espenscheid, Seppa Francis and Brandon Johnson were acknowledged at a badge pinning ceremony during the September fire department board meeting. These three completed their task books, which include a variety of safety trainings like ambulance driving and entry level...
The Swan Valley Community Council met last Tuesday evening and received updates on the Condon Work Center, heightened bear activity, incorporation and a community questionnaire. Sara Lamar, managing director of education with Swan Valley Connections, gave an update on the Condon Work Center, which the Northern Region of the Forest Service — based in Missoula — decided to put up for conveyance, or transfer of ownership, at the end of June. Swan Valley Connections, who uses the space for its operations, was given a move-out date of the end of...
The Seeley Lake Sewer District Board met last Thursday to discuss the process of selecting a wastewater treatment plant site, heard about funding updates and announced the resignation of the board’s secretary and manager. Bill Decker, the sewer district’s manager since the end of 2022, announced his resignation at the meeting on Sept. 19. Decker told the Pathfinder he started to feel like he was going in a different direction than the board, and that it was his time to step down. As a part-time Seeley Lake resident and one that doesn’t live...
Recently Justin Iverson, a Potomac rancher, was invited to go on an international agricultural trade trip to Japan. The purpose was to build relationships, study the Japanese market and explore opportunities for U.S. red meat. As a member of the Montana Beef Council, a beef marketing group, Iverson was part of the 21 member team of beef, pork, soybean and corn representatives, hosted by the U.S. Meat Export Federation, which markets U.S. meat worldwide. The Tokyo office hosted the group of indus...
Seeley Lake is facing challenging times — ones that will leave a lasting impact on our community — but ones that we can work through together one step at a time. It is not the first time we have encountered such challenges, and it certainly won’t be the last. The Seeley Lake Community Council is committed to ensuring that our town remains a place where everyone can thrive, and we need your help to succeed. We invite all residents of Seeley Lake to participate in a community survey designed to gather your thoughts, ideas and concerns. “This...
The fifth annual Mike Haley Memorial golf tournament took place in Seeley Lake on Sept. 15 and raised over $6,000 for youth sports in the Seeley-Swan valley. The money goes directly to the principal of Seeley-Swan High School and in the past has been used for a shot clock and scoring table in the basketball gym. Jacob Haley, son of the late Mike Haley, said he's not sure what the school will use the money for this year. "I like to do it to keep my dad's name around," Haley said. "It means a lot...
Thirty five years ago ... Thursday Sept. 21, 1989 School bustles with activity at Swan Valley Elementary The Montana Energy Education Council conducted an art contest last May to get art to be included in the 1990 Montana Energy Calendar. Swan Valley Elementary School student Boomer Alexander submitted artwork and his art was one of 13 chosen for the calendar. Congratulations to Boomer Alexander. The seventh and eighth grades have elected their class officers for this school year. They are President Boomer Jenson, Vice-president Justin Shoup,...
In a recent Montana Supreme Court ruling, the temporary restraining order against LHC, Inc. a company that applied for an opencut mining permit for mining gravel on Highway 83 near Elbow Lake, was rescinded. The decision was made due to a technical difference between the state Supreme Court and District Court Judge John Larson, who originally set the restraining order in July 2023. The restraining order was applied for in the Fourth Judicial District Court, which includes Missoula County, by Protect the Clearwater, a local grassroots group form...
On school day mornings, roving rural speech language pathologist Yolie Bodie Jandreau hops into a car well stocked with a colorful array of games, toys, picture books and craft supplies and, depending on the day of the week, motors off to either Swan Valley Elementary School in Condon, Seeley Lake Elementary School, Greenough's Sunset School, or Potomac Elementary School. Depending on the weather and destination, the journey can take upwards of an hour, or a mere five minutes. (As a Potomac...
A free developmental and preschool screening clinic for children ages zero to five for Seeley Lake and Swan Valley School Districts will be held on Oct. 22, 2024, 9 a.m. until 11 a.m. at the Seeley Lake Elementary School. This free screening will include gross motor, fine motor, language concepts, communication concepts, communication skills, hearing and vision screening. Please call (406) 677-2265 to schedule an appointment for your child’s screening or to receive more information....
The photo of the handmade sign and snapdragons planted near the corner of Boy Scout Road and Highway 83 by a light pole was missing a bit of information in last week's Pathfinder. Zelda Haines wanted to make sure that Cole and Keanna Henrekin were given credit for their contributions. Cole made the sign in his shop, Peak Fabrication, and donated it in memory of Zelda's husband, Kim, who was a principal at Seeley-Swan High School and a beloved track and field coach before he lost his battle with...
Editor's note: The Pathfinder published this piece on the 20th anniversary of Sept. 11. We're grateful to Mr. Browder for allowing us to do so again a few years later. Last Wednesday was the 23rd anniversary of an event that has totally changed our lives and how we look at the world. On that morning back in 2001, I walked through the World Trade Center in New York City as I went to my office in Lower Manhattan. Memories from that day are as clear to me today as the skies were on that fine fall...
The Seeley Lake Community Foundation has been awarded $2,500 through AgWest Farm Credit's Rural Community Grant program to be used towards blinds for the West Wing of the Foundation Building. In the unincorporated rural community of Seeley Lake, SLCF serves as a clearinghouse for community needs and opportunities, hub for resource sharing and charitable giving and mechanism for facilitating savvy, collaborative solutions to local challenges. SLCF has spent the last five years creating a com...
Thirty five years ago ... Thursday Sept. 14, 1989 McNeely is new pastor at Blackfoot Parish The Blackfoot Parish voted this past Sunday to call Richard I. McNeely to be its new pastor. He will assume pastoral duties the first of October and will reside in the Parish Manse on Riverview Drive in Seeley Lake. Most recently, Rev. McNeely has been the interim pastor of the Libby Presbyterian Church, and prior to that served as an elder in the First Presbyterian Church of Missoula. He has been active in the work of Glacier Presbytery, having served...
A Condon resident was severely injured after wind storms with speeds up to 70 mph swept through the Seeley-Swan valley on Aug. 23. Chris Soelter, who is a construction worker in the valley, received a call from a local business in Seeley Lake. The business had some roof damage after the storm and Chris and his son, Brandon, were leaving Chris's home in Condon to get to the job on the day of the storm. Brandon left the house a few seconds before Chris, according to Chris's brother, Mike, and...
Two avenues of purchasing Holland Lake Lodge were presented on Sept. 3 in Condon to a crowd gathered at the Swan Valley Community Center. Private equity investors Eric Jacobsen and Thomas Knowles introduced themselves and their intentions to those gathered, and a new nonprofit based in Condon announced its own plan to purchase the property. Jacobsen and Knowles have issued a letter of intent to purchase the assets of Holland Lake Lodge LLC and the liquor license, the property currently 80%...
The community of Seeley Lake is no stranger to long power outages. Fortunately, there are many resources available in town for when the power goes out. Cory's Valley Market is located right across from a substation. This location means the business has power as long as the substation has power. It sometimes has power when a lot of Seeley Lake doesn't, which was the case after the long power outage that resulted from the wind storm on Aug. 23. "We try to stay open if we can," says Cory Thompson,...
The Seeley Lake Pickleball Club is offering an opportunity to learn to play pickleball, one of the fastest growing sports in the U.S. Spend a couple of hours (one evening) with us at the courts behind the elementary school from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. We are hoping to register 16 new players, four per court, ages 18 and older with two women’s sessions and two men’s sessions. We initially would like to limit the training to one session per person to reach out to as many community members as possible. Up to 16 Ladies Tuesday, Sept. 16 Up to 16...
The Helmville rodeo opened its sixtieth rodeo on Sunday with a special appearance by the Patriot Parachute Team skydivers floating into the arena with parachutes and a Betsy Ross flag. In addition there was an appearance by U.S. Congressional Representative Ryan Zinke, who shared an address about Helmville that he will be making in front of Congress soon. "Sometimes in Washington D.C. people forget about our values. Here our values are pretty simple. We love Montana, we love the great outdoors,...
Twenty years ago ... Thursday Sept. 16, 2004 Bridge Construction Temporarily Closes Two Swan Valley Roads A portion of Forest Road #561, Kraft Creek and the Red Butte Creek Road #9576, south west of Condon, MT, will close for a month while crews replace two culverts with bridges. The Kraft Creek Road will be closed about six miles from state Hwy. 83, September 27 through October 29. The Red Butte Creek Road will be closed at the junction with the Kraft Creek Road, about 6 miles from Hwy. 83, September 20 through October 29. Visitors won’t be ab...
Missoula County Parks, Trails & Open Lands is accepting applications starting Sept. 3 for the annual Community Parks & Recreation Grants Program The program, formerly called the Matching Grants Program, provides funding to help communities create and enhance parks, trails and other public recreation sites and facilities. Staff encourage local nonprofits, schools and community groups to apply for the grant by 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11. Ninety thousand dollars is available during the 2025 awards cycle for community-driven projects that improve...
Low-interest federal disaster loans are now available to certain private nonprofit organizations in Montana following President Biden’s federal disaster declaration for Public Assistance as a result of straight-line winds that occurred July 24, announced Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman of the U.S. Small Business Administration. Private nonprofits that provide essential services of a governmental nature are eligible for assistance. These low-interest federal disaster loans are available in Missoula and Powell counties. “Private non...
Karen Dove's hands shake when she starts talking about what it takes to keep a rural pharmacy open. Each day, she orders drugs customers need at the Seeley Swan Pharmacy. She pays for the drugs before she gets reimbursed and before a customer uses insurance to compensate for what it doesn't pay. Dove doesn't get repaid the full cost of the drug, though, and has to choose an amount she's going to sell a drug on which she's willing to lose. Dove spends money when she's buying drugs and loses it...
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Park bear specialists are in charge of collaring a certain number of bears for research purposes. In 2016, a male grizzly nicknamed Walking Bear was captured and collared northeast of Ovando. This month that same bear was implicated in the deaths of four calves on summer pasture northeast of Ovando. Grizzly populations have been increasing in Montana over the years and the effort to delist the bears from the endangered species list has gone in and out of court...
Attention water district customers: The Seeley Lake Missoula County Water District will be performing fire hydrant flushing from Tuesday Sept. 10 through Wednesday Sept. 11. During this time, you may experience a reduction of water pressure. The work will begin at 8 a.m. and continue until approximately 5 p.m. each day. It is advisable to refrain from washing laundry during this time due to a possible discoloration of water. Please contact the office at 406-677-2559 if you have any questions or concerns....
Over the summer, Seeley Swan residents have experienced multiple power outages. The main electric provider for the area, Missoula Electric Cooperative, is responsible for getting the power back on when it goes out. The Pathfinder spoke with Kelsey Lodge, manager of communications at Missoula Electric Coop, about how MEC responds to power outages. In a coming edition, we'll provide an article that goes more in-depth on what resources are available in the Seeley-Swan area to residents when the pow...
Thirty five years ago ... Thursday Sept. 7, 1989 Griz hunt closes before season even opens The man-caused killings of six grizzly bears in northwestern Montana so far this year has prompted the closing of one grizzly bear hunting area, the Flathead Bear Management Area, before the season has had a chance to open. Each year, the state opens an area known as the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem (NCDE) to a strictly controlled grizzly bear hunting season. Earlier this year, quotas for grizzly...
The last units of lumber were processed at Pyramid Mountain Lumber on Friday. No more production will continue at the mill. In March, Pyramid Mountain Lumber announced their closure due to workforce shortages. The high cost of living in western Montana was cited as one of the main reasons for closure. Pyramid was the largest employer in Seeley Lake and has been family-owned for the last 75 years. Pyramid has been winding down through a five-part plan and are now in the final two stages, which...
A wind storm with gusts up to 60-70 miles per hour burst through Seeley Lake on Aug. 23 and left thousands without power, some going days before the lights came back on. The storm postponed the beginning of Seeley-Swan High School's school year. Freshmen were to have started school on Monday, and as of press time Monday afternoon, it wasn't clear when classes would begin either for the high school or the elementary school. A couple of log storage sheds at Pyramid Mountain Lumber were damaged...
With a new school year underway students at Seeley-Swan High School and Seeley Lake Elementary School will be greeted with many changes. One of the most visible changes at Seeley-Swan High School is the new sign that was built towards the end of the previous school year. History teacher Trace Stone worked with the student government to design and build the sign. Other high school students also helped with the construction. Materials for the project were provided by The Lodges, Peak Fabrication,...
Shortly before 10 a.m. on Salmon Lake, an eagle swooped in front of a boat that started collecting water quality data a couple hours earlier. The bird of prey dipped into the water, grabbed a fish and flew away. "You don't see that every day," Colleen Stone, who was volunteering that morning with the Clearwater Resource Council, said. Later on, a herring flew across the width of the six-mile long lake. Brea Dehm, aquatic technician with the Clearwater Resource Council, said these moments, and be...
The Seeley Lake Pickleball Club is trying to get more people on the courts. About 55 people are members of the club and they play Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings from 8 a.m. until noon behind Seeley Lake Elementary School next to the baseball diamonds where there are six outdoor courts available for pickleball playing. Since the club practices at this time, members are required to have insurance, so each person pays $30 each year to cover those costs. People can play outside of those...
T-shirts emblazoned with the famous Clearwater cow hang on racks in the new Cow Store n' More that's taken up residence in the old bar behind the convenience store at Clearwater Junction. Speciality coffees, soft serve and Big Dipper ice cream and Montana made gifts and books fill the refreshed space. A soft opening happened on Aug. 23 and the grand opening is planned for Labor Day. "We had a branding party for local ranchers to bring in their brands and brand the new bar counter for the coffee...
The In the Footsteps of Norman Maclean Literary Festival announced that its biennial gathering will be held Sept. 27 to 29, 2024 in Missoula, Montana, featuring the theme, Finding Our Place In Nature: The Power of Story. Award-winning authors and artists will examine society's critical relationship to nature through literature, art and music. The Saturday daytime festival at The Wilma will be free, but registration is required at www.macleanfootsteps.com. "The Maclean Festival was initially...
The inner life of a writer and how it appears in their works is a mystery as deep and as wide as the canyon of the human spirit. How that grandeur leaves a haunting echo on the page is as curious a notion as is to suppose there is a meaning existing between two things. Namely that this piece of the story reflects or holds a piece of the author in some way, shape, or form. Being able to make those connections is the stuff of literary studies. Timothy Schilling is a master at this, leading us to...
Thirty five years ago … Thursday Aug. 31, 1989 Back to school at S.L Elementary The Seeley Lake Elementary PTA will be hosting an orientation for new families and a membership drive on the first day of school. Refreshments will be provided and families are invited to stop in the new cafeteria and visit with them. School starts for Seeley Lake Elementary on Tuesday, Sept. 5. Class times are 8:25 a.m. to 3:10 p.m. The school will be participating in the Free and Reduced Lunch Program with hot meals being provided everyday. The cost for the l...
Potomac Elementary School wrapped up its third summer food program two weeks ago. Over the eight week summer break, over 24,000 meals were served to kids 18 years and younger in Potomac, but also in Seeley Lake, Condon, Bonner, Clinton, Missoula, Lolo and Victor. The program is made possible in part by a program through the United States Department of Agriculture, which provides some funding in the form of reimbursements to support getting breakfast, lunch, fresh fruit and vegetables and milk to participating families seven days a week during...
The Blackfoot Challenge hosted its annual community appreciation event on Aug. 16. A silent auction, food trucks - Rockstar BBQ and Balsamroot Catering - drinks provided by Trixi's Antler Saloon and the Stray Bullet and music from Tanner Laws and friends made for a jovial mood. Seth Wilson, executive director of the Blackfoot Challenge, stood on the stage and thanked the Challenge staff, board of directors and various event volunteers and sponsors. "I just want to thank the community of the wate...
Tiffanie Zavarelli had zero restaurant or bartending experience when she and her husband, Ryan, were sitting in their car in front of a bar in Ovando, pondering taking it over. It was 2019 after a family Christmas party at the Double Arrow Lodge in Seeley Lake and the couple were in the Trixi's Antler Saloon parking lot looking out at Ovando Mountain. Ryan's mom and stepdad, Cindy and Ray Francis, wanted to sell Trixi's a few years back and they approached Ryan and Tiffanie to see if they...
Drivers may have encountered some construction relief around Salmon Lake over the past week or so. The Salmon Lake Highway Reconstruction project isn’t completely finished, but Kiewit, the construction company partnering with the Montana Department of Transportation for the project, is getting close to its ending point. Lisa Gray, communications associate with engineering firm HDR, said work is expected to wrap up by mid-November, weather permitting. Final striping, seeding and fertilizing through the construction area is still underway. A...
Montana’s Shakespeare in the Parks (MSIP) will perform in Seeley Lake on Monday, Aug. 26 at 6 pm as part of their 52nd summer tour across five states, bringing free performances to 65 communities in the Rocky Mountain West. It has become a tradition for MSIP to set up their portable stage and perform on the grounds at Double Arrow Lodge as the kickoff event to 2 Valleys Stage;s annual season of performances. “Seeley Lake is one of our favorite venues to perform”, said Riley O’Toole, the tour manager. “Double Arrow offers an incompara...
Kyle Duran received $1,000 from the Veterans and Families of Seeley Lake. He will be attending Montana State University Northern in Havre this fall to study diesel mechanics. Duran worked at Glen's Automotive while he lived in Seeley Lake. Hattie Batchelder received $1,000 from the Veterans and Families of Seeley Lake. She will be attending the University of Montana this fall to study environmental studies and documentary film and is working at the Route 83 coffee kiosk in Seeley Lake before...
Thirty Five Years Ago... Thursday Aug. 24, 1989 No three-hour waits with Highway 200 blasting Rumor has it there will be two to three hours delays during the construction project on Highway 200 east of Bonner. But, this rumor can be considered false unless half of a mountain goes at one time with the blasting project. A person can expect to wait for 30 minutes when the heavy blasting begins. At this time, there is no scheduled date, according to Martin VanMil, Montana State Highway Department’s district construction supervisor. “Plan a lit...
John Maclean stood next to a rather old looking cabin outside of Seeley Lake and reminisced. It used to be a wonderful place for him and his sister to play. Six-foot piles of sawdust would leave traces in their hair, clothes and teeth. It also served as a summer landing spot for his father, renowned writer Norman Maclean. "It looks like it's old," John's niece said after seeing the ice house earlier this spring. "The jokes on her," Tom Attard, owner of Burlyman Creations and contractor for the...
A missing swimmer was found drowned near the west end of Seeley Lake on Aug. 5 shortly after 8 p.m. The swimmer was identified as a 15 year old male from Washington state. 911 dispatch received a call reporting a missing swimmer near the west end of Seeley Lake at approximately 5:15 p.m. on Aug. 5, according to a press release from the Missoula County Sheriff’s Office. Seeley-Swan Search and Rescue and Missoula County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrived at the Seeley Lake Campground to search for the missing swimmer. Missoula County Search and...
Editor's note: Shortly after this story was published, fire danger was reduced to moderate in Missoula County. Fire danger on the Lolo National Forest was also moved to moderate. Stay up to date on fire danger, restrictions and evacuation notices at mtfireinfo.org. In the last few weeks, Missoula County has seen an increase in precipitation and cooler temperatures. The change in conditions caused fire danger in Missoula County to be moved from extreme to high on Aug. 5. The decreased fire danger...
The Montana Department of Revenue (DOR) will soon be distributing its second round of property tax rebates to eligible Montana taxpayers as part of a property tax relief package signed into law by Governor Greg Gianforte in 2023. The property tax rebate is a rebate of up to $675 of property taxes paid on a principal residence. To qualify, you must have owned and lived in a Montana residence for at least seven months of 2023 and paid the property taxes on that residence. Properties owned by an entity and irrevocable trusts are not eligible for...
The Nevada Creek 4H Club has 13 kids going to the Tri-County Fair in Deer Lodge this year. Two of the members are brothers living between Avon and Helmville. Michael and Payton Goettle live on the family ranch and have both animal and craft projects in 4H. Michael, age 15, is continuing with his breeding beef project. The star in his project is BB, a heifer he was awarded in 2022 through the Rocky Mountain Stockgrowers Association Investment program. BB is now two years old and Michael will be...
Ovando School celebrated its centennial on Aug. 3. Nearly 60 past students, community members and teachers gathered to reminisce at the schoolhouse and visited the Ovando Museum to see class photos and memorabilia collected over the years. Last spring students in grades four through eight interviewed some of Ovando's citizens about the Ovando School. The interviewers asked the 10 participants what they liked about the school and what was important about it. Overwhelmingly interviewees said the...
Pyramid Mountain Lumber is currently in the process of shutting down, leaving some employees uncertain about the future. As a way to help the 99 employees directly impacted by the closure the Missoula Job Service is hosting a job fair in Seeley Lake. In March, Pyramid Mountain Lumber announced their closure due to workforce shortages. The high cost of living in western Montana was cited as one of the main reasons for closure. Pyramid is the largest employer in Seeley Lake and has been...
Even after a rainy Tuesday, the Blackfoot River looked low on July 31 as experts and community members gathered to talk about the record drought in the watershed. Data from the United States Geological Survey showed an increase in river flows after the rain, and at 10 a.m., when the press conference started, the Blackfoot River was at 476 cubic feet per second. The last time the river dropped below 500 cfs was in 2015. Montana is the epicenter of drought in the western United States right now,...
The Powell County Community Foundation is currently accepting grant applications from nonprofits throughout Powell County. The PCF awards grants, usually ranging from $500 to about $2,000, are for charitable purposes in the following broad focus areas: basic human needs, arts and culture, recreation and economic development. The application deadline is Friday, Sept. 13, 2024. The short application form is available by writing to the PCF at P.O. Box 834, Deer Lodge, 59722, or by contacting board members Kirk Sandquist, Steve Owens, Kathy...
On July 30 at 9 p.m. Ovando and Helmville volunteer firefighters as well as Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation firefighters from Sperry Grade in Greenough responded to a structure fire on Woodworth Road. “The structure was completely engulfed when we arrived,” Monte McNally, Ovando Volunteer Fire Department Chief, said. “The strategy was to get the heat out of the fire and keep it from spreading.” DNRC crews sprayed down the perimeter of the property to prevent spread into nearby forest and fields while Ovando and Helmvil...
Yoann Destremau pulled into Ovando after cycling in the rain for hours. Soaked and exhausted he visited the Blackfoot Angler and found out about dry overnight lodging for bikers around Ovando. The morning of July 30 he was happy to have a cup of coffee in his hand and blue skies overhead for a chat outside the Stray Bullet. Currently Destremau is on his third international bike tour. He left Victoria B.C. on July 8 and plans to arrive in Patagonia in two years. He carries everything he owns on...
Potomac Valley 4-H members Cooper and Ella Hathaway have been feeding and training their sheep Buddy Alexander Lambilton and Fiona for the Missoula County Fair since purchasing them in April. For the past three years Cooper, age 12, has taken hogs to the fair. This year he moved into lambs in order to get more practice handling livestock in preparation for possibly taking a steer in the future. In addition to showing livestock Cooper participates in 4-H Shooting Sports/Shotgun. The shotgun...
Thirty-five years ago ... Thursday Aug. 10, 1989 Willy Bill's founder in retirement The kitchen smelled of homemade rolls, grandchildren were running in and out, chattering and laughing. Several adults stopped by for a short chat. This kind of day is becoming typical for Bill and Ardyce Gehrke, retired after 18 years at Willy Bill's ChainSaw Business. And the Gehrkes are enjoying their family and retirement. Twenty-one years ago the Gehrke's and their six children moved to Seeley Lake from...
At the last sewer district board meeting, there was conversation about how rumors and social media were spreading concerns that often were not based on facts. Everyone is encouraged to participate in the meetings either in person or through zoom. It is only through direct participation that we can move together to an informed collaborative resolution to our increasing nitrate problem. We do have nitrate issues in varying intensity within the boundary of the district. North of town it is nearly negligible. Near the corner of Juniper and Alder,...
A couple hours before a thunderstorm with hurricane level winds crashed through Missoula County on the evening of July 24, the Missoula National Weather Service posted an update on its Facebook page about a cluster of thunderstorms moving northeast through north-central Idaho with winds that have historically hit 50 to 60 miles per hour. The post instructed readers to secure outdoor items before the storms arrived, and was just about spot on with the time estimate - 9 p.m. Wind speeds of 81 mph...
Locals were surprised and angered to see a boatload of trash deposited at the transfer station outside Ovando on July 19. And on the morning of July 23 a load of trash was found spilling out of the dump and the large gates were broken. That trash had food-related components and was considered a bear attractant. Locals contacted Justin Williams, Ovando Rural Disposal District representative and president, and he arranged for cleanup that day. "We have a fairly good lead to who may have been...
Close to 15 years ago, Condon residents were ready to get out of Missoula County. A Missoulian article from 2009 highlighted the Swan Valley Preservation Group, then led by Ken Donovan, which hoped to join Lake County, looking for less regulation and less taxes paid for things the group felt were never realized an hour and a half away from the city of Missoula. Quite a bit earlier, during the first Constitutional Convention for the state of Montana in 1889, convention delegate Martin Maginnis from Lewis and Clark County yearned for a state of...
During the summer, it's important to keep yourself safe on hot days. It's also important to keep your furry friends safe, and there are a lot of ways to do that. The Pathfinder spoke with Holli Hargrove, animal control manager with Missoula County Animal Control to pick her brain on the best ways to take care of man's best friend when it's hot. This conversation has been edited for clarity. Pathfinder: What is the most important thing dog owners should keep in mind about protecting their dogs fr...
The Seeley Lake Community Foundation is proud to announce the recipients of the 2024 SLCF Scholarship. Ava Thornsberry and Walker McDonald each will receive $1,000 towards university expenses. Thornsberry graduated from Seeley Swan High School in 2023. Throughout her high school years, she received numerous awards both in academics and athletics. Some of her accomplishments include: Academic All-State selection for volleyball for three years, basketball for two years, and cross country and golf...
Trash is something we all have to deal with and living in the Seeley Lake area can be a bit challenging with hungry bears as neighbors. That's why Clearwater Valley Bear Smart has been trying to help local citizens better manage their garbage and avoid bear conflicts. Wrapping up a successful Bear Fair in June, Alan Davis, the Clearwater Valley Bear Smart Coordinator, and Jamie Jonkel, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Bear Management Specialist, delivered 24 bear resistant garbage containers to...
The Montana Newspaper Foundation awarded $1,000 Kavanagh Family Scholarships to two graduating seniors who plan to pursue careers in journalism and education. William Eaton graduated from Helena High School and worked at his school's paper for three years, serving as editor his senior year. Eaton achieved a 3.8 grade point average and will attend the University of Montana in Missoula this fall, majoring in English and minoring in journalism. "Since I was young, reading and writing have always...
Thursday Aug. 3, 1989 Jack Mackie off critical list after logging accident Jack Mackie of Seeley Lake has gone from critical to stable condition after an early morning logging accident two weeks ago. A snag pierced through the seat of his D-6 cat and punctured his midsection on July 18 while working in the Fawn Creek area. "We almost lost him," Yvonne Mackie, Jack's wife said. Yvonee said Jack's midsection was crushed. When large bones are broken it is possible for bone marrow to enter the blood...
SWAN LAKE, MONT. — 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. 10 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 a.m. until 11 a.m. followed by a beer and wine garden in the afternoon. Most of the day’s activities will begin at 9 a.m. and continue until 4 p.m....
The Seeley Lake Water District will increase rates for water users as the anticipated closure of Pyramid Mountain Lumber looms this fall. Per information from a notice sent out by the water district this month, the mill consumed 20% of the water the district produced each month and used about two million gallons of water monthly. The loss of that production for the district is expected to amount between $50,000 and $60,000 in total. The notice stated the mill intends to shut off its water supply at the end of the year, which is likely when...
Editor's note: Weekly deadlines are tough for providing quick, current information as it relates to the fire season. The Pathfinder's Facebook page (Seeley Swan Pathfinder ~ Seeley Lake, MT) is a good resource for information on new starts, fire conditions, restrictions and evacuation notices, as is mtfireinfo.org and the Lolo National Forest's Facebook page. We will publish updates similar to these as often as is necessary and useful. Weeks of persistent hot and dry weather, with a bit of...
This story was updated on July 24 at 10:27 a.m. to make clarifications regarding senior and junior water rights, and to correct that the main stem of the Blackfoot River has been placed under a hoot owl restriction, not the north fork. Like many other people who make or have made their living working the land, Denny Iverson saw this year’s drought coming. The winter was drier than normal in Montana and the snowpack didn’t build up well. On top of that, it was an El Niño year, which from decades of experience Iverson knows to mean drought in the...
From the prairie potholes of northeastern North Dakota to the Blackfoot Valley, new Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks wildlife biologist Lee Tafelmeyer has already had a varied career in wildlife biology. "I grew on a cattle ranch, hunting and trapping and developing a passion for the outdoors, wildlife and ecosystems," Tafelmeyer said. "A family vacation trip to Yellowstone as a youngster played into my interest in the Rocky Mountains and wildlife." When college entrance forced the beginning of...
The Seeley Lake Sewer Board was presented with conceptual designs from engineering firm Water & Environmental Technologies, or WET, for an anticipated sewer project and heard an update on earmarked money for the project from the federal government on July 18. Bill Decker, Seeley Lake Sewer District manager, provided the update about the earmarked money from Representative Ryan Zinke’s office for a sewer project in Seeley Lake. The grant application is making its way through the approval process within the U.S. House Appropriations C...
Seeley Lake, Mont., July 18, 2024 —The Seeley Lake Ranger District is pleased to announce that Seeley Lake Campground’s water system is repaired, and the campground and day use area opened July 19 at 8 a.m. Campsites are currently open for reservations on www.recreation.gov. Opening of the campground was delayed for the partial replacement of the waterline. However, during construction it was discovered that the remaining part of the water system also needed to be replaced. The Forest Service was able to modify the contract to have the add...
The Loon and Fish Festival was back in Seeley Lake over the weekend with music, art and food all in an effort to support local artists and students. Alpine Artisans, a group that encourages the development of the arts in the Seeley-Swan valleys, puts on the festival. Raffle tickets to support its scholarship fund, which provides money to high school students, were on sale from the start of the festival on Friday to a half an hour before it closed on Sunday. Sera Benton was an Alpine Artisans...
Thirty-five years ago ... Thursday July 27, 1989 Five people escape serious injuries in head-on collision Early morning fog was a factor in a glancing head-on collision in Seeley Lake, where five people miraculously escaped serious injury. Three young Seeley Lake residents in a 1985 Ford Mustang collided with a 1975 Ford pick-up truck in the heavy fog around 8 a.m. last Friday. The vehicles collided halfway between the Valley Market and the One Stop Convenience Store. Joe Beatty, the driver of...
Christina Hartmann had teaching on the brain as a career path from a young age. She always played school with her three younger siblings, where she was the one in the role of the teacher and made sure her siblings were organized into various parts to conduct the role play. In high school, she was asked to be a teacher's aide in a kindergarten class. She worked with a non-verbal student for two years, and was inspired by how she was able to see this student's lightbulb moments from the gains they...
When water levels drop and stream temperatures rise, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks restricts fishing hours to protect the state's sport fisheries. Hoot owl restrictions prohibiting fishing between 2 p.m. and 12 a.m. began July 13 in the Clark Fork River Basin including the Blackfoot, North Fork of Blackfoot, Clark Fork and Bitterroot rivers. Additionally parts of the Big Hole, Gallatin, Jefferson, Madison, Ruby, Smith and Sun Rivers have restrictions. Yellowstone Park has closed the Madison,...
Mike Fowler brought a small temperature sensor with him from Seattle to a presentation he was a part of held at the Foundation Building in Seeley Lake. On that Wednesday, with outside temperatures in the nineties, Fowler said his sensor showed 78 degrees in the Foundation Building. Fowler is the sustainability integration leader for Mithun, an architectural firm in Seattle. He and other members of his team came to Montana in May to tour five schools to start thinking about potential design upgra...
For the last two years, the Seeley Lake community has been impacted by the Salmon Lake Construction Project. Until it is scheduled to end this fall, the construction company is making efforts to support the Seeley Lake community. Kiewit has done that in a variety of ways. The company donated to the Seeley Lake Community Foundation the last two years. In 2023, it put money towards the Change Your Pace Fourth of July fireworks fundraiser. This year, it contributed to improvements on the Nordic...
Thirty-five years ago ... Thursday July 20, 1989 Four wrestlers in national meet, Schwarz takes third Four area wrestlers represented Seeley Swan and Montana in the AAU/USA Grand National Wrestling Championships held July 7-9 in Billings. Competitions consisted of the best wrestlers from 38 states and Canada. These following young men are to be congratulated for their efforts and dedication to the sport of wrestling: Third place Tyler Schwarz Seventh place Jacob Baker Eighth place Pat Morin 15th place Ariah Baker Schwarz and Jacob and Ariah...
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has been acquiring land in the Blackfoot Valley from the Nature Conservancy (TNC) since the early 1990s, when it owned 40 acres in the Blackfoot Valley. Today it manages nearly 44,000 acres, with more to come. Currently, the BLM is developing a Travel Management Plan (TMP) for managing access on the bureau's land in the Blackfoot watershed in order to develop a recreational use plan, manage the forest resources and restore Reserved Tribal Treaty Rights on fede...
Alpine Artisans' Loon and Fish Festival returns for our 24th year on Friday evening and Saturday and Sunday, July 19-21 in downtown Seeley Lake. The festival is a celebration of art and nature in the Seeley-Swan and Blackfoot Valleys highlighted by a community art show and sale featuring the work of over 25 local artists from the Seeley-Swan and Blackfoot Valleys. Held in the Foundation Building in Seeley Lake, the show features marquetry woodwork, jewelry, paintings (all media), copper bowls, b...
The 21st Annual Blackfoot River Cleanup invites all families and fishing and boating enthusiasts of Northwest Montana to Johnsrud Park to float, wade, fish and feast — while helping to purge our regional treasure of trash — on July 27, 2024. As one of Montana’s most storied blue ribbon streams, the Blackfoot is beautiful and wild, yet easily accessible for recreational use. To maintain the Blackfoot’s pristine condition, our community relies on an annual grassroots cleanup effort. Started in 2004 by the Pfister family of Potomac, Montana...
The last of the log inventory at Pyramid Mountain Lumber was run through the sawmill on July 3. The mill, which announced its closure in March due to a workforce shortage largely attributed to the cost of living in the Seeley Lake area, stopped accepting new log inventory on March 31 and has so far laid off no more than 10 people, said Pyramid Mountain Lumber General Manager Todd Johnson. As of July 3, the sawmill department of the mill has ceased operation. The boiler and kiln department will...
The Fourth of July came at a perfect time, weather-wise, for the Blackfoot and Clearwater watersheds - just before temperatures were supposed to get into the high-nineties and even hundreds this week. Celebrations across the valleys were a delightful mix of some of the best parts of small town Montana, with elements that catered to locals and visitors alike. Books were available for purchase to support the Swan Valley Community Library, families wore matching outfits and water and popsicles,...
After a lovely cool spring and a slow start to summer, things are finally heating up and fire season is coming. Already, there have been wildfires in Washington, Oregon, and California, and some around Montana. As fire danger increases, the likelihood of seeing smoke increases, too. That means it's time to get smoke ready. Why do we care so much about smoke? For those of us who've lived through past fire seasons, we know what it means when smoke arrives. The air physically feels different. It...
Editor's note: When I worked for two weekly newspapers in Ennis and Big Sky, we would run features each week that we either called the B feature - because it was the first page of the B section in The Madisonian, which is based in Ennis - or the Not So Average Jane/Joe in the Lone Peak Lookout, which used to be used in Big Sky. These focused on members of the community either really well known of whom we felt folks could use a broader picture, or people who weren't known at all but had a really...
Those who follow Montana writers are well acquainted with Rick Bass. Among our most celebrated authors, he has mastered his craft with more than 30 books including novels, memoir and collections of essays with such diverse outlets as Orion, Tricycle, Big Sky Journal, Outside, Field and Stream, Sierra, Buddhist Review and the Whitefish Review. He has been recognized by the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Book Critics Award. Born and raised in Texas, trained as a petroleum...
Thirty-five years ago ... Thursday July 13, 1989 Arts & crafts show draws large crowds The Seeley Lake Folk Arts and Crafts Show and Sale held at the community hall last Saturday and Sunday drew probably over 1,000 people. Five hundred and sixty-seven people coming through the front doors signed the guest book, but many signed one line for the whole family, or failed to sign at all, so a totally accurate count is not possible. Total sales reported by the committee were $3,753 and this figure...
The warming hut on Forest Service Road 465 near Deer Creek was vandalized on June 18 just after 3 p.m. According to Jeannette Smith, public information officer with the Missoula County Sheriff’s Office, someone shot the building a number of times — impacting the door, door frame, some walls and the wood shed roof — incurring at least $1,500 in damage. There are no suspects or witnesses, and the sheriff’s office has gathered all applicable information so far. The case is considered inactive by the sheriff’s office, but an additional investiga...
On June 18 Missoula County Commissioners voted unanimously to amend some of Missoula County's building codes. Greenhouses, hoop houses, certain deck designs and non-residential entryways or covered patios will no longer be required to have building permits. Public feedback and a recent public survey prompted commissioners to roll back requirements. Montana Code Annotated gives the Board of County Commissioners the right to exempt certain structures from requiring a building permit. "We did a...
The Seeley Lake Sewer District met at the end of June to hear an update on the sewer project proposal from its engineering firm and on various funding opportunities available, and considered putting together a letter showing support from the sewer board for the project. Steve Anderson, engineer with Water & Environmental Technologies, or WET, gave an update on the project proposal. It will make sense to design treatment zones based on elevation and treatment needs, Anderson said. This could require pump and lift stations, which in the case of l...
Rain and cold did not dampen the enthusiasm of the youth attendees at the first Swan Valley Youth Outdoor Education Rendezvous (YOER), held on Saturday, June 15. Fifty youth ages eight through 18 attended outdoor workshops designed to provide wilderness learning experiences. Children came from as far as Creston, Seeley Lake and other communities in between to join Condon youth in this special experiential event. The Swan Valley Community Foundation (SVCF) in Condon hosted the event at the...
Forty-foot long cinder block cooking pits lined by piles of cherry, pine and oak wood, folk music in the background, kids flying homemade kites and beef quarters seasoning on kitchen tables mark the beginning of the second annual Old Salt Festival. The festival was the brainchild of Cole Mannix of the Old Salt Co-op in Helena and fifth-generation Montanan from Helmville. Mannix said the Old Salt Festival was designed to bring together local food, local people and agriculture through...
Potomac School held graduation events in early June for its eighth grade and kindergarten students....
Thirty-five years ago ... Thursday June 8, 1989 Chamber salutes Jeff Macon with Citizen of Year award At its annual banquet Tuesday night, Seeley Lake Area Chamber of Commerce members and guests saluted Jeff Macon, realtor and active participant in civic affairs, with the Chamber’s “Citizen of the Year” award. Macon said he was “...quite proud of the award. In the past other people who’ve lived here many years have been honored. I’m quite proud as a relative newcomer.” Macon moved to Seeley Lake in 1975 after working for the previous four...
Nearly 90 plant enthusiasts gathered for Prairies to Potholes, the 2024 Native Plant Society annual meeting held at Camp Utmost June 28-30. The meeting was highlighted by 22 workshops and field trips throughout the Blackfoot and Seeley valleys. Trips visited public and private locations from Gold Creek to Browns Lake and north to Clearwater Lake. "This was a remarkable way to see some of the plant and ecosystem variety in the Swan Valley," Susan Ballinger, from Washington, said. "I've been a...
As the Fourth of July approaches, interagency fire officials remind Montanans and visitors to celebrate safely and be aware of fire danger across the state. While spring precipitation reduced fire risk, our weather forecasts for the holiday include hot temperatures and an incoming front with potential wind. Last year, 84% percent of fires in the Flathead Valley were human caused. Interagency Fire Managers encourage individuals to do their part to keep homes, communities, and firefighters safe this holiday. Here are a few simple actions to...
The Northern Region of the Forest Service, based in Missoula, is beginning the process of transferring its ownership of the Condon Work Center due to a backlog of maintenance on the property and associated costs. Swan Valley Connections, a nonprofit focused on conservation and stewardship in the Swan Valley, has an office in the work center and leadership has been encouraged to start searching for a new office space with a tentative deadline to be out of the work center by March 2025. Swan...
This summer, no operations at Holland Lake Lodge have been approved. Holland Lake Lodge Owner Christian Wohlfeil submitted an operating plan for 2024 but since the wastewater treatment system is unable to function at the level needed for the plan, the Forest Service has not approved any operations and Wohlfeil hasn’t submitted an updated plan, Chris Dowling, Swan Lake District Ranger, said at a June Swan Valley Community Council meeting. A design firm is looking at a replacement or repair of the wastewater treatment lagoon, which was found t...
Clint Rice was in Washington on Friday picking up fireworks for a stand he's been running in Seeley Lake since 1990. For over 30 years, Rice has been coming up to Seeley Lake in the summers to run the firework stand, formerly called Pyromania and rebranded as the Boom Shack. He opened the shop for New Years sales in 2000. Most recently, Rice relocated to Seeley Lake to live full-time as of September. While in high school in Arlee, Montana, Rice worked for a firework stand and then for a company...
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks swore in a new game warden to cover the Seeley Lake area in January 2024. Garrett Kocab of Helena started the lengthy hiring process while completing two degrees at Carroll College. Graduating in May 2023 with Environmental Policy/Project Management and Sociology degrees and hired in January 2024, Kocab then had three months of law enforcement training in Helena before coming on the job in Seeley Lake in May. "Although I used to come up here hunting while going...
On Tuesday night last week, construction workers began paving the pot holes in front of the Seeley Lake Post Office. The paving continued into Wednesday when the Post Office was closed for Juneteenth, a federal holiday....
Full coverage to come in an upcoming Pathfinder edition....
It's springtime when bears have emerged from their winter hibernation, many with cubs in tow, and are out and about exploring the Clearwater Valley. If you and your neighbors are curious and a bit worried about what the bears are up to in your neighborhood, here's some good news. Clearwater Valley Bear Smart Group selected Alan Davis to be our first local coordinator. This new position will support education and other activities to help Seeley Lake and surrounding areas to become more bear aware...
This is a lightly edited and condensed version of Eddie Coyle's July Fourth story from 1964 provided by the Seeley Lake Historical Society and Visitors Center. By Eddie Coyle I was promoting one of our bigger celebrations for that year, and started preparing for it back in May. The plans included a water carnival, slalom races, ski jumps, a Miss Seeley Lake bathing beauty contest, a Boat and Motor raffle and three nights of dancing with live music. Two local carpenters with helpers built a...
On a sunny day buzzing with the anticipation of summer days to come - people lining up outside The Ice Cream Place, a boutique pop up outside of Good Times Gifts - some Seeley Lake locals were gathered outside the Seeley Lake Community Foundation building to celebrate the end of a month-long fundraising event. Twenty groups participated to raise $126,000 during the ninth annual Change Your Pace fundraising challenge. Both of those numbers are record-breaking, Seeley Lake Community Foundation...
Tour Divide frontrunner Justinas Leveika, 35 of Lithuania (pictured) rode into Ovando on Sunday at about 11:30 a.m. He was followed by second place Laurens Ten Dam, of the Netherlands, at about 1 p.m. and third place Ulrich Bartholmoes, from Spain, around 4:15 p.m. The riders are racing the Tour Divide on the 2,745-mile Great Divide Mountain Bike Route from Banff, Alberta to Antelope Wells on the Mexican-American border. Ovando is located right on the route. The frontrunners took advantage of th...
Rebecca McCarthy got a call from Norman Maclean's daughter during an event at the Missoula Public Library. Based on the way Jean Maclean Snyder spoke on the phone, it could have been her father. Maclean had a deliberate way of speaking, which translated to the way he spoke over the phone. Per McCarthy's memory it would go like this: "Rebecca, dear." Pause. "How are you?" She'd answer and Maclean would respond with a particular exclamation that sounded like, "Gaaaaaaawd." That was the same way...
The tables in the sanctuary at Mission Bible Fellowship were full of people filling out raffle tickets for the fundraiser at Loving Hearts' annual fashion show and fundraiser Saturday June 8. Raffle tickets were for the 61 "baskets" of like-new goods displayed in the auditorium. Each basket had a box for raffle tickets where people could put in as many tickets as they wanted for a basket. The annual event supports Loving Hearts' scholarship fund for local high school students. This year Loving...
Thirty-five years ago ... Thursday June 22, 1989 Grand Marshals chosen for Swan Valley Fourth of July Parade The Grand Marshalls for the annual Swan Valley Fourth of July Parade for 1989 are Dorothy Clothier and Winnie Kaiser, Legion members announced last week. The pioneer women will be honored at the celebration in Condon and will ride in the parade, which begins at Liquid Louie's at 11 a.m. on July 4. Members of the American Legion Post 63 are organizing the parade. People who would like to...
The Dusty Banditas gravel race returned to Ovando for a second appearance June 1. This year 300 riders entered, 60 for the 80-ish mile race and 240 for the 45-ish mile race. It was an increase in ridership of 100 from last years' 200-rider limit. The Dusty Bandita is the nation's first all-women gravel bike race. "Overall the event was hugely popular and successful," Jenna Tomiello, one of the co-race directors and director of MT Alpha Cycling in Missoula, said. "The positive energy at the...
In June’s primary election, Seeley-Swan voters had 12 candidates for the Montana Statehouse to choose from on their ballots, along with levies related to local government studies. According to Montana’s Secretary of State tabulations, voter turnout statewide for the primary election was 40.9%, with 308,226 voters turning in ballots out of the 753,698 registered voters. Missoula County’s turnout was a bit lower, coming in at 39.5%. After the decennial redistricting process, some of the state House and Senate districts were rearranged perta...
Scenic Montana Trails (SMT) is continuing its efforts to develop all-season trails for bicycles, fat tire bikes, e-bikes, ATVs, UTVs and snowmobiles in the Seeley Lake area. An event held June 21-23 will introduce bike trail plans for the Nordic ski area off Morrell Creek Road. SMT has been working in partnership with the Forest Service, the Nordic Ski Club and a trail designer to develop the trails. The bike event is designed to introduce people to SMT and the proposed new bike trails, and prov...
Shortly after a swimming safety assembly at Seeley Lake Elementary School, a mermaid and a lifeguard walked into the Grizzly Claw. Olivia Colburn (lifeguard), Melanie Blank (mermaid) and Michela Reese (local chiropractor) had wrapped up a three-week round of swimming lessons in Seeley Lake for about 70 school-aged children, four and up. The Double Arrow Lodge allowed the instructors, who all went through Red Cross training funded by the Seeley Lake Lions Club, host the swim lessons at the...
Last week Swan Valley Elementary School celebrated the school's eighth grade graduate, Noah Morgan, and three kindergarteners moving up to first grade. Three Swan Valley teachers spoke warmly about Morgan's positive attitude, hard work ethic and artistic skills in addition to his track and field prowess and ability to see the good in everyone. Morgan asked Swan Valley School Secretary Katie Gleason to be his guest speaker at the celebration. "I'm so honored that Noah asked me to speak today,"...
In a brief outdoor ceremony covered against the rain showers, Nikylie Vance, the sole graduate from Salmon Prairie School, received her eighth grade diploma from her teacher, Holl Hubbard, Lake County Superintendent Carolyn Hall and school board member Kvande Anderson. Vance's three classmates told the audience of family, friends and neighbors that Vance helped them heat their lunches and with their schoolwork. They said they would miss her....
At 17-years-old, Ben Kesterke understands that business interactions hinge on the foundation of making deals with others. In meeting that end, Kesterke has spent the last year developing his social and networking skills despite having a lot of social anxiety around the same time. He wasn't bad at socializing, Kesterke said, but it made him really anxious and he wanted to get better at it. Kesterke traveled to the Bozeman-based Prospects business competition, hosted by the Montana Chamber of... Full story
Thirty-five years ago... Thursday June 15, 1989 Forest products production down everywhere this year Timber shortages and unusually cold weather in late January and February slowed production in Montana's forest products industry during the first quarter of 1989, reports the University of Montana Bureau of Business and Economic Research. All major sectors of the industry - lumber, pulp and paper, plywood, particleboard and fiberboard - saw reduced production for the first quarter of 1989....
In an area where history, hindsight and remembrance are important, it's not surprising the Seeley and Swan Valleys - where at least in Seeley Lake 14.6% of the population are veterans, according to Census data - treated Memorial Day as something special, and not just a three-day weekend. The Pathfinder was able to attend three celebrations throughout the valleys, and further afield, to see how the holiday was being commemorated. From Condon, to Seeley, to Helmville, one thing was for sure - the...
Two days before graduation, Seeley-Swan High School seniors sat in the gymnasium to receive scholarships provided by local and state-wide organizations. Anywhere from $750 to over $300,000 was awarded per student. A throughline from those handing out the awards was the importance of community service and volunteerism. Steve Bowen from the Seeley Lake Lions Club said community service is what drives our lives. Mary Stone, who presented the Seeley Lake Leo Awards and the National Honors Society...
When Shelia Devins had the Seeley Elementary sixth graders as first graders in music class, they were upset after learning how sea turtles can get caught in plastic that makes its way into the ocean. At the time, it was the last week of school and there wasn't a ton of time to dive in, so Devins and the class looked at what else could be used instead of plastic, like biodegradable straws or packing peanuts. Flash forward to this school year and the sixth graders harkened back to their concerns...
About a month ago, some of the greens at the Double Arrow Golf Course were looking quite brown. Before that, pictures of the course looked like it could have been a lake frozen over due to all the ice that formed on top of the grass. Kyle Darrow has been working at Double Arrow for 17 years. He's experienced years when the dead grass post-winter was rough and generally thinks worse seasons for the course are during El Niño years when winters in the United States are generally drier. But this...
The deadline is fast approaching for the Seeley Lake Community Foundation’s scholarship opportunity for local students. The 2024 SLCF scholarship is designed for students who have graduated from Seeley-Swan High School and are enrolling in their second or third year of post-secondary study at a college or technical school. The scholarship is meant to assist with costs incurred at a college, university, or technical school for the 2024-2025 academic year. The SLCF scholarship is generally in the $1,000 per student range. Applications are due J...
Sunset School celebrated their end of the year celebration on May 24, the last day of school. Family and friends packed the Lubrecht Forest Pavilion for the ceremony. The ceremony celebrated the school year with individual student awards, drum music, recognition of graduates and an emotional thanks to teacher Miss Peterson. "I'd like to thank the board members and staff who provided a robust and individual school experience this year," Toni Hatten, Head Teacher, said. "I like to recognize that...
The Lolo National Forest Plan Revision committee held the first of four meetings region-wide in Seeley Lake on Monday, May 20 at the Community Hall. Thirty people filled the chairs and contributed comments on draft alternatives to the proposed Lolo National Forest Plan. "We just closed the scoping comment period on the proposed Lolo Forest Plan," Carolyn Upton, Lolo Forest Supervisor, said. "Then I had a great idea, why don't we go to the communities to see if we got the issues right?" The three issues the National Forest suggested for...
A day before Montana’s Drought and Water Supply Advisory Committee met to discuss the low precipitation levels of April and look at what was in store for the months to come, a traffic-stopping, Search and Rescue-compelling snowstorm occurred on Bozeman Pass on May 8. According to KBZK, the interstate was closed for almost 24 hours and some travelers were stuck in their cars for 15 hours. Those presenting at the committee meeting — including representatives from the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the U.S. Geological Survey — said...
The Swan Valley Community Council heard a presentation on what it would take for Condon to become its own town at the council's May meeting. No action was taken, other than forming a subcommittee to further investigate incorporation, but general considerations of the idea included the prospect of being able to handle things on the town's own terms - without needing to fit in Missoula County's envelope for some things like road maintenance and building codes - and looking toward the future on...
In the first biography of one of Montana's most celebrated writers, journalist Rebecca McCarthy presents a detailed and intimate portrait of Norman Maclean's life and work. Alpine Artisans' Open Book Club and the Seeley Lake Historical Society are co-sponsoring McCarthy reading from her biography on Thursday, June 6 at the Seeley Lake Foundation Building at 7 p.m. Visit the historical museum's Maclean display that same day from 10:00 am until 6:30 pm to see their collection of Maclean...
Thirty-five years ago... Thursday June 1, 1989 Montana Senators seek compensation for forest fire losses Montana Senators Max Baucus and Conrad Burns are seeking $10 million in compensation for property losses from wildfires originating in Yellowstone National Park or National Forests in Montana and Wyoming. In a letter sent recently by Baucus, Burns and Wyoming Senators Malcome Wallop and Alan Simpson to Senator Robert Byrd, Chairman of the Subcommittee on the Department of the Interior, the...
Instead of a line of trucks overflowing with antler hunters bombing through the west gate of the Clearwater-Blackfoot Game Range on opening day, 115 vehicles followed a game warden driving a side-by-side pilot vehicle through the east gate off Woodworth Road. Safety concerns because of excessive traffic around the Game Range west gate on opening day led Montana Fish and Game to explore options for the management of opening day. People camping and parking across Highway 83 and crossing the highwa...
Bill Decker sat in the beautifully lit meeting room upstairs in the Barn - what Seeley Lake residents refer to the combo museum, historical society and community meeting spot as - with legal pads and a folder of sewer-related information displayed in front of him. He was explaining a few things about April's sewer board meeting when his phone rang. A representative from Rep. Ryan Zinke's office was on the other line with news of a chunk of money available from the federal government - through...
When Hattie Batchelder was a freshman, she had no idea what BPA was. She just wanted to participate in more clubs. She thought it was some sort of after-school class with a focus on business that was just a Montana thing. After four years of participating in Business Professionals of America, Batchelder's learned, competed and traveled to two national competitions, one in Anaheim, California - where Batchelder and friends placed eleventh in the nation in a podcasting category about an episode...
Condon voters approved two levies the Swan Valley Elementary School Board put on May ballots. Just a little over $20,000 will be added to the school’s budget, about $10,000 into the general fund and about $10,000 for a technology fund, which the school didn’t have before presenting the technology levy to voters. The timing of voted levies across the state couldn’t have been worse in many cases. For Condon voters, the early-March announced levy was right before extra property tax bills were sent out by Missoula County and just before the annou...
Thirty-five years ago... Thursday May 25, 1989 Eighth graders excel in history project Five Seeley Lake eighth graders received 'excellence ratings' as this area's first participants in Montana History Day, an annual qualifying competition held at the State Capitol each spring as a preliminary to National History Days in Washington, D.C. Shawn Helvick and Jason Zebarth entered a group project on Camp Remini, Montana's World War II training camp for sled dog search and rescue teams. Melita...
It certainly wasn't a bus evacuation assembly, which was the reason Potomac School Principal Sarah Schmill gave to her staff and students for gathering in the community center on May 6. The Potomac Community Center was filled with Potomac students, teachers, representatives from the University of Montana's College of Education, the infamous UM mascot, Monte, and family and friends of Abby Stitt, who was being presented with the Maryfrancis Shreeve Award for teaching excellence, of which she had...
Voters in the Seeley-Swan and Potomac Valleys will have an uncontested race on their primary ballots that they are unable to vote in — for Public Service Commission District 4. This is due to a proofing error missed by both the state and the county that impacted about 17,000 ballots in the northeastern part of Missoula County. After the most recent redistricting cycle, voters in these valleys were reassigned to PSC District 5, not 4. PSC District 5 is not up for election this year and the election in District 4 is uncontested across the four p... Full story
Danielle Oyler has worked across Montana teaching kids and adults about living in bear country in her role as the wildlife stewardship outreach specialist with Montana Fish Wildlife & Parks. In front of a group of Seeley Lake Elementary School third graders at the Bear Fair, she said students in Seeley Lake have seen more bears on average than any other students at schools across the state that she's talked to. The next closest school is Lincoln. "There's a very good chance you're going to see...
Primary election ballots were mailed to Montana residents on May 10. The Pathfinder reached out to the 12 candidates running for state House and Senate seats that are relevant to Seeley-Swan area residents to ask them a handful of questions to help voters better understand their prospective legislators. After the decennial redistricting, new maps were drawn by the Montana Districting and Apportionment Commission in 2023. That prompted a new district for Seeley Lake, which now lies in House... Full story
The announced closure of Pyramid Mountain Lumber on March 14 sent shock waves through Seeley Lake that extended throughout the state and various levels of government. Concern for forest health, Montana’s timber industry and Seeley Lake’s economy and longevity were top of mind. Statements came out from Montana representatives at the federal level to local county commissioners, and solutions — from worker-owned cooperatives to private buyers to a tool launched by the state Department of Labor and Industry to help match laid-off timber worke...
Loose and sometimes aggressive dogs have caused problems for some Seeley Lake residents, leaving people wondering where the solutions lie. While Missoula County doesn’t have a leash law, there are ordinances related to controlling one’s dog. Dogs must be in clear view of their owner and the owner must be able to control and recall the dog at all times. Dog owners can receive a citation for having a dog at large. Also under ordinance, dogs must be licensed in the county, which lets authorities know the dogs received rabies shots. Missoula Cou...
The Powell County Community Wildfire Protection Plan is in the process of being updated and public meetings have been held across the county, including in Avon and Deer Lodge, for residents to express any concerns and provide input on the new plan. At a meeting in Helmville, residents and county officials listed drought, road maintenance and people that are new to the area and not as familiar with living close to fire as topics to address. The Powell County Wildfire Protection Plan is a...
New radar-operated speed limit signs were installed along Highway 83 in Seeley Lake. Bruce Friede, vice chair of the Seeley Lake Community Council, said Highway 83 is an easy highway to blast through, particularly around weekends in the summer when travelers might be just going through Seeley Lake toward Kalispell or Glacier National Park. Last summer when wait times were long for the Salmon Lake construction project, Friede said it got worse as people were likely trying to adhere to a planned itinerary. “When they picked up their speed they d...
Protect the Clearwater hosted two gatherings April 27 at the Seeley Lake Community Foundation building and May 1 at the Montana Natural History Center in Missoula. Both events were aimed at raising awareness about Protect the Clearwater's mission to safeguard Montana communities, waterways and ecosystems from the environmental threats posed by expedited permits for open cut gravel mines. The April event was a family friendly open house, featuring kids activities with drawing pages, edible...
The Montana Chamber Foundation’s Fourth Annual “The Prospects” youth entrepreneurship pitching competition fielded 280 applications from 32 middle and high schools across the Treasure State. A total of $40,000 in cash and scholarships from Montana schools was awarded. There were many categories this year including one directed at incentivizing childcare businesses which saw 20 creative ideas. With nearly half of our workforce impacted by the inability to find childcare, or affordable and reliable childcare, this is a priority for the Monta...
Thirty-five years ago... Thursday May 11, 1989 Librarian leaves after 10 years Swan Valley branch librarian Susie Cox received a "going away party" from her friends and family at the Swan Valley Library last Wednesday. Susie, her husband Al, and their two daughters are moving to Arizona this month. Susie left on Saturday to visit her aunt in California who is undergoing treatment for cancer. Part of the reason that the Cox family is leaving the Swan Valley is to care for Susie's aunt, who will...
Sometime between April 12 and 13, the potholes off Highway 83 that a driver had to navigate before entering the Seeley Lake Post Office parking lot were filled in. According to a Letter to the Editor the Pathfinder received, published in the April 18 paper, the "minefield of deep holes" was "neatly filled in and graded." The writer of the letter learned that a Post Office employee had left work on Friday April 12 and came to work the next day to see the holes filled in, and didn't know who had...
The Seeley Lake Sewer Board authorized Water & Environmental Technologies, or WET, to move forward with a feasibility study for a wastewater treatment system, which will assess things like the project’s schedule, cost, technology requirements and overall viability. While the timeline is uncertain, this step is one towards defining what wastewater treatment will look like in Seeley Lake, which could include different types of treatment in different areas of town. The engineering company expects the first four phases of the study, which i...
After making an offer to an applicant for Seeley Lake Elementary School’s principal and superintendent position, the school board had to reassess after the applicant declined the job. Stetson Spooner, current athletic director at the Mullan School District in Idaho, was the first candidate the school board offered the position to, and he declined due to some personal concerns about moving to Seeley Lake, School Board Chair Doc Welter said. Welter said Spooner didn’t bring up housing as a concern for the move, but did request a larger sal...
Curiosity led the way for Ovando artist Andrea Morgan to learn new ways of expressing herself through mixed media artwork. Morgan's lifetime of creating led to making and selling paper mache roosters and other animals in 2009. She upcycles paper maps, old encyclopedias and recycled books for the paper mache. She became acquainted with selling her work at Montana Made fairs and displaying in a few local galleries. Through an online art class in 2020, Morgan found another outlet for her curiosity...
The Dolly Varden Fire was reported at 1:50 p.m. on April 23 southeast of Seeley Lake. Now 100% contained, the fire reached one and a half acres. It was caused by a wind-driven escaped debris burn in an area under Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation responsibility, according to an update from the department. Four structures were threatened but because of quick responses from USDA Forest Service Seeley Lake Ranger District firefighters and seven engines, no structures were harmed. “The quick response and initial command of t...
Thirty-five years ago... Thursday May 4, 1989 'Mock' school disaster, Emergency personnel cope with over 20 injured children "There's none better!" That's what the Red Cross official, Duane Hawk of Kalispell, had to say when the exercise ended Sunday, according to Joyce Himes of the Condon QRU. Emergency personnel from the Condon QRU, the Swan Valley Volunteer Fire Department, the Seeley Lake QRU, Swan Mission Search and Rescue, Black Paw Avalanche and Rescue Dogs and hospital helicopters from...
Potomac School sixth through eighth grade students participated in the state National History Days competition in Bozeman in early April. Students presented their projects, all based around the theme of "Turning Points in History," to judges. Fourteen students qualified to advance to the national competition in Washington, D.C. June 9-14. Principal Sarah Schmill offered congratulations to all participations, who she said worked extremely hard on this year-long research project, and gave a shout...
On April 28 the Seeley Lake Leos and Lions cleaned up about two miles of Highway 83. The clubs, in partnership with Montana's Department of Transportation, undertake this clean up every year. Pictured here are the 16 people - five Leos and 11 Lions - that showed up to help. Students included Jalen Kauffman, Rilyn Richardson, Regan Jones, Bailey Bartlett and Hattie Batchelder, along with their advisor, Mary Stone....
Samantha Arroyo remembered Girl Scouts fondly when she was growing up in Seeley Lake in the eighties. As she recalled it, the troop meetings happened after school and the troop leaders were also elementary school teachers. There was a really active parent group at that time, Arroyo said, which also supported Boy Scouts and the Seeley Lake Lions Club. "But they've grown, their kids have grown, and a lot of them moved," Arroyo said. Arroyo and other parents are trying to get the next generation...
The Swan Valley Elementary School Board voted unanimously to switch to a four-day school week on April 9. A survey sent out to parents and community members before the vote showed strong support for the switch. Principal Angie Mock said the four-day school week seems to be the better model for Class C schools and it puts Swan Valley School in alignment with both the high school and elementary school in Seeley Lake where students in both districts share extracurricular activities. Swan Valley’s graduates also attend Seeley-Swan High School. T...
Editor's note: After press, the Pathfinder learned Stetson Spooner decided to not take the superintendent position offered to him by the Seeley Lake Elementary School Board. An update will be provided next week regarding the candidate who took the position — Christina Hartmann from Townsend Public Schools — according to the school's attorney. The Seeley Lake Elementary School Board voted unanimously to hire Stetson Spooner as the new superintendent and principal of Seeley Lake Elementary School. The decision came after a review of four can...
Two Seeley Lake organizations - Seeley Lake Elementary School and the Clearwater Resource Council - have received the full amount possible - $4,000 - from Missoula County through the Rural Impact Grant program. This program is intended for groups like community councils, nonprofits and schools to be used for projects that "enhance the quality of life" in rural Missoula County. Last year, the Seeley Lake Lions Club received funding from this grant to hire swimming instructors and the Potomac Scho...
The Missoula County Commissioners approved the proposal to adjust operating hours for the Seeley Lake garbage container site at their meeting April 18. The new hours will be Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., effective May 1. These hours will remain the same year-round. “I did outreach at (the) Seeley Community Council and through the Pathfinder,” Kim Myer, Seeley Lake projects and operations coordinator with Missoula County Public Works, said. “There was only one negative comment and I received many emails in favor...
Thirty-five years ago... Thursday April 27th, 1989 Kids enjoy a day at the Capitol Seeley Lake 7th and 8th grade students put their classroom government studies to direct use on April 18 as they toured state government in a "Day at the Capitol." Using the theme that "government is people," they met throughout the day with officials in all three branches of government. At the Legislature, local Rep. Janet Moore took the students onto the House floor and discussed current issues before the House...
The Seeley Lake Community Foundation’s Change Your Pace Challenge (CYP) is a month-long campaign for community-wide giving, motivating community members to donate to their favorite participating local non-profits, knowing the impact of their gift will multiply thanks to the CYP Match Fund. The Seeley Lake Community Foundation invites everyone to the Change Your Pace Challenge Kickoff Party on Wednesday May 1. Join us for an opportunity to mingle with local non-profits and enjoy lunch, sponsored by Republic Services. The event runs from 11 a...
The seasonal roads designated to open May 1 on the Seeley Lake Ranger District on the Lolo National Forest are now open. “With the unusual winter, roads have dried out earlier than normal and staff are out swinging gates open today,” said Quinn Carver, District Ranger, Seeley Lake Ranger District on the Lolo National Forest. “Staff will be starting at the lower elevations to open gates this afternoon. There may be a few at higher elevations that aren’t opened until the weekend.” The roads that are opening are typically closed seasonall...
The Seeley Lake Nordic Ski Club (SLNSC) has been selected for full funding from the 2024 Montana Fish Wildlife & Parks Trail Stewardship Program. This funding was requested by SLNSC for the second phase of our Seeley Creek Trailhead project. The second phase consists of constructing a sufficient grooming building at the trailhead to be used in conjunction with our grooming efforts. The first phase was completed late 2023, resulting in electrical service being installed to the Seeley Creek Trailhead. A new 1,300 square-foot secure...
At an April 5 meeting in Missoula, various parties interested in purchasing Pyramid Mountain Lumber — Seeley Lake’s largest employer, which announced its closure on March 14 — gathered to learn about potential funding mechanisms available for buying the mill and modernizing its operations. A couple of options emerged as paths forward: the mill could be purchased and modernized — costing somewhere upwards of $40 million, the low-end of the current estimate — or employees, loggers and various land owners could form a cooperative. Like many, whe...
For the first time in 12 years, Swan Valley School in Condon is presenting voters with two levies to vote on. A combination of factors like rising costs, increased need for technology to support education, a drop in enrollment and the loss of ESSER funds — money provided during the covid-19 pandemic to support schools — led to a general fund and technology levy to be presented to voters in a special election on May 7. “Our school has navigated the difficulties of staffing needs, the rising costs associated with maintaining a high standard...
MISSOULA, Mont. - Hale Devins, a second grader at Seeley Lake Elementary School, took first place in this year's 63rd Keep Montana Green statewide art contest with his striking depiction of this year's theme: "Go the Extra Mile Each Time You Burn a Pile." Second and third place were awarded to Madysen Lines of Browning High School and Logan Kellom of Hobson, respectively. The top three winners were selected from over 800 entries submitted by participating educators on behalf of their art...
Springtime in the garden often starts with big dreams and memories of the beauty and abundance from the past season. Here in Montana we get a break from gardening as our season is short and hopefully sweet. Often our spring thoughts turn to questions like: Is the fence high enough to keep the deer out? Will cardboard really work to quench the quackgrass? Do I have enough row cover for that mid-season frost that nailed the garden last July? Deer that aren't used to fence jumping can usually be...
Travelers on Highway 200 may have noticed the new cell tower near the Monture Creek Bridge, three miles west of Ovando. The tower was built in January by Bridger Corporation. "Construction will be completed around July," Jason Evans, Verizon site acquisition specialist said by email. "Service will be up soon after that depending on the fiber company's final install. The community should see service as early as this summer." A lease agreement for Verizon service on the tower has been filed with...
April showers bring May flowers, and also, quite likely, some mentally-earmarked spring projects. A handful of local businesses spoke to the Pathfinder about common spring improvement projects, things to keep in mind when embarking on a new project and the importance of septic tank maintenance. Tile and stonework Stan Davis and his wife Lacey, owners of Davis Tile, have been in the tile and stone industry for about 15 years. They started in California and brought their business to Seeley Lake when they moved a year ago. “We looked at the a...
Thirty-five years ago ... Thursday April 20, 1989 Two wrestlers win state medals Seeley-Swan turned in a great performance at the State. A.A.U. Wrestling tournament, a performance that culminated in two first place state championships for Seeley-Swan. The tournament, held in Butte, featured 900 of the state's best wrestlers. Unlike basketball and football, small schools are placed at gradient levels and do not get to compete with the big schools and 'AA' competition. Seeley-Swan met head on...
Swan Valley School is nestled in between the Mission and Swan Mountains and inside Jamie Matthew’s classroom, light from the east-facing windows glows beautifully. The wood on her reading loft seems to stand out in the 3 p.m. sunshine. Students had just been released, and Matthew hugged a former student in the entrance to the school before walking back to her classroom to talk about something she kind of hates talking about — herself. Matthew was designated the Montana Rural Teacher of the Year...
The Seeley Lake Elementary School Board voted unanimously on April 3 to change the school schedule from a traditional five-day school week to a four-day week structure. Starting next school year, the new calendar will include 29.5 hours of instruction each week, with a proposed schedule starting at 7:50 a.m. and going until 3:50 p.m. Per state law, schools are required to provide 1,080 hours of instruction — 720 hours for kindergarten through third grade — over the course of a school year at a minimum. The proposed school year will begin Aug...
Jamie Jima has both lived in Seeley Lake and driven for the Seeley Lake Community Foundation I Ride program for just over a year. In that amount of time, she’s covered 5,000 miles, bringing older community members to Missoula or to the local clinic in Seeley Lake for various medical needs. She started volunteering to meet people and introduce herself to the valley. “I have met lots of interesting women,” Jima said. “Some of the women who have been in this valley are very interesting … They have...
Thirty-five years ago ... Thursday April 13, 1989 County Canine officer on duty in Condon Robert E. Parcell has assumed duties as the new deputy sheriff in Condon and the Swan Valley area, according to Captain Jerry Crego, commander of the sheriff's office. Parcell began work here April 1 and he, his wife and children have moved to the Condon area. Parcell is Missoula County's only canine officer and he was in the Clearwater and Swan Valley's last fall giving demonstrations with his dog,...
The third season in Montana - construction season - has begun for drivers going to and from Seeley Lake. Montana's Department of Transportation and its contracting partner, Kiewit Infrastructure Company, has begun the last 30% of the Salmon Lake Highway Reconstruction project. Started last summer, the project intends to bring Montana Highway 83 up to current design and safety standards, said Lisa Gray, communications official with MDT's design consultant, HDR, via email. To meet those ends, impr...
More water testing done by the Seeley Lake Sewer District led to a conclusion that nitrate levels in the sewer district are related to human causes, something that has been questioned by the public and backed by the Missoula County Public Health Department for years. Now, the Seeley Lake Sewer District is focusing on moving efforts toward engineering solutions. The announced closure of Seeley Lake’s largest employer, Pyramid Mountain Lumber, one week before the sewer board meeting cast a shadow over the gathering, but some attendees saw the b...
Volunteer-organized Easter egg and treasure hunts brought color, candy and smiles to Seeley Lake and Condon....
All the way from London, England 2 Valleys Stage is proud to present the electric string band, Stringfever. Composed of siblings Ralph, Neal and Sophie Broadbent along with their cousin, Graham Broadbent, Stringfever are world class musicians playing five and six-stringed electric violins, viola and cello in a truly original show. Stringfever's unique acclaimed version of Ravel's 'Bolero' has all four playing on one cello simultaneously. Then they challenge the audience to play Name That Tune as they race through 20 of the best loved film...
Thirty five years ago ... Thursday April 6, 1989 Wrestlers do well at District Seeley Swan wrestlers made a strong showing at the A.A.U. District Tournament in Ronan last weekend qualifying the bulk of the team to advance on to the divisional tournament. In the district tournament wrestlers had to finish in the top six of their respective weight classes in order to advance to next week’s divisional in Missoula. Read this and more at: https://www.seeleylake.com/home/customer_f...
Both Seeley Lake and Swan Valley Elementary School Boards are discussing switching to a four-day school week. A couple nearby schools — Seeley Lake High School and Potomac School being two examples — have adopted the four-day school week schedule, and statewide, as of 2022, 222 schools operate four days a week out of 826 total schools, according to the state Office of Public Instruction. Staff, board members and parents at both elementary schools are weighing the pros and cons of making the switch. Factors like better staff retention and rec...
Ballots this year will include a variety of political representatives for people in the Seeley-Swan Valley to choose from as the calendar rolls closer to primary elections, and some opportunities for people to get involved in local boards or districts. So far, it doesn't look like voters in the Seeley-Swan will have any special district or school board elections to vote in, though the school board candidate filing period is open until March 28. Ballot language for things like levies could also b... Full story
The monthly Swan Valley Community Council Meeting on March 19 had reports from the Swan Valley Volunteer Fire Department and the Forest Service. In addition, special guest speaker Jim Nave from Montana’s Department of Natural Resources and Conservation discussed water rights in the Swan Valley. “The Swan Valley is one of the only basins in Montana that still has surface water rights available,” Nave said. “Other basins are closed for new surface water rights.” The Swan Basin encompasses the Swan River drainage to its confluence with Flathead...
The 2024 Montana BPA State Leadership Conference was held in Billings on March 12-15. One thousand three hundred and thirty five students and local chapter advisors from the middle level and secondary level attended in a spirit of friendship and goodwill. BPA Montana Association assisted the members through participation in the areas of competitive events, leadership, community development and professionalism. Students from 101 Montana schools demonstrated their knowledge in business and...
Thirty-five years ago … Thursday March 30, 1989 Records show February ‘89 coldest month in years SWAN VALLEY — Precipitation recorded at Lindbergh Lake in January was above normal, while February precipitation was about average according to weather observer Marty Kux. The most snowfall measured “on the ground” at Lindbergh Lake this winter so far was still about 34 inches of the white stuff on the ground. As he explained the weather data collected during the past two months, Kux noted that last month turned out to be the coldest February...
Pyramid Lumber Mill announced on March 14 that it will cease operations and close, ending 75-years in operation as a family-owned business and four generations as Seeley Lake's largest employer. In a press release from the mill, Pyramid Lumber listed labor shortages, lack of housing, rising costs, "plummeting" lumber prices and cost of living in western Montana as factors that "crippeled Pyramid's ability to operate." The company's board of directors and shareholders voted unanimously at their...
Seeley Lake Elementary School Superintendent Josh Gibbs will step away from his position at the end of this school year. His contract ends June 30. After four years at Seeley Elementary, Gibbs is taking a position as the principal at the high school in Colombia Falls, which he said is a step up in his career, but is also closer to both his and his wife's families in the Flathead area. "I love it here in Seeley Lake and I think the school and the teachers, all the staff, we've made great gains...
Proposed schedule changes at the garbage dump, Special Management Area updates and a forestry report on treatments at local campgrounds rounded out the Seeley Lake Community Council meeting on March 11. Garbage dump schedule change A proposed schedule change for the Seeley Lake Refuse Collection Site, or the garbage dump, led the Seeley Lake Community Council meeting. A 2020-2023 study of the number of site visits per day showed that Sunday had the highest number of site visits at 37%, Wednesday 33% and Saturday at 30%. The proposed new...
Thirty-five years ago ... Thursday March 30, 1989 Records show February '89 coldest month in years SWAN VALLEY– Precipitation recorded at Lindbergh Lake in January was above normal, while February precipitation was about average according to weather observer Marty Kux. The most snowfall measured "on the ground" at Lindbergh Lake this winter so far was still about 34 inches of the white stuff on the ground. As he explained the weather data collected during the past two months, Kux noted that l...
Dressed in traditional regalia with a sound mixer, projector and speakers set up in the Seeley Lake Elementary School gymnasium, Christian Parrish Takes The Gun said good morning to his audience. "Are you happy?" Parrish Takes The Gun, a member of the Apsáalooke tribe, asked. "Yeah!" the Seeley Elementary students replied. "Turn to your neighbor, shake their hand, and say I'm glad you're happy," Parrish Takes The Gun said. A moderately muffled but in-tandem response floated through the...
Riley Comstock, a double major Environmental Science and Sustainability and Journalism sophomore at University of Montana, accepted an internship with Protect the Clearwater (PTC). Protect the Clearwater a nonprofit founded in 2023 challenges Montana DEQ's actions as violations of the Montana Environmental Policy Act (MEPA), the Montana Public Participation Act and the Montana Constitution. The internship is funded through the Baucus Institute Climate Scholars program. The internship will be...
The Blackfoot Challenge hosted the first ever Winter Ski Day on the Blackfoot Community Conservation Area (BCCA) Feb. 24. "I spend a lot of time skiing on the BCCA in the winter and wish that other people were enjoying it too," Elaine Caton, Blackfoot Challenge Education Coordinator. Thirty adult and children winter aficionados attended the ski day on the Blackfoot Challenge property north of Ovando. Maps were distributed and small groups found their way by cross country skis or snowshoes on a...
A version of this article was first published in Mountain Journal, a digital magazine covering wildlife and wild lands in Greater Yellowstone. Arnold "Smoke" Elser is a storyteller, but he's not a big reader. In his office, tucked into a faded red barn built around 1900 in Missoula, Montana, an entire wall of shelves contains binders and books on wilderness policy and regulations. They're more work than pleasure for Elser; he waves them off with an air of modesty. It's the mules strolling by...
Thirty-five years ago... Thursday March 16, 1989 Accident free for two years Workers on the Pyramid Lumber swing shift who have worked two years without a lost time accident. From left, back row: Edd Nentwig, safety director, Alan Fuqua, Manuel Kesterson, Tammy Keenan, Jason Cole, Bryon Wieder, Joe Plumb, Joe Novak, Tom Montgomery, Austin Dillree, Tom Houtchens, Dave Sterling, Errol Evenson, Ron Brown, Greg Evans, Ted Wheeler, Lou Siloti, shift supervisor. Front row: Curtis Gehrke, Carl Gehrke,...
Marcos Arroyo said there has been a running joke in the Lewis family that he was born to inherit Deer Creek Excavating. "Arroyo" is Spanish for creek, anyway. As of Feb. 20, Arroyo took the helm of Deer Creek Excavating from his father-in-law, Gary Lewis, who took ownership of the company in 1990. Before that, Lewis's brother had the company - then called Wilderness Excavation - for several years. Lewis's father had it as Lewis Excavating prior to that, which was one of two excavating companies...
RV park owners want to share a wastewater system with Seeley Lake and many experts see it as a good option for the town's wastewater challenges. During last month's Seeley Lake Sewer District Board meeting, members heard about a type of wastewater treatment system possible for a new RV park south of Seeley Lake, which was presented as an option for wastewater treatment in Seeley more generally. This system - called a membrane bioreactor, or MBR - has garnered attention in the past couple of...
Protect the Clearwater, a nonprofit based in Greenough, joined other citizen groups in the Jocko Valley, Libby, Paradise Valley, Ennis and Gallatin Gateway to oppose the effects of new open cut mining laws established in 2021. The changes brought about by a 2021 mining law, House Bill 599, removed red tape and streamlined the gravel mine permitting process for applicants. Gayla Nicholson, spokesperson for Protect the Clearwater (PTC), gave an update on the nonprofit's work to stop gravel mining...
Seeley-Swan Search and Rescue were called to assist an injured snowmobile rider on the evening of Feb. 28. The injured 40-year-old man, along with two other people, were located above Marshall Lake. The injured person was in a “tricky spot,” Karl Zurmuehlen — one of the volunteer responders and owner of Kra-Z’s Snow & Water Powersports Rentals in Seeley Lake — said, but the rescue team, which included volunteers Kurt Friede and David Pitman and Search and Rescue member Kelly Darrow, had 40-plus years of experience riding in the area, so they w...
Thirty-five years ago ... Thursday March 9, 1989 Writers planning return trip Three national magazine writers were so enamored with the Seeley Swan that they are planning a reunion to return sometime this summer. Cindy Sanguins, who played host to the writers along with her husband, Ron, for the Seeley Lake Driftriders said the writers "loved the winter and now want to come back and see the area in the July summertime." The writers will be publishing stories this fall about Seeley Swan's snowmob...
On an overcast day in early February, Potomac School's outdoor track was covered in snow. Cows and horses stood on a property nearby and the sounds of cars whooshing along Highway 200 could be heard a few miles away. Corbin Weltzien crunched footsteps into the snow as he walked out onto the track. He started training on this track in the fifth grade and grinned as he talked about some of its more run down elements. Now a Junior at Hellgate High School in Missoula, Weltzien and five other athlete...
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is developing a new online registration system for participants to determine their place in line for vehicles on opening day of antler hunting season on the Blackfoot Clearwater Wildlife Management Area. Online registration will open a few weeks before May 15, the opening day. FWP is still deciding if a first come, first serve system or a random drawing will be the best way to distribute numbers for waiting in line on opening day. There will be phone-in options for those not using a computer. “This is year one f...
The Seeley Lake Fire Department is adding two new volunteers to its ranks and the addition of another paramedic makes it so the department is fully staffed with paramedics during the day at least five days each week. At February's Seeley Lake Fire Board meeting, Fire Chief Dave Lane said over the past couple of months there have not been any responses to filling open volunteer positions. But now the department has received two - one for a firefighting position and one for a chaplain. Michael...
Thirty-five years ago ... Thursday March 2, 1989 Good Times operating in temporary space following explosion The Good Times is open and temporarily operating out of space adjacent to its main retail space following a propane explosion last Wednesday. A wood stove inside the Good Times is believed to have ignited leaking gas while a propane delivery truck driver was filling a propane truck on the outside of the building where The Filling Station and other retail outlets are located. The Seeley La...
Seeley-Swan High School faces significantly less budget cuts than the three Missoula high schools after the Missoula County Public Schools Board of Trustees supported the school district administration’s budget plan. Business Director at Missoula County Public Schools Pat McHugh said the budget cuts are the result of an unfortunate combination of three different things: an anticipated reduction in ESSER funds — or emergency funding given to schools during the Covid-19 pandemic to help maintain staff — inflation; and growing special educa...
Swimming lessons are coming soon to Seeley Lake after strong community interest and instructor training. "We were finally able to hire a Red Cross instructor to come to Seeley Lake to train our instructors," Westin said. "It cost a little more but it's worth it to make the training process easier on our instructors, rather than them having to drive back and forth to Missoula or Kalispell at inconvenient times." Parents representing 96 kids responded in favor of swimming lessons in Seeley Lake...
The Seeley Lake Sewer Board discussed a model of onsite waste management at a proposed RV park in Seeley Lake, which could serve as a model for the broader community. Quarterly monitoring well data was presented and the Sewer Board approved efforts by Missoula County to monitor nitrate levels monthly. Continued frustrations regarding the transparency of public process surfaced at a Missoula County Board of Health meeting regarding Seeley Lake’s septic system future on Feb. 15, the same day as the Sewer Board’s meeting. At the county mee...
On the first day of February, the 2022 UltraRunner of the year was walking along Highway 83 in Seeley Lake. Adam Peterman, who won the 100-miler Western States Endurance Run in California and the World Trail Championship in Thailand in 2022 and who is a member of Run Wild Missoula, had just finished test running the new course for the Snow Joke Half Marathon - a 13.1 mile race held on Feb. 24 in Seeley Lake. Trisha Drobeck, executive director of Run Wild Missoula - a nonprofit devoted to...
After seven years as its leader, Rebecca Ramsey is stepping down as the executive director of Swan Valley Connections, a nonprofit in the Swan Valley dedicated to conservation and education. The executive director position will be broken into thirds, welcoming Luke Lamar, Sara Lamar and Ty Tyler into leadership roles focused on different elements of the executive director position, like conservation, operations, education, board management and fundraising. The Pathfinder reached out to the...
Ovando School recently was awarded $1,500 via the Bright Future Grant from Missoula Electric Cooperative. The grant is being used for Consumer Science and Home Economic classes for grades four through eight. Funds will mainly be used for supplies. "We're excited to have this grant from Missoula Electric for Consumer Science classes," Patti Bartlett, fourth through eighth grade teacher, said. "Sometimes being away from the books is a great way to learn." This fall students practiced sewing...
Missoula County Commissioners approved funding on Feb. 8 for improvements to the Seeley Lake Lions Park, or the Clearwater Park. Missoula County will provide $4,103 — the amount requested by the Lions Club encompassing the cost of materials — which will be matched by the Lions Club using money, volunteer efforts and donations. The match does not have to be a complete cash match. The total project cost is $8,223. “The Seeley Lake community has consistently supported the Lions Club’s efforts to maintain the park by generously contributing to vari...
Matt Rosendale officially announced his candidacy for U. S. Senate on Feb. 9. The current Republican representative for Montana’s second congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives will be up against Republican Tim Sheehy — former Navy SEAL and founder of Bridger Aerospace, a firefighting company based in Belgrade — in the primaries. The winner of that race will be on the general election ballot against longtime Montana Democratic Senator Jon Tester. Montana’s Senate President Jason Ellsworth, R-Hamilton, and Speaker of the Hou...
From 1989 February 16 OSCR Nordic races set for March 18 The OSCR race has been rescheduled for March 18, 1989. Approximately 70 skiers were expected to participate in the 45 kilometer Nordic ski race on Feb. 4, but dangerously low temperatures forced OSCR officials to postpone the race. The mercury dipped to -35 degrees F the night before the race, and rose only slightly by the 9:00 a.m. starting time. The OSCR committee decided that the race would be postponed if the temperature was lower...
Missoula County is seeking input to help identify needs and gaps in services related to public infrastructure and facilities, economic development, community services and housing. The public is invited to fill out a brief and anonymous survey online at missoulacountyvoice.com. The survey opens Thursday, Feb. 1, and closes at 3 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 15. This annual survey helps gauge the community's interests and funding priorities and identifies needs throughout Missoula County. The data gathered will help inform and guide the process of...
Under a sky threatening rain, Chris Lorentz was explaining to some Seeley Lake Elementary students what they were about to do. Tuesday before the Seeley Lake Biathlon on Feb. 3, Lorentz set up targets on the Seeley Creek Nordic Ski Trails and Friday the students were given a preview. "These are our local kids," Lorentz, race director of the Seeley Lake Biathlon, said. "I don't mind giving them a little bit of an edge." On Tuesday, the snow was thin, but Lorentz was confident in pulling off the...
On Jan. 31, about 30 people including Seeley Lake residents, nonprofit representatives and Missoula County government officials gathered in the cafeteria at Seeley Lake Elementary School to discuss the town's struggles and suggestions regarding tourism in the area. Glacier Country Tourism — recognized by the state of Montana as the official marketing and management organization for western Montana — started developing its destination stewardship plan in response to the covid-19 pandemic in 2021. Racene Friede, president and CEO of Glacier Count...
Roadside safety issues are at the core of upcoming changes to opening day for antler hunting. Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks (FWP) will be hosting meetings to discuss possible solutions to the annual opening day congestion at the Blackfoot-Clearwater Wildlife Management Area game range. New this year, antler hunters planning to enter the WMA in a vehicle will not be allowed to stage along Highway 83 and will instead register for a spot in line ahead of opening day. According to Montana law, a...
This year’s Snowball Dinner, a fundraiser for Scenic Montana Trails, was all about local businesses, sponsors, prizes and keeping dollars in the community. “Bottom line is our Snowball was a great success from pretty much every angle,” Tom Stanley, secretary of Scenic Montana Trails, said. Scenic Montana Trails buys fuel locally, as many parts as it can to fix any machinery locally and it pays groomers who live locally. “By and large, most of this money stays local in our effort to improve the recreational trails in the greater Seeley Lake area...
Thirty-five years ago ... Thursday Feb. 9, 1989 Centennial 500 Mushers headed this way Bruce Graham, Seeley Lake, will be one of several mushers competing in the Governor's Cup 500 sled dog race starting Saturday in Helena to Holland Lake Lodge and back. Renamed the Montana Centennial Sled Dog Race in recognition of the State's Centennial, mushers will be urging their dogs in the longest race in the lower 48 states. An endurance race, mushers will follow trails that exceed 7,000 feet in...
Montana's Race to the Sky, a sled dog race winding from Lincoln to Condon and back in either 100 or 300 mile distances, has been canceled this year due to lack of snow and out of consideration for the safety of mushers and their dogs. The race has only been canceled two other times in its 38-year history - once in 2021 because of the covid-19 pandemic and once in 2005 also because of lack of snow and icy conditions. Pam Beckstrom, Race to the Sky board member and volunteer since 1986, said it's...
The Seeley Lake Senior Center (Sela Senci) took a step into the future this month, launching its first-ever website, which organizers hope will bring more attention and fundraising to the center. Senior Center President Debbie Anderson said the center hopes to make it easier to access meal schedules, events and volunteer opportunities. The website, called seeleyseniorcenter.org, should be live as of Jan. 22. Suzette Baker made the website. “We’re trying to get the senior center into the 21st Century,” Anderson said. “There’s still a lot of se...
The Seeley Lake Rural Fire District Board heard remarks from its fire chief over a recent Pathfinder story, approved its spending, checked in call numbers and talked about potential grants during its Jan. 16 meeting. Dave Lane, the fire chief, said he has written a letter to the owner of the Pathfinder, Jesse Mullen, to ask for corrections and an apology over the Jan. 11 story, which said facts from Lane and the Montana Board of Medical Examiners do not match county records. “This last article was very slanderous with the lies that were publish...
Missoula County is applying for federal grants and seeks public comment in order to replace five weakened and aging bridges in the Blackfoot and Swan Valleys. Construction could begin by 2027 on Boy Scout Bridge, Riverview Drive Bridge, Sunset Hill Bridge, Glacier Creek Bridge and Cold Creek Bridge. Funding for the project is expected to come through two federal grants, Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) and the Bridge Investment Program (BIP), as previously mentioned in the Pathfinder. The total cost...
Alpine Artisans' 2 Valleys Stage is showcasing the Oregon “Glam Rock” duo, Champagne Sunday, on Sunday, Feb. 4 at 3 p.m. at the Swan Valley Community Hall in Condon. Husband and wife members Jessi and Jared Fredeen tear up stages and crowds nationwide with their unique, upbeat, roller-coaster-style shows, firing off gypsy-punk rock songs alongside everything from intimate tear-jerkers to anthemic foot-stompers, peppering their sets with compelling stories behind their music. Champagne Sunday is one of the rare original acts that performs wit...
Rural planning official speaks out Missoula County's future: timber, tourism, or both? Last May 14, the Missoulian featured coverage of the timber industry's Great Northwest Log Haul. Tucked innocently, but perhaps prophetically, into a sub-headline underneath this story was the notation to look on the following page for information for possible recreational opportunities on Lolo Peak. Five months later on Oct. 14, Forest Service Chief F. Dale Robertson admitted that "fish, wildlife and recreati...
The Missoula County Health Department now requires tighter standards for septic systems in the Seeley Lake Special Management Area (SMA) as officials said the best available data from the area shows any new permit would violate federal drinking standards. While the regulations are different, and no public process was held over the matter, the Health Department argued it has not technically changed the rules. The new guidelines require future buildings to keep nitrate discharge at a lower than...
The Ice Skating rink is now open to the public for the winter season. Garry Swan, President of Seeley Lake ROCKS, said the rink has developed great ice with the recent chilly temperatures. Rules for the rink are posted on the shed near the rink, but Swain reminded folks to hang up skates and helmets when not in use, shovel snow off the surface when needed and of course, to have fun. Swain and Seeley Swan High School senior Connor Chadwick do most of the maintenance. He also thanked Andi Bourne...
Two snowmobilers got stuck off trail above Marshall Lake on the evening of Jan. 13, prompting Seeley Swan Search and Rescue and Two Bear Air to extract them amid extremely cold temperatures. Seeley Swan Search and Rescue Chief Ken Brochu said the team got a call at around 5 p.m. that the snowmobilers were stranded. The temperature stood at negative 20 degrees, with wind chill of negative 35. That did not stop responders, as four members of search and rescue, Karl Zurmuehlan and an employee from Kra-Z Sports Rentals ascended the mountains with...
Highway 200 just after the Helmville turnoff stood closed for several hours Jan 21. after a massive pileup of cars halted any access to the road. Luckily, law enforcement reported no injuries with the incident. The Montana Highway Patrol reported early on Sunday that freezing rain created extremely dangerous conditions at mile marker 57 on Highway 200, about 1.5 miles east of the Montana Highway 141 junction. Traffic was diverted eastbound onto Highway 141, while westbound traffic rerouted through Highway 279 through Helena. The closure...
As an intrepid member of the Fourth Estate, I ventured out into the frigid night, determined to shine light on the Swan branch of the Deep State. Parenthetically, the Fourth Estate refers to the press. I’d never actually known what the first three are, so I looked it up (as older people say rather than Googling). The monarchy, barony (people with titles), and the Commons are the first three, with the fourth apparently keeping an eye on the first three. There is now a Fifth Estate, that being social media and other online sewage systems. When a...
The January community Council Meeting provided updates for the Seeley Lake bridge projects. Shane Stack, the Missoula County Public works director, said he feels confidence in various grant applications, letters of support from local people and organizations are still being welcomed to build a better application for grant money to construct the bridges in need. All letters are needed back by Feb. 9, in order to submit an application for a grant from RAIN (Rebuilding America’s Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity) which is due on F...
Thursday Jan. 26, 1989 Race to the Lake MUSHERS WAIT FOR THE OPENING GUN as they line the lake's edge at Holland Lake Saturday in the first leg of the 100-mile "Race to the Lake," run in two 50-mile legs on Saturday and Sunday. Here Ron Ogden, Seeley Lake WindWalker Kennels, gives instructions to Shawn Helvic in the driver's seat. Prior to the start, Ogden said, "I'm letting the kid run this year." Shawn, who lives with the Ogdens in Seeley Lake, did all right. He finished fourth in a field of...
An effort is under way in Western Montana to remove common barriers preventing older adults, people with disabilities and other vulnerable populations from getting vaccinated for COVID-19, influenza, respiratory syncytial virus, pneumonia and shingles. “People with disabilities experience significant barriers when attempting to access healthcare, information and services if those services are not designed to consider their preferences, needs and disability,” said Tannis Hargrove of the Aging & Disability Vaccination Collaborative at the Univers...
Through volunteer efforts, the Upper Swan Valley Historical Society (USVHS) has been delving into local history through word and deed for 36 years. Twenty-five years ago on March 10, 1988, the first meeting of the USVHS was held at Evelyn Jette's residence. Meetings moved to the Swan Valley Library and Librarian Fern Kauffman began recording and archiving local historical information. In the early days the work began with copying historical photos that people brought into the library. Gradually...
The newly-hired Flathead National Forest Supervisor said he's always admired the natural beauty and extensive wilderness of western Montana. Now he gets to oversee three district rangers across northwestern Montana. Anthony Botello has been working in the Forest Service for the last 35 years, starting as a wilderness ranger. He said he worked his way up from his field job to a program manager position and said he enjoyed leading folks in natural resource issues. Since 2010, he has worked as a...
Water data from the Clearwater Resource Council and the Seeley Lake Sewer District showed an area of concern near Riverview Drive Bridge and highlighted how sediments from burn scars and dirt roads can have an impact on the area's rivers and lakes. Clearwater Resource Council board members Jon Haufler and Karen Williams presented the information to an audience at the Barn on Jan. 9. While much of the data is complex and more analysis is needed, the group has a good understanding of where water...
January marks the beginning of the second year of the Missoula County Rural Grant Program, Commissioner Juanita Vero said. Both Micro Grants for up to $500 and Impact Grants for projects $501 to $4,000 are designed to support community projects outside of city limits. Missoula County has opened the second round of Impact Grants 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. Following a...
The Board of Directors of Swan Valley Connections (SVC) is pleased to announce a new leadership team following the departure of Executive Director Rebecca Ramsey. The organization is restructuring to welcome three managing directors to lead SVC into a more sustainable future. All three managing directors will guide the vision of the organization, with each managing director having an area of focus, and all three bearing responsibility for the success of programs, operations, and fundraising. The transition is in progress as of January 1, and...
Non-profit organizations are invited to submit grant proposals to the Seeley Lake Community Foundation for 2024 projects. Applications are due Jan. 31. The Seeley Lake Community Foundation helps local groups fund important community projects in the areas of: art & culture, community & economic development, basic human needs, education and natural resources & conservation. In this capacity, the SLCF strives to be a community resource and catalyst for innovative approaches to improving the quality of life of the Seeley Lake area. The SLCF awards...
Thirty-five years ago... Thursday Jan. 19, 1989 New building to house restaurant, Double Front Chicken plans Seeley Lake store Double Front Chicken, a 28-year-old specialty restaurant in Missoula, will soon be opening a Seeley Lake restaurant. Gene Herndon, owner of the Missoula restaurant, will be opening the one here in partnership with Kelly Piche who has been cooking at the Missoula store for the past 15 years. Herndon said that he's had a special feeling for this area dating back to 1955 when he started coming up here for hunting,...
County records show at least two facts used during the punishment of a Seeley Lake Rural Fire District Chief do not match Seeley Lake records from the 2022 incident, according to an independent review by the Pathfinder. Dave Lane, the Seeley Lake Rural Fire District Chief, was previously ordered to four hours of continuing education by a state board for his role in a March 2022 incident. The emergency ended with the department calling Life Flight to extract a patient after complications during... Full story
Alaina Barger won Senior Goat Showmanship at the Arizona National Livestock Show held in Phoenix, Arizona on Dec. 29-31. Competing against 78 exhibitors from 16 states, Barger was pleased to take home the championship prize. "Anyone can buy a fancy animal to compete with," Barger said. "But the attitude and motivation to compete in showmanship is available to anyone. Even a small-town girl like me can compete and win in Showmanship at the National level." The Arizona National attracted 1556 exhi...
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 Valleys are all experiencing record-low snowpacks, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. That could change this week, however, as several storms and arctic air will move into the region. Snowmobiling rentals and cross country skiing have been severely limited. And with fewer...
HELENA – January 2, 2024 – Starting this month, the Forest Service is accepting comments on reauthorization of existing outfitter and guide permits for the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex. “We are working with a team of specialists from the Helena-Lewis and Clark, Lolo and Flathead national forests to evaluate and reauthorize permits that are set to expire in April 2025,” said Rocky Mountain District Ranger Mike Muñoz. “Outfitters and guides help connect people with their public lands and we are looking for comments from the public that voice...
Thirty-five years ago... Thursday Jan 12, 1989 Weatherman watches Jan. snows pile up, It might be a 'regular' Montana winter, says Kux SWAN VALLEY–More than 30 inches of snow fell at Lindbergh Lake during the month of December, but that's still less than the 30-year average (33.3 inches) for the month according to Swan Valley weather observer, Marty Kux. The record high snowfall at Lindbergh Lake during the past 30 years was 84.8 inches in 1977; the record low was 10 inches in 1965. On Dec. 3...
This article has been corrected after inaccurate quotes from Rob Henrekin were discovered The wolf trapping season for much of Montana started on Jan. 1 after a delay from a lawsuit concerned for the safety of grizzly bears. With the open season, several trappers in the Clearwater, Swan and Blackfoot Valleys have started laying snares and traps. This fall, a lawsuit by two environmental groups halted the early trapping season, arguing that the baited traps have been ensnaring federally-protected...
Seeley Lake and the rest of western Montana has continued to see drier and warmer than average conditions, as mountain snow levels continue to stay below 65% of normal, according to the National Water and Climate Center. "We're in a classic El Niño pattern this winter," said Meteorologist Luke Robinson of the Missoula National Weather office. "There are some indications that it might change in mid-January, bringing some snow and cooler temperatures." The El Niño weather pattern is caused by warm...
One person died and two people were injured in a head-on car crash in Powell County on Friday, Dec. 22, according to the Montana Highway Patrol. At around 9:30 a.m., a Subaru Outback, driven by a 34-year-old man from Missoula, was headed eastbound on Highway 200. Road conditions were reportedly icy. Around mile marker 55, the car negotiated a left turn and then slid into the westbound lane. The driver of the Subaru then hit a Toyota RAV4 head on. The passenger in the Toyota, a 72-year-old woman from Great Falls, died on the scene. The Montana...
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Twenty years ago... Thursday Jan. 8, 2004 Public meeting Jan. 14 on Pyramid issue with DEQ There will be a most important public meeting at Seeley Lake Elementary on Wednesday, January 14th at 7: p.m., following an earlier meeting at 6:00 p.m. Anyone interested in the economic and environmental health of Seeley Lake needs to be in attendance. At issue is whether or not the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) places Pyramid Mountain Lumber on the Comprehensive Environmental Cleanup...
Seeley Lake skiers will notice a new blanket of light this winter, as the Seeley Lake Nordic Club successfully routed electricity up Morrell Creek Road to power three overhead lights at the trailhead and warming yurt. Laurie Shammel, who wrote a grant application for the project, said the project is the farthest electricity has reached in that area of Seeley Lake. She said the process was not easy, as grant money, Forest Service approval and installation all took months to complete. "It's been d...
Saving Christmas from the Wicked Wazzu took center stage of the Paws Up Bull Barn last Wednesday, Dec. 20, as the Sunset School put on a play to emphasize uniqueness and holiday laughs. The 11-student cast put on Santa and Wicked Wazzu by Tim Kelley. Toni Hatten, Sunset School supervising teacher, said the students have been working on the play since the start of October. "We begin reading it out loud as a class, multiple times, trying to figure out which role would be the best student's...
New monitoring wells drilled around the Holland Lake Wastewater System showed the two sewage lagoons have not contaminated groundwater, according to both the Forest Service and the Montana Department of Environmental Quality. Testing at the site started after DEQ engineers reported the wastewater system was leaking at more than 140 times the legal limit, or roughly 50,000 gallons of wastewater in one week. The state then issued a violation letter to Flathead National Forest, requiring monitoring wells, a new design and a rebuild of the...
A Ferndale man is facing one count of deliberate homicide after he allegedly shot and killed one person and injured two more earlier in December. Police took Matthew T. Vitek, 49, into custody on Dec. 10 after multiple callers reported gunshots near Cayuse Lane. When officers arrived, they found a person on the ground with a gunshot to the head. Tammi Jordan, 56, later died from the gunshot wounds, according to charging documents. Officers then heard gunshots from a nearby outbuilding. Officers entered the shop, followed by another gunshot by V...
The Seeley Lake Community Foundation is excited to announce two special, year-end grants. “As we move into the winter season, we are excited to be able to support two important projects that get people outside enjoying this special place we live, as well as bring people together to build community and celebrate Seeley Lake,” said SLCF Executive Director Claire Muller. The organizations receiving grants are: Seeley Lake Nordic Ski Club: $5,000 for maintenance of cross country skiing that is free to all. These funds will help with the exp...
Thirty-five years ago... Thursday, Dec. 29, 1988 Young inventor inspired by accident Kia Jette is probably the only 12 year-old in Seeley Lake that will be applying for a patent. She was selected as the 1988 state award winner for the "Invent America" competition with a design of an arrowhead protector. Kia's inspiration for her invention came when her brother, Jeff, had a serious accident with an arrow tip as he was assembling a razor-sharp tip into the shaft of an arrow. His accident required...
Students across the Swan Valley got an extra Christmas present this year, as the Swan Valley Library and Swan Valley School worked together to gift a book to each student. Swan Valley Librarian Jenny Kauffman said this is the second year the books were given out, but this year Kauffman and others handpicked each book from stores across western Montana. Each book was matched to a student by the teachers. Volunteers then wrapped each book and delivered the goods just in time for...
Longtime residents, visitors and those checking out the area for the first time descended on the Rich Ranch last Sunday, Dec. 17, to celebrate another year of appreciating Montana's scenic outdoors and acknowledge all the work area residents do for each other. The idea is that we opened up our home and our hearts to others to share our passion for Montana and its great outdoors, this is just an extension of that for the community," Jack Rich, owner of the Rich Ranch, said. "We are just part of...
One person died and two people were injured in a head-on car crash in Powell County on Friday, Dec. 22, according to the Montana Highway Patrol. At around 9:30 a.m., a Subaru Outback, driven by a 34-year-old man from Missoula, was headed eastbound on Highway 200. Road conditions were reportedly icy. Around Mile Marker 55, the car negotiated a left turn and then slid into the westbound lane. The driver of the Subaru then hit a Toyota RAV4 head on. The passenger in the Toyota, a 72-year-old woman from Great Falls, died on the scene. The Montana...
The Bureau of Land Management’s Missoula Field Office seeks public comment on a proposal to increase visitor fees at Garnet Ghost Town. The Field Office’s proposal includes raising the existing standard amenity fee and cabin rental fees at Garnet to levels consistent with similar amenities in the area. The current fee for visiting Garnet is $3 per person 16 and older; the field office proposes raising that to $10. Winter cabin rental fees for Dahl Cabin would go from $40 per night to $50 per night; rental fees for McDonald Cabin would go fro...
The students of Ovando's school transported out of Ovando, and even Kansas, to recite the Wizard of Oz story with a Christmas twist. The school play featured musical numbers, the classic cast of the hit 1939 movie - all meshed with Christmas characters. Dena Hooker of Ovando elementary said the event was a great success "It was an enchanting evening," Hooker said. "The students worked hard, as did the teachers and staff. Teacher and staff include Andrea Tougas, Patti Bartlett, Angela Williams...
Thirty-five years ago... Thursday Dec. 22, 1988 Endurance race from Helena to Holland Lake–and back! Governor's Cup 500 renamed for Centennial The Montana Centennial Sled Dog Race today announced the support of this event by the Montana Centennial Committee, Kessler Beer, Eagle Brand Pet Foods and Northern Energy, a Montana propane and appliance business. The race is scheduled to start on Saturday afternoon, Feb. 11, following the traditional Friday night banquet at Carroll College. This r...
Koozies, earrings, candles and more will take center stage in Seeley-Swan High School this Saturday, Dec. 16 as the high school business class opens up a market to sell their handmade products. The business class, led by teacher Michele Holmes, has been spending the semester researching and creating products that the students could grow into their own businesses, and in turn make some money from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Dec. 16. One of the biggest values Holmes looked at is passion. She said she...
Seeley Lake and much of western Montana have seen a decent amount of moisture, but temperatures have stayed well above average to limit snowpack and delay some winter activities. Winter road closures in the Seeley Lake Ranger District have been pushed back a week, the Lolo National Forest announced on Dec. 5. The transition to winterized roads will start on Dec. 11 and is expected to be finished by Dec. 15 - one week later than planned. "Winter has arrived on the Seeley Lake Ranger District,"...
Amid plenty of activity this weekend, the Seeley Lake Stocking party is hoping to give back to the community by providing free toys and time with Santa at the Seeley Lake Foundation building on Dec. 17. Seeley Lake stockings, now in its fifth year, was started to be a place for families to bring their children for good fun and a toy. Sheila Czifro, one of the founders, noticed there were plenty of events in Seeley during the winter, but not enough for children, especially those in need. “We don’t want to carry anything home at the end of thi...
Elden Leroy Rammell, 87, passed away on December 6, 2023, at Logan Health Medical Center in Kalispell, Montana. Services will be held at a later date. Buffalo Hill Funeral Home caring for the family. John U. Homen, 53, of Seeley Lake, passed away peacefully on Thursday, December 7, 2023. Arrangements are under the care of Garden City Funeral Home. www.gardencityfh.com...
Thirty-five years ago... Thursday Dec. 15, 1988 Residents contribute over $11,000 for this 'home' for books, response to new library is "overwhelming" Local residents are not shy about using the new public library in Seeley Lake, according to Loretta Cooper, librarian. The public support for the new facility has been overwhelming. "That's what kept me going," Cooper said enthusiastically. "People are coming in, they are using the library, and they are glad to have it." Cooper has been recording...
Gov. Greg Gianforte joked he would cut down the Capitol Christmas Tree himself with a chainsaw, but a feller buncher beat him to the punch and slashed a massive Douglas fir on Lubrecht Experimental Forest last Monday, Nov. 27. Gianforte and his wife Susan met with state conservation officials and local loggers to cut down the tree on state trust lands within Lubrecht. Gianforte said active forest management seen in Greenough will better the state's forests while keeping the timber economy...
A new communications tower could come to the center of Condon in the future, but little has been shared on what purpose the tower has, when it could be built or what cell services will be carried on it. The Pathfinder originally published the public notice of a new cell tower on Nov. 30. It is unclear why the notice was published. The tower would be owned by Harmoni Towers, one of the largest tower companies in America. Since the land is unzoned, there is no requirement from the state of... Full story
The Swan Valley Community Council approved its members for a planning committee that could solidify some regulations and zoning for the Condon area at its Nov. 21 meeting. The Community Council is working to update the area’s community plan for the first time since 1996, and this time it could include more powerful rules like zoning limits for the first time ever. Council member Grace Siloti asked the board to approve the list of nine people and a three person advisory committee. The planning members will be Luke Lamar, Johnny Simons, C...
The Seeley Lake Fire Department foundation is following tradition this year, as members put up their annual Holiday Angel tree. The Angel Tree, located at the Seeley Lake Fire Department, was started five years ago as a way to make Christmas magical for members of the community who need help with buying presents. . Parents who want to add an angel to the tree can go to the Fire Department and submit a form for their children to get a gift. They can submit information about their child to make th...
More than a dozen residents stood by the confluence of Holland Creek and the Swan River to hear from Forest Service officials and their plan to log and restore roughly 6,000 acres of land from Rumble Creek to Owl Creek. The field trip was part of the plan's public meeting, which featured experts in fire, forest health and wildlife. The Forest Service argued that the area needs alteration after previous managers suppressed fire for one hundred years, leaving thick stands at risk for wildfire and...
Non-profit organizations are invited to submit grant proposals to the Seeley Lake Community Foundation for 2024 projects. The SLCF awards grants of up to $3,000 for projects to benefit the area of Seeley Lake, MT. 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 & culture, community & economic development, basic human needs, education, and natural resources & conservation. In this capacity,...
Thirty-five years ago... Thursday Dec. 8, 1988 Seeley Lake Ranger District gets third award for effort This past summer the Canyon Creek fire on the Lolo National Forest came close to consuming an award winning bridge inside the Scapegoat wilderness. In the summer of 1987, Forest Service employees on the Seeley Lake Ranger District constructed a new bridge over the North Fork of the Blackfoot River. Using materials native to the area and no motorized equipment, the bridge crew replaced three spans of the 90-foot bridge, bridge abutments and...
The Seeley Lake Rural Fire District Board caught up on expenses and other happenings at the department, but some actions were hindered because of accounting errors discovered during its Nov. 21 meeting. The board also heard from a citizen concerned with patient care. The fire board did not meet in October, so the meeting was to approve expenses for the last two months. The board approved the September expenses, which reached over $70,000. That money paid for a new type one fire truck and new extraction tools. The October expenses, closer to a...
Cowboy Claus made his annual visit to the Ovando Christmas Fest for the 23rd time. He rode into town on Bill and Dena Hooker's faithful steed Nic, who has been carrying Cowboy Claus to the Christmas Fest for 15 years. This years' celebration on Nov. 25 included craft vendors filling the Ovando gym and Rob Henrekin's wagon with his team of black percherons ferrying visitors back and forth from downtown Ovando to the gym. Children's activities happened at the church and Christmas trees were...
The teacher shortage in Montana hits communities like the Seeley-Swan Valley hard, and that is particularly true with music teachers. The most recent music teachers for Seeley-Swan High School, Seeley Elementary and the Swan Valley School left for other teaching jobs after several years in the schools, leaving our schools searching to find replacements. Seeley Elementary was able to persuade former kindergarten teacher Sheila Devins, a 2022 finalist for Montana Teacher of the Year, to stay on...
The bridge spanning the Blackfoot River on Sunset Hill Road will be getting repaved, meaning the pass will be closed for a few days at the end of November. Missoula County said in a press release that the bridge will be closed from 8 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 29 to 4 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 30. The closure will last for as long as the construction is needed. There will not be any overnight openings of the site. The public works division of Missoula County will be replacing the driving surface for those two days. County engineers recommend looking for...
To kick off the holiday season, Alpine Artisans’ 2 Valleys Stage is presenting Missoula’s outstanding dance troupe, Bare Bait Dance, with their holiday show, The Night Before at Seeley-Swan High School on Sunday, Dec. 3 at 3 p.m. Founded and directed by Joy French, Bare Bait Dance is a professional, contemporary modern dance company. A 501(c)(3) non-profit, Bare Bait operates Westside Theater in Missoula. Now in its 13th year of producing professional dance concerts in Western Montana, Bare Bait Dance is bringing a little joyful creativity to...
Thirty-five years ago... Thursday, Dec. 1, 1988 Whitetail Cabins Burn One day short of one week after a grand opening, the new owners of the Whitetail Cabins five miles north of Seeley Lake, were awakened early Tuesday morning by a fire that claimed four of the twelve rental cabins that they recently purchased Two of the cabins burned to the ground with the exterior sides of two adjacent cabins charred and scorched to the point where they will probably be torn down rather than repaired. The...
Griffen Smith of the Pathfinder Several bridges in Seeley Lake, Greenough and Condon are in need of major repairs or replacements, but work on the bridges likely won't start until 2027 because of a lack of funding. That means the Boy Scout bridge, which was shuttered by the Montana Department of Transportation for structural concerns on Nov. 15, will likely sit idle until Missoula County secures state or federal dollars to replace it. Missoula County Public Work Director Shane Stack told the...
Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte met with loggers and state forest officials to cut down the Capitol Christmas Tree on state trust lands in Greenough on Nov. 27. The tree was located inside of a state timber sale, and loggers noticed the size and proportion early on. The tree will be taken to Helena where it will be lit in a formal ceremony next week. Check the Pathfinder next week for a full interview with Gov. Gianforte...
The Seeley Lake Community Council heard concerns from Missoula County about area septic systems, Seeley Lake Transfer Site improvements, and recycling program updates — welcoming many guest speakers in its monthly meeting on Nov. 13. Jeanna Miller, the Missoula county environmental health manager, raised concern of hazardous minerals in Seeley’s ground water. Miller gave a review of the nitrate contamination in Seeley Lake, how it works with septic systems and next steps the Missoula County Health Department can take to fix the issue at han...
Seeley Lake Elementary School will keep its technology, outdoor education, tutoring and other extracurricular activities after the school announced it received another five-year, competitive federal grant. The school won the Nita M. Lowery 21st Century Community Learning Center Grant, valued at $150,000 annually. Bridget Laird, a high school English teacher and former SLE teacher, wrote the application for the grant, which she also received for eight years beginning in 2015. While funding from the first grant ran out at the end of 2022, SLE was...
Scott Porter carries a tub of onions into the Seeley Lake Food Pantry on Nov. 16. Enough food to feed 60 families flowed into the Clearwater Valley from the Northwest Montana Veterans Stand Down and Food Pantry. The pantry has worked out of the Evergreen area in the Flathead Valley for the last 25 years. The group recently decided to outreach to the Seeley Lake area after it received an excess of food this fall. "We plan to keep working with the food bank in Seeley Lake and building that...
The Ovando School students and teacher's aide Angela Williams performing sign language while the crowd did the Pledge of Allegiance at the beginning of the Annual Harvest Dinner. The Harvest Dinner is put on annually by the So and So Club of Ovando. This year's dinner was highlighted by a high bid of $1700 for 2 dozen eggs donated by Norma Hughes Auctioneer Kevin Ertl and spotter Ben Slaght celebrate when the bid got to $1000. Rachel Bignell holds the eggs up high. All proceeds go to a fund for...
The Seeley Swan Hospital District Board discussed adding a new vaccine freezer, agreed to keep a safety deposit box at the bank and addressed other wear and tear at the Medical Center during its Nov. 14 meeting. While the board is still investigating whether a new A/C unit is necessary for the medical center, board member Martin DeHaven said the water damage in the ceiling from early this year was fixed. A second project focused on spiders found in the building. Any concerns of bugs or mold in the area have been put to rest, he said. There are...
Thirty-five years ago... Thursday Nov. 24, 1988 Shakespeare in Seeley The 11th Annual “Shakespeare in Seeley” produced by Seeley Lake Elementary seventh graders will hold a community performance Tuesday evening (Nov. 22) at 7:30 p.m. This year’s Shakespeare is “Macbeth,” a tragedy in which a Scottish nobelman’s and his wife’s greed and ambition result in murder and eventual deaths. The play is the final phase of first quarter social studies and literature with units of study on English language development, English royal history, and the cultu...
Dozens of residents circled the Seeley Lake Veterans Memorial on Nov. 11 to honor and remember all who had served. Now 105 since the first celebration of Armistice Day, leaders from the veterans community reminded those that freedom is not free, even today. "Many of (our veterans) didn't ask to leave their homes to fight on a distant battlefield. Many didn't even volunteer," Veterans and Families of Seeley Lake leader Barbara Knopp said. "They didn't go to war because they loved fighting, they...
Missoula County announced Nov. 15 that the Boy Scout Road bridge will be closed indefinitely because of structural concerns. The Montana Department of Transportation had already limited traffic on the bridge to three tons in August after a complaint by a nearby resident. After state-contracted engineers looked at the bridge in September, the state made the final decision that the bridge is not safe for traffic. The announcement came more than two weeks after the original timeline for the...
"The Valor Ride was a heck of a trip that I'll never forget," Curtis Friede of Kurt's Polaris said. "I learned that many veterans deal with complications from war every day. Not everyone's world is a fun, happy or safe place." Friede and other veterans completed the 5,337 mile Valor Side-By-Side Ride 2023 on schedule Oct. 10, taking 22 days to ride from Prudhoe Bay, Alaska to El Paso on the Texas-Mexican border. The 22-day trip was designed to increase awareness of veterans and their needs. The...
A Seeley Lake man will be behind bars for the next eight and a half years after he pleaded guilty in July to receiving child pornography. Charles Lief Isaacson, 62, was first arrested by Missoula County after he allegedly thought he was messaging a 14-year-old girl on social media. He planned to have sex with the fake minor in 2022, charging documents said. Isaacson still has two charges against him for sexual abuse of children active in Missoula District Court. U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich...
The future of the bridge on Boy Scout Road should be known sometime next week as the Montana Department of Transportation wraps up the analysis of its structural study. The results of the study, which was originally estimated to be published by Nov. 1, should decide whether to keep the bridge in operation, limit weight on the bridge or shut it down altogether. The bridge was built in 1937. The Pathfinder previously reported that the bridge has been a known concern by MDT and Missoula County for the last several years. “This bridge has been o...
After a Missoula District Court Judge blocked the state and a construction company from operating a gravel pit near Elbow Lake, lawyers for the two groups appealed the decision to the Montana Supreme Court, which accepted the appeal at the beginning of November. The Montana Department of Environmental Quality and LHC construction are hoping to reverse an earlier decision made by Missoula District Court Judge John Larson, which halted a 17-acre gravel pit and asphalt plant just south of Salmon Lake. Larson first granted a temporary restraining...
Thirty-five years ago... Thursday, November 17, 1988 Blackhawks are District Champs Saturday, Nov. 12, the Seeley-Swan girls basketball team played the Philipsburg Prospectors for the 12-C District Championship. The Hawks won the game by one point in regulation time (56-55). As Saturday night drew close to 8:30 p.m., the crowd began to cram into Big Sky High School's gym to watch the championship clash between the Hawks and the Prospectors. The two teams met twice during the regular season;...
The Deer Lodge School District unification passed 876-520 on Nov. 7. Rural areas in Avon, Elliston, Gold Creek, Precinct 2 (from Garrison to the Deer Lodge Fairgrounds), Helmville and Ovando voted against the proposition 156-290. “I hope it’s a good change and beneficial to all involved,” Kelley Knight, Powell County Deputy Clerk and Recorder said. “The cards will play themselves out eventually.” About 35% of registered voters participated in the election. According to Rick Duncan, Superintendent of both Powell County High School and Deer Lodg...
A Seeley Lake man was sentenced to five years in the Montana State Prison on Nov. 3 after he pleaded guilty to killing a Potomac woman while high on methamphetamine in a car crash last December. Kerry Glen Drew, 69, pleaded guilty to four felonies and one misdemeanor earlier this year as a part of a plea deal. He was driving westbound on Highway 200 on the night of Dec. 21 when he hit a group of cars parked on the side of the road near mile marker 18. The group of cars were attempting to pull a car out of a snowbank. Drew, who was intoxicated...
A Seeley Lake man will be behind bars for the next eight and a half years after he pleaded guilty in July to receiving child pornography. Charles Lief Isaacson, 62, was first arrested by Missoula County after he allegedly thought he was messaging a 14-year-old girl on social media, who he planned to have sex with, in 2022. Isaacson still has two charges against him for Sexual Abuse of Children active in Missoula District Court. U.S Attorney Jesse Laslovich announced on Nov. 8 that an...
The Missoula County Sheriff's Office has increased its number of deputies working in Seeley Lake and will have someone on patrol in the area at all hours - the first time in recent memory. Sheriff Jeremiah Petersen told the Pathfinder that starting Nov. 1 there will be at least one deputy on duty in the Seeley Lake area. The Pathfinder previously reported the sheriff's office had been short staffed and failed to replace two open resident jobs in Seeley Lake. After another failed search to find a...
A new project from the Flathead National Forest would do fuel reduction, logging and road management work on roughly 6,000 acres in the southeast area of the district, which officials said would help limit dangerous wildfires and increase forest health. The project stretches from the southern edge of the Flathead National Forest to Rumble Creek, with Highway 83 and the Bob Marshall Wilderness bordering the western and eastern sides. The area would also include Holland Lake and Upper Holland...
Rebecca Ramsey, Swan Valley Connections(SVC) executive director, welcomed 28 participants to their quarterly potluck and speaker series held at the Swan Valley Community Hall. "It's beautiful to see everyone together," Ramsey said. "At SVC we love to bring people together to connect them to each other and to the landscape to inspire conservation." The featured speaker on Nov. 1 was Emiline Kraus, a science and parks intern with Crown of the Continent Research Learning Center (CCRLC) in Glacier...
Key updates and information important to our community! The November meeting of the Seeley Lake Community Council will be held at the Barn (2920 Highway 83) on Monday, Nov. 13. Pizza will be served starting at 5:30 p.m., and the meeting will begin at 6:00 p.m. Planned speakers/topics are as follows: Review of the results from the Seeley Lake Community Meeting Missoula County Environmental Health Representative Solid waste management Missoula County Brownfields Program Possible Gravel Pit Update Possible Holland Lake Project Update Missoula...
Senior Center Halloween Bash The Seeley Lake Senior Center (Sela Senci) had a Halloween Bash on Tuesday, Oct. 31. They had a contest for the best costume. The winners were: 9th place, Jerry Posthunus, 8th place Eldon Barbieri, 7th place Rockey Kennedy, 6th Marlene Bartlett, 5th place Rachel Wilkinson, 4th place Barb Knopp, 3rd place Boyd Gossard, 2nd place Althea Garland, and 1st place went to Doug Richards. After lunch a game of bingo was played. Everyone had a great day. About 20 people came...
Thirty-five years ago... Thursday, November 10, 1988 New Outdoors Program Hundreds of youth are exploring nature and firearm safety through new 4-H wildlife and shooting programs. There are wildlife programs in about half of Montana’s counties now according to Mike Cavey, Montana State University Extension Service project coordinator. They plan the programs in all of Montana’s counties as soon as there are enough volunteer leaders. As long as there is a group of 10 or more people, the project will go anywhere in the state to train them. The...
The two dogs that attacked a goat and fed on a deer carcass while on the loose for multiple days last month have been located and the owners have been fined. Two animals, one white and one black husky, caused trouble near the Seeley Lake Airport, challenging residents’ dogs and attacking livestock. Missy Kesterke reported that her goat was badly mauled, but she said the goat is expected to survive. The two dogs were later located outside of Seeley Lake. Missoula County Animal Control did not disclose where. The owners of the dogs received f...
When Sandi Hilderman looked through her late brother's possessions, she found a package with hundreds of handwritten pages in a manila envelope. They were his stories from his career as a wildland firefighter. "This is a story he never told our parents, although we knew he got injured," Hilderman said during a book tour in Condon on Oct. 25. "But it is a story about a fire and how he was trapped in one of them." Her brother, Robert Ritchey, served as a wildland firefighter for decades at the...
Kyle Peltier from Seeley Lake prepared for the Appalachian Trail (AT) as his second leg of hiking the triple crown last winter, but he didn't know how different it would be from the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) he hiked in 2021. Nearing his 23rd birthday, Peltier has hiked 4,853 miles in the past few years. "The AT is basically some hiking with glorified rock climbing while carrying a 30 pound backpack," Peltier said. "The AT is basically an obstacle course." According to Peltier, the terrain...
Missoula County has announced a later property tax due date after officials said the state sent tax roll information late. The new deadline for property tax bills will be Friday, Dec. 8, according to an Oct. 25 press release. Paper bills must be postmarked by the date. Usually tax bills must be sent to the county by Nov. 30. With the delay, bills are reaching residents the first week of November. Although residents will get a physical bill, the county encouraged those who could to pay online at missoulataxes.us. People can also drop off their...
Glacier Country Tourism, the official tourism marketing, management and stewardship organization for Western Montana, is seeking applicants for positions on its volunteer board. Applicants must live in Glacier, Lake, Lincoln, Mineral, Missoula, Ravalli or Sanders counties, and work in a tourism-related business or organization. “Now more than ever, this is an important and dynamic time to be in the tourism industry,” says Racene Friede, Glacier Country Montana President and CEO. “Hundreds of businesses in our eight-county region depend on to...
When then-sixth grader Nic Little Coyote heard about the logo contest for Seeley Lake Elementary he decided he would submit a design. Eagles are sacred in his Northern Cheyenne culture and he enjoyed drawing. Now six years later, Little Coyote's logo continues to be a symbol of SLE school pride. The Seeley Lake Elementary Parent Teacher Club adopted the logo and is now offering SLE Spirit Gear. Little Coyote was raised on the Northern Cheyenne reservation in Lame Deer, Montana. He moved to Seele...
Missoula, Mont., October 19, 2023—Beginning today, the Lolo National Forest is accepting applications for 60 permanent seasonal jobs through November 22. These positions are being filled as forestry aides and technicians who will work in a variety of natural resource and recreation functions and can make a difference by helping to reduce the threat of wildfires, improve habitats for wildlife, decrease the spread of invasive plant species, enhance visitor experiences, and so much more. These positions are ideal for individuals who are d...
I had an invitation from a friend to do one last float before he put his boat up for the season. The weather was due to turn cloudy and cool. We were looking for a blue-winged olive mayfly hatch to bring some fish o the top, and a day of fry fly fishing to top off our season. Before our schedules cleared, a midweek chance of rain prediction morphed into four inches of snow and a stretch of chilly – or downright cold – days to go with it. I used to be up for launching and loading a raft in tho...
Thirty-five years Ago... 4-Wheelers donate to ambulance Officers and several members of the Five Valley 4-Wheelers club in Missoula came to Seeley Lake last Thursday bearing a gift for the Seeley Lake QRU (Quick Response Unit). Mike Whitman, president of the 4- Wheelers, presented Cindy Lewis, RU president, and other QRU members with a check for $1,000. The donation was made during a regular meeting of the QRU. The 4-Wheelers sponsor the 4th of July Mud-0-Rama held each year at the Wilderness...
The Swan Valley Community Council is going ahead with a long-term process to add potential zoning and community plans to the area, which split the crowded room over what would be appropriate to keep landowner rights. The council also heard a plan to get 24 hour coverage from the sheriff's department, got an update from its Montana State legislature representatives and listened to the community club during a two and a half hour meeting on Oct. 17. Missoula County Planner Andrew Hagemeier told...
The inside of Seeley-Swan High School's auditorium has been transformed into an eerie maze, and the school's drama class hopes to get locals screaming during a one-night haunted house special on Oct. 27. The drama class, led by teacher Katy Pellett, spent the last several weeks designing a maze and building different exhibits that the unsuspecting guests can walk through. Each room has a different theme made by the students, featuring the scariest masks the group can find. "I got a full class...
New Bear Buffer Zone regulations will go into action after Missoula City Council finalized the decision to expand the zone, including new regulations around garbage storage in the Potomac Valley. Potomac will be requiring bear resistant garbage cans by Sept. 1, 2024. The ordinance revising the Missoula municipal code will be instituted over a three phase multi-year plan. The proposed rules are an outcome of the work of the Bear Smart Working Group, which is a public-private partnership of bear experts, agency representatives, and concerned...
A leakage study determined the Holland Lake Wastewater System has been spilling sewage at a very high rate into the surrounding ground, an issue that the Forest Service said will be fixed under state guidelines. If the Forest Service does not complete the necessary maintenance deadlines, it might face legal trouble with the Montana Department of Environmental Quality, which said in an Oct. 18 letter that some fines associated with the lagoon could run up to $10,000 per day. The study showed that...
The beauty of glass drew Sheri Burden’s curiosity to explore the art and craft of stained glass 40 years ago. Buying a book and supplies for her new passion gave her the start she needed. “My inspiration comes from what I see around me,” Burden said. “I see something like the beautiful fall leaves we’ve had this season and made stained glass leaves that have been very popular.” Burden is a stained glass artisan from the Swan Valley. She was one of several artists who participated in the Tour of the Arts on Oct. 14 and 15. The Alpine Arti...
Seeley Lake, Montana – The Clearwater Resource Council (CRC) recently released a report on the findings of its water quality monitoring over the past two years. CRC collected water samples from six lakes in the Clearwater Valley in 2021 and 2022: Lake Alva, Lake Inez, Placid Lake, Salmon Lake, Seeley Lake and Big Sky Lake. The community of Seeley Lake has no central sewage system, relying on individual septic systems. This has led to concerns that groundwater may be contaminated from poorly functioning or concentrated densities of septic s...
Alpine Artisans’ 2 Valleys Stage opens their 2023 season with a community concert on Sunday, Oct. 29 with the exciting San Diego band, Jarabe Mexicano. This five-person Mexican American band will be presenting Dia de Los Muertos: “A Celebration of Life” with music and stories that highlight the importance of family connections and the power of cultural remembrance for Latinos and their descendants. Their electrifying performances show how this multi-generational ensemble embraces change while still honoring the past. These celebrations can take...
Thirty-five Years Ago... Thursday, October 27, 1988 Local Artist's work accepted for New York City art show By Suzann Vernon Seeley Lake artist, Jeff O'Boyle, creates paintings based on his views of the Montana landscape -the fallen leaves of autumn; the wild birds near the lake; the rippling water of the Clearwater River. The American Artists Professional League recently accepted one of O'Boyle's paintings, called "Autumn Groundcover", for display during their annual show. The prestigious organ...
The owner of the Holland Lake Lodge announced he will not continue a partnership with a Utah company to expand the resort and plans to sell the site. Christian Wohlfeil told the Pathfinder on Oct. 14 he has revoked his request to the Forest Service to expand or transfer ownership to the Utah-based resort company POWDR. The lodge is now for sale, and Wohlfeil hopes to find a buyer before the next business season starts. Wohlfeil said the decision came from two reasons: the inability to complete...
A leakage study determined the Holland Lake Wastewater System has been spilling sewage at a very high rate into the surrounding ground, an issue that the Forest Service said will be fixed under state guidelines. The study showed that the wastewater system had leaked 19.5 inches of effluent over eight days. The state-approved leakage is six inches per year. That's roughly 148 times the legal limit. “This excessive leakage constitutes a discharge without a permit in violation of the Montana Water...
Seeley Lake, Condon and Ovando schools welcome several new educators for the 2023-2024 school year. Seeley Lake Elementary had two new teachers join its staff: third-grade teacher Ali Williams and first-grade teacher Janet Kiely. Swan Valley Elementary welcomed Angela Mock as its new principal. Seeley Swan High School has recruited two new teachers as well: Warren Bunde and Lori Skyrud. Former SLE science and math teacher Patti Bartlett joined the Ovando School staff. Angela Mock is a 17-year...
The Seeley Lake Community Council heard new plans for the Clearwater Resource Council, clarification on current Sewer Board actions and added a new council member at its Oct. 9 meeting. Dave Torrell, the new executive director from CRC, said the group has had some leadership changes over the last few years, and his goal is to get the organization more involved in local projects about the environment. “This valley is prime for issue-based programming for several reasons,” Torrell said. He said Seeley Lake’s want to stay rural while respe...
There is a common thread of community care and support for Veterans, Seniors and the community between the Seeley Lake Senior Center, Food Pantry, Veterans and Families and others. After meeting Barb Knopp, President of Seeley Lake Veterans and Families, when she visited the Deer Lodge Southwest Montana Food Pantry to pick up 80 bags of meat for Seeley veterans, the Deer Lodge Pantry wanted to do a food distribution in Seeley Lake. "A 600 pound food donation on Sept. 23 by the Deer Lodge...
The woman accused of starting multiple fires near propane tanks in Seeley Lake had gotten into an argument at the Chicken Coop, bought fire starter from Roveros and tried to burn down multiple structures because “she was so upset with what happened with the people of Seeley Lake (that) she needed to do something to show them she was unhappy.” Makayla Dembowski, a resident of Idaho, had been waiting on a load of wood from Pyramid Mountain Lumber, and decided to do some drinking in her vehicle before walking across Highway 83 to the Chicken Coo...
Two dogs around Seeley Lake drew concerns from residents after the animals attacked a goat and caused other problems for multiple-days. The two dogs, both huskies, were first reported by Missy Kesterke, who watched the pair attack her goat on Oct. 8. Kesterke said her goat Dixie is still alive and recovering. The dogs have been sighted several times after that, most notably eating a deer carcass, harassing horses and other livestock and chasing someone’s cat up a tree. The dogs were promptly reported to animal control. Missoula County Animal C...
Sparrow's Vine held its annual banquet on Friday, Oct. 6 at the Seeley Lake Community Hall. This marked their 13th year as a Parenting and Pregnancy Resource Center. A delicious BBQ meal with all the trimmings was enjoyed by the crowd. The "dessert dash" that followed had everyone scrambling for wonderful baked goods. Board Chair Debbie Anderson gave a short report of the year and a brief history of the reasons why the group have a parent resource center. Kayla Binder shared her experiences...
While the title alone should interest us in Christopher Preston’s latest book, I found it to be a remarkable and engrossing read. Once started, it is difficult to put down, and for those of us in our valley who live close to nature, it is optimistic as well as cautionary, and challenges us in surprising ways. Preston will be reading from his new book, “Tenacious Beasts” at Alpine Artisans’ Open Book Club 7 pm, Oct. 21 at the Seeley Lake Foundation Building. The event is free and everyone is welcome. Species which have rebounded against overwhel...
The Seeley Swan Hospital District Board met with the future neighboring RV Park executive director, announced a new doctor joining the clinic and agreed to continue to look into needed maintenance to the air conditioning and water damage. Lazy Acres RV Park Executive Director Brandon Grosvenor told the board during its Oct. 10 meeting that he intends to be a good neighbor and hopes the two agencies can have open communication about potential issues. The hospital board previously sent a letter expressing concern over the covenants of the...
Thirty-five years ago... Thursday, October 20, 1988 Swan Valley girl recognized for 'superior talent,' poem to be published in national book. Tracy Kearney, Swan Valley 15- year-old, recently received notice that one of her poems will be published next spring in a book titled "Days of Future Past" published by the National Library of Poetry. The publication is considered to be a major poetry anthology which showcases the most popular poets and songwriters in America today. More than 20,000...
An Idaho woman has been charged with one count of felony arson after she allegedly started a fire near a propane tank at the Chicken Coop and Mission Bible Fellowship Church. McKayla Dembowski, a resident of Idaho, was picked up for arrest on Oct. 3 after an argument at the Chicken Coop led Dembowski to light a flannel jacket on fire and heave it towards the propane tank near the restaurant. Alcohol is suspected to play a role in the incident, Missoula Justice Court Judge Alex Beal said. He also said Dombowski works for one of the food...
The owner of the Holland Lake Lodge announced he will not continue a partnership with a Utah company to expand the resort and plans to sell the site after he said he received numerous hate mail and death threats, the Missoulian first reported. Christian Wohlfeil told the Missoulian he has revoked his request to the Forest Service to transfer ownership to the Utah-based resort company POWDR. The decision comes a little more than a year after the plans for expansion were announced. The lodge came...
As an educational therapist specializing in special education, Trish Schreiber found that students excel when they have individualized learning plans. "Every student I worked with in private practice needed something different than what was being offered," Schreiber told the Pathfinder. "Whether it was a traditional school or private school it really didn't matter. My work also involved helping families find the right placement for their students." Trish Schreiber, a resident of Helmville and...
More than 40 parents, educators and citizens met Oct. 3 with the Powell County education officials in the basement of Helmville School to discuss concerns that taxes for the high school could rise in rural districts by combining the Deer Lodge Elementary and High School districts. The Deer Lodge unification plan would combine Powell County High School with Elementary District #1, or Deer Lodge Elementary, to create one district. Joint superintendent Rick Duncan said would save costs and not...
The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) will complete mastic patching on Montana Highway 200 (MT 200), scheduled to begin on Thursday, Oct. 12. Work is anticipated to last for approximately two days, weather and other factors permitting. Mastic is used to patch, seal or fill gaps on the roadway surface. The purpose of this maintenance project is to extend the service life of the roadway. The project area begins east of Potomac Road and continues for six miles, ending just past Paws Up Ranch. Traffic control will be in place while crews...
Griffen Smith of the Pathfinder Missoula County Public Health has ordered the Forest Service to reapply retroactively for a permit to operate a wastewater lagoon for the Holland Lake Lodge and its neighboring campgrounds after it violated county code. To get the permit, the health department said the Forest Service must get Montana Department of Environmental Quality approval. Any changes, additional structures or streams added to the system since 2001 must be revealed too, the letter said. The...
"When you run a regular race, it's all about you," said Teresa Petterson, organizer for the first "dryland mushing" competition held in Seeley Lake. According to her, when a person runs a race with a dog, there are so many other things that can go wrong, and still no one else to blame. However, when it works, she explained, there is nothing like "the connection that you have running as a team. I live for this!" Petterson's feelings were shared by everyone in attendance at the Seeley Lake...
More than 70 runners from across Montana convened at the Potomac Greenough Community Center on Oct. 7 to raise money for the community by running into the misty morning and competing in the "Hole in the Wall Hustle" for its second year. The race featured a 13K, 5K and debuted a mile-long run to help raise money for the community center while getting locals and visitors out on the scenic roads of Potomac. "If nothing disastrous happens this year, I am sure it will be fantastic," said Katie...
Thirty-five years ago... Thursday, October 13, 1988 Opposed to seatbelt law In a few weeks we will be going to the polls and voting for candidates and initiatives that are on the ballot. Initiative No. 110 will be on the ballot. This initiative will repeal the Montana Seatbelt Use Act. The Montana Seatbelt Use Act requires the occupants of a motor vehicle to wear a fastened seat belt. If caught without fastened seatbelts the driver will be fined for all occupants unbelted in the vehicle. Please...
The Seeley Lake Rural Fire District Chief must complete four hours of continuing education after the Montana Board of Medical Examiners ruled he acted unprofessionally during an emergency call in March 2022. Dave Lane, who has been chief since 2018, was adjudicated by the Montana Medical Examiners Board on Sept. 29 for a call he responded to on March 4, 2022. The board originally recommended action on Lane's case during a private hearing in October 2022. In the case, a Seeley Lake woman was...
Missoula Public Health has ordered the Forest Service to reapply retroactively for a permit to operate a wastewater lagoon for the Holland Lake Lodge and its neighboring campgrounds after it violated county code. To get the permit, the department said the Forest Service must get Montana Department of Environmental Quality approval. Any changes, additional structures or streams added to the system since 2001 must be revealed too, the letter said. The wastewater lagoon sits roughly 1,000 feet...
Two homes of Seeley Lake residents took significant damage last week, and at least one family is in need of a new place to live. One fire on Sunday, Sept. 24, destroyed much of the home of Jim and Wendy Leetch. Their daughter Amber Leetch, her boyfriend Justin Cahoon and cousin Sheree woke up their neighbor yelling fire at around sunrise. The fire departments from Seeley, Condon and Ovando arrived on scene and stopped the blaze from reaching the bedrooms of the house, but much of the living room and kitchen are lost, Amber Leetch said. Fire...
Curt Friede of Kurt's Polaris Seeley Lake is on the adventure of a lifetime, primarily to raise funds and awareness for active duty and veteran suicide prevention. Starting in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, Friede and his team drove their side-by-sides nearly 500 miles a day through Alaska, Yukon Territory and British Columbia on the way to Seeley Lake, arriving Sept. 24. From Seeley they will continue mostly by gravel road on their way to El Paso, Texas. "The cause for the ride is to promote awareness...
Showcasing a real-life project where the Colt Fire and a forestry management unit interacted was the purpose of a tour held Tuesday, Sept. 26 on the burn area. Attendees included regional Forest Service, DNRC and BLM personnel plus members of the Montana Forest Action Advisory Council. "Fire doesn't stop at fence lines and property boundaries, and forest and fire management shouldn't either," said Quinn Carver, Lolo Forest Service district ranger. "We always get more done working together than...
The wastewater system near Holland Lake Lodge might have been leaking since 2005, and photos show large rips in parts of the lagoon's liner from last year, according to letters and photos requested through the Freedom of Information Act by the nonprofit Save Holland Lake. The nonprofit shared several obtained photos and correspondence between Forest Service engineers and technicians working on the two-cell lagoon roughly 1,000 feet from the Holland Lake Lodge. Meanwhile, Missoula County told...
Key updates and information important to our community! The October meeting of the Seeley Lake Community Council will be held at the Barn (2920 Highway 83) on Monday, Oct. 9. Pizza will be served starting at 5:30 p.m., and the meeting will begin at 6 p.m. Planned speakers/topics are as follows: • Introduction of New Council member Jeanette Smith • Clearwater Resource Council - Dave Torrell • Highway 83 Construction Update • USFS Update - Quinn Carver • Seeley Sewer Update - Bill Decker • Bear Smart Working Group Update Other topics may come up...
This is the third article in our Bear Smart series for residents of the Clearwater Valley. We invite everyone interested to join our community-wide efforts to reduce bear-human conflicts. Our first article summarized the mission and efforts of the Clearwater Bear Smart Working Group and our second article explained the Bear Smart community concept and the history of the Bear Smart movement. Let’s focus now on how September and October are critical months for bears. During fall bears need to maximize their body condition (fat) in order to s...
If you’ve lived in this area for an appreciable period of time, you’ve likely been to Holland Falls. It is neither an easy or an onerous hike, with spectacular views, great photo ops, and the excitement and sound track of the falls. When the call came to the Condon Quick Response Unit (QRU), our phones screeching the alert, the message related a young person with a medical issue tucked up under Holland Falls. Not too bad, I thought, a nice evening, not unduly hot. As I drove to the trailhead, I began to realize that it was getting dark. I met T...
Our family has been part-time and full-time residents in Seeley Lake since 1969. Beginning part-time with a cabin on Boy Scout Road, situated on Seeley Lake and now full-time residents (except for snowbird time in Arizona) on Salmon Lake. A lot has changed in the previous 10 years and one of the enjoyable connections we have with Arizona residents and visitors is an active sport taking over America called Pickleball. Once considered a silly name, it is now considered a serious sport and...
Twenty years ago... Thursday, October 9, 2003 4-H Kids celebrate success at County Fair The Seeley Lake Trailblazers 4-H club had another very successful year at the Western Montana Fair. The members competed in many areas and brought home numerous trophies and ribbons. October is the beginning of the new 4-H year and anyone interested in joining the club is welcome. 4-H offers a wide variety of projects in almost every area of interest....
Paving the four mile section of Highway 83 on Salmon Lake started Monday, Sept. 25, after design setbacks slowed construction of the road and could set up a tight window to finish work before winter. Paving is set to take two weeks, with weather and other factors permitting, according to public information officer Lisa Gray. She said even in the case of a snow event, the road will stay open. "The road will remain open, and the driving surface will be asphalt," Gray said in an email when asked...
The Seeley Lake Rural Fire District Chief must complete four hours of continuing education after the Montana Board of Medical Examiners ruled he acted unprofessional during an emergency call in March 2022. Dave Lane, who has been chief since 2018, was adjudicated by the Montana Medical Examiners Board on Sept. 29 for a call he responded to on March 4, 2022. The board originally recommended action on Lane's case during a private hearing in October 2022. In the case, a Seeley Lake woman was...
The wastewater system near Holland Lake might have been leaking since 2005, and photos show large rips in parts of the lagoon's liner from last year, according to letters and photos requested through the Freedom of Information Act by the nonprofit Save Holland Lake. The nonprofit shared several obtained photos and correspondence between Forest Service engineers and technicians working on the two-cell lagoon roughly 1,000 feet from the Holland Lake Lodge. One handwritten note from Forest Service...
Well testing results shared at the Seeley Sewer District Meeting on Thursday, Sept. 21 indicated one groundwater monitoring well near Spruce Street has nitrate levels over the state standard of 10 mg/l. The 14 groundwater monitoring wells are collected quarterly by Bill Decker, Sewer District manager, for tests. Tests are performed by an independent testing lab. Of the remaining wells there were a total of four wells over 5 mg/l. Sewer district board members voted proactively to have eDNA (environmental DNA) testing done right away on any monit...
A well-known author spoke to Seeley Lake residents last week about his latest historical fiction, his writing style, and the fun tidbits about his hometown of Spokane, Washington. Jess Walters has lived in Spokane for most of his life while becoming an award-winning novelist. He has 10 books and several published short stories. In 2006, he won the Edgar Allen Poe award for his best Novel "Citizen Vince." He also made the 2012 New York Times best 100 books with his novel "Beautiful Ruins." But...
Both Montana Senators passed their separate public lands bills from a committee in the Senate, opening both bills up to a final vote as the federal government debates a potential shutdown. Sen. Jon Tester passed the Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Act (BCSA) out of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, while Sen. Steve Daines passed the Montana Sportsmen Conservation Act out of the same committee. The Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Act would reclassify roughly 79,000 acres near...
The Swan Valley Community Council went over emergency preparedness tips, concerns over electricity in the community building and heard from a candidate running for Condon’s state senate district, which will not be the same as Seeley Lake this year. John Hallman with Swan Valley Emergency Services kicked off the Sept. 19 meeting with a new program to share safety tips for the public. Last week, he discussed basic facts of the department. Hallman said the volunteer medical and fire department currently has 33 members. The department looks over M...
We at Pyramid Mountain Lumber are heartbroken and deeply saddened by the loss of one of our valued employees and friend, Matthew Raimondi, who was involved in an industrial accident at our facility on Sept. 12, 2023. Words cannot begin to describe the heartfelt sorrow we have for Matthew’s family. He was a talented and dedicated employee who will be greatly missed. He was beloved by all who worked with him during his four years at Pyramid. Pyramid is a family-owned business in a small town, and the employees of Pyramid all know one another a...
Sam Weisenburger graduated Seeley-Swan High School in 2020 at the top of his class. Three years later, he is in his final year at West Point Military Academy in New York. Weisenburger was not expecting to be joined three years later by his friend, Owen Hoag, who was a freshman when he was a senior. With Hoag graduating from high school in 2023, he is now starting off his first year at West Point, meaning two Seeley Swan High grads are two of roughly 4,300 students at the college. West Point is...
Participants from Kalispell to Hamilton came to Seeley Lake for the Nature of Art workshops hosted by Alpine Artisans Sept. 16-17 at the Seeley Lake Community Hall. Nature Journaling, Plein Air painting, Silk Painting and Gelli printing were held during the two-day event. "The goal of the weekend was to bring more art experiences and classes to the community," Kris Gullikson, Aline Artisans president and event organizer said. " My reward will be the looks on their faces when they see how much fu...
All types of tool stands, coal and propane forges were set up under a tent behind Valler's Coffee Roastery in Lincoln for the Northern Rockies Blacksmiths Association (NRBA) Conference on Sept. 15-17. Twenty people from Montana, Wyoming and North Dakota gathered for the conference. The NRBA is part of the Artists Blacksmith Association of North America (ABANA). ABANA developed a three-level accreditation program in 2015 for a nationally recognized blacksmithing curriculum. "Blacksmiths become...
Thirty-five Years Ago Thursday, Sept. 29, 1988 Anglers consider forming bass club in Seeley Lake Fishermen who enjoy catching bass in Seeley Lake may soon be forming a Bass Masters Club here, according to Tom Ward of the Big Sky Bass Masters in Missoula. Ward pointed out that the waters here are ideal for bass fishing and that many local fishermen have inquired about joining the Missoula Club. "It just seems like people in the area would benefit from a club," he said, pointing out that most...
Montana's environment agency said wastewater from Holland Lake Lodge could be leaking above state-approved levels after nonprofit Save Holland Lake made an official complaint that the site could be contaminating groundwater. The Department of Environmental Quality then asked the Forest Service in an August letter to complete an analysis of the site by Sept. 17. Officials from the Forest Service requested a two-month extension of the study, a letter from the Forest Service said. DEQ said in its...
Both Montana Senators passed their separate public lands bills from a committee in the Senate, opening both bills up to a final vote as the federal government debates a potential shutdown. Sen. Jon Tester passed the Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Act (BCSA) out of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, while Sen. Steve Daines passed the Montana Sportsmen Conservation Act out of the same committee. The Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Act would reclassify roughly 79,000 acres near...
The Seeley Swan Hospital district had a busy two-hour meeting last week, adding new board members, looking into maintenance and preparing to welcome Lazy Acre RV Park owner to its next meeting, with one member calling the upcoming talk “drawing a line in the sand.” The district approved two new board members, Martin DeHaven and Suzette Baker, to a three year term and eight month term, respectively. Martin took the position from Twyla Johnson, who wanted to leave the board. Suzette took over Bruce Richardson’s spot, who recently moved out of st...
Guest speakers at the Seeley Community Council’s latest meeting went over several big projects happening around town, from the Lazy Acres RV Park to the future of the Boy Scout Bridge. Traffic talk Shane Stack, director of public works at Missoula County, said a speed study along Highway 83 from Salmon Lake to Condon will likely take place next summer. The council previously recommended the county do a study of traffic near Double Arrow Ranch. “It’s kinda a long process,” Stack said. “I know (the Montana Department of Transportation) has a bac...
A Seeley Lake man died on Sept. 12 after an industrial accident involving heavy machinery at Pyramid Mountain Lumber. Missoula County Sheriff's Office released the name of the man on Monday, Sept. 18. The man was identified as Matthew Raimondi, 56, from Seeley Lake. The sheriff's office said their heart-felt condolences go out to the family and friends during this very difficult time. Shortly after 5 p.m. on Sept. 12, members of the Missoula County Sheriff's Office, firefighters and EMS... Full story
Beautifully written, The Cold Millions by Jess Walter invites readers to take a deep dive into early 20th century America. The setting is Spokane, Washington and the extreme tension between the captains of industry and the cheap labor they relied on for their wealth. There are even brief scenes in Missoula and mention of Butte. The book opens in the year 1909. Spokane had just outlawed public speaking. As the tensions surged, unions geared up for protests and police were ready to knock them all...
Condon, MT – Community Firewood Day has lived up to its name by becoming a staple in locals' calendars each October. Swan Valley Connections celebrates the small-but-mighty populus of Condon (a mere 350 people) by hosting an annual volunteer event to provide firewood for people in need in the area. For the last 22 years, Community Firewood Day has provided an average of 20 households with one or more truckload(s) of firewood, delivered and stacked as the resident requests. Volunteers gather at t...
Requiring bear resistant garbage cans across parts of the county was discussed at the Missoula County Commissioners meeting Sept. 14. The Commissioners expressed their intent to adopt resolutions to the City-County Health Code requiring bear resistant garbage cans in Missoula and Potomac's Bear Buffer Zone. "There was a time in the past when saying thou shalt have a bear resistant garbage can was unthinkable," County Commissioner Josh Slotnik said. "It's only because of time spent working in...
The Clearwater Resource Council (CRC) is expanding its watershed and forest health programs to better address the driving natural resource issues that are harming the ecological health and beauty of the Clearwater Valley. Our goal is to work on behalf of our community to assess and educate people and develop projects that benefit natural resources and the rural lifestyle of the Clearwater Watershed for present and future generations of people to enjoy. With this in mind, we must create innovative approaches to engage and educate people and...
Twenty Years Ago Thursday, Sept. 18, 2003 Volunteer crews grinding out new Lake Trail system By Ron Cox What caused the long narrow strip of trees to fall down alongside the Boy Scout Road from Highway 83 to C Street? A tornado? No, a whirlwind crew fell the trees Sunday, Sept. 14. The trees were cut to begin the clearing on an all-purpose trail for bicycles, snowmobiles, walkers, joggers, horse riders and others off road. Eventually the trail will reach clear around Seeley Lake. Another...
Bridger Tower Corporation's application for placing a cell phone tower near Highway 200, approximately 4.2 miles west of Ovando on the north side of Highway 200 was approved with one nay at the Powell County Planning Board public meeting Sept. 7. The project now moves on to the Powell County Commissioners for final approval. The application for the conditional use permit is for a 195 foot tall cell tower supported with three sets of guy wires. The height of 195 feet is 30 feet taller than Big...
Two separate incidents sparked emergency responses from EMS, firefighters and law enforcement on the evening of Tuesday, Sept. 12. At least one person was injured after an industrial accident involving heavy machinery at Pyramid Mountain Lumber, according to Missoula County Sheriff Sergeant Bob Parcell. A life flight helicopter transported the individual from the lumberyard. Their condition was not available as of Tuesday. Another incident involved a car accident on Cottonwood Lakes Road. The...
The Seeley Lake Rural Fire District Board held a special meeting last week to make two major purchases: a type one fire engine and three extraction tools - totaling $59,000. Despite not budgeting for either expense, Fire Chief Dave Lane said the district has the money for the purchases because of previous budget errors that left more taxpayer money with the department than previously thought. The board approved both purchases unanimously, with trustee Susan Monahan absent because of an illness....
The whispers of "Heads up, something special is going to happen at the beginning of the rodeo," floated around the grandstands, building suspense for the opening of the 59th Helmville Rodeo. Following the presentation of the Montana and Armed Forces flags, Bonnie Weaver, rodeo club secretary and Bill Baker, Rodeo Club president carried the American Flag to the center of the freshly groomed arena. Lily Boyd, a Seeley-Swan High School student from Condon climbed onto a barrel and prepared to...
A new request from Lolo National Forest would open roughly 22,000 acres of federal land to commercial timber harvesting, fuels reduction and road decommissioning, with the main goal of clearing dead and infected trees to prevent wildfires and beetle kill. Similar projects have been completed on the west side of Highway 83. While parts of the treated forest burned during the Colt Fire, Seeley Lake District Ranger Quinn Carver attested that the active management stunted the fire and kept it from...
The Missoula County Commissioners approved a new budget for next year, focusing on increasing funds for public safety and keeping the increase within the margins of recent high inflation. The commissioners also approved an increase for the Seeley Refuse District, increasing annual prices for district ratepayers from $180 to $200. Out of district fees also increased. For a person living outside of Missoula City limits, county taxes will be approximately $314 for every 100,000 in value of the home, not including local mills like the Seeley Lake...
Twenty Years Ago Thursday, Sept. 11, 2003 Elk on public land merit special attention By Mike Thompson Upon entering Trixi's Antler Saloon, in Ovando, Montana, you stand at a crossroads between elk populations and in the eye of a storm in elk management. No one knows for sure how elk sort themselves into "herd units," as wildlife biologists refer to them. They are defined by distinct winter ranges, in this case the Blackfoot-Clearwater Game Range to the northwest and the eastern slopes of the...
The Forest Service plans to use prescribed burns on a couple units across the district, with one coming as soon as Sept. 17. Seeley Lake District Ranger Quinn Carver said in an email that the district is looking to burn about 135 acres in the Horseshoe Hills area north of Big Sky Lake. Carver said smoke will be visible from the site and likely pass through Ovando before dispersing in the Upper Blackfoot Valley. "I don't want folks to be alarmed when they see smoke," Carver said. "The stuff in...
Meeting under the Boot Tree outside of Ovando, tour participants looked through a forest managed for health and wildlife habitat on the Blackfoot Community Conservation Area. Abundant grass grew amongst trees with up to six foot diameter trunks and visibility up to 100 yards. Soon the tour caravaned to the perimeter of the Type One treatment unit. Visibility through the forest was limited at the edge of the road as the sunlight was strangled by a dense screen of ladder fuels. As part of the...
Some of the only known Swiss Valais Blacknose sheep in Montana live in Potomac on the ranch of Marin and Brad Hall. "I was taken with the breed when a coworker showed me their picture," Marin said. "Then my cousin and I were daydreaming about the sheep and the idea got born to develop a small flock." Margie Chritton from Seeley Lake, Marin's cousin and business partner, thought learning about the sheep business would help her transition from New York City life to rural Montana. Two foundation... Full story
Parents across the Seeley-Swan and Blackfoot Valleys got a sigh of relief last week as the 2023-2024 school year officially kicked off. With more than 250 students in Seeley, Condon, Potomac and Ovando, some new faces and projects will mark what educators hope will be a successful semester. Seeley Swan High School, Swan Valley School and the Helmville School were too busy teaching to comment for this story by press time. Seeley Lake Elementary Students are returning back to Seeley Lake Elementary with a big list of items for the fall,...
It was a cold, rainy June back in the 70s when I and other members of the Rustics log home company assembled the logs for what would become the Hungry Bear Restaurant in Condon. Many fond memories since—I brought my now wife Pam there in 1982 to show the city girl Montana, only to have my Rustics coworker Tuffy Anderson say “I like her better than the last one you dragged in here.” The Hungry Bear has endured the many decades with different owners, a significant expansion, and evolving gastronomic emphases. Current owners Rick Medeiros and Deb...
Twenty Years Ago Thursday, Sept. 4, 2003 Theatre camp tucked away on other side of Salmon Lake offers fun time Tucked away on the other side of Salmon Lake, there's a camp that allows kids to laugh, play, learn and be creative - It's called Aunt Kat's Theatre Camp. Kathleen Vosburgh (Aunt Kat) and her husband, bought the cabins and 10 acres on Salmon that fulfilled Aunt Kat's dream to provide kids with a safe, natural outdoor setting to write, create backdrops and act in their own play. This...
The Missoula City-County Health Board is hoping to reduce bears' access to garbage in Potomac by requiring bear-proof trash cans after multiple years of food conditioned bears visiting the area. The City-County Health Board approved a bear mitigation zone in the Potomac Valley at its Aug. 17 meeting, along with expanding the Bear Buffer Zone and related trash requirements across the Missoula Valley. "The Potomac Valley, especially in the Union Creek area, is one of the worst 'bear behavior...
Ten years ago, Renee Kay dreamed about working with her family in Seeley Lake, often eyeing The BBQ Pit as she drove through town to her family's land in Condon. This summer that dream has come true: Kay and her family reopened The BBQ Pit this August, and plan to usher in a new era by staying open later into the year and offering community events like a family movie night. "If you showed me what we were doing back (10 years ago), I would have renewed hope on a lot of aspects about myself," Kay...
The Seeley Lake Community Council approved sending a letter to survey traffic speed by the Double Arrow Ranch, discussed potentially holding a special meeting on water quality and heard from area experts during its monthly meeting on Aug. 14. The council heard from leaders on the Salmon Lake construction project, who informed the room that there will likely be more construction along Highway 83 next summer, and the manager of the sewer board reported an unhealthy amount of nitrate in the Seeley area. There was also a brief update on the...
There’s no question that Big Pharma needs to be exposed and taken down—even if it must be done one small step at a time. This is why I am urging our Senators in D.C. to pass the bipartisan Affordable Prescriptions for Patients Act of 2023. This bill does incredible work to expose Big Pharma tactics that manipulate consumers and have led to skyrocketing prices. Big Pharma has continuously spent more on fancy, targeted advertising campaigns on already available medication and prescriptions than they have on research and development. The lack of...
A French family of five pedaled into Ovando on Monday, Aug. 14 during their bicycle tour from Calgary to the Grand Tetons along the Great Divide bike route. Only three of them pedaled, as one rode in a special seat on the front of dad's bike and the baby rode in a baby backpack on mom's back. "In France, the Tour Divide is a famous bike ride," Julien Bonin said about their decision for the ride. "We are firefighters at home and like the exercise." Six-year-old Agathe sits on a Gekko adaptive sea...
Missoula, Mont., August 27, 2023 — The Seeley Lake Ranger District of the Lolo National Forest is seeking public comment through September 28 on a proposal to manage safety concerns and improve forest health conditions throughout nearly 23,000 acres of Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) areas along Highway 83 in North Seeley. The proposed Highway 83 WUI project was collaboratively designed with multiple stakeholders to mitigate public safety concerns within the area through the removal of dead and diseased trees. Major infestation of Douglas fir b...
HELENA – Montana’s famed fisheries provide amazing recreational opportunities, from blue ribbon trout streams in the west, to the world-famous Fort Peck Reservoir in the east. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks provides abundant fishing opportunities, while protecting native fish species, and critical aquatic habitat. This includes managing fisheries under drought conditions. A new draft comprehensive statewide fisheries management plan is a key piece of that management and is now out for public comment. “The intent of the statewide manag...
Twenty Years Ago Thursday, August 28, 2003 Weather is a blessing...high in the Mission Mountains Wilderness By Gary Noland An earlier invitation to take photos on the front line at the Crazy Horse Fire hadn't taken into consideration that rains late Friday and Saturday morning would make possible a break in fire activity and action. So even though the only action was high in the Mission Mountains Wilderness west of Lindbergh Lake, we trekked as fas as our energy allowed and found some hand...
The final outcome of the Holland Lake Lodge could still be years away, but Forest Service officials in Washington D.C have joined the process in deciding the future of the resort. Representatives from the nonprofit Save Holland Lake told members of the public at the Swan Valley Community Council on Aug. 15 that questions submitted by Save Holland and the public have been routed to the Forest Service national headquarters. With new development looming, the council also started the process of...
The Missoula County Sheriff's Office reserves three deputy jobs for the Seeley-Swan Valley, but since May just one officer lives in the area full-time, and sometimes there is no law enforcement on patrol. With the high price of housing, there's a chance that there will be no resident sheriff deputies in the future, although there will always be patrol cars in the area, according to Missoula County Sheriff Jeremiah Petersen. The sheriff's office hopes to hire a second Seeley Lake deputy from its...
A heavy-duty recumbent tricycle pedaled out of Ovando on Monday, Aug. 14. It was not to take a quick trip, as pedaler Greg Veal plans to make an 18-day, 820-mile trip to Bismarck, North Dakota, from Missoula. This is the second leg of his Lewis and Clark Trail bike ride to raise awareness and funds for prostate cancer. He successfully made a trip from the West Coast to Missoula in 2022. Veal said he was an avid cyclist and jogger as a young man, but both of his knees required surgery in his...
For thousands of years, members of the Salish Tribe would cross the Mission Mountains into Lindbergh Lake - what they called Long Ridge Trail - and up Holland Creek to reach hunting grounds in the Bob Marshall and Rocky Mountain Front. The story weaved with countless others as the chair of cultural and language studies at Salish Kootenai College Tim Ryan connected with the past practices of Indigenous groups that lived across western Montana during the annual talk at the Upper Swan Valley...
A movement in the art world has begun to take hold. A collective of people are having the same idea around the state, region and nation: to get together in person and share the experience of making art. This has inspired Alpine Artisans to host Seeley Lake’s first-ever, multi-day, multi-media, multi-instructors event called “The Nature of Art Workshops” on Sept. 15-17 in Seeley Lake. Over a single weekend, artists and anyone with a creative spark can come and try something new! Organizer Kris Gullikson states, “I am inspired by the experie...
Twenty Years Ago Thursday, August 21, 2003 Dawson Community college honors Seeley Lake area students for academic achievement Glendive, Montana, DCCC registrar Lane Holte has released the names of students who made the Dean's List during the spring semester of 2003. Students who achieve a 3.5 grade point average or higher are included in the Dean's List. Ryan Plum, son of John and Dianna Plum of Seeley Lake , Monte McNally, son of Donald and Barbara McNally of Ovando, Brendan Banning, son of...
Wild trout management is a cornerstone of fisheries management in Montana. Here in the Blackfoot, a primary focus of our river and stream management program is native, wild trout. The Blackfoot has a long history of habitat restoration with an emphasis on native bull trout and westslope cutthroat trout. Actions that benefit these species also improve habitat conditions for nonnative trout that represent an extremely popular and important component of sport fishing opportunity. Several key elements of our management portfolio in these popular...
Country music, a dunk tank and food trucks drew a crowd of almost 300 to the Blackfoot Challenge's block party Aug. 11 in downtown Ovando. Seth Wilson, executive director, welcomed everyone to the celebration of 30 years of partnerships, friendships and conservation. The Blackfoot Challenge was formed in 1993 following conservation efforts from the 1970s to build partnerships with public agencies. Early on, participants focused on working together to accomplish public access goals. In the '70s...
Despite near-record breaking temperatures in the Seeley-Swan Valley, any growth on the Colt Fire has been stifled over the last few days and little activity is expected as cooler temperatures come into the region. The Colt Fire sat at 7,154 acres as of Aug. 19, a decrease of about 50 acres from earlier estimates in the week. Containment has shored up to 51%, with hand line and heavy machine line around most of the fire. Fire crews have continued to mop up areas where there is residual heat....
Twenty Years Ago... Thursday, August 14, 2003 Wildlife well adapted to Montana Firestorms By Mike Thompson Hi, I'm NOT Johnny Cash, but we who live in Missoula are in a ring of fire this week. I've already fielded several questions from folks wondering how wildlife survives these live events. So, before you become weary of reading about fires this season, I thought I would offer a little information on the subject from the scientific literature. Back in 1988, when the Canyon Creek fire was...
Fire crews across western Montana saw minimal fire growth last week, but August will roar to life this week with record-setting temperatures across the Rocky Mountains. The National Weather Service issued a heat advisory for the Seeley Swan Valley from 11 a.m. Aug. 15 to 11 a.m. Aug 17. Temperatures in Seeley Lake are expected to be 95 degrees on Aug. 16 and 94 degrees on Aug. 17 - both on track to beat records set in 2003 and 1967, respectively. With the hot weather, fire conditions will...
The Swan Valley Elementary School Board voted unanimously to approve its school budget for the 2023-2024 school year on Aug 8. With higher taxes on the area, Business Manager Heather Mincey said school taxes will be spread across more people. The general fund stands at $435,576, compared to $402,435 last year. Most of the increase came in the technology sector, which has grown with the need for computers. The total budget stands at $667,164.46. Other funds, like the building reserve, have also increased with help from state grants and...
Jean Pocha of the Pathfinder The 12 members of the Nevada Creek 4H Club in Helmville are heading to the Tri-County Fair in Deer Lodge on Aug. 17-20. The Tri-County Fair encompasses Powell, Granite and Deer Lodge counties. Both 4H and FFA members will be participating in beef, dairy, swine, sheep, goat, poultry, rabbit, cat and dog showmanship, market animal and herdsmanship projects plus horses. There are also extensive projects in handcrafts, gardening, and cooking, with open classes for...
Almost 100 years ago, hoards of out-of-state visitors climbed on trains to visit Seeley Lake for its downhill skiing along the Double Arrow Ranch. The hill, one of the first in Montana's history, recently got a touch up with new signs showing the past adventurers who once came to Seeley Lake just for the rope tow. Children of ski hill creator Bob Manchester joined to see the legacy their family has brought to the area. "It was the thing to do before World War II," said Kenny Manchester, son of...
The Blackfoot River flows four inches lower than last year at this time, triggering river keepers to ask the public to take precaution when fishing. Water temperatures have remained about two degrees below the 71 degree threshold that would usher in hoot owl fishing hours, reported the Blackfoot Drought Committee on Aug. 1. “At this time in the season, we are asking for voluntary ethical fishing restrictions,” said Clancy Jandreau, Blackfoot Challenge water steward. “Keeping fish in the water...
A new wildfire started near Lindbergh Lake on Sunday, Aug. 13. Firefighters immediately did an initial attack on the blaze using aircraft and ground crews. As of Monday, Aug. 14 at 1 p.m., the fire is still actively burning. The Lindy Peak Fire is estimated to be up to 1 acre with no containment information available. The cause was also not immediately available. It's located about two miles west of Lindbergh Lake, just south of the Glacier Lake trailhead. Fire managers reassigned the Helena...
A new RV park in Seeley Lake has been solidified after the Missoula County Commissioners approved a subdivision request on Aug. 10 The Lazy Acres RV Park could be in operation as soon as next year, according to park executive Brandon Groesner, but that hinges on approving additional permits and accepting bids for work. Dave Stewart is the landowner partnering with IMEG to create the park. The commissioners approved the subdivision with a 2-0 vote. Josh Slotnik and Juanita Vero approved the...
A Missoula County District Court Judge ruled Aug. 8 that the state of Montana failed to correctly process the permit for the Elbow Lake gravel pit south of Salmon Lake. The decision solidified the halt of work at the gravel pit, which has not been in operation since the nonprofit Protect the Clearwater sued for a temporary restraining order in July. With the project sidelined, the Montana Environmental Review Board will make a final decision on the legality of the permit in the coming months....
Fire managers reported more containment on the Colt Fire on Aug. 9, adding more containment to the south and north with the help of cool, wet weather. The Colt Fire was mapped on Aug. 8 to be 7,202 acres, growing less than 100 acres the last few days. Rain has been in the forecast since Aug. 5, and there will also be a chance of rain Aug. 9. Firefighters will now try to close off the western front to any new growth. Heavy machinery will be creating a direct fire line on the northwestern side of...
The bridge on Boy Scout Road that spans the Clearwater River could need major repairs or a complete rebuild after an inspection this September, according to the Montana Department of Transportation and Missoula County. The bridge was constructed out of wood in 1937. Thousands of people travel over it each year to get to campgrounds and other recreation opportunities in the area. MDT ordered Aug. 1 that the bridge must be limited to vehicles under three tons within the next 30 days. "A 2022...
Almost an inch of rain fell on the Colt Fire on Sunday, Aug. 6, weakening the flames as firefighters make a final push to get full containment of the fire. More than an inch of rain reached parts of western Montana last weekend. Many fire crews got time to rest after monsoonal moisture came over the region on Friday, Aug. 4. Most fires still have residual heat and will burn as temperatures warm up into August. Colt Fire The Colt Fire was last measured at 7,179 acres on Aug. 4, with 25%...
Ospreys are like the human snow bird, enjoying the cool rivers and lakes of Montana during the summer, while traveling thousands of miles south to enjoy a coastal retreat for the winter. Recently discovered research shows just how amazing some of these birds can be, like flying across the gulf of Mexico, or returning to the exact same spot along the Clark Fork River from Central America. "Some of these birds have amazing stories," said Rob Domenech, the executive director of the Raptor View...
Now entering into its third year, Charlie’s Helping Hands is working to solidify its presence in Seeley Lake, with the goal of helping the most children it possibly can. “We want to help with whatever the youth need for trying to survive,” Executive Director Mark Wilson said. “There’s no agenda, as issues present themselves, we want to deal with them.” Charlie’s Helping Hands has been partnering with schools and people directly for supply financial support. Whether that be new jerseys for a sports team, or money for a new playground, W...
"All for one and one for all!" Shakespeare in the Park performed "The Three Musketeers" to a crowd of more than 300 on the Double Arrow Lodge lawn in Seeley Lake on Aug. 2. The annual event is brought to the community through Two Valleys Stage, the performance branch of Alpine Artisans. The play began with protagonist D'Artagnan pleading for his mother's blessing to fulfill his heart's desire of becoming one of the Musketeers of King Louie. On his venture he soon started a sword fight with...
Twenty Years ago... Thursday, August 7, 2003 DNRC awards grant for Blackfoot watershed projects Helmville, Mont. – A $62,600 grant was awarded to the North Powell Conservation District on July 18 for continued Blackfoot river watershed habitat restoration and water quality improvement. The grant money was provided by the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC). The North Powell Conservation District is working with the Blackfoot Challenge, a local watershed group, to implement an aggressive project, which focuses p...
CONDON, Mont. – After six years of leading Swan Valley Connections (SVC), Rebecca Ramsey, Executive Director (ED), will be transitioning from her role. Rebecca has become a partner in a cherry orchard on the east shore of Flathead Lake, and will be departing SVC in 2024 to steward the land, and grow a business and philanthropy plan with her business partner. The Board of Directors has released a job announcement, with the hopes of having new leadership in place by the end of 2023. Ramsey moved to the Swan to step into the role of director in 2...
A Missoula District Court Judge stopped new work on a gravel pit three miles south of Salmon Lake after area residents filed multiple lawsuits over the validity of the project. Protect the Clearwater, a nonprofit group of residents near the Clearwater River, successfully petitioned Missoula District Judge John Larson on July 17 for a temporary injunction, or hold, on LHC Construction’s permit to crush gravel and create asphalt for road projects. The temporary injunction means work on the p...
Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte visited firefighters and got a bird's eye view of the Colt Fire on Aug. 2. Gianforte landed at the Seeley Lake Airport on Wednesday afternoon, and quickly changed into a jumpsuit to fly off towards the Colt Fire. The Colt Fire is roughly 6,800 acres with 19% containment. Gianforte said the Colt Fire was the number one priority in Montana. While there was good news to report - evacuations for local residents have been lifted - fire managers and Gianforte said there is...
Fire crews on Colt Fire have continued beating out flames to add containment lines and stop the spread of the to the east. The fire was mapped at 6,680 acres the evening of Aug. 1, and only increased 156 acres from the day prior. The fire is now 19% contained — all along Colt Creek Road. The high level of containment has triggered Missoula County Sheriff’s Office to cancel the evacuation order from mile markers 27 to 31 on Highway 83. There is still an evacuation warning for the area, and oth...
United States Congressman Ryan Zinke met with firefighters at Lake Alva on July 31, discussing both the growing Colt Fire and the push to boost wildland firefighter funding. Rep. Zinke came to the Lake Alva Campsite as the blaze reached 6,177 acres on July 30 - one of the largest in Montana. The fire has been burning in heavy dead and downed timber since July 17, and could be a long-term threat as temperatures rise in August. "We need to manage our forests, not let them burn to the ground," Zink...
The Swan Valley Community Council made the main topic of its July 18 meeting about recent home appraisals, focusing on what people should do with steep tax increases for property around the Swan Valley. Michelle Staples from the Montana Department of Revenue was the main speaker for the meeting, going over the basics of taxes and answering questions from area residents. “Property taxes are an 18-month process,” Staples said. “We do a lot to assess value and make sure that it is accurate with the market.” Staples said property is divided...
The Missoula Consolidated Planning Board approved the application for the Lazy Acres RV Park planned for Seeley Lake at its recent June 25 meeting in Missoula. Several variances to the RV Park code were discussed and agreed upon. The RV park would create 70 short-term spots for RVs and campers, with hookups, a camp store and a dump station. The RV park would sit between the Montana Gas and Stop and The Seeley Swan Medical Center. Variances in road width, RV lot size and interior walkway...
Just before 11:00 a.m. on July 24, multiple agencies, including Missoula County Sheriff’s Office Deputies, were dispatched to the Johnsrud Park area, where it was reported a male, wade fishing in the area, was in distress and had gone under in the Blackfoot River and had not resurfaced. Wade fishing is a style of fishing where anglers stand in the water. Missoula County Search and Rescue was immediately called out and responded to the scene. Missoula County Search and Rescue members located the male and members of the Missoula County Sheriff’s...
A Seeley Lake man who killed a woman while driving under the influence changed his plea to guilty to four felonies and one misdemeanor in Missoula County District Court on Tuesday, July 18. Kerry Glen Drew, 68, was charged with vehicular homicide while under the influence, negligent vehicular assault, criminal endangerment and criminal possession of dangerous drugs — all felonies. Drew was also charged with misdemeanor vehicular assault. In exchange for his guilty plea, prosecutors dropped one felony charge for tampering with physical e...
SEELEY LAKE - Despite temperatures in the 90s, more than 70 runners took to the Seeley Creek Trails for the Seeley Lake Elementary Parent Teacher Club's (SLE PTC) inaugural Run With The Wild 10K, 5K and 1K Fun Runs July 22. The family-friendly event, with live music by "Keeping The Day Jobs" and a barbecue, encouraged local families to enjoy where they live and brought in racers from across the state and Florida, Colorado, Oregon and Iowa. Seeley Lake Elementary has not had a parent teacher...
Twenty Years Ago... Thursday, July 31, 2003 Local Girl Running for Miss Teen Montana By Patricia Swan Smith Niki Minjares, 15, a student at Seeley-Swan High School will compete at the Miss Teen Montana 2003 State Pageant. She will compete for the title in Billings, August 8th through the 10th. Niki will be a sophomore this year, and is active in basketball, volleyball, track and the Flagship program. She has participated in poetry, hiking, watercolor, jewelry making, batik and ceramics with the...
The Colt Fire went from 15 acres Wednesday morning to the largest in Montana by Friday night, burning heavy fuels and encroaching into private land. The strike was started by lightning on July 17. Firefighters from the Forest Service and the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conversation did initial attack on the blaze, holding it to dead lodgepole stands and limited tree torching. After two days of smoking out heavy dead and downed lodgepole pines, the fire took off on Thursday, quick...
Warmer temperatures and swift winds are expected to increase Colt Fire activity on Sunday, July 30, while fire managers race to get around the fire with containment lines first. The Colt Fire was last measured at 5,475 acres on July 29. No acreage update was available for Sunday, but officials reported some fire growth. Containment now sits at 6%. The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning for critical fire behavior from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. on July 30. Temperatures in the fire are...
Fire lines on the eastern flank of the fire are holding, giving firefighters on the Colt Fire their first confirmed containment on July 28. The Colt Fire is now 5,252 acres with 3% containment. The fire grew about 315 acres from July 27 Fire crews burned out western sections of Forest Service Road 646 on July 27, containing the flames closest to homes on the northeast side of the fire. Workers on the north side are clearing vegetation from Beaver Creek Road with dozers and hand crews and plan...
The Colt Fire clocked in at 4,937 acres early Thursday morning, July 27. The fire grew by 547 acres over the last two days, and is still 0% contained. Containment efforts could start making headway as fire crews plan to burnout western sections of Forest Service Road 646 to secure the eastern front of the fire. Smoke from the burnout could be visible from Highway 83 on Thursday. The fire is still burning moderately, despite slightly higher temperatures and a lower humidity. On the south side of...
The Colt Fire slowed its pace on Tuesday, July 25, giving firefighters time to prep containment lines and stop the spread of spot fires. There is no acreage update for Wednesday, July 26, as cloud cover prevented infrared flight mapping. Tuesday morning clocked in at 4,390 acres with 0% containment. The growth is likely less than Monday, when a dry cold front helped burn more than 1,000 acres on the day. Fire conditions are expected to be moderate for the rest of the week, with active burning...
The theme of the annual Loon and Fish Festival hinges on its artists, and this year brought one of a kind items and old favorites to the Seeley Lake Foundation Building. The two day festival on July 21 and 22 brought scores of residents and visitors to look at and buy art, hear from a loon expert and get versed on all things fishing. The festival is sponsored by Alpine Artisans and use the profits raised by the art and ice cream sales to fund student scholarships. "It's a huge thing for artists...
A newly-graduated resident of Seeley-Swan High School Grace Mercado has a mural painted on the side of the Chicken Coop with the message to stay away from dangerous drugs, especially methamphetamines. "I decided to work on this project because I knew it was such a good cause, I wanted to make my statement about the project and hopefully help others see this poster and see the horrific impact meth has on someone," Mercado said. Mercado took two tries to paint "Abstract Horrors of Meth's...
Alpine Artisans, in partnership with the Double Arrow Lodge, is excited to announce that Montana Shakespeare in the Parks will be presenting the exciting play, The Three Musketeers, on the Double Arrow Lawn on Wednesday, Aug. 2 at 6 p.m. The event is free, and Double Arrow will be offering food and drinks for sale. A swashbuckling tale filled with action and adventure, The Three Musketeers will enthrall all generations of audience members as they get swept away to 17th century France, following...
Missoula, Montana – Due to increasing temperatures and drying vegetation, fire protection agencies have raised the fire danger in Missoula County to VERY HIGH, effective Monday, July 24, 2023. Very high fire danger means that fires start easily from all causes, and immediately spread rapidly and increase quickly in intensity. Unattended campfires are likely to escape, and high intensity burning is likely to occur on slopes and concentrated grassy areas. It is imperative that residents and visitors alike exercise caution when outdoors. On a...
Twenty years ago... July 24, 2003 Take a ride on the Canyon Falls and Western Railway By Patricia Swan Smith Bob Jenkins has been playing with trains ever since he was a little boy. While many abandon their childhood hobbies, Bob's just kept growing. And thanks to his love for trains, the Seeley -Swan Valley has a wonderful treat to enjoy - a passenger railway complete with an engine, two passenger cars and a caboose. "His unnatural progression with trains went from childhood to adulthood and...
Echos of the song "Hallelujah" reverberated off the walls of the Seeley-Swan High School auditorium as two ensembles from Taiwan and Poland serenaded onlookers during the International Choral festival preview last week. The festival, which is held in Missoula, previewed two of the choral groups in Seeley Lake on July 18. Nearly 100 people sat in chairs as the high-level performers belted out traditional and modern songs, each with their own special twist. "Choral is a small but extended network...
A new 70-space RV park in Seeley Lake could be built after several years of planning and multiple applications. David Stewart, represented by IMEG civil engineering (formally known as Territorial Landworks), requested to subdivide roughly 14 acres into three lots and create 70 parking spots. The project was first submitted in 2018, but by different owners according to Missoula County Planner Tim Worley and previous Pathfinder reporting. Worley said the County rarely sees applications for an RV...
Critical fire weather caused the Colt fire to grow by 1,463 acres in the last 24 hours, with the fire beginning to run into containment lines set by fire crews. The fire was at 4,390 acres overnight Monday, July 24, with 0% containment. Containment lines were tested, as winds from Monday's dry cold front pressed the fire onto a two-mile stretch of Forest Service Road 646. The fire managed to burn six acres past the contain line last night. Several spot fires also made it through the indirect...
The fire stood at 2,927 acres Sunday night, a figure that likely exploded on Monday, July 24, after a dry cold front brought dry winds to fan the flames in all directions. A red flag warning for critical fire weather will be in effect until midnight on Monday. Wind gusts could reach 30 m.p.h Monday night, adding power to the fire. Containment lines have been pressures, with radio dispatch reporting spot fires along the south side of Colt Creek Road. Air support is currently grounded with the...
A small wildfire sparked on the east side of Double Arrow Ranch Wednesday evening, July 19, prompting an initial attack by volunteer, Forest Service, and state firefighters. The fire, which started near private land by Grandview Drive, only grew to a quarter of an acre. There is no threat to the public at this time. Incident Commander Donovan Suko said the fire’s cause is unknown. The fire did not grow as fast as it could have thanks to help from a Department of Natural Resources and C...
Forest Service personnel and a large logging company have transformed thousands of acres west of Seeley Lake from thick forests to more fire resistant and healthy stands. Work on the Westside Bypass Good Neighbor Authority picked up again for the summer on July 15. Roughly 4,866 acres will be thinned by next year. The project is roughly halfway complete since starting in 2021, according to Seeley Lake District Ranger Quinn Carver. Timber company WeyerHaeuser, one of the owners of the most...
Keri Neal was sick of sitting in her friend’s car at the north side of Salmon Lake, so she decided to dance. Neal and her friend Jack visited Seeley Lake from Missoula for the day to sunbathe and swim. Although the two come to Seeley each year, the reconstruction of Highway 83 on Salmon Lake Road came as a shock — and a future deterrent. “I think I’ll wait to come back up when all this is done,” Neal said. “I don’t want to have to deal with this again.” Residents and visitors alike have wait...
(Update: 7 a.m. July 24) Infrared scans of the Colt Fire showed the burn at 2,927 acres late Sunday night, with much of the new growth burning to the south. The fire still stands at 0% containment, and could make large gains on Monday as critical fire weather enters the area. The fire has started to approach the West Fork of the Clearwater River near Lake Alva, and Colt Creek Road. Fire managers said in an update on Sunday that crews are building a fire line on Colt Creek Road and Beaver Lake... Full story
Update: Friday, July 21: The Colt Fire reached 99 acres with zero containment Friday morning. *** The Colt Fire northeast of Seeley Lake has grown to roughly 15 acres as of Thursday, July 20, creating a powerful blaze that fire crews hope to knock down before temperatures rise this weekend. The Colt Fire was first reported early Monday morning. It’s about 15 miles northwest of Seeley Lake, and five miles north from Lake Alva. The fire was likely sparked by a lightning strike, according to the F...
A new brick-and-mortar gift shop opened in Ovando this summer, one that plans to seasonally operate by selling local crafts and metalworks. Red Shed Gifts opened for its inaugural season in Ovando on June 15. The gift shop is an extension of the standard craft fair table the Vickie and Ben Harbour have been using at the Ovando Christmas Fest to market their craft items. “I like to create spaces,” owner Vickie Harbour said. “We needed space to sell the things we make, then decided to make a gif...
During the 2023 Change Your Pace Challenge, The Seeley Lake Community Foundation raised $95,050.81 for 16 local nonprofits, and had its best-ever match fund percentage. The match fund stood at a record $37,795, which meant people’s individual donations were valued more than in years past. “For every dollar somebody donated, they really gave $1.82,” said Claire Muller, the executive director of the Seeley Lake Community Foundation. “It’s really great to see the impact be that high.” Nearly 60 o...
Twenty years ago... Thursday, July 17, 2003 U.S House Panel Holds Field Hearing in Seeley Lake By Donna Love On Wednesday, July 2 the Seeley Lake Elementary School gymnasium transformed into a Committee Hearing Room for three hours when members of the U.S. House Resources Committee met there for a field hearing titled “Management Challenges on Montana’s National Forests.” Called at the request of U.S. Rep. Dennis Rehberg, R-Montana, Committee Chairman Richard Pombo, R-California, presided over the three-panel hearing with participation by Re...
Correction: This story is now correctly updated with the correct name of Missoula District Judge John Larson. The story incorrectly said Don Larson in an earlier version A newly-formed nonprofit launched two separate legal challenges against the state of Montana’s decision to approve an open pit gravel mine last month, setting up potential court dates that could revoke the builder’s permit. Protect the Clearwater is a newly-formed nonprofit with the main purpose of stopping the new gravel min...
Alan Muskett Editor’s note: Alan Muskett worked as a doctor in Billings for more than 20 years. While there, he wrote a column on the medical industry. Muskett now works as the Swan Valley Emergency Services Medical Director. The patient mentioned in this story was okay. The Bell 429 jet helicopter descended on the grass surface of the Condon International Airport (CIA) like a great green/blue/titanium raptor, one that had plucked an injured hiker from treacherous terrain of the high Mission Mountains. Awaiting the arrival of the patient was t...
Everything seemed to go right last Tuesday after a multitude of people swarmed Seeley Lake for Independence Day. The people of Seeley Lake showed up too, as the annual car show, pancake breakfast, parade and fireworks were highlights of the day. The fireworks show featured two barges instead of one of previous years, according to Tom Browder, one of the organizers behind the Fourth activities. The Seeley parade featured almost 50 floats. Three hours earlier in Condon, there were nearly 30 and a...
More than 20 floats whose occupants threw candy, glow sticks and misting water towards the crowd of 200 plus viewers. The floats circled the Ovando community at least three times on the Fourth of July in Ovando this year. The parade led by the Lincoln American Legion Post 9 went from Trixie's parking lot to the town square, where they stood at attention while Zia Kloetzel, from Ovando and now a Nashville resident, sang the National Anthem. Behind the color guard came Jon and Jan Farrar on foot...
Seeley Lake - Since its founding in 1993, Clearwater Montana Properties has emphasized community-building as a key component of its company culture. Through its Charitable Giving Program, the company's agents give back a portion of all real estate proceeds to the communities in which they were earned. To date, the program has produced over $1,078,132 in charitable donations to causes throughout Montana, Idaho, and Washington and Wyoming. "Each year Clearwater and our agents give a portion of...
Seeley Lake’s only thrift store might just seem like a small retail outlet, but the nonprofit also helps with paying bills and getting teachers’ school supplies, according to its director Mary Newpower. Loving Hearts operates twice a week from its building behind the Mission Bible Fellowship Church. While Newpower is a member of the church, she said Loving Hearts is independently funded, and only focuses on bettering members of the community. “There’s a lot of new people in town that don’t know that we have a benevolence program,” Newpower said...
Some residents’ old bottles and jars will find their way across the Rockies as the Seeley Lake Community Foundation will host a glass recycling event that should save resources while generating money for the local schools. People can donate glass from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, July 15. It is expected to yield several thousand pounds of glass, according to SLCF Executive Director Claire Muller. The summer pickup also could beat the previous Seeley record of 5,000 pounds of glass collected last September. “I think the word is getting out...
Missoula author Chris Dombrowski will be reading and talking about his latest memoir, “The River You Touch,” at the Swan Valley Community Hall in Condon on Saturday, July 15 at 7 pm. Co-sponsored by Alpine Artisans’ Open Book Club and Swan Valley Connections, this evening is a ‘don’t miss’ for those who want to spend a vicarious day on the river with one of the most entertaining river guides and poets in western Montana. The “River You Touch” is also an intimate journey into the life of a family working hard to make a living in a rugged, Wester...
A Missoula District Court Judge has stopped new work on a gravel pit three miles south of Salmon Lake after area residents filed multiple lawsuits over the validity of the project. Protect the Clearwater, a nonprofit group of residents near the Clearwater River, successfully petitioned Missoula District Court Judge John Larson on July 17 for a temporary injunction, or hold, on LHC construction’s permit to crush gravel and create asphalt for road projects. The temporary injunction means work o...
Jennifer Patchen has lived in Seeley Lake most of her life. She was shocked when she opened a letter from the Montana Department of Revenue earlier this month. “I was like ‘oh my god’” Patchen said. “I opened up that (letter) and seen (my taxes) and it was almost 100% more than last year’s.” Patchen lives behind the elementary school and is not the only one getting shocking tax assessments. Across the Seeley-Swan area — and the rest of Montana — residents are receiving new property values from the state, which coincide with their local share...
Dennis Bennett climbed into his canoe and took his daughters down the Clearwater River. The Bennetts, from the Detroit area, last visited Montana eight years ago, and they stayed in the same place — Paws Up. Last Wednesday, the privately-owned resort took the family to canoe the Clearwater in one of its white Mercedes Sprinter vans. It was their first time taking the trail, and luckily the other visitors at the site just planned to hike. “I shoulda brought a cowboy hat for this,” Bennett said....
The Mannix Ranch, Helmville, hosted a tour June 20-21 of their ranch and discussion of ranch practices as regional winners of the Montana Stockgrowers “Raise the Steaks” Environmental Stewardship Regional Award (ESAP) awarded for the 2022 nationwide contest. A system of values changing over time is part of the flow that the Mannix family spoke about as they shared their evolution as ranchers seeking resilient ways of tending the land and livestock they manage. “What seems right today might be pr...
6/23 10:59 a.m. Trespassing 30XX Highway 83, Seeley Lake 6/23 11:10 p.m. Suspicious Activity 2XX School Lane, Seeley Lake 6/24 1:42 a.m. Suspicious Activity 282XX Blixit Creek Road, Potomac 6/24 3:09 a.m. Suspicious Activity 3XX Montana Drive, Seeley Lake 6/24 1:08 p.m. Theft 9XX Whitetail Drive, Seeley Lake 6/26 3:16 p.m. Trespassing 41XX S. Placid Lake Road, Seeley Lake 6/27 12:21 p.m. Burglary 19XX Holland Lake Road, Condon 6/28 6:52 p.m. Suspicious Activity 4XX Airport Road, Seeley Lake...
6/22 8:03 a.m. Accident No Injury 2XMM Highway 200 6/22 6:10 p.m. Accident with Injury 2XMM Highway 83 6/23 3:20 a.m. Accident No Injury 2XMM Highway 83 6/23 7:44 p.m. Accident with Injury 1XMM Highway, 83 Seeley Lake 6/25 5:51 a.m. Accident No Injury Riverview Drive, Seeley Lake...
Finding new ways to support residents in the Swan Valley took center stage last Tuesday, June 27. About 100 people met to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Swan Valley Community Foundation with a leadership award and small grants to local nonprofits. Residents ate dinner at the Hungry Bear Bar and Grill in Condon. Each had a slip of paper that SVCF President John Mercer asked the crowd to write two things: what issues the Swan Valley face, and what the community foundation can do to help. Th...
In the late 1990’s grizzly bears began coming down into the valleys and coming across the ranch boneyards. Soon 20 or more bears were working the bone-yard circuit, according to research by Jamie Jonkel, Region 2 Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Bear Management Specialist. “The bears had a trap line from boneyard to boneyard on area ranches during calving season,” Jonkel said. “By instituting the carcass collection program in 2003 with the help of Blackfoot Challenge, the possibility of human-b...
Ovando’s population has hovered around 70 residents during the 21st century (71 people according to the 2000 census, and 69 people according to the 2020 census), and 61 of those Ovando citizens signed a petition requesting their area’s speed limit be reduced to 15 miles per hour. According to Powell County Planning Director Amanda Cooley, this issue has been under discussion “for a long time” within the Ovando community, which sees no shortage of tourist traffic passing through its boundaries, due to its convenient proximity to a number...
“People need something different than anonymous meat,” Cole Mannix of the Mannix Ranch in Helmville said during the Old Salt Festival on June 23-25. “Old Salt is primarily a meat company, and we’re borrowing a model from the breweries that have sprouted up. People go to breweries to have a good time and build relationships. That’s what Old Salt is trying to do with the festival, and have it focused on great wood-fired cooking, music and relationships.” Authentic connections with people rather th...
Dozens of people roamed from tent to tent outside of the Seeley Lake Community Foundation building to get their market fix while its leaders celebrated a major milestone. The Sunday Market at Seeley Lake turned 15 years old on July 2. During the peak times of the Fourth of July, the foundation credited locals for getting the event started, and its vendors who often travel to Seeley to sell their goods. “I really wanted to take some time during this bustle on this big beautiful day to thank t...
Twenty years ago... Thursday, July 3, 2003 Special meeting here July 8 on future of Plum Creek lands A community meeting to consider and discuss potential future status of Plum Creek lands in the Clearwater drainage and the Seeley Lake area will be held. Desired future uses of these lands will be a primary focus of discussion including consideration of such issues as wildlife values, public access, forestry practices, real estate development and suggestions for private or public ownership. This...
Riddy Arman serenaded the crowd with her folksy bluesy voice proclaiming "a cowboy hates fencing with love on his mind" against the backdrop of misty green hills, fading as rain showers threatened. People sat in clusters on rows of straw bales under an 80 foot x 160 foot tent listening to the music and chowing down on pork barbecue and beans. They were cooked low and slow overnight in cement block fire pits and 30 gallon cauldrons. Some played corn hole and ladder golf in the background. "It's...
Griffen Smith of the Pathfinder Sam McKenzie looked over the various drums in the back of the Seeley-Swan High School Auditorium, ready to give out lessons for hungry minds. "You want to focus on getting the rhythm right more than any accents of the instrument," McKenzie said. Rather than high school students who would normally sit in the band pit, McKenzie's audience all teach music to students across the state or are just professionals looking to brush up on their skills. The workshop was one...
The Seeley Lake Fourth of July activities will have most — if not all of the activities in previous years. This year under the Seeley Historical Society, a flyover by the Montana Air National Guard will be one of the many treats for visitors and residents alike. “We’re thinking that everything here we have done at some point in the past, I was worried a couple months ago though,” said Tom Browder, the chair of the historical society and Fourth planner. “Nice thing about Seeley is you just go to people and they will help out.” With the Seeley...
A Seeley man facing five felonies and one misdemeanor after he killed a Potomac woman while allegedly under the influence last year might agree to a plea deal, according to his defense attorney during a hearing in Missoula County Court last week. Kerry Glen Drew, 68, killed one person and injured at least two Dec. 21 when he drove off the side of Highway 200 near mile marker 18, where Victoria E. Richardson, 61, was helping a stranded motorist in the snow. Drew has been charged with vehicular homicide while under the influence, negligent...
6/15 7:46 a.m. Accident With Injury 293XX Highway 200 E 6/16 11:00 a.m. Suspicious Activity Gold Creek Road, Bonner 6/16 8:02 p.m. Accident With Injury 25XX Highway 83, Seeley Lake 6/16 11:49 p.m. Suspicious Activity 1XX Gull Port Seeley Lake 6/17 11:35 a.m. Stolen Vehicle 27XX Highway 83, Seeley Lake 6/17 12:02 p.m. Accident No Injury 3XMM Highway 83, Condon 6/17 6: 57 p.m. Disturbance 32XX Highway 83, Seeley Lake 6/20 11:46 a.m. Vandalism 30XX Highway 83, Seeley Lake 6/20 7:37 p.m. Harassment 1XX Chipmunk Court, Seeley Lake 6/21 7:23 p.m....
6/14/2023 Medical Paws Up Road 6/14/2023 Medical Black Bear Drive 6/16/2023 Accident Injury Highway 83 6/17/2023 Medical Paws Up Road 6/18/2023 Medical Placid Lake Road 6/18/2023 Medical Placid Lake Road 6/17/2023 Medical Sunset Road 6/21/2023 Accident Injury Highway 83/White Tail 6/21/2023 Medical Paws Up Road...
A full-body elk mount carrying panniers helped attract 200-250 people to the Bear Fair on the Little Bird lawn June 18. More than eight organizations hosted tables with displays and information for people to learn a bear smart lifestyle. "The last Bear Fair in Seeley Lake was 21 years ago," said Patti Bartlett, organizer of the Bear Fair. "It was time to have another one with all the new people in the area so we can all be safer wherever we live." There are about 100 food-conditioned black...
The Seeley Fire District Board approved a 3% raise for its chief, approved its budget for next year, while call numbers for the agency are expected to surpass 2022 in the coming months. For 2022, the rural fire department responded to 95 calls. For 2023, 91 calls have been placed so far, according to Fire Chief Dave Lane. “It’s been picking up a bit,” Lane said. The fire board unanimously approved Lane’s salary to $77,845. That is below the average fire chief pay in the state of Montana, according to board member Jon Kimble. The median pay for...
Griffen Smith of the Pathfinder Housing has become a national problem for the United States Forest Service, and both the Seeley Ranger District and the Swan Lake Ranger District are in talks of building new housing on USFS land. The Swan Valley Community Council dived into the need for housing with both Chris Dowling, the Swan Lake district ranger, and Quinn Carver, the Seeley Lake district ranger on June 20. Both rangers agreed that the lack of housing in the area is holding people off from living and working in the area. “We can’t hire tea...
The Seeley Swan Pathfinder took home four first place awards at the Montana Newspaper Association Better Newspaper Contest on June 17. All the wins came from the editorial staff of the previous owners, Andi and Nathan Bourne. The better newspaper awards highlights the top newspapers from 2022 in news, sports, photography, design, advertising and more. The Pathfinder won first in feature writing, sports writing, sports feature writing and best portrait photo. The Pathfinder competed in the smallest newspaper division with a circulation of less...
Twenty Years Ago... June 26, 2003 Governors, national officials focus on Seeley Lake project. Flanked by a contingent of police cars and unmarked security cars, governors from five western states along with national and regional forest officials traveled to Seeley Lake Wednesday, June 18, to view a pioneering U.S. Forest Service project, the Clearwater Stewardship Project, that has been touted as a national model. The day trip started at the Lubrecht Experimental Forest, then moved on to...
On Saturday, June 10, a modest hoard of hungry folks convened at the Swan Valley Community Center for the 31st annual Chili Cook-Off competition and fundraiser hosted by the local American Legion chapter 63. Each year the competition names the best chili in the valley and hosts an auction to raise money for American Legion events throughout the year. Lindsey Glastetter won first place with a Mexican infused chili with Chorizo and enchilada sauce. Her chili had the most distinctive pepper flavor...
Cyclists Jessica Cerra and Evelyn Dong crossed Highway 200, within 2,000 feet of the finish line. The 80-ish mile race sprint finish was between second and third place. Cerra was ready to relegate herself to third place. Dong encouraged her to finish strong, and Cerra came in ahead of Dong by 0.7 of a second. The gray, drizzly morning did not stop the 200 riders from showing up to the Second Annual Dusty Banditas Women's gravel bike race on June 3 in the Ovando area. Thirty-seven women...
"Main Street, Ovando is on the route of the Tour Divide, a grueling 2,700 mile gravel bike race. It is the world's longest off-pavement bicycle race," said Kathy Thurmond, owner Blackfoot Angler and impromptu bicycle shop. "As of June 16, 156 riders have passed through town." The original 198 riders in the grand departure left Banff, Alberta, on June 9. Leaders passed through Ovando on Sunday, June 11. As of June 17, the leaders are over half-way to the finish-line in New Mexico. The overall...
The upstairs loft of the Barn in Seeley Lake became an intricate Montana State civics lesson on Monday, June 12 when the Seeley Lake Community Council discussesd tax revenue and grassroots movements. Missoula County Commisioner Josh Slotnik presented a few explanations of Montana tax systems and talked about what he considers new perspectives on their uses. “Not so much because people are mad about property taxes or unhappy about them,” Slotnik said. “But because of the language of property taxes. It is very much its own animal.” Slotnik...
Seeley Lake’s Fourth Of July brass band is seeking more players to round out the sound of the volunteer group. The band performs on a moving parade float, and is currently short about two people, according to band manager Bruce Davidson. “If not enough people show up, I’ll have to drive the truck,” Davidson said. The band hopes to find more brass musicians, but is open to anyone interested in playing any instrument. “If two people from Seeley Lake joined up, it would be quite the affair,” Davidson said. The group will practice the set the mor...
During the 2020-2021 school year, Seeley-Swan High School students and teachers began the process of improving the Frisbee-golf -referred to by players as "folf"- course behind the school. The Blackhawk Disc Golf Course, created and maintained by the SSHS Student Council, offers 18 challenging holes that wind through towering larch and ponderosa pine. The course is lengthy and may be confusing to navigate for out-of-town visitors or people who don't regularly play Frisbee-golf. So SSHS teachers...
Models of all ages graced the floor of Mission Bible Fellowship in the spirit of abundance on Saturday, June 10 during the Loving Hearts ministry annual fashion show and brunch fundraiser. After giving away about $6,000 in scholarships to local high school graduates last year, the Loving Hearts ministry hoped to restock some of those funds with the fashion show. The event themed "The Best of Everything" raised approximately $2,800 to go to next year's high school graduates, according to Mary...
The senior class of Seeley-Swan High School filed into the auditorium for their last ever school assembly on Sunday June 4. The school band played pomp and circumstance from the corner while the rows of parents, extended family and community members sat quietly in rows of folding chairs. Each student stepped out of the yellow-lined doorway and paused for just a moment before walking down the aisle toward the stage and a new chapter in their life. For many of these students this gym had served...
Over the past several years Trace Stone, the U.S. government teacher at Seeley-Swan High School (SSHS), has been looking at the school sign every morning and thinking of ways to improve it. This year he was able to finally create and install a new one with the help of students and members of the community. "I hope this adds charm to our school and inspires students to undertake further projects that will enhance the school and community." Stone said. A group of seniors taking the U.S....
6/1 2:27 p.m. Driving Under Influence Hwy 83 6/1 2:29 p.m. Civil School Lane 6/1 5:27p.m. Stolen Vehicle Rocky Mountain Road 6/2 10:25 a.m. Accident With Injury Boy Scout Road 6/2 3:29 p.m. Intimidation Hwy 83 6/3 10:35 a.m. Accident no Injury Hwy 200 6/3 3:47 p.m. Harassment Blanchard Court 6/3 5:46 p.m. Assault with a weapon Hwy 83 6/4 10:36 p.m. Accident no Injury Hwy 200 6/5 2:09 p.m. Burglary Boyd Lane 6/5 2:09 p.m. Disturbance Cutthroat Drive 6/6 2:29 a.m. Accident with Injury Hwy 83 6/6... Full story
5/31 Medical Paws Up Road 6/2 Medical Hwy 83 6/2 Accident with Injury Boy Scout Road 6/3 Medical Boy Scout Road 6/4 Medical Peony Drive 6/5 Medical Standby Riverview Drive 6/6 Accident with Injury Hwy 83... Full story
Monkey bars, rock walls and double slides took the attention of most children walking around the Lions Club Park in Seeley Lake on Saturday, June 10. The club hosted its grand opening of a new playground, which should be a good alternative to the elementary school's now-dismantled structure. The project cemented a cornerstone into the Lions park, which has long maintained the ground for Missoula County. Rich Westin, a Seeley Lake Lions Club member, said the playground will make the area feel mor...
Gov. Greg Gianforte announced Friday that Henry "Hank" Worsech is retiring as director of Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, the agency charged with managing Montana's wildlife and 55 state parks. Dustin Temple, who's been serving as the agency's acting director, will take Worsech's place overseeing the department. Worsech, who'd been on medical leave since February, is retiring from FWP for a second time. Prior to taking the director post, Worsech served as the agency's license bureau chief. He also formerly served as the executive director of... Full story
Flathead National Forest Supervisor, Kurt Steele, has accepted a new position within the National Forest Service. Steele, who has been the Supervisor of Flathead National Forest since January of 2020 came under fire for decisions made involving the POWDR Corporation’s purchase of Holland Lake Lodge. According to a story in The Fathead Beacon on June 9, the details are still being figured out, but Steele was offered and has accepted a new position as a deputy director at the Northern Region headquarters in Missoula....
Twenty Years ago... June 12, 2003 Students help with start-up funds for the "Stage" Seeley Lake Elementary students viewed the Seeley-Swan Stage firsthand when the van visited the school on Thursday. The students raised money to contribute to the Senior Citizens' Transportation committee for operating and maintaining the van. Student Council President Michael Biggins and eighth grader Ryan Rammell presented a $50 check to Transportation committee member Paul Miller during lunch at the Seeley...
Darrin Divis held his uncle's burial flag tightly as each fold symbolized an honor placed on veterans for their service. Roughly 40 people looked on as the Seeley Lake community honored and celebrated its veterans at the Memorial garden last Monday. Divis, an Iraq war veteran, said each year's memorial is similar in principle, but this year the Veterans and Families of Seeley Lake (VFSL) hoped to educate the public while preserving the traits of sacrifice and courage that many veterans had when...
A somber procession gathered on the Cold Creek Bridge in Condon to remember service members who have passed. The 31st annual Memorial Day observance was presided over by Edward Klassen, who has facilitated the event for the last six years as the commander of American Legion Post 63 in Condon Klassen brought a small amplifier with a microphone to the bridge and read aloud a brief history of Memorial Day as a national tradition, wrapping a contemporary tribute in a retelling of the holiday's...
Fraud costs Medicare an estimated $60 billion per year. It costs Medicare beneficiaries time, stress, the security of their medical information, and potentially their health. It costs families, friends, and caregivers in worry and lost work when helping their loved ones recover from falling victim to Medicare fraud. “Medicare fraud has a devastating impact on both beneficiaries and the Medicare program,” said Renee Labrie-Shanks, Statewide Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) Program Director. “Current Medicare card and COVID-19 test kit scams illus... Full story
5/24 Medical School Lane 5/26 Medical Hwy 83 5/26 Medical Hwy 83 5/26 Medical W. Spruce Street 5/26 Medical Drew Creek Loop 5/27 Fire Alarm Hwy 83 5/27 Medical Airport Road 5/29 Medical Lemar Drive 5/29 Welfare Ck. Hwy 83...
5/25 4:32 p.m. Trespassing Holland Lake Road 5/25 12:58 p.m. Civil Hole in the Wall Road 5/26 7:46 a.m. Accident with Injury Hwy 83 5/26 10:19 a.m. Suspicious Activity Holland Lake Road 5/26 12:44 p.m. Theft Leota Peak Road 5/27 12:23 p.m. Civil Oak Lane 5/27 5:04 p.m. Trespassing Woodworth Road 5/28 4:47 p.m. Civil Hwy 83 5/30 1:02 p.m. Theft Holland Lake Road 5/30 2:51 p.m. Civil Riverview Drive 5/30 6:06 p.m. Suspicious Activity Old Barn Road 5/31 10:26 a.m. Suspicious Activity Glacier Drive 5/31 4:40 p.m. Civil Grizzly D...
Two rafting teams compete in the final heat at the Whitewater Festival in Bigfork on Sunday, May 28. The festival, which was in its 48th year, featured roughly 100 competitors in multiple races for rafts, kayaks and stand-up paddle boards. The event brought hundreds of spectators to the banks of the Swan River over the weekend....
Ovando Museum hosted five local citizens June 25 for recognition of being Nonagenarians, people 90-99 years old. Irene Weaver, her sister Norma Hughes, Whitey (Charles)Whitehead, Jack Hooker and Peggy Wittrock were the honorees. About 30 family, friends and community members attended. The honorees shared stories and memories from years past. "The purpose of the event was to recognize, admire and appreciate the wisdom from their experiences of life," said Barb McNally, Museum board member. "It...
The corner of Cedar Lane and Elm Drive in Seeley Lake is a natural ditch with a shallow pond, which at one time was used as a trash dump. But it has become a pleasant oasis since the Lion's Club took on the task of making it into a park. Last year they added a state-of-the-art playground and are welcoming the community to a grand opening on June 10. "About two- almost three years ago now- I started talking to the county about putting the playground in and I had nothing but red tape," said Lion...
Four eighth grade students finished their Helmville School career on May 30 with encouraging words from the Drummond Junior Varsity Football coach and the book "All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten." Graduating eighth graders Wyatt Daniels, Michael Goettle, Natalie Graveley and Lucas Spatig will all be attending Drummond High School in the fall, and per tradition they were the centerpieces of a graduation ceremony at the Helmville Community Center. The graduates shared their child...
SEELEY LAKE- The Change Your Pace (CYP) kick-off party was hosted in the parking lot of the Seeley Lake Community Foundation (SLCF) building on Friday June 2. Energy Partners Propane offered a deal on propane tank refills with half the proceeds being donated the CYP match-fund. "It's a combo customer appreciation party and kick-off for Change Your Pace," said Claire Muller, Executive Director of SLCF. Energy Partners spent hours filling propane and grilled 150 hot dogs at the...
MontANTa 2023, the great rural Montana scavenger hunt brought to you by the Red Ants Pants Music Festival, is here. Snap a photo with Red to be entered to win a VIP prize package for the music festival! Red ants are popping up along the highways and byways of Montana this summer as the Red Ants Pants Music Festival celebrates the rural communities and industries that enrich Montana. Keep an eye out for their enormous hand-sewn red ant banners that will be "hidden" in the following rural... Full story
Liz Claiborne: Educated children are a true natural resource Liz Claiborne, internationally famous fashion designer, was the guest speaker at the Salmon Prairie Elementary School graduation last Friday night. More than 50 people crowded into the one-room school building for the ceremony. Claiborne addresses the two graduates: Tara Anderson and Owen Conley. "People think of our country as being rich because of natural resources such as timber and gold," Claiborne said. She pointed out, however,...
Susan Monahan was sworn in to her new position on the Seeley Lake Rural Volunteer Fire Board on Monday, May 22 and sat in for her first official meeting on the board later that week. The special meeting, held in Seeley Lake on Wednesday, May 24 was a small gathering with introductions and a parceling out of the yearly budget as read by Fire Chief, Dave Lane. "It was good," Monahan said. "It went well, but I have a lot to learn." Lane read a letter to the board from former board member Scott...
5/18 10:58 a.m. Burglary Condon 5/18 11:13 a.m. Accident with Injury Seeley Lake 5/18 3:57 p.m. Accident no Injury Seeley Lake 5/18 10:09 p.m. Suspicious Activity Seeley Lake 5/19 6:50 p.m. Theft Seeley Lake 5/20 9:51 p.m. Harassment Seeley Lake 5/21 1:41 p.m. Disturbance Seeley Lake 5/21 1:41 p.m. Offenses Against Family Condon 5/22 3:52 p.m. Offenses Against Family Seeley Lake 5/23 6:07 p.m. Accident no Injury Condon... Full story
5/18 Accident with Injury 26MM Hwy 200 5/20 Medical Larch Lane 5/21 Medical N. Canyon Drive 5/21 Medical Hwy 83 5/23 Medical Frontier Road 5/23 Medical N. Canyon Drive... Full story
A pod of American white pelicans group together on a submerged log in the flooded area near Nevada Lake in Helmville. The area is not listed as a known nesting ground in a 2019 report by the Montana Audubon Society. The high water levels across the state have created new habitats for waterfowl who are on their annual migration north. Places like Nevada Lake may see unusual species of birds while the water levels are high. American white pelicans generally summer in the great plains or...
On Wednesday, May 24 the Joyful Noise Childcare at the Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Seeley Lake celebrated 10 years of tending to the town's youngest residents. A decade ago Mary Mount saw a lack of childcare options in Seeley Lake and decided to open Joyful Noise to help out parents of the Lutheran Congregation. Over the years Mount has cared for many of the town's kids. 117 in told according to Mount's own count. Providing child care for 10 years has brought her a lot of joy, and while many o...
Twenty years ago... Thursday, May 29, 2003 Seeley Lake Elementary Eighth Grade Class of 2003 Thirty years ago... Thursday, June 2, 1988 Congratulations Class of '88...
Passers-by may notice new fenced-in areas blocking pedestrian traffic in some loacations this summer including Clearwater Crossing Fishing Access and Brown's Lake. These Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) fishing access points have been slated for habitat restoration and will see some improvements over the course of the season. According to FWP, trees need to be planted to mitigate erosion and the fences will stay up until the trees are well established enough to grow without protection....
This year the Ovando School will bid farewell to one graduating student. The small rural two-room schoolhouse will be sending off one proud graduate this year. Sawyer Hessler is moving on to the relatively big halls of Drummond High. While she will miss the "field trips and opportunities that you get with such a smaller school," she is very much looking forward to joining the basketball team. "They had tryouts this year and I was able to play on the Drummond Varsity basketball team," Hessler...
Attorney General Knudsen and nearly 50 attorneys general from across the country filed a lawsuit against a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) company that helped facilitate more than 20 million spam robocalls to Montana phone numbers between December 2018 and January 2023, he announced today. Many of the calls transmitted allegedly involved various types of scams. The coalition filed the lawsuit yesterday against Michael D. Lansky, LLC, which does business under the name Avid Telecom, and compa... Full story
Every year the Blackfoot Clearwater Wildlife Management Area (WMA) commonly known as the Game Range near Clearwater Junction in Greenough opens for eager shed hunters to collect antlers from the field. The annual tradition has become a kind of festival. "Horn hunting is like an Easter-egg hunt for adults," said Trevor Welnel, a Helena area hunter who came to the Greenough for the opening day event. The Game Range opened on May 15. "Once the gate opens you drive until your heart is bursting with...
On Monday, May 15 the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) announced an approval of the Opencut Mine Gravel Pit near Elbow Lake. On March 16, the DNRC issued a press release in the Pathfinder, alerting the public to a permit being considered which would open a gravel pit and asphalt production facility near Elbow Lake in Greenough. LHC Inc of Kalispell, applied for the permit and sought to provide materials for a nearby road work project on Highway 83. The permit marked the second time that LHC has filed to mine gravel near...
5/11 11:18 a.m. Disturbance Morrell Creek Road, Seeley Lake 5/12 9:04 a.m. Civil 1XX School Lane, Seeley Lake 5/12 10:37 a.m. Minor in Possession 203XX E. Mullan Road, Clinton 5/12 10:39 a.m. Trespassing 71XX Boy Scout Road, Seeley Lake 5/12 11:32 a.m. Burglary 7XX Pine Drive, Seeley Lake 5/12 12:43 p.m. Assault 18XX Grandview Drive, Seeley Lake 5/12 1:39 p.m. Fraud 2XX Cutthroat Court, Seeley Lake 5/13 9:12 a.m. Theft 150XX Sperry Grade Road, Seeley Lake 5/14 12:12 p.m. Suspicious Activity... Full story
5/15 Wildfire Airport Road, Seeley Lake 5/16 Medical Highway 83 5/16 Structure Fire Highway 83... Full story
Starting Monday, June 5 the Seeley Lake Library will be changing over to summer hours. With the end of the school year, the library will not longer be open during regular school hours but will still be open for use as a regular public library. Non-holiday summer hours are: •Mondays, 10:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. •Wednesdays, 10:30 a.m. - 6 p.m. •Thursdays, 10:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. Carrie Benton will be the librarian on staff and will also be leading the Library Book Club, which will meet next on Thursday, June 1 at 10 a.m. The Library Book Club’s first t...
On Thursday, May 18 the Ovando school hosted the annual May Day Tea event to close out the school year and showcase the talents of current students before an audience of parents and community members. Every year the Ovando School closes out with a student production, a variety show which the students spend weeks preparing for. "At the end of April we're starting to build sets and make sure we've got props in order," said Nathan Graves, a teacher at the Ovando school who helped with this year's...
Smoke swept through the Montana skies earlier this week blocking mountain views and lowering air quality. Luckily for the Big Sky State, where there was smoke there wasn't fire. Since early May, the Canadian Province of Alberta has been ravaged by wildfires and the winds have swept the smoke south. More than 100 separate fires have burned the forests of central Canada and 93 of those fires are actively burning as of Friday, May 20. While the trees of Montana have so far survived the early...
Last summer POWDR Corp stationed a mobile apartment trailer at the Holland Lake Lodge campus. While the company has removed most of the other pieces of equipment, the trailer has remained. At a Swan Valley Community Council meeting in March, Chris Dowling, Swan Lake District Ranger, said that there had been permits allowing for the placement of the trailer but there had never been any permits allowing it to be hooked up to utilities. This prompted many questions about why the trailer had been br...
Twenty years ago… Thursday, May 22, 2003 Forest Resource council get $8,000 grant for local work National Forest Foundation ( NFF) Awards Local Group Community Assistance Program Grants …The Seeley Lake Forest Council was awarded $8,000 in funds from the grant program. “ The NFF commitment to local participation in forest conservation is at the very heart of this program,” said Bill Possiciel, president of the NFF. “We look forward to working with these and other emerging groups as they establish themselves in their communities.” The NFF dev... Full story
To protect Montanans’ personal, private, and sensitive data and information from intelligence gathering by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), Governor Greg Gianforte today banned TikTok from operating in Montana. “The CCP is using TikTok to spy on Americans, violate their privacy, and collect their personal, private, and sensitive information is well-documented,” Gov. Gianforte said. “Today, Montana takes the most decisive action of any state to protect Montanans’ private data and sensitive personal information from being harvested by the CC... Full story
Energy Partners Propane Solutions and the Seeley Lake Community Foundation invite everyone to our Community Appreciation Day and Change Your Pace Challenge Kickoff Party on Friday, June 2. Fill your 20 pound BBQ propane bottle for $10 and 50% of the proceeds will be donated to the Change Your Pace Challenge Match Fund. Come join us for an opportunity to mingle with local non-profits and enjoy lunch, sponsored by Energy Partners! The event runs from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Foundation Building... Full story
Montana Rep. Ryan Zinke has teamed with Mary Peltola (D-Alaska) to introduce bipartisan legislation to aid communities adjacent to national parks deal with the impacts of skyrocketing visitation. The Gateway Communities and Recreation Enhancement Act was introduced on Wednesday and is a companion bill to one introduced by Sens. Steve Daines and Angus King (I-Maine) in February. The bill would create a pilot program to encourage people visiting more congested national parks to explore... Full story
One of Seeley Lake's oldest residents is one of quite high distinction. While their place in the community may not be known to all, it literally dwarf all others. Gus is not only the tallest tree in the state of Montana, but he is also the tallest western larch tree in the world. Standing at 163 feet, two feet taller than the Statue of Liberty, Gus is a subtle local legend. He isn't prominently advertised, and for all intents and purposes he is just another in the many trees of the Jim Gerard Gr...
Game wardens from as far away as Kentucky and Ohio descended upon Seeley Lake May 9-11 for a Wildlife Field Forensics Seminar hosted by Wildlife Field Forensics. The 58 state, federal and tribal officers had lectures and field training for learning skills needed in forensic analysis of wildlife cases. Seminar classes included investigating wildlife-human conflicts, decomposition stages for forensic analysis, firearms evidence field analysis, entomology related to crime analysis and field...
5/3 Medical Airport Road, Seeley Lake 5/4 Fire Spruce Lane, Seeley Lake 5/6 Medical Hwy 83 5/6 Accident Airport Road, Seeley Lake 5/8 Medical Ketchum Lane, Seeley Lake 5/8 Medical Hwy 83...
May 5, 12:45 p.m. Accident, No Injury 31XX Highway 83, Seeley Lake May 5, 12:46 p.m. Suspicious Activity 293XX Hwy 200 E May 5. 1:00 p.m. Fraud 101XX Sunset Hill Road, Ovando May 6, 3:09 a.m. Accident, Fatality 4XX Airport Road, Seeley Lake May 6, 5:16 p.m. Disturbance 18XX Airport Road, Seeley Lake May 6, 5:42 p.m. Suspicious Activity 44XX Highway 83, Seeley Lake May 7, 5:37 p.m. Suspicious Activity 3XX Boy Scout Road, Seeley Lake May 9, 9:33 a.m. Disturbance 33XX Highway 83, Seeley Lake May 10, 8:02 a.m. Accident, No Injury 3X MM Highway 83,...
SEELEY LAKE — Have you ever been to a frustrating meeting? Want to know how to create meetings that actually get things done? This week-night session will be interesting and action-packed! The Seeley Lake Community Foundation (SLCF) is bringing nationally recognized trainer Shannon Stober to Seeley Lake to present an evening session called ‘Tips for Constructive Meetings’. This short, useful, and free session will help participants receive an overview of how to properly plan and deliver constructive meetings. Specific topics include desig...
Twenty Years Ago... Thursday, May 15, 2003 Over a year of work by area volunteers was rewarded last Thursday, May 8, with the delivery of a "para-transit" bus to the Seeley Lake Senior Citizens Center. Numerous volunteers were present to accept and inspect the red, white and blue bus, named "SEELEY-SWAN STAGE'" This bus will provide transportation for persons with disabilities and aged persons in the Seeley Lake and Condon area (roughly, both sides of Highway 83 from Highway 200 to mile marker...
Students from Seeley-Swan High School competed in the Business Professionals of America National Leadership Conference. On Wednesday, April 25, Seeley-Swan High School (SSHS) students Tru Good, Cora Stone, Hattie Batchelder, and their advisor Michele Holmes traveled to Anaheim, California where they competed in the Business Professionals of America (BPA) National Leadership Conference. Out of hundreds of different competitions offered for BPA members, the three girls from Seeley Lake chose to...
Missoula County Elections Office reported the unofficial results from the May 2 election. Results show incumbent Courtney Hathaway received 33% of the votes for the two open positions in the Potomac School Trustee election. She was followed by incumbent Wes Mitchell with 22% and Patrick Brewer with 11%. Five write-ins made up 0.66% of the results. In the election for the two Seeley Lake Rural Fire District Trustees, Susan Monahan came out on top with 29% of the votes, followed by incumbents Rita Rossi with 25% and Scott Kennedy with 19%. There...
4/26 Medical Drew Creek Loop, Seeley Lake 4/26 Fire Morrell Creek Drive, Seeley Lake 4/28 Accident Injury Sunset Hill Road, Seeley Lake 4/30 Medical Pine Drive, Seeley Lake 5/2 Medical Airport Road, Seeley Lake 5/3 Medical Assist Airport Road, Seeley Lake... Full story
4/27 2:59 p.m., 12XX Leaning Pine Lane, Seeley Lake Suspicious Activity 4/28 12:26 p.m., 108XX Boy Scout Road, Seeley Lake Stalking 4/28 3:18 p.m., 20XX Styler Drive, Condon Suspicious Activity 4/28 7:06 p.m., 2XX Montana Drive, Seeley Lake Suspicious Activity 4/28 7:29 p.m., 84XX Sunset Hill Road, Ovando Accident with Injury 4/28 7:49 p.m., 150XX Sperry Grade Road, Ovando Disturbance 4/29 6:26 p.m., 36XX Bear Acres Road, Seeley Lake Burglary 5/1 9:24 a.m., 25XX Hwy 83, Seeley Lake Suspicious... Full story
The Seeley Lake region saw an uptick in burglaries last week with three reported in just seven days. But according to the Missoula County Sheriff’s Department they aren’t related incidents and they aren’t even all burglaries. The public record lists the incidents as burglaries, because that is what was reported to the Sheriff’s Office but after investigation they didn’t fit that description. “One was due to a bear, one was a loose boat,” said Jeannette Smith, Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer “There were no crimes, no charges, just in...
Some extreme winter conditions this year led to abnormally high fish fatality rates in the Blackfoot Valley. The ice had mostly melted off Brown's Lake by May 1. While this would normally mean the start of fishing season this year had local fishermen worried. In the wake of that melting ice, scores of dead fish were found. On Upsata Lake, the shoreline was covered with dead yellow perch, largemouth bass and northern pike. "The ice on Brown's Lake was over 24 inches thick," said Ladd Knotek, a...
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen announced that over 17,000 Montanans who were tricked by TurboTax’s owner Intuit into paying to file their federal tax return. They will begin receiving checks from a settlement announced last year. The checks, totaling over a half-million dollars, will be mailed throughout the month of May. In total, 17,141 Montanans will receive a share of $526,330 through the settlement. The amount each consumer receives will be based on the number of tax years for which they qualify. Most consumers are expected to r...
Now that spring has finally sprung, many of us think fondly about the delicious fresh fruits and vegetables found at our local Farmers Markets. In Seeley Lake, we have a wonderful program to help older adults in the community receive nutritious, local food. The Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP), or as many call it, Farmers Market Coupons, is made possible through grant money from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Beginning May 31, 2023, anyone aged 60 and older who meets the income guidelines can stop by the...
An inventory of lands and rivers on Forest Service ground that may be suitable for recommendation as Wilderness or Wild and Scenic River status in the Lolo National Forest Plan Revision is underway. “The initial Wilderness inventory looks at all the lands on the Lolo that might meet some of the basic criteria for consideration,” said Amanda Milburn, of the Lolo National Forest Revision Team. “The inventory doesn’t speculate whether any of this would be good, bad or indifferent as a wildern...
MISSOULA — Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks researchers are launching a new multi-year study on black bears this month aimed at better understanding and estimating the population across the state. The first season of field research will focus on areas in west-central Montana, including the Blackfoot River watershed from Gold Creek through Ovando and Helmville. The new Montana black bear monitoring program will ultimately help FWP to gain accurate and timely understanding of the black bear populations, accounting for regional differences, to b... Full story
On April 29 the Double Arrow Golf Course in Seeley Lake opened the back nine half of their course for the first time this year and local golfers have been teeing off in droves. “It’s finally sunny and we can get out and golf,” said Chelsea Cahoon, pro-shop manager. “People have been itching to get on the course.” Each day has seen upwards of 60 golfers take the course. They can be seen from Highway 83 driving and putting their way through the fast-moving high-water streams and green grass of...
On Saturday, May 6, the Seeley Lake Fire Department conducted a training exercise for extracting persons trapped in a vehicle after a crash. Firefighters practiced techniques for quickly gaining access to damaged vehicles and safely removing anyone trapped inside. They were training with both old and new equipment such as a "jaws-of-life" which are designed to cut through the metal frame of a car when a person is unable to exit because of damage. The newer equipment, which is said to be...
Thirty-five years ago… From Thursday, May 12, 1988 Local artists donate to Chamber Banquet Several local artists are making donations of time, effort and artwork in conjunction with the May 17 banquet and fundraiser sponsored by the Seeley Lake Area Chamber of Commerce. Contribution artists are: Nancy Knecht, Unicorn Folk Art painting; Jeanne Moon, Jeanne Moon Calligraphy; Charles Parker, Calligraphy; Susan Van Rooy Smith, Singletree Saddlery; Roger Wade, Roger Wade Photography; Joy Clement, J... Full story
HELENA – Lawmakers have left the Capitol in Helena after a chaotic end to the 68th Montana Legislature. Republicans, who held a supermajority this session, celebrated legislation passed on education, tax relief and protecting children and parental rights, while Democrats said they were disappointed with a lack of long-term tax relief and immediate solutions for the state’s housing crisis. The Legislative session came to a close on May 2. Lawmakers passed 748 bills this session, out of almost 1,700 introduced, according to the statistics fro...
Every summer, the lakes of Montana are crowded with watercraft from all over the United States and Canada, and with each of those watercraft comes a potential for dangerous contaminants. The most dangerous of those alien contaminants are invasive species of mussels that can lodge themselves into the smallest crevices of boats, anchors, and submerged equipment and be moved from one body of water to another without being noticed but even one mussel can explode into a population large enough to...
Missoula County Elections Office reported the unofficial results from the May 2 election. Results show incumbent Courtney Hathaway received 33% of the votes for the two open positions in the Potomac School Trustee election. She was followed by incumbent Wes Mitchell with 22% and Patrick Brewer with 11%. Five write-ins made up 0.66% of the results. In the election for the two Seeley Lake Rural Fire District Trustees, Susan Monahan came out on top with 29% of the votes, followed by incumbents Rita Rossi with 25% and Scott Kennedy with 19%. There...
Lolo National Forest have opened for public comment this month. The Wild and Scenic Rivers draft, and the Outstanding Remarkable Values Framework and Wilderness Inventory Draft are open for comment until May 16, 2023. "The Lolo National Forest Plan is about issues that are important to people," said Carolyn Upton, Lolo National Forest Supervisor. "We're interested in hearing from forest users about how they see the future of both the forest and the uses of the forest and about issues that are...
4/20 Public Assist Snowmass Drive, Seeley Lake 4/21 Medical Tamarack Drive, Seeley Lake 4/21 Fire Tamarack Drive, Seeley Lake 4/22 Medical Canyon Drive, Seeley Lake 4/22 Medical N. Canyon Drive, Seeley Lake 4/23 Medical School Lane, Seeley Lake 4/24 Medical Airport Road, Seeley Lake... Full story
4/20 11:34 a.m. 457XX Highway 200 E Suspicious Activity 4/21 9:55 a.m. 67XX Highway 83, Condon Disorderly Conduct 4/22 4:48 p.m. Potomac Road Theft 4/23 1:40 p.m. 24XX Highway 83, Seeley Lake Trespassing 4/23 5:00 p.m. 17XX Woodsworth Road, Seeley Lake Civil 4/24 11:21 a.m. 36XX Bear Acres Road, Bonner Burglary 4/25 8:58 a.m. 3X MM Highway 83 Accident, No Injury 4/26 1:48 a.m. 6XX Tamarack Drive, Seeley Lake Disturbance 4/26 6:07 p.m. 5XX Tamarack Drive, Seeley Lake Theft... Full story
The May meeting of the Seeley Lake Community Council will be held at the Barn (2920 Highway 83) on Monday, May 8th. Pizza will be served starting at 5:30, and the meeting will begin at 6:00pm. Planned speakers/topics are as follows: Elbow lake Project Update Holland Lake Update USFS Update Speed Limit study Update Clearwater RV Dump Funding Scenic Trails Update 4th of July Parade Update Everybody is invited to participate in the Council’s discussions on agenda items during the meeting.... Full story
The yearly Ovando Town meeting was held Tuesday April 18 at the Ovando Gym. There were updates from 11 community groups. Notable updates included the Fire Department, Town Park, Blackfoot Challenge, Sheriff's Department, upcoming bicycle events and school news. Fire Chief Monte McNally reported that there are 18 active volunteer firemen and five Emergency Medical Responders (EMR). A battery-powered "Jaws of Life" was obtained as a gift from Blackfoot Telecommunications and a six wheel utility ve...
The Montana Chamber Foundation’s winners of The Prospects Awards were announced in a virtual awards ceremony last week. Two Seeley-Swan High School students took top places in the competion this year. For the third year, the statewide youth entrepreneurship competition offered scholarships and cash prizes for high school and middle school students with new ideas and existing small businesses. “When we engage with our youth, we know we are investing in the future entrepreneurs and business leaders of Montana,” said Todd O’Hair, Executive Directo... Full story
HELENA -- Less than half of Montana’s students are able to read as well as they should for their grade according to a report from the Office of Public Instruction. A bill that would help them catch up and meet reading goals for their age group passed a final vote in the Senate 27-to-23 Thursday. House Bill 352 would establish an optional reading intervention program for districts that would expand the resources they have to help kids practice reading both at school and at home. Sen. Shannon O’Brien, D-Missoula, carried the bill in the Sen... Full story
Thirty-five years ago in 1988... Thursday, May 5, 1988 Boys State delegates chosen Every year high schools throughout the state choose two junior boys from their school to represent them at Boys State. This year it will be held in Dillon from June 12-18. Chosen to represent Seeley-Swan High School at Boys State this year will be Dustin Gordon, son of Les and Gayle Gordon and Ron Gossard, son of Boyd and Pat Gossard. The purpose of Boys State is to teach these youth about state government. To...
SEELEY LAKE- A chimney fire on Morrell Creek Drive prompted a 9-1-1 call at approximately 10 p.m. on Wednesday, April 26. A crew from the Seeley Lake Rural District Volunteer Fire Department was on the scene in less than 10 minutes and had the fire under control almost immediately. “Everybody worked together,” said Fire Chief Dave Lane. “We’ve been pretty successful with our training recently and so everybody was working together and knew what their assignments were and it all came together.” The fire penetrated the attic but didn’t da...
"It was a great experience to visit our nation's Capital as a class,"said Matilda Hessler, Ovando School sixth grader. Ovando School fifth-eighth graders took an eight-day trip to Washington D.C. April 11-18. The trip was choreographed by fifth-eighth grade teacher Nathan Graves. The group was supervised by Andrea Tougas, Ovando School's supervising teacher, Dena Hooker, School Business manager and Graves. The group of five students and three adults stayed in an airbnb and rented a van to tour...
On Thursday, March 30th, students and chaperones set off for the airport to begin their adventure to Costa Rica as part of the seventh annual Destinations for Education cohort from Seeley-Swan High School. Students Kyla Conley, Cora Stone, Klayton Kovatch, Ben Haley, Conner Chadwick, Hattie Batchelder, Wesley Stevenson, and James Hayhurst, along with their two chaperones, Bridget Laird and Trace Stone, who are both teachers at the school traveled from Montana ready for whatever Costa Rica had...
Although Seeley Lake is known as a town for outdoor recreation, it so far has been lacking any accommodation for organized use of motorized vehicles on the trails. “There’s one quarter of one mile of ATV trails,” said Curtis Friede, a local businessman who has been working for years to increase forest access for outdoor recreation vehicles. “There are zero mountain bike trails and zero single track for motorcycles, zero.” The one off-road vehicle that has wide access to the forest lands around Seeley Lake are snowmobiles. While the snow trails...
Susan Monahan I have lived in Seeley Lake since 2019, came to Montana from Eastern Oregon in December 1989 for a job. This is my first time running for a public board in Seeley Lake, but I have served on the Kalispell Pee Wee Baseball Board and Libby School Board. My husband, Quinn Carver, is the Seeley Lake District Ranger. His job brought us to Seeley Lake. I enjoy being outdoors, kayaking, walking/hiking and reading. Experience: I have experience with collections, reading and creating... Full story
"The Pathway of Life" is a Montana story of the Sperry family and life in the Blackfoot Valley in the late 1800's and early 1900's. C.B. Sperry and his wife Nell left Michigan for California and then traveled to Montana in search of a better life. From Helena they homesteaded along the Blackfoot River east of Clearwater Junction. Their homesite area is now called Sperry Grade, near Russell Gates Campground and fishing access. "It is a story of an early homesteader determined to survive the...
Roughly once per month a small film club meets in the hayloft of the Seeley Lake Historic Museum for a curated selection of films with one common theme, a connection to the state of Montana. "We've done writings of a well-known Missoula writer named Dorothy M. Johnson, three of whose books were made into movies," said Tom Browder, who organizes the event and is part of deciding which films to show. Johnson, who was a prolific author of western-themed books, and an instructor at the University...
At the Swan Valley Community Council meeting on April 18, and Librarian Jenny Kauffman presented some updates on services available at the Swan Valley Community Library. The Library which is attached to the Swan Valley Community Hall in Condon is open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday of every week. The shelves are stocked with books, both classic and contemporary, but the library has access to many more books through the inter-library loan system. “We do have a large collection of nonfiction and fiction books for adults and children and we can a...
From the beginning, Maxim Loskutoff's debut novel, Ruthie Fear, rings with foreboding. The protagonist, Ruthie, lives in a ramshackle trailer with her father, Rutherford, in Montana's Bitterroot Valley under the watchful eye of Trapper Peak, which is "hooked like a finger beckoning her above the treeline" and looks down on her like the missing mother she pines for. Cast adrift from the shuttered local lumber mill, Rutherford scrounges for odd construction jobs. He survives by hunting and... Full story
3,125 pounds of glass was recycled on Saturday, April 15 at the Seeley Lake Community Foundation’s recycling and fundraising event. $1,179 was collected in cash donations and was matched by local nonprofit, Charlie’s Helping Hands, who generously doubled all donations up to $1,000 that day. A total of $2,179 was donated to Seeley Swan High School. Over the years, the annual event, which is co-hosted by the Seeley Lake Community Foundation, and Recycle Works, has kept over 12,000 pounds of glass out of the landfill and raised over $5,500 for... Full story
Pathfinder Archives April 27, 2023 From 1988 Chamber to Discuss Seeley Sewer System Discussion of a central sewer system for Seeley Lake will highlight the May meeting of the Seeley Lake Area Chamber of Commerce. Local residents are encouraged to attend the meeting, according to Chamber president Rod Kvamme. Council Appoints Johnson Bud Johnson has been re-elected as chairman of the Seeley Lake Community Council. The action came at last week's regular Council meeting, the first to be held since...
Sheriff Report 4/13/23 - 4/20/23 4/13 8:27 a.m. 31XX HWY 83, Seeley Lake Theft 4/13 12:58 p.m. 3XX Lodge Way, Seeley Lake, Theft 4/13 8:19 p.m. 2XMM HWY 200 Trespassing 4/14 9:03 a.m. 10XX Frontier Drive, Seeley Lake Suspicious Activity 4/14 10:46 p.m. 67XX HWY 83, Condon Weapons - Carry/Possess 4/15 8:37 p.m. 282xx Blixitt Creek Road, Bonner Suspicious Activity 4/17 8:36 p.m. MM HWY 83 Accident - No Injury 4/17 12:14 p.m. 208XX HWY 200 E Probation 4/19 1:05 a.m. 447XX HWY 200 E Suspicious... Full story
4/13/2023 Medical Badger Ct 4/15/2023 Fire/fluid spill 26 MM/ Hwy 83 4/15/2023 Fire Public Asst Airport Rd 4/16/2023 Fire Public Asst Airport Rd... Full story
Hunter's education teacher Ron Ream, of Condon, was recently recognized by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks(FWP) for 15 years of teaching the youth of South Dakota and Montana. "I enjoy teaching our younger generation and appreciate those who carry on our traditions," Ream said. "I enjoy sharing my experiences, in hopes I will influence young hunters to make good ethical decisions and to always be safe when out in our beautiful outdoors." Ream got hooked on bowhunting while on a trip to...
SEELEY LAKE- Some voters in the area may be missing a ballot question regarding the Fire District Board election. A new voter registration system in use this year lines up voter registration with GIS maps which compare the property with tax-payer information to decide which issues should, or shouldn't be included in each ballot. The new system removed location specific questions from ballots going outside of the eligible area, but it also removed the election question from properties covered by tax assistance programs such as those for... Full story
Seeley Lake Rural Fire District Board candidates sparred in a short open forum discussion at the Seeley Lake Community Council meeting on Monday, April 10. Each candidate was given a short time to introduce themself and explain why they are running for the fire board seat as well as explain a little bit of their platform and proposed changes. "This has been a long-term life commitment to fire and medical because it's one of the ways I give back to the community," said Scott Kennedy, the...
"The design process for the Clearwater Roundabout is ongoing, said Kristine Fife, of Big Sky Public Relations. "Don't expect construction for at least four to five years." Although public opinion from an informal social media survey is high against roundabouts, roundabouts successfully reduce traffic accidents and fatalities in their locations. Roundabouts keep traffic moving during off-peak times, rather than having a lone car sitting at a red light. "Speed limits don't get very good...
Between 200 and 300 kids turned out for the annual Seeley Lake Easter Lions Club Easter Scavenger Hunt last weekend, as youngsters set off in search around 2,500 eggs stuffed with candy and prize tickets. Above are the top prize winners with Seeley Lake Lions Club member Cheryl Lewis. From right: First place prize went to Mia Trevino, Grade 5; second place prize went to Eli Ford, also Grade 5; and third place prize went to Jakob Duran, Grade 7....
April 6 – April 13 4/6 11:01 a.m., 293XX HWY 200E Suspicious Activity 4/7 2:08 p.m., 2XX School Lane, Seeley Lake Disorderly Conduct 4/9 12:51 p.m., 6XX Juniper Drive, Seeley Lake Burglary 4/12 7:23 a.m., HWY 200 E Accident, no Injury 4/12 12:48 p.m., 7XX Pine Drive, Seeley Lake Civil... Full story
4/6 Illegal Burn, Dolly Varden Drive 4/7 Medical, School Lane... Full story
Pathfinder Archives April 20, 2023 1988 Highway 83 Widening Being Planned If all goes well, starting about 1993 much of Highway 83 will be widened from its current 24 feet to 28 feet (two 12-foot lanes and two 2-foot shoulders), According to Bob Lajoie of the state highway department, four separate projects are being considered for widening the highway. If completed, the projects would result in a 65-mile continuous stretch of widened roadway, starting at Clearwater Junction. Company's... Full story
Forest landowners and agricultural producers are invited to attend two upcoming workshops on succession planning. The “Ties to the Land” workshops, sponsored by the Montana Forest Stewardship Foundation, are scheduled separately for May 6 in Helena and May 13 in Kalispell. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is co-sponsoring the Kalispell workshop. Forest landowners, farmers, and ranchers are invited to participate in the workshops. Cost is $50 for the first family member and $10 for each additional family member. Seating is limited to 25 peo... Full story
The Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) announced today that with the federal Public Health Emergency ending on May 11, the agency plans to discontinue the weekly updates to the COVID-19 case tracking and vaccine dashboards. The last update to the dashboards will take place on May 5, and they will subsequently no longer be available online after July 14. In addition, DPHHS will no longer publish the monthly COVID-19 Monthly Epi Profile and vaccination reports. May 5 will be the last time these reports will be... Full story
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is looking for approval from the Fish and Wildlife Commission to move forward with a rule making process on administrative rules that address state management of grizzly bears. The request comes as the Montana Legislature considers Senate Bill 295. The bill would further clarify how Montana will manage grizzly bears once they are removed from the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Specifically, SB 295 speaks to issues of human safety, conflict with livestock, and genetic exchange between grizzly bear recovery areas.... Full story
The annual Fur Dinner was held at Ovando's The Stray Bullet back in February. The only requirements was to wear a fur item and have a great time. The annual Fur Dinner location has been in Seeley Lake, Potomac, Lincoln and Ovando as a way to promote fur and trapping in Montana....
CONDON- April 5 brought snow showers, but despite the reluctance of spring to come around the Swan Valley Connections hosted their annual Spring Bear Wake Up Social- a potluck and presentation on the local bear population. Birdfeeders, outdoor pet shelters, gardens, and livestock can all attract the attention of a bear as it passes through, but in recent years the main concern for bear management has become chicken coops. "Chickens are the new trash," has become a kind of catch-phrase for the...
Tanya Fyfe grew up in Canada and spent her whole life skating on ice. It was a part of every aspect of her life until she moved to Seeley Lake and hung up her skates. But after a hiatus, she is back in the skates. "Ice skating has given me everything I ever wanted in life," said Fyfe, local realtor, part-time veterinarian, author and lifelong figure skater in an interview at her home near Seeley Lake. Fyfe performed March 25-26 at the "Skaters got Talent" ice show in Hazen, ND for the first...
3/29/2023 Black Bear Dr Medical 4/4/2023 HWY 83 Medical 4/6/2023 Dolly Varden Dr Illegal Burn... Full story
March 30 - April 6 2023 3/31/2023, 9:03 am, 2xx School Lane, Seeley Lake, Intimidations 4/1/23, 8:40 pm, 24xx Highway 83, Seeley Lake, Trespassing 4/3/23, 11:20 am, 2xx Lundberg Road, Condon, Suspicious Activity 4/3/23, 8:40 pm, 7xx Pine Drive, Seeley Lake, Civil 4/4/23, 6:39 pm, 29xx Highway 200E, Bonner, Theft... Full story
26 SOS Levy Fails A proposed mill levy which would have raised approximately $15,690 for the SOS Hospital District over the next two years failed during local elections last Tuesday. Seeley Lake residents approved the levy by a vote of 98 to 56. Swan Valley and Sunset (Greenough) area voters, however, defeated the levy by a wide margin. Total votes for the entire district (Seeley Lake, Swan Valley and Sunset combined) were 161 for and 172 against the levy. Joe Anders, New Chairman At Seeley...
Water lines in the Seeley Lake area have been freezing solid quite late this year, but it's not so much from a change in weather as it is from a change in the town's population. Although the Seeley Lake soil has been known to freeze pipes from November to April, the last few years have been especially bad, and the culprit might not be as simple as the weather. According to Vincent Chappell, the district manager for Montana Rural Water Systems (WRWS), the biggest problem affecting local water...
Passover began on Thursday April 6, and the Holy Cross Lutheran in Seeley Lake hosted a Seder Dinner to commemorate the Jewish tradition and recognize its place in Christian belief. The Passover Seder is an annual tradition that marks the beginning of Passover, a week observing the freeing of the Jews from Egyptian slavery and the plagues which God passed down upon the Egyptians to punish them. Passover particularly pays homage to the final plague, when God sent the angel of death to take the...
On Tuesday March 28, the Seeley-Swan High School auditorium became a musical journey through ancient civilizations when students from the Seeley Lake Elementary school performed a theater production of "Dig It" with original humor woven in. The play is a musical written by Roger Emerson and John Jacobsen for production by grades 4-8. It follows two archaeologists, and their excavated skeleton friend, as they travel to various ancient civilizations. The production was led by Janet Morgenstern,...
A potential gravel pit is being proposed for an undeveloped area near Elbow Lake, in Greenough, and the residents of the area are voicing concerns about noise pollution and disruptions to wildlife in hopes of stopping the project from moving forward. The 21.2 acre gravel pit would be just off of Highway 83, south of Salmon Lake and near Elbow Lake in Greenough. LHC Construction, the Kalispell-based outfit being subcontracted by Kiewit for the project, says the pit and its accompanying asphalt...
SEELEY LAKE– University of Montana graduate student Kristen Cram spent several weeks this spring semester diligently hunting for strong internet connections in Seeley Lake, Montana. Her search for a robust link had nothing to do with taking an online class or watching a favored social media channel, but was needed for a capstone project she is conducting, which will help the Missoula City-County Health Department study air quality in the resort community 52 miles northeast of Missoula. The W... Full story
Seeley Lake Rural Fire District Call Log March 23-29 3/26/2023, Medical, Riverview Drive 3/29/2023, Medical, Black Bear Drive... Full story
Missoula County Sheriff's Call Log March 23-29 3/23/23, 3:55 p.m., 30xx Highway 83, Theft 3/23/23, 6:21 p.m., 3xx Redwood Lane, Disorderly Conduct 3/24/23, 12:08 p.m., 14xx Sunset Pines Court, Suspicious Activity 3/24/23, 5:03 p.m., 9xx 1st Street, Civil 3/24/23, 8:42 p.m., 5x MM Highway 83, Accident-Injury 3/24/23, 9:46 p.m., 79xx Highway 200 E, Obstructing 3/25/23, 12:53 p.m., Monture Campground Road, Trespassing 3/26/23, 8:59 a.m., 7xx Overland Trail, Suspicious Activity 3/26/23, 9:43 a.m.,... Full story
HELENA -- The House State Administration Committee voted unanimously to advance a bill Thursday designed to address mental health in Montana’s prisons by expanding a program that teaches inmates to train dogs. Rep. Gregory Frazer, R-Deer Lodge, is the sponsor of House Bill 941. “I think that’s a great program. Especially due the fact that there is a lot of therapeutic value in having the inmates work with animals. Teaches them compassion, patience, a little bit of respect. Those are all positive benefits that these individuals can apply to th... Full story
Pathfinder Archives April 6, 2023 Montana Outfitters Host Retreat Montana Outfitters and Guides Association leaders held a long range planning retreat at the Foxwood lnn at White Sulphur Springs last weekend. Directors, officers and chairpersons emphasized Montana's oldest industries commitment to protecting our resources and the outfitters positive impact on the state's economy. Local outfitter Jack Rich and his wife Belinda attended the retreat to represent their district, as Jack is on the... Full story
From the Missoula County Sheriff’s Office Missoula, MT (March 29, 2023) – The Sheriff and Coroner, Jeremiah Petersen, is releasing the name of the man who was found deceased along Interstate 90 near mile marker 109. The deceased male has been identified as Ian C. Throndsen, 61, of Missoula. At this time, no criminal activity has been identified as contributing to the death of Mr. Throndsen. Cause of death is pending reports submitted by Department of Justice, Forensic Science Div... Full story
Despite the lingering winter and subsequent soggy conditions, road work has begun on the stretch of Highway 83 that runs along Salmon Lake. Commuters are advised to expect "minor delays" as crews work from 7 a. m.-7 p. m. Monday-Saturday. Anyone driving southwest should remember to couple these delays with those expected in Bonner. The Highway 83 project is only a small part of a broader plan to update and maintain roads. Work is also scheduled to begin near Swan Lake in the near future. To... Full story
On the morning of February 4 a customer pulled up to the Citizens Alliance Bank in Seeley Lake and found it covered in spray paint, vandalized, and damaged. Police inspected the machine and gathered what little evidence was there, but the culprits had spray painted over the cameras as well and according to some sources they had obscured identifying markings on their vehicle. Although they had obviously put some planning into the ATM robbery scheme, they never managed to access any of the cash...
HELENA -- A program run through Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks compensates landowners in Montana for opening their land for public hunting access. Now, a bill that could double the amount of money they get is just a few steps away from reaching the governor’s desk. In 2020, there were 7.1 million acres of private land open for public hunting in Montana because of the block grant management program. Current law caps payments to landowners who allow hunting on their property at up to $25,000. Sen. Steve Heinbauch is the sponsor of Senate Bill 5... Full story
Three Seeley-Swan High School students will be presenting their own original business plans at the Business Professionals of America (BPA) national competition this year. The BPA holds annual competitions for high school students across the nation to create and present business plans and receive feedback from business professionals in order to learn more about entrepreneurship, business administration, and many other aspects of how businesses operate. Students present before a panel of judges...
The Montana Department of Transportation hosted an open house for public comment and questions about the upcoming Highway 83 construction at Salmon Lake. Engineers for MDT and Kiewit were present to explain what work is planned for the two-lane route that snakes along the hill ridge next to the lake. The proposed work is only a small part of a large plan to renovate major roads in the area, and because of a prolonged winter it's already facing probable delays. "We hope to get in there [at the]...
Kyle Peltier of Seeley Lake is embarking on the Appalachian Trail April 8 after completing the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) in 2021. While nearing the end of the PCT, Peltier began thinking about another through hike, either the Continental Divide Trail (CDT) or the Appalachian Trail (AT). The three trails comprise the Triple Crown of thru hiking. "I wasn't really keen about doing the Appalachian Trail because of all the rain and snakes and stuff on the east coast," said Peltier. "One of my PCT...
The Seeley Lake Elementary School board consented to a proposed levy at a meeting last Wednesday, March 15, before discussing issues of staffing, hiring, and a staff complaint involving unclear contract language. The board voted in support of enacting a general operating fund levy for 2024 in the amount of $23,864.86 which will annual taxes on a $100,00 home by $3.21. and $6.43 for a $200,00 home. The levy will be on the ballot in May. Janet Morgenstern submitted a letter of resignation. Morgenstern spoke about her resignation from the...
Seeley Lake Rural Fire District Call Log March 16-22 3/20, Medical, Drew Creek Road 3/20, Medical, Airport Road... Full story
Missoula County Sheriff's Log March 16-22 3/17, 12:25 p.m., 2xx School Lane, Intimidation 3/17, 5:11 p.m., 1x MM Highway 83, Suspicious Activity 3/17, 9:26 p.m., 4xx Airport Road, Accident-No Injury 3/18, 5:26 p.m., 386xx Highway 200 E, Accident-No Injury 3/21, 12:21 p.m., 33xx Highway 83, Suspicious Activity 3/21, 12:35 p.m., 36xx Bear Acres Road, Fraud 3/22, 6:21 p.m., Montana Drive, Accident-No Injury... Full story
New Zealand mudsnails, an aquatic invasive species that can have a long-lasting impact on local waters, were discovered last week in Silverbow Creek near the outlet of Warm Springs Ponds. This is the first time mudsnails have been detected in the Upper Clark Fork watershed. So far Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks fisheries staff have only found two dead mudsnails in Silverbow Creek but will conduct follow-up surveys when the weather warms and it is more effective to find snails. New Zealand mud snails are an aquatic invasive species found in a... Full story
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Rural Fire District recognized their two newest members at their monthly board meeting March 21. Fire Chief Dave Lane also reported they are gearing up to welcome two new paramedics to the department. The Fire Department's newest volunteers Mark Kues and Shawn Ellinghouse are both previous members. At the pinning ceremony Lane said, "That is a huge plus for us because [they] can help with training, [they] can fall right into place to what needs to be done and for...
Spring is here and so are the Girl Scout cookies. The Seeley Lake Troop #3436 which is only in its second year of activity had a mildly successful year of orders this winter compared to last year, but according to troop leader, Chantel Lynch, they expect to make the most of their sales at the in-person booths over the coming weeks. “We got more for the booths because that’s what we’re expecting more this year - people buying from the booth instead of individuals,” Lynch said. She attributes the dip in sales to people still having some boxes l...
The Seeley Lake Community Foundation, in partnership with Missoula-based nonprofit Recycling Works, is offering free glass recycling in Seeley Lake via three Saturday drop-off events this year. The glass recycling drop-off events will be from 10am until 2pm on April 15, July 15, and October 15, 2023. Community members are invited to bring their glass to the parking lot of the Foundation Building, where Recycling Works staff will load clean glass into their recycling trailer. The Foundation Building is located at 3150 MT Hwy 83 N, in downtown...
Between the winter thaw and the summer sun there arrives two annual influxes of new area residents. The beach-lounging lake crowd, and the bears. This late winter has kept both populations away, but recent weeks has seen the beginning of bear movement in the area, and while most of the collared grizzlies haven’t ventured far it’s only a short matter of time before they start leaving their winter dens and exploring the same areas that humans inhabit and enjoy. “I’ve got four radio collars that are out of the den,” said Erik Wenum, Fish, Par...
Pathfinder Archives March 30 Issue 1988 1st Valley Bank First In State 1st Valley Bank is the top-rated commercial bank in Montana, according to Sheshunoff & Company, a national bank-rating service. Through the third quarter of 1987, which is the most current information available, 1st Valley had an overall rating of 95 (out of a possible 99).The only other bank in the state with a rating over 90 is Valley Bank of Kalispell (rated at 92). The ratings are based upon a weighting of capital, asset quality, management, earnings and liquidity. To...
HELENA -- A bill that would bar children under 18 experiencing gender dysphoria from getting gender-affirming care in the state of Montana or with Montana Medicaid cleared a final vote 65-to-34 in the House Friday, after an emotional debate the day before. Sen. Keith Regier, R-Kalispell, is the sponsor of Senate Bill 99, but Rep.Kerri Seekins-Crowe, R-Billings, carried it in the House. She said the bill would stop children from making life-long decisions about their health at a young age to protect them from the potential side effects of... Full story
Sarah and Joshua Christenson pride themselves on being part of the local food economy. As co-owners of a 117-year-old ranch in western Montana, their days are spent mending fence poles, herding cattle and, increasingly, driving trailers of cows across the state to available butchers. Ranchers across the West, including the Christensons, often truck their cows hundreds of miles to meatpacking facilities that slaughter, butcher and package the meat for sale. The highway miles add carbon emissions and financial burden to an industry that already... Full story
CONDON- The Swan Valley Community Council met on March 21 to discuss federal funding for bridge repair, bear news, Alpine Artisans summer events, National Forest updates and Holland Lake. Missoula County has requested permission from the Condon town council to apply for federal funds to repair the Cold Creek bridge through the Federal Land Access Program. (FLAP) If the council consents to the application then the county would submit for funding which can be used to repair the bridge but not other projects. The only objection came from Brian...
Flowers decorate a driveway on Highway 83 near Lake Inez....
An owl prowl was held Saturday, March 4 by Rachel Fiegley for Clearwater Resource Council (CRC). A brief explanation of owl behavior and Montana owl species at the CRC office was followed by a moonlit walk from River Point Campground to observe owls. The owl prowl was the sixth CRC nature walk program, which started in 2020. "We want to help people get out onto the public land in the area," said Fiegley, former Forest Service District Ranger and Wildlife Biologist. "That way they can hopefully...
New energy and ideas from school parents has resurrected the Parent Teacher Club(PTC) at Seeley Elementary School(SLE). "Fifteen years ago there was a Parent Teacher Club at the school," said Michelle Dunn, current PTC president. "As happens, those parents moved on as their kids grew up and the PTC languished." Dunn and her family, including two children now in 7th and 8th grade, moved to Seeley Lake in 2020 from Potomac. As part of the organizing committee of the Potomac PTC for five years and...
March 9-15 3/8/2023, Medical, Highway 83 3/10/2023, Accident-Injury, 10 MM Highway 83 3/10/2023, Medical, S Canyon Drive 3/10/2023, Medical, Pine Drive 3/11/2023, Accident-Injury, Highway 200 3/12/2023, Medical, Overland Trail... Full story
March 9-15 3/9, 6:08 p.m., 1x Highway 83, Accident-No Injury 3/9, 10:45 p.m., 2xx Larch Lane, Suspicious Activity 3/10, 1:14 p.m., 36xxx Bear Acres Road, Fraud 3/10, 2:33 p.m., 1x MM Highway 83, Accident-No Injury 3/11, 9:58 a.m., Garnet Range Road, Trespassing 3/11, 2:39 p.m., 386xx Highway 200, Accident-No Injury 3/12, 3:42 p.m., 2x MM Highway 200, Suspicious Activity 3/12, 11:32 p.m., 14xx Highway 83, Suspicious Activity 3/15, 7:27 a.m., 1x MM Highway 200, Accident-Injury 3/15, 11:51 a.m.,... Full story
Pathfinder Archives March 23 Issue Drug Bust Nets $60,000 Worth of Marijuana Missoula County law enforcement officers confiscated 44 mature marijuana plants from a Lindbergh Lake residence Tuesday. Captain Larry Weatherman, Missoula County Sheriff's Department, said that the marijuana plants, along with "six or eight" pounds of dried marijuana, has an estimated street value of about $60,000. A Swan Valley man was arrested and taken into custody Tuesday in connection with the case. Weatherman...
The Montana Department of Commerce’s Montana Housing Division announced last week it will no longer accept applications for the pandemic-era Montana Emergency Rental Assistance Program (MERA) starting Friday, March 24, 2023. MERA, which began providing rental assistance to Montana households during the pandemic in 2021, reaches its end as the pandemic-era U.S. Department of the Treasury Emergency Rental Assistance program runs out of funds available to states.“Montana has stretched what funding was provided from the U.S. Treasury through ERA... Full story
Helmville has Irish roots that go back five generations in many of the residents. St. Patrick's Day is celebrated with a parade, a corned beef and cabbage potluck and special music on the weekend. The parade route runs from the Post Office to the Copper Queen. Parade participants included American Legion Post #9 from Lincoln, motocross riders, Mannix Ranch, families in side-by-sides, a horse and buggy, dogs, kids and balloons. More than 70 people packed the Copper Queen for the potluck. "The...
On Saturday, March 11, The Seeley Lake Senior Center had their first St. Patrick's Day Dinner since COVID-19. The buffet-style event from noon to 5 p.m., was attended by 98 people. Irish Stew, potatoes - both baked and mashed- corn beef, cabbage and carrots were served to hungry community members by volunteers and students from the Seeley-Swan High School. "I would say this is one of our better ones," said Boyd Gossard, organizer of the event. "We had really good participation. Had a lot of...
On May 13, the Potomac Parent Teacher Club is hosting their 19th annual Bingo fundraiser event at the Hilton Garden Inn in Missoula. The school fundraiser, which raised roughly $27,000 for the Potomac School last year, is already stocked with a wide variety of prizes from businesses in the area and will be able to host another 10 tables more than previous years. “Hopefully we sell all 65,” said Connie Ployhar, from the Parent Teacher Club. “We already sold 42.” The event started as a small local fundraiser in the Potomac Community Center,...
The Montana Legislature is back in the Capitol after a mid-session break and the talk is all about the state budget. The House Appropriations Committee has started chipping away at the more than 50-page bill that will decide the state budget for the next two years. Thursday, lawmakers debated the cost and budget of Montana’s Medicaid program and the services provided through it. Rep. Llew Jones, R-Conrad, is the sponsor of HB 2. The way he puts it, the committee will have to eat the elephant one bite at a time to hear, debate and amend all s... Full story
Paige Paffhausen, from Seeley Lake, recently underwent a serious health scare and spent a month in the intensive care unit. Paffhausen gave birth to her daughter on Dec 15, 2022. She and her husband Mick thought the toughest part was over but later that month Paige developed a terrible infection which led to a month-long ICU stay. Paffhausen had her daughter, Parker, via cesarean at Barrett Hospital & Healthcare in Dillon. Paffhausen has been living in Dillon since moving there for college in...
The Department of Natural Resources and Conservation is seeking public comment on an aggregate take and remove permit application to mine, crush, and remove aggregate (gravel) on approximately 21 acres of State Trust Land near Elbow Lake in Missoula County. The application also includes a request to have an asphalt plant on site. The permit application has been submitted by LHC, Inc. "Input from the local community is one of the factors we consider when working through the analysis and... Full story
In December of 2022, Seeley-Swan High School senior Owen Hoag was nominated for The U.S. Military Academy at West Point by Senator Jon Tester. Tester nominated Hoag based on his academic achievements, participation in extracurricular activities, and dedication to future service in the United States Military. The nomination was one of the first steps of many for Hoag to apply to West Point. Since then, Hoag has been appointed to the academy and looks forward to what lies ahead. Hoag says...
An investigation into a suspected attempted robbery at the Citizens Alliance Bank in Seeley Lake last month is still open. Missoula County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Jeannette Smith stated that deputies responded to a criminal mischief call on the morning of Saturday Feb. 4 and arrived to find spray paint covering the external-facing ATM and its accompanying security camera. Upon inspection, the deputies were able to conclude the ATM had been defaced and that a person or persons had attempted to break into it. Although the a...
March 2-8 3/3, Medical, Spruce Dr 3/3, Medical, Whitetail Dr 3/4, Medical, Snowmass Dr 3/6, Medical, Elm Dr 6/7, Medical, Boy Scout Rd... Full story
March 2-8 3/2, 6:36 p.m., Highway 200 East, Disturbance 3/2, 6:54 p.m., 5xx Whitetail Drive, Accident-No Injury 3/4, 12:17 p.m., 28xx Highway 83. Suspicious Activity 3/6, 1:39 p,m., 6xx Grizzly Drive, Offenses Against Family/Children 3/6, 3:52 p.m., 297xx Potomac Drive, Disorderly Conduct 3/7, 8:20 p.m., 3xx Seeley Lane, Theft... Full story
Pathfinder Archives, March 16, 2023 1988 Local Skiers Compete In Yellowstone Rendezvous On March 5th, the final marathon in this area began with a mass start of 334 cross-country skiers competing in the 50-kilometer and 25-kilometer races. There were seventeen states represented and three other countries: Australia, France and British Columbia, Canada. Honored as the only participant to have competed in all 9 Rendezvous. Ernie Lundberg, Seeley Lake, 3:04:24, 13th in 35-39 division, 71st overall in mens. George Gearhart, Seeley lake, 3:05:57,...
Missoula Aging Services (MAS) announced today that it will be participating in the 21st annual March for Meals – a month-long, nationwide celebration of both Meals on Wheels and our older neighbors who rely on this essential service to remain healthy and independent at home, now even more so amid a lingering pandemic and high inflation. Missoula Aging Services’ celebration will include various activities throughout the month of March. “Every March, Missoula Aging Services brings the community together to provide awareness and rally suppo...
The Flathead National Forest is accepting applications for our 2023 Flathead Youth Conservation Corps. (YCC) program – a conservation and education work-based program for youth between the ages of 15 and 18 YCC is a program designed to accomplish needed conservation work on public lands, provide gainful employment for students from all segments of society while gaining an appreciation of natural resources and cultural heritage. It also provides our youth an opportunity to engage in a variety o... Full story
Montana's 2021-2023 Poet Laureate Mark Gibbons spoke and read from, "In The Weeds," his latest anthology of poems, Saturday, February 25 at Alpine Artisans Open Book Club. The Poet Laureate is an honorary post that comes with responsibilities to promote the appreciation of poetry as an ancient and ongoing form of expression, said the Montana Arts Council, sponsor of the Poet Laureate program. "I say everyone is a poet," said Gibbons. "What's a poet? Someone who writes down the things that come t...
Lawmakers have advanced several bills aimed at making at least a dent in the challenges facing renters and aspiring homebuyers. Here’s where things stand as of early March There’s broad bipartisan agreement in the Montana Capitol that rising housing costs, driven by the state’s finite supply of homes and rapid in-migration from other states, rank among the most pressing issues facing Montana residents. According to real estate website Zillow, the typical home price in Montana was $430,000 in January, a slight dip from last summer, but an incre... Full story
ELKO, Nev. - On a cold morning in early February, Tammy King prepared and loaded boxes and bags of vegetables, fruits, milk, frozen meat, and snacks into cars lined up outside the Friends in Service Helping food pantry, known in rural northeastern Nevada as FISH. The beginning of the month is busy for the food pantry, King said, because people who receive benefits from the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP, come to stock up on free food that helps them stretch... Full story
Completing a Girl Scout project to replace the Condon Community Sports Court in 2022 earned Isabella Cruz her first Gold Award from Girl Scouts. The Gold Award is the highest honor and only 5.4% of Girl Scouts complete it. She completed a second Gold Award in October 2022 and will be recognized with the Congressional Gold Medal this spring. "While finishing the Condon Community Sports Court, her best friends had some very scary experiences," said Patricia Cruz, Isabella's mother. "Isabella...
Runners from all over Montana, and even several from out-of-state, joined together on Saturday, Feb. 25 for the 44th annual Snow Joke Half Marathon. The Snow Joke is hosted in late February every year and is one of Montana's oldest footraces. The first official Snow Joke was hosted on February 23, 1980, with a total of 33 races. The race grew popular over the years, with 328 runners participating in this year's race. Temperatures reached the mid 30's on Saturday with blue, sunny skies projected...
The Seeley Elementary School Board is preparing the installation of the new playground which will replace the school’s much-beloved Eagle’s Nest structure with a new plastic one that will be more weather resistant and some say, safer. At a meeting in May 2022, the school board announced its plan to replace the current playground structure. Seeley Lake Elementary School Superintendent Josh Gibbs cited some safety concerns with the aging wood used to build the current playground. “It is starting to deteriorate,” Gibbs said at the time. “Kids a...
February 23-March 1 2/24/2023, Medical, 20 MM Highway 83 2/24/2023, Fire, 17 MM Highway 83... Full story
February 23 - March 1 2/24, 10:05 a.m., 2x MM Highway 83, Accident-Injury 2/24, 1:49 p.m., 3xx Boy Scout Road, Suspicious Activity 2/26, 9:23 p.m., 3xx MM Highway 200, Accident-No Injury 2/28, 1:13 p.m., 1xx Pinewood Circle, Suspicious Activity 3/1, 10:50 a.m., 446xx Highway 200, Vandalism 3/1, 4/18 p.m., 32xx Double Arrow Lookout Drive, Suspicious Activity... Full story
Pathfinder Archives March 9, 2023 1988 Ranger Pushes For New Era In Timber Dennis Johnson is becoming concerned by the cumulative impacts of timber harvest in the Seeley Swan Valley. Johnson, district ranger for Seeley Lake, made his concerns known at last week's meeting of the Wilderness Sportsman's Club. Citing the impact of overcutting in certain areas, Johnson said, "The watershed has the greatest potential for disaster. We're not worried about catastrophic rain...we're worried about normal...
The permit lottery results to float Smith River State Park in 2023 are now available online on FWP’s website. In addition to the online results, successful applicants will be notified via email. Links within the email will allow permit holders to download and print their float permit, as well as access important and detailed information regarding their upcoming Smith River float. Permits are required to float the iconic 59-mile stretch of the Smith River, which is celebrated for its spectacular scenery, remote location and excellent trout f...
The House Fish, Wildlife and Parks Committee considers snares, trapping dates, reimbursement and hunting near national parks. The House Fish, Wildlife and Parks Committee voted on four wolf-related measures Feb. 28 ahead of a key legislative deadline. The committee narrowly approved two bills that would codify wolf trapping season dates and trappers’ ability to use neck snares in state law. The committee also tabled two wildlife advocate-backed measures related to a controversial hunter and trapper reimbursement program and the hunting and t... Full story
Six local organizations received good news this week thanks to the Seeley Lake Community Foundation's Community Grant Program. "We want to be a resource and catalyst for local groups to do good work for our community. It's exciting to have these amazing projects benefit Seeley Lake area," says SLCF Executive Director Claire Muller. Tom Browder, board member for 2023 grantee Seeley Lake Historical Museum and Visitor Center says, "This grant will really help to make the Hayloft Room more usable... Full story
The Flathead National Forest on behalf of the Flathead County Resource Advisory Committee, is now accepting new project proposals. The application deadline is March 15, 2023, and the committee has approximately $180,000 in project funding to award. Funding and administration for the Flathead County Resource Advisory Committee is provided under the authority of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self–Determination Act. Last year’s submissions funded under this authority included projects like educational events, fuels reduction, weed spr... Full story
Megan Zawacki started working at St. Peter's Health in Helena, Montana, in 2020 as a physician assistant trained in treating addiction. She had gone through specialized training that allowed her to prescribe Suboxone, a medication to fight opioid addiction, but she couldn't do so for six months. That's because Zawacki was hired to work with a doctor who specialized in addiction medicine, but that doctor did not join St. Peter's until three months after Zawacki was hired, and it was another... Full story
The creator of a floating lantern that descended into a Seeley Lake yard after Christmas has come forward, solving a local mystery. Nine-year-old Amelia Walter and her family contacted the Pathfinder by email after a story on the lantern appeared in the Pathfinder on Jan. 19 describing how Seeley Lake resident Kris Divis saw her dog barking at an object rolling across the snow in the yard. As Divis investigated, she saw a well-traveled floating Chinese lantern had landed, with a child’s handwriting on it. The marker inscribed message said: ...
The Seeley Swan Pathfinder has a new editor transitioning into the newspaper this winter. Asa Thomas Metcalfe, a recent graduate of the University of Montana School of Journalism, grew up in Proctor, Vt. - a town that is about the same size as Seeley Lake. Metcalfe said that while this gives him an understanding of rural communities, he appreciates that small-town life in Montana has a different feel than the population of 1,600 he grew up in, in Vermont. “My town is similar,” he explained. “There were 22 students in my graduating class... Full story
Celebrate an early St. Patty's Day with the internationally renowned Celtic band Men of Worth on Sunday, March 5, 3 pm at the Swan Valley Community Hall. A program of Alpine Artisans' 2 Valleys Stage, this duo will entertain and amuse. Tickets are available at the door: Adults $14, Seniors $12 and students are free. Refreshments will be served. Men of Worth was formed by James Keigher (Ireland) and Donnie Macdonald (Scotland) in 1986. Both exiles, it was through the Celtic music scene in...
26 Neighborhood Watch Organized Seeley Lake businessmen are organizing a Neighborhood Watch program and will meet on March 9, 7:30 p.m. at Barney's Bar & Cafe to discuss ways to implement the program. Local law enforcement officers have already seen the positive effects of the program in Seeley Lake. According to Deputy Scott McDonald, about two weeks ago a local business owner called in to report a suspicious vehicle parked behind 1st Valley Bank during the predawn hours. Deputies...
Missoula County Sheriff's Log February 16-22 02/16, 10:03 a.m., 10xx Tamarack Drive, Suspicious Activity 02/16, 4:07 p.m., 31xx Highway 83, Disorderly Conduct 02/16, 4:56 p.m., Highway 83, Accident-Injury 02/17, 11:20 p.m., 6xx Pine Drive, Disturbance 02/19, 8:30 a.m., 9xx Golf View Drive, Theft 02/19, 10:49 a.m., 1xx S.O.S Road, Harassment 02/20, 9:06 a.m., Slide-In, No Property Damage 02/20, 3:25 p.m., 10xx Tamarack Drive, Suspicious Activity 02/21, 5:07 p.m., 16xx Morrell Creek Drive,... Full story
Seeley Lake Rural Fire District Call Log February 16-22 2/15/2023, Medical, Pine Dr 2/16/2023, Accident-Injury, 6 MM/Hwy 83 2/16/2023, Medical, Grays Mill Rd 2/17/2023, Medical, Riverview Dr 2/20/2023, Medical, White Tail Dr... Full story
By Eric Dietrich Montana Free Press Housing affordability advocates are working to drum up support in the Montana Capitol for a pair of bills that would put state resources into supporting the construction of more price-controlled housing for middle- and low-income Montanans - policies that would take a step beyond the free-market strategies that have so far drawn support from Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte. House Bill 546, sponsored by Rep. Dave Fern, D-Whitefish, would expand an existing... Full story
UM Legislative News Service University of Montana School of Journalism HELENA – The laws that regulate water, arguably Montana’s most valuable natural resource, are complex and tied to nearly every industry in the state, so when lawmakers gather in Helena every two years for the legislative session, it’s often at the top of the agenda. In the 2023 Montana Legislature, the water debate is shaping up to focus on two pieces of legislation: One that would tackle the future of water courts and another that would update the water permitting proce... Full story
Feb. 13 brought another first place win for local dog sled racer, Jessie Royer. The 46-year-old musher and dog trainer crossed the finish line with her seventh win in the Race to the Sky event, a 300-mile trail-race from Lincoln to Seeley Lake, and back. Royer has been running sled dogs for 31 years, since she was 15. Two years after getting her first dog team she won the event in Lincoln and she's competed many more times since.Spending a childhood between cattle ranches in Ennis, White...
Saturday Feb. 11 started like any other day of ice fishing. Wyatt Blevins of Missoula and his friend Morgan McKinney set out on the ice just before sunrise. The brisk Montana morning promised a day of cold air and light breezes across the arid ice field of Seeley Lake's frozen surface. Blevins set a line and immediately caught a small pike. "I was like 'okay, today might be alright,'" Blevins said. The first pike was a small one and as the following hours brought more of the same their optimism...
Every year the School Administrators of Montana accepts nominations from small schools all over the state and chooses just one classroom instructor to award with the annual Rural Teacher of the Year award. This year’s recipient of that prestigious award is Toni Hatten of the Sunset School in Greenough, a small two-room schoolhouse with an average yearly enrollment of less than ten students. “It’s more hands-on, more personalized, a more individualized experience, for sure,” Hatten said. “I think that’s why it works.” Hatten has been teaching...
A sexual assault reported Thursday morning, Feb. 9, on Boy Scout Road in Seeley Lake was for an incident that allegedly happened more than 12 years ago, the Missoula County Sheriff’s Office stated last week. The location in the report is an 80-year-old U.S. Forest Service camp located on Seeley Lake, originally used by a number of groups including the Boy Scouts of America and the U.S. Forest Service for their smokejumper training housing, as well as school and church groups, weddings and family reunions, according to the website of the non-pro...
Alpine Artisans’ Open Book Club will host the Montana Conversations program “Montana’s Poet Laureate” with Mark Gibbons at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 25. The program will be at the West Wing of the Seeley Lake Community Foundation. The presentation is free and open to the public. Poet laureate Mark Gibbons is a lifelong resident of the state who began writing poetry in high school, married young, and has worked a variety of jobs to remain in Montana. His presentations will explore the power of poetry, how it reveals through personal experience an...
26 Moore Files For Re-Election Janet Moore, Condon democrat, has filed for reelection to the office of state representative for House District 65. Moore is the incumbent in this election, and is now serving her second term as a state legislator. As of Monday, Moore was unopposed on the democratic ticket, but is being challenged on the republican side by Dan Mizner of Seeley Lake. Seeley Lake Elementary School Trustees Briefed On AIDS "It is a preventable disease," were the words of...
The Montana Natural Resources Youth Camp is now taking applications for July 16 -21. For 37 years, the camp has provided youth an opportunity to study in an outdoor classroom. Today’s scientific principles, economic realities, historical heritage, and social perspectives help these future leaders in their quest to gain natural resources perspective that is informed and progressive. Campers learn about forests, streams, soils, geology, rangeland, wildlife, and recreation and spend half-day rafting the Clark Fork River’s Alberton Gorge. In bet... Full story
UM Legislative News Service -University of Montana School of Journalism A bill tromping through the Montana Legislature would repeal a 2007 law that sought to protect the authenticity of the almighty Montana huckleberry by requiring that anyone labeling something as "huckleberry" register their berry patch with the state Department of Agriculture. "Not a single person ever told the government where their huckleberries were. Because, I believe the first rule of huckleberry club is: 'Do not tell...
The Missoula County commissioners are accepting applications for the Tax Appeal Board and Seeley Lake Cemetery District Board. All current members are eligible for reappointment and will be given priority should they submit a letter of interest and meet the qualifications to continue serving. New applicants are encouraged to apply. Applications are available online. The application deadline is 3 p.m. Wednesday, March 8. Positions are open to new applicants on the following boards: Tax Appeal... Full story
The Missoula Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) is now accepting project proposals for 2023. The project submission deadline is 5:00 p.m. MST on May 12, 2023. Funding and administration for the Missoula RAC is provided under the authority of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self–Determination Act. Last year, the Missoula RAC funded seven projects under this authority that included fish habitat restoration, avalanche education, a river ambassador program, road maintenance, trails improvement and management, and Front Country Rangers. I... Full story
The Seeley Swan Pathfinder is happy to announce the reopening of their local office. After a short hiatus, the Pathfinder office will have regular hours in the Heritage Building on the north end of Seeley Lake. The new office manager is Ruth Bergen. Although born in the states, Ruth moved to Seeley Lake from Scotland, where she worked in the office of the Brechin Advertiser. Ruth's husband, Jon, is the new pastor of Seeley Lake Baptist Church. They have five grown children and three... Full story
The Montana Women’s Business Center Impact Grant application portal is now open. MTWBC will be giving four grants away - two $6,000 grants, and two $3,000 grants. This is a statewide opportunity for Montana women-owned businesses only, with ownership of 51% or more. This opportunity is only open to for-profits. Grant funding cannot be used for businesses in the cannabis industry. Applicants must have been in business for a minimum of one year and are revenue generating. Applicants can apply for up to $3,000 or $6,000 to be used for e...
Missoula County Sheriff's Log February 9-15 02/09, 11:39 a.m., 42xx Boy Scout Road, Sexual Assault 02/10, 9:20 p.m., Locust Lane, Slide-In, No Property Damage 02/11, 1:45 a.m., 1xx Monture Court, Suspicious Activity Missoula County Sheriff's Log February 2-8 02/02, 6:14 p.m., 386xx Highway 200 East, Slide-In, No Property Damage 02/04, 11:18 p.m., Highway 200, Accident-Injury 02/05, 1:12 p.m., 2xx Trail Creek Court, Accident-Injury 02/05, 4:59 p.m., 7xx Tamarack Drive, Slide-In, No Property... Full story
Seeley Lake Rural Fire District Call Log February 9-15 2/10/2023 Medical, Highway 83 2/12/2023 Medical ,Placid Lake Rd 2/14/2023 Medical, Grays Mill Rd 2/14/2023 Fire, Tamarack Dr 2/15/2023 Medical Pine Dr Seeley Lake Rural Fire District Call Log February 2-8 02/05, Fire, Hickory Lane 02/05, Accident-Injury, Trail Creek Court 02/05, Fire, Hickory Lane 02/06, Medical Call ALS, Highway 83 02/06, Fire, Hickory Lane 02/08, Fire, Highway 83... Full story
A Seeley Lake man who lost the three-bedroom, A-frame house on Hickory Lane he built himself 40 years ago, to a chimney fire last Sunday morning, Feb. 5, says that despite the event, he is thankful for the support from the community as he decides his next move. Pat Caffrey, a retired industrial forester, said he was in the living room near the fireplace when the chimney fire started, just as he was getting ready to go out that morning to an event. "I heard crackling," he described. "Then I...
The First Old Salt Festival is coming to Helmville June 23-25, 2023. Aromas of food cooked over an open wood-fired pit from renowned chefs, music and conversations will fill the air at the old airstrip southeast of Helmville on the Mannix Ranch."It's meant to be a celebration of Montana land stewardship," said Cole Mannix, event chairperson, in a phone interview. "We're trying to engage people in our urban areas with rural communities and celebrate what ranching can do for maintaining an intact...
Mowgli, a hand-raised, ring-tailed lemur is making a new home for himself in Seeley Lake. Mowgli belongs to Jenn and Chuck Kaiser, who recently moved to Seeley Lake from Oklahoma where they had a pet store and exotic animal traveling zoo. Jenn explained that Mowgli is also a licensed support animal for Kaiser to help with PTSD and has "never met anyone he didn't like." Mowgli was born November 2021 at the Kaiser's USDA licensed exotic animal farm. His parents were not socialized by their...
Fourteen years ago, in Trace Stone’s Spanish class, an idea was formed that would bring opportunities to Seeley-Swan High School (SSHS) students for years to come. This idea became Destinations for Education (D4E) an international travel group for SSHS students that provides the opportunity to become immersed in foreign cultures, languages, and community service. In 2009, Trace Stone took students on the first D4E international trip to Ecuador, where students participated in homestays with local families. Since then, Stone has taken students t...
Following the diagnosis of a fourth premises with Equine Herpes Virus 1 (EHV-1) in Flathead County, the Department of Livestock has quarantined an equine event/boarding facility and is extending the recommendation for limiting travel and cancelling events in the valley that bring horses from multiple sources together through Feb. 17. Horses at three private premises and a single equine event/boarding facility have now been diagnosed with EHV-1, with exposed horses on these premises quarantined.... Full story
Pathfinder Archives February 16, 2023 1988 Graham Takes Fourth In Governor's Cup Bruce Graham of Seeley Lake placed fourth in the Governor's Cup 500-mile Sled Dog Race held last week. Just finishing this year's Governor' Cup was an accomplishment according to the mushers who ran the race. Graham, who was sponsored in part by the town of Seeley Lake, finished with a seven-dog team after starting out with eleven dogs. According to Kathy Christian, handler for the Graham team, everyone was thrilled...
The Lolo National Forest and Plan Revision Team will hold public workshops to begin working through the "Assessment" phase of the revision process in mid-February 2023. These interactive workshops entitled Common Ground in the Lolo will be hosted both in-person and virtually across the Lolo Ranger Districts focused on revision assessment elements including need to change, best available scientific information, and insights into distinctive roles and contributions of the Lolo National Forest.... Full story
The University of Montana and the Missoula City-County Health Department are conducting an air quality study in the Seeley Lake area and are looking for volunteers to host PurpleAir Sensors on their property. PurpleAir Sensors are secure low-impact devices that measure particulate matter suspended in the air and require outside power and a good WiFi connection. We are conducting this study to see how the air quality in the Seeley Lake area compares to before the implementation of the 2012-2014 Seeley Lake Wood Stove Change Out Program that... Full story
World Champion Adaptive figure skater Dacia Loconte, age 16, got her start at the Seeley Lake Lions Club rink. In 2022 Loconte earned Junior Ladies Free Inclusive World Championship, Ladies Inclusive World Championships Silver Medalist and Ladies Free Inclusive and Unified Bronze medalist in the 2022 Virtual World Championships for Adaptive Skaters. “As a three-year-old watching the Olympics, Dacia said she wanted to be an ice skater,” said Beth Loconte, Dacia’s mom. “We started skating at the...
The Mannix Brothers Ranch, in Helmville, Mont., has been selected as one of seven regional honorees of the Environmental Stewardship Award Program (ESAP). The award, announced during the 2023 Cattle Industry Convention and NBCA Trade Show, recognizes the operation’s outstanding stewardship and conservation efforts. Regional winners will compete for the national award, which will be announced later this year. “The Mannix Brother Ranch is extremely deserving of this award and we [MSGA] are pro...
There were several local students who were among University of Montana 800 graduates and 851 graduates from Montana State University for fall semester 2022. Many others made the Dean’s List from their respective universities and colleges. Local UM degree candidates were: • Helmville: Jordan Jarrell, Bachelor of Arts: Mathematics • Seeley Lake: Amaya Harman, Associate of Arts: General AA and Christopher Mood, Bachelor of Arts: Classics, CUM LAUDE (GPA of 3.40 to 3.69) The local MSU degree candidate was Ethan Town from Potomac. Town gradu...
The Seeley Swan Pathfinder understands a structure blaze on Hickory Lane in Seeley Lake on Sunday, Feb. 5, was attended by the Seeley Lake Rural Fire District firefighters. No injuries were reported. The extent of the damage to the house was still being determined as of Monday morning, Feb. 6. A story will be in next week’s Seeley Swan Pathfinder....
The February meeting of the Seeley Lake Community Council will be held at the Barn (2920 Highway 83) on Monday, Feb. 13. Pizza will be served starting at 5:30, and the meeting will begin at 6:00 pm. Featured speakers/topics are as follows: 1. Missoula Aging Services Kirstin Mason 2. Sally Edwards, candidate for the MEC director position. 3. Seeley Lake Community Foundation - Claire Muller 4. Seeley Lake Sewer Update 5. Seeley Lake Bear Working Group 6. Seeley Lake Trail System 7. USFS updates -Quinn Carver 8. The Lolo Forest revision plan...
26 Pollution in Seeley Lake? Report Is "Inconclusive" A report has recently been published which summarizes a two-day pollution study on Seeley Lake. The results of the study are "inconclusive," according to the report's author, Dr.Richard Hauer. Hauer, who is a researcher from U of M's Yellow Bay experimental station, conducted the study last August on behalf of the state's water quality bureau. OSCR Racers Faced Tough Trail Over 60 smiling skiers crossed the OSCR finish line this year, but... Full story
Missoula County, with the help of local fire districts and departments, is giving out free carbon monoxide detectors to raise awareness about the dangers of this colorless, odorless gas. Carbon monoxide (CO) can be emitted from furnaces, stoves and water heaters in homes, RVs and mobile homes. Any enclosed space is susceptible to carbon monoxide poisoning, especially during the winter. Carbon monoxide poisoning kills more than 400 Americans each year, and in 2021, more than 17,000 hospital emergency room cases were due to CO poisoning....
The Feb. 14 meeting of the Condon AARP will feature a presentation by Blossom Savage, a certified equine gestalt therapy coach. The public is invited to attend. The 1-hour presentation will begin at 2p.m. at the Condon Community Hall, Milepost 42 Highway 83, in Condon. The group's February theme is "Following your Passion ‑- Whatever Your Age! Blossom's passion enlists the horse as a partner in relieving pain and suffering for humans. Blossom is a 1980s U of M Graduate in Communication S...
Following multiple confirmed cases of equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy (EHM) in Flathead County, the Montana Department of Livestock recommended that horse owners and event coordinators in the Flathead Valley limit travel and cancel events that bring horses from multiple sources together through Feb. 6 and further caution was advised through the month. The recommendation was based on involvement of horses on 3 premises that attended events at two or more event centers in the area. Several horses have been euthanized because of poor...
Landowners have until March 15 to submit applications to Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks for enrollment in the Unlocking Public Lands (UPL) Program or the Public Access Land Agreement (PALA) Program. These programs are designed to provide recreational public access to state (Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation) or federal (Bureau of Land Management or United States Forest Service) land where no or limited legal public access currently exists. For enrollment in UPL, landowners will receive a tax credit in the amount of $750 p...
MISSOULA COUNTY SHERIFF’S LOG January 26-February 1 1/26, 11:56 a.m., 6xx Tamarack Drive, Probation 1/27, 4:18 a.m., 1xx North Coloma Way, Suspicious Activity 1/27, 10:40 a.m., 2x MM Highway 200, Trespassing 1/27, 3:42 p.m., 293xx Highway 200 E, Slide-In, No Property Damage 1/27, 4:03 p.m., MM Highway 83, Slide-In, No Property Damage 1/27, 5:09 p.m., Boy Scout Road, Slide-In, No Property Damage 1/27, 8:09 p.m., 73xx Boy Scout Road, Burglary 1/29, 6:08 a.m., 1x MM Highway 200, Accident-Injury 1/29, 1:48 p.m., 297xx Potomac Road, Offenses A...
Twelve years ago, in Trace Stone’s Spanish class, an idea was formed that would bring opportunities to Seeley-Swan High School (SSHS) students for years to come. This idea became Destinations for Education (D4E), an international travel group for SSHS students. It provides the opportunity to become immersed in foreign cultures, languages, and community service. In 2009, Trace Stone took students on the first D4E international trip to Ecuador, where students participated in homestays with local families. Since then, Stone has taken students t...
A search and rescue effort to find a lost snowmobiler overnight on Saturday, Jan. 21 in Lolo National Forest had a happy ending, after family, friends and volunteers with the Seeley Swan Search and Rescue worked in darkness and wintry conditions to bring the woman home safe. Missoula County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Jeannette Smith said the department got a call just after 6 p.m. on Jan. 21 that there was a lost snowmobiler in the Mt. Henry area of Lolo National Forest. Seeley Swan Search and Rescue was deployed within the h...
"We lost yet another golden eagle to lead poisoning yesterday," said Brooke Tanner, founder and executive director, Wild Skies Raptor Center, Potomac, Mt. "It happens every winter after the snow settles. Prey is harder to find and they must scavenge to survive." After a weakened eagle is found and brought to Tanner or other raptor rehabilitation facilities, the birds are given chelation therapy to bind the lead in their systems and hopefully allow the lead to pass through. Success varies,...
Equipment and training for podcasting and videotaping was recently received by Seeley Lake Library from Missoula Community Access Television (MCAT). “I remember it like Christmas!” said Michele Holmes, Seeley-Swan High School librarian and Business and Technology Teacher. “MCAT asked what types of multimedia equipment we would want...I immediately thought of the upcoming elective that I am teaching--videography. I had already received a grant from the Seeley Lake Community Foundation for a high quality video camera, so I thought--why not have...
On Tuesday, January 10, Business Professionals of America Students attended their second in-person regional competition held at the Missoula College of Technology. Students chose single or team events to compete in and have been preparing to compete since the start of school in September. Some members competed against other schools in taking tests aiming for the highest score, while others teamed up for group projects they presented to judges. The students were able to compete in multiple...
The auditorium at Seeley Swan High School will reverberate with the rhythms and dance steps of the Middle East as 2 Valleys Stage presents the band Seffarine, Sunday, February 5, at 3 pm. Charged with texture and color, Seffarine concerts carry the audience on a vibrant musical journey, channeling the heart-wrenching joy of the music and dance of North Africa and southern Spain to wide acclaim. Their music is described by Bass Player Magazine as a "gorgeous intersection of Spanish flamenco, Arab...
Seeley Lake Lions Club Annual Skating Party this Sunday! Seeley Lake - Please come join the Seeley Lake Lions Club for their annual skating party Sunday, Feb. 5 from 1 - 3 p.m. at the Lions Club Pond on the corner of Elm Drive and Cedar Lane. Cocoa, Chili, hot dogs and cookies will be served. Free use of skates on our pond at the Lions Community Park. Don't miss the fun! Missoula County Sheriff’s Log January 19-25 1/20, 5:23 p.m., 30xx Highway 83, Theft 1/20, 8:09 p.m., 31xx Highway 83, Suspicious Activity 1/24, 5:12 p.m., MM Highway 83, S...
26 Snowball Softball Tourney February 13th The 2nd Annual Snowball Softball Tournament sponsored by the Filling Station will be held Saturday, February 13th starting at 9 a.m. at the Seeley Lake Community Park. The number of tournament entries is expected to double from six last year to at least twelve due to an expanded mailing list which includes all 40 teams that played in the Missoula Snow Joke softball tournament. Vorhauer Gives $50,000 to U of M Library University of Montana Foundation... Full story
SEELEY LAKE - After working in day care and preschool for 30 years, Margaret Clark was ready for a career change. Her love of bright colors and artistic ability blossomed after becoming a certified florist in December 2020. In partnership with Good Times Gifts Owner Dena Turner, Clark opened Good Times Floral within Good Times Gifts to serve the community with quality floral arrangements at an affordable price. Clark never considered herself an artist. "All through high school I would dread...
The Seeley Lake Community Council met Monday, Jan. 9 at The Barn. The Missoula County Rural Grant Pilot Program for county residents was announced by Sarah Bell, Missoula County Grants and Community Programs. Micro-grants of $100-500 and Impact Grants of $500-4,000 are available. “We want to see what needs are in each rural community in the county,” said Bell. “We know that each community has it’s own personality and unique needs.” The Micro Grant will be open to new applicants on a monthly basis and is designed for projects that can be comple...
The Seeley Lake Ranger District is seeking public feedback on the proposed Monture Hazard Tree removal project located at the Monture Creek Campground and Trailhead. The campground and trailhead are a major access point to various trail systems in the Scapegoat Wilderness and is used by the general public, hunters, anglers and outfitter/guide operations. The project proposes to remove dead and diseased trees in and around the project area that are currently being impacted by Douglas-fir Bark Beetle. The beetle is present in large trees that...
SEELEY LAKE - Pearl Hawkins was devastated when she learned Missoula Aging Services was discontinuing the Foster Grandparent program Jan. 31. Now 80-years-old, Hawkins was the longest-serving MAS foster grandparent in Missoula County working with the Seeley Lake Elementary preschool for 18 years. Hawkins was nearly in tears as the SLE staff hugged her and told her they would figure out how to keep her. As of Jan. 3, SLE hired her to continue her work in the preschool as a paraprofessional....
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley Reads is a biweekly podcast hosted by Carrie Benton, Seeley-Swan High School (SSHS) library tech and Haley Haines, SSHS Paraprofessional & Family Resource Coordinator. The podcast highlights the Missoula Public Library 2023 reading challenge, "Missoula Reads." "Our podcast is about books, we're total nerds and we love books," said Benton at the beginning of their introductory podcast. "We want to promote the library, the reading challenge and the equipment that's available f...
Members of the Save Holland Lake Lodge group have requested any new information related to a special use application, master development plan or proposal to expand Holland Lake Lodge - but a spokesperson for POWDR Corporation says there is nothing to report. In a letter addressed to Flathead National Forest Supervisor Kurt Steele, POWDR Corporation Chief Executive Officer Justin Sibley and Christian Wohlfeil, who has owned the lodged, but is now listed as an employee, it is stated that a request is being made that the entities release the 2023...
SEELEY LAKE - We had our last storytelling in mid-June of 2022. We are exceedingly pleased with last year’s events and hope you were pleased as well. Our goal, as always, is finding common values. Last year, over 40 participants told their stories, to an appreciative audience at the foundation building and there were more than 200 viewers on the Pathfinder Facebook website. We are so impressed with how our community turned out to listen to their friends, their neighbors, and folks they may not have known. Why is this important? Because each o...
Handbell Choir Recruiting Members SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley-Swan Mountain Bells handbell choir is recruiting members. The choir is a local community handbell choir that participates in several local events throughout the year. The choir practices on Mondays, from 3-5 pm, at the Presbyterian church. If you can read music – even if very rusty – please come to a practice or two or three and see how you like it. Warning: handbells are addictive! If you don’t read music, we are considering starting a “learn to read music with handbells” class. Please...
The Lolo National Forest and Plan Revision Team will start the new year by launching a series of public engagement opportunities to share information on the Revision process and to invite input on key topics. “We are looking forward to the next several months which include carefully planned informational webinars, workshops, and engagement opportunities,” stated Carolyn Upton, Lolo National Forest Supervisor. “The feedback we hear through these sessions will be crucial to informing the Draft Assessment, the first step toward a revised Plan...
SEELEY LAKE - Citizens Alliance Bank presented the Seeley Swan Community Food Bank with a check for nearly $975. This amount was donated to match what was collected from Citizens Alliance Bank customers during the annual food bank drive Nov. 15, 2022 through Dec. 15, 2022. The total funds raised by the food bank during the campaign totaled $1,948.44. The bank also collected 119.6 pounds of food brought in by community members....
SEELEY LAKE - Attendees at the Missoula Children's Theatre production of "Johnny Appleseed" Jan. 13 experienced the fruitful career of Johnny Appleseed as performed by Seeley Lake Elementary kindergarten through eighth grade students. MCT Tour Directors Joshua Bennett and Christian Watts worked with a cast and crew of more than 30 students. After auditioning Monday and practicing after school all week, Friday evening friends and family watched as Johnny Appleseed sang and danced his way across...
A sizeable wetland within a key wildlife corridor will remain open and protected for grizzly bears and many other wildlife species in Montana’s Swan Valley after the Vital Ground Foundation completed a conservation agreement in the Salmon Prairie area near Condon this week. Working with conservation-minded landowners, Vital Ground collaborated with Montana Freshwater Partners in support of the 30-acre conservation easement. The land will remain in private ownership with a new habitat restoration plan for portions of the wetland previously c...
A storytelling event that began in October 2021 with the aim of bringing people together through common values will continue on Feb. 1 at the Seeley Lake Community Foundation Building starting at 7 p.m. - but more storytellers are being sought out to get involved. “Why Did We Come Here, Why Do We Stay” has hosted 40 storytellers since its inception, all members of the Seeley Lake region with a strong pull to the area. Organizer Tom Beers said that the idea for the event first started as a question: “How do we communicate with each other when...
Shortly after Christmas, Kris Davis, Seeley Lake, saw her dog barking at something rolling across the snow in the yard. As Davis investigated, she saw a well-traveled floating Chinese lantern had landed, with a child's handwriting on it. The marker inscribed message said, "I miss you and I love you, love Amelia." "I had the feeling that this lantern was a little girls' memorial to someone she loved," said Davis, who has experienced her own losses. "I don't know who Amelia is or who she lost,...
Victoria Howell has been named publisher of four Mullen Newspapers-owned papers: the Bitterroot Star, the Philipsburg Mail, the Seeley Swan Pathfinder and the Silver State Post. Howell joined the Mullen Newspapers team in 2021 as editor of the Bitterroot Star. Prior to that, she and her husband Michael owned and operated the Star for 35 years before selling it to Jesse Mullen in 2020. The Howells founded the Star in 1985 and grew it from a tiny paper that covered only Stevensville news to a 7000...
Jan. 31 grant deadline for projects helping Seeley Lake Non-profit organizations are invited to submit grant proposals to the Seeley Lake Community Foundation for 2023 projects. Applications are due January 31st. 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, the SLCF strives to be a community resource and catalyst for innovative approaches to...
26 AIDS Policy Gets Mixed Reaction at Seeley Lake At least two Seeley Lake school trustees have questioned the wisdom of implementing a proposed AIDS policy at the school. They cite an apparent lack of information about the AIDS disease that has become America's number one health issue. School trustees have been exploring the idea of adopting an AIDS policy similar to the one used by School District I in Missoula. The policy states, in a roundabout-way, that school administrators and trustees... Full story
MISSOULA — The Lolo National Forest and Plan Revision Team will start the new year by launching a series of public engagement opportunities to share information on the Revision process and to invite input on key topics. “We are looking forward to the next several months which include carefully planned informational webinars, workshops, and engagement opportunities,” stated Carolyn Upton, Lolo National Forest Supervisor. “The feedback we hear through these sessions will be crucial to informing the Draft Assessment, the first step toward a revis...
SEELEY LAKE - When Seeley Swan Community Food Bank President Lulu Rodriguez opened the door to the Food Bank Monday evening, Dec. 26, water poured out the door. "There was two to three inches of water [in the front room] and then it was gushing from [the back storage room]," said Food Bank Volunteer Coordinator Sally Johnson. Seeley Lake Elementary School Superintendent Josh Gibbs said a pipe broke in two places spraying water for one to three days. This affected the school's storage area and...
By Gwyneth Hyndman The proposed expansion of Holland Lake Lodge by a Utah-based company - and the proposal’s subsequent denial by the Flathead National Forest before Thanksgiving - is a process that is being watched across the country, a long-time journalist and author said this month, following the Flathead National Forest’s direction to POWDR that a new master plan must be drawn up to move forward. “What’s happening in Holland Lake with a private company seeking to expand on public land is something that is happening across the west,...
By Gwyneth Hyndman SWAN VALLEY - A new non-profit has formed with an aim to conserve and enhance the natural resources and rural way of life in the Swan Valley, largely in response to the controversial proposed expansion of Holland Lake Lodge. Founder Grace Siloti, a Condon resident since 1976, said that the fight over the proposed development at Holland Lake Lodge by Utah-based group POWDR - a project that was sent back to the drawing board by the Flathead National Forest just before Thanksgiving - “has really shaken people up” and she add...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Ice Rink is ready for skaters. "The more the better," said Seeley Lake Regional Outdoor Center for Kinetic Sports (ROCKS) President Garry Swain. Located in the north baseball field behind Seeley Lake Elementary, the rink is open for free skate seven days a week and is lit until 9 p.m. There are free skates available in the shed that is unlocked 9 a.m. - 9 p.m. ROCKS asks that people only use the skates on the rubber mats in the dugout and on the ice and hang them...
Pet food drive starts this week As a community service project, there will be a collection of pet food at Seeley Lake Elementary School from Jan. 9 - Feb. 1. All types of pet food will be accepted. All of the food will be delivered to the Seeley Swan Community Food Bank. The drop off will be in the entryway of SLE. Any questions please contact Toni and Dani Sexton or leave a message at SLE, 406-677-2265. Missoula County Sheriff’s Log December 29-January 4 12/29, 10:59 a.m., 1xx, Seeley Lane, Trespassing 12/29, 4:41 p.m., 16xx Morrell Creek R...
26 Artist Begins Series About Sled Dogs By Suzanne Vernon C.S. Poppcnga -better known to Seeley Lake residents as Carol Bourne unveiled her first painting in a planned series of artwork which will depict sled dogs and the sport of sled dog racing in Seeley Lake. Snowmobile Trail Closed for OSCR, February 4-6 Attention snowmobilers: The Morrell/Rice Ridge Loop Trail (Route 3 on the Seeley Lake snowmobile map), about 30 miles, will be closed by the Forest Service Thursday, February 4, at 4 p.m....
Seeley Lake - The Seeley Lake Community Foundation (SLCF) is hosting a training on grant writing the evening of Thursday January 19, 2023. In this 90 minute session, Hannah Cortez of The Dotted i will offer hands-on learning activities and expert knowledge on grant readiness, grant research, and proposal writing through the lens of a rural community’s needs. This session will provide key insights into grant activities that work well for a small or volunteer team and how to move the needle for your organization through grant writing. This h...
By Gwyneth Hyndman A local woman who was struck and killed by a vehicle after stopping to help stranded motorists on Hwy 200 on Dec. 21 has been named by Missoula County Sheriff and Coroner TJ McDermott. Victoria E. Richardson, 61, of Potomac, had pulled over near mile marker 18 to assist in the recovery of a vehicle that had slid off the road, just before 7 p.m. that night. Court documents state that a Toyota 4Runner driven by Kerry Glenn Drew, 68, of Seeley Lake, drove off the road and hit Richardson, who died at the scene. “Our heartfelt c...
What was going on last week with that crazy cold weather? Was it an Alberta Clipper, Bomb Cyclone, Winter Storm Elliot? A record low temperature on December 22 of -48 degrees in Potomac and the third coldest day since 1959 recorded at Lindbergh Lake had people scrambling for extra layers, more firewood and wondering how the outside animals could handle it. Satellite reports from the National Weather Service (NWS) showed -53 over the ponds along Hwy 200 east of Ovando. "December 22 was -35 at the...
For the Seeley Swan Pathfinder 2 Valleys Stage is presenting a "once-in-a-lifetime" concert of classical and unusual music from a European ensemble - The Valencia Baryton Project - on Sunday, Jan. 8. The Valencia Baryton Project is a string trio formed by colleagues from the opera orchestras of Valencia, Spain and Montpellier, France. Their vision is to perform not only the nearly 160 works written by Franz Joseph Haydn for the baryton but also to rekindle the repertoire for this forgotten...
SWAN VALLEY - While all the reindeer cadets attending the School of Reindeer in the North Pole thought flying would be a piece of cake, they quickly realized it was not as easy as it looked and Reindeer Cadet Angel (Jade Arnold) was disappointed there was no cake. Despite sub-zero temperatures the evening of Dec. 21, the gymnasium was packed for the Swan Valley School's performance of "How to Train Your Reindeer (to Fly)." Professor Atticus Antler (Kalli Braulik) and Schoolmaster Joe Buck (Stets...
SALMON PRAIRIE - The Salmon Prairie School Christmas program - a student-written play entitled "Santa" - was held Dec. 20 at the school with friends and neighbors braving the elements in attendance. Lake County Superintendent Carolyn Hall even drove from Polson in the snowstorm to attend the festivities. Holl Hubbard - the one-room schoolhouse teacher of more than 10 years - welcomed the audience to the program which is given every year for the community. The 100-year-old schoolhouse on the...
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks wildlife staff completed its final assessment of grizzly bear activity in occupied grizzly bear habitat. Effective Saturday, Dec. 24, wolf trapping season is open in all areas of occupied grizzly bear habitat across the state, including deer and elk hunting district (HD) 130 in northwest Montana. Hunters and trappers should note that wolf harvest quotas exist in each FWP trapping district and wolf management unit 313. Those harvest quotas can be viewed and followed on the FWP Wolf Dashboard. In August, the...
25 Fire Damages Resort Cabin An early morning fire last week damaged a cabin at Tamaracks Resort north of Seeley Lake. The occupants of the cabin, James Williamson, his wife and four children, were treated for smoke inhalation as a result of the fire, but were otherwise okay. About ten volunteers from the Seeley Lake Fire Company responded to the call at 8 a.m. last Tuesday. According to Fire Chief Burmeister, a log floor joist had been smoldering beneath the cement which housed the cabin’s fireplace. Memorial Flag to be Raised A memorial f...
KALISPELL - Flathead National Forest, Spotted Bear Ranger District signed the final decision notice for the Spotted Bear Mountain Project last week. This project is located just south of the Spotted Bear Ranger Station. One goal of the project is to improve the diversity and resilience of forest vegetation, which largely includes increasing the presence of ponderosa pine on the landscape. Other goals include improving forest health, reducing the negative impacts of wildfire, and contributing forest products to the local community. The signed...
U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development in Montana State Director Kathleen Williams announced today that USDA is investing almost $1 million to expand access to economic opportunities and improve housing and educational infrastructure for rural and tribal areas across Montana. “USDA Rural Development is working hard to effectively target our community investments to those who need it the most,” said Williams. “This funding will allow several Montana communities to focus on the critical economic development, infrastructure, and socia...
HELMVILLE - Everyone participated as Helmville School performed many musical numbers and two plays, "The Littlest Christmas Tree" and "A Dickens of a Christmas" December 14 at the Helmville Community Hall. Music opened the evening by K-2 students playing "Jingle Bells" on xylophone keys. "Jingle Bells" was also performed on guitars by the 5-6th graders. "Carol of the Bells" was played 5th grader Nate Spatig on his guitar. Lucas Spatig 8th grade, played "Angels We Have Heard on High" on the...
This month the Seeley Lake Book Club is reading "Wayfaring Stranger" by James Lee Burke. The Denver Post calls it “A sprawling thriller drenched with atmosphere and intrigue that takes a young boy from a chance encounter with Bonnie and Clyde to the trenches of World War II and the oil fields along the Texas-Louisiana coast.” Poets & Writers says “that it reads like an ode to the American Dream.” Swing by the Seeley Lake Library (456 Airport Road) to pick up your copy of this amazing book. We meet the first Thursday of every month at 10 a.m....
The January 2023 meeting of the Seeley Lake Community Council will be held at the Barn (2920 Highway 83) on Monday, Jan. 9. Pizza will be served starting at 5:30 p.m., and the meeting will begin at 6 p.m. Featured speakers/topics are as follows: • Clearwater RV dump site update • Update on Holland Lake Project 8 Sewer Update • USFS Update - Quinn Carver • Winter Camping for Snowmobilers • Seeley Lake community trail system map Everybody is invited to participate in the Council’s discussions on agenda items during the meeting. As always, tow...
Missoula County Sheriff’s Log December 21-28 12/21, 12:01 p.m., Highway 83, Seeley Lake, Accident No Injury 12/23, 1:45 p.m., Locust Lane, Seeley Lake, Accident No Injury 12/23, 5:01 p.m., 3x MM Highway 83, Condon, Slide-In No Property Damage 12/23, 8:13 p.m., 1xx S.O.S. Road, Seeley Lake, Disturbance 12/26, 8:23 a.m., 6xx Tamarack Drive, Seeley Lake, Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle Seeley Lake Rural Fire District Call Log December 22-29 12/22, Riverview Drive, Medical 12/22, School Lane, Alarm...
A 60-year-old woman was killed after being struck by a vehicle on Wednesday night, Dec. 21, while stopping to assist in a vehicle slide-off on Hwy. 200 near Potomac. Montana State Trooper Wes Whitlatch said that the initial call of a non-injury slide-off near mile marker 18 came in at about 6:30 p.m. Whitlatch said a family in a pick-up truck and a woman driving an SUV stopped to help. The man was underneath the snow-trapped vehicle hooking up a tow strap and the woman was standing near the shoulder when a 68-year-old male driving an SUV...
“It was the craziest year on record with black bears in many places in Region 2,” said Jamie Jonkel, Wildlife Management Specialist, Region 2 Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP). Due to environmental conditions, there was a food failure for black bears in most of Western Montana. “It was one of those food failure summers that we see every 7-12 years,” Jonkel said. “Sometimes it’s a hard winter for the deer population. This year it was a hard summer for black bears.” Ten or more bears were still known to be wandering around East Missoula and...
GREENOUGH - Santa (Adam Wilson) slumped in his chair announcing "I have lost my ho, ho, ho." Mrs. Claus and Head Elf Gumball (Sera Benton) called in all the elves and reindeer to see if they could cheer him up to no avail. While Santa did not even crack a smile during Sunset School's production of "When Santa Lost His Ho, Ho, Ho" Dec. 19, those in attendance filled the Paws Up Bull Barn with laughter at the antics. The elves and reindeer offered Christmas jokes, sweet treats, reindeer games,...
SWAN VALLEY - "Thank you Santa" said one little boy as hugged the new stuffed animal Santa gave him. His eyes lit up when Santa took him over to the tree decorated with toy cars and trucks and helped him pick out another gift. "Merry Christmas," Santa said. Santa's Village was hustling and bustling again this year as people came from as far as South Carolina to have breakfast with Santa Saturday, Dec. 17. The Falls Creek Ranch in the Swan Valley hosted the annual event Thursday, Friday and...
24 Easterm Montanans Back Seeley 200 Race Thanks to generous donations from Eastern Montana businesses, the Wilderness Sportsman's Club is now only $,1500 away from its $6,000 purse goal for the Seeley Lake 200 Sled Dog Race set for January 29 through February 1. Ray Corcoran Trucking and Ed Corcoran Trucking, Billings, donated a combined total of $750 toward the race purse last week, according to race committee member, Elinor Williamson. "We really appreciate the support from these... Full story
Join in a special “First Day Hike” at Travelers’ Rest State Park on Jan. 1, 2023, and walk in the footsteps of the Lewis and Clark Expedition on the first day of the new year. The one-hour, approximately one-mile hike begins at 2 p.m. at the flag plaza near the parking lot and is free and open to all ages. Participants will get exclusive access to the Travelers’ Rest visitor center after the hike and can enjoy hot chocolate and ask additional questions. The terrain is mostly flat, but be sure to dress warmly with footwear that has good traction...
The public now has access to more high-quality hunting and hiking in western Montana, as the Bureau of Land Management has just acquired more than 6,500 acres along the Blackfoot River. These 6,576 acres mark the second and final phase in the Ninemile-Woodchuck parcel acquisition that began earlier this year. The BLM’s Missoula Field Office has now added a total of 37,000 acres of former private timber land in the Blackfoot Watershed in a years-long project working with The Nature Conservancy and using $9,863,000 of funding from the Land and W...
OVANDO - "Dear Mrs. Claus" was the name of the play performed Dec. 19 at the Ovando Gym. "How do reindeers fly? Why does Santa wear red?" and other pressing questions were flooding Mrs. Claus' mailbox just before Christmas. Mrs. Claus turned to the elves expert advice to send answers with help from Buddy, her Personal Elf Assistant. A musical showcase began the evening with students performing music accompanied by Matthew Nord, of Tangled Tones Music Studio, Missoula. Nord has been teaching the...
SEELEY LAKE - Old-time Christmas carols and favorite holiday music filled the Seeley-Swan High School auditorium Tuesday night, Dec. 13 as students from Seeley Lake Elementary and SSHS musicians performed to a packed house. The junior high and high school bands and choirs shared "Holiday Traditions," many familiar and other not, dating from the 16th century to current. Music Director Janet Morgenstern joked that she packed all of her favorite music into one concert. She commended the students...
SEELEY LAKE - During the "Blackhawk Biz" Market Day, students were able to sell the products they have been working on throughout the semester. Our story on the event ran in last week's Pathfinder edition (https://www.seeleylake.com/story/2022/12/15/news/sshs-entrepreneurs-showcase-products-at-blackhawk-biz-market-day/9088.html). Student journalist and photographer Hattie Batchelder took a range of photos of her classmates during the Dec. 10 market....
KALISPELL - The Flathead National Forest has announced the selection of Tami MacKenzie as Deputy Forest Supervisor. MacKenzie started her career on the Flathead National Forest as a wildland firefighter in 1998 while attending the University of Montana. She worked in wildland fire until 2006 when she accepted a position in environmental planning where she held various positions between the Flathead National Forest and the Regional Office for the next 14 years. In 2020, she became the Forest Public Affairs Officer and member of the Forest...
SEELEY LAKE - When Elfis (Lane Brovold) took the stage at Seeley Lake Elementary Thursday, Dec. 8, all the second grade elves and first grade reindeer cheered. But when Santa (Liam O'Brien) promised him a band with backup singers, Elfis was through the roof. Little did he know the turmoil that would come when the backup singers Aretha (Castielle Casey), Mariah (Henlie Kenney) and Celine (Olivia Bourne) vied for the spotlight and the band members picked sides. When Elfis teamed up with Santa for...
KANSAS - Steve and Cynthia Haynes sold Nor'West Publishing/Haynes Newspapers on Dec. 1, 2022, 42 years to the day after they purchased their first newspaper. Brothers Jesse and Lloyd Mullen, owners of Mullen Newspaper Company, and the new owners of the Seeley Swan Pathfinder newspaper, worked with Haynes to acquire one daily newspaper, one twice weekly, four weekly newspapers, and a market shopper product. The publications are based in Northwest Kansas. Jesse is the Chief Executive Officer of...
Little Blackfoot 4-H Club president Clara Gravely called the meeting to order at 2:15 p.m. on Dec. 11, at the Avon Clubhouse. There were 10 members present, they were: Clara Graveley, Ole Beck, Wesley McIntosh, Finn Graveley, Augusta McIntosh, Tylee Jo Berg, Gizelle Beck, Tell Davies, and Taylen Davies. Finn Gravely led the American pledge and Tylee Jo Berg lead the 4-H pledge. Ole Beck gave the treasurer’s report. Beck also gave a report on the ‘Canvas Painting’ county event in Helmville that was held on Nov. 20 . The Perkins Livestock Judgi...
25 Scott Elected Chairman Bob Scott was elected chairman of the water board at last week's regular meeting. Scott, who served on the board several years ago and who was reelected in November, is widely known throughout the community for his interest in water issues. During the meeting, Scott conducted' lengthy review of various financial, legal, and operational matters in order to better acquaint the entire board with the status of the water district. Scott also intends to schedule a planning... Full story
By Gwyneth Hyndman A fire that was reported at the Pyramid Mountain Lumber Mill in Seeley Lake just before 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 7, had largely been put out by mill staff by the time fire crews arrived, said Seeley Lake Fire Chief Dave Lane. One fire engine, an ambulance, a utility vehicle and a command vehicle attended the fire in the 20x20 foot control room structure at the center of the mill property, after being called out at about 5:45 p.m. Lane said the structure was about 50 percent engulfed but that mill staff had been able to...
By Pathfinder Staff SEELEY LAKE - By 5:25 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 7, the lobby at Mission Bible Fellowship was full. This year's annual Loving Hearts Toy Sale drew more than 100 people who, within a half an hour of the doors opening at 5:30 p.m., had Christmas gifts for their loved ones purchased and wrapped. With nearly 20 tables full of toys and everything priced under $5 with few exceptions, the season of gift giving was a little more affordable for many local families. One volunteer recalled an...
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Owen Hoag, of Seeley-Swan High School, was announced as one of the 21 students in Montana nominated by U.S. Senator Jon Tester to the country’s four prestigious military service academies. Owen is nominated to the U.S. Military Academy. The announcement was made in a press release on Thursday, Dec. 8, noting that Owen is captain of the football team and a track and field 200-meter dash state champion. He is also a junior member of Seeley-Swan Search and Rescue, a student trustee for the Missoula County Public Schools Board, a...
By Hattie Batchelder From juniper charcuterie boards to scented soy candles, Seeley-Swan High School students have been working hard since the first day of school to build their own independent businesses. The semester-long entrepreneurship class, taught by Michele Holmes, is a chance for students to learn their way around the world of business. During the "Blackhawk Biz" Market Day, students were able to sell the products they have been working on throughout the semester. The students were...
By Gwyneth Hyndman Icy road conditions led to a county school bus having a minor slide-off into a ditch just before arriving at Potomac school on Dec. 6 - but the event ended up being an example of a small community rallying together. No injuries were reported as a result of the 7:48 a.m. slide-off at a “notorious intersection” just before reaching school and a second bus was on hand in minutes to pull the bus out and get the students to class, just 8 minutes late, said Mike Krout of Majestic Bus Service. “Many community members were there...
By Gwyneth Hyndman For more than a year a neighborhood tech support group has been volunteering time to help locals upgrade their computer skills on Thursdays - now the Coffee & Computers group will be offering a pre-Christmas session this Saturday, Dec. 17, for anyone unsure of a gadget gift purchase or for help in correctly configuring tech they’re about to give. Volunteer Tom Browder said the group of roughly six volunteers started to offer the service in October 2021 in the Seeley Lake Community Foundation Building, pinning down each sessio...
By Jean Pocha OVANDO Life size painted figures of Ovando's leading historical citizens have recently been placed around Ovando by Ovando School students. The project is part of the school's Montana history curriculum. In collaboration with the Ovando Museum and art teacher Ms. Mitchell, the students put up the figures around Ovando in mid-November. "Part of our social studies curriculum is understanding where we came from, and how events, people and places have shaped our communities today,"...
By Jean Pocha OVANDO - "What can we do to get people to stop in Ovando," mused Howard Fly, then owner of the Blackfoot Commercial Company(BCC). During the morning coffee hour at the BCC in early 2000, Fly and others brainstormed activities that would help extend the business season in Ovando. The day after hunting season ends marks the beginning of a long, quiet period until the spring thaw. "We wanted something that would give us a boost at the end of the season," said Peggy Fly, Howie's wife....
25 Swan Valley Christian Singers Perform Sunday Night A special community Chnstmas concert will be presented by the Swan Valley Christian Singers on Sunday, December 13th at the Seeley-Swan High School Auditorium in Seeley Lake, beginning at 7:30 p.m. Last weekend the choral group performed in the Mission Valley, entertaining about 200 people with their Christmas message and songs. According to Pastor Herb Schiefelbein, last weekend's concert was extremely well received. The forty-two member... Full story
Seeley Elementary to hold Information night A Seeley Lake Elementary Informational night will be held on Thursday, Dec. 15. The meeting will cover topics like the school budget and ESSER funds (COVID money), current and upcoming building upgrades, school wide Eagle 3, bullying, safety/emergency plans and other topics. The event starts with a spaghetti feed from 5:15 - 5:45 p.m. At 5:45 any children present will head to the gym for activities - allowing parents to focus on the presentation. Pathfinder Holiday Deadlines Please note that our...
By Gwyneth Hyndman A warrant has been issued for the arrest of Austin Ailport of Potomac, who was hired as the Seeley Lake Rural Fire District’s first paid EMT/Firefighter in June, but was fired for the alleged theft of cash, tools and fuel over a two month period before his termination. According to court documents, Ailport was charged Oct. 3 with felony burglary and deceptive practices misdemeanor; however, the Missoula County Sheriff’s Office failed to locate him to serve him papers. Ailport missed two arraignment hearings held Oct. 27 and...
By Jean Pocha A young snowy owl is in rehabilitation and will be spending the winter at Wild Skies Raptor Center in Potomac. The injured owlet was discovered September in a field near Utqiagviv (Barrow), Alaska, unable to fly. The owlet is the youngest of six chicks in a nest that Owl Research Institute (ORI) monitored in the summer of 2022. ORI in Charlo, Mont., has been monitoring Snowy Owl activity in Alaska since 1992, and Wild Skies Raptor Center has been rehabilitating raptors since 2010....
By Victoria Howell Seeley Lake is now home to two of Montana's finest musicians and they plan to pour their hearts into their new community. Deborah and Jason Hicks, the foundation of "Joan Zen," the well-known and much loved soul and rhythm and blues band, are just completing their home-build on a mountainside above the town. They have been living in their camper for the last three and a half years as they worked on their house and more recently have been living in town. The couple moved to Mon...
Thank you to all our readers who shared their hunting success this season!...
2/26, Highway 83, Medical 11/26, Riverview Drive, Medical 11/26, Highway 83, Medical 11/27, Highway 83, Medical 11/27, Highway 200, Medical 11/27, Highway 200, Medical 11/28, Bear Drive, Fire 11/28, Riverview Drive, Fire 11/29, Highway 83, Medical 11/29, Highway 83, Medical...
MISSOULA - The holiday giving season has arrived, and Missoula Aging Services (MAS) is asking for community support to help older adults and caregivers in Missoula County. Missoula Aging Services will once again host a Virtual Giving Tree, as well as hang tags on the Missoula Public Library’s Giving Tree, to support programs and services for older adults and caregivers in Missoula County. Providing critical resources such as Meals on Wheels, Memory Care Support Services, In-Home Support and more, Missoula Aging Services promotes the i...
2/35 Year Look Back In celebration of 36 years of the Seeley Swan Pathfinder, 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... Voyage of the Rigil Kent by Dick Potter Joseph Conrad, the great 19th century author of seafaring tales, would have been enchanted by Al and Jean Slaight. The Slaights, who moved to Seeley Lake last spring, share many of the attributes... Full story
This year's Frostbite Festival - put on by the Upper Swan Valley Historical Society - pulled in locals and newcomers to the annual holiday event on Saturday, Dec. 3....
SWAN VALLEY - A Utah-based developer is going to have to go back to the drawing board after the Flathead National Forest rejected its initial plan to expand and upgrade the Holland Lake Lodge in Condon. The plan had received significant opposition from locals in the Swan Valley who alleged that the expansion would negatively impact both the community and the environment there. In a Nov. 21 letter to the developer, POWDR of Park City, Utah, the Forest Service stated that there were inaccuracies with its Master Development Plan. The letter,... Full story
By Jean Pocha Water quality concerns in the community will be determined following a project approach that Water and Environmental Technologies (WET) will use to collect and analyze information, shared Bill Decker, Sewer Board General Manager at the Seeley Lake Community Council meeting earlier this month. “WET proposed a three-phase approach to resolving Seeley Lake’s wastewater issues. WET committed to working side-by-side with the Sewer District throughout this process to develop a practical situation that is both economical and appropriate,...
By Gwyneth Hyndman As a trauma therapist who routinely sees new patients from around western Montana, Gyspy Soul Ray knows what the expectations are when she first greets them in her office. “They are expecting me to have a broom skirt and braids,” she laughed and added: “That’s my mother.” Named after a line from the 1970 Van Morrison hit “Into the Mystic,” Ray pointed out that like all newborns, she was at the mercy of her parents’ quirks and had no input on what ended up on her birth certificate. This is just one of the backstories Ray goes...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley-Swan High School Entrepreneur Class has been talking about Market Day since the first day of school. Now their mini businesses are a reality and will make their debut during the second annual Blackhawk BIZ Market Day from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 10, in the SSHS Cafeteria. The high school students are excited to offer their homemade goodies, hand-made crafts, jewelry and apparel, and unique art created from various mediums. With the class size more than doubling...
Ovando hosted the annual Old West Christmas event Friday, Nov. 25. Along with the visit from Cowboy Claus, the event included a artisans and craft fair, family activities, gingerbread house creation and a petting zoo. This year there was also a Barn Garage Sale and other yummy treats for sale throughout town....
In celebration of 36 years of the Seeley Swan Pathfinder, 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... Alone in the Bob by Mildred Chaffin The hunting season was drawing to a close. Our helper had found other fields of interest, so I had gotten promoted. I was not chief camp guard! On the last trip that season, we were scheduled to outfit two hunters from M... Full story
By Jean Pocha The RV dump station at Clearwater Junction has been closed since spring 2019, with no foreseeable opening, the Seeley Lake Community Council and members of the public heard at their regular meeting on Nov. 14. For repairs or rebuilding to happen to the RV dump station at Clearwater Junction, the Montana State Legislature will have to vote to appropriate funds at the next session, January 2023, stated District Ranger Quinn Carver. County Commissioners have written a letter to Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) asking for the dump stati...
By Jean Pocha “I started this craft show so Seeley people could get some nice, fun crafts and so local vendors had a place to display their wares,” said Carrie Darrah, organizer of the Seeley Lake Winter Craft Show on Sunday, Nov. 20. “Roads are good and it’s a beautiful day; I’m hoping for a good crowd.” “Overall, vendors were happy with sales today,” Darrah commented after the show. Vendors had wares including books, pottery, sewing, high-voltage wood burned products, photography, wreaths, local authors and pet products. Lunch was avail...
The 2022 Frostbite Festival Holiday Bazaar and Bake Sale is Saturday, Dec. 3, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Swan Valley School in Condon. The event is hosted by the Upper Swan Valley Historical Society. Artisans and crafters from the Swan Valley and Northwest Montana will display and sell their handiwork. This is a wonderful opportunity for shoppers to find unique, locally made holiday gifts. It’s a great time to get together with friends and family, meet new people, and support our local artisans. A watercolor workshop will add to the fun. A b...
by Pathfinder Staff Seeley-Swan High School (SSHS) hosted its fall sports awards banquet Nov. 14 at SSHS. Cross country, football and volleyball athletes were recognized for their participation and performance during the season. Each player received a letter after participating in the required number of varsity games or meets. They received a pin for every activity for which they meet the varsity requirements. For every year they meet the varsity requirements after receiving their pin in a...
Thank you to our readers for sharing photos of their hunting success. See next week's Pathfinder for more hunting photos from our community....
By Gwyneth Hyndman A proposed expansion of Holland Lake Lodge is not in the best interest of the public, has had a flawed public comment process, and the master development plan from Park City, Utah-based group POWDR has numerous inaccuracies, lacks essential information and ultimately should be denied, the Seeley Lake Community Council and about 15 members of the public heard on Monday night, Nov. 14, at the council's regular meeting. The presentation was made by members of the Save Holland...
By Jean Pocha "It would be unprofessional to taste that," said local auctioneer Kevin Ertl as a chocolate peanut butter cheesecake was paraded by him at the Annual Sew and Sew Club Harvest Dinner held in the Ovando Gym on Nov. 12. "People helping people is our motto," said Angela Williams, Sew and Sew Club President. "There's no sewing involved these days; the Harvest Dinner is our annual fundraiser. Funds are used to help community members in need and to address local community needs. We...
By Gwyneth Hyndman The body of an individual found in a mobile home blaze on Hwy 83 on Nov.9 has been identified, and the name has been released by the Missoula County Sheriff’s Office. Arthur D. Bailey, 75, of Seeley Lake, was found within the mobile home when fire and emergency crews arrived, after being alerted to the blaze at 11:29 p.m. Seeley Lake Fire Chief Dave Lane told the Seeley Swan Pathfinder that the home was about 50% ablaze when they arrived. The crew of four had been advised that there was “potential for an occupant” and confi...
By Gwyneth Hyndman Mike Lindemer, owner of Lindy’s RV Dump Station told the public and members of the Seeley Lake Community Council last Monday night, Nov. 14, that he offers a service that helps the community succeed. “That’s my opinion,” Lindemer said, adding that there were “multiple rumors” going around about the dump site, including one that Lindemer had a refuse pipe running down into the lake, which he said was not true. Lindemer, who was on the agenda at the council meeting, said he wanted to clarify that his site was approved by...
Through mid-December: $10 food bags for the Seeley-Swan Community Food Bank available at Cory's Valley Market. Sponsored by Veterans & Families of Seeley Lake. Through Monday, Dec. 12: Giving Tree sponsored by Mountain Lakes Presbyterian Church at Cory's Valley Market. Check out gift cards from the tree at the check stand. UNWRAPPED gifts must be returned to Cory's by 5 p.m. Monday, Dec. 12. Boxes appreciated. Through Tuesday, Dec. 20: Angel Tree at the Seeley Lake Fire Department, 200... Full story
By Gwyneth Hyndman A local search and rescue team was called off last minute on Sunday, Nov. 6, in the Seeley Lake Ranger District, when two snowmobilers who were illegally snowmobiling up to Lake Elsina in the Lolo National Forest broke down and were believed to be in trouble, as a severe weather warning for the area approached. Missoula County Sheriff Sergeant Bob Parcell said his office was alerted to the situation just before 7 p.m., after a group of “irate hunters” called the U.S. Forest Service about two snowmobilers who had ridden rig...
By Gwyneth Hyndman The Seeley-Swan area was dealt a winter weather warning last Wednesday morning, Nov. 9, along with much of western Montana, as road crews, law enforcement and local schools braced for the abrupt - though not entirely unwelcome - change of seasons. “It’s been a pretty steady snowfall,” said Missoula County Public Schools (MCPS) Communications Specialist Tyler Christensen. While last week’s winter weather also prompted MCPS to cancel all after-school athletics and activities in most of the county, Seeley-Swan High School...
By Gwyneth Hyndman One person has died in a house fire just north of Seeley Lake, in a blaze that was reported late Wednesday night, Nov. 9, on Hwy 83. Seeley Lake Fire Chief Dave Lane said the structure was about 50% ablaze when crews arrived at the double-wide mobile home along the highway, after being alerted to the fire at 11:29 p.m. One engine, a utility vehicle, a command vehicle and an ambulance attended the scene. Lane said the crew of four had been advised that there was "potential for...
By Gwyneth Hyndman A precinct breakdown of Seeley Lake, Swan and Potomac election results show that voters in these areas voted overwhelmingly in favor of Republican 1st Congressional District candidate Ryan Zinke for Montana’s newly created western U.S. House district. The AP Press declared Zinke the winner on Thursday morning, Nov. 10. On the whole, Missoula County voted in favor of Democrat Monica Tranel, who secured 63.58% of the vote, over Zinke’s 33.32% and Libertarian John Lamb’s 2.97%. In Seeley Lake, Zinke won 720 votes, Tranel secured...
Vince Lovato is no longer employed as editor by the Seeley Swan Pathfinder, owned by Ponderosa Publications. A search for a new editor is in the works. We appreciate the community’s understanding and support as we work to fill this position. - Ponderosa Publications New Pathfinder Office Hours: Tuesday thru Friday 10am to 1pm, 3195 MT Hwy 83 Unit #3, Seeley Lake, MT 59868. 406-677-2022.... Full story
Ovando Outdoor education classes held in the area provide hands on experience within the natural surroundings children encounter regularly. Blackfoot Challenge hosted two educational events this fall, the Annual Youth Field Day near Ovando and a Bear education event in Lincoln (see related story in this week's Pathfinder). The Annual Field Day on Sept. 15 taught fourth- through eighth-grade students facets of interacting with the natural world they live in. Stations were laid out on a half-mile...
Jamie Harrison's new novel "The Center of Everything" places you firmly in the mind of its central character, Polly, and her life in Livingston, Mont., with flashbacks to earlier years on Long Island. Harrison will be reading from her novel at Alpine Artisans's Open Book Club event at 7 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 19, at the Seeley Lake Community Foundation. The book begins with Polly recovering from a brain injury caused by a bike accident, and she repeatedly asks, "Am I losing my mind or am I seeing...
Hooper Park in Lincoln was a hot spot for bear studies Sept. 28. Living safely in bear country was taught through four stations covering safe camping, guardian dogs, bear identity and personal safety. Eighty K-12 Lincoln students attended and rotated through the stations. "With more bear activity and more people getting out exploring, we're trying to find ways to keep people safe, keep bears wild and minimize conflicts," said Elaine Caton, Education Coordinator for Blackfoot Challenge, who...
SEELEY LAKE & SWAN VALLEY: The Veterans and Families of Seeley Lake and American Legion Post #63 in the Swan Valley hosted their annual Veterans Day ceremonies Nov. 11 at 11 a.m. Both ceremonies were followed by a lunch for the veterans and their families. President Barbara Knopp led this year's ceremony in Seeley Lake. She focused on the importance and sacrifices made by soldiers fighting for freedom. She summed up her thoughts with two words, "Thank you!." During the lunch in the Swan Valley,...
By Vince Lovato, Pathfinder Editor SEELEY LAKE – Though Republicans control Montana politics today, that wasn't always the case, retired journalist Mike Dennison told Seeley Swan High School students Nov. 1. Up to about 30 years ago, Montana was a so-called Blue State, he said. Dennison, who covered Montana politics as a print and TV journalist for the last 40 years, is a guest lecturer for the Humanities Montana Democracy Project. According to the website, the privately funded Democracy P...
By Jean Pocha, Pathfinder Correspondent GOLD CREEK Emerging technology and forest product utilization was the focus of the forest tour in the Gold Creek area Oct. 25. More than two dozen people observed the Tigercat Carbonator 6050 make biochar out of slash piles as part of forest thinning and fuels reduction work done on land managed by The Nature Conservancy (TNC), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), U.S. Forest Service and private landowners. Land managers discussed biochar production in the...
Seeley Lake schools took time to honor area veterans....
By Vince Lovato, Pathfnder Editor SEELEY LAKE – A Missoula County Sheriff's detective, posing as a 14-year-old girl on a social media site, lured a 61-year-old Seeley Lake man into an illicit rendezvous in Missoula, where he was arrested and charged with two counts of sexual assault of a minor. After the weeks-long online interaction, Detective Travis Wafstet arrested Charles Lief Isaacson, at the rendezvous location and booked him into the Missoula County Detention Facility on Oct. 25. I... Full story
Grants available for projects helping Seeley Lake From Claire Muller, SLCF Executive Director Non-profit organizations are invited to submit grant proposals to the Seeley Lake Community Foundation for 2023 projects. The SLCF awards grants of up to $2,500 for projects to benefit the area of Seeley Lake, MT. Applications are due January 31st 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 & culture, community & economic...
By Jean Pocha, Pathfinder Correspondent SEELEY LAKE -- Native plants had their first summer in the Clearwater Resource Council's (CRC) Native Plant and Pollinator garden. Bearing up under the hot summer, with exceptional care from volunteers with daily watering taught organizers many things. "Thanks to Ginger Williams and other volunteers we were able water the plants nearly every day, which I think also kept the plants super happy and healthy," said Miske. "The success of the plants seemed to...
By Kelly Moore Missoula County Extension, Family and Consumer Science Agent The holidays we look forward to each year can often bring stress and anxiety into our already busy lives. Attempts to please everyone can leave us feeling exhausted and less able to feel thankful. Family traditions and guests can become a dark cloud of dread in our minds as November and December come into view. Re-evaluating traditions and reducing expectations, can pave a rejuvenating path to the holiday season. Let’s start with the Thanksgiving menu. We know that m...
From Jeannette Smith PIO Missoula Co. Sheriff’s Office MISSOULA -- An operation that began Wednesday in Missoula and concluded Thursday by The Montana FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force led to six arrests of those suspected of the exploitation and enticement of children. The task force is comprised of law enforcement personnel from various agencies in Montana and Federal Officers. Missoula County Sheriff’s Office was the central point for the operation but also worked very closely with City of Missoula Police Dep...
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. https://www.seeleylake.com/home/customer_files/article_documents/1987-11-12.pdf https://www.seeleylake.com/home/customer_files/article_documents/2002-11-14.pdf... Full story
Swan Valley Connections is taking orders for tree seedlings until Nov. 30. These seedlings are 10-cubic-inch root plugs that are grown at the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT) Tribal Forestry Tree Nursery in the Mission Valley. Place your order now, and pick your trees up from our office in the spring for planting. Or, if you'd like us to do the planting for you, check out our price sheet and contact us to schedule a date. Place your order at www.swanvalleyconnections.org or call...
OVANDO -- Time is approaching to make Ovando bright and colorful for the Holidays. And your help is seriously needed. We are in need of pine boughs if anybody can let us know if you can come up with a pick up load of tree trimmings. 9 a.m., Saturday, Nov. 19. Bring your staple guns, your gloves. Short ladders....
This week at SSHS • Wednesday 11/9/2022 Accelerate Montana will be here at 12:30 for seniors. For more information go to Acceleratemt.com • Friday 11/11/2022 Intervention 7:50 -11:00 National Honor Society Information Membership in the National Honor Society (NHS) is based on a student’s fulfillment of four requirements. Members of the junior and senior class who meet all four requirements, as evaluated by faculty, and complete an application will be admitted to the National Honor Society. The four basic requirements for membership are: - Sch...
Mr. Lovato is no longer employed by the Seeley Swan Pathfinder, owned by Ponderosa Publications. We have started the search for a new editor and appreciate the community's understanding and support as we work to fill this position.... Full story
https://www.seeleylake.com/photos Only at the Seeley Lake Senior Center could one meet a drag queen and a bumble bee sharing the same soup cauldron. Actually, these two were a few of many who took on an alter ego for the senior center's Halloween Costume contest Oct. 28. On the left, Boyd Gosserd was dressed as Judge Judy while caterer Hope Lewis was a bee with her co-host, Sally Johnson, in the background as a smiling flower. For more photos from the costume contest, see Page 7 of the print...
Kole, 3, uses a black marker to paint a tangerine to look like a mini-jack-o-lantern during Seeley Lake Baptist Church's weekly Adventure Day for kids Oct. 26. For more pictures, see Page 4 of the print edition or click the link: https://www.seeleylake.com/photos...
Seeley Lake Elementary School hosted its annual Trunk or Treat fundraiser Oct. 30 in the parking lot. The family above came dressed as a crew of pirates with one very old friend. From left to right, Rebecca, Jaden, Naya, Bob Bones and Yvonne handed out treats and tried to keep Bob upright. For more photos, see Page 5 of the print edition or click the link: https://www.seeleylake.com/photos...
The Seeley Lake Elementary and Seeley Swan High choirs and bands took the stage for the first time this school year on Oct. 24 at the high school. For more pictures, See Page 6 of the print edition or click the link: https://www.seeleylake.com/photos...
Missoula Sheriff’s call log Oct. 25 to Oct. 31 • Oct. 30, 7:22 p.m., Disturbance, 14XX SNOWMASS DR Responding Unit(s): 429, SLE • Oct. 27, 4:48 p.m. Disturbance, 1XX HICKORY Responding Unit(s): 468, SLE • Oct. 26, 1:44 p.m., Fraud, 15XX DOUBLE ARROW RD Responding Unit(s): 468, SLE Oct. 29, 2:16 p.m., Trespassing, BLANCHARD CREEK RD, Responding Unit(s): SLE Seeley Lake Rural Fire District calls Oct. 23 to Oct. 29 • 10/25/22 Fire HWY 83 • 10/25/22 Medical Medical • 10/27/22 Medical Scapegoat Dr • 10/28/22 Medical HWY 83 • 10/29/22 Locust L...
By Jean Pocha, Pathfinder Correspondent DEER LODGE -- Helmville district boundary line changes met with approval at the County Commissioners meeting Monday Oct. 24 in Deer Lodge. The increase in the town district by one-half mile to the North and South and one-eighth mile to the east had no resistance or further public comment, according to Amanda Cooley, Powell County Planner. In addition, zoning updates were discussed that hadn’t been revised since 2011. An amendment was added specific to cell phone towers that want to expand the cell t...
By Vince Lovato, Editor SEELEY LAKE -- More than 90 percent of the Seeley Lake Rural Fire District are for medical calls. That prompted Chief Dave Lane to ramp up the district's EMTs and paramedic roster. "More than 90 percent of calls are medical and I am trying to provide the best level of service to our community," Lane said. "That why I am pushing to get people to become paramedics and we have to pick the right ones who can be successful in the program." That's how Steve Larmour became then...
By Vince Lovato, Editor Seeley Swan High School Sophomore Regan Jones and senior Tru Good volunteered to serve mea at the Seeley Lake Senior Center Hunters Breakfast Oct. 21. Jones and Good are members of the Lion's Club high school branch known as LEOS: Leadership, Experience, Opportunity and Service. Advisor Mary Stone said six LEOS members helped set up for the breakfast the night before. "The whole idea is to have them do service," she said. "The kids love that the community supports (their...
By Vince Lovato, Editor HELENA -- While the Missoula County Attorney wants to prosecute Bobby Francis Lowry for fraud and theft, they will have to wait their turn as charges keep piling up on the beleaguered contractor. Lowry, 44, who is accused of defrauding Seeley Lake businesses and citizens of more than $40,000, was already locked up in a Lewis and Clark County jail facing charges for fraud when he was then charged with separate counts of assaulting his domestic partner and another inmate....
Story and photo courtesy "US Forest Service Firefighters move systematically through the burn unit igniting vegetation by hand with a drip torch outside of Seeley Lake Oct. 20. The prescribed fire will spread at a low-intensity and consume surface and ladder fuels. Reducing fuel loading and wildfire risk next to communities is a primary objective of this prescribed burn; however this prescribed burn will have other benefits such as improving wildlife habitat by encouraging nutrient recycling in...
2 Years Ago (From Oct. 10, 2002) 4H Club completes high-Achievement year The Seeley Lake 4-H Club completed an exceptional year. Besides having a successful year of learning and working together, this group was outstanding when it came to winning awards at the Western Montana State Fair. 4-H is a youth organization for children from 9 to 18 years old. The 4-h program encourages individual growth and community service. While livestock projects seem to draw a lot of attention 4-H is not limited...
By Eric Dietrich, Montana Free Press A task force charged with identifying solutions for Montana’s housing crunch formally passed recommendations for legislative action to Gov. Greg Gianforte last week, teeing up debates over state subsidies and local control that appear likely to play out as specific housing bills are considered by lawmakers this winter. The group, appointed by the governor in July, had been asked to recommend measures that could be implemented by the Legislature to reduce the burden placed on many Montanans by the s...
By Jean Pocha, Pathfinder Correspondent GREENOUGH -- Locals were surprised and amazed to see and hear ten Lamborghinis parked at the Clearwater weigh station and traveling along Hwy 200 and Hwy 83 last week. Lamborghini Club America chose Paws Up Green O accommodations for their annual luxury driving event. The Clearwater Weigh Station lot provided a convenient staging space for the unloading and loading of cars for two days of driving to Helena and Kalispell. "They got gas here every day and...
Seeley Swan High School's Cadence Mauldin, left, with his parents Chris and Jama. Cadence performed with the All-State choir. He had to audition to get in. Photo courtesy Janet Morgenstern....
Missoula County Sheriff’s Call Log Oct. 18 To Oct. 24 • Oct. 18, 2:45 p.m., Theft, 31XX HIGHWAY 83, Responding Unit(s): 451, SLE • Oct. 21, 4:25 p.m., Burglary, 29XX HIGHWAY 83, Responding Unit(s): 421, 439, SLE • Oct. 19, 9:12 p.m., Theft, 17XX WOODWORTH RD,.Responding Unit(s): 438, 459, SLE • Oct. 20, 7:30 p.m., Accident - Injury, 2X MM HWY 200 Responding Unit(s): 719, 902, 922, 931, 938, GP1, LFN1, MED3, MED8, MESI1, SLE, SLF1 FIRE CALLS 10/19/22 Fire Elkhorn Dr 10/19/22 Medical Drew Creek 10/19/22 Medical HWY 83 10/19/22 Fire Boyscout...
Robert Shaffer Double Arrow Ranch Landowner’s Association The leaves and needles are turning, hunters are out and the smell of autumn is in the air. Winter is right around the corner and the Seeley-Swan Valley becomes a whole new world, with an entirely new set of recreational activities for the hearty souls that live here (and a few visitors). The Driftriders maintain one of the top rated snowmobile trail systems in the United States, and we do get quite a few riders from out of town (and out of state) visiting the area to enjoy them and the m...
From 2 Valleys Stage 2 Valleys Stage is bringing back the popular Cajun and Western band Dennis Stroughmatt and L'Esprit Creole will perform at 3 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 30, at the Swan Valley Community Hall in Condon. Join us on an odyssey through the musical history of the French Creoles who founded the Illinois-Missouri Cajun country near the Ozark foothills over 300 years ago. Dennis Stroughmatt and his band, L'Esprit Creole are true ambassadors of authentic Creole music. Their songs, stories...
Enjoy Halloween Sunday at The Hungry Bear... Full story
Have a Ca-BOO-lous night at he Chicken Coop on Halloween Sunday... Full story
By Vince Lovato Pathfinder Editor SEELEY LAKE -- While citizens here were concerned that a serial dog abuser might be living amongst them, a sheriff’s incident report might serve to quell the community’s dread. As reported in the Pathfinder (Oct. 13 issue), a 3-year-old Rottweiler named Bam Bam might have been captured, tortured and killed in late September. Bam Bam’s incident followed just week after another dog, Lucky, was found hanging from a noose around her snout but was discovered before she died. The incident report by Sheriff’s Dep. He...
(Story Edited by Jean Pocha) LINCOLN -- Seventy-five years of sled dogs and sled dog racing in Montana was celebrated Oct. 8 with the dedication of a permanent bridge on the Race to the Sky route over Beaver Creek outside of Lincoln. The bridge will provide multi-use access to trails connecting Lincoln and Seeley Lake. The dedication honored the history of The Race to the Sky, co-founder Jack Beckstrom and Camp Rimini War Dog. The Race to the Sky, originally known as the Governor's Cup, was deve...
By Cathy and Jeff Harrits SEELEY LAKE – Bozeman mystery writer Keith McCafferty presented his most recent novel, The Bangtail Ghost, Saturday night, Oct. 15, at Alpine Artisans Open Book Club author series. It's easy to appreciate a book that describes the beauty and wildness of Montana and the state's interesting people, unique places and magnificent wildlife. Throw in a great mystery and what do you have? A novel from the Sean Stranahan mystery series by Keith McCafferty, complete with h...
By Ken Silvestro, Ph.D. I want to introduce the idea of psychological proof. Why, you might ask? Well, because it differs from scientific proof, which is the well-established, standard way of proving something, and today, for many people, simple beliefs seem to be in vogue as proof. Beliefs, however, are not a form of proof. So, what is non-scientific or psychological proof? As the column title suggests, it's an experiential form of proof; however, a single experience is not sufficient for a...
By Missoula County DPHHS The Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) and Missoula Public Health (MPH) confirmed a single probable case of monkeypox virus (MPX) in a Missoula County adult. Initial testing was completed on Oct. 7. Missoula Public Health is performing contact tracing and will communicate with individuals identified as a close contact. To protect patient confidentiality, no further details related to the patient will be disclosed. “MPX is still actively spreading in the United States,” said Missoula Public Hea...
Trunk or Treat Fundraiser Seeley Lake Elementary School will hots is Trunk or Treat fundraiser from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 30. Shooting Regulations Continued misuse prompts shooting restrictions on state trust lands in Gallatin County. Due to ongoing misuse of State Trust Land associated with recreational shooting – including public safety concerns, shooting debris left on site, and concerns that private property will be further damaged – the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation announced that two new firearm res...
By Raequel Roberts, UM News Service MISSOULA – Coming in at a weighty 143 pages, Montana’s 2022 book of deer, elk and antelope hunting regulations is an impressive tome listing license costs, permit drawing stats, season start dates, tag requirements and the ominous penalties for breaking any of its stated rules. It’s a valuable resource in the management of the state’s beloved big game animals and a must read for hunters heading out into the field, but it also can be an intimidating opus for even the most experienced hunter, never mind ne...
Missoula County Sheriff’s Call Log Oct. 9 to Oct. 17 • 10/11 2:25 p.m., Accident - Injury, MM HWY 83, Responding Unit(s): 451, 719, 922, 931, 938, GP1, LFN1, MED2, MED7, MESI1, SLE, SLF1• 10/15 3:17 p.m., Harassment , 67XX HIGHWAY 83 Responding Unit(s): 468, SLE • 10/12 9:16 p.m., Suspicious Activity, TAMARACK DR , Responding Unit(s): 468, SLE • 10/13 10:40 a.m., Probation, 3XX HEMLOCK DR, Responding Unit(s): PO172 • 10/15 3:41 a.m. Accident - Injury, 1X MM HWY 83, Responding Unit(s): 710, 711, 716, 719, 723, HP242, SLE, SLF1 • 10/15 7:26 p....
By Vince Lovato, Editor (Editor’s note: The language in this story could be disturbing to some readers.) SEELEY LAKE -- Many locals here believe a animal torturer is in their midst. For the second time in as many months, a dog was captured and tortured in a heartless and maniacal manner. Unlike Lucky, the previous victim of animal cruelty, Bam Bam did not survive. As of Oct. 1, Bam Bam, a 3-year-old, 120-pound playful Rottweiler, was living a rewarding life with human family and friends, owner Jean Loesch said. On that day, Bam Bam d...
By Vince Lovato, Editor Time after time, area residents hammered home the lengthy list of reasons they hate the proposed expansion of the nearby Holland Lake Lodge. Their concerns include, but are not limited to: • Negative impacts on wildlife and habitat; • Safety for an increased number of visitors who will come in contact with grizzly bears and other predators; • Increased vehicle traffic through Condon and nearby towns like Seeley Lake; • The attraction of newcomers who would move here pe...
A group of boys played a rousing game of football at the south end of the Seeley-Swan varsity football game recently....
From Alta Martin DNRC Clearwater Firefighter & Fire Prevention Assistant,DNRC-Southwestern Land Office, Missoula County Fire Protection Association When summer changes to fall and the smoky air starts to clear, we try to leave the anxiety of fire season behind and embrace cooler weather and shorter days. While we begin to leave fire season behind us, it is important to know who spends their summers on the ground protecting our resources, properties, and lives. The Seeley Lake Rural Fire District (RFD) is one of the first lines of defense in an...
Sandy Pisauro shows off a moose she took on Sept. 29 in the Scapegoat Wilderness area 10 miles north of Lincoln. The Pathfinder welcomes submitted photos. To submit a photo with you and your animal or the perfect picture of animals in the wild, end a high-resolution photo, your name, hometown and description to: pathfinder@seeleylake.com.l be printed in the Dec. 8 issue....
From the U.S. Forest Service SEELEY LAKE -- If locals saw plumes of smoke rising from south of town last week, they needn’t worry. Firefighters across the Lolo National Forest were scheduled to perform fall prescribed burning to reduce hazardous fuels, restore wildlife habitat, and better protect communities from future wildfires. The burns were schedules to begin Oct. 3, as long as wind conditions were favorable. Favorable conditions include correct parameters for temperature, wind, fuel moisture, and ventilation for smoke. When p...
By Jean Pocha Pathfinder Correspondent HELMVILLE "Thanks for riding with us," were the parting words to the 170 riders after they drew their last card in the Third Annual Helmville Poker Ride Oct. 8 marked the day for the Helmville Community Fundraiser. The ride was held on the Mannix-Wineglass Ranch a couple miles southeast of Helmville. Both a five and ten mile loop in the foothills of Hoodoo Mountain were available to riders. Cards were drawn and recorded at five separate stations along the...
Missoula County Sheriff’s Office Call Log OCT . 3 to Oct. 9 • 10/5 11:44 p.m. Disturbance, 3XX CUB LN, Responding Unit(s): 468 SLE • 10/7 Intimidation, 32XX HIGHWAY 83, Responding Unit(s): SLE • 10/7 Suspicious Activity, 12:02 p.m., 2X MM HWY 83 Responding Unit(s): HP248, SLE • 10/7 Stolen Vehicle, 12:05 p.m., 400XX PAWS UP RD, Responding Unit(s): 468, SLE • 10/8 4:29 p.m. Suspicious Activity, 13XX KAUFFMAN RD Responding Unit(s): 468, SLE • 10/8 9:06 p.m. Disturbance. 32XX HIGHWAY 83, Responding Unit(s): 461, 468, SLE • 7:41 p.m. Recovered...
MISSOULA -- Contractor Robert ‘Bob” Lowry sits in jail while facing criminal charges for allegedly committing several acts of fraud and theft amounting to $40,000 in Seeley Lake. While confined in the Lewis and Clark County Jail, Missoula County prosecutors recently filed charges claiming Lowry, 57, who faced similar charges in at least three other states, collected fees for work he did not complete in Seeley Lake. Lowry faced charges dating back to 2018 and was convicted of several of them in New Hampshire, Massachusetts and New Mexico. He fil...
Mela, 8, of Seeley Lake, makes a bird's nest from scratch with her mom, Janina, during the Larch Day Open House Oct. 1 at Camp Paxson. Families were offered hamburgers and hands-on-nature projects such as bulding beaver damns, nest weaving and egg painting. "It's nice to explore family opportunities and learn nature through hands-on activities," said Janina. The camp will host a Seeley schools three-day nature camp next spring. For more information visit www.camppaxson.org or call...
Each class at Seely Swan High School created a themed float to ride in the short but creative parade Saturday downtown. For more picturs, see Page 9....
Two Montana teachers had a very good Tuesday. In two special mystery assemblies held at their respective schools on Tuesday, October 8, the unsuspecting teachers were told by State Supt. Linda McCulloch that they had each been selected to receive the 2002 Milkcn Family Foundation National Educator Award. This honor comes with an unrestricted cash award of $25,000. McCulloch, who arrived at each of the two schools to make the announcement in person... The two educators who re-ceived awards are: • Katherine (Kitty) Logan, Principal and t...
Pathfinder photos by Vince Lovato...
SWAN VALLEY - Dozens of residents filled the Swan Valley Community Hall Sept. 20 for the Swan Valley Community Council meeting. While the Holland Lake Lodge expansion proposal was merely a side note on the agenda, it consumed half of the two and a half hour long meeting. Swan Lake District Ranger Chris Dowling and Planning Team Lead Shelli Mavor were present to represent the United States Forest Service (USFS) and answer questions. Flathead National Forest Supervisor Kurt Steele, who is the deciding official on the Lodge expansion issue, was...
SEELEY LAKE - "Teachers were the most intelligent, clever people who were really good at catching mistakes and telling you what you were doing wrong," was the perception Sheila Devins had about teachers while in grade school. "I just knew I would never be a teacher." Currently a kindergarten teacher at Seeley Lake Elementary school, the Office of Public Instruction named Devins one of four 2023 Teacher of the Year Finalists from a record number of 57 nominees across Montana. Despite her lack of...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley Lake Fire Department responded to a garage fire that was called in around 3:30 p.m. on Sept. 26. A half dozen volunteer firefighters responded within 15 minutes. With help from bystanders they were able to keep the fire from spreading to the house and wildland. The cause of the fire was unknown at press time....
SEELEY LAKE - After more than 40 years and an award-winning career as a print journalist, Vince Lovato is excited to return to his roots of community journalism. Stepping in as the new editor of the Seeley Swan Pathfinder, Lovato said he looks forward to bringing his professional and life experiences and grasp of technology to continue to be a steward of the paper for the community. "It is my goal to help improve the Pathfinder as it forges into its next era working with a small company that...
SWAN VALLEY - The Flathead National Forest is planning to conduct fall 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 follow Montana air quality standards...
SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley Community Council hosted a discussion on the poor condition of the Holland Lake boat launch and lack of emergency access at its Sept. 20 meeting. Members of the Swan Valley Emergency Services (SVES), Swan Lake District Ranger Chris Dowling and Holland Lake Lodge owner Christian Wohlfeil were on hand for the discussion. Dowling said he received a letter from SVES regarding the unusable condition of the boat launch at the Holland Lake Campground. SVES cannot safely...
SEELEY LAKE – A grant-funded, area support group designed to increase support to victims of violence will begin meeting weekly from 6 - 8:30 p.m., Oct. 4 at the Seeley Lake Foundation building. The group will meet every Tuesday through Nov. 15. Community members who were victims of abuse or caregivers to those who were victimized are welcome to attend, said Jama Mauldin, social worker licensure candidate. Mauldin, with Angela Harris, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, will teach how brains respond to trauma, then lead a group discussion. “We fee...
SEELEY LAKE - Tabitha Bailey was sworn in as a new firefighter on the Seeley Lake Fire District at the Seeley Lake Fire Board meeting Sept. 20. Bailey has been a member of the Seeley Lake Fire Department Auxiliary since 2020 and took a leadership role. Fire Chief Dave Lane said she has been attending training, driving the ambulance and taking on other duties. "She does things that a member does without the benefit of being a member...the biggest one getting into the retirement system," Lane...
Editor's Note: Since the installation of the new Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Station at the Seeley Lake Foundation Building, the Pathfinder interviewed two local residents to better understand the advantages and disadvantages to owning an EV from their experience. SEELEY LAKE – When Seeley Lake resident Auguste Lockwood heard about General Motors new electric vehicle (EV) named the Bolt, he purposefully drove it so he could say he hated it. After 10 minutes of driving it, Lockwood was s...
OVANDO - Eurasian Lynx research team "LIFE Lynx" members from Slovenia and Croatia visited the Blackfoot and Seeley-Swan Valleys Sept. 11-18. They compared their large carnivore research, investigated community forests and shared their research with area schools through the Blackfoot Challenge Education Committee. The collaboration between LIFE Lynx and the Blackfoot Challenge began in 2015 when Executive Director Seth Wilson went to Slovenia for work on large carnivore projects. Wilson...
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: October 1, 1987 issue Buckle up: It's the law No more excuses, folks, it's time to buckle up when you get in your car. State legislators voted last spring to make seat belt use mandatory in Montana. Beginning Oct. 1, people violating that law will... Full story
SEELEY LAKE - We returned August 2022 to repeat photos taken in October 2017 following the Rice Ridge fire....
Holland Lake Lodge proposal brown bag lunch and conversation, Oct. 4 SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley Community Council is hosting a special meeting Oct. 4 from 12 – 2 p.m. at the Swan Valley Community Hall to discuss the Holland Lake Lodge expansion proposal. This is a local meeting for people unable to drive to the public meeting scheduled for 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. in Seeley Lake. Flathead Forest Supervisor Kurt Steele, Holland Lake Lodge Owner Christian Wolhfeil, Stacey Hutchinson and Raj Basi will be present for the discussion. The meeting is a p...
SWAN VALLEY – Since 1981, husband and wife team Marty and Claudia Kux can be found daily at 6 p.m. recording the weather at their Lindbergh Lake home. Diligence and dedication has earned the couple the distinguished Thomas Jefferson Award, the National Weather Services’ top honor for cooperative weather observers, said Corby Dickerson IV, National Weather Service Observing Program Leader. They join the ranks of only five others in the Missoula forecast area and 13 Montanans that have received this honor since 1960. The Kuxes will be rec...
OVANDO - Riding to school got a new meaning for Ovando School's third through eighth grade students Aug. 29 - Sept. 1. Thanks to the Rich Ranch, students and teachers rode nine miles into Leota Park for a backcountry Outdoor Ed trip. Bill and Dena Hooker accompanied the group and stayed with them in camp to provide meals and backcountry lessons. The Ovando School alternates their annual Montana history trip between a museum-based trip and an outdoor education-based trip. This year was the...
SEELEY LAKE – Graduating high school in 2002 with no clear career path in front of him, Mike Brent joined the United States Navy. He knew he eventually wanted to pursue higher education. Serving in the military would help finance that. In addition, the Navy might allow him to see more of the world beyond his home state of Colorado. His military plans almost ended before they began. An eye examination during Boot Camp revealed Brent was partially colorblind. He was told he could become a Navy c...
SWAN VALLEY - Kurt Steele, Flathead National Forest Supervisor, decided to extend the comment period for the Holland Lake Lodge Expansion Project until Oct. 7 and offer an additional public meeting in Seeley Lake Oct. 4. “We had a well-attended public meeting last week and have received a lot of comments to date on this project,” said Steele. “The comments so far have made it clear to me that there is a lot of confusion surrounding the process and potential use of a categorical exclusion. I would like to make it clear that the use of a categ...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake resident Michelle Dunn is excited to bring her enthusiasm and experience working with the Potomac School Parent Teacher Club to Seeley Lake Elementary. She hopes parents, teachers, administrators and other community members will join her at the first meeting for the SLE Parent Teacher Club Monday, Sept. 26 at 6 p.m. in the SLE gymnasium following the girls’ volleyball game. Dunn recently moved from Potomac to Seeley Lake. She was a member of Potomac School’s Parent Teacher Club for several years and loved watch...
SEELEY LAKE – Camp Paxson will be open to the public on Oct. 1st from 12 p.m. - 5 p.m. for Larch Day. The Open House is an opportunity for area residents to visit and learn about the educational programs offered at Camp Paxson. Entrance to the event is free. “Our goal is to introduce the Seeley Lake and Swan Valley community to the outdoor education activities that we plan to offer to third, fourth and fifth graders during the shoulder seasons of spring and fall,” said Helen Mulroney, Camp Paxson Preservation Project board member. Curre...
SEELEY LAKE - Alpine Artisans’ 2 Valleys Stage 2022-23 season opens with the return of the dazzling Canadian drumming group Fubuki Daiko at Seeley-Swan High School Sunday, Oct. 2 at 3 p.m. Single and season tickets are available at the door. This four-person band reinvents traditional Japanese drumming with their eclectic and energetic performances that are part martial arts athleticism, part mediation and all rhythm. Collaborations with a wide range of groups including classical, funk, jazz a...
SEELEY LAKE – After close to two years as the resident chiropractor, Dr. Michela Reese purchased Seeley Lake Chiropractic. The office will no longer be part of the Optimum Health and Wellness, PLLC. "My biggest goal is to maintain more of a full-time clinic up here, something that hasn't been done in quite a few years," Reese said. "Maintaining at least four days a week would be my goal. I'd also love to diversify a bit with other therapies such as massage and potentially acupuncture, bring a m...
Sportscasters, political pundits and social media propagators have become enamored with reporting about people thrown under buses. No physical violence has actually been perpetrated, of course. The phrase is only used metaphorically. But how did it start—and when will it end? Merriam Webster’s website suggests an innocent enough British pre-origin in 1971 when Harold Wilson was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. With tongue in cheek, Hugh MacPherson wrote in “The Spectator,” “There is an amusing little parlour game much favoured by politi...
OVANDO – Wildlife officials euthanized two grizzly bears this week that were responsible for at least 10 conflicts in the upper Blackfoot Valley over the past two months. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks wildlife specialists reported that the conflicts began in mid-July in the Ovando and Woodworth areas where the bears broke into three grain sheds. FWP worked with the property owners to install an electric fence at all sites to prevent more issues. The bears moved on from that immediate area but stayed close to places where people live and recrea...
SEELEY LAKE – At their Sept. 15 meeting, the Seeley Lake Sewer District Board followed their committee’s recommendation to seek a proposal from Water & Environmental Technologies (WET) and voted to install up to 14 additional monitoring wells. The Board’s committee heard presentations from two engineering companies, WET and Morrison & Maierle and two manufactures, SepticNET and AquaTech Systems, that responded to the District’s Request for Qualifications. District Manager Bill Decker said he reached out to a third engineering company multipl...
SWAN VALLEY – Enrollment numbers are up at Swan Valley Elementary School for the 2022-23 school year, said Principal Aaron Morgenstern at the Sept. 13 Swan Valley School Board meeting. The School Board also received a resignation letter from Chris Mauldin, kindergarten – second grade teacher. Enrollment is at 33 up four from the end of last year. The kindergarten-second grade class has 15 students. There are 11 in the third – fifth grade and seven in the sixth – eighth grade classrooms. The board accepted Mauldin’s resignation. Mauldin’s...
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 24 , 1987 issue Clipper logging: A sign of things to come by Suzanne Vernon Loggers in our woods are changing the way they do business and the results appear to be good, both for the loggers and for the land. Small timber companies are...
Developmental and Preschool Screening Clinic Sept. 23 SEELEY LAKE - A free Developmental and Preschool Screening Clinic for children ages 0 to 5 for Seeley Lake and Swan Valley School Districts will be held on Friday, Sept. 23 beginning at 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. at the Seeley Lake Elementary School. This free screening will include gross motor, fine motor, language concepts, communication concepts, communication skills, hearing and vision screening. Please call 406-677-2265 to schedule an appointment for your child’s screening or to receive more i...
SEELEY LAKE – Around Father's Day, Federal Officer Tyler Robinson responded to a call north of Seeley Lake. A homeowner left more than six bags of trash out on their porch and a black bear found them. Robinson tried to run the bear off that night and it continued to return. While he had permission from Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks to dispatch the bear, it was too dark. The next day Robinson cited the homeowner for $230. He also asked them to call when the bear returned. Even though he is c...
GREENOUGH – A hopeless romantic Don Johnson was inspired to surprise his wife Ruth with a dip kiss. While she was doing dishes in the kitchen, he snuck up behind her, spun her around, grabbed her and as he went to dip her, he stepped in the dog dish and they both crashed to the floor. "He grabbed me, turned me around and threw me on the floor," Ruth said laughing at her perception of the event. "I said, 'What on earth are you doing?'" "I've never been able to live that down," Don said l...
SWAN VALLEY – Expansion plans for Holland Lake Lodge (HLL) were met with opposition from locals at the recent scoping open house held at the lodge Sept. 8. Over 100 area residents and users of Holland Lake expressed concern regarding change, increased traffic and potential environmental impacts to the area. Representatives of the Flathead National Forest along with representatives of POWDR and Christian Wohlfiel, Holland Lake Lodge (HLL) owner, meet with public members to present information r...
SEELEY LAKE - On the 21st anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, members of the Seeley Lake Fire Department stood for 102 minutes on Highway 83 in front of the Post Office. This was the amount of time it took for the first of the two Twin Towers to fall. This was the 14th year the Department has helped the community never forget the sacrifices and loss that happened that day....
MISSOULA – Hot and windy conditions are drying fuels out, prompting Missoula County fire protection agencies to raise the fire danger in the Missoula area to VERY HIGH. Very high fire danger means that fires start easily from all causes, immediately spread rapidly and increase quickly in intensity. There are no fire restrictions in place in the County at this time but outdoor burning by permit remains closed. Residents and visitors are urged to use extra caution when outdoors due to the dry fuels and windy conditions, and to visit w...
MISSOULA — Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is seeking public input on revisions to the statewide Elk Management Plan last adopted in 2005. FWP began work on the revised plan in 2020, when a citizen’s group was convened to develop guiding principles for the new plan. At this point of the process, FWP is seeking input on the existing elk population objectives and local elk management challenges that should be considered in the revision. The scoping period started earlier this summer and continues through Oct. 15. “We’ve been hearing concern...
SEELEY LAKE – Resident Kim Van De Riet has formed a partnership with her son Corey, Kalispell, to open VDR Realty, part of the eXp Realty family. The Van De Riets look forward to listening to their customers and helping them find what they are looking for in Northwest Montana and beyond. eXp Realty, LLC is a nationwide brokerage company with a supervising broker covering the state of Montana. "Our brokerage is a little bit different because we don't have to be brick and mortar," Van De Riet s...
SEELEY LAKE – Students at Seeley Lake Elementary begin the school year with no COVID restrictions in place. “We will follow quarantine guidance from the Missoula County Health Department,” said Josh Gibbs, Principal/Superintendent. “As always, if your child is sick please keep them home.” 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. “We are excited to have our students back in the building,...
SWAN VALLEY - In May Town Pump awarded the Swan Valley Community Library with a $1,000 grant to support their Summer Reading Program. The goal is to get the community children reading as much as possible on their summer vacation. Children from the Swan Valley and Salmon Prairie schools were all invited to participate. Twenty-eight students signed up for the program and 12 students returned their reading logs. Once the student read 75 units, one unit was either one book for the little children...
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 17 , 1987 issue 1987 gravel pit saga continues in opinion pages Gravel pit: Pro It never ceases to amaze me of the squeals of emotional indignation by comparative newcomers to this area when they are outraged by something so commonplace a...
The Missoula County Community Justice Department is seeking public input for a survey about public safety. The department will use responses to the survey to inform new definitions and measurements of public safety in Missoula County. People 18 or older who live or work in Missoula County are invited to participate in the study by taking a five-minute online survey available at https://umsl.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1WShvegCWtZdxqe. The survey is open through the end of September. Participants can remain anonymous or provide identifying...
Swan Valley Community Council to meet Sept. 20 SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley Community Council will meet in-person Tuesday, Sept. 20 at 6 p.m. in the Swan Valley Community Hall. The agenda includes presentations from Swan Lake District Ranger Chris Dowling and Missoula County CAPS Laurie Hire. Dowling will discuss the Holland Lake Boat Launch and answer questions. He is also willing to field questions concerning the proposed expansion at Holland Lake Lodge. Next on the agenda, Hire will discuss the Council's By Laws. There will also be an...
SWAN VALLEY - Kurt Steele, Flathead National Forest Supervisor, invites the public to provide input on the proposed Holland Lake Lodge Facility Expansion Project. The project proposes to repair the existing historic old lodge, add new buildings, enhance accommodations and upgrade the infrastructure within the existing 15-acre permit area. The Flathead National Forest will be hosting a public meeting about the Holland Lake Lodge Expansion Project Thursday, Sept. 8 from 5 -7 p.m. on the Holland...
SEELEY LAKE – When Kris Martin first visited The Filling Station, she said, "It felt really comfortable. I liked the feeling of being a customer that made me feel good about owning it." She purchased the business in September 1997 and has owned and operated the now 75-year-old restaurant, bar and casino in the heart of Seeley Lake for the past 25 years. "It's a good place for people to come and visit," Martin said. "It's the community gathering place." The community is invited to come and c...
SEELEY LAKE – Just after 3:15 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 3 emergency responders were dispatched to a plane crash reported south of the airport. Within 15 minutes of the report emergency responders where on scene were a small, single engine aircraft was found in the trees in the Double Arrow Ranch Homestead Commons area. There were two occupants in the plane. They both sustained injuries and were flown via two Life Flight Network helicopters to Missoula. Seeley Lake Fire Chief and Incident Commander D...
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 – It has been a great summer and there are a lot of interesting things happening at the Seeley Lake Library this month and next. A hearty “thank you” to all who participated in this year’s Summer Reading Program! Over 30 kids registered and 30 completed Reading Logs were returned. A handful of kids completed two or even three reading logs for additional chances to win the grand prizes. This year’s winners were: • Brittney Kelley, age 10 ($40 Gift Card for Stageline Pizza) • Al...
MISSOULA – Potomac resident Scott Davis had just checked out football equipment with his youngest son Easton when he pulled onto Reserve Street in Missoula Sunday, Aug. 21. "That's really the last thing I remember until I woke up in Spokane," Scott said. "I don't remember much of Spokane until we got back to [Missoula] which was on Wednesday. It is all a pretty big blur." The Davises were in a head-on collision just before 6 p.m. near the 3100 block of Reserve. A representative with the M...
The September meeting of the Seeley Lake Community Council will be held at the Barn (2920 Highway 83) on Monday, Sept. 12. Pizza will be served starting at 5:30 p.m. and the meeting will begin at 6 p.m. Featured speakers/topics are as follows: • Jesse Mullen - new Pathfinder publisher • Update from the USFS • Update from the Seeley Lake Sewer District • Overview of the Mobile Support Program of the Missoula City County Health Department Mental Health department • Update on open Community Council position and how to apply. • A representat...
MISSOULA - Partnership Health Center, Missoula County's non-profit Community Health Center and provider at the Seeley-Swan Medical Center (SSMC), received the 2022 Employer of Choice award in the large business category from the Montana Department of Labor & Industry. While PHC was recognized as the Employer of Choice on the local level in both 2019 and 2022, this award marks the first time PHC was recognized at the state level for "outstanding service to employees, community and the state of...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake Girl Scout Troop #3436 is excited to kick off its first full year working with girls in the Seeley Lake area. After starting the troop last December, Troop Leader Chantel Lynch is looking forward to offering more opportunities to earn badges and learn, grow and work together as a team. Girls and adults that are interested in learning more about Girl Scouts in general and more specifics about Troop #3436 are invited to the Troop's Kickoff Party and Chili Feed Sept. 15 a...
SEELEY LAKE – Thursday, Aug. 25 was just another day for Missoula County Road Department employee Shawn Wendel. However when he heard whining at the Fawn Creek gravel pit, he found a dog that was tied to a tree and left for dead. Animal Control has been notified and the investigation is ongoing. "I just did what any decent human would do," Shawn said. When Shawn pulled into the Fawn Creek pit Thursday morning he saw a dog lying back behind the large gravel pile. He said he did not think anything...
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... Full story
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley-Swan Mountain Bells handbell choir will begin practices for the new season on Monday, Sept. 12, from 3 – 5 p.m. at the Mountain Lakes Presbyterian Church north of Seeley Lake. Newcomers are welcome. Never rung a handbell before? No problem, we’ll teach you. If you think you might like to try it or just watch, stop in and join us. For more information, call Director Joann Wallenburn 406-370-2483....
Satellite Office closed Sept. 8 SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Satellite office of Missoula County Treasurer will be CLOSED Sept. 8. It will be open regular hours from 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 – 3:30 p.m. Sept. 22. Sorry for any inconvenience. MBF Kids Club starts Sept. 12 SEELEY LAKE - Mission Bible Fellowship invites children in kindergarten through sixth grade to MBF Kids Club every Monday from 3 - 5 p.m. There will be fun games, delicious snacks, crafts, music and life lessons from the Bible. Registration forms are available at the Seeley...
SEELEY LAKE – Area citizens offered opinions on the benefits and challenges of living in Seeley Lake and aging during a listening session Aug. 24 with representatives from Missoula Aging Services (MAS). MAS has held several sessions around Missoula County as part of an information gathering forum for Montana State Area Agency on Aging, of which MAS is part. The state is looking for input as it begins work on the next strategic plan which will be released in the fall of 2023, said Kate Cotnoir, MAS Resource Center Manager. Cotnoir lead the d...
SEELEY LAKE – Retired Marine Corps Naval Aviator Captain and Seeley Lake resident John Manz received a Quilt of Valor (QOV) Aug. 24 from the QOV Foundation. He is among more than 325,000 veterans across the United States who have been recognized for their service and dedication to their country. His son Tom, a retired 23-year career Army Officer, will also receive a QOV. "It was a surprise," Manz said. "It takes you back a lot of years. It really humbles you." After receiving the QOV, Manz s...
SEELEY LAKE – "We've had no complaints from any of the Seeley Lake kids," said Jackson Lee, Missoula County Parks & Trails Project Specialist. He laughed and added, "They seem all excited." After more than two years of planning, raising funds and preparation, the much-anticipated new playground at the Seeley Lake Lions Club Park, on the corner of Cedar Lane and Elm Drive, is nearly complete. Lion and Playground Project Leader Rich Westin said the partnership with Missoula County in c... Full story
Sustained cooler temperatures and increased fuel moistures have prompted fire protection agencies to lower the fire danger in Missoula County to HIGH, effective immediately. Caution when outdoors is still urged as when fire danger is high, dry grasses and needles ignite easily and fires can spread rapidly and may be difficult to control. Unattended campfires are likely to escape and high intensity burning is likely to occur on slopes and concentrated grassy areas. “There is still plenty of tall, dry grass—especially in our lower cou...
BILLINGS, MONTANA - The Big Sky State Games named Seeley-Swan High School graduate Klaire Kovatch the 2022 Female Athlete of the Year. Klaire has competed in Big Sky State Games Track & Field for three years and has since broken two records and earned a total of 10 medals. The Athlete of the Year award is designed to recognize individuals who best personify the ideals of the State Games movement: participation, sportsmanship, effort and positive attitude. "I was really surprised I received the...
OVANDO - Powell County Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) is introducing a Targeted Implementation Plan (TIP) for addressing wildfire hazards from biomass accumulation in private forested areas in North Powell County. The project will be active in fiscal years 2023 - 2026. According to the North Ovando Fuels Reduction Targeted Implementation Plan, recent changes in weather patterns are creating longer fire seasons and dryer fuel conditions, causing fires to increase in number, size...
SEELEY LAKE- This past hunting season, local trapper Rob Henrekin trapped and hunted five wolves for the second time in the approximately nine years he's been harvesting wolves. In 2021, the Montana Legislature directed Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) to reduce wolf populations, extend the wolf-hunting season and increase wolf-harvest threshold statewide. This was the first season Henrekin and all hunters and trappers have operated under the new guidelines. Despite the loosened...
SEELEY LAKE – Fourth time Coach of the Year recipient Mike Haines, Seeley-Swan High School Track and Field Coach, said "This one is special." Haines was nominated as Montana Coaches Association's Coach of the Year for both Boy's and Girl's Track and Field Coach of the Year and received the Boy's Track and Field award for 2022. The SSHS Boy's Track and Field team won the Class C state title for only the second time in school history. Haines's son Chase was a senior on the team. The first win w...
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 3, 1987 issue Residents consider golf course A golf course would be just the thing to keep dollars flowing in the Seeley lake community, according to Ervin Gysler, local resident. Gysler, along with other golfers, has often traveled to... Full story
DEER LODGE- Nevada Creek 4-H Club members brought home several Cream of the Crop, Champion Showmanship and Champion Market Animal awards from the 2022 Tri-County Fair in Deer Lodge. The Club also won the Overall Herdsmanship Award for keeping their barn areas tidy and cleaned up, plus special notice for working well together and getting their work done. The Tri-County Fair is the culmination of months of breeding, feeding and training animals, developing and practicing skills in crafts and honin...
SEELEY LAKE – Eric Kottman of Lincoln has been offering his photography at the Seeley Lake Market for three years. Eric Kottman Photography offers a variety of scenic and wildlife prints, mostly of Northwest Montana. Kottman has been shooting scenic and wildlife photography for the past 20 years. He attends shows all over Montana but has been a regular at the Seeley Lake Market. "I've always enjoyed photography and being out in nature and doing things," Kottmann said. "[The] two of them are a h...
SSHS hires science teacher for 2022-2023 SEELEY LAKE – An 11th hour email and Seeley-Swan High School has a science teacher for the 2022-23 school year. Debbie Jackson will start her teaching career with SSHS this fall, said Shawn Holmes, principal. “I’m so happy to welcome Debbie Jackson into the SSHS community as our new science teacher,” Holmes said. Jackson contacted Holmes about the open broad field science teaching position last Friday and as of Wednesday she was hired. “Our [Missoula County Public Schools] human resources departmen...
MISSOULA – The discrimination lawsuit against Missoula County Public Schools (MCPS) was dismissed last week. In February 2022, MCPS filed a request for summary judgment to dismiss the suit brought against Seeley-Swan High School (SSHS) and MCPS by Owen Mercado and his mother Deidre Lechowski-Mercado in January 2021. The plaintiffs sought $2.4 million in damages. Dana L. Christensen, United States District Court Judge for the District of Montana Missoula Division, stated in a brief filed Aug. 15 that the disputed facts need not be reviewed s...
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...
SEELEY LAKE – Missoula Electric Cooperative (MEC) and the Seeley Lake Community Foundation (SLCF) hosted a formal ribbon cutting ceremony to unveil the first electric vehicle charging station in Seeley Lake Aug. 17. Representatives from the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) were also present to celebrate the partnership that leaders on this project feel are "keeping Seeley Lake relevant" for locals and tourists into the future. MEC General Manager Mark Hayden first credited the M...
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...
SEELEY LAKE - Doesn't every family have its secrets? Some bigger than others? Six years ago, I was sitting with author Caroline Patterson on the front porch of her cabin at Pierce Lake sharing our family secrets. I told Caroline of a half-sister I didn't know I had until I was 16 years old. And she shared an amazing story from her family – also of a sister whose existence was a carefully guarded family secret. This family story she skillfully crafted as her latest, highly praised novel "The S...
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...
SEELEY LAKE - Home baker Mickol Rathbun sells the sweetest treats at the Seeley Lake Market every Sunday at her stand Mickol's Goodies. Rathbun always loved baking as a hobby and said this is her first year at the market. "I've done a couple of other markets but this will probably be the only one that I've done long term," Rathbun said. She said she's used to making treats for family, but didn't consider selling her bakery goods until her family recommended it. "Just this past fall, I really...
HELMVILLE - A community development and zoning follow-up meeting was held Monday, Aug. 15 in Helmville. During the meeting community members discussed possibilities for changing zoning ordinances around the Helmville town area. Amanda Cooley, Powell County Planner, led the meeting of over 30 attendees from Helmville and Ovando. Early this summer, the Helmville community expressed interest in exploring ways that the community could grow and potential re-zoning to allow more families into the...
MISSOULA – An effort to restore native sharp-tailed grouse to western Montana is underway, and this fall Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is reminding hunters and others to be especially careful to identify grouse when in the field. FWP biologists, with the help of conservation groups and private landowners, relocated approximately 75 sharp-tailed grouse from eastern Montana to western Montana in the fall of 2021 and then more this spring. Birds were released in the lower Bitterroot Valley near Florence, in the Flint Creek Valley near Drummond a...
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 – Science class at Seeley-Swan High School will have a different look this year for students. The year will start without an in-person instructor. Former instructor Gretchen Watkins accepted a position with Big Sky High School in Missoula at the end of the school year. “I don’t blame her one bit, that’s the unfortunate part,” said SSHS Principal Shawn Holmes. The Missoula County Public School District posted the open position in mid-June. “We have had no applicants apply for the position,” Holmes said. “I think it’s more of an...
SEELEY LAKE – This year marked Montana Shakespeare in the Parks (MSIP) golden anniversary-50 years of performing live outdoor productions of Shakespearean and other plays for the people of Montana. On Aug. 15, a large crowd of area residents set up their chairs and spread their blankets on the Double Arrow grounds to watch MSIP unfold the compounded tragedies resulting from King Lear's narcissistic decisions. As is usually the case when one of Shakespeare's works is performed on the modern stage...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley-Swan High School 2010 graduate Janelle Greenwood is the new volleyball head coach. Greenwood returned to Seeley Lake after 10 years in Alaska. During her time in Alaska, Greenwood was the head coach of the Cordova Junior Senior High School Volleyball team for nine years. While she was head coach, the team qualified for state six times and won the state tournament in 2015. Greenwood was offered the head volleyball coach in Alaska after her team won the volleyball 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 27, 1987 issue Warren Skillicorn: Homespun musician and fireside entertainer By Will Kats Warren Skillicorn has... Full story
Weekly COVID-19 update As of Aug. 22 there have been 302,455 cases of COVID-19 in Montana. There have been 1,530,306 doses of vaccines administered and 572,211 Montanans fully immunized. There are 2,078 active cases, 13,016 total hospitalizations and 3,490 deaths in Montana due to COVID-19 complications. Missoula County did not report a case update this week by press. There have been 214 COVID-related deaths to date in Missoula County. At-home test kits are available at no cost at the Seeley Lake Fire Department, 200 Firehouse Lane. For the...
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 – Prep work on the Salmon Lake Highway Reconstruction project is set to begin this month. Crews will begin the process of tree removal for the project which is slated to begin construction in the spring 2023. The Montana Department of Transportation held in person and virtual meetings last week to update the public on the completed design phase and encourage participants to sign up for weekly construction updates. To sign up for weekly updates email: SalmonLakeHWY83@hdrinc.com or call Lisa Gray 406-208-0551 or contact Matt Straub m...
MISSOULA – Fourteen 4-H members from Potomac Valley stood up to the challenge and stood out with their projects at the 2022 Western Montana Fair. Out of 29 members, projects that were represented included market animals, dairy, breeding and horse and dog showing as well as poultry, Cloverbuds, cooking, sewing, photography, archery and leatherwork. County Extension Agent Campbell Barrett said despite the long hot days and short nights that fair week inevitably brings, in the 4-H barns everyone g...
SEELEY LAKE - Approximately 200 lightning strikes over the Missoula area Thursday night, Aug. 11 and Friday, Aug. 12 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...
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...
MISSOULA – Seeley-Swan High School 2018 graduate Keaton Johnson grew up around sports and attended the University of Montana Griz Football games. "Certainly growing up, going to the games with my family and my family being passionate about it too, it is ingrained into me now," Johnson said. "They were walking super heroes or legends. You look up to those people." Even though he never played football, Johnson worked his way up with the Griz Football team - from computer work during the week as a...
MISSOULA – The Missoula Field Office published proposed supplementary rules in the Federal Register Aug. 4. This will allow the newly-developed Missoula Resource Management Plan to be fully implemented and give law enforcement rangers the ability to enforce new management decisions finalized through the planning process. The field office has opened a 60-day comment period on the proposed supplementary rules that would cover the 167,000 acres of BLM-managed public lands within the Missoula area and specifically address management of the S...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Hospital District Board continued their discussion regarding an assisted living facility in Seeley Lake at their Aug. 9 meeting. They also discussed the proper way to raise concerns regarding Partnership Health Center’s policies, procedures, treatment or staff. Trustee Terryl Bartlett said that she had reconnected with BeeHive Homes owner Ty Harding following his presentation at their April meeting. She felt, based on his presentation, the board could either move forward or end the discussion due to lack of fea...
SEELEY LAKE - This past July, three Seeley-Swan High School (SSHS) students and graduates visited Vietnam as part of a youth exchange to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Vietnam's bilateral relations on environmental issues facing Vietnam and Montana. Sponsored by the U.S. Embassy in Vietnam, the exchange included 25 students each from Montana and Vietnam. All students from Montana involved in the exchange were enrolled in Missoula County Public Schools. The SSHS students and graduates who atte...
SEELEY LAKE – Every corner of the Seeley Lake Community Foundation annual banquet was decorated to represent different aspects of Seeley Lake – the beauty, recreation, wildlife and nature that makes Seeley Lake "the BEST in the Last Best Place." Nearly 120 attendees filled the tent at the Homestead Cabin Aug. 14 to support the Foundation's efforts like so many whom have gone before and paved the way. "The idea is it is a foundation. The Seeley Lake Community Foundation will be here long aft...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley Lake District Ranger Quinn Carver stood looking up at the muddy debris that flooded Dunham Creek Road in a landslide approximately three years prior. Imprinted on the hill face above him are the scars of the 2017 Rice Ridge fire. Despite the rows of skeleton trees, the shrubs, forbs and grasses are green and flourishing. "We mobilized some equipment quickly but it took about two days to get it in drivable condition," Carver said. "You probably could cross through all the muc...
OVANDO - Children held impromptu foot races down Main Street, country music serenaded the crowd and food trucks provided dinner for the Fourth Annual Blackfoot Challenge Block Party Aug. 10 in downtown Ovando. "Welcome to the Annual Block Party," said Jim Stone, Chairman of the Blackfoot Challenge Board of Directors. "On behalf of the Challenge, we want to thank you all for all you do to support the Blackfoot Challenge and one another to keep our community strong." "The Block Party is hosted by...
SEELEY LAKE – Anita Huggard of Plummer, Idaho plans to offer her UNIQUELY YOURS by Anita crochet products once a month at the Seeley Lake Market. Huggard has been crocheting projects since the age of eight. "I enjoy crocheting because it is relaxing, I enjoy creating things that make people happy, Huggard said. She started selling her crochet work in 2005, to supplement her income after being diagnosed with a brain tumor. She listens to customers and creates designs from their comments. "If I h...
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... Full story
Weekly COVID-19 update As of Aug. 15 there have been 300,607 cases of COVID-19 in Montana. There have been 1,527,257 doses of vaccines administered and 571,664 Montanans fully immunized. There are 2,099 active cases, 12,934 total hospitalizations and 3,481 deaths in Montana due to COVID-19 complications. Missoula County has had 31,069 cases and 213 COVID-related deaths to date. At-home test kits are available at no cost at the Seeley Lake Fire Department, 200 Firehouse Lane. For the most up-to-date and accurate information please refer to the...
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...
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...
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...
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 – 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... Full story
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...
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...
SEELEY LAKE – Monday, Aug. 1, the Seeley Swan Pathfinder turned a new page. The weekly publication sold to brothers Jesse Mullen and Lloyd Mullen, owners of Ponderosa Publications, and will be managed by Mullen Newspaper Company. Ponderosa Publications looks forward to continuing to provide a positive environment for community journalism to thrive. The Mullen brothers grew up in the newspaper industry. They worked as delivery boys for Sioux City Journal and began writing stories for the N... Full story
SEELEY LAKE - Pyramid Mountain Lumber Resource Manager Gordy Sanders received the 2022 William Schlich Memorial Award for his 46 years of outstanding work that influenced local, state and national forestry policy. Sanders is one of only 39 recipients of the award in 88 years. The first two recipients of this award included the 32nd President of the United States Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1935 and Gifford Pinchot, the first head of the United States Forest Service, in 1940. "When you look into the...
SEELEY LAKE – Looking back over his 20 years in the U.S. Navy, Bryce Smith said, "It's such a beautiful collage. There were people from every walk of life and every corner of this country that were just amazing to have spent a piece of my life with." Fueled by an early fascination with aviation and especially the Navy's F-14 Tomcat fighter jets, Smith entered the Navy's Delayed Entry Program while still a senior in high school. Upon graduation in 1998, he fulfilled his promise to enlist in t...
SEELEY LAKE - The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) invites the public to attend a final design open house for the MT 83 Salmon Lake Highway Reconstruction project. The meeting will also be hosted online for those unable to attend in person. MDT will reconstruct Highway 83 along the east side of Salmon Lake beginning in the fall of 2022. Roadway and safety improvements should increase visibility and include: • Widen the highway to include three to four-foot shoulders • Straighten curves, flatten roadway profile and minor shift of the c...
SEELEY LAKE - The sixth annual Bob Marshall Music Festival returns to Seeley Lake on Aug. 5 and Aug. 6. Festival organizers said they're excited to bring a new lineup of popular country, rock and folk artists from across the country to the festival grounds. There is also the Seeley Lake Duathlon/Triathlon Saturday morning. "We were really happy to bring the festival back this year," said Heidi OBrien, the Lewis and Clark Brewing Marketing Director. "This is now the third festival we've done....
A longtime provider of comprehensive in-school mental health services for hundreds of Montana students closed its operations last month, a development that other providers and professionals attribute to broader forces placing stress on the state’s already fragile mental health infrastructure. Altacare of Montana, a for-profit provider of Comprehensive School and Community Treatment (CSCT) programs owned by Tennessee-based Acadia Healthcare, announced its intent to close its Butte facility and halt its CSCT services in a May 13 letter to the M... Full story
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Jon Tester’s Blackfoot-Clearwater Stewardship Act (BCSA) received a 10-10 tie vote in the Senate Energy and Resource Committee July 21, setting up a future vote to move the bill out to the committee. Senator Steve Daines voted against the bill but said he’s willing to work with Tester to find a compromise. The BCSA adds approximately 80,000 acres of wilderness to the Bob Marshall, Scapegoat and Mission Mountains Wilderness areas, opens 2,013 acres of currently closed land to snowmobiling and protects 3,835 acres for...
Is your dog the natural leader of the pack? Does your cat have discerning judgment? Or maybe your parrot likes to voice its strong opinions? Then they might just have what it takes to be Missoula County’s first-ever Pet Commissioner. Missoula County invites residents to enter their furry, feathery or scaly friends in its inaugural Pet Commissioner contest. Submissions will be accepted through Saturday, Aug. 20. Voting will take place Sunday, Aug. 21 - Wednesday, Aug. 31. The contest will take place on Missoula County Voice, the digital engageme...
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...
SEELEY LAKE – At their July 28 hearing and regular meeting, the Seeley Lake Sewer District Board passed the annual assessment method and discussed drilling additional monitoring wells. The Board received just one written protest. The landowner was opposed to the assessment in part because they owned two lots and would have to pay twice even though they only have one residence. They also felt that their land was not necessary to be in the District in the first place as it is not near the lake or the contaminated groundwater monitoring well. M...
After 1919 and the end of World War I, Montana state government responded to other pressing needs in the wake of the war and provided little immediate assistance to the multi-campus University of Montana. Faculty salaries and the repair and renovation of existing facilities fell to new lows, causing the chancellor and the board to discuss enrollment limits and reductions in instructional staff to deal with the problems. Prior to American entry into WWI, the board had authorized the chancellor... Full story
MISSOULA – While shooting sports, dog projects and horse projects have wrapped up, 4-Hers are finishing their animals and wrapping up their projects for the Western Montana 4-H Country Fair next week. The Country Fair gives 4-H members a chance to educate the public about livestock as well as other projects and highlight the results of their hard work. The Potomac Valley 4-H Club has 14 participants this year working on 25 projects. The Non-Animal Projects will be on display in the 4-H Barn s...
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... Full story
SEELEY LAKE - Since Carrie Darrah learned to throw clay on a wheel 17 years ago, she's been obsessed with making pottery. For the last eight years she's sold an assortment of bowls, mugs and soaps at the Seeley Lake Market. "Making pottery looked like a lot of fun, so I went and took a class and got hooked on it," Darrah said. "It just took off from there." Obsession Pottery offers patrons handmade soaps and pottery Darrah makes in Seeley Lake. When she's not selling at the market, Darrah...
SLFD Movie Night, Aug. 6 SEELEY LAKE – Join the Seeley Lake Fire Foundation for their Movie Night Aug. 6 at the Seeley Lake Fire Hall, 200 Firehouse Lane. This week’s feature is “Lady and the Tramp.” There will be a spaghetti dinner with garlic toast and games for the children starting at 4:30 p.m. Movie starts at 6 p.m. Bring a comfy chair, special blanket and pillow and come for the show! Weekly COVID-19 update As of July 29 there have been 296,599 cases of COVID-19 in Montana. There have been 1,518,837 doses of vaccines administered and 570...
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...
SEELEY LAKE – One night in November 1950, Ray Cebulski returned home to surprise his wife Barb and their newborn daughter. Instead he was surprised to find his newborn daughter alone in her crib. Rushing outside to find his wife Barb, he heard her hollering from the coal shed. Barb had gone out an hour before to get coal for the night and the wind had closed the heavy door behind her. With no handle on the inside to open it and no windows, Barb was trapped. "I couldn't get out," Barb said. "...
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...
SEELEY LAKE - Michelle Brumfield, the manager of Montana Gas N Shop, plans to host a swap meet at the grassy lawn between the convenience store and the Citizens Alliance Bank every weekend for the rest of the summer. Brumfield said the Swap Meet will likely start around 8:30 or 9 a.m. every Saturday and Sunday and end around 4:30 p.m. She hopes it will attract the attention of both the community and people passing through on Highway 83. “I thought it’d be kind of a neat thing for people to pay a little bit of money and put all their stuff the...
MISSOULA – The Missoula County Board of County Commissioners voted July 21 to deny the request to abandon Cottonwood Lane as a roadway. Prior to the vote, the petitioner’s representative Carrie Sokolski advised the Commissioners of the petitioner’s intent to withdraw the request due to learning of alternate solutions. In April 2022, business owner Richard “Ted” Steiner filed a petition along with all adjacent landowners requesting a portion of Cottonwood Lane in Seeley Lake be abandoned. The section proposed for abandonment is the easterly port...
The Powell County Community Foundation is accepting grant applications from non-profits throughout Powell County. The PCF awards grants, usually ranging from $500 to about $2,000, for charitable purposes in the following broad focus areas: basic human needs, arts and culture, recreation, and economic development. The application deadline is Friday, Sept. 9. The short application form is available by writing to the PCF at P.O. Box 834, Deer Lodge, MT 59722, or by contacting board members Kirk Sandquist, Steve Owens, Mary Ann Fraley, Claudia Dipp...
SWAN VALLEY – At a special meeting July 19, the Swan Valley School Board voted unanimously to rehire Chris Mauldin as the kindergarten – second grade teacher for the 2022-2023 school year. Principal Aaron Morgenstern said this decision was based on the Office of Public Instruction’s (OPI) willingness to extend his provisional license for one more year. In an interview after the meeting, Morgenstern said Mauldin received an email from OPI that said, unlike in 2021, they were not going to extend any expiring provisional licenses for 2022-2023 due...
SEELEY LAKE – While it takes a semi-trained eye, the mat of waterlilies at the north end of Seeley Lake received a significant thinning Saturday, July 23 during the third annual "Make the Cut Invasive Waterlily Event" hosted by Clearwater Resource Council. Of the nearly 30 participants, a total of 877 pounds of invasive water lilies were removed, topping last year's record of 850 pounds. "I like how gratifying it is to see a native leaf all by itself in the water," said volunteer Heidi S...
SEELEY LAKE – Homemade, all natural products dog treats are available each week at the Seeley Lake Market this season. Ashlyn Schatz-Eason, of Oak and Coop Bowtique and Snackery in Missoula, will be here to sell her treats along with handmade reversal bandanas for dogs. Schatz-Eason has been making dog treats for several years. "My dog has severe food allergies and so I couldn't just go by any snack in the store," Schatz-Eason said. "I had to start making [dog treats] and now all of our dogs a...
OVANDO - Preparing a home to be as resistant to wildfire as possible can be done with Firewise planning said Cindy Super, Forestry and Prescribed Fire Coordinator for the Blackfoot Challenge, at a meeting July 21 at the Ovando School. The Blackfoot Challenge sponsored the presentation about learning to live with fire, developing defensible space and home maintenance precautions. "That bazillion dollar home in the forest is nothing more than a giant slash pile when a forest fire rumbles...
SEELEY LAKE - The Clearwater Resource Council (CRC) and the US Forest Service joined the Southwestern Crown Collaborative (SWCC) for a Seeley Field Tour on July 20. The SWCC brings together citizens, businesses, government agencies and conservation organizations to consider creative solutions in the management of National Forests in the Blackfoot, Clearwater and Swan River valleys. SWCC began meeting regularly in July of 2009 in response to the creation of the Collaborative Forest Landscape...
SEELEY LAKE – At their July 19 meeting, the Seeley Lake Fire Board approved the purchase of a new enclosed trailer. They also approved Fire Chief Dave Lane to seek bids to mitigate and fix water issues at Station 2 north of Seeley Lake. In other business, Board Chair Scott Kennedy addressed correspondence regarding concern that Open Meeting Law was violated at the May meeting. As requested at the June meeting, Lane presented the board with additional quotes to replace the enclosed trailer that collapsed from snow damage. The insurance t...
When wildfire smoke billows from its source and lingers in the air, the haze brings coughs and questions for many Montana residents. Among them: How should I interpret air quality ratings? How does smoke affect my indoor air quality? Is it safe to walk my dog or head out for a hike today? Montana Free Press (MTFP) put those questions and others to public health officials and researchers. While the answers are sometimes tricky to navigate - and leave plenty of space for personal choice - the... Full story
Weekly COVID-19 update As of July 22 there have been 294,340 cases of COVID-19 in Montana. There have been 1,513,844 doses of vaccines administered and 569,772 Montanans fully immunized. There are 2,199 active cases, 12,680 total hospitalizations and 3,467 deaths in Montana due to COVID-19 complications. Missoula County has had 30,328 cases, 432 active cases, 29,685 recovered and 212 COVID-related deaths to date. For the most up-to-date and accurate information please refer to the Missoula County-City Health Department website...
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: July 30, 1987 issue Seventy pitchers attend NHPA tourney More than 70 horseshoe pitchers competed in the National... Full story
OVANDO - The grizzly bear that fatally mauled cyclist Leah Davis Lokan last summer was likely food conditioned, according to an official Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee (IGBC) Board of Review report on the Ovando grizzly attack. The IGBC reviewed the official report and recommendations at a meeting on Wednesday, July 13 with Fish and Wildlife Grizzly Bear Coordinator Hilary Cooley. Cooley said officials found food and toiletries in and around the tent, along with lingering food scents from...
SWAN VALLEY - Swan Valley Connections hosted their first Landowner Stewardship Fair at Swan Valley Community Hall Saturday, July 16. The event was to welcome both new and longtime residents of the watershed and share information about resources available to support private land stewardship. "We think it's really important to be able to give folks all the information that we possibly can to help them make decisions on managing their properties," said Eli Estey, Swan Valley Connections program...
SEELEY LAKE – Players from eight to 80 years old join together for Pickleball on the Seeley Lake Elementary School tennis courts twice a week. Carole Rice, Seeley Lake resident, has been playing Pickleball for six years and wanted to introduce the sport to Seeley Lake. Pickleball is a sport which combines elements of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong. It can be played indoors or outdoors on a badminton-sized court with a paddle and wiffle-type ball. Pickeball can be played as doubles or s...
In 2021, Missoula Aging Services (MAS) launched a program aimed at increasing support for older adults living with memory loss in our community. It has already served over 75 people since it began just over a year ago. The Memory Care Support Services program was created in response to the growing number of older adults in Missoula and Ravalli Counties that are living with Alzheimer’s and related dementias. Memory Care Support Services is a no-cost service that starts with a one-on-one meeting to screen for eligibility, identify specific g...
MISSOULA - Due to increasing temperatures and drying vegetation, fire protection agencies have raised the fire danger in Missoula County to HIGH, effective Monday, July 18. When fire danger is high, dry grasses and needles ignite easily and fires can spread rapidly and may be difficult to control. Unattended campfires are likely to escape and high intensity burning is likely to occur on slopes and concentrated grassy areas. According to Colt Mortenson, Lolo National Forest Fire Staff Officer, “Spring and early summer rains have provided us w...
SEELEY LAKE - This year, Sparrow’s Vine Parenting and Pregnancy Resource Center and the Seeley Lake Community Foundation (SLCF) received a $6,000 grant from Zero to Five Montana and the Montana Cooperative Development Center (MCDC) to help assess child-care needs and provide opportunities for people to apply for child-care licensure in the Seeley Lake community. Zero to Five is a statewide organization that helps coordinate local collaboratives to improve child care for children and families across Montana. Seeley Lake is one of 10 c...
OVANDO - The new Region 2 Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Biologist Mike Ebinger was eager to come to the Blackfoot-Clearwater Region when the job opened. The reputation the Blackfoot area has as a leader for community-based collaboration on stewardship issues caught his attention. He replaces Scott Eggeman, who left FWP in fall 2021. Ebinger said time spent hunting and fishing while growing up in Michigan, coupled with an affinity for animals, guided him to study Resource Ecology in college....
In 1987 the Missoula County Commissioners appointed the first Community Council. It was in Seeley Lake. Community Councils are designed as a way for the rural local communities, which make up 56% of Missoula County land base, to communicate local ideas and issues to the county commissioners. Per the Missoula County website, a Community Council is an elected group of citizens representing a particular area of the county that can provide focus, leadership and continuity to that area. One of Missoula County’s primary goals for Community C...
SEELEY LAKE – A customer walked into j's you-nique boutique Clothing and Gifts after being encouraged to check out the new store in the Bison and Bear Center. She proceeded to browse and was excited to see the selection and the reasonable prices. Owner and saleswoman Jody Heryford smiled, quickly struck up a conversation with her new customer and helped her find other items she may like. "I hope my customers like the clothing and I hope they like the prices," Heryford said. "I hope they feel c...
The enormity and beauty of Flathead Lake has captured the imagination of Montana residents for generations. As the largest freshwater lake in the western U.S. (outside of Alaska), it's no surprise that people have been asking and trying to answer questions about this body of water for a very long time. Flathead Lake Biological Station, located on the lake's east side, is the second-oldest research station in the U.S. Perched on the peninsula of Yellow Bay, the biological station consists of 60...
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: July 23, 1987 issue Fire destroys Greenough Mill A fire that apparently started in old sawdust piles at Greenough... Full story
SEELEY LAKE - Donna Hacker discovered her passion for candle-making after learning about it in a Martha Stewart Living magazine in 1998. Over 20 years later, Hacker and her sister Anabelle are selling handmade candles and soaps with their business Tin Shed Candles during the Seeley Lake Market every Sunday. "My mom told me you can paint and sculpt all you want but try to find something that you can make over and over that you might be able to make a living," Hacker said. "So I did and now it's...
Coffee & Computers, July 28 SEELEY LAKE - Have technology questions or issues you want resolved? Come by the Foundation Building West Wing Thursday, July 28 between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. to visit with volunteers who can help on various devices and will try their best to help solve your issues. If possible, please bring the device and be sure to know your passwords so you can access what you need help with. For more information, contact Tom Browder at (646) 894-0247 or browder.tom@gmail.com. There will not be an event in August but volunteers...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake resident Tripp Mincey and his family were enjoying a beautiful afternoon fishing on Seeley Lake Friday, July 8. They were watching a storm brewing to the west but it looked like it was going to head north. Their weather apps said the main storm was not going to hit until 7 p.m. "I said you know what, I think we are about to get hammered. We need to get out of here," Mincey said. "We were by the Seeley Campground and as we were headed across the lake looking back you c...
CONDON – Children and adults were seen playing pick up basketball after the Condon Fourth of July parade. This was not the same sight a year ago. Girl Scout Ambassador Isabella Cruz set a lofty goal to replace the Condon basketball court located behind the Swan Valley Community Hall to earn her Gold Award. The project took over a year to plan and complete due to supply chain issues created by COVID. Part-time Condon resident Isabella, 17, will be a senior at Carrollton School of Sacred Heart i... Full story
MISSOULA – At their July 7 meeting, the Missoula County Commissioners unanimously approved the proposed Clearwater Meadows Ranch 20 residential lot major subdivision proposed approximately one mile west of Clearwater Junction. While most of the recommendations of the Missoula County Planning Board were approved, the Commissioners approved a compromise proposed by Missoula County Community and Planning Services (CAPS) and the IMEG Corp for the developer. This maintained Lot 20 as a buildable l...
SEELEY LAKE – Business owner Richard "Ted" Steiner has filed a petition along with all adjacent landowners requesting a portion of Cottonwood Lane in Seeley Lake be abandoned. A physical site inspection was conducted June 22, according to Carrie Sokoloski, representative for Steiner. The final hearing for public comment regarding the petitions is set for July 21 at the Missoula County Board of County Commissioners (BCC) meeting. The section of proposed roadway for abandonment is the easterly p...
SWAN LAKE – The 41st annual Swan Lake Huckleberry Festival is looking for bakers of all ages to enter the festival's Huckleberry Baking Contest. The contest features an adult category along with a separate category for children age 12 and under. The valley's original Huckleberry Festival is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 13 at the Swan Lake Day Park near mile marker 72 on Montana Highway 83. The rules for both children and adults are the same. Baking contest entries must be huckleberry-based w...
SEELEY LAKE – On June 20, Seeley Lake Ranger District Fire Management Officer Phil Shelmerdine officially handed off his duties to incoming FMO Adam Carr. While District Ranger Quinn Carver said, "Phil leaves some big shoes to fill," Carr is up to the task. "I'm happy to be here. I still have a lot to learn," Carr said. "Phil has a lot of years under his belt in this community and has been through some pretty large events that were publicly and politically challenging." Carr grew up in Libby, Mo...
SEELEY LAKE - During the Change Your Pace Challenge (CYP), the Seeley Lake Community Foundation raised $103,591.61 for 17 local organizations, including $26,633 for the CYP Match Fund. This was 28% higher than the $80,818 total raised through CYP in 2021. The highest number of individual donors gave since the program started in 2016 with 209 households making a gift. The match percentage ended at $0.40 on the dollar for eligible donations. SLCF Executive Director Claire Muller said, "This was...
CONDON – The Swan Valley Saddle Club held their O-Mok-See event July 4 at the Swan Valley Arena. Lillian Boyd and Maya Davey tied to win the All-Around Trophy with 24 points. There were nearly 20 participants. The O-Mok-See was called during the final barrel racing event due to thunder and lightning said Kellie Auchenbach, event organizer. Results from the event: Age 7-under 1st place – Maya Davey Age 8-11 1st place – Lyla Davey 2nd place – (Tied) Jolene Auchenbach & Annalynn Schreiner 3rd pla...
SEELEY LAKE – The results from Montana Newspaper Association's Better Newspaper Contest (BNC) are in and the Seeley Swan Pathfinder continues to be recognized as an award-winning newspaper. The Pathfinder received 14 Division 1 awards including seven first place awards. Division 1 encompasses weekly newspapers with a circulation of 1,250 or less. Though many of the awards for articles and photos were earned by Pathfinder owners Andi and Nathan Bourne, reporter Henry Netherland also garnered s...
SEELEY LAKE - Ethnobotany is the study of the interrelation between traditional knowledge and customs of a people concerning plants and their medical, religious and other uses. The Salish people have a culture thousands of years old consisting in part of interrelations with native plants in the Seeley-Swan area. Tim Ryan, Department Head of Culture and Language Studies at Salish Kootenai College in Pablo, Montana, shared his knowledge of the Salish people on an Ethnobotany Walk along the Clearwa...
SEELEY LAKE - The votes are in for the Seeley Lake Parade People's Choice Award. Luis Caro and his 1978 Camaro Z28 received 57 "likes" followed by Faith Chapel Youth Campout float with 46 "likes." The Rich Ranch Color Guard with Kiley Layman and Nikki Scheer took third with 41 votes. The People's Choice Awards were sponsored by the Seeley Lake Area Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber appreciates everyone who participated in the parade and voted....
SEELEY LAKE – Canvas's by Jeanette offers photographic prints on canvas and acrylic for shoppers at the Seeley Lake Market. Jeanette Coleman, Seeley Lake, has been selling prints for the past three years. "I used to offer them online," Coleman said. "Shipping costs are now higher than what I charge for prints." This is her first year at the Summer Market. She will be present at the market July 17, Aug. 7 and Sept. 4. Coleman takes pictures as she explores Montana's back roads. Coleman r...
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: July 16, 1987 issue Bizarre events follow logger's death A bizarre series of events occurred in the Swan Valley last... Full story
SWCC Seeley Field Tour, July 20 SEELEY LAKE – Join Clearwater Resource Council and the US Forest Service for a Southwestern Crown Collaborative (SWCC) Seeley Field Tour July 20 from 1-4:30 p.m. followed by a social at the Trailhead Pavilion, one mile east of Highway 83 on Morrell Creek Road across from the Seeley Lake Nordic Trails. The SWCC brings together citizens, businesses, government agencies and conservation organizations to consider creative solutions in the management of National Forests in the Blackfoot, Clearwater and Swan River v...
SEELEY LAKE – The first community council in the state was appointed by the Missoula County Board of County Commissioners (BCC) in Seeley Lake in 1987. The community council grew out of the Seeley Lake Chamber of Commerce, said Bud Johnson, owner of Timberline Building Materials and first chair of the Seeley Lake Community Council. The first Community Council board appointed by the BCC consisted of Dan Mizner, retired; Johnson, director of the chamber; Jeff Macon, a real estate broker; Bud Berckmoes, a real estate broker; Addrien Marx, director...
SEELEY LAKE - Carol and Jerry Miller's relationship began with a spark. On their first date as students at Ronan High School, the couple and their peers traveled to their rival's home turf of Polson, Montana to vandalize its hillside letter P. Using some tires, the group turned the P into the letter R for Ronan. Then, they lit the tires on fire. "We were never caught," Jerry said wistfully. After the first date, Carol and Jerry were partners for life. After sharing their 60th anniversary on...
SEELEY LAKE – As has been the tradition for the past 18 years, music directors from across Montana gathered at Camp Paxson for the annual Montana Bandmasters Association (MBA) Rendezvous June 20-23. Not only is the four-day schedule jam packed with hands-on and technical educational sessions, it also affords a relaxed atmosphere that fosters relationship building, networking and an opportunity to unwind. The idea for the Rendezvous was birthed 19 years ago. Now retired Swan Valley School and S...
If there’s one thing Montanans are good at, it’s prepping for whatever nature can throw at us. We carry bear spray in the woods. We keep blankets, shovels and water in our cars. We have flashlights and candles stashed around our homes. And these days, we have a hefty supply of replacement furnace and HEPA air filters stowed away, ready for the next time wildfire smoke rolls into town. If that last sentence left you scratching your head, we’ve got you covered! This July 9-16 is Missoula County’s Wildfire Smoke Ready Week! It’s a week dedicated...
SWAN VALLEY - Annie Oakley is coming to Condon to share a fascinating part of American history, including not only the most famous woman sharpshooter, but also historic figures who crossed her path, including Buffalo Bill Cody, Chief Sitting Bull and famous newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst. The public is invited to this free half-hour performance at the Swan Valley Community Hall on Tuesday, July 12 at 2 p.m., hosted by the Condon chapter of American Association of Retired Persons...
HELMVILLE - Mass has been suspended for one year at Helmville's St. Thomas Parish due to a shortage of priests. This is the first time mass has not been held at St. Thomas, except for during the pandemic. After one year, the situation will be re-evaluated. Bishop Rondell first rode into the Helmville Valley in 1872, with saddlebags bulging with supplies to conduct mass, said Peggy Mannix recalling her grandmother's history notes. Masses were held in the home of Thomas Coleman. When the first...
OVANDO - Ovando residents and visitors gathered July 4 for the annual parade, beer gardens and barbecue sponsored by the Ovando Fire Department and Helmville Quick Response Unit. This year's parade theme was "Remember when you rode a bike?" Participants decorated their bicycles with all kinds of fun noise makers and a few riders from Germany, Canada and Colorado joined the celebration....
SEELEY LAKE – A glass recycling partnership with Recycling Works and the Seeley Lake Community Foundation (SLCF) is a success. The two organizations have set the date for two future events Sept. 17 and April 15, 2023. Recycling works approached SLCF for a grant in 2021 to operate a recycling event in Seeley Lake, said Claire Muller, SLCF Executive Director. Three events have been held and raised $2,000 for area schools. "The great news is that we have a generous donor who loves the idea of t...
MISSOULA - In a meeting on June 28, the Missoula Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) unanimously approved a funding recommendation decision for the Horseshoe Hills Spring Creek Road Maintenance project. Submitted by Jack Rich, owner and guide at the Rich’s Montana Guest Ranch and Outdoor Adventures and the Forest Service, the project focuses on roadside brushing and ditch maintenance to allow and maintain winter trail grooming. Originally owned by Plum Creek, the Seeley Lake Ranger District purchased the Horseshoe Hill Area in the early 2...
SEELEY LAKE- For years, Julie Brown has baked cookies from old recipes her grandma used. Now, Brown and her daughter Kelsey Van Dyke are baking up those recipes for Seeley Lake patrons. "My mom has always been notorious for her cookies," Van Dyke said. "We've always kind of had this idea in our heads to start a little cookie cart at some point. We moved to Montana last year and decided that it would be kind of the perfect time to start." On June 10, Brown and Van Dyke opened their first...
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: July 9, 1987 issue Sawmill workers oppose wilderness bill Story Suzanne Vernon Nearly 40 Seeley Lake and Swan Valley... Full story
SEELEY LAKE – Olive U Oil & Vinegar, a Montana owned business, offers their products at the Seeley Lake Market this year. Justine Morris bought the business two years ago. Morris purchased the business after being a customer. The previous owner approached Morris when for personal reasons she had to sell the business. "She approached me because she knew I loved the product," Morris said. "She knew I would be able to continue the brand and market the brand she started." This is a quality p...
HELMVILLE – While running across America, Greg Nance passed Helmville on Highway141 June 27 and spent the night in Seeley Lake. During an impromptu interview near the Highway 141 and Highway 200 junction, Nance shared his life passions and motivation for the adventure. Beginning in Long Island, New York City April 25, Nance aims to finish July 17 at Ocean Shores, Washington. The journey is planned to take 85 days, running an average of 38 miles a day. "Being naturally hard-headed and liking t...
SLFF Movie Night, July 9 SEELEY LAKE – Join the Seeley Lake Fire Foundation for their bi-monthly Movie Night July 9 at the Fire Station, 200 Firehouse Drive. They will be showing “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2.” Come enjoy hot dogs for dinner, popcorn and ice cream starting at 4:30 p.m. Movie starts at 5:30 p.m. Bring a comfy pillow and blanket for the kiddos and hope to see you there. Free Caregiver Workshop Do you take care of someone with memory loss and live in a rural area? Have recent months left you stressed and isolated? The U...
SWAN VALLEY - Condon residents and visitors gathered for the annual Fourth of July festivities. The day began with a parade sponsored by the Amercian Legion Post 63. Activities continued into the afternoon with a free barbecue from Condon Community Church, O-Mok-See and a used book sale hosted by the Swan Valley Community Library. Look for O-Mok-See photos and results next week!...
SEELEY LAKE - More than 40 floats, classic and classy cars and businesses participated in this year's Fourth of July Parade on Highway 83. VOTE for the People's Choice Award through 5pm, July 9! "Like" your favorite entry on the Seeley Swan Pathfinder's Facebook page. First place wins $200 & custom plaque, second place wins $100 and third place wins $50!!...
SEELEY LAKE - More than 40 floats, classic and classy cars and businesses participated in this year's Fourth of July Parade on Highway 83. VOTE for the People's Choice Award through 5pm, July 9! "Like" your favorite entry on the Seeley Swan Pathfinder's Facebook page. First place wins $200 & custom plaque, second place wins $100 and third place wins $50!!...
SEELEY LAKE - The Fourth of July was filled with fun activities kicking off with the Seeley Lake Fire Department Pancake Breakfast, a free barbecue lunch at Mission Bible Fellowship, Duck Races and closing the evening out with the community fireworks display....
SWAN VALLEY – Members of the public at a June 21 Swan Valley Community Council meeting asked the council to vote to stop further investigation of a Condon Container Site. The Council and Missoula County Commissioners Dave Strohmaier and Juanita Vero offered that although the group of approximately 30 Swan Valley residents present were adamantly in opposition to the proposal, that was not a large enough group to be considered representative of the 704 residents effected by any decision. The current proposal estimates a cost of a container s...
SEELEY LAKE – "There is true grit Roger and Rhea [Johnson]," said Pyramid Mountain Lumber Vice President Charlie Parke pointing to the Johnsons at Roger's career celebration. "They survived because they care about the people." President and owner Todd Johnson said Roger Johnson's leadership, perseverance, willingness to take risks and ability to surround himself with good people that cared as much about the company as he did, built and made Pyramid Mountain Lumber, Inc. what it is today. A...
OVANDO - After cycling around 550 miles in eight days for the Tour Divide, Shawn Cheshire and her team took a much-needed rest. While torrents of rain fell outside, they sat on the leather couches and chairs in the lobby of the Blackfoot Commercial Company and Ovando Inn. Cheshire sat on the floor with her back to the wall and her probing cane by her side. She said she was craving a nap. "I didn't expect the weather to be as extreme as it has been," Cheshire said. "I just remember when I could... Full story
MISSOULA- The Missoula Board of County Commissioners voted unanimously on June 23 to approve the Missoula County Community and Planning Services (CAPS) resolution to increase land use fees effective July 1. Missoula County Community and Planning Services (CAPS) assesses fees to applicants to cover the review of new construction and development applications related to subdivision, floodplain, zoning and more. The County adopted the proposal in response to the inflationary increases to the current cost of County project review, along with zoning...
MISSOULA - Due to increasing temperatures, reduced precipitation and drying vegetation, wildland fire officials with the Missoula County Fire Protection Association (MCFPA) have raised the fire danger within Missoula County to MODERATE, effective immediately. When fire danger is moderate, fires readily start in open, dry grassland and will burn and spread quickly on windy days. Most wood fires will spread slowly to moderately. Residents and visitors are asked to use caution, especially as they enjoy the outdoors this upcoming holiday weekend....
SEELEY LAKE – Building 4 Wayne Cahoon Foundation presents Jason Gray, contemporary Christian singer/songwriter, at its first Music in the Mountains concert at 7 p.m. July 2 on the Cahoon Field 2930 Highway 83. General admission tickets will be available for $20 per person. Chelsea Cahoon, event organizer and daughter of Sandee and the late Wayne Cahoon, said the Music in the Mountains concert is a realization of a dream her parents had for many years. "My parents Wayne and Sandee have had this d...
HELMVILLE– The Mannix Brothers Ranch in Helmville received the 2022 Montana Stockgrowers Environmental Stewardship Award from the Montana Stockgrowers Association. Each year the ESAP award recognizes a Montana ranch that exemplifies environmental stewardship and demonstrates a commitment toward improved sustainability within the beef industry. "The Mannix family has continued the 140-year tradition of the Mannix Brothers Ranch by diversifying their enterprise and making decisions to benefit t...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Foundation is proud to announce the recipients of the 2022 SLCF Scholarship. Bethany Hoag and Klaire Kovatch each will receive $2,000 towards university expenses! Hoag graduated from Seeley Swan High School in 2021 with a 4.0 GPA. Throughout her high school years, she received numerous awards both in academics and athletics. Some of her accomplishments include: the National President's Education Award for academic excellence freshman and sophomore years;...
SEELEY LAKE- Seeley-Swan High School student Cheyenne Gifford won the 2022 Loon and Fish Logo Contest. According to Kris Gullikson, the president of the Alpine Artisans Inc. (AAI), Gifford was one of two people who submitted their artwork and the first student to both enter and win the Loon and Fish logo contest. "Her art represented exactly what the Loon and Fish Festival is all about!" Gullikson wrote in an email. "Beautiful art! She's got talent for sure!" For winning, Gifford received $200 a...
SEELEY LAKE - Alpine Artisan, Inc. (AAI) continues to support Artists in the Schools for Seeley Lake and Swan Valley students by securing a second $2,500 grant from the Montana Arts Council's "Artists in the Schools" Experiences Program. AAI received their first grant last fall. This enabled them to help with Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE) 21st Century program, to bring in an instructor from Movements-4-Movement into SLE, Swan Valley Elementary School and Seeley-Swan High School, said Jenny...
SEELEY LAKE – At their June 21 meeting, the Seeley Lake Fire Board approved a four percent raise for Chief Dave Lane with a vote of 3-1. Chair Scott Kennedy and Trustees Rita Rossi and Connie Clark voted for, Trustee Jon Kimble voted against and Vice-Chair Gary Lewis was absent. This was following a closed executive session to discuss Lane’s performance and pay scale. In other business, Lane provided several updates, the board reviewed new policies and Rossi and Kennedy addressed previous public questions and concerns during the public com...
SWAN VALLEY - Longtime Swan Valley resident Ellie Greenough was selected as the July 4, 2022 Parade Grand Marshal by members of the American Legion Post 63 in honor of her many years of community involvement. "I've had every job that's legal to support myself in the Swan Valley," Ellie said. Ellie was born in Detroit, Michigan and grew up in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. She was an early member of the Swan Valley QRU (Swan Valley Emergency Services). She remembers when Mount Saint Helens erupted...
SEELEY LAKE- Victoria Crisamore offers Seeley Lake Market patrons and their dogs a variety of handmade crafts every Sunday at her stand "Letti By Design." Crisamore has been selling at the Seeley Lake Market for around six years. Her products include dreamcatchers, beaded and paracord bracelets, dog collars and leashes, and white chocolate-covered dog bones. She said some of her most popular products are dog-related. "I absolutely love dogs," Crisamore said. "Funny enough, when I started doing...
8 years ago: July 2, 1987 issue Bayburgers offers lakeside lunch Lindey's Bayburgers recently opened for lunch on the shores of Seeley Lake at Lindey's Landing West. Bayburgers, hot dogs, nachos, soda and bags of ice are available at the new facility operated by Mark Lindemer, who is assisted by employee Shauna Haines, and Mark's parents Margie and Lindey. The Bayburger Wagon is a one-of-a-kind restaurant on wheels that serves food, soft drinks and ice from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m. Visitors can... Full story
Seeley Lake Baseball Club BBQ and fundraiser, July 3 SEELEY LAKE – The community is invited to the Seeley Lake Baseball Club players and their families for a barbecue Sunday, July 3 from 12 – 4 p.m. at the Seeley Lake Elementary baseball fields. Hamburgers and hot dogs will be provided. Everyone is welcome to bring a side dish. In addition to lunch, there will be family activities, face painting, sand lot games and a lot of fun. Donations are appreciated to help support the Baseball Club next year. For more information or to make a donation ema...
SWAN VALLEY – In September 2018 members of Condon Community Church stood around a blue cross painted on the ground and prayed for the expansion project for their church. "We are going to break up this cross but it is always going to be here and always going to be a symbol for our church," said Pastor Bruce Rippy as he sunk the shovel in the sand. From its humble start meeting at the Swan Valley Community Hall for the first 24 years, Condon Community Church's dream of a larger sanctuary became r...
SEELEY LAKE - At their June 13 meeting, the Seeley Lake Community Council reviewed Missoula County Community and Planning Services (CAPS) plans to raise land use fees and listened to a presentation from Trust Montana about their ideas to bring affordable housing to Seeley Lake. CAPS assesses fees to applicants to cover the review of new construction and development applications related to subdivision, floodplain, zoning and more. Without these fees, local taxpayers would cover the cost. According to Karen Hughes, the Assistant Director of...
SEELEY LAKE- The Missoula County Parks and Trails Advisory Board and the Missoula County Commissioners presented the 2022 Parks and Trails Steward Award to the Veterans and Families of Seeley Lake (VFSL) in the summer sun at Veterans Memorial Garden on Thursday, June 16. VFSL was founded in 2012, continuing the civic work after the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) 7992 and the Ladies Auxiliary was disbanded. According to Jackson Lee, the Parks and Trail Specialist, the VFSL plays a vital role in c...
The Garnet Preservation Association hosted their annual Garnet Days June 18 to raise awareness and funds to maintain Garnet in its "arrested state of decay." Attendees strolled the streets of the ghost town enjoying live music, gold panning, listening to stories of Garnet during the living history program and stopping at the saloon for shots of root beer and to pick up taffy at Davey's General Store....
In March 2022 the Seeley Lake Missoula County Sewer District advertised a “Request For Qualifications” to address the groundwater degradation occurring in the District. The District received four responses to its request. The responses were from Morrison/Maierle, IMEG (formerly Territorial Land works), AquaTech and SepticNet/WET. The “Qualifications” were reviewed and scored by the Board of Directors of the District. A District Selection Committee will interview all the respondents. The Selection Committee is composed of two board members, thre...
SEELEY LAKE – The Bitterroot Hot Shots Fire Crew rolled up to their assignment on the edge of a fern farm. As they approached the property, they saw all kinds of trucks labeled "Red Neck Fire Brigade." "It was like stepping into Deliverance. We didn't know what to expect," said Phil Shelmerdine, a squad boss on Hot Shots at the time. By the end of the crew's time on the farm, the landowner named all the roads after the girls on the crew and hosted a barbecue for the crew at the beach during thei...
SEELEY LAKE – FBI SWAT team conducted a barricaded hostage training session at the Seeley-Swan High School on June 16. FBI spokesperson stated this was part of the group's monthly training sessions held in Idaho, Montana and Utah. Principal Shawn Holmes said he was first contacted by United State Forest Service Law Enforcement Officer Tyler Robinson about setting up some areas for FBI SWAT training specifically at the Gordon Ranch in Condon. Conversations led to training at the high school inste...
SEELEY LAKE- The United States Forest Service planted 250 trees at Big Larch Campground on June 14. According to Quinn Carver, the Ranger for the Seeley Lake Ranger District, the project was to help provide shade at campsites for future Forest visitors. The trees were a mix of three- to four-year-old larch and ponderosa pine planted in small ground depressions. Around 25 District employees from silviculture, timber, recreation, fire and trails programs participated in the planting. The tree...
SEELEY LAKE – Pat Martin, Seeley Lake, is pictured with his 1962 Oldsmobile Starfire at the NAPA Auto Parts - Seeley Lake Car Show June 18. Martin received the Best Factory Original and the Best Paint Job for his 1969 Chevrolet Malibu. Best of Show Award went to Le Roy Morin of Arlee for his 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air and Brian Randash of Seeley Lake for his 1968 Chevrolet Camaro. The show attracted 30 to 40 cars. Registration fees collected will be presented to Joel and Jeanette Roesner for m...
This past school year a collaborative grant opportunity between the Library of Congress and the Montana Association of Museums funded Seeley Lake Elementary and Swan Valley School projects tied to the Seeley Lake community. The Seeley Lake Historical Society partnered with Seeley Lake Elementary in conjunction with the Home Water Grant, a $750 stipend towards school-led projects designed to broaden students' understanding of the communities where they live. Only 12 grants were given out across...
Coffee and Computers Personal Tech Support, June 30 SEELEY LAKE - Have technology questions or issues you want resolved? Come by the Foundation Building West Wing on Thursday, June 30 between 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. and visit with Seeley Lake Community Foundation volunteers. Volunteers can help on various devices and will try their best to help solve issues. If possible, please bring the device and be sure to know all passwords, so you can access what you need help with. For more information, contact the Seeley Lake Community Foundation at 406-677-35...
SEELEY LAKE – At their June 16 meeting, the Seeley Lake Sewer District Board adopted next year’s budget and selected the equal assessment method to spread the assessment among landowners in the District. The Board adopted their fiscal year 2023 budget of $116,805. Of that, the District will use $84,397.98 from their reserves, money collected last year but not spent, and only assess landowners for $32,407. This will result in a significant break on landowner’s tax bill. The Board also voted to use the equal assessment method of spreading the tax...
SEELEY LAKE – When asked to manage Loving Hearts Thrift Store, Joyce Love said she volunteered for the position for a similar reason the store was created: to give back to the community. Since its inception in 1989, Loving Hearts has helped residents through bill assistance, supported local organizations and offered scholarships to Seeley-Swan High School seniors every year. With the previous manager Mary Newpower now retired, who better to take on the legacy of Loving Hearts than someone w...
HELMVILLE – Powell County Planner Amanda Cooley with Bo Walker, Montana State University extension agent, and Chad Lanes, Tri-County Sanitarian, held a meeting at the Helmville Community Hall June 16 to collect community input regarding barriers to growth and ways to encourage growth in Helmville. In addition, there was discussion to explore zoning and land use options for aiding growth. More than 50 residents attended the meeting. Cooley called the meeting after having many inquiries from Helmville residents on these topics. Zoning c...
SEELEY LAKE - After spending her childhood on a ranch in Eureka, Montana, Seeley Lake was the last place MaryAnn Morin wanted to live. When her husband Glen told her he thought God wanted them to move to Seeley Lake, she told him "you and God can move to Seeley Lake." But, like all six speakers who presented at the last "Tell Us Your Story" event of the season, Morin learned to love the community and the people within it. "The thing I liked about the community, especially when we first came,...
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: June 25, 1987 issue The songs are His; the rewards are ours Story Suzanne Vernon A group of about two dozen Seeley...
SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley School Board voted for raises and bonuses for its staff at their June 13 board meeting. The Board considered three options for the certified and classified staff salary schedules including no change (which has a 1.5% raise already built in), 4% raise and 5.5% raise to the base pay. The Board opted for giving the 4% raise in the base pay for all staff citing the desire to leave a little room in the budget for other things that might come up. Year-end staff bonuses were then discussed. Business Manager/District...
SEELEY LAKE – Conversations in the Arroyo's Cantina led to the formation of "Keeping the Day Jobs" band. Marcos Arroyo and Rich Westin sat around discussing music one evening with Arroyos' guitars hanging in the background. Westin advised he was considering getting a new set of drums. Arroyo encouraged the thought so they could play music together. Arroyo grew up in Texas, joined the Navy and met his wife, Samantha in Washington. He was an electrician by trade working in Washington. O...
SEELEY LAKE – Catherine Schuck, Potomac, offers her Beargrass products of salves, lotions, knit and crocheted hats at the Seeley Lake Market. She has been a mainstay of the market for the past four years. Schuck can also be seen weekly at the Missoula Farmers Market on Saturdays over the summer. Schuck offers salves and lotions infused with products such as arnica found on her own property. She dries the flowers at home and then infuses them into organic olive oil along with mango and shea b...
OVANDO - Erick Cedaño, the Bicycle Nomad, pedaled into Ovando Tuesday afternoon, June 14. It was the first leg of his 1,900 mile solo trip cycling to St. Louis, Missouri on the path of the 25th Infantry known as the Buffalo Soldiers from 1897. Cedaño left Fort Missoula at 5:40 a.m. just as the original Corps had. A group of Bicycle Corps re-enactors from Fort Missoula accompanied him to downtown Missoula. Commemorative celebrations in Fort Missoula and Wallace, Idaho were held June 13-19 for t...
Editor's Note: The opening paragraph was updated June 16 to include that IMEG said the Developer did not agree to all conditions as presented. GREENOUGH – At their June 7 meeting, the Missoula Consolidated Planning Board approved the Clearwater Meadows Ranch 20 residential lot subdivision proposed approximately one mile west of Clearwater Junction. Approval included the contentious condition that required expansion of the proposed common area around Blanchard Creek from 8.64 acres to nearly 2...
SWAN VALLEY - Ten years ago, Betsey Ellis was touring a castle on a hill in the Czech Republic Capital of Prague, when she found the perfect 50th anniversary gift for her husband Steve. It was a rock. Discreetly picking it up from some loose cobblestone, she gifted it to Steve and told him it was a symbol of their marriage because, like stone, the foundation of their love was rock solid. With plans to celebrate their 60th anniversary on June 17, the rock remains a testament to their ongoing...
MISSOULA – Missoula County Commissioners voted unanimously June 9 to approve a resolution to increase building permit fees effective Sept. 1. Along with increasing fees, the building department will use the International Code Council (ICC) Building valuation to value building projects, increase fees annually as necessary based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI-U) Mountain Area, adopt definitions as presented for finished and unfinished basements, eliminate the Footing and Foundation Waiver, eliminate the Agricultural Exemption and set the s...
As of the final Election Night Report, June 7, the unofficial election results are in. There was a 38.44% statewide voter turnout this election. For the Democratic Primary for U.S. Representative, Monica Tranel swept the state, garnering 65% of the vote. Her nearest competitor was Cora Neumann who received only 24% of the vote. The Republican U.S. House Representative ran a much tighter race. While Ryan K. Zinke did receive the most votes with the unofficial count of 33,203 votes, Al “Doc” Olszewski’s was only 180 votes behind. These resul...
SEELEY LAKE – The battle against the invasive fragrant waterlily may begin with herbicides mid to later summer on Lake Inez. In April the Missoula County Commissioners approved the Missoula County Weed District's request to apply for a general permit from Montana Department of Environmental Quality for the application of herbicides on Lake Inez. Missoula County Aquatic Invasive Species Coordinator Chris Mascari said the Weed District will possibly begin application of the herbicide Imazamox f...
SEELEY LAKE – Side-by-sides, UTVs and ATVs took to the Forest Service Roads from Seeley Lake to Ovando Saturday, June 11 for the Western Montana Shrine Club Backroad Poker Run and Live/Silent Auction.Winners received $3,500 in payouts and prizes and the event raised $10,000 from the poker run and auction that will benefit the Shriners Children's Hospital in Spokane, Washington. "The people of Seeley and their fans know how to enjoy life and have fun and are as generous as I have ever seen," s...
MISSOULA – The In the Footsteps of Norman Maclean Literary Festival announced that the biennial gathering in late June 2022 in Missoula has attracted almost 1,000 registrants and will feature the auction of an original Kevin Red Star painting produced just for the event. The event, the fourth to be hosted by the Maclean Literary Festival, is called “Public Land & Sacred Ground: Western Writers Bear Witness.” It is scheduled for June 24-26 at The Wilma Theatre. Admission is free to the public. Registration is required and available on the Festiv...
SEELEY LAKE - Nineteen Seeley Lake Elementary eighth graders celebrated their last day as elementary students Wednesday, June 8. Keeping up with the Seeley Lake tradition, the students presented family and friends with flowers during the ceremony. The ceremony kicked off with a welcoming speech from Grace Neher. "We will go our separate ways, but we'll all have the memories of our time at Seeley Lake Elementary," Neher said. These memories were commemorated in a class slideshow featuring...
SEELEY LAKE – Sapphire Print Design is open for business. Tracey Youbles, long time Seeley Lake resident, found the equipment for sale on marketplace and set up shop. Youbles moved to Seeley Lake 30 years ago with family. "I knew the area because my dad loved Lake Alva and we spent summers up here," Youbles said. Youbles' first job was with Sun Mountain Sports in Missoula putting logos on the pocket of golf bags. She also worked for a company printing on cloth and vinyl in the Seattle/Tacoma a...
POTOMAC - Potomac School had 10 eighth graders and 12 kindergartners graduate on the evening of June 8. More than 100 people were in attendance in the Potomac Greenough Community Center (PGCC). Bryanna Peterson, the kindergarten teacher, shared what her students wrote about their favorite thing about her class. Willa Howard loved the field trips, Tucker Brown loved playing outside and others loved when the caterpillars changed into butterflies, long recesses and Ms. Peterson. Peterson awarded...
POTOMAC - Teacher Terri Klein retired from Potomac School after 30 years of teaching first grade Pioneers. "Teaching was the only thing I ever wanted to do!" Klein said. "I used to play school all the time and started teaching Sunday school and vacation Bible schools when I was in high school." Klein graduated from Eastern Montana College (now known as MSU-Billings) in 1982. "I did not get a job my first year out because I wanted a first-grade position and every interview I had told me they...
CONDON – Swan Valley Elementary School graduates were honored on June 9 in front of family and friends. Five kindergarteners and two eighth graders received certificates of completion for their respective grades. Colleen Harrington, junior high teacher, offered a few words of encouragement to the eighth-grade graduates Lillian Boyd and Darby Gleason. Harrington stated in a world of selfies and Instagram influencers, these girls are grounded. She felt that will carry forward with them in the w...
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: June 18, 1987 issue Fishin' at the Pothole More than 30 young people, from toddlers to teenagers, caught hundreds of... Full story
Public invited to Parks and Trails Steward Award presentation June 16 SEELEY LAKE – The public is invited to attend a presentation of the 2022 Missoula County Parks and Trails Steward Award to the Veterans and Families of Seeley Lake (VFSL) at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, June 16. The Missoula County Parks and Trails Advisory Board and the Missoula County Board of County Commissioners will present the award at the Veterans Memorial Garden, on Highway 83 just north of Seeley Lake. The annual award recognizes individuals and organizations who have d...
POTOMAC - Two female grizzly bears were trapped Sunday, May 29 on private property up Twin Creeks Road. One was relocated to a remote area the next day and the other was euthanized in Missoula due to an old injury that led to a serious infection. According to the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks bear management team, on Wednesday, May 25 the two-year-old bears were in the Johnson Creek drainage moving east. The grizzlies remained close to homes along Highway 200. One bear was missing a foot....
SEELEY LAKE - With a turn of their tassels and some parting words from Dr. Seuss, 30 Seeley-Swan High School seniors closed a chapter of their academic careers at the school's graduation ceremony Sunday, June 5. The commencement featured some inspirational speeches, a presentation of roses and a senior slideshow. After SSHS senior Sara Stevenson performed the Star Spangled Banner, senior Chase Haines thanked SSHS faculty and encouraged his peers to keep pursuing their dreams during the 2022...
SEELEY LAKE - The Mountain Lakes Presbyterian Church (MLPC) will raise the pride flag on June 12 at 10:30 a.m. to welcome members of the LGBTQ+ community and honor Pride Month. The plan was set into motion May 8 when members of the Mountain Lakes Presbyterian Church council unanimously approved a proposal to fly the flag year-round. The pride flag, or rainbow flag, has been an iconic symbol of solidarity, inclusion and acceptance for the LGBTQ rights movement since the 1990s. Out of the 18...
SEELEY LAKE - Thirteen Seeley Lake Elementary students completed kindergarten Friday, June 3. The completion ceremony commenced with a brief introduction by Teacher Sheila Devins, followed by a slideshow of pictures of fun activities students participated in throughout their kindergarten year. Devins then led the students singing the "Montana Ballad'' before handing each student their kindergarten completion certificates. Students and their families asked for hugs and pictures when the ceremony...
SEELEY LAKE - The Fourth of July Committee and the Seeley Lake Area Chamber of Commerce have been working for the past month to organize this year's Fourth of July celebration in Seeley Lake. This year's theme is "Summer in Seeley - From Pirates to Patriots" with Pyramid Mountain Lumber's Roger Johnson and his wife Rhea honored as the Grand Marshals. This year the Seeley-Swan High School Art Class students made posters to help promote the Fourth of July activities. The Committee selected Aubrey...
SEELEY LAKE - The June meeting of the Seeley Lake Community Council will be held at the Seeley Lake Historical Museum and Visitors Center, 2920 Highway 83, on Monday, June 13. Pizza will be served starting at 5:30 p.m. with the meeting following at 6 p.m. Featured speakers are as follows: • Karen Hughes, Assistant Director of Missoula County CAPS: updated land use fees • Lori Freeman, Trust Montana: community land trusts and affordable housing • Jamie Jonkel, Region 1 Bear Management: Preventing bear issues • Seeley Lake Chamber: Fourth...
SEELEY LAKE - The final storytelling for this season occurs 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 15 at the Seeley Lake Foundation Building. We started this community event last fall with the belief that stories can bring a community together. Some may be controversial; most are not. Many are about experiences we find as common while others may seem less so. But, everyone needs to have the opportunity to respectfully offer their thoughts and experience with others respectfully listening. How do you create the atmosphere where a meaningful dialogue occurs? Whe...
MISSOULA – About 12.5 million nonresidents visited Montana in 2021 and spent around $5.15 billion in the Treasure State, according to estimates by the Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research at the University of Montana. The number of travelers visiting the state in 2021 increased 12.5% from 2020, bringing the number nearly back to the pre-pandemic visitation levels. This recovery performance far exceeded most of the nation. Those 12.5 million travelers made up 5.6 million travel groups in Montana during the year. Nearly half of those t...
A new Montana-based project with podcasts and documentary videos about Montana lands, waters and communities is now online. The project features stories from the heart of the Seeley-Swan Valley. Spearheaded by Project Director and Montana Filmmaker Lara Tomov, the Life in the Land project features four documentary videos and 19 podcasts about four different regions across Montana: the Central Montana Plains, the Blackfeet Nation Amskapi Piikani, The Big Hole Valley and the Seeley-Swan region. The project explores the success and value of locall...
POTOMAC – Kenny Brown operates the Potomac Bar and Country Store with manager Christine Yedinak. Brown took ownership of the former Cully's business in April and hopes it will continue to be a place for locals and visitors alike to meet, socialize and purchase the supplies that they need. Originally from Bonner, Montana, Brown moved to the Potomac area 16 years ago. Brown wanted to keep the business local, so he purchased it. "I want a place for community people to meet," Brown said. Brown a...
SWAN VALLEY - Patricia Maurer took home the coveted title of Chili Champ for the second year in a row in the American Legion Post 63 31st Annual Condon Chili Cook-Off June 4. Three additional chili contenders tied for second and third place out of nine chili entries. Second and third place winners Marie Geisler, Jody Sullivan and Ronda Feucht each won $50, while Maurer claimed $150. Along with judging the chili, attendees were eligible for door prizes, participated in the 50/50 drawing and...
SEELEY LAKE – Author Betty Vanderwielen met with Seeley Lake Elementary school students May 25 to share about her new book "Raccoon Summer." Students not only learned about how she came up with the idea for the book but also the process of getting it published. In the mid-1970s, the Vanderwielens volunteered with an animal rehabilitation program through the Kalamazoo Nature Center in Kalamazoo, Michigan. For nearly 10 years, they took in small animals including raccoons, birds, possums and squir...
MISSOULA – Return to Big Skies: Miss Montana to Normandy documentary film includes a bit of Seeley Lake history. The film directed and photographed by E. W. Ristau and produced by Geneva Ristau and Jenny Rohrer is now available on Amazon Prime for viewing. The filming project started in late 2018 with a goal to chronicle the grassroots efforts of an aviation community comprised of mechanics, pilots, smokejumpers and everyday Montanans. The group worked in a hangar at the Museum of Mountain F...
SEELEY LAKE - Eight seniors at Seeley-Swan High School received scholarships from organizations within the Seeley Lake community and beyond for their outstanding academic performances, athletic achievements and participation in extracurricular activities. Some local businesses and organizations that funded the scholarships include Alpine Artisans, Inc., Loving Hearts Thrift Store, Grizzly Claw Trading Company, The Seeley Lake Rural Fire Department and the Seeley Lake Lions Club. Loving Hearts aw...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley-Swan High School senior Walker McDonald has seen a lot of success throwing for the Blackhawks during his high school career including setting a new State record in Discus a few weeks ago. Now he looks forward to continuing his throwing career at the University of Montana next fall after signing with the Griz Track & Field team. "I've always wanted to throw in college since I realized I had some sort of talent," McDonald said. "Plus it is in Missoula which is where I wanted t...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake Elementary School with Seeley-Swan High School band and choir students combined efforts with Swan Valley Elementary to put on an end-of-the-year concerts for the communities. The concert on May 31 was performed at SSHS auditorium. SLE/SSHS music teacher Janet Morgenstern and SVE Music Teacher/Principal Aaron Morgenstern led the students who performed music from Disney productions. Disney was the theme for the evening with music from the Avengers, Pirates of the C...
OVANDO - With the sound of wolves yipping and woodpeckers hammering away, the SSHS Discovery Days began in Mollett Park on the Blackfoot Challenge Community Conservation Area (BCCA) May 25. Students arrived by school bus to the open grassland area with wetlands and forest skirting the sides. Discovery Days is planned yearly by Trace Stone, Seeley-Swan High School teacher, as a means to get students outside and experience new things. This year, Elaine Caton, Education Coordinator of the...
Blackhawks Skills Football Camp, June 17-18 SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley-Swan High School football program is offering a Blackhawk Skills Football Camp June 17-18 from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. at the SSHS football field. Third through eighth graders are invited. Registration is $25 before June 12 and $35 after June 12, including June 17. The Blackhawk Skills Football Camp will focus on the fundamentals of offense and defense as well as special teams. The Campers will receive instruction from the Seeley Swan Blackhawk Coaching Staff as well as the pla...
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: June 11, 1987 issue New pastor for Faith Chapel The Reverend Gary Wayne has been called to serve as pastor for Faith...
SWAN VALLEY – Swan Valley residents are voicing opinions and opposition to the Condon Container Site proposed at a Swan Valley Community Council meeting in April. Comments on the Missoula County Voice website are currently running approximately 80% against with just over 10% in favor of the proposal. Comments on the proposal are being gathered for informational purposes and the topic will be discussed again at the June 21 Council meeting. Shane Stack, Missoula County Public Works Director, said the next step is to go back before the C...
SEELEY LAKE – Steve Thompson was born, raised and educated in Missoula, Montana. He met his wife Cheryl at Camp Paxon in Seeley Lake and, after a stint in the United States Air Force, brought his family back to Seeley Lake to live. But those six years of military service gave the Thompsons an opportunity to visit parts of Europe and Scandinavia and to travel back and forth across the U.S. Inspired partly by his cousin who was an Air Force pilot, Thompson enlisted in ROTC while at the U...
Veterans, their families and members of the community joined together Monday, May 30 at 11 a.m. at the Seeley Lake Veterans Memorial Garden and on the Cold Creek bridge in Condon to honor and remember fallen veterans....
SWAN VALLEY- In a special meeting May 26, the Swan Valley School Board voted to non-renew its contract with non-certified staff Christopher Mauldin. Mauldin was hired under a provisional license three years ago. Under state statute the District cannot continue Mauldin’s contract without an extension to the current provisional license, said James Boyd, Board Chair. In 2021, the Montana Office of Public Instruction (OPI) granted fourth year extensions to instructors working toward certification due to COVID issues. To date OPI has not granted a...
SEELEY LAKE - Alpine Artisans' Open Book Club author series is excited to present a Taos, New Mexico-based author of an exciting new series of western novels this Saturday, June 4 at 7 p.m. at the Seeley Lake Foundation Building. Juliana Hoolihan Clayton is an indigenous woman of Turtle Island (First Nations Plains Cree/Nehiyawak) who was adopted by a white family and raised on a cattle ranch in Wyoming. She has lived and worked with Native Americans and cowboys throughout the West during her...
GREENOUGH - Supervising teacher Toni Hatten bid two graduating eighth-graders a tearful goodbye for the Sunset Schools' annual end of year celebration on Friday, May 27. Graduating students included Jadesa Stevens, Lucas Nygard and kindergarten graduate Cade Carstens. The event featured farewell speeches, student awards, a flower presentation and a drum performance directed by Matthew Nord, music teacher and owner of Tangled Tunes in Missoula. Students sang "Funga Alafia" to kick off the c...
SEELEY LAKE – Since Jim Haueter started wood carving over 10 years ago, his five acres of land on Double Arrow Ranch transformed into five acres of colorful wooden birds, bears and famous cartoon characters. For years, it attracted the attention of both passing locals and tourists. Now it's a wood-carving playground for Ovando School Students, who for the first time got to visit Haueter's land on May 23. Haueter took the students on a tour across the grounds, explaining the process of c...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley-Swan High School Drama Class wrapped up the semester with the premier production of "Catch Me As I Fall" May 25. SSHS Senior Beth Homen wrote, helped produce and played the main character Yasha in this modern-day play set in New York City. The title of the play "Catch Me As I Fall" was important to Homen. She felt it captured the story of Yasha. Yasha, a 25-year-old English professor, escaped from the mafia at age 17. When she escaped she left her younger sister MJ a...
SEELEY LAKE - The Clearwater Resource Center (CRC) Pollinator Garden opened Saturday, May 28 in front of Lindey's Prime Steak House. Opening activities included talks on beekeeping, native plants and activities for children including a butterfly release to wrap up the day. Planters sponsored by local businesses were filled with a wide variety of native plants with labels naming them all. Charles DeVoe of Big Sky Beekeeepers from Missoula opened the afternoon with a Honeybees 101 presentation. Be...
SEELEY LAKE – Ed Higgins, from the Montana Legal Services Association (MLSA), visited the Seeley Lake Community Library May 25 for the annual Lawyers in Libraries celebration. The event was in commemoration of Law Day, which was established by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1958 to acknowledge the national dedication to the principles of government under law. This year's theme: Toward a More Perfect Union – The Constitution in Time of Change. While Law Day is officially May 1, many celebratio...
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: June 4, 1987 issue The work-comp problem Skyrocketing workman's compensation rates charged to employers in Montana's... Full story
COVID Booster Clinic, June 7 SEELEY LAKE – The Missoula City-County Health Department will be offering a free COVID booster clinic Tuesday, June 7 from 12 – 4 p.m. at the Seeley Lake Foundation Building on Highway 83. The Clinic is open to ages five and up. Pfizer, Moderna and Janssen will be on hand for primary series and first and second boosters. For more information visit http://missoulainfo.com or call 406-258-INFO (4636) Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Summer childcare scholarships available The Department of Public Health and Hum...
Voter Information: Incumbent Ralph E. Mannix Jr. and Justin Williams are the two Republican candidates in the Primary Election for Powell County Commissioner District #2. Candidates were allowed 700 words to respond to questions (bold) submitted by Northern Powell County residents. Absentee ballots have been mailed to all registered voters. Voting will occur in-person June 7. Visit My Voter Page to find a polling place closest to you (https://app.mt.gov/voterinfo/). For more information contact... Full story
MISSOULA COUNTY – Missoula Aging Services (MAS) is requesting voters approve a ballot measure to repeal the current flat levy of $350,000 annually with a 4-mill levy on the June 7 ballot. Replacing this flat funding with a permanent 4-mill levy will better allow MAS to keep pace with the needs of Missoula County’s aging population. The increase amounts to $3.69 per year for each $100,000 of a county homeowner’s taxable home value. Missoula County’s population of older people is growing and so is the need for services that allow them to age ind...
Voter Information: Incumbent Alex Beal, Bill Burt and Daniel Chris Kaneff are running for the Justice of the Peace Department 1. Voters have the option to vote for one on the June 7 ballot. The two candidates that receive the most votes will appear on the General Election ballot in November. Candidates responded to provided questions (bold) in 500 words or less. Absentee ballots have been mailed to all registered voters. Voting will occur in-person June 7 at Seeley Lake Elementary from 7 a.m. -... Full story
Voter Information: Incumbent Judge Landee Holloway and Susan Campbell Reneau are running for the Justice of the Peace Department 2. Voters have the option to vote for one on the June 7 ballot. Both candidates will appear on the General Election ballot in November. Candidates responded to provided questions (bold) in 500 words or less. Absentee ballots have been mailed to all registered voters. Voting will occur in-person June 7 at Seeley Lake Elementary from 7 a.m. - 8 p.m. For other polling... Full story
SEELEY LAKE – Brooke Woodside has participated in the opener on the Blackfoot-Clearwater Wildlife Management Area, known locally as the Game Range, nearly every year since she was 13 years old. She knows the area well and has found a lot of sheds. However, this year's 6X6, 28-pound rack and skull were the biggest she has ever found. Woodside has lived in the area her entire life. Hunting for sheds opening day of the Game Range is a family tradition. "I started out doing it with my mom and dad a...
SIDNEY, MONTANA – Seeley-Swan High School golfer Ari Nicholas placed first at the Class C Golf Tournament hosted by the Sidney Country Club May 17 – 18. Mia Nicholas placed second for the girls and the boys team brought home the third place trophy. "It feels amazing," said A. Nicholas regarding his win Wednesday. "I was happy with both scores." A. Nicholas shot 81 the first day and 84 the second day. M. Nicholas had a personal best for her first season as a Blackhawk with an 86 on the first day...
SEELEY LAKE - The new Pollinator Garden, envisioned and designed by the Clearwater Resource Council (CRC), will be set up soon at Lindey's Prime Steak House. The purpose of the pollinator garden is to demonstrate what a pollinator garden is and provide education to the community to inspire people to include habitat for pollinators in their yards and gardens. The public kickoff celebration is Saturday, May 28 from 12 - 4 p.m. Pollination is the process of moving pollen from one flower to another...
SEELEY LAKE - Hi! I'm Haley Yarborough, a sophomore student at the University of Montana majoring in biology and journalism. I grew up in Bishop, California, about an hour south of Yosemite along the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range. As a kid I loved to write, read, hike, play soccer, run and cross-country ski. After graduating high school at the top of my class, I came to Montana for the University of Montana's journalism program and to attend college in a place close to nature. Over the two years...
MISSOULA – Glacier Country Tourism, the officially recognized marketing, management and stewardship organization for Western Montana, recently awarded $58,000 to seven visitor information centers throughout the region including $8,000 to the Seeley Lake Historical Museum and Visitor Center. Glacier Country Tourism has long supported community-based visitor information centers (VICs) with training and financial assistance. “Studies show community-based VICs are more likely to be used by first-time visitors traveling to an area,” said Glacier Cou...
SEELEY LAKE - The seventh annual Change Your Pace Challenge (CYP) kicks off next week! The Seeley Lake Community Foundation's (SLCF) CYP is a campaign for community-wide giving, motivating community members to give to their favorite participating local nonprofits, knowing the impact of their gift will multiply, thanks to the CYP Match Fund. Seventeen local organizations are participating this year, raising money for important projects benefitting the greater Seeley Lake area. CYP runs from June...
MISSOULA COUNTY – The Missoula County Pathways and Trails Master Plan draft proposal is 90% complete, said Stephanie Grisby, PLA, AICP, LEED Green Associate, Principal in Charge at Design Workshop at a public meeting on May 18. Public comment on the draft proposal is open until June 7 at Missoula County Voice. “Our scope is really focused in on what is called Pathways and Trails, those paved pathways generally separated from the roadway,” Grisby said. “Often, referred to as class one shared use path, some refer to them as side paths, major s...
SWAN VALLEY – There is a lot going on at the Swan Valley Library in June. For children, the Library is hosting a summer reading program for kids of all ages. It will run all summer long and will include story/craft time for school-aged children from 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. Mondays starting June 13. The Library will also continue the third Friday story time for Preschool and younger children through the summer. Spectrum Science in the Summer Program will present “Be a Biologist” June 20 from 1 – 4 p.m. This is for any elementary school-aged children...
SEELEY LAKE - There is a lot going on at the Seeley Lake Community Library in June. The Book Club meets June 2 at 10 a.m. This month they are reading “Educated” by Tara Westover. Here is a synopsis from the book: “Born to survivalists in the mountains of Idaho, Tara Westover was 17 the first time she set foot in a classroom. Her family was so isolated from mainstream society that there was no one to ensure the children received an education and no one to intervene when one of Tara’s older brothers became violent. When another brother got himsel...
HELENA, MONTANA - Students in schools across the state competed in Keep Montana Green's 61st annual wildfire prevention poster contest this year. After taking second in the primary division for the southwestern Montana region, Seeley Lake Elementary Kindergartner Hale Devins placed second in the state for the primary division. Overall statewide winners included Madysen Martin, a ninth grader from Columbia Falls High School, took first place followed by Emory Ercanbrack of Plains High School in...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Elementary School Board reviewed proposals for ADA compliant playground equipment at the May 16 meeting. The current playground is amazing said Josh Gibbs, superintendent/principal. People make it a rest stop when traveling through the area. “It is starting to deteriorate,” Gibbs said. “Kids are getting tons of slivers from the playground (equipment).” Some of the boards are breaking, which is fixable, Gibbs said. Since it is pressure treated it can’t be sanded down to get a nice, smooth finish. There is the opti...
SWAN VALLEY – The comment period regarding the potential Condon Container Site continues for another 30 days on the Missoula County Voice website (https://missoulacountyvoice.com/). Currently comments and poll information indicate the majority of the community is opposed to the container site due to cost, said Dan Saari, Swan Valley Community Council secretary/treasurer, at the May 17 Swan Valley Community Council meeting. The Condon Container Site proposal came about during meetings regarding the Swan Valley Plan draft which is now in front of...
SEELEY LAKE – After no interest in the firefighter/paramedic position previously posted, Seeley Lake Fire Chief Dave Lane requested at the May 17 meeting that the Fire Board consider approving a firefighter/EMT (FF/EMT) position. He has an interested candidate. The Board held a special meeting May 20 and unanimously approved the position. At the regular board meeting, Lane advised he felt the District was offering a competitive wage for the firefighter/paramedic position. However, housing is a...
MISSOULA - My name is Daniel Chris Kaneff and I am running for Justice of the Peace, Seat #1 in Missoula County. I was born in Missoula in 1970 and returned to Missoula in 1995 after an eight-year tour in the Marine Corps, which included Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm. I attended the University of Montana and earned a BS in Business Administration in 2002 while serving as a full time police officer for the City of Missoula. I was hired by the Missoula Police Dept in 2000 and recently...
OVANDO - Ovando School celebrated eighth grade graduates Abby and Kyle deRonnebeck on Wednesday, May 18. The siblings will be attending Seeley-Swan High School in the fall. "My favorite class is math," said Abby."I look forward to high school and making more friends. I loved Ovando School and the teachers and the friends here." "My favorite class is science," said Kyle. "I liked the teachers and kids at Ovando School, and I want to make more friends in high school." Their class quote that repres...
OVANDO - From the Stone Age to Rome's era of rule, Ovando School students showcased a journey through ancient civilizations for the annual May Day Tea on May 19. The event was written and performed by 19 Ovando students who danced, acted and played music from seven different civilizations: Mesopotamia, Africa, Egypt, Rome, Greece, India and China. Andrea Tougas, Ovando School's supervising teacher, said the show was based on the students' social studies curriculum and incorporated musical...
SEELEY LAKE - "We are trying to clean up the school forest to protect it from future wildfires," Seeley-Swan High School senior Walker McDonald said. "We are looking to use this as an example for the community and a standard and try to get motivation throughout our community to clean up their property. We know how wildfires have been in the area and we know it is only going to get worse." McDonald along with six other students in Gretchen Watkins' chemistry class won the 2021-2022 RISE Challenge...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Fire Department opened their doors for the Open House in celebration of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Week. Attendees enjoyed a complimentary taco lunch catered by Casa Caro, toured the station and the equipment, and received free blood pressure checks. Partnership Health Center had an informational table that offered informational materials on heart attacks and strokes. Jon Kimble won their raffle basket, a summer fun cooler filled with goodies donated by the S...
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: May 28, 1987 issue Economic Task Force - Grizzlies, tourism and timber Grizzlies and ski areas can be compatible - if... Full story
Shirley Erickson Memorial Service, May 28 BUTTE, MONTANA – Shirley Ann Erickson, age 79, of Butte, Montana, formerly of Seeley Lake passed away Feb. 16. A memorial service celebrating her life will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 28 at Butte Country Club, 3400 Elizabeth Warren Avenue in Butte. Please visit https://buttefuneralhome.com/ to offer the family a condolence or to share a memory of Shirley. McNamara Road closed May 31 - Oct. 31 POTOMAC - Noble Excavating Inc. will be working on the McNamara Road from Johnsrud Park to Whitaker Bridge....
The summer recreation season is on the horizon and seasonal campgrounds across the Forest are beginning to open. While most campgrounds will be open by Memorial Day weekend, some will open later in June depending on elevation and access due to snowpack. For a complete list of campgrounds and opening dates by District please visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/lolo. Last summer, the Lolo National Forest offered River Point Campground on the Seeley Lake Ranger District for online reservation as well as... Full story
SWAN VALLEY - The Missoula County Commissioners recognized partners from the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT) and Swan Valley Connections, formerly Swan Ecosystems Center (SEC), May 10 for their work to acquire and maintain the natural resources of the Elk Creek Conservation Areas (ECCA) in the Swan Valley. The Missoula County Open Lands Citizen Advisory Committee wanted to present the groups involved with recognition of their hard work to conserve the area and research its...
GREENOUGH – Inspectors at the Clearwater Junction Watercraft Inspection Station staff intercepted a mussel-fouled sailboat coming from Lake Ontario en route to Flathead Lake on Thursday, May 5. Missoula County Weed Prevention Coordinator Chris Mascari said this was the second inspection station the sailboat had gone through in Montana. State wildlife authorities were notified and a mandatory dry time of two weeks minimum was applied to this vessel. Mascari added this is a good reminder for a...
SEELEY LAKE - Full of life lessons, Seeley Lake Author Betty Vanderwielen's debut novel "Raccoon Summer" is the timeless story of a 12-year-old boy's efforts to train orphaned raccoon kits to live in the natural world. While geared for middle-grade readers, anyone who loves wild animals will be drawn to this heartwarming tale. We hope you'll join us to hear Vanderwielen discuss how this book came to fruition at Alpine Artisans' Open Book Club, 7 p.m. Saturday, May 21 at the Seeley Lake...
SEELEY LAKE - Ed Higgins, from the Montana Legal Services Association (MLSA) is coming to the Seeley Lake Public Library on Wednesday, May 25 from 3 - 5 p.m. for the annual Lawyers in Libraries celebration. Why Lawyers in Libraries? Because libraries are the heart of the community and justice is at the heart of our democracy. This year's national theme: Toward a More Perfect Union – The Constitution in Times of Change. The American Bar Association explained the theme: "The Constitution is a d...
MISSOULA – After withholding the event due to the pandemic, the 18th annual Potomac Bingo event returned May 7 in Missoula. More than $27,000 was raised. All funds raised directly benefit the Potomac School, staff and students by assisting with the Artist in Residence program, playground improvements and other activities and learning opportunities. Approximately 550 people attended the sold-out event. Potomac Parent Teacher Club (PTC) member Tina Vezina said all the seats were sold ahead of the...
OVANDO - Bo Walker from the Powell County Montana State University Extension Service conducted a listening session in Ovando May 10. The session was part of a statewide needs assessment process by the Extension Service to learn about issues currently facing Montanans. An online survey is available for those who can’t go to a listening session. The survey will close May 31. The purpose of the survey is to gather feedback from community members to improve resources, programs and services the Extension Office provides to Montanans. Results of t...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley-Swan High School Drama Class returns to the stage May 25 for the premier production of “Catch Me As I Fall” written by SSHS Senior Beth Homen. The community is encouraged to attend the performance Wednesday night at 5:30 p.m. in the Seeley-Swan High School Auditorium. There is no cost to attend but donations will be accepted to help support the drama program. Homen loves to write. When SSHS Drama Teacher Katy Pellet told her drama students to write a short play in Augus...
SEELEY LAKE – Missoula County Building Official Dave Larkin presented the Seeley Lake Community Council information regarding the need for increased building permit fees and ways the building division is funded. There were several other updates provided the Council regarding the Seeley Lake Ranger District, Bob Marshall Music Festival, Change Your Pace Challenge and the new Seeley Lake resource specialist with Missoula Aging Services. Unlike other county departments which are funded through the county general fund, the building division, which...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake Fire Foundation (SLFF) Movie Night at the Seeley Lake Fire Department, 200 Firehouse Lane, resumes May 28 with “Encanto” on the big screen. Children ages five – 12 are welcome. The doors open at 5:15 p.m. with a nacho dinner. Movie starts at 6 p.m. Please call the District 406-677-2400 or comment on the “Seeley Lake Volunteer Fire Company - Fire & QRU” Facebook page to RSVP for dinner. It has been several years since the Department hosted their movie night in the bays. SLFF Movie Night Coordinator and Seeley Lake...
MISSOULA - My name is Bill Burt. I have recently retired from a 30-year career in law enforcement, most of these years right here as a Captain in the Missoula Sheriff’s Office. Last March, I filed as a candidate for Missoula County Justice of the Peace Department #1. This year, Missoula voters will have a clear choice when it comes to the background, education, training and practical experience of their next judge. And that matters. Being a Montana native, coming from a very large family and working as a front-line law enforcement officer for m...
SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley School Board reviewed two budget proposals for Fiscal Year 2022-23, one shows a 5.5% salary increase for certified and non-certified staff, the other a 4% increase. Discussion around the two proposals offered concerns regarding budget cushion. During the 2021-2022 school year, the District is over budget for garbage disposal, propane and substitute teacher costs. However, according to District Clerk Heather Mincey, the overall budget is okay. “We have only spent 80% of our budget with two months left of s...
SEELEY LAKE – When Joel Roesner was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer in October 2019, he followed all the recommendations of his oncologist. However, after six months of chemotherapy and three major surgeries, he was told there was nothing else they could do for him. Giving up was never an option for Roesner and his wife Jeanette. Instead he did his own research on alternative treatments, switched to seeing a natureopathic doctor and returned last month from three weeks of treatment at C...
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: May 21, 1987 issue Clearwater fisheries may face dismal future Story Suzanne Vernon If perch populations aren't soon... Full story
Get ready for the June 7 primary election, May 19 event SEELEY LAKE – Have you moved recently? Changed your last name? Changed your mailing address? The Missoula County Elections Office is hosting a special event May 19 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the Seeley Lake Extension Office, 3360 Highway 83, to ensure residents are prepared to vote in the June 7 federal primary election. The following services are available: Register to vote; update voter registration; request a replacement ballot and drop off vote ballot. For more information call 406...
SEELEY LAKE – Large, brightly colored paintings decorated the walls, upbeat Spanish music played and customers were welcomed with chips and salsa. Despite the snow flurries outside, inside the atmosphere rivaled stepping into a Guadalajara restaurant. The Caro family moved quickly between tables, effortlessly switching between Spanish and English and bringing out hot plates with Mexican specialties. After months of waiting, Casa Caro Mexican Restaurant was finally open. "We want to offer q...
POTOMAC – Just after 9 p.m. Tuesday, May 3, Greenough-Potomac Volunteer Fire Department was paged to a structure fire on Swanson Lane. Nearly 20 volunteer firefighters from Potomac and Missoula Rural responded and the scene was secured just after midnight. While there were no injuries, the structure was a total loss as well as the pump house inside that supplied two other structures on the property. When 9-1-1 gave the address, Greenough-Potomac Fire Chief Ryan Hall realized the fire was at his...
SEELEY LAKE - Artist Angela Bennett and her work "Watercolors on the Water - A Lifetime of Work" will be presented at The Lodges on Seeley Lake May 15 from 1-6 p.m. The free art exhibit will highlight Bennett's original watercolor paintings from the past 10-15 years. "This is an opportunity to see nearly the full body of Angela's work – which we usually only see in pieces," said Kerry Bertsch, co-owner of The Lodges and Bennett's daughter. "Many of them have been created right here in her s...
HELENA – The Seeley-Swan High School quartet "Homeward Bound" sang their way to a Superior rating at the State Music Festival, May 6. This is the highest rating they could have received. SSHS Music Director Janet Morgenstern said the group gave their best performance of the year and the judge was impressed with their confidence and positive attitudes. "Homeward Bound" ensemble included Wesley Stevenson, Cadence Mauldin, Sky Burckhard and Tyler Neher. They were the only group to receive a S...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Fourth of July committee had their first meeting last week to begin the planning for this year’s celebration. Thanks to the Seeley Lake Area Chamber of Commerce’s support, they are looking forward to hosting the annual parade and fireworks on Monday, July 4. The committee is looking for volunteers and anyone interested in getting trained as a pyrotechnician to help put on the community fireworks display. Training to become a pyrotechinician with Big Sky Fireworks is free. The individual must pass a backg...
Missoula County recently launched two online platforms aimed at increasing community engagement and transparency. Missoula County Voice is an online community engagement platform that provides an easy, accessible way for residents to learn about and provide feedback on county projects and initiatives. It will allow the County to deliver clear, accurate and transparent information and provide residents with a convenient way to share their ideas and opinions on projects and initiatives and feel more involved with how their tax dollars are spent....
SEELEY LAKE - As of the Election Night Report, May 3, Jon Kimble will continue to serve on the Seeley Lake Fire Board and the Missoula County Public Schools High School levy passed. Results are unofficial until canvas. There was a 36.23% turnout for this election. For the Seeley Lake Fire Board, incumbent Kimble led with 390 votes compared to Alyssa McLean's 327. There were 6 write-in votes cast for a total of 723 votes. The Missoula County Public Schools High School levy passed with a vote of...
HELENA – The Montana Chamber Foundation recognized Seeley-Swan High School Sophomore Conner Chadwick's business proposal "Periscopic Poles" in The Prospects 2022 High School Business Pitch Competition. Chadwick was among four other winners in the Automotive Industry Ideas category. He received $250 for his proposal. "I was surprised and flattered honestly," Chadwick said. "I didn't expect to make it but it was really nice." The Prospects is a virtual statewide entrepreneurship competition t...
Your neighbor may have an adult child living with them. You may notice the child is purchasing big items. In visiting with the neighbor, you learn the child doesn’t work and is spending their retirement. They may express fear of the child because of substance abuse. Neglect, abuse and exploitation of our older citizens is most often perpetrated by adult children (22%) or other family members (31%) who may be protected by the at-risk adult despite mistreatment, according to information from the Montana Department of Health and Human Services A...
The Seeley-Swan and Blackfoot Valleys are home to many non-profits. All these non-profits play a vital role in our communities and most are run by volunteers. Over the next several months we will feature these various groups in an effort to highlight who they are, what they do and how to get involved. To nominate your favorite non-profit for the feature please email pathfinder@seeleylake.com or call 406-677-2022. SEELEY LAKE – "We are just a group helping other families and veterans in the a... Full story
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: May 14, 1987 issue Seeley Lake: The 1930s Story Suzanne Vernon Editor's note: Herb and Ella "Butch" Townsend, longtime... Full story
Nationally renowned speaker William Federer to present May 22 SEELEY LAKE - Mission Bible Fellowship invites the community to a presentation by historian, speaker and author William Federer Sunday, May 22 at 9:30 a.m. and during worship at 10:30 a.m. Federer will share how the Bible influenced world and American history. There is no cost and everyone is welcome. Federer is a nationally known speaker, best-selling author and president of Amerisearch, Inc., a publishing company dedicated to researching America’s noble heritage. He is known for h...
SEELEY LAKE – When she was a junior in high school, Carole Egness asked Garry Rice to go to the Tolo Dance with her. While it was a school dance where the girls ask boys, this was their first date and Garry was four years older. "I don't think that was done much in those days," Carole said and smiled. After dating for three years, the Rices married April 28, 1962. Last week they celebrated 60 years of marriage. "We had a commitment to each other and our God. We got married before God and n...
SEELEY LAKE – Game wardens with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks are increasing law enforcement efforts on wildlife management areas while seasonal closures continue for many of these areas. The Blackfoot-Clearwater Wildlife Management Area (WMA), aka the Game Range, remains closed until 12 p.m. May 15. So far this year, area FWP wardens have issued citation to two individuals for criminal trespass on the Game Range while it was closed. These charges were misdemeanor charges. Wardens work diligently to protect WMAs and the wildlife on them, e...
PLACID LAKE – Around 20 people gathered near Placid Lake April 28 to discuss recreational use and management in and around Placid Lake. This conversation between members of the public, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) initiated the conversation that FWP and TNC hopes will lead to a collaborative vision for the park and neighboring lands that meets current and future needs. The public is encouraged to provide their comments and feedback by May 31 via the project w...
MISSOULA – Montanans age 55 and older can help Missoula Aging Services and Montana’s Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) better understand the needs and priorities of older Montanans by completing the 2022 Community Assessment survey. DPHHS is partnering with MAS and aging organizations across the state to conduct a survey of older adults to learn how best to meet their needs and help them remain independent for as long as possible. The survey includes questions about quality of life, important community characteristics, ser...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Council will meet Monday, May 9 at the Seeley Lake Historical Museum and Visitors Center (Barn). Pizza will be served at 5:30 p.m. and the meeting will start at 6 p.m. It will also be available remotely via Zoom. There is a full agenda this month. The speakers include: Carolyn Upton - Lolo National Forest Supervisor; Lewis & Clark Brewing - Bob Marshall Music Festival update; Shane Stack - Missoula County Public Works; Claire Muller - Change Your Pace update; New Missoula Aging Services Seeley Lake staff...
SEELEY LAKE - Local business owners and hopeful owners are invited to a Business Community Lunch on Tuesday, May 10 from 12 – 1:30 p.m. in the West Wing of the Foundation Building, 3150 Highway 83. This informal meet-and-greet discussion is an opportunity to get to know what resources are offered by the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and Accelerate Montana to make connections for the future. Lunch will be provided. Please RSVP if you can, but walk-ins are welcome. Missoula SBDC Business Advisor/COVID Specialist Christine Littig and Ac...
HELENA – After internal review and review by the State Trail Advisory Committee, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks recommends 30 applicants receive funding worth $1.44 million through the Montana Trail Stewardship Grant Program (MTSGP) for projects in 2022. This includes $65,000 for the new Scenic Montana Trails non-profit for Seeley Lake to Garnet over-snow grooming and $48,150 to Swan Valley Connections for Mission Mountains and Swan Front Trails and Backcountry Services. Comments will be accepted until May 26 at 5 p.m. The MTSGP applications r...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Market sponsored by the Seeley Lake Community Foundation is ready for a full season in 2022. They will open on Father’s Day, June 19. Vendors set up in the grass area behind the Foundation building on Highway 83. Rachelle Harman, Market Manager, said there are no big changes for the 2022 season but clarified use by non-profits. Non-profit organizations are welcome and the space is free if just marketing their group and accepting donations. However, they must follow vendor rules if doing other fundraisers. “We...
The couple heard noises so they looked out their tent. It was the middle of fall 2021 and they were camping behind the old Seeley Lake Motor Lodge. Even though it was dark, they could see there was a large bear outside their tent. "They managed to get out and get into their car," said Federal Law Enforcement Officer Tyler Robinson who was called to investigate the next morning. "It scared them enough that they spent the night in the car." When Robinson got there the tent was flattened and their... Full story
SEELEY LAKE – Renee Jenkins, of Seeley Lake, captured the cover photo for the new Seeley Lake Lion's Club Phone Book. The picture of a grizzly coming up from Salmon Lake was captured off Highway 83. Jenkins said her fiancé Kevin saw the bear and they stopped to get a picture with her phone. They contacted the Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks to report the bear. "It was beautiful to get a picture," Jenkins said. "Sad deal, we knew he was injured. We were only 50 yards away." The male grizzly estim...
BLACKFOOT VALLEY – Remnant populations of common camas (Camassia quamash) tell a story of bygone days. History tells that many of the seasonally wet meadows and forest edges in and around the Blackfoot Valley were once home to hundreds, if not thousands of acres of common camas plants. Due to the historical and cultural significance of the camas plant to the Salish, Pend O'reille and Kootenai tribes, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) are working with the C...
SEELEY LAKE – While one would not question a clarinet playing Benny Goodman's "Tattletale" and "Flying Home," adding an accordion to the duet created a whole new listening experience. This was what the Seeley Lake Elementary and Swan Valley School student bodies experienced at the Bridge and Wolack informance April 28. Later that day, they played at Seeley-Swan High School and a community concert in Swan Valley. Hailing from Toronto, Canada, Michael Bridge and Kornel Wolack brought their h...
Swan Valley AARP Highway Cleanup, May 10 SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley AARP will gather Tuesday, May 10 for their Adopt-a-Highway cleanup at 11 a.m. Sack-lunch-social to follow. Contact Joe Raible for details jraible@blackfoot.net. Seeley Lake Library May News SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Community Library is hosting their Book Club May 5 and “Lawyers in Libraries” presentation May 25, 3 p.m. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend both events. The Seeley Lake Library Book Club is reading “Raven’s Gift” by Don Rearden. In “Raven’s Gi...
In celebration of 35 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 35 years as documented by the Pathfinder. 35 years ago: May 7, 1987 issue Wilma - Our Florence Nightingale Story/photo Suzanne Vernon Sixteen years ago, when Wilma Nicholson... Full story
SEELEY LAKE - As of the final Election Night Report, May 3, the unofficial election results are in. There was a 36.23% turnout for this election. For the Seeley Lake Fire Board, incumbent Jon Kimble led with 390 votes compared to Alyssa McLean's 327. There were 6 write-in votes cast for a total of 723 votes. The Missoula County Public Schools High School levy passed with a vote of 15,668 for and 13,403 against of the 29,071 votes cast. The results are unofficial until canvas. For full May 3...
POTOMAC - The Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) has been confirmed in domestic birds in the Potomac Valley the week of April 18. The entire flock on the property was destroyed. While wild birds with HPAI may not appear sick, it causes high mortality in poultry and game birds. There is no treatment or vaccine for animals. By press Tuesday at 10am, the Department of Livestock reported infections in flocks of domestic poultry in Glacier, Judith Basin, Cascade and Toole Counties. According...
OVANDO – Thursday morning, April 21, Rolling Stone Ranch contacted the Powell County Sheriff's Office and reported that their tracked 2009 New Holland 185 skid steer was stolen from their property. The piece of equipment was last seen Wednesday night around 7 p.m. at approximately mile marker 44 on Highway 200. The investigation is ongoing. Brady Stone of Rolling Stone Ranch said he and his father Jim dropped the skid steer off on their property on the north side of Highway 200 on Monday. T...
SEELEY LAKE – At their April 21 meeting, the Seeley Lake Sewer District Board plans to put out a Request for Proposals (RFP) but delayed when they would be due. They also voted to expend money from the District’s reserves for much of next year’s budget to reduce the burden on taxpayers for a year. District Manager Bill Decker reported that there were two replies to the District’s Request for Qualifications (RFQ) that came in on time with the required number of copies, one that came in on time but was missing the number of copies and another...
Since its founding in 1993, Clearwater Montana Properties has emphasized community-building as a key component of its company culture. Through its Charitable Giving Program, the company's agents give back a portion of all real estate proceeds to the communities in which they were earned. To date, the program has produced over $975,958 in charitable donations to causes throughout Montana, Idaho, Washington and Wyoming. "Each year Clearwater and our agents give a portion of each commission earned...
SWAN VALLEY - Missoula County Public Works officials presented information regarding a garbage disposal container site for the Swan Valley and the need for increases to building permit fees at the Swan Valley Community Council meeting April 19. Container Site Shane Stack, Public Works Director, led the meeting with the Condon Container Site proposal. The projected cost to create a Container Site with four bins to dump garbage is currently estimated at $612,000, Stack said. The annual operating...
MISSOULA - Missoula City-County Air Pollution Control Board (Air Board) approved the proposed changes to the Missoula City-County Air Pollution Control Program at the April 21 meeting. The proposal has been sent to the Missoula County Commissioners and then on to Montana Department of Environmental Quality and the Environmental Protection Agency for review and approval. The proposal creates a Seeley Lake Wood Stove Zone where only the cleanest and most efficient stoves can be installed. The purpose of the wood stove rule in Seeley is designed...
OVANDO - The grizzly bear followed his nose towards the scent of calving. It skirted the five-wire electric fence around the corral and headed for the open gateway into the barnyard. With its first step through the gate, it felt a zap! Barking in alarm, it wheeled and ran away. This is the desired outcome of using electrified bear mats. In 1999 Tim Manley, retired Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) Region 2 bear specialist, designed an "unwelcome mat" to deter a bear from freezer access in an...
SEELEY LAKE – At the April 11 meeting, Seeley Lake Elementary School Superintendent Josh Gibbs advised the board the current community use of school facilities policy follows the law based on US Supreme Court rulings. This is based on opinions from the District’s legal counsel and Montana School Board Association legal representatives. This was not an agenda item because the only change at this time would be to either continue allowing groups to use the buildings or not allow groups not connected with the school to use the building, Gibbs sai...
SEELEY LAKE – At the Seeley-Swan Hospital District monthly meeting April 20, BeeHive Homes owner Ty Harding shared information and challenges regarding building an assisted living facility in Seeley Lake. The board looks forward to continuing these discussions at future meetings. BeeHive Homes offers assisted living and memory care. Based out of Missoula, they focus on smaller facilities designed to resemble residential homes and take a very personal approach to assisted living care services. Harding expects the need for assisted living and m...
SEELEY LAKE – At their April 20 meeting, the Seeley-Swan Hospital District board unanimously approved the letter to Partnership Health Center (PHC) acknowledging that the board members entering PHC facilities on official business will comply with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) vaccination mandate. PHC presented them with the letter at their March meeting. The letter states that the board chair acknowledges that the board has a process in place to show that board members are either fully vaccinated or have an approved exe...
MISSOULA – Seeley-Swan High School musicians took their talents to the stage at Sentinel High School April 22 and Big Sky High School April 23 to compete in the annual District Music Festival. The Quartet "Homeward Bound" received the top rating and qualified for the State Music Festival May 7-8. The band and choir each received a ranking of 2, just below the top ranking of 1. "The theme of the day was they all did the best they possibly could have done with where they were in their l...
In celebration of 35 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 35 years as documented by the Pathfinder. 35 years ago: April 30, 1987 issue Controversy surrounds Circle Arrow project Story Dick Potter The developers of the Circle Arrow...
MISSOULA - Missoula County is accepting nominations for the annual Land Stewardship Award. The award recognizes landowners and residents who are taking stewardship of land and water seriously and embarking on projects and practices that make a difference for land, water, forests, wildlife and communities. Community members and organizations are invited to nominate landowners and residents who are restoring, protecting or enhancing land and natural resources to ensure natural systems are maintained and strengthened. The nomination form is due...
Seeley Lake Community Foundation scholarship applications due June 7 SEELEY LAKE — The Seeley Lake Community Foundation is pleased to announce a scholarship opportunity for Seeley-Swan High School graduates that are entering their second year of college or trade school. The up-to-$1000 scholarship is meant to assist with costs incurred at a college, university or technical school. Applications are due June 7. Scholarship applications are available online at https://www.seeleylakecommunityfoundation.org/slcf-scholarship The Seeley Lake C...
With the school and special district election less than a week away, the Missoula County Elections Office encourages voters to drop off their ballots instead of mailing them to ensure they will be counted for the May 3 election. Leading up to Election Day, voters can drop their ballots off weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Elections Center at 140 N. Russell St. in Missoula. The following drop-off locations will be open from 7 a.m. - 8 p.m. on Election Day only: • Bonner Elementary School, 9045 Hwy. 200 • Clinton Elementary School, 203...
MISSOULA – Creative slogans and colorful artwork illustrated the importance of wildfire prevention in the 61st annual Keep Montana Green art contest. This year, Swan Valley School third grader Molly Williams and Seeley Lake Elementary kindergartener Hale Devins placed first and second in the primary school division for the southwestern Montana region. "The Southwestern Land Office received over 150 submissions from 18 different schools, each one demonstrating just how creative and artistic M...
SEELEY LAKE - Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) Missoula Region Supervisor Randy Arnold advised the Seeley Lake Community Council at their April 11 meeting that the RV Dump Station at Clearwater Junction won’t be operational again this year. The RV Dump Station has been managed by FWP for close to 20 years, Arnold said. Several years ago, issues began to develop with the dump station pump. The pump is an effluent pump which moves waste from the holding tanks to the drain field. “With some challenges to those pumps, we had, a number of tim...
SEELEY LAKE – The excitement was tangible as children lined up for the annual Seeley Lake Lions Club Easter Egg Hunt in the fields and playground at Seeley Lake Elementary April 16. When the gun went off it took less than six minutes for the more than 2,600 eggs to be found. Smiles continued as children loaded up on candy and many found tickets to claim a toy prize. "It was great to see so many smiling faces," Lion Rachel Feigley said. "It was a lot of fun for sure," said Organizer Lion M...
SWAN VALLEY - 2 Valleys Stage is wrapping up their 2021-22 season with a fun, globe-trotting music and comedy duo, Bridge and Wolak. Due to the band's tight travel schedule, the concert will be on Thursday, April 28 at 7 p.m. at the Swan Valley Community Hall. Tickets are available at the door (Adults $14, seniors $12, and students under 18 are free). Refreshments will be served and beer and wine by donation. This exciting band merges traditional instruments with 21st century digital...
SEELEY LAKE — Staff from Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) are working together to begin a recreation visioning process for Placid Lake State Park and adjacent TNC lands, located just southwest of the town of Seeley Lake. They are asking for public input early in the process to help understand current issues and priorities and to generate ideas for the future of the area. For decades, Placid Lake State Park has provided the only public access to the lake, a popular spot for camping, boating, swimming and f...
SEELEY LAKE - Deirdre McNamer is no stranger to readers of Montana authors. This acclaimed award-winning novelist will be presenting her new novel "Aviary" at the next Open Book Club sponsored by Alpine Artisans. At 2 p.m., Saturday, April 23 at the Seeley Lake Community Foundation, McNamer opens the pages of her newest work to our community. "Aviary" is a story that explores the relationships of the residents of a senior home in Montana. The complexities of old age and an unusual event lead to...
Alpine Artisans has bragging rights on holding the world’s only Loon and Fish Festival, scheduled this year for Friday evening and all day Saturday, Aug. 19 and 20. We describe this festival as a “celebration of art and nature in the Seeley-Swan and Blackfoot Valleys,” and the main feature is a community art show and sale featuring the work of over 30 local artists from Lincoln to Swan Valley. Held in the Foundation Building in Seeley Lake, the show features marquetry wood pieces, jewelry, paintings (all media), embroidery, bead work, origa...
GREENOUGH - Sunset School students performed "Stone in the Road" before an audience April 13 in the Bull Barn at The Resort at Paws Up. Queen Mariana (Rowan Burckhard) had her confidant Barcarole (Sera Benton) roll a stone into the path going from Brie to Cheddar. Before hiding, the Queen placed a bag of gold under the stone. The Queen and Barcarole watched as different groups from the village approached the stone. Most complained about the obstacle, some found a way around, while others went...
SWAN VALLEY – On April 12, the Swan Valley School Board directed the administration and facilities personnel to seek bids for replacing the boiler, some exterior double doors and the middle school building windows. They also voted to participate in the Montana Aspiring Teacher Residency Program next year. The school has ESSER funds available until 2024 for building improvements. The board was hesitant to fix something that isn’t broken regarding the boiler system. Chairman Jimmy Boyd said, “We would buy a new one, and it could be broke down...
SWAN VALLEY – The Condon Community Easter Egg Hunt was a bit different this year with nearly six inches of snow on the ground April 17. Typically eggs for the hunt held at the Condon Community Ball Field are easily visible for the hunters. However, this year everyone had to dig through a bit of white to find the colored eggs. Approximately 6,000 eggs were put out for those who braved the winter-like conditions to participate. The egg hunt opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, s...
In celebration of 35 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 35 years as documented by the Pathfinder. 35 years ago: April 23, 1987 issue Missing boy found after five-hour search Four-year-old Arrow Hoehn, son of Dick and Jill Hoehn, mi... Full story
The Seeley-Swan and Blackfoot Valleys are home to many non-profits. All these non-profits play a vital role in our communities and most are run by volunteers. Over the next several months we will feature these various groups in an effort to highlight who they are, what they do and how to get involved. To nominate your favorite non-profit for the feature please email pathfinder@seeleylake.com or call 406-677-2022. SEELEY LAKE – Alpine Artisans Incorporated (AAI) has been in the Seeley, Swan a...
Seeley Swan Food Bank open this Saturday SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Swan Community Food Bank will be open Saturday, April 23 from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. Currently the Food Bank is open every Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. next to the Seeley Lake Elementary School Multipurpose Room. For more information about the Food Bank or to volunteer call 406-677-5025. Personal Tech Support Event April 28 SEELEY LAKE - Have technology questions or issues you want resolved? Come by the Foundation Building West Wing on Thursday, April 28, between 10 a.m. - 1 p.m...
MISSOULA COUNTY – Missoula County Public Works building division plans to request that the Missoula County Commissioners increase building permit fees as early as June 2022. The Public Works department is funded entirely by building permit fees that are no longer covering costs. Building Official Dave Larkin said in an interview that current bylaws allow the division to set fees but past practice is the commissioners have been involved in consent with a resolution. On March 23, Larkin presented options to create more funding for the d...
MONTANA – On Friday, April 8, the Montana Department of Livestock (MDOL) announced the confirmation of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in two Montana flocks. These are the first cases of HPAI reported in domestic poultry in Montana since 2015. Montana is the 25th state to report cases of HPAI in domestic poultry in 2022. Montana poultry producers and hobby farmers are encouraged to be extra cautious to keep their flocks healthy. Potomac Valley 4H Club announced Monday that all p...
CYGNET LAKE – Part I of the Veteran Spotlight on Mike and Robin Hall covered each of their commissions in the Army – Mike in the Ordnance Corps and Robin as a JAG lawyer – their marriage in Germany and their subsequent assignments in Germany where their third and fourth children were born. Part I ended with the Halls serving in the D.C. area, Mike involved in war planning at the Pentagon and Robin a Chief of the Judge Advocate General's recruiting office. After her recruitment assignment, Robin...
SEELEY LAKE – Young women in stunning dresses, young men dressed in suits and ties mingled about the Main Lodge at The Lodges on Seeley Lake Saturday night, April 9. For the second year in a row, The Lodges on Seeley Lake hosted a complimentary pre-prom party for Seeley-Swan High School students and their dates. In keeping with the Hollywood-themed Prom, students enjoyed appetizers, fancy drinks and a relaxed Happy Hour atmosphere to visit and take photos. "We want them to gather and get to l...
As COVID-19 cases continue to decline and the public need for COVID-19 testing services wanes, the Missoula City-County Health Department (MCCHD) will be winding down COVID-19 testing services over the coming weeks. The last COVID mobile testing in Seeley Lake will be April 19 at the Seeley Lake Community Foundation parking lot. COVID-19 testing at the 3665 W. Broadway Clinic will be open Sundays 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Testing operations will be closed Sunday, April 17 in observance of the Easter...
The traditional egg hunts return this year with two Easter Egg Hunts in the area this weekend. For the first time since the pandemic started, the Seeley Lake Lions Club returns to their traditional egg hunt at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 16 in the ball fields at Seeley Lake Elementary. On Easter Sunday, April 17 at 1 p.m. the Klassen Family will host the annual Condon Community Easter Egg Hunt in the Condon Ball Field, just north of the Condon Airstrip on Highway 83. Children ages 0-12 are invited to participate in the Lions Club Easter Egg Hunt....
SEELEY LAKE - Recycling Works will be holding its final scheduled glass recycling event in Seeley Lake Saturday, April 23 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the Seeley Lake Community Foundation. They will be accepting clean, food-grade glass for recycling. There is no cost to recycle glass, but they will be asking for a donation of $1 per gallon of glass, which will be donated to Seeley-Swan High School to support instruments to help expand the band program. Recycling Works is a non-profit organization based in Missoula focused on bringing sustainable w...
Voter Information: Incumbent Jon Kimble and Alyssa McLean are the two candidates running for the one, three-year term on the Seeley Lake Fire Board. Candidates' responses were based on the following questions: • Biography • Qualifying experience • Why do you want to be a trustee? • What would you like to see changed or what issues would you address if elected? • What challenges to you see facing the board and the fire department in the near future? Ballots for the Seeley Lake Rural Fire Dist... Full story
MISSOULA - The Missoula County Public School Board of Trustees approved an operations levy for the high school district at their March 29 board meeting. The levy will appear on the school election ballot being mailed April 13 and must be returned to the Missoula County Elections Office by May 3. This will be an all-mail election. The high school levy amount of $525,962, which is approximately 2.04 mills, will cost $2.76/year per $100,000 in assessed property value. “Local levies help us support additional students as our community grows while m... Full story
POTOMAC – The discussion between the Greenough-Potomac Fire Board and Developer John Richards regarding the Blanchard Creek property continued at the Board’s monthly meeting April 5. While the parties felt they need to pursue renegotiations or sale of the land, no amounts were floated and they wanted the attorneys’ input before moving forward. The Board and Richards signed the original agreement Sept. 4, 2007. The agreement stated that the Department would exchange their property on Sperry Grade for a one-and-a-half-acre lot within the Clear...
GREENOUGH – Last week the Bureau of Land Management purchased 4,600 acres in the Ninemile/Woodchuck area. This purchase is part of a years-long cooperative effort with The Nature Conservancy to secure public access on former industrial timber lands throughout the Blackfoot River watershed. "These lands will provide for opportunities for continued access for public recreation, access to sacred areas and other important areas for tribes and forest management for multiple benefits including r...
In celebration of 35 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 35 years as documented by the Pathfinder. 35 years ago: April 16, 1987 issue - Part II Construction of the Seeley Lake Community Hall Story Mildred Chaffin When the first... Full story
Swan Valley Community Council resumes in-person meeting, April 19 SWAN VALLEY – The Swan Valley Community Council will meet for the first time since the pandemic Tuesday, April 19 at 6 p.m. in the Swan Valley Community Hall. The agenda includes a discussion with the US Forest Service and Missoula County officials about a proposed garbage transfer site in Condon. The Missoula County Building Department will also present current happenings with building codes and answer questions. There will also be an opportunity comment on non-agenda items. E...
SEELEY LAKE –Carol Evans and Jean Dickey were completely surprised when their names were announced for the Alpine Artisans, Inc (AAI) 2022 Art Benefactor Award at the 2 Valley Stage (2VS) performance March 27. Each year, AAI honors an AAI member or members who have exhibited exceptional support of the arts in the Clearwater Valley. Most often, the person chosen is a practicing artist in either the visual, performing or literary arts. While both Evans and Dickey love the performing arts, their c...
MISSOULA – During the Week of the Young Child April 2 – 8, Healthy Start Missoula recognized Seeley Lake Elementary Kindergarten Teacher Sheila Devins during the Early Childhood Champion Award Celebration. Devins was among five recipients this year who were honored for their excellence in supporting young children and their families working in direct service (child care providers, home visitors, etc.), as advocates, as volunteers, or as an entire organization. For the past five years, Hea...
CYGNET LAKE – Neither Mike Hall nor his wife Robin planned on 20-year military careers when they commissioned into the Army. But that was before they met each other. Graduating from Belgrade, Montana, Mike applied for an ROTC scholarship. That got him to Montana State University and resulted in a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering and a four-year commitment to serve in the United States Army. His plan was to leave at the end of those four years and get a job in industry. Mike w...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Community Council April meeting will be held virtually via Zoom at 6 p.m. Monday, April 11. Everyone is encouraged to attend this informative meeting with the following speakers: 1. Randy Arnold, Supervisor, Missoula District, Montana FWP 2. Carolyn Upton, Supervisor, Lolo National Forest 3. Seeley Lake Fire District candidates: Jon Kimble and Alyssa McLean 4. Bill Decker, Manager, Seeley Lake Sewer District 5. Quinn Carver, Seeley Lake District Ranger Attendees hear updates on projects important to the area i...
MISSOULA COUNTY - Following election by acclamation of numerous candidates, the Missoula Board of County Commissioners canceled several May 3 special district elections. Potomac School, Seeley Lake Elementary, Sunset School and Swan Valley School also canceled their Trustee elections after applicants filled the open positions. There are still several board positions that remain unfilled, as indicated in the list below. Commissioners are seeking applicants to fill these board positions, which will become vacant May 31. Applicants must be...
SEELEY LAKE – "The Bandita in us is pushing limits and breaking through our inner boundaries. Together, alongside our fellow Banditas - we are one," reads The Dusty Bandita website. "Head down, eyes up, with a smirk of determination. It's time to break through, shine and be free." A new race will take to the gravel roads around Seeley Lake May 21. The Dusty Bandita is an event dedicated to increasing the presence of all identifying women at cycling events by providing a safe and encouraging e...
SEELEY LAKE – Tylen Dial Trucking LLC is celebrating one year in business this month hauling logs and equipment for area businesses. "Leland Cahoon convinced be to buy my own truck," he said. Dial started looking for a truck and everything just fell into place. Dial hopes to grow his business into a fleet of trucks in the future. He said right now businesses struggle to hire people with a Commercial Driver's License (CDL). Dial moved to Seeley Lake in 2013 as a junior in high school. He graduate...
In celebration of 35 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 35 years as documented by the Pathfinder. 35 years ago: April 9, 1987 issue - Part I The Seeley Lake Community Hall: The early days Story Mildred Chafin This building, our... Full story
Seeley-Swan High School Pre-Prom Party and Grand March, April 9 SEELEY LAKE – The community is invited to come support the Seeley-Swan High School students at their Prom Grand March, Saturday April 9 at 7:30 p.m. in the SSHS Auditorium. The Prom will start at 8 p.m. Prior to the Grand March on Saturday, students are invited to The Lodges on Seeley Lake for a Hollywood Pre-Prom Party from 4:30 – 6 p.m. There will be appetizers and fun beverages as well as lakeside photos by Chelsea Cahoon. All are welcome. No cost. Seeley Lake Baseball pro...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake Wood Stove Zone rule implementation is back in the works as the Missoula City-County Air Pollution Control Board begins to revisit changes to the rules set. The changes were suspended in 2020. “This whole process was fully in motion until February 2020. Then, when the pandemic hit, everyone was distracted,” said Benjamin Schmidt, Missoula City-County Health Department Air Quality Specialist. “Even though we had gone through the entire process and held the first hearing in February 2020. It was decided at that time, b...
OVANDO – Growing up in a musical household, Zia Kloetzel of Ovando developed a passion for music. Not only is she deeply motivated by music, her mother Andrea Morgan said she has discovered it brings other people joy. After she was contacted this past summer by a scout from American Idol, Zia began the auditioning process for the 2022 Season of American Idol. She received a golden ticket during the auditions in Nashville, Tennessee and will continue the contest during Hollywood Week, airing M...
SEELEY LAKE - For the first time in nearly a decade, Girl Scout cookies arrived in Seeley Lake. Seeley Lake Troop #3436, a new troop that started this fall, pre-sold more than 4,000 boxes of cookies and looks forward to offering cookies at booths on Saturdays while supplies last. Troop Leader Chantel Lynch was excited to get a troop started again in Seeley Lake. "I was a Girl Scout when I was a little girl and had so much fun doing it," Lynch said. "I wanted my daughter to experience it as...
As winter gives way to spring, recreationists are taking advantage of the warmer weather to get outside. However, this is also the time of year bears are emerging from their dens and conflicts with people tend to increase. Swan Valley Connections Conservation Director Luke Lamar posted on social media that he observed the first grizzly bear tracks of the season March 24. As bears begin foraging for food, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is asking residents to remove or secure food attractants such as garbage, bird feeders and pet food. The most c...
SEELEY LAKE - Applications for local organizations to participate in the 2022 Change Your Pace Challenge are due Friday, April 29. Rules and applications are available April 1 online at https://www.seeleylakecommunityfoundation.org/change-your-pace-challenge The Seeley Lake Community Foundation's Change Your Pace Challenge (CYP) is a campaign for community-wide giving in June. During this month-long fundraising period (June 3-30, 2022), the Change Your Pace Challenge motivates community members...
SWAN VALLEY - The Flathead National Forest 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 Swan 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 follow Montana air quality standards and are...
SEELEY LAKE – At their March 14 meeting, the Seeley Lake Community Council reviewed the new template from Missoula County for community councils, received updates on the Seeley Lake Ranger District and discussed the next steps regarding the RV Dump Station at Clearwater Junction. Missoula County Community and Planning Services Office Manager Laurie Hire presented the April 2021 by-laws template for community councils in Missoula County. She recommended the Council review these and update their by-laws since they have not been changed since t...
MISSOULA – A recent University of Montana survey found state residents still generally support tourism. However, there are growing worries about overcrowding, quality of life and newcomers flooding the state due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since 1992, UM’s Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research has conducted annual surveys of Montana residents on their attitudes toward tourism within the state. This study is conducted from October to December to track perceptions of the tourism industry in Montana. In addition to a standard set of que...
SEELEY LAKE – In 2018, when award-winning movie director Jane Campion began thinking about transforming Thomas Savage's "The Power of the Dog" into a film, the person she contacted for more information was English Professor (now Professor Emeritus) Alan Weltzien of the University of Montana-Western in Dillon. Even before publication of his book "Savage West: The Life and Fiction of Thomas Savage," Weltzien's extensive research into the author's life and writings had turned him into the a...
OVANDO – More than a dozen people dressed in fur enjoyed an evening out at The Stray Bullet in Ovando at the end of February. While most would agree it was an unusual sight, that is exactly the reason Trapper Bob Sheppard and his wife Terry started the annual Fur Dinner nearly 10 years ago. "It is a fun way to promote the benefits of fur and a good reason to enjoy a meal at a local restaurant, during a dark cold evening," Terry wrote in an email. The Sheppards were the only people at the f...
California, Washington and Colorado are the top states of origin for people who moved to Montana in 2020, the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to tax filing data presented to a legislative interim committee this week. The study, produced by the Legislative Fiscal Division in an effort to understand how migration patterns will affect the state's long-term tax revenues, provides some of the first-available hard data on pandemic-era migration trends. Widespread anecdotal evidence... Full story
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley-Swan High School (SSHS) winter sports awards banquet was held March 15 at Seeley-Swan High School. Boys and girls basketball players were recognized for their participation and performance during the season. Each player receives a letter after participating in the required number of varsity games or meets. They receive a pin for every activity for which they meet the varsity requirements. For every year they meet the varsity requirements after receiving their pin in a specific activity, they receive a chevron....
SEELEY LAKE – With vinyl records suspended from the ceiling and hung as a backdrop, the intimate club atmosphere Sunday afternoon set the stage for LP and The Vinyl 2 Valleys Stage concert in the Seeley Lake Community Hall. The four San Diego-based musicians took the audience on a journey through the decades offering arrangements from favorite artists including the Beatles and Stevie Wonder, jazz standards and original compositions. As they sipped on their beverage of choice and enjoyed hors d...
SEELEY LAKE - New Seeley Swan Community Food Bank President Lulu Rodriguez and her board are looking to add services to the area. Currently the Food Bank is open every Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. next to the Seeley Lake Elementary School multipurpose room. "We are hoping to open on Saturdays, once a month," Rodriguez said. "We have a lot of people who can't get to us during the day. The Food Bank wants to support them too." People must complete an application as services are typically income...
In celebration of 35 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 35 years as documented by the Pathfinder. 35 years ago: April 2, 1987 issue New Café opens in Swan Valley Dale and Karen Conley, longtime Swan Valley residents, have often... Full story
Our Lady of Swan Valley Mission resumes summer-only Mass schedule SWAN VALLEY - Our Lady of Swan Valley Mission Church in Condon will be returning to a summer-only Mass schedule effective April 1. Sunday Masses are temporarily suspended until the church resumes its summer schedule Memorial Day weekend (May 29) through Labor Day weekend (Sept. 4). While OLSV has been a mission of St. John Paul II Parish in Bigfork since 2015, it has been served by a priest from The Sycamore Tree Catholic Retreat Center in recent years. Starting May 29 the Sunday...
HELMVILLE - "Sitting around crackling campfires and hunting camp dinner tables listening to Jack Hooker tell stories of adventures was a great privilege I had during the years I worked at the Whitetail Ranch," said Rebecca Ondov. "His philosophy on life empowered him to train horses and mules not merely in an arena, where the fence draws a line as to how big the wreck can be, he trained them to be sound work animals in the high country of the wilderness, where the unexpected happens in the...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Fire Board voted March 15 to increase the base rates for ambulance service from $600 - $750 to $1,177 - $1,339 depending on the level of care. With this adjustment in rates, the board also approved Fire Chief Dave Lane to increase the base pay he is offering for the paramedic/firefighter position outreach from $40,000 to $50,000. The board also heard comments from the public regarding unprofessional conduct and a request to develop a strategic plan. Ambulance R...
Being an owner of forested property can bring many upkeep duties. Thinning, burning, roadwork and monitoring for tree health can keep a property owner busy. Many large, old Douglas-fir trees in the Double Arrow Ranch and valley foothills are showing signs of beetle attacks in the last couple years, including some trees over 400 years in age. Last year’s beetle-infested trees can affect your healthy trees if not dealt with in a timely fashion. Most forest insect pests occur naturally throughout Montana, but with some careful planning and the r...
SEELEY LAKE - Are you ready for an afternoon of jazz, rhythm and blues and more from an accomplished Los Angeles quartet? 2 Valleys Stage invites you to join us at 3 p.m., Sunday, March 27 at the Seeley Lake Community Hall for a lively concert featuring the acclaimed LP And The Vinyl. Tickets are available at the door. Refreshments will be served, and beer and wine are by donation. Who are LP And The Vinyl? After years of intensive recording projects and concerts for jazz aficionados throughout...
SEELEY LAKE - Public comment at the March 15 Seeley Lake Elementary School Board Meeting has led the board to request a review of community use of school facilities. A local community member questioned the board regarding a religious group that was allowed to pray on school grounds. The community member stated the school is opening the door for all types of religious groups. In recent weeks, a religious group was allowed to enter the building on a Sunday, according to Josh Gibbs, Superintendent/Principal. He granted permission based on...
BILLINGS, MONTANA – Seeley-Swan High School Business Professionals of America (BPA) Club competed at the State BPA Leadership Conference in Billings March 13 – 15. Five SSHS students joined 91 chapters and over 1,000 top competitors from across Montana. SSHS BPA Advisor Michele Holmes said she is very proud of all the students that attended as well as the team's fourth place finish in Global Marketing and Club President Tru Good's top 20 finish in National Promotional Photography. This is the se...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Sewer District Board continued to hone a water testing regiment for the lake and began discussing next year’s budget at their March 17 meeting. Over the last several months the Board has been discussing with Clearwater Resource Council (CRC) how to do water testing to assess the human impact on Seeley Lake. The Board amended their budget in November to allocate $5,515 for environmental DNA (eDNA) testing but learned last month that it would not be enough for a year. This month CRC came back with another tes...
SEELEY LAKE - ReMarkable Floral is adding fun to their services. Last week they offered a Floral Creation Make and Take, this was the second in a series. The first Make and Take happened last November. It was well received, according to Ruthie Mizner-Welch, owner of ReMarkable Floral. Talking to people she learned they were interested in doing more. "Flowers are happy. Most people respond really positively to flowers," Mizner-Welch said. "We got several comments from the one we did in November....
In celebration of 35 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 35 years as documented by the Pathfinder. 35 years ago: March 26, 1987 issue Planning board approves plat for Placid Lake The Community Development Staff for Missoula County... Full story
Personal Tech Support Event, March 31 SEELEY LAKE - Have technology questions or issues you want resolved? Come by the Foundation Building West Wing on Thursday, March 31 between 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. and visit with SLCF volunteers. Volunteers can help on various devices and will try their best to help solve your issues. If possible, please bring the device and be sure to know your passwords so you can access what you need help with. For more information, contact the Seeley Lake Community Foundation at 406-677-3506. The Foundation Building is...
SEELEY LAKE – Raymond "Ray" Cebulski, not yet 18-years-old, was riding a green colt up a hill when a half-blind dog ran into the back of it. The colt turned around and started bucking downhill. "It is dang hard to ride a bucking horse downhill because you keep gaining altitude," Cebulski said and laughed. "Finally I went over his head and laid on my hands and knees right in front of him. It sounded to me like he was hitting the ground right between my legs. I was jumping just like a bullfrog -...
MISSOULA COUNTY - The Missoula County Commissioners voted Thursday, March 10 to put a repeal and replace levy request for Missoula Aging Services (MAS) on the ballot for the June primary election. Currently, MAS receives $350,000 from Missoula County taxpayers annually. The levy, if passed, will generate approximately $750,000 in annual income. This equates to an additional $3.69 annual increase for a $100,000 home and $7.38 for a home with a taxable value of $200,000. If passed, the levy will replace the current funding flat rate level for...
SEELEY LAKE – "Mom those little raccoons grew up, climbed down from the tree and ran away a long time ago," Keith told his mother Betty Vanderwielen after she told him she was finally going to finish writing the raccoon book she had started years earlier. She said she replied to him, "'They can't. Until I have Lance rescue them, raise them and release them, they are always up in that tree waiting to be rescued.' Whether the book ever gets published or not, I have to write it for my own peace of...
SEELEY LAKE - Susan M. Monahan has joined the news staff of the Pathfinder. She has been a member of the Seeley Lake community since 2019, when her husband Quinn Carver transferred here for work. Monahan has held various jobs in life from associated editor of the Western News in Libby, Montana to insurance agent with Glacier Insurance of Libby and Western States Insurance, Kalispell (now Payne West), back to reporting with the Kootenai Valley Record in Libby. Locally she has been a hostess at...
SEELEY LAKE - Alan Weltzien's "Savage West : The Life and Fiction of Thomas Savage" is an insightful and remarkable biography. Although Thomas Savage was one of the mountain west's best novelists, he remained virtually unknown to the reading public. Weltzien's biography paints a marvelous picture, not only of Savage's life story, but also as a complement to a major author and his work, coupled with a study of the author's life, family and parts of Montana. Weltzien will present his book this Sat...
SEELEY LAKE - Volunteers play a significant role in community building and bring multiple benefits to organizations, communities and people. The Seeley Lake Community Foundation is bringing nationally recognized trainer Shannon Stober to Seeley Lake to present an evening session called 'Tips & Tricks for Volunteer Management' from 5:30 – 7 p.m. Thursday, March 31. This short, useful and free session will help participants learn ways to find more volunteers, as well as keep people involved with t...
SEELEY LAKE – At their March 8 meeting, the Seeley-Swan Hospital District discussed the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) requirements as it applies to contractors, vendors and the Hospital District Board of Trustees (Board). Partnership Health Center (PHC) asked the Board to sign a letter acknowledging that the board members entering PHC facilities on official business are vaccinated or have an approved medical or religious exemption. The CMS mandate does not apply to the public. The CMS Mandate states, “In order to best prote...
Editor's Note: Part I, run in the March 10 issue, highlighted the start of the Northern Pacific Railroad's influence on the Upper Swan Valley through the early 1900's. Although the upper Swan Valley was primarily settled by homesteaders staking claims on United States Forest Service (USFS) lands, some settlers purchased Northern Pacific (NP) lands for as low as $1.25 an acre, usually in 80- or 160-acre parcels. The Haasch family who homesteaded a USFS parcel later bought an additional 160 acres...
OVANDO - The Blackfoot Challenge recently completed the Blackfoot Watershed Stewardship Guide, a 36-page handbook full of information and resources on land and water stewardship for Blackfoot residents. In drawing upon both the generations of stewardship wisdom from those who live and work in the Blackfoot as well the latest scientific research and information, the Challenge hopes this Guide serves as a useful, informative and fun resource for residents as they navigate stewarding the rich and d...
SWAN VALLEY – The Swan Valley School Board discussed how to spend their Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds and possibly changing the preschool program into a transitional kindergarten at their March 8 meeting. Principal Aaron Morgenstern said they had 20 responses to a survey regarding how to prioritize the school’s ESSER funding. Ten of the respondents identified themselves as “Parent” and nine identified as a “Community Member” while one was “Staff.” The survey respondents were asked to prioritize three categorie...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Elementary Junior High Band and Choirs took the state with the Seeley-Swan High School Choir and Band in an early spring concert March 8. Many of the selections they will be performing at the District Music Festival in April....
We’re beginning to see the light at the end of the ‘coronavirus pandemic tunnel’ and Alpine Artisans (AAI) encourages parents and high school students to consider the grants and scholarships we offer. Does your K-12 student want to attend a summer camp in music, drama or any part of the arts? Are you a graduating senior who is interested in majoring or minoring in any aspect of the arts? AAI is interested in helping you. Since 1995, AAI has awarded over 24 senior scholarships for a total of over $15,500 and 69 Youth Grants for a total of $12,68...
8 years ago: March 19, 1987 issue Bring back the bluebirds By Art Sikkink Have you ever wondered about the birdhouses along Highway 83 on the Blackfoot-Clearwater Game Range at Clearwater? The boxes are part of the Montana Bluebird Association's Bluebird Trails and are becoming part of a statewide centennial effort to bring larger numbers of Bluebirds back to Montana. Originally set in place by Harold Knap and forestry students from Missoula County High School, the upkeep of these boxes is now... Full story
SEELEY LAKE – Though originally created in 1978 on United States Forest Service property, in 1990-91 the Seeley Creek Nordic Ski Trails on Morrell Creek Road were widened and redesigned under the guidance of Olympian Jon Eliot. In 1992 a volunteer group formed, named itself the Seeley Lake Nordic Ski Club (SLNSC) and committed to grooming the 18-kilometer trail complex on a regular basis. Grooming those trails continues to be the Club's primary mission. Over the years, the organization has t...
SWAN LAKE — The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) invites the public to comment on a proposal to resurface about seven miles of Highway 83, adjacent to Swan Lake in Lake County. The project begins just south of the town of Swan Lake and extends north for about seven miles, ending at the Flathead National Forest boundary. Proposed work includes milling the existing surface, applying a new asphalt overlay and finishing with a seal and cover (chip seal) and fog seal. New pavement markings, signage, guardrail and low noise centerline r...
Missoula BLM to conduct prescribed burning along Blackfoot River POTOMAC – There will be a little “smoke on the water” this spring as the Bureau of Land Management’s Missoula Field Office does some prescribed burning along the Blackfoot River corridor between Johnsrud Park and Riverbend Campground, north of Potomac and west of Highway 200 near Greenough. Smoke may be visible periodically starting in late March and lasting through early May. When weather and fuel conditions are favorable, multiple units ranging from 20 to 570 acres are planned...
SEELEY LAKE – Even though the day ice fishing on Seeley Lake started slow, things picked up when Dani Sexton, 17 of Seeley Lake, and her friend Tristan Whitney of Missoula hooked into an eight-pound brown trout Friday, March 4. Caught on a tip-up baited with smelt, the pair expected a nice pike but instead pulled up the 27-inch trout. While Sexton enjoys fishing in the summer, she does not care for the cold so she rarely goes ice fishing. She said Whitney is an avid fisherman and hunter. He brou... Full story
HELMVILLE - Cattle, education and conservation have helped strengthen the Mannix Family Ranch in Helmville. Through years of conversation and counsel they decided that a successful ranch needed to include economically sustainable and sufficient ranch businesses, balance with the natural environment and social strength through nurturing community within and outside the ranch. Developing resilience increased their confidence as the Mannixes explored ways to survive well and include the next...
SEELEY LAKE – Thursday, March 3 the Seeley-Swan High School Drama Class took to the stage for the debut of "The Play." SSHS Senior Oskar Murphy wrote the production which he helped direct along with senior Crystal Lopez and Drama Teacher Katy Pellett. The production opened in the throne room of King Eildue (Oskar Murphy). His kingdom had been attacked. While Prince Freddrich (Tyler Neher) was eager to fight, he was not of age. King Eildue threw him in the dungeon for his over-zealous defense o...
MISSOULA – With the implementation of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) health care worker vaccination rule that went into effect Feb. 14, Seeley-Swan Medical Clinic and the other Partnership Health Center facilities report that more than 99% of their staff are in compliance with the mandate. PHC Director of Communications Eric Halverson was pleased to report that PHC will not see any diminished services and they have not lost any staff at the Seeley-Swan Medical Center and everyone will remain employed. He added it is unc...
POTOMAC – At their March 1 meeting, the Greenough-Potomac Fire Board and Developer John Richards discussed their needs and concerns regarding building a fourth fire station on the Fire Department’s property on Blanchard Creek. Several questions were identified that Richards and the Board hope to address at the Board’s April meeting. The Greenough-Potomac Board of Trustees and Richards signed the original agreement Sept. 4, 2007. The agreement stated that the Department would exchange their property on Sperry Grade for at least an acre and a...
SEELEY LAKE – From painting to commercial fishing, plumbing to electrical, and construction to excavating, Seeley Lake resident John Mills is putting his diverse experience to work in the area. He started General Building Repairs Handyman Services last spring in the Swan Valley. After moving to Seeley Lake last fall, he is expanding his services to Seeley Lake, Potomac and Ovando with customer satisfaction as his number one priority. Mills' father was a painter. He learned most of his p...
SEELEY LAKE - The Board of Supervisors for the Missoula Conservation District approved three grants from their winter grant cycle to support local conservation. Among the recipients was Seeley-Swan High School. SSHS received a $500 Operation Mini Grant for students in high school science classes to continue water quality monitoring of Morrell Creek near the high school. SSHS Science Teacher Gretchen Watkins applied for the grant after they lost the funding from the Seeley Lake Sewer District this past fall. The Sewer District originally signed...
SEELEY LAKE – "Has any one been offered money from the Nigerian Prince?" Missoula County Sheriff's Office Detective Garrett Van Hoose asked Seeley-Swan High School students. While his question was met with laughter, Van Hoose continued with a serious conversation about child exploitation through the Internet, cyberbullying and their effects at a presentation at SSHS Feb. 22. In his nearly 20 years in law enforcement and the last five with the Montana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force,...
In celebration of 35 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 35 years as documented by the Pathfinder. 35 years ago: March 12, 1987 issue Seeley Lake Post Office celebrates 75 years this week As of March 7, the U.S. Postal service has... Full story
The Seeley-Swan and Blackfoot Valleys are home to many non-profits. All these non-profits play a vital role in our communities and most are run by volunteers. Over the next several months we will feature these various groups in an effort to highlight who they are, what they do and how to get involved. To nominate your favorite non-profit for the feature please email pathfinder@seeleylake.com or call 406-677-2022. Seeley Lake Lions Club SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake Lions Club is an international n... Full story
Seeley Lake Community Council to meet virtually SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Community Council will meet via Zoom at 6 p.m. for their March 14 meeting. The agenda includes: updating the Council’s bylaws with Laurie Hire from Missoula County Community and Planning Services; Seeley Lake Sewer District updates from Cheri Thompson; and updates from Seeley Lake District Ranger Quinn Carver. The official agenda will be posted on the Seeley Lake Community Council’s Facebook page. To join the Zoom meeting visit https://us02web.zoom...
SEELEY LAKE – When Blaze Vandine, owner of Spartan Kennels in Seeley Lake, read the article about the Swan Valley Neighborhood Watch, he could not help but reach out to offer another solution for property and home protection. "No one mentioned dogs," Vandine said. "It is up to people what they want to do but this is an option if they want instant protection." While there are several breeds of dogs that can protect property, Vandine has fallen in love with the Caucasian Ovcharka, also known as a...
SEELEY LAKE – With the sun high in the sky and temperatures reaching into the mid-20s Saturday, Feb. 26, runners returned to the traditional course for the 43rd annual Snow Joke Half Marathon around Seeley Lake. While the field of 350 racers was primarily from Montana, the footrace also drew runners from Idaho, Illinois, Missouri, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. With only a few local racers, this year's winner Layne Ryerson and brother Clayton spent summers in Seeley Lake as youths. Running in t...
MISSOULA - Spring is coming, Missoula County--and that means the opening of outdoor burning season! The General and Essential Agriculture and Prescribed Wildland Outdoor Burning Seasons opened March 1 in Missoula County. All outdoor burning requires a burn permit and the only material that may be disposed of by burning is untreated wood and vegetation generated onsite. Permits cost $7 and can be purchased or renewed online at https://app.egovmt.com/burnpermit/or in person at the Seeley Lake Fire Department, 200 Firehouse Lane. The leading...
SEELEY LAKE - "We take pride in what we do," said Arrowhead Condos Head Housekeeper Amy Jorgensen. "I don't think you can go anywhere in Missoula and find as clean of an establishment as we [have] here." While Jorgensen makes a bold statement, her claim is backed with the prestigious RCI Silver Crown Resort® award, a recognition Arrowhead Condos has received for the past 12 years after receiving ratings above 4.8 of 5 from visitors. "The Silver Crown means we have met or exceeded the...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Foundation (SLCF) helps local groups fund important community projects. In this capacity, the SLCF strives to be a community resource and catalyst for innovative approaches to improving the quality of life in Seeley Lake. We're pleased to announce the 2022 SLCF Community Grants, awarded to projects benefiting Seeley Lake: • Alpine Artisans: $2,500 to support the 2 Valleys Stage community and school performances from two professional performing groups: M...
OVANDO- "There's three kinds of bears in Montana, black, brown and very, very brown," chimed a young student at the Ovando School when asked how many bears live in Montana during a "Bear Necessities" presentation. Students in both the Little Room, kindergarten through third grade, and the Big Room, fourth through eighth grade, at Ovando school were anticipating another interesting class when Patti Bartlett, freelance science educator, came in the door with totes of animal skulls and bear hides....
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Elementary School board addresses correspondence and received updates from Superintendent Josh Gibbs at their Feb. 22 meeting. The school board received correspondence from a Seeley Lake resident and retired teacher asking if the school was teaching Critical Race Theory (CRT). The board reviewed the state Attorney General’s opinion on CRT that stated it was not to be taught in schools. Gibbs added the Office of Public Instruction gave them the same direction earlier in the year. “It is nothing we are teach...
It’s time to dust off those items collected throughout the years for display in a few “pop-up” exhibits at the Montana Historical Society in Helena, Montana. For a few hours on Saturdays this spring – March 12, April 9, and May 14 – MHS will offer space for those special collections to be shared with the community. We’re searching for everything from telephones to toys, menus to matchboxes, or bonnets to bandanas. Each collector will be provided a six-foot table on which to display their collection (or a portion of their collections), and each...
SEELEY LAKE – After two years, the Seeley Lake Driftrider's returned to the Seeley Lake Community Hall for their annual Snowball Banquet and fundraiser Feb. 26. Attendees enjoyed the Fiesta with dinner catered by the new Casa Caro Mexican Restaurant, games, raffles, a dessert dash and live auction. The fun continued Sunday for the 35-mile annual Fun Run from the West Side Trailhead. Driftrider's President Bill Swain said the event went smoothly and they liked being back in the Community Hall. In...
In celebration of 35 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 35 years as documented by the Pathfinder. 35 years ago: March 5, 1987 issue Car seats, seatbelts can save lives If you have any doubts about the value of car seats for childre... Full story
Missoula BLM plans controlled burns near Potomac MISSOULA – The Bureau of Land Management’s Missoula Field Office is preparing to burn landing piles associated with several timber sales and stewardship projects this spring in the Lower Blackfoot River area. The piles are near Belmont Creek and Highway 200 near Potomac. Smoke may be visible periodically starting in early March. When weather and fuel conditions are favorable, multiple landing piles will be lit and each of these piles will produce smoke for several days. These landing piles are...
SWAN VALLEY – In 1957 Dennis Jette was working road construction, helping to build the Condon section of Highway 83. By the following year he was making enough money to get a new 1958 Ford Convertible with a retractable top. He only had one payment left to make on the car when he got drafted into the United States Army in 1959. Knowing he wouldn't be able to make that last payment, Jette went to Missoula to talk to the dealer who had sold him the car. The two worked out an agreement. The dealer... Full story
SWAN VALLEY - Attendees at the Missoula Children's Theatre production of "Johnny Appleseed" Feb. 18 got to see first hand the fruitful career of Johnny Appleseed. Swan Valley students sang and danced their way across the west spreading apple seeds, kindness and sharing how much fun apples can be. Johnny Appleseed (played by Lilly Boyd) was not always called by his famous name. In fact, as the story goes, the young Johnny Chapman was given the nickname "Appleseed" after sharing seedlings for...
The Montana Historical Society is seeking nominations for people and organizations with exemplary commitment to identifying and preserving local historical and cultural heritage. Nomination deadline is April 1. Up to three people or organizations will be honored by the MHS Board of Trustees for the Heritage Keeper Awards. An additional award, The Montana Heritage Guardian Award, given out only on special merit, recognizes the accomplishments of one of the Heritage Keeper Award nominees with a record of outstanding accomplishments. To qualify,...
SEELEY LAKE – More than 25 people gathered for the second "Tell us your story – Why did you come here and why do you stay?" Wednesday, Feb. 16. Six community members shared their stories and highlighted those values they hold dear and how they are exemplified here. "Every story is unique and every story is important because it is those stories that make up what this valley is all about," said Organizer Tom Beers. "People come from different places, different backgrounds, different styles so we...
SEELEY LAKE – The Montana Snowmobile Association recognized Kurt's Polaris 2021 Snowmobile Dealer of the Year at the MSA Awards Dinner and Banquet Feb. 5. This is the second time Kurt's Polaris has received the award. Owner Curtis Friede said it is a testament to his team and putting the customer first. "It is never a perfect situation, it is just a situation, so you gotta deal with it," Friede said. "They just keep struggling forward and keep fighting for everything and try and take care of t...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Council hosted presentations at its Feb. 14 meeting on a wide range of topics including landlord and rental assistance, upcoming United States Forest Service proposed projects and reconstructing Highway 83 around Salmon Lake. Missoula County Landlord Liaison Alex Ramsing presented on his job and some of the classes and services Homeword offers to landlords, renters and homebuyers. Homeword is a Missoula-based nonprofit that works to strengthen Montana communities by teaching homebuyer education and...
POTOMAC – At their Feb. 14 meeting, the Potomac School Board approved their lease with the Potomac Greenough Community Center (PGCC) and the bid with Shadow Asphalt to pave the parking areas behind and in front of the school to meet ADA compliance. In other business, they received an update regarding the eighth grade trip fundraising and approved several contracts for next year. Chair Dr. Courtney Hathaway said much of the lease was the same with the PGCC. She highlighted some of the changes and explained why some of the cost increased. H...
SEELEY LAKE – "This is the very first of Oskar Murphy productions," Playwright and Seeley-Swan High School Senior Oskar Murphy said about "The Play." It will be performed Thursday, March 3 at 6:45 p.m. by the Seeley-Swan High School Drama Class. Attendees will watch this original script unfold as a mad king attempts to control and dominate the princess. "The Play's" theme is about a woman overcoming adversity. "I just liked the story of being told you can't do something, and knowing something i...
MISSOULA - Missoula County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Rob Watson announced Feb. 18, that he is leaving his position with MCPS effective June 30. “It is with mixed emotions that I share this decision with you today,” Dr. Watson told District education leaders Friday morning. “My time with MCPS, including my former time as a principal, has been some of the most rewarding of my 29 years in public education. I will leave with many happy memories and proud to have served with each of you.” While he is resigning his formal role in public educa...
SEELEY LAKE – "I have a desire to create the opportunity for the kids to go 'What do I believe?'" said Bryce Smith, youth leader for Christ Unrivaled. "If this is it, then where does that take me?" Bryce and his wife Stefanie are looking forward to welcoming area youth in grades six through 12 to the new Christ Unrivaled Youth Hub Wednesday nights from 6 – 8 p.m. in the basement of Faith Chapel, 3260 Highway 83. Their mission at the Youth Hub is for the youth of the community to learn their iden...
WEST GLACIER - Glacier National Park announced that vehicle reservations, formerly known as “tickets,” required to access Going-to-the-Sun Road (GTSR) and the North Fork area via the Polebridge Entrance Station from May 27 – Sept. 11 will become available on Recreation.gov starting March 2 at 8 a.m. Other areas of the park can be accessed without a reservation. This will be the second year of the reservation system pilot, designed to manage high traffic volumes within the park and avoid gridlock. Glacier National Park is consistently the 10th...
SEELEY LAKE – At their Feb. 15 meeting, Seeley Lake Fire Chief Dave Lane gave the Fire Board an update regarding the levy that was discussed last summer, proposed nearly doubling the ambulance rates to help offer a better salary for a full-time firefighter/paramedic and addressed the public concern regarding properties that could be a fire hazard. He also addressed comments made by the public at last month’s meeting that he felt were inaccurate. The board took no action on the increased ambulance fees or paramedic position. They asked for mor...
OVANDO - Nathan Graves came to Montana for its beauty and its education. He began his teaching career in the fall of 2021 with the fourth - eighth grade classroom in Ovando School. As an avid learner himself, Graves is excited for the chance to instill the want and need to learn in young people. Graves, originally from Illinois, was attracted to the beautiful campus and the Environmental Studies program at the University of Montana. Through working in the Missoula YMCA summer camp programs, he...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Sewer District Board moved forward with advertising a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) and discussed water testing and an increase in eDNA testing at its Feb. 17 meeting. At last month’s meeting the Board discussed whether to send out a RFQ or Request for Proposals (RFP). District Manager Bill Decker wrote up a proposed RFQ for the Board to consider at this meeting. Director Cheri Thompson said the proposed RFQ was not specific enough and wanted specific details about the District in it instead of the entire com...
In celebration of 35 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 35 years as documented by the Pathfinder. 35 years ago: February 26, 1987 issue Letter to the Editor: Mt. Henry EIS The general enthusiasm for building a ski resort on Mt.... Full story
Snowshoe Hike, Feb. 27 SEELEY LAKE – Join Clearwater Resource Council and USFS Wildlife Biologist Scott Tomson on a two- to three-mile snowshoe Feb. 27 from 12:30 – 3:30 p.m. Participants will learn about winter ecology and identify tracks along the way. Please bring your own snowshoes and leave dogs at home. Please RSVP at http://crcmt.org/registration Updates will be posted on Facebook and sent via email to those who register. For more details visit crcmt.org or contact Amanda at crc.watshd.coord@crcmt.org/ 412-956-0208 Weekly COVID-19 upd...
With a slushy start and temperatures in the high 40s Saturday, Feb. 12, Seeley Lake musher Jessie Royer took an early lead in the 300-mile Race to the Sky and never gave it up. First to all the check points, she returned to Lincoln Monday night just after 6:30 p.m., more than four and half hours ahead of second place Josi Thyr of Olney, Montana. Rounding out the top three was Cindy Gallea, a musher who started her racing career in Seeley Lake in 1991 and now lives in Wykoff, Minnesota. Gallea...
With several special district governing board positions up for election within Missoula County in Potomac, Seeley Lake and the Swan Valley, the Seeley Lake Rural Fire District Board is the only election currently on the ballot for the May 3 election. However, write-in candidates can still file until Feb. 28 at 5 p.m. A write-in candidate could trigger an election if there are more candidates than vacancies. The School District candidate filing closes March 24 at 5 p.m. There are several positions up for election at Seeley Lake Elementary, Swan...
SWAN VALLEY - Even though three inches of fresh snow covered the ground, it looked like a crime scene. Spots of blood and clumps of hair were scattered over the hillside. Footsteps through the snow revealed stomach contents. Luke Lamar Swan Valley Connections (SVC) Conservation Director told the Wildlife Tracks and Signs class he saw an eagle and ravens flying in this area when he was scouting for tracks in the early morning Feb. 5. This is the big picture view that can start a tracking...
HELMVILLE - "I think supporting and encouraging the life and activities in our communities helps them to be stronger and to be more vibrant," said Jean Pocha, the Seeley Swan Pathfinder's newest reporter. "It is my hope to be a part of that." Pocha has lived in Helmville for more than 31 years. She looks forward to developing interesting stories that capture the happenings and people of the Ovando and Helmville communities. Since a young girl, Pocha said she has always taken notes and been a...
SEELEY LAKE – The overhead stage lights of the Seeley-Swan High School auditorium bounced off the bronze cone-shaped bells of seven tubas and five euphoniums Feb. 13 as University of Montana Euphonium and Tuba Consort performed for a crowd of more than 40 people (on Super Bowl Sunday!). According to Conductor Benedict Kirby, a tuba has a five-octave range, starting lower than the sound a piano can play. Its smaller cousin, the euphonium, starts an octave higher and has a four and a half o...
OVANDO – Leigh Ann Valiton is happy to welcome customers into the Stray Bullet Cafe in Ovando. While she has been a familiar face behind the counter since 2010, Valiton now owns the cafe after purchasing it from Colleen Stone Jan. 1. She looks forward to offering the same great service and food so people can enjoy their time in Ovando. Jessica Geary remembered starting the idea for The Stray Bullet in 2002 in the back room of the Ovando store when her parents Howie and Peggy Fly owned it. "I lik...
In celebration of 35 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 35 years as documented by the Pathfinder. 35 years ago: February 19, 1987 issue Dave Armstrong: 48 years of mushing Experienced mushers agree: the Governor's Cup 500 sled dog... Full story
Clarification of proposed “high-speed roundabout” at Clearwater Junction SEELEY LAKE – In the article “Roundabout at Clearwater Junction tops discussion” in the Feb. 10 issue of the Pathfinder, Robert Peccia & Association Engineering Firm Project Manager April Gerth referred to the roundabout proposed at Clearwater Junction as a “high-speed roundabout.” The project team requested clarification that the “high-speed” refers to Highway 200, not the roundabout. The 70 mile-per-hour speed limit will start decreasing 800-1,000 feet before the rounda...
BIG SKY LAKE – For anyone that has spent time southeast of Seeley Lake around Big Sky Lake, the view is changing. More than half of the properties are being treated through the Big Sky Lake Fuels Reduction Project. Landowners are logging and thinning to not only reduce the risk of wildfire but also improve the health of the forest. The Big Sky Lake Homeowners Association (HOA) conceived the project in May 2020. After months of outreach to the landowners around Big Sky Lake and collaboration w...
Playground construction and renovation, as well as improvements to a cherished community skating rink, are on their way to Missoula County residents thanks to more than $38,000 in matching grants funded through the Missoula County Parks, Trails and Open Lands Program. The Seeley Lake Lions Club has secured funding from the last two grant cycles for improvements at Clearwater Park, and their recent award of $16,988 will help them move forward with construction of a new playground. With plans to engage local students in choosing a playground...
SEELEY LAKE – After a hiatus for COVID last year, the Seeley Lake Biathlon returned this year Feb. 5. More than 90 racers took to the Seeley Creek Nordic Trails to test their skiing ability and marksmanship in the 21K, 9K and 3K races. Tim Swanberg was the only racer from the area that participated in the 21K. He finished in 1:32:52.18 taking second for the men. Representing Seeley Lake in the 9K Adult Female's race was Claire Muller and Ryen Neudecker. While both are avid skiers, neither had p...
SEELEY LAKE – The community is invited to join the Seeley Lake Community Council Feb. 14 to keep up-to-date on important issues. The Council will meet at the Seeley Lake Historical Museum and Visitors Center, 2920 Highway 83, at 6 p.m. with pizza and water served at 5:30 p.m. There will also be a Zoom link for those who wish to join virtually. The Council’s agenda for February includes: • Montana Department of Transportation/HDR Engineering: Salmon Lake Highway 83 Reconstruction project update • Alex Ramsing, Landlord Liaison, Homeword Inc: re...
The second happening of telling our stories, “Why Did We Come Here, Why Do We Stay” is just around the corner on Wednesday, Feb. 16 at 6 p.m. in the Community Foundation Building. Please join with us if you are able. Masks will be available. If you are not able, the Pathfinder is again allowing this Community event to be seen live on their Facebook page. In excess of 200 folks watched the full Oct. 13 gathering and we would love to have you join. Our October event had a good cross-section of our community telling their stories. What is cle...
SEELEY LAKE - Montana’s own Race to the Sky 37th anniversary sled dog race, will be held Feb. 11-15. This year there are 28 mushers in the field - 12 competing in the 300-mile race including local mushers Jessie Royer, Josi Thyr and past-resident Cindy Gallae, now from Wykoff, Minnesota. In the 100-mile, there are 16 mushers with the closest musher being Nicole Lombardi from Lincoln, Montana. This year’s race will pay tribute to Dave Armstrong. Armstrong passed away at age 100 last spring. He was one of the original founders of the Sac...
SEELEY LAKE - "If you come to the concert without expectations, you'll rapidly learn what's possible with a euphonium," states U of M Tuba and Euphonium Consort's conductor Benedict Kirby. "You'll hear soaring melodies and blazing technique. We're calling the concert Big Bop Nouveau Tuba! - because the concert will move through some funky styles. It will move through some jazz waltz. It will move through what we would call, perhaps, classical sounds. It's a tour de force." The concert will be...
MISSOULA – The fourth In the Footsteps of Norman Maclean Literary Festival announced its biennial gathering will be held June 24 - 26 at the Missoula Public Library. This year's Festival is named "Public Land & Sacred Ground: Western Writers Bear Witness" and will feature nationally prominent authors who will discuss the unique heritage of American wilderness, public lands and sacred grounds. The last day of the Festival, June 27, will feature day hikes in the Seeley-Swan. Admission is free t...
POTOMAC – Members of the Montana Department of Transportation Project Team (Team) for the Clearwater Junction Intersection Project met with the Greenough-Potomac Fire District Board to provide information and answer questions regarding the proposed roundabout. In mid-November 2021, MDT announced a high-speed roundabout, a roundabout on a high-speed roadway, was the preferred alternative of the six alternatives evaluated. The team has now entered the design phase and continues to encourage public input as they work to address safety, o...
In celebration of 35 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 35 years as documented by the Pathfinder. 35 years ago: February 12, 1987 issue Sales tax measure introduced Sales Tax Sharp debate was generated on the first major sales tax...
Addition to UM Western’s Deans List MISSOULA - Kyla Nelson of Potomac was among the students who received high honors on this fall’s Deans List from the University of Montana Western. Nelson is enrolled full-time and has a grade point average above 3.33. Seeley Lake Library Book Club to meet March 3 SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Library Book Club will begin Thursday, March 3 at 10 a.m. in the library. Everyone is invited to join. The first book is “Boomers” by Rita Sommers-Flannagan. It is available now in the library for patron checkou...
HELMVILLE - Basketball teams from Butte, Missoula, Helena, the Hi-Line and Helmville descended on the Helmville Community Center for the Helmville Community Club's 55th Annual Basketball Tournament Jan. 28-30. The purpose of the Tournament is to contribute to funding the Community Club scholarships, community needs and the upkeep of the Helmville Community Center. The current Helmville Community Hall replaced the old dance hall in 1958. The old dance hall was the venue for many dances,...
SEELEY LAKE - United States Representative Matt Rosendale was traveling through the area Jan. 25 and took the opportunity to tour the mill for the first time. "The amount of technology that they're utilizing here to make sure that they get the most value out of every log that goes through this plant was impressive," said Rosendale....
SEELEY LAKE – "Conditions could not have been better for the 40th running of the OSCR cross country 50k ski race," Mike McGrew said in an announcer voice and laughed. President of the Seeley Lake Nordic Club and OSCR veteran since 1984, McGrew's light-hearted comment captured the race well. Not only were the courses groomed to perfection, the sub-zero temperatures in the morning gave way to sunshine and temperatures in the upper teens by early afternoon making the course fast and the racers h...
MISSOULA - The Missoula Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) is now accepting project proposals for 2022. The project submission deadline is close of business on May 6, 2022. The RAC is anticipating approximately $40,000 in project funding to award. Funding and administration for the Missoula RAC is provided under the authority of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self–Determination Act. Last year, the Missoula RAC funded seven projects under this authority that included noxious weed treatments, stream restoration, road decommissioning, t...
The University of Montana Western and Carroll College announced their Dean’s Lists for the 2021 fall semester. Among students listed in the area were Laura Devins and Nicole Williams of Seeley Lake. To make the UM Western Dean’s List, students must be enrolled full-time or for 12 semester credits and carry a minimum 3.33 grade point average. UM Western named 563 students to this fall’s Dean’s List including Devins who also received high honors. For the full list of in-state and out-of-state/international students visit https:/...
SEELEY LAKE – Thanks to the rekindling of an old program, the Seeley Lake Ranger District now has two snow rangers in the field this winter. Seeley District Wilderness Ranger Abby Propsom and developed recreation technician Paige King have increased the District's presence this winter interacting with recreationists through patrols, helping maintain the services the Forest Service offers and working local events and teaching winter safety awareness in area schools. According to Seeley Lake Range...
SEELEY LAKE - Missoula Aging Services (MAS) received $6,700 from the Seeley Lake Community Foundation (SLCF) to help expand their Lifelong Connections program into the Seeley-Swan Valley. This program provides Samsung tablets, an unlimited data plan and one-on-one training to learn how to use the technology. In 2020, MAS developed the Lifelong Connections program in response to the pandemic. Lifelong Connections purchases wi-fi enabled tablets, the data plan and trains volunteers. Program...
SWAN VALLEY - For the month of February, we are reading "A Painted House," written by John Grisham copyright 2000. The Book Chat meets Feb. 9 at 1 p.m. at the Swan Valley Community Library on Highway 83. The summary on the back of the book "A Painted House" states, "Until that September of 1952, Luke Chandler had never kept a secret or told a single lie. But in the long, hot summer of his seventh year, two groups of migrant workers-and two very dangerous men-came through the Arkansas Delta to...
OVANDO – While most people come to the area to recreate in the winter due to ample snowfall and great terrain, the US Army 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) is here on a different mission. Public Affairs Officer for the 10SFG(A) Major Pete Bogart said they are conducting routine cold weather training in the area to improve the group's ability to conduct mountain operations in extreme cold weather conditions. The 10SFG(A), also known as Green Berets, is based at Fort Carson in Colorado S...
In celebration of 35 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 35 years as documented by the Pathfinder. 35 years ago: February 5, 1987 issue Site chosen for new Seeley P.O. When the new Seeley Lake Post Office is built later this year,... Full story
“A Play” rescheduled for March 3 SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley-Swan High School Drama Class’s production of “A Play” written and directed by SSHS Senior Oskar Murphy scheduled for this Thursday has been postponed until Thursday, March 3 at 6:45 p.m. in the SSHS auditorium. The community is encouraged to come to the show. Free at-home COVID test kits available at Fire Hall SEELEY LAKE - The Missoula County Office of Emergency Management is distributing over 25,000 at-home COVID test kits to residents. They are being distributed at the Seeley Lake...
SEELEY LAKE – "All I saw was the tail and it covered all eight inches of the opening in the ice," Seeley Lake 17-year-old Klayton Kovatch recalled after getting the first glimpse of a monster pike through the ice Monday, Jan. 17. After more than a half an hour fighting the fish, he landed the 20.5-pound, 40.25-inch northern pike on his lite action, 24-inch jigging rod, spooled with four-pound test line and tipped with a sixteenth ounce tungsten jig. "This type of setup would typically be used t...
With the White House launching a program to deliver half a billion COVID-19 tests straight to Americans’ homes and Governor Greg Gianforte securing 650,000 at-home COVID-19 tests for Montanans, the Missoula City-County Health Department offered guidance on what residents should do if they test positive at home. Every home in the U.S. is eligible to order four free at-home COVID-19 tests. They can be ordered online at https://www.covidtests.gov/ and usually ship in 7-12 days. The website also provides information about other testing resources i... Full story
SWAN VALLEY – Bill Jones was in college in 1969 working on his degree in psychology when he was drafted. Apparently psychology was close enough to a medical degree for the Army. They gave him 10 months of training, proclaimed him a Combat Medic and whisked him off to Vietnam. Jones recalled Jan. 3 was the day he had to leave for the war zone. Though he was with his wife and her parents he said, "I remember being just kind of numb, sitting and staring at cartoons on the TV, which was kind of a r...
SEELEY LAKE – Saturday, Jan. 22 new and long-time residents of Seeley Lake gathered for the 25th annual Christmas Tree Bonfire in The Filling Station parking lot. Hosted by Filling Station owners Kris Martin and George Welch, attendees visited with their neighbors, met new people and the children loved playing on the huge snow bank as the blaze of the fire kept them warm. The Seeley Lake Chamber of Commerce dubbed the Christmas Tree Bonfire as the "kick-off event for Winterfest" in the 1998 P...
MISSOULA – At their Jan. 20 meeting, the Missoula County Commissioners approved a letter addressed to Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks that encouraged FWP to prioritize the repair and reopening of the Clearwater Junction RV Dump Station. Also at the meeting, the Commissioners appointed Swan Valley resident Dr. Helene Michael to the Open Lands Committee. The Seeley Lake Community Council’s letter to FWP requesting the Clearwater Junction RV Dump Station was discussed and approved by the Commissioners at the Nov. 18 meeting. The Commissioners als...
The Missoula County Elections Office is encouraging civically engaged community members to serve as election judges for the 2022 primary and general elections. The office hopes to recruit more than 600 election judges, poll book judges and polling place managers for the upcoming election year. Election judges greet voters, issue ballots, operate equipment, answer questions and hand out “I Voted” stickers. They are paid for their service and their training. “It takes a community-wide effort to conduct fair and organized elections,” said Electio...
SEELEY LAKE – After purchasing Crescent Mountain Builders in late 2021, Jeremiah Covert looks forward to continuing founder and owner Jason Ayers' legacy of honesty and quality construction in the Seeley Lake area under the Refined Matters LLC umbrella. With a larger team than Crescent Mountain Builders, Covert said Seeley Lake and the surrounding area can expect an increased presence, better final construction execution and an expeditious construction schedule while offering customers the b...
The Snow Joke Half Marathon returns in-person to Seeley Lake Saturday, Feb. 26. The largest winter road race in Montana, traditionally is held on the last Saturday of February. The iconic race celebrates its 43rd anniversary this year. “We’re excited that we’ll be live again,” Missoulian and Ravalli Republic publisher Jim Strauss said. “Last year, we held it virtually. We heard from a lot of people who missed that tradition of the Seeley Lake winter road race.” This year’s race will be 13.1 miles, as is tradition. The long-standing...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Sewer District Board brought on its new manager and discussed how to move forward to identify and implement a solution to Seeley’s wastewater issues at its Jan. 20 meeting. The Board was also informed that Missoula County would no longer provide some of the services formerly given to the District. Vice President Pat Goodover presented an idea to put out a Request for Proposal (RFP) to the various manufacturers who have presented their products to the Board in the last few months. The manufacturers would be giv...
SEELEY LAKE – With no old or new business listed on the agenda for their Jan. 18 meeting, the Seeley Lake Fire Board heard public comment asking about the status of the mill levy, hiring and community discussions regarding the vision for the department. They also received updates from Fire Chief Dave Lane regarding call volume, membership and the paramedic/EMT positions. During public comment, Seeley Lake resident Kristy Pohlman asked the board about the status of hiring a firm to come in and help with mill levy communications. She said the boa...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Elementary School Board offered a three-year contract extension to Superintendent Josh Gibbs at its Jan. 18 meeting. Gibbs has been the Superintendent at SLE for two school years and his current contract ends in June of 2022. In the negotiations at the meeting Gibbs had just two requests, four-day workweeks in July so he could have a little more time off in the summer and Thanksgiving and Christmas break off. His current contract is for 260 days (five days a week for 52 weeks per year) so he has to use his v...
SEELEY LAKE & SWAN VALLEY – In its fourth year raising funds for art supplies for local schools, the Alpine Artisans, Inc. (AAI) Giving Tree raised $295 total for Seeley Lake schools and around $230 for Swan Valley School. The $295 will be split between Seeley Lake Elementary and the Seeley-Swan High School. In the past three years, the AAI Giving Tree has raised more than $2,600 for both SLE and Swan Valley Elementary Schools. "We will be exploring other avenues for timing to raise more money,"...
In celebration of 35 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 35 years as documented by the Pathfinder. 35 years ago: Jan. 29, 1987 issue The "pros" ski Mount Henry Story Suzanne Vernon What do you get when you mix backcountry skiers... Full story
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Nordic Team hosted their largest turnout for their 10th annual SLE Outside Skiesta Jan. 22. Ninety-two skiers from around the area registered for the 20K, 10K, 5K, 3K and 1K races topping their previous record of 83 skiers set in 2018. Seeley Lake Nordic Team Head Coach and Race Director Bridget Laird was excited about the race and said the Nordic Team is working hard and having a lot of fun this year. Skiesta History The first Skiesta was held in 2013, the same y...
Seeley Lake Book Club interest sought SEELEY LAKE – Plans to re-start the Seeley Lake Book Club at the Seeley Lake Community Library are in motion. Please call the library, 406-677-8995, or stop in to sign up. The Seeley Lake Community Library is located in the Seeley-Swan High School and is open Mondays and Thursdays, 9:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. and Wednesdays from 9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. History Wintertime Walk n’ Talk, Jan. 29 SEELEY LAKE - Join the Seeley Lake Historical Society for their annual wintertime Walk N’ Talk Saturday, Jan. 29 from 1 – 3:30 p....
There are several Missoula County governing board positions up for election May 3 in Potomac, Seeley Lake and the Swan Valley. Candidates can file their Oath of Candidacy form through the Missoula County Elections office for Special District elections until Feb. 7 at 5 p.m. The deadline for filing for School District elections is March 24 at 5 p.m. The Oath of Candidacy must be signed before a notary and mailed or delivered to the Missoula County Elections Office, 140 North Russell Street, Missoula, MT 59801 prior to the deadline. There are als... Full story
SWAN VALLEY – More than 75 Swan Valley residents listened to presentations from area law enforcement Tuesday, Jan. 11 at the Swan Valley Neighborhood Watch meeting. Neighborhood Watch Chairman Steve Card moderated the meeting as representatives from the Missoula County and Lake County Sheriff's Offices, Montana Highway Patrol, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks and the US Forest Service shared about their organizations and how residents can keep themselves safe as well as follow the laws when p...
SEELEY LAKE – Friday, Jan. 14 more than 50 Seeley Lake Elementary students took the stage for the Missoula Children's Theatre production of "Alice and Wonderland," an original adaptation based on Lewis Carroll's "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking Glass." Alice, played by Brittney Kelley, Lili Young and Addison Ott, was filled with never-ending curiosity. Her curiosity grows as she follows a White Rabbit (MCT Tour Actor/Director Julia Walsh) into a land of wonder and a...
SEELEY LAKE – During their annual food drive from mid-November through their Customer Appreciation Day, Dec. 9, Citizens Alliance Bank in Seeley Lake collected around 150 pounds of non-perishable food and $803.52 in cash from customers to donate to the Seeley-Swan Community Food Bank. As they have done for the past several years, CAB headquarters matched the monetary donations dollar for dollar raised by their branches up to $1,000. The Food Bank received a total of $1,607.04. Food Bank V...
SWAN VALLEY – At their meeting Jan. 11, the Swan Valley School Board discussed various projects and needs that could be funded through the use of their Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) and building reserve funds. Principal Aaron Morgenstern will be sending out a survey to solicit public input to help direct the board on how they should allocate the ESSER funding. The board discussed a list of projects and needs suggested by the teachers and staff. Many of these projects fell under physical improvements to the school incl...
SEELEY LAKE – Doug Chadwick presented his latest book "Four-fifths a Grizzly," to Alpine Artisans' Open Book Club Jan. 15. The book is less about grizzlies and more about us as humans and our continued survival. Chadwick said, "The idea that we are separate and superior and entitled to do whatever we want as long as we want, that's got to be modified. We have to change that." Chadwick advocates that humans view themselves, as scientists are discovering more and more to be true, in a symbiotic r...
MISSOULA – In their second year, the Seeley-Swan High School Business Professional of America Chapter again saw great success at the Region 2 Leadership Conference Jan. 10 in Missoula. Club Advisor SSHS Business Teacher Michele Holmes looks forward to taking the BPA students to the State Leadership Conference in March. The Blackhawks' BPA Chapter was created in the fall of 2020. According to Holmes, the purpose of the group is to provide personal growth opportunities through education, c...
MONTANA - While daily newspapers are shifting their content to digital platforms, weeklies have been slower to move away from print. They have statistically done better at maintaining their print subscribers but as more and more readers demand digital access, the weeklies are taking different strategies to keep their publications relevant. Much of this is done by focusing on hyperlocal coverage and community-centered journalism. Weekly newspapers in Montana fared better than average in maintaini...
OVANDO – Though COVID canceled Ovando School's Dec. 16 play, on Jan. 12 the Ovando community put their holiday spirit back on and gathered to enjoy the students' performance of "The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus." Based on the book of the same name by L. Frank Baum (author of "The Wizard of Oz") and converted into play form by R. Eugene Jackson, the script was an ambitious production for the small student body. Many of the students played two and some even three different roles, n...
Weekly COVID-19 update As of Jan. 17, there have been 212,078 cases of COVID-19 in Montana. There have been 1,355,958 doses of vaccines administered and 544,572 Montanans fully immunized. There are 11,448 active cases, 10,632 total hospitalizations with 195 active, 197,685 recoveries and 2,945 deaths in Montana due to COVID-19 complications. Missoula County has had 20,530 cases, 1,921 active cases, 18,417 recovered and 192 COVID-related deaths to date. For the most up-to-date and accurate information please refer to the Missoula County-City...
In celebration of 35 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 35 years as documented by the Pathfinder. 35 years ago: Jan. 22, 1987 issue Water District to be metered Last Tuesday's meeting of the Seeley Lake Water Board marked the... Full story
SEELEY LAKE – "It's hard! It takes a lot of effort if you want to run a business," said Seeley-Swan High School student Aaron Jungers during the recap of the Blackhawk BIZ Market Day. "At the beginning of this, I just thought it was going to design a business and then sell [the product]. There is a lot more to it." The students in the SSHS Entrepreneur Class discussed what they learned and the challenges they overcame starting their own business on Jan. 5. While everyone determined their b...
MISSOULA - Recent guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicate the Omicron COVID-19 variant is three times more contagious than the Delta variant and masks with better filtration will provide better protection. Infectious disease experts recommend citizens should use a N95 or KN95 if they have the option to with Omicron on the rise. Missoula County Health Officer D’Shane Barnett concurs adding the public should use all the tools to stop the spread including masking, social distancing, avoiding large groups a... Full story
SEELEY LAKE – While most people call it the "Dog Days of Summer," the dogs of winter were out enjoying the new snow this past weekend. Montana Mountain Mushers hosted their annual Winter Fun Days Jan. 8 and Jan. 9 at the Morrell Creek snowmobile/musher parking lot. Experienced Seeley Lake mushers Roy Etnire and Rob Loveman answered questions and shared their expertise with members of the public and other mushers. Yuri, a two-year-old Russian Siberian Husky owned by Bob and Lerma Stine of S...
SEELEY LAKE - Doug Chadwick will be presenting his new book at the Open Book Club at the Seeley Lake Community Foundation on Saturday, Jan. 15 at 2 p.m. Masks are required. Please note the earlier start time so people attending can drive in the daylight. The event will also be live streamed on Alpine Artisans' Facebook page. Chadwick is a writer well known to many in this corner of the Rocky Mountains or as we like to say, the South West Crown of the Continent. His notable books and many essays...
MISSOULA – In a new study published in Science Advances, University of Montana researchers found that climate change drives native trout declines by reducing stream habitat and facilitating the expansion of invasive trout species. “This study had three main questions: How have the distributions of native and invasive trout shifted in Montana over the last 30 years, how will they change in the future, and what factors are causing those changes?” said Donovan Bell, the study’s lead author and a doctoral candidate in UM’s Wildlife Biology P...
SEELEY LAKE - Did you receive a new technology device for the holidays and are unsure how to use it? Have technology questions or issues you want to be resolved? Come by the Seeley Lake Community Foundation Building West Wing Thursday, Jan. 27, between 10 a.m. - 1 p.m., and visit with volunteers. The volunteers assisting are knowledgeable and can help on various devices: Apple to Android, Windows to IOS, and more. Our volunteers are fantastic community members who will try their best to solve your issues. No appointment is necessary. If...
MISSOULA – At the University of Montana, nearly 2,600 undergraduate students made the fall semester 2021 Dean’s List or President’s 4.0 List. Several students from Condon, Ovando, Potomac and Seeley Lake are listed below. To qualify, students must be undergraduates, earn a semester GPA of 3.5 or higher and receive grades of A or B in at least nine credits. Students who receive any grade of C+ or below or no credit (NC/NCR) in a course are not eligible. Double asterisks after a name indicate the student earned a 4.0 GPA. A single asterisk indic...
SEELEY LAKE – Seasoned skiers of the area are calling the skiing in Seeley Lake "the best starts in recent memory." Since early December, the trails have received regular, moderate amounts of snow that the dedicated group of volunteers has been able to keep packed and groomed. The Nordic Club has also added a PistenBully 100 to the trail grooming management thanks to owner/operator Doug Edgerton who has more than four decades of grooming experience. The Nordic Club currently has three ginzus, tw...
MONTANA - Nationwide data from the Pew Research Center shows newspapers’ print circulation decreased over 45% in the last decade. With a sample set of Montana daily newspapers showing an average decline of nearly 40% over the past 10 years, publications from around the state have had to alter and expand their business model to maintain their markets. In this article two Montana newspaper publishers will share their experiences with adapting to a new market. According to Sworn Statement of Circulation reports, daily publication, The M...
SEELEY LAKE – When Cole Henrekin graduated from Seeley-Swan High School in 2014, he went to Montana Technological University for mechanical engineering. After three semesters he realized he did not want to be an engineer. He switched from a bachelors degree to an associates degree in metal fabrication and welding, something he had always wanted to learn, and graduated in 2018. "It was probably the best decision I made in school," Henrekin said. He opened Peak Fabrication LLC in Seeley Lake in J...
Seeley Lake Library news SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Community Library has brand new fiction and nonfiction titles available. Everyone is invited to come in and check them out. The Library will be closed Monday, Jan. 17 in observance of the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday. The Seeley Lake Library is located in Seeley-Swan High School and can be reached at 406-677-8995. It is open Mondays and Thursdays from 9:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. and Wednesdays from 9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Masks required. Missoula City-County Air Quality Advisory Council seeks membe...
In celebration of 35 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 35 years as documented by the Pathfinder. 35 years ago: Jan. 15, 1987 issue Firehouse has two new rooms Early last fall, volunteers in the Seeley Lake community added a new me...
OVANDO – When Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Terry Sheppard opened her office in Ovando in 1981 she was known as "the CPA on horseback." Her first tax season she spent April 15 knitting socks until 5 p.m. "just in case someone had a last minute return. Then I increased my clientele." After 40 years of serving local, national and international clients, Sheppard announced her retirement Oct. 15. She will continue to assist local non-profits for the next couple of years. Sheppard loved w...
MISSOULA – "Now this is what I'm talking about," said one of the staff members smiling as donations of snowmobile suits, winter boots, clothing and blankets from Seeley Lake were unloaded at the Johnson Street Shelter in Missoula Jan. 1. Seeley Lake residents Wendy and Jim Leetch along with their daughter Amber, Wendy's parents Gwen and Larry Busby and friend Jodi Stierwalt brought an enclosed trailer and vehicle loaded with donations and served hot chili to more than 80 homeless individuals a...
SEELEY LAKE – "Are you open for rec now?" asked an excited customer walking into Fat Hippie this weekend. Budtender Heather Kues shared the customer's enthusiasm when she replied, "Yes!" After 15 years of working towards this day, Fat Hippie made its first recreational sale of marijuana Jan. 1 just after 9 a.m. It was the first time the store in Seeley Lake has ever had customers waiting for the doors to open. After the initial 10-15 customers made their purchase, Owner Terry Lucke said the r...
On Jan. 1 adult-use recreational marijuana became available for purchase in Montana. The launch of the new market raises a wide range of questions, from how much marijuana an individual can possess, to whether they can consume it in a National Park, to the types of products that will be available for purchase. Read on for answers to those questions, and many more, in this Montana Free Press guide to the state's post-prohibition marijuana marketplace. Who can buy marijuana in Montana? Starting Ja... Full story
SEELEY LAKE - Non-profit organizations are invited to submit grant proposals to the Seeley Lake Community Foundation for 2022 projects. Applications are due Jan. 31. The Seeley Lake Community Foundation helps local groups fund important community projects in the areas of: art & culture, community & economic development, basic human needs, education, and natural resources & conservation. In this capacity, the SLCF strives to be a community resource and catalyst for innovative approaches to improving the quality of life of the Seeley Lake area....
SEELEY LAKE - All mushers (beginning or experienced) and all skijorers are invited to Montana Mountain Mushers Fun Days on Jan. 8 and Jan. 9 at the Morrell Creek parking lot, just north of Seeley Lake on Morrell Creek Road, Montana. Run your dog(s) starting at 9 a.m. each day. Dog mushers and skijorers will be there to assist and answer questions. Whether you are a recreational musher, want to learn how to skijor with your dog, run your first race or are a seasoned dog musher, Winter Fun Days...
SEELEY LAKE - An audition will be held for the Missoula Children's Theatre (MCT) production of "Alice in Wonderland" from 3:15 - 5:15 p.m. Jan. 10 at Seeley Lake Elementary. Those auditioning should arrive at 3:15 p.m. and plan to stay for the full two hours. Some of the cast members will be asked to stay for a rehearsal immediately following the audition. Among the roles to be cast are three Alices of varying size, her sister Margaret, the Mad Hatter, the March Hare, the Queen of Hearts, the...
MONTANA - Newspapers around the country have seen sweeping changes in their structure within the last decade. Declining print numbers have forced publications to adapt to new markets and adopt new strategies. According to a 2021 article titled, "22 US Newspaper Circulation Statistics You Should Be Aware Of" from Letter.ly, an online job board for journalists, weekday print circulation decreased from 63.3 million copies in 1984 to 28.5 million in 2018. The current U.S. newspaper print...
SEELEY LAKE – The first thing the woman asked when Partners in Home Care Hospice Volunteer Laurel Deniger came for an initial visit was "Do you give foot massages?" So every week when Deniger visited, she massaged the woman's feet. "Right up to the very last," Deniger said, "when she was unconscious, I gave her a foot massage." Deniger has been a Hospice Volunteer for 22 years. Partners in Home Care Volunteer Coordination Kyle Williams said, "The time Laurel has dedicated to helping people in yo...
In celebration of 35 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 35 years as documented by the Pathfinder. 35 years ago: Jan. 8, 1987 issue Fur prices up from last year Trappers are seeing a little more revenue fro their efforts this... Full story
Local Ice Rinks are open for skating SEELEY LAKE - Thanks to some amazing volunteers from Seeley Lake Regional Outdoor Center for Kinetic Sports (ROCKS) and the Seeley Lake Lions Club, the two ice skating rinks in town are now open for use. ROCKS has been flooding the Community Ice Rink at Seeley Lake Elementary since mid-Dec. It was officially open Dec. 29. The skate shed is stocked with skates of all sizes to use free of charge. It is unlocked from 9am-9pm and lit until 11pm. Please rehang the skates when you are finished using them and...
SEELEY LAKE – Howard Montgomery, more familiarly known in the Seeley Lake area as Monty, served 22 years in the military, first in the United States Navy and later in the United States Air Force. Montgomery said he signed up with the Navy in 1954 because he wanted to see the world. The Navy trained him as a storekeeper where he learned about ordering, stocking, issuing and tracking supplies. He spent the next two years aboard the cargo ship U.S.S. Warrick whose homeport was Oakland, C... Full story
SEELEY LAKE – In addition to all the events this year allowing families to shop and pick up gifts, three groups operated behind the scenes with help from the community to bring gifts and a holiday meal to community members. Mountain Lakes Church continued their Giving Tree at Cory's Valley Market, the Seeley Lake Fire Foundation offered their Angel Tree and the Seeley Lake Lions Club delivered Holiday Food Baskets to families who could use a hand up this Christmas. The Giving Tree went up at C...
SEELEY LAKE – "Do you hear the helicopter?" Seeley Lake Elementary Superintendent Josh Gibbs told the students. "Santa is coming this way." The students at Seeley Lake Elementary school watched and cheered as a Minuteman Jet Ranger helicopter landed carrying Santa and gifts in the south football field at SLE the afternoon of Dec. 21. The classes took turns visiting with Santa, receiving a candy cane and picking out a small toy or stuffed animal. Seeley Lake was among 24 stops in Montana and I...
MONTANA - Wolf trapping is now open in all Montana Wolf Management Units. After monitoring grizzly bear activity across much of the state, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks biologists have determined the potential risk for trapping conflicts in grizzly bear areas is low. FWP biologists have been monitoring grizzly bear activity with a variety of methods since early November. This includes monitoring collared grizzly bears, sightings of bears in the field, weather assessments and reports from the public. The Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission...
Traditionally, the New Year is welcomed in by raising a glass of champagne and offering a toast. Toast? Lightly burned bread? In the Middle Ages people sometimes did put a piece of toasted bread into their wine or other drink. But why did they do that? And how did it turn into the modern custom of saying a few words before drinking at special occasions, no bread involved? Toasting as a way of preserving bread originated in pre-historic times. Laying a slab of bread on a hot stone next to a fire...
SALMON PRAIRIE - The 100-year-old Salmon Prairie Schoolhouse welcomed a mix of people from the community who came to watch the traditional Christmas program. With help from Teacher Holl Hubbard, four students, who make up the student body, put on the production of "Home Alone" Dec. 21. Along with parents and grandparents of the students, attendees included those whose roots go deep in the community. Some attended the school years ago along with a teacher from the long line of those who taught...
SWAN VALLEY – Swan Valley School students lit up the stage Dec. 21 as they welcomed the community to "Christmas at the O.K. Corral." Attendees were treated to singing and dancing by the preschool, welcomed into the planning for the Christmas celebration at the O.K. Corral and listened to a piano solo from pianist Lilly Boyd and music from the Jr. High Band. The O.K Corral opened with plans to decorate for the Christmas celebration. However, Bubble Gum Bart (Collin Skinner) rolled into Snowy G...
SWAN VALLEY – Swan Valley resident Jenny Kauffman was visiting the Swan Valley Community Library weekly before becoming a substitute librarian for Librarian Colleen Kesterson. When Kesterson decided to retire this fall, Kauffman was hired as the new librarian Nov. 14. She looks forward to sharing her love of reading with patrons, sharing her knowledge of technology and encouraging valley residents to utilize all the services the library can offer. Kauffman has always loved to read. She reads a...
POTOMAC - This year's Potomac School Christmas Program brought more than 130 people together for the community event with standing room only. Last year's audience numbers were strictly limited due to COVID restrictions. This year the large crowd was smiling, hugging and laughing as they took photos and clapped while watching the students perform. The evening began with a welcome by Principal John Rouse followed by the winner of the eighth grade quilt raffle. The horse-themed quilt was made by...
In celebration of 35 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 35 years as documented by the Pathfinder. 35 years ago: Dec. 31, 1986 issue The Boyd Ranch - Revisited Wandering through memories is a bit like strolling through a meadow,...
Art Supplies Giving Tree available through the weekend The Art Supplies Giving Tree will be available at the Grizzly Claw Trading Company in Seeley Lake and the Swan Valley Community Library until just after New Years. This is an opportunity to raise money for supplies that support art in the classrooms. Community members are encouraged to pick a tag off the tree at the Swan Valley Community Library in Condon or the Grizzly Claw Trading Company in Seeley Lake. Drop cash or check (made out to Alpine Artisans, Inc.) into the coffee can at the...
SEELEY LAKE – After visiting Montana for the past seven years, Tony Singh Mann moved to the state he deeply loves for its outdoor recreation opportunities and sense of community. He and his wife Varinder purchased the Sinclair Gas Station in Victor, Montana and most recently the Seeley Lake 1 Stop. He looks forward to offering a one-stop shop for locals and visitors alike at Montana Gas N Shop 1 Stop and opening Casino Montana in the back of the convenience store with 10 gaming machines, bar and...
SWAN VALLEY – Caravanning from Kalispell on Saturday, Dec. 18, 20 members of the Wilson family dressed up, played and sang Christmas carols all the way "to the North Pole to see Santa," Ally Wilson said. When they arrived at the Falls Creek Guest Ranch Lodge, they were welcomed by the jolly old soul himself, treated to a pancake breakfast, enjoyed crafts, took photos with Santa and left with new toys and full tummies. "This has been so fun," Wilson said smiling as her three children took t...
SEELEY LAKE - The second annual Christmas Caravan of Lights lit up the streets of Seeley Lake Saturday night, Dec. 18. More than a dozen groups decorated their trucks and trailers, UTVs, and other vehicles and drove the streets of Seeley Lake before returning to the Chicken Coop for bonfires and the community gathering. To watch the parade visit https://youtu.be/KzUivP-s_VU....
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks has backpedaled on a controversial elk management strategy after a public response that FWP Director Henry “Hank” Worsech described as a “firestorm.” Even after the department backed away from the most contentious proposal it had planned to present to the Fish and Wildlife Commission, public commenters continued to raise concerns at yesterday’s commission meeting in Helena about a process they said has been rushed and favors large landowners and brings the state closer to privatizing wildlife. In response... Full story
SEELEY LAKE - The following over-snow vehicle use routes / snowmobile trails will be temporarily closed during the week, Monday – Friday, for winter logging activities and for public safety while the Westside Bypass Wildfire Resiliency project is implemented. The trails will be open for weekends (Saturday – Sunday). The project will help address existing fuel and vegetation conditions that contribute to an increased risk of severe wildfire in areas adjacent to state and private lands. Tra...
MISSOULA – The University of Montana has more than 800 students who are degree candidates for fall semester 2021. The students listed in the links below are UM degree candidates or have been awarded their degrees. Students with “cum laude” after their name indicate a GPA of 3.40 to 3.69. “Magna laude” indicates a 3.70 to 3.89 GPA, and “summa laude” is 3.90 and above. Official awarding of a degree and any official graduation with honors or graduation with high honors designation is not made until students have completed their final term of enrol...
SWAN VALLEY – The Unaffiliated Lutheran Church of Condon members Valli Reed-Bigley (middle) and Shelby Stoll (right) presenting a $551 donation to Swan Valley School secretary Katie Gleason for the junior high class trip. The sixth, seventh and eighth graders take a trip touring Montana every three years. The next trip is scheduled for 2023. The Unaffiliated Lutheran Church of Condon meets Sundays at 11 a.m. at Liquid Louie's. This donations is from the offering that has been collected since t...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley-Swan Hospital District Board received several updates regarding COVID testing and vaccination opportunities as well as updates regarding the Seeley-Swan Medical Center at their meeting Dec. 14. Wednesday, Dec. 8 the Missoula City-County Health Department held a walk-in COVID-19 vaccination clinic at the Seeley Lake Community Foundation building. Seeley-Swan Medical Center Satellite Manager Georgiann McCoy said it was “overwhelmingly attended.” She understood that some waited for more than two hours and people were turne...
Hunting regulation proposals for the 2022/2023 seasons were approved for public comment by the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission last week and are now out for review and comment online through Jan.14. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks will hold public meetings throughout the state to provide information and answer questions. Montana hunting season regulations are adopted biennially for most game species. This is a second opportunity for the public to provide input on 2022/2023 draft hunting regulation proposals. Earlier this fall in an effort...
SEELEY LAKE – The room erupted with excitement when Santa walked through the door at the Seeley Lake Community Hall, Dec. 18. The third annual Seeley Lake Stocking event was a huge success where more than 65 children and a few adults had their photo taken with Santa, received a stocking full of goodies, chose a toy or stuffed animal, and entered to win sleds or bicycles. Thanks to organizer Sheila Czifro and support from the community and local businesses, everything was free. Seeley Lake S...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Sewer District Board selected a candidate for their open Interim District Manager position and heard a presentation from a manufacturer of wastewater treatment systems at its Dec. 16 meeting. The Board interviewed two candidates, David Losee and William (Bill) Decker for the manager position at last month’s meeting. After a 15-minute executive session the Board unanimously voted to offer the job to Decker. “It was a really tough decision because both of the candidates are highly qualified,” said Board Preside...
GREENOUGH – Matthew Nord of Tangled Tones Music Studio in Missoula drives up once a week to teach music to the students at Sunset School. On Dec. 16 the students presented their holiday program for proud parents and friends. The singing began with John Denver's famous "Country Roads," accompanied by Nord's guitar. However, the students substituted a few more familiar locations. Instead of West Virginia they sang of "West Montana" as "almost heaven." Likewise, the Blackfoot River took the p...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley-Swan High School and Seeley Lake Elementary junior high musicians took the stage together at their combined concert Dec. 16. They played several traditional selections and songs from popular Christmas movies. The concert ended with a sing-a-long to "The Christmas Song." SSHS and SLE Music Director Janet Morgenstern said this was many of the students' first concert. She said, "I've been so impressed with their progress and so happy with what they are doing...
Community Ice Rink still in progress SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake ROCKS volunteers have been working hard to open the Community Ice Rink in the Seeley Lake Elementary ball field. While it has a good base, it needs cold weather, without snow, to finish the rink. Please do not skate on it until it is ready. Volunteers have been setting up and will maintain the rink. This includes snow removal, keeping the shed picked up, etc. If interested in volunteering contact ROCKS President Garry Swain garryswain@gmail.com. There’s snow place like Seeley Lak...
In celebration of 35 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 35 years as documented by the Pathfinder. 35 years ago: Dec. 24, 1986 issue Residents to groom trails Area snowmobile trails will be groomed by local residents this year. In t... Full story
SWAN VALLEY – "Mistletoe in Montana? That sounds like a winter movie," Swan Valley resident Nikki Maloughney asked Hartbreak Films producer Paula Hart. "'Oh yeah, there is going to be snow' [Hart said]. I'm like it is July in Montana...it was 80 or 90 degrees that day. It was hot." Maloughney's horses are featured on "Mistletoe in Montana's" promotional images along with wreaths made by ReMarkable Floral. Several other local businesses and individuals also worked with the cast and crew of the m...
SEELEY LAKE – Tuesday, Dec. 7 the activity room at Mission Bible Fellowship was packed with toys as the line grew out the front of the church before the annual Loving Hearts Toy Sale. One volunteer said this year's sale offered "more toys than Walmart." With nearly 20 tables full of toys and gifts priced below $5, the season of gift giving was a little more affordable for many local families. Loving Hearts also made more than $900, nearly triple what they have made the past several years. All t...
POTOMAC – Sometime between the afternoon of Thursday, Dec. 2 and Saturday, Dec. 4 a 2005 maroon Chevy Silverado 2500 HD extended cab truck was stolen from property on Twin Creek Road near Potomac. This year, this was the third stolen vehicle reported in Potomac, the others on Nov. 10 and May 18. The Missoula County Sheriff's Office offers tips to help property owners improve security and avoid being a victim of property crime. The owners did not notice that their Chevy Silverado was missing r...
HELENA – The Governor’s Office of Community Service has announced it is accepting nominations for the annual ServeMontana Awards. This award recognizes Montanan citizens who demonstrate a commitment to helping others and serving their communities. The public is encouraged to nominate individuals and various service groups of all ages and backgrounds across Montana. Both individuals and organizations can be nominated. All service must be performed in Montana or by Montanans. Applications are due April 17, 2022. “Every year we get the honor...
SEELEY LAKE – Carrie Benton grew up helping her mother in the library. She developed an appreciation of libraries and a love affair with books that she is excited to share with others and connect them with resources offered at the Seeley Lake Community Library. On Oct. 28, Benton started as the new Library Assistant. She had a week of training with Librarian Susan Stone before she retired Nov. 3. While Benton admits she has big shoes to fill and still has a lot to learn, she is looking f...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake will be getting its first electric vehicle charging station this spring at the Seeley Lake Community Foundation (SLCF) building on Highway 83. Missoula Electric Cooperative (MEC) received one of four “Fast Charge Your Ride” grants provided by the Montana Department of Environmental Quality’s (DEQ) share of the Volkswagen Settlement funds in an effort to expand travel options across Montana for electric vehicle drivers. The funds awarded focus on establishing fast-charging locations for Montana’s key travel corridors...
SEELEY LAKE – Uncorked and Creative Artist Instructor Kris Gullikson invited guest artist Sissy Miller from Frenchtown to introduce the Dec. 10 class to the art of paint pouring. Following Miller's instructions, the group produced lovely multicolored bulbs to brighten their Christmas trees. The art technique called pouring requires the use of acrylic paints into which an additive has been mixed that improves the consistency and provides a smooth flow, resulting in colors that mix more u...
SEELEY LAKE – After more than two years of 2 Valley Stage trying to book The Gothard Sisters, they finally took the stage Sunday, Dec. 12 in Seeley Lake. Alpine Artisans Assistant Director Robert Green guessed they would be popular and he was right. Playing to an audience of more than 120, The Gothard Sisters mixed Celtic and Irish music with new and old Christmas carols. Their musical versatility was astounding. They all sang, danced and played the violin. They were each well versed in at l...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Lions Club is producing their 2022-2023 local telephone directory. They are looking for photographers to submit a photo for the front cover, encouraging businesses to submit their ads for the yellow pages and asking those who want their cell phone number or otherwise unlisted residential phone number listed to make their submission by Feb. 1, 2022. The Lions Club Phone Book, produced and distributed free of charge to the community, is a public service to the community. The Seeley Lake Lions Club Phone Book is p...
HELENA - The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) is committed to keeping the highways cleared whenever winter weather impacts the state. National workforce shortages are affecting MDT, like many other employers. Recruitment efforts for seasonal Maintenance Technicians (snowplow operators) in several areas across the state have been severely impacted. The staffing shortages are greater this year creating more challenges statewide. MDT is approximately 50% short of seasonal snowplow operators needed to be fully staffed in Maintenance...
WOODWORTH - With the snow drifting down outside, it was warm inside during the Rich Ranch Community Appreciation Day Dec. 12. Adults enjoyed the chance to visit, listened to holiday favorites played by the Feigleys and judged the Chili Cookoff. The younger generation played in the snow and loved seeing Santa when he stopped by to visit and hand out goodie bags. Texas Style Chili w/o Beans Courtesy Lions Michelle & Joe Saalfeld 3 pounds lean ground beef 1 1/2 cup chopped onion 1 cup chopped...
GREENOUGH – "What better way to really form relationships with kids and their families than a setting like this," said Lilah Fox, Sunset School's kindergarten – fourth grade (K-4) and reading teacher for K-8. "It is amazing what you can do here with this small setting in terms of getting to know the kids and their families and their siblings." Fox started at Sunset School in the fall of 2020. As a first year teacher that didn't know Sunset School existed until she applied, she has embraced teach...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley Lake Elementary third - sixth graders, directed by Music Teacher Janet Morgenstern, presented "North Pole Radio Hour" Dec. 9. Taking place in the 1946, they offered a mix of music, news, weather and sport "to keep you in the know." Santa was a special guest for "Ask Santa" where callers could call in with questions....
Seeley Lake ROCKS seeks volunteers for ice rink SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake ROCKS is looking forward to installing the Community Ice Rink at Seeley Lake Elementary this week in the SLE ball field. They are seeking volunteers to help to install it and maintain the ice throughout the winter. This includes clearing the snow from the rink and helping keep the skate shed organized. If interested in learning more about volunteer opportunities contact ROCKS President Garry Swain garryswain@gmail.com. Red Sleighs of Montana to arrive Dec. 20 Santa is s...
In celebration of 35 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 35 years as documented by the Pathfinder. 35 years ago: Dec. 18, 1986 issue Crowd packs new gym for first game Some people said it couldn't be done - build a school gymnasium... Full story
SEELEY LAKE – "In the superhero books and movies you have your villain and your hero. Both of their lives started out in tragedy. The villain takes his tragedy and he is angry and he is mad and he wants other people to feel pain so he causes more tragedy. But that superhero, he takes that pain and says I don't want people to go through this so he goes out and saves people and he is a hero," said Joe Danzer, Search Coordinator with The Lifeguard Group. Danzer lost both his parents by the age o...
HELENA - Gov. Greg Gianforte’s office announced Monday, Dec. 6 that the state is petitioning the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to remove Endangered Species Act protections for grizzly bears in the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem, citing robust population counts and touting the state’s ability to independently manage Montana’s grizzly bears, which have been federally protected since 1975. “We worked on grizzly bear recovery for decades. We were successful and switched to a focus on conflict management years ago,” FWP Director Hank Worsech... Full story
SEELEY LAKE – You can't help but notice all the characters hanging out around Ted Lockwood's yard behind the Chicken Coop. From donkeys and bears to old men and even a peeping Tom, there are wooden characters in every corner. While some feed and house the birds, others hold the hose and still others are just for looks, they all are unique and handmade by Lockwood in his little "Man Shop." He hopes each piece brings as much joy to others as it has to him. Lockwood's father Marvin was a finish car...
SEELEY LAKE – For the past three years, students at area schools have the opportunity to be creative in their classrooms thanks to community support through the Alpine Artisans, Inc (AAI) Giving Tree for art supplies. The AAI Giving Tree is continuing again this year raising money for supplies that support art in the classrooms. In the past three years, the AAI Giving Tree has raised more than $2,600 for both SLE and Swan Valley Elementary Schools. This year organizer Kris Gullikson hopes to b...
Red Sleighs Over Montana is returning to the area for a second year the week of Dec. 20. The exact date has not been set. The Museum of Mountain Flying initiated the inaugural Red Sleighs Over Montana last Christmas in response to the wide-ranging issues facing rural Montana communities. Santa flew into 20 rural communities in Western Montana. The goal is to make this year's endeavor more expansive than ever, adding several more Montana communities and Sandpoint and Bonners Ferry, Idaho. Last...
MISSOULA - Missoula County Parks, Trails and Open Lands is in the second phase of the Pathways and Trails Plan. They are seeking feedback from Missoula County residents via an interactive map and a survey to prioritize the trail projects that are important to them. The deadline for public input on the interactive map and tradition survey for prioritizing projects is Dec. 15. The overarching goal of the Pathways and Trails Plan is to understand the extent of pathway and trail needs, from development through maintenance, and the resources require...
"People have realized that live music is so special after this long COVID pandemic. Music brings people together and Celtic music in particular is so joyful and uplifting!" stated Greta Gothard, the oldest of the three sisters that comprise The Gothard Sisters trio. Alpine Artisans' 2 Valleys Stage is bringing The Gothard Sisters to our valleys, beginning with a Holiday Concert at Seeley-Swan High School on Sunday, Dec. 12 at 3 p.m. Tickets are available at the door. The Gothard Sisters – G...
Want to know how to stay connected to your family through technology this holiday season? Have technology questions or issues you want to be resolved? Come by the Seeley Lake Community Foundation Building West Wing Thursday, Dec. 16 from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. and visit with volunteers. The volunteers assisting are knowledgeable in several areas and can help on various devices. Our volunteers are fantastic community members who will try their best to solve your issues. We will be giving away four digital cameras, just in time to capture memories...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley-Swan High School Entrepreneur Class has launched the Blackhawk BIZ that will feature seven businesses in a Pop-up style Market Dec. 22 during the Blackhawks' home basketball game. This is an effort to provide hands-on, real-life business experience to students by giving them an introduction of what it takes to start a small business. When SSHS Business Teacher Michele Holmes started at SSHS in the fall of 2019, she wanted to diversify the offerings for students. M...
SEELEY LAKE - A new nonprofit has formed in hopes of unifying trails groups for the purpose of increasing mechanized trails in the area. Curtis Friede, Ken Brochu, Bill Swain and Jeff Micklitz presented the new nonprofit named Scenic Montana Trails at an informational meeting Dec. 2. Scenic Montana Trails will consist of three user groups snowmobiles, off-highway motorized and mountain bikes. While the area boasts one of the state's largest groomed snowmobile trail system, there is very few...
SEELEY LAKE – The Dec. 5 Seeley Lake Historical Society and Museum's annual meeting combined a little bit of business with a large portion of pleasure as the assembled members watched two brief films with relevance to the Seeley Lake area. The business part included recognition of the society's new Lifetime Members, those who have donated $1,000 to the museum: Addrien Marx, Jack & Belinda Rich, Dave Anderson, Wally Mills, Warren and Laura Thieme, the Burgess family and the McLeod & Mulroney f...
SWAN VALLEY – For the second year, COVID dictated the cancellation of the Upper Swan Valley Historical Society's Annual Frostbite Festival and for the second year a group of crafters opted to rent the Swan Valley Community Hall to display and sell their wares. Many of their items were targeted for Christmas, either as decorations or potential gifts. Browsers and buyers wandered amid a colorful and varied mix of crafts. Some of the artists were old timers. Dar Kearney has been setting out a w...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Elementary transitional kindergartners through second graders welcomed the audience to the OK Corral Dec. 2 for a Christmas celebration. While they were excited to sing and dance, Bubble Gum Bette (Mela Bradley) tried to undermine the festivities but was unsuccessful thanks to Santa (Jaiden Glenn) and the Candy Cane Kid (Val Ewing)....
In celebration of 35 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 35 years as documented by the Pathfinder. 35 years ago: Dec. 11, 1986 issue Goals and bylaws to be defined Missoula County Commissioners need to know whether the community of...
Swan Valley School Christmas Store accepting donations SWAN VALLEY – The Swan Valley Parent Teacher Association will be hosting its annual Christmas shopping day for the students again this December. The school is accepting new and gently used items to support the program. Donations can be dropped off at the school by Dec. 15. For more information contact the school at 407-754-2320. Forest Service Road closure expected Dec. 12 SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Ranger District seasonal road closures for wheeled vehicles will take effect once the D...
MEXICO - Seeley Lake's Curtis Friede pulled off a miracle in Mexico, racing 1,227 miles from Ensenada, Mexico to La Paz, Mexico to complete the Baja 1000 race Nov. 20. "The Baja is the most rugged, brutal, off-road race in the world, no doubt about it. So I thought, you know, it'd be really fun to do that one time," Friede said. "I've been an adrenaline junkie my whole life." The idea of Friede racing in the Baja this year was planted last February at the King of Hammers race in Southern... Full story
OVANDO – J&E Contracting, of Seeley Lake, provided this year's State Christmas tree that will be on display in the Montana Capitol rotunda in Helena. The Christmas tree is coordinated through the Montana Logging Association. They have worked with Montana loggers to provide a live Christmas tree for the Capitol for the past several years, skipping last year due to COVID. Montana Logging Association Southwest Regional Representative Bryan Lorengo started coordinating the tree for the Capitol a...
The 2021 general big game hunting season closed Sunday, Nov. 28. While the west-central Montana wildlife check stations reporting overall hunter activity and harvest totals down just slightly from last season, the overall big game harvest remained higher than recent years at the check stations in northwest Montana. In the six weekends of the season, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks biologists staffing four check stations recorded 10,216 hunter stops and a harvest of 192 elk, 109 mule deer and 513...
OVANDO – Ovando was filled with the Holiday Spirit as Cowboy Claus helped kick off the Christmas season Friday, Nov. 26. Families enjoyed the wagon ride through town stopping downtown for the petting zoo and gingerbread houses and then heading up to the Blackfoot Community Church for crafts, hot drinks and goodies and the Ovando School for the Craft Fair and lunch. Cowboy Claus was spotted riding down Highway 200 before arriving in Ovando just before 12 p.m. He met with local children and those...
BUTTE, MONTANA – The Ground Water Assessment Steering Committee finished ranking nominated projects for the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology’s Ground Water Investigation Program (MBMG/GWIP) Nov. 15. Seeley Lake’s nominated project to help understand the nitrogen contamination in groundwater fell just short of the fundable projects. In an email to the Missoula County-City Health Department, the nominator for Seeley Lake’s project, GWIP Manager Ginette Abdo explained that Seeley’s project fell just below the number of projects that MBMG coul...
As we conclude Native American Heritage Month, I suggest a great book for your enjoyment. Settle into a comfortable chair and read Rosalyn R. LaPier’s “Invisible Reality”. It is wonderful. LaPier will be presenting this book at Alpine Artisans’ Open Book Club on Saturday, Dec. 4 at 7 p.m. Through her extensive research, LaPier, a Native American and member of the Blackfeet tribe, provides us an objective and authentic view of the rich history and culture of the Blackfeet. At the same time, she brings that history and culture alive through...
SEELEY LAKE – Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) will reconstruct Highway 83 north of Salmon Lake starting about one mile south of Placid Lake Road and extending northerly approximately four miles, ending just south of Seeley Lake. The beginning of this project will tie into future construction project, Salmon Lake, which is tentatively scheduled for construction in 2022 and 2023. The project will reconstruct the road, which will provide improvements in the form of a new roadway surface, wider shoulders, turn lanes, safer roadside s...
MISSOULA – Missoula author and retired forester Stephen Arno has had an affinity for forests and trees since he could barely walk. Not only did his love lead to a career as a research forester but as an author he shares his passion for forestry with the general public. Arno recently released his latest book "Golden Trees of the Mountain West: A Natural History of Larch." In this 148-page book, Arno explores the ecology of western and alpine larch, their history with humans and their role in t...
Deeply rooted in Christian tradition, the period of Advent marks four weeks of spiritual preparation for the commemoration of the birth of Jesus. Centuries later, the count-down calendars have spawned a myriad of plants that wander far from those religious roots. Since the four weeks of Advent is a long stretch of time for young children to visualize, creative parents found simple ways to help their children count off the days. Chalking marks on a door or wall was popular in nineteenth century...
SEELEY LAKE – How often do you notice when the highway is decorated with litter? However, when the roadside is free of debris, motorists are quick to take it for granted. There is an army of volunteers, from organized groups to individuals, who keep local roadways clean through the Montana Department of Transportation Adopt A Highway (AAH) Program. In the spring and the fall, they walk their adopted stretch of highway and remove the trash that was intentionally, or unintentionally, lost. "I thin...
SEELEY LAKE - Each year Seeley Lake Lions Club distributes Holiday Food Baskets to area families in need of help, providing a holiday meal for Christmas. The Lions perform various fundraisers throughout the year to raise money to purchase turkey dinners, with all the trimmings for those in need. Besides fundraisers by the Lions Club, donations from the community have been made in the past. All groceries are purchased locally at Cory’s Valley Market. Cory’s employees assemble the food baskets, which are then distributed by Lions Club mem...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley –Swan High School Leos Club raised $1,240 and two turkeys for the Seeley-Swan Community Food Bank during their fourth annual Turkey Drive. Students collected donations at the Post Office, Rovero's and Cory's Valley Market throughout the day Thursday, Nov. 19. "These kids do this every year and it is just fantastic what they do for the Food Bank," said Karen Montgomery, President of the Food Bank. "Thank you, thank you." The Leos Club started the Turkey Drive in 201...
SWAN VALLEY – The Hungry Bear Bar & Grill offered a complimentary Thanksgiving feast as a customer appreciation on Wednesday, Nov. 24. Owners Rick Medeiros and Debbie Urick cooked 160 pounds of turkey that fed nearly 100 people from 12 – 8 p.m. Attendees included many locals from the Swan Valley and Seeley Lake as well as out-of-town visitors. The traditional turkey dinner included mashed potatoes, stuffing, green bean casserole, rolls and finished with pumpkin pie. Many said how much they app...
In celebration of 35 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 35 years as documented by the Pathfinder. 35 years ago: Dec. 4, 1986 issue Champion sells lakefront property Portions of the lakefront property surrounding Placid Lake,...
Donations sought for Seeley Lake Elementary Christmas Store SEELEY LAKE - Seeley Lake Elementary is seeking donations for their annual Christmas Store. They accept new and gently used items (no clothing) for all ages and also monetary donations to purchase gifts for the store. Every year there is a shortage of gifts for dads and boys. The Christmas Store is an opportunity for students to purchase gifts for their immediate family. Items are sold for $0.25 each. This year it will be held Tuesday, Dec. 21 at the school. Donations can be dropped...
SEELEY LAKE – The Montana Department of Transportation Project Team for the Clearwater Junction Intersection met with the public virtually and at an in-person open house Nov. 18 to share and gather feedback on the proposed alternatives, the evaluation process and the proposed solution. Installing a roundabout was the only alternative of the six evaluated that met all five criteria and is the preferred alternative. MDT is now entering the design phase of the project. While the timeframe has n...
While Montana’s outdoor recreation economy wasn’t spared the pandemic-spurred losses that swept the globe in 2020, it remained a cornerstone of the state’s economy, according to a report released today by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Outdoor recreation accounted for 4.3% of Montana’s GDP last year — a higher percentage than any other state. The next closest was Hawaii, with 3.8%. The report also found that Montana is toward the head of the pack for employment in the outdoor rec sector in 2020, with employment topping 26,000 jobs, or... Full story
SWAN VALLEY – It had been five years since she had seen the man behind the counter at Liquid Louie's but she recognized him. She asked, "Are you a preacher or something?" "Without explaining the details I said, 'Yeah,'" Eric Rydbom said and laughed. After sharing part of her faith journey and bad experiences with church, the customer told Rydbom she found a church in Florida that met in a bar. She and her husband really liked it because it was comfortable and it was really good. She asked him i...
SEELEY LAKE - Local vendors, artists and crafters offered their handmade crafts, art and creations at the Seeley Lake Community Hall Nov. 20 for the annual Holiday Bazaar. The Holiday Bazaar kicked off the holiday events in the area. For a pull-out list of events pick up this week's paper or visit seeleyswanevents.net...
MISSOULA – The Missoula County Commissioners voted Nov. 18 to approve the letter from the Seeley Lake Community Council to Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks requesting they reopen the Clearwater Junction RV Dump station. They also agreed to draft a cover letter to include with the Council's letter voicing their support. Seeley Lake Community Council Secretary Tom Browder presented the Council's letter and provided the Commissioners more information about the request. He said the Council felt the n...
SEELEY LAKE – Blackfoot Communications representatives presented the Seeley Lake Community Foundation with a $2,000 matching donation from CoBank through their "Sharing Success Program." Blackfoot donated $2,000 in July to help the Foundation alleviate funding gaps due to the continuing pandemic and address lingering community needs. CoBank's Sharing Success Program doubles the contributions of its customers to charitable organization and causes. Since Sharing Success was established in 2012, C...
More than 600 interviews on 1,106 analog tapes are now in a digital format as part of a program that supports the preservation of rare and unique audio, audiovisual and other media of high scholarly value. The completion of Voices of Labor: Preserving the Montanans at Work; Metals Manufacturing in Four Montana Communities; and New Deal in Montana Oral History Interviews Project, was made possible by a $32,000 grant from the national Council on Library and Information Resources Recordings at Risk program. The audio files, along with transcripts...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley Lake's winter air quality has improved since the community successfully replaced more than 160 old wood stoves with new, lower emission stoves during the 2012-2014 wood stove change out program. The Seeley Lake "Number of Winter Day Over 24-Hour PM2.5 Standard" graph shows that PM2.5 concentrations are trending down over the last nine winters. (Note: The winter of 2016-2017 had a long-lasting high-pressure ridge that caused high PM2.5 levels throughout western Montana.)...
SEELEY LAKE – At their Nov. 15 meeting, the Seeley Lake Elementary School Board denied the request from Missoula Electric Cooperative (MEC) for the Community Solar Project and approved the modified school calendar for second semester. The board also received several updates from Superintendent Josh Gibbs regarding the new SLE App for parents, COVID quarantine recommendations and use for the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funding At the September Board meeting, MEC presented a proposal to install a 47.6 kW Community S...
OVANDO - They say that the magic of Christmas lives in the hearts of the young and old – a magic that's cultivated over the years from our holiday memories. In the small town of Ovando, Montana, this magic has been gifted to locals and visitors alike for more than two decades. What began in the early-2000's as the Old West Christmas Fest, an event created by local business owners to drum up business for the once sleepy town, has blossomed into an event that draws attendance from the western half...
SEELEY LAKE – At their Nov. 18 meeting, the Seeley Lake Sewer District Board interviewed two candidates for the District Manager position, heard a presentation on an alternative sewer and voted to fund E-DNA testing on Seeley Lake. A vote to continue funding of a high school water-testing program on Morrell Creek failed. The Board interviewed David Losee and William (Bill) Decker for the open District Manager position. Both are Seeley Lake residents who live outside of the Sewer District and both said they would not rule out ever investing i...
SEELEY LAKE – At the Nov. 16 meeting, the Seeley Lake Fire Board approved negotiating a payment plan with a patient who is unable to pay their ambulance bill, received updates from Chief Dave Lane and heard concerns from members of the public. Lane presented the board with a request for assistance from a patient that was transported in the ambulance and cannot pay their bill. The individual does not have health insurance and demonstrated their inability to pay, however, he still feels patients need to be responsible adults and pay their fair s...
SWAN VALLEY – With standing room only at the Hungry Bear Bar & Grill, the Swan Song Trio made their debut singing together for the first time Saturday night. While local singers Mikayla Kay, Linda Ellison and Mikkie Gleason are no strangers to the microphone, this performance took their act to the next level. At different times all three ladies were singing at the Hungry Bear's Thursday night karaoke. "People noticed that the ladies were really bringing it," Ellison said. Hungry Bear Owner Rick... Full story
In celebration of 35 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 35 years as documented by the Pathfinder. 35 years ago: Nov. 26, 1986 issue Library may open to community Seeley Lake residents may have an opportunity to use the high school...
Scenic Montana Trails to hold first meeting, Dec. 2 SEELEY LAKE - The public is invited to attend a potluck and informational meeting held by the Scenic Montana Trails nonprofit organization, 6 p.m., Dec. 2 at the Seeley Lake Community Hall. The organization’s mission is to promote mechanized outdoor recreation for snowmobile, ATV/UTV and bicycle enthusiasts. Agenda includes: • 6 p.m. Welcome & Dinner • 7 p.m. Membership and Information sharing Scenic Montana Trails membership form and information page will be distributed. Picture Wild Monta...
Through mid-December $10 food bags for the Seeley-Swan Community Food Bank available at Cory's Valley Market. Sponsored by Veterans & Families of Seeley Lake. Through Dec. 13 Angel Tree at Potomac School. Choose a tag from the tree, purchase and wrap the gift and return to the school office with the tag attached by Monday, Dec. 13. Through Dec. 15 Giving Tree sponsored by Mountain Lakes Presbyterian Church at Cory's Valley Market. Check out cards on the tree at the check stand. Boxed, unwrapped... Full story
MISSOULA – The Seeley Lake Community Foundation (SLCF) was recognized by the Missoula Nonprofit Center (MNC) as this year’s Outstanding Foundation as part of their National Philanthropy Day Celebration Nov. 15. SLCF Executive Director Claire Muller said this recognition is a great way for the SLCF to cap off celebrating 21 years of service to the Seeley Lake community. She feels the honor must be given to everyone in the community who has supported the Foundation and worked to strengthen See...
SWAN VALLEY - Swan Valley veterans, their families and the community gathered with the American Legion Post 63 outside the Swan Valley Community Hall to celebrate local veterans Nov. 11. "We now know that each and every generation must give to keep this nation safe and free," Post 63 Commander Edward Klassen said. "This is a time to commemorate and honor those veterans." At the end of World War I on Nov. 11 the "eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month" of 1918 they signed the...
SEELEY LAKE – Every day before football practice started, senior Sawyer Shelmerdine would go get the keys from Head Coach Jay Crum and go unload the equipment shed for the team. He would have been the quarterback again this year but due to a knee injury he was sidelined. Because of his love of football and desire to stay involved he was the captain and team manager. "I just wanted to be there and try and help them out as much as I could," Shelmerdine said. Shelmerdine's dedication and leadership...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake is very close to having everything setup for a new Girl Scout Troop. The new Seeley Lake Troop is Troop 3436 with Chantel Lynch as the leader. The Troop is open to girls from kindergarten to sixth grade. However girls up to seniors in high school are welcome and can also join. The cost is $25 dollars from September to September. The first meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 1. Time and location to be announced. For more information about the troop, how to get involved call or text Lynch at 907-738-8657 or email c...
The holiday season is quickly approaching and Christmas tree permits are now available online or for pick-up at Lolo National Forest office locations. “Finding and cutting a Lolo National Forest Christmas tree is a long-standing tradition and a wonderful way to spend time with family and friends on National Forest lands,” said Kate Jerman, Lolo National Forest spokesperson. “This year we are offering permits online through Recreation.gov or by outdoor pick-up at office locations for public convenience.” All Lolo National Forest offices will of...
SEELEY LAKE - The Salmon Lake Highway Reconstruction project team presented proposed improvements to Highway 83 along the east side of Salmon Lake during two outreach meetings at the end of October. Montana Department of Transportation and Project Managers shared information about the proposed roadway widths, improved alignment, plans for slope mitigations and rockfall areas and other safety improvements. Construction is scheduled to begin in the fall of 2022 and be completed in the spring of 2024. MDT is working with HDR design consultant and...
SEELEY LAKE – Richard Manning is no stranger to Seeley Lake or to Alpine Artisans' literary events. Former journalist and author of 11 books, he has written about environmental issues, the American prairie, agriculture, poverty and collaborated with a Harvard medical professional to write about a healthier lifestyle based on a better understanding of our DNA. When he came to Open Book Club on Nov. 13 to present his latest book, "If It Sounds Good, It Is Good," he brought his guitar. Manning a...
SEELEY LAKE – At their Nov. 8 meeting, the Seeley Lake Community Council unanimously approved a letter to Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks asking them to repair and reopen the Clearwater Junction RV Dump station for the 2022 season. They also hosted a Senior Symposium with representatives from various groups and received several updates from Seeley Lake District Ranger Quinn Carver. Per the discussion from their October meeting, Council Secretary Tom Browder and Council member Bruce Friede drafted a letter to FWP Director Henry Worsech r...
SEELEY LAKE - At the Seeley Lake Veterans Day Ceremony Nov. 11, President of the Veterans and Families of Seeley Lake Barb Knopp spoke of the men and women who fought and continue to fight so we can maintain our democracy, our very way of life. She also talked about the meaning of the poppies. Because of its blood red color, the red poppy became a symbol to memorialize the soldiers who fought and died in World War I and subsequent wars and conflicts. They are traditionally sold as a fundraiser...
SWAN LAKE - On Saturday, Oct. 30 over 60 volunteers helped prepare Camp Ponderosa Veterans and Retreat Center for winter. They brought shovels, axes, weedwackers, wheelbarrows, tractors, chainsaws and two portable sawmills. TJ Wendt and Steve Perrone worked under camp managers Allen & Linda Erickson's direction to get the much-needed projects done before winter comes. Camp Ponderosa is located across Highway 83 from the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation District office at...
POTOMAC - Students and staff enjoyed a mild October day for the annual Potomac Bike-a-Thon. The entire school turned out for the event Oct. 20 including more than 90 students with teachers, staff and parents helping to guide traffic, punch mileage cards, walk with and cheer on the group. Motorists also got into the spirit with some honking and waving their support. Teacher Sarah Schmill noticed the support each year. She said, "Support of the event's purpose, support from the community, support...
In celebration of 35 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: Nov. 20, 1986 issue Governor's Cup and Seeley 200 get national attention Ron Ogden has worked with dogs as a hobby "since high school," but he says he was never prepared for the kind of publicity Seeley Lake would get from sled dog races. "There...
Free Developmental and Preschool Screening, Dec. 3 SEELEY LAKE – Missoula Area Education Cooperative is offering a free developmental and preschool clinic for children ages zero to five for Seeley Lake and Swan Valley School Districts. It will be held Friday, Dec. 3 from 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. at the Seeley Lake Elementary School. This free screening will include gross motor, fine motor, language concepts, communication concepts, communication skills, hearing and vision screening. Please call SLE at 406-677-2265 to schedule an appointment for your c...
SEELEY LAKE – Two weeks after graduation from high school-that's when Rockey Kennedy said his real education began. Kennedy grew up in Lone Pine, California, a little town tucked away in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. In 1958 he celebrated his 18th birthday in San Diego, in Navy boot camp. His dad, a World War II veteran who served under General Douglas MacArthur, had to sign a waiver so his son could join the U. S. Navy even though he hadn't quite turned 18. Kennedy said, "Being raised in a s...
SEELEY LAKE – Glacier Country Tourism (GCT) held a Town Hall session in Seeley Lake Nov. 1 to gather community input on their Destination Stewardship Plan. The session was the first of two meetings in Missoula County. A Virtual Town Hall is scheduled for the County Nov. 12 at 2 p.m. To participate visit https://partners.glaciermt.com/destination-stewardship/town-hall-meetings Glacier Country Regional Tourism Commission President CEO Racene Friede explained that originally, when Montana’s lodging tax was created in 1987, the money was mos...
MISSOULA COUNTY – Missoula County was among three counties statewide where voters passed an additional county-wide tax on recreational marijuana. The initiative to impose a three percent tax passed with a sweeping 78%. However, nearly 52% of voters rejected the tax proposed for medical marijuana. These numbers were the final election night report and are unofficial until canvass. In the 2020 general election, the majority of Montana voters approved Initiative 190 legalizing the sale and tax of marijuana. In the 2021 Montana legislative s...
SEELEY LAKE - Students from the Seeley Lake Elementary eighth grade class accompanied Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation Service Forester Brad French Oct. 12 on their first field trip in over a year. The intent of the field trip was to expose the students to forestry and the economic value of Seeley Lake's timber industry. The day consisted of three forestry-based stops. The first stop gave the students an opportunity to view an active logging site on the Montana Fish,...
BUTTE – An informational public meeting was held Nov. 4 to discuss projects nominated for the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology’s Ground Water Investigation Program (MBMG/GWIP). The Ground Water Assessment Steering Committee is in the process of ranking the nine nominated projects including a project in Seeley Lake. The Missoula County-City Heath Department nominated Seeley Lake for a groundwater study. In their nomination letter, the Heath Department explained that elevated nitrates were found in a 1998 study and continuous monitoring of...
SEELEY LAKE - Richard Manning's new book, "If It Sounds Good, It Is Good: Seeking Subversion, Transcendence and Solace in American Music" brings another side of his life to our attention, showing us here his passion and love of music and how he taught himself to play. He shows us that we all have music, it is fundamental, a need in our lives. His whole discussion of those whom he met and played with, the greats he learned from and the friends he makes. His love of music and his path to playing...
SEELEY LAKE - Want to know how to protect yourself from scams online? Have a cell phone/computer and do not know how to complete all the tasks you would like to from it? Want to know how to use Facebook and other social media apps more efficiently? Stop by the Seeley Lake Community Foundation West Wing, 3150 Highway 83, Tuesday, Nov. 16 between 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. and visit with volunteers to answer your technology questions, concerns and issues. The volunteers assisting are knowledgeable in several areas and can assist with different devices -...
POTOMAC - The Greenough-Potomac Fire Board discussed the Active Member Training and Attendance Standards Policy and received an update on the Blanchard Creek Property at their Nov. 2 meeting. Chair Scott Gordon presented the board with proposed minimum standards for volunteers to remain active members of the department. This was the second reading of the policy that the Board is scheduled to approve at the December meeting. In the proposed policy, active membership includes attending and participating in approximately 40 hours of annual active...
SEELEY LAKE - Residents and travelers will have two opportunities to learn more about the findings and recommendations from the Clearwater Junction Intersection study. The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) will host an in-person and virtual open house on Nov. 18. “Clearwater Junction serves as a connection for much of western Montana,” Bob Vosen, Missoula District Administrator, said. “The project team has been evaluating this intersection to find an option that will best meet residents’ and travelers’ needs all year long.” Bo...
SEELEY LAKE – Veterans Day has been a celebrated holiday in Seeley Lake for more than 30 years thanks local veterans and their families. While the Seeley Lake Veterans of Foreign War (VFW) Post 7992 surrendered their charter in May 2012, the mission and service to the community continued with the unaffiliated, non-profit Veterans and Families of Seeley Lake (VFSL). VFSL continues to support the local and oversees veterans, their families and other local charities that benefit the wider community...
MISSOULA - With the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention signing off on the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for ages 5 to 11 earlier this week, local healthcare providers and public health officials are encouraging parents to make an appointment to get their child vaccinated. Several healthcare providers in Missoula are offering vaccine clinics for children ages 5 to 11, including the Missoula City-County Health Department and Community Medical Center, starting this week. Missoula County Public Schools is also offering a clinic in partnership... Full story
Seeley Lake Library News SEELEY LAKE – During the month of November, the Seeley Lake Library will be closed Thursday, Nov. 11 for Veterans Day and Wednesday, Nov. 24 and Thursday, Nov. 25 for the Thanksgiving holiday. Starting Monday, Nov. 15 the Library will be open Mondays and Thursdays from 9:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. and Wednesdays from 9:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. For more information please call 406-677-8995. Energy Share helps with heating bills Are you or someone you know worried about how to pay heating bills? Energy Share of Montana is a private, 5...
In celebration of 35 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 35 years as documented by the Pathfinder. 35 years ago: Nov. 13, 1986 issue The dogcatcher is coming The increasing number of off-leash, unsupervised dogs in the Seeley Lake... Full story
GREENOUGH – Highway 200 was closed for more than six hours Saturday, Oct. 30 due to a fuel spill that covered all three lanes just past Sunset Hill Road at the top of Greenough Hill. Greenough-Potomac Volunteer Fire Department (GPVFD) and Missoula Rural Fire Department's Hazmat Team ran traffic control. Once the road was sanded, Highway 200 was opened around 10:30 p.m. As of Monday evening, Nov. 1, Montana Department of Transportation is still reporting loose gravel with reduced speeds of 35 m...
SEELEY LAKE – To look at the new home on Spruce Drive in Seeley Lake, no one would think it was built from the inside out. Seeley Lake resident and general contractor Chris Chitty built his home using engineered wood products including cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels and wood fiber insulation from the Czech Republic. While the mass timber panel industry is a new phenomenon in the United States, within the past five years it has started gaining popularity in constructing multi-story b...
SEELEY LAKE – Three schools in the state took advantage of the three-day week Oct. 18-20 and closed their doors to in-person learning. Darby, Glasgow and Livingston School Districts reported they either did not have enough employees to operate the schools, did not have enough substitutes to cover the absent staff or they wanted to provide time for the county to contact trace active COVID-19 cases. While none of the local schools have had to shift to remote learning due to staffing shortages, Seeley Lake Elementary, Seeley-Swan High School a...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Council will have its November meeting at 6 p.m. Monday, Nov. 8 at the Seeley Lake Historical Museum and Visitors Center, 2920 Highway 83N. Pizza and water will be served starting at 5:30 p.m. This meeting will be a Senior Symposium, providing an overview of the many services available to the senior population in the valley. Presenters will include Missoula Aging Services, Seeley Lake Community Foundation, the Seeley Lake Senior Center (Sela Senci), the Seeley Lake Community Food Bank and others. Don’t m...
Everyone is invited to join the Veterans & Families of Seeley Lake at the Veterans Memorial Garden north of Seeley Lake and the American Legion Post 63 at the Swan Valley Community Hall in Condon at 11 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 11 to celebrate and thank local veterans. Veterans Day originated as “Armistice Day” on Nov. 11, 1919, the first anniversary of the end of World War I. Congress passed a resolution for an annual observance so Nov. 11 became a national holiday beginning in 1938. Observing Veterans Day on Nov. 11, regardless of what day of the...
MISSOULA – Extended cooler weather and precipitation has prompted Missoula County fire protection agencies to reduce the fire danger in the Missoula area to Low. When fire danger is low, fuels do not ignite readily from small embers but will if a more intense heat source occurs. Fires in open, dry grasslands may burn freely a few hours after rain, but wood fires spread slowly by creeping or smoldering. Fire managers would like to re-iterate that LOW fire danger is not NO fire danger. “This recurring pattern of precipitation will definitely hit...
SEELEY LAKE – Premium, high quality, organic cannabis as well as western Montana-made handcrafted products are now available in the Bison and Bear Center. Dancing Goat Gardens Medical Cannabis Dispensary and Seed and Soil opened in September and will be hosting their Grand Opening Nov. 4 – 8. "I want to help people heal in a more natural way outside of big pharma products," said Melanie Blank, partner in Dancing Goat and owner of Seed and Soil. "It is so rewarding working in the cannabis industr...
In an effort to remove invasive water lilies from area lakes, the Clearwater Resource Council is looking forward to creating a mechanical harvester that will cut lily leaves and flowers mounted beneath a pontoon. This would allow the removal of invasive plants at a faster rate compared to non-mechanized methods. The blade would be mounted a few inches below the surface of the water. The leaves and flowers will then be captured between the two pontoons as a screen affixed to the back of the boat will prevent plant fragments from escaping. This...
Missoula County Treasurer Satellite Office schedule change SEELEY LAKE – Due to Veterans Day and Thanksgiving holidays falling on the normal business days for the Missoula County Treasurer’s Satellite Office, 3360 Highway 83, the days have been changed for November. The Satellite Office will be open Friday, Nov. 12 and Wednesday, Nov. 24 regular hours: 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Local Food Bag Drive at Cory’s Valley Market SEELEY LAKE - The Veterans and Families of Seeley Lake (VFSL) started their annual food drive at Cory’s...
MISSOULA – After the first two weekends of big game season, west-central Montana hunter check stations show that elk harvest is off to a slow start, but hunter traffic through the stations is up from last season. The number of hunter trips through the Darby, Bonner and Anaconda check stations totaled 3,387 for the first two weekends of the season, up eight percent from this point in the 2020 season. Those hunters checked enough deer to keep deer harvest on track with last year, while the 92 elk reported so far marks a five-year low. At the c...
The long talked about Salmon Lake Highway Reconstruction project appears to finally be coming to fruition. Most of this highway stretch replaced the original wagon road into Seeley Lake country in the early 1920s. Early ways into the valley were from the east and the west. The earliest main transportation route to and through here was via the Jocko Trail used by aboriginal peoples for ages coming from today’s Mission Valley. That trail comes from Jocko Pass, down Placid Creek, over Hill16/Tuppers Lake vicinity to the Riverview area south of S...
Fall is the time of year blue-green algae blooms are commonly identified due to temperature patterns and end-of-summer nutrient processes. A potentially toxic algae bloom on Seeley Lake was reported to MT DEQ on Oct. 18. Unfortunately, due to reporting delays, water samples were not tested until the following Monday. Though the test results were negative for toxins, we cannot rule out the possibility that toxins may have been present at the time the suspected bloom was originally reported. Reporting a suspected bloom to Montana Department of...
The geographic and temporal sweep of Montana’s wolf trapping and snaring regulations shrank Thursday when the state Fish and Wildlife Commission approved a measure that brings those regulations into alignment with legal settlements governing management of grizzly bears and Canada lynx, two federally protected species that share habitat with wolves. Wolf trapping areas that overlap with grizzly habitat will now have a default season start date of Dec. 31, when grizzly bears will be in their dens. The commission also approved a regulation c... Full story
SEELEY LAKE - The community came out for several events in Seeley Lake on Halloween night. The annual Trunk-or-Treat event was a great hit with local law enforcement and emergency responders along with nearly dozen trunks for children to visit. The Pet Parade featured five dogs showing off their costumes and doing tricks on stage. Several children dressed as animals also joined in the fun showing off their costumes and doing their best impressions. To cap off the night, Tamaracks Resort hosted...
SWAN VALLEY - Trick-or-Treaters showed up at the Hungry Bear Bar & Grill Halloween night for the third annual Condon Truck-or-Treat. Nearly a dozen trunks lined the parking lot. Pizza and goodies were available for everyone as well as lots of candy....
In celebration of 35 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 35 years as documented by the Pathfinder. 35 years ago: Nov. 6, 1986 issue A downhill ski resort? Study of Mount Henry begins The idea of a downhill ski area in the Clearwater... Full story
SEELEY LAKE – Katy Pellett has always been a self-proclaimed "English buff." She looks forward to bringing her love of the English language and storytelling to Seeley-Swan High School and helping her English and drama students understand the power of stories. Pellett grew up in a military family. She has been reading, writing and telling stories to anyone who will listen for a very long time. Her grandmother Betty Sperry, who was a teacher from Mississippi, identified that Pellett was d...
WASHINGTON, DC – The Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Act (BCSA) received its first hearing in the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Oct. 19. This was following Montana Senator Jon Tester’s reintroduction of the bill in April. Montana Senator Steve Daines, member of the committee, testified that he would like to see more balance. He proposed that along with the nearly 80,000 acres of new Wilderness proposed in the BCSA, that there would be a corresponding release of Wilderness Study Areas (WSA) that are deemed not suitable Wil...
SEELEY LAKE – Standing behind a table with all kinds of different traps, trapper Bob Sheppard ask if anyone had ever done any trapping. Only a few people raised their hands. However, everyone raised their hand when he asked if people had used a mouse trap. "That is all these are, a tool, just like a screw driver for an electrician," Sheppard said. "There are different sizes for the different animals. We have a variety of animals out there. You don't use a mouse trap to catch an elephant or an e...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Fire Department was dispatched to a structure fire on Tamarack Drive on Monday, Oct. 18 just after 11 p.m. According to Fire Chief Dave Lane, volunteer firefighters extinguished the fire and left the scene around 3 a.m. Tuesday morning. They were called back within an hour to the trailer that was 25 percent involved when he arrived. Lane said he determined the initial start was electrical in origin. However, the second start was suspicious. No one was injured and t...
SEELEY LAKE – Everyone is invited out for the trunks, tricks and treats around Seeley Lake and Condon Halloween night this weekend. • Saturday night, Oct. 30 there are plenty of Halloween gatherings at local establishments. Check out the advertisements in the paper for plenty of adult opportunities to dress up and party. • All day Sunday, Oct. 31, Stageline Pizza is offering one free slice of pizza to students in costume. • Pack the parking lot at Seeley Lake Elementary for the eighth annual Trunk-or-Treat event Oct. 31. Trunks can start b...
SEELEY LAKE — The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) invites the public to attend an in-person open house public meeting or an online meeting to discuss the proposed improvements to Highway 83 along the east side of Salmon Lake. This is part of the Salmon Lake Highway Reconstruction project. The project team has finished the design for the roadway alignment. MDT will present information about the proposed roadway widths, how they plan to improve slopes and rockfall areas, and other safety improvements. Construction is scheduled to b...
MISSOULA - In an effort to more effectively meet the public health needs of the community, the Missoula City-County Health Department (MCCHD) is automating much of its COVID-19 response activities. This includes a shift from quarantine orders to recommendations for most close contacts. This will increase efficiency and allow for information to make its way more quickly to individuals who have been exposed to the virus. The Health Department is implementing these changes based on recommendations from community members and in response to the... Full story
MISSOULA - While many of us are feeling the chill of winter approaching, wildland firefighters in Missoula County are still feeling the heat of fire season as they run from one end of the county to the other, working long hours to put out wildfires caused by human carelessness. Eight human caused wildfires occurred in Missoula County over this past week, the result of abandoned campfires, illegal debris burning and careless sparks. Missoula County Fire Protection Association fire managers want to remind residents and visitors that fire danger...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Sewer District Board discussed the hiring process for a manager, water testing and hosted representatives from two wastewater treatment companies at their Oct. 21 meeting. The District has received two applicants for its open Interim District Manager position from Seeley Lake residents. While a job description was approved in July, the interview process and interview questions for the position were not created. The Board voted to approve the interview questions at the November meeting ahead of interviewing the a...
PLACID LAKE – This past week, the Montana Conservation Corps and Seeley Lake ROCKS volunteers connected the Lake View Trail near the west end of Placid Lake to Tuppers Lake. This is another link in the Placid Lake Trails that ROCKS has been working on for the past several years. ROCKS worked in close coordination with The Nature Conservancy and MCC to build the connector trail. While it is less than a tenth of a mile, the entire connector was put in by hand which included digging a ditch. The p...
Glacier Country Regional Tourism Commission is creating a first-ever Destination Stewardship Plan to support the region’s biggest economic driver while preserving the quality of life for residents and quality of place for visitors. The success of this project depends on having engagement from both residents and stakeholders from across the entire region. Residents are invited to share their hopes, concerns and ideas in an engaging Town Hall led by two tourism experts — Jim McCaul of MMGY NextFactor and Cathy Ritter of Better Destinations. MMG...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Fire District welcomed three new members and promoted a new captain at the board of trustee Oct. 19 meeting. Members of the public also commented on recruitment. The Fire Chief Dave Lane welcomed new members Walker McDonald, Steve Larmour and Dave Lewis during the pinning ceremony. They all have completed their task books and are active members. "They are doing great with the department and responding to calls," Lane said. John Baker became a new member in J...
The start of the general deer and elk hunting season produced the highest number of harvested white-tailed deer at game check stations in northwest Montana Region 1 since 2017. In west-central Montana Region 2, big game hunting season got off to a good start with steady hunter traffic through the four hunter check stations and a harvest on track with last year’s opener. Region 1 update Overall, hunters in northwest Montana (Region 1) reported harvesting 209 white-tailed deer, including 102 bucks, as well as 12 mule deer and 21 elk at four c...
Wildfire & Elk Nutrition Zoom Presentation Nov. 3 SWAN VALLEY - Join Swan Valley Connections and University of Montana grad student Lauren Snobl via Zoom for a presentation Nov. 3 at 6:30 p.m. regarding the impacts of the 2017 Rice Ridge fire on elk forage. Wildfire affects the nutritional landscape for all wildlife, including elk. The quality and quantity of summer forage directly affects female elk survival, pregnancy and much more. Snobl will share findings from research conducted with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks on the Blackfoot-Clearwat...
In celebration of 35 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 35 years as documented by the Pathfinder. 35 years ago: Oct. 30, 1986 issue Condon has 911 Swan Valley residents whose phones have the "754" prefix may now reach 911... Full story
SEELEY LAKE – At their Monday, Oct. 11 meeting, the Seeley Lake Community Council voted to send a letter to Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks asking them to fix the RV Dump Station at Clearwater Junction by next spring. They also discussed the speed limit radar signs. Council member Bruce Friede started the conversation regarding the RV Dump at the Clearwater Junction. He said there are 15 campgrounds in the area from Ovando on Highway 200 north on Highway 83 to Holland Lake. This does not include all the RV dispersed camping that happens in the...
SEELEY LAKE – Conversation was lively following the "Tell Us Your Story" event Oct. 14. New connections had been made simply by listening to each share about their life and experiences - "I didn't know we both rode the bus to Missoula for high school," "Now I know who you are when I see you at the gym," "You're the one who works with that organization...I need to talk to you." The storytelling event featured residents who shared their stories about why they moved to the area and why they love it...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley-Swan High School celebrated homecoming last weekend. The students worked Friday morning creating their class floats for the parade Saturday. Fans enjoyed a barbecue put on by the SSHS Booster Club while the Blackhawks took on Flint Creek Friday night, Oct. 15. Saturday morning the classes took to Highway 83 for their annual Homecoming Parade. The junior class won the class competition with their pirate ship float. The Lady Blackhawks took on Hot Springs Savage Heat Saturday...
MISSOULA - Missoula County is seeking public input on the new Housing Action Plan: Breaking Ground. The County developed the draft plan in response to the rapidly evolving housing market in the County and the growing population that has created an undersupply of housing at all price points. Seeley Lake is specifically mentioned with Lolo to increase housing supply by accelerating planning for and investment in infrastructure (sewer, water, roads, broadband and transit). Missoula County has a shortage of about 2,400 housing units, with home...
The Clearwater Unit of the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation plans to conduct prescribed pile burning this fall. The area covered will be on School Trust Lands within the rough area of Greenough, Seeley Lake and Lincoln, Montana. These burns will be approved by Montana Idaho Airshed Group (a cooperative group including federal, state, and county groups and the forest industry) to determine quality days to burn. The piles we will be burning are from timber harvest and pre-commercial thinnings. Like many situations, nature...
SEELEY LAKE – After several inquiries regarding a Girl Scout troop in the area, Ben Stone, member experience manager out of the Girl Scouts of America Missoula Office, is excited to pursue the opportunity to start a troop in Seeley Lake. There will be a troop formation meeting 4-5:15 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 28 at the Seeley Lake Community Foundation West Wing for girls kindergarten through sixth grade and their parents. Everyone is invited to come learn more about Girl Scouts and starting a troop. There will be activities for the girls. Stone said...
On a hike in Montana's forests, only a fool would dispute the advice to keep your eyes peeled for bears. But peeling one's eyes sounds painful. Where did that expression come from? One proffered origin links the phrase to Robert Peel. As Chief Secretary for Ireland, Peel established the Royal Irish Constabulary in 1814. Constables, i.e., those Peel appointed to keep the King's peace, picked up the nickname "peelers." Presumably the name referred to Peel's directive that they were to keep their...
POTOMAC – At their Oct. 11 meeting, the Potomac School Board continued discussion on paving handicap parking spaces and ADA playground equipment in response to the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) complaint. They also approved the eighth grade capstone trip plans with World Strides in Tampa, Florida and continued discussions on the Strategic Plan and Goals, Curriculum Management Policy and Plan and the professional responsibilities and goals for the principal. During public comment, a representative from the Blackfoot Church expressed several c...
MISSOULA – At their Oct. 12 meeting, the Missoula County Public School Board extended the mask mandate for MCPS schools with a vote of 8-2. The board will reevaluate the decision at their November meeting where they also hope to also consider parameters created by the MCPS COVID Task Force that would give them metrics and measurable targets to lift the mask mandate. Superintendent Rob Watson presented various COVID statistics for MCPS. As of Friday, Oct .8, there have been 283 total cases since the start of school including 240 students, four o...
SWAN VALLEY – At their Oct. 12 meeting, the Swan Valley School board accepted trustee Randy Williams’ resignation, reorganized and discussed the threshold that they would implement a face covering requirement. The board will consider the Montana School Board Association’s policies regarding face coverings at their Nov. 9 meeting. After several years of serving on the Board, Williams sent a note of resignation effective immediately. He said it was an honor and privilege to serve on the board but his life has changed and he is no longer available...
On a 159-acre working forestland east of Bonner, Dave Atkins' personal and professional interests overlap. There, in a stand of dry conifer forest populated with ponderosa pine, Douglas fir and the occasional western larch, Atkins tinkers with forest management techniques he's learned over the past half-century in an effort to better equip his property for the changing conditions of the next 100 years. Now retired, Atkins had a long career with the U.S. Forest Service that spanned several... Full story
In celebration of 35 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 35 years as documented by the Pathfinder. 35 years ago: Oct. 23, 1986 issue Frosty morning ride Thirty-one kindergartners from Seeley Lake Elementary went on a brisk hayride... Full story
Just after 11 p.m. Monday, Oct. 18, a mobile home on Tamarack Drive was destroyed by fire. Neighbors worked to keep the flames from spreading to adjacent property until volunteer firefighters arrived. Full story will be available next week....
MISSOULA - The cause of the Plant Creek Fire, which was reported on Monday, October 18, is under investigation. Forest Service Law Enforcement is asking for the public's help in identifying the driver of the pictured black and red Polaris side-by-side. The black and red side-by-side was driven in the Miller Creek area on the afternoon of Sunday, October 17, and the driver may have information regarding the cause of the Plant Creek Fire. The side-by-side was driven by a white, bald, middle-aged... Full story
Death Notice – Joseph G. “Joe” Piche SEELEY LAKE - Joseph G. “Joe” Piche, 59, passed away early in the morning Thursday, Oct. 14 at his mother’s home in Missoula. Brothers Mortuary and Crematory are honored to care for the family. Memories and condolences may be shared with the family at www.brothersmortuary.com MBF Kids Club to host Harvest Party, Oct. 25 SEELEY LAKE – MBF Kids Club is restarting Oct. 25. They will pick up kindergartners through sixth graders after school at Seeley Lake Elementary on Mondays for a fun afternoon of snacks, ga...
POTOMAC – There is a new sign on Highway 200 that welcomes motorists to the Potomac Valley as they travel east and wishes them "Happy Trails" as they leave the valley. After the nearly two year permitting process, the Potomac Valley 4-H Club (Club) is excited to not only identify the area as people pass through and welcome them to the community but also make it known there is an active 4-H Club in the Potomac Valley and demonstrate the pride the Club has in their community. "4-H is entwined i...
SEELEY LAKE – In less than 30 minutes chainsaw artist Scott Thompson turned a five-foot pine log into a gnome sitting on a mushroom. His sense of humor added laughter and conversation to the demonstration as he shared his passion and knowledge of sculpting with a chain saw. Thompson was one of 15 artists that shared their work in their studios, galleries and museums scattered throughout the Seeley-Swan and the Blackfoot Valleys for the Alpine Artisan's 18th annual Tour of the Arts Oct. 9 -10. T...
"We did it, we made it to Canada," 20-year-old Seeley Lake resident Kyle Peltier said as he approached the northern terminus monument at Canada. After five months and one day hiking the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), 2,650+ miles from the United States southern border to Canada, Peltier met his goal. Not only had he pushed his body physically but won a mental battle that gave him a stronger sense of identity and a better understanding of a simple life. Peltier started the PCT April 11 with a goal...
Patti Chamberlin had a visitor to her place. While no damage was done, the black bear's curiosity was definitely peaked by the bear statue on her porch....
SEELEY LAKE – It is Homecoming week in the Seeley-Swan and the community is invited to come out and support the Blackhawks Friday, Oct. 15 and Saturday, Oct. 16. Friday night the Blackhawks take to the field against Flint Creek at 7 p.m. Seniors will be recognized prior to the game. The Seeley Swan Boosters Club will also be offering a “bagged” barbecue at the football game, similar to last year. It will include a burger, bag of chips, cookie and a drink for $5. Saturday morning the community is invited to attend the Homecoming Parade on Highwa...
Livingston poet Marc Beaudin will read from and discuss his new collection, "Life List: Poems" on Saturday, Oct. 16 at the West Wing of the Seeley Lake Community Foundation. The free event begins at 7 p.m. and is open to the public. A kind of field guide to the birds in poetry, "Life List" includes over 70 poems that each feature a bird from Beaudin's own life list (currently at nearly 400 species). According to the publisher, the book "pays tribute to the birds that have flown through Beaudin's...
This past week Missoula County again broke several COVID-19 records. Also, in an effort to streamline case investigations and contact tracing efforts, the Missoula City-County Health Department (MCCHD) is implementing several changes. Friday, Oct. 8 Missoula County broke the record for the daily COVID-19 cases at 178 and the incidence rate of 96 cases per 100,000 people per day over the last seven days. Missoula County is one hospitalization short of tying the patient record of 57. Furthermore, seven Missoula County residents have died from... Full story
As wildfire season slows down, firefighters across the Lolo and Flathead National Forests have shifted their focus to prescribed burning operations. This will reduce hazardous fuels, restore wildlife habitat and better protect communities from future wildfires. Fall prescribed fire projects will be conducted when weather, fuel conditions and air quality become favorable. Smoke will be visible from various places in the Clearwater and Swan Valleys depending on the location of the burn units and...
The Montana Trappers Association (MTA) is hosting a free Pet Release Clinic Oct. 18 starting at 5:30 p.m. at the Seeley Lake Community Foundation West Wing. This is an educational opportunity to learn how to release a pet if it is caught in a trap. Also across the state, the Montana Fur Harvesters and MTA are hosting educational clinics on the responsible strategies and techniques for snaring wolves. Ovando Trapper Bob Sheppard will teach the Pet Release Clinic on Monday. The clinic will cover...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake native David Cahoon is looking forward to working as the Seeley Lake Elementary kindergarten – eighth grade (K-8) physical education teacher, a position he has been waiting for since he got his teaching degree in 2017. His hopes his students will learn healthy interactions and balance through the units as they grow physically and mentally. "[Teaching them] You aren't going to win every time, you aren't going to lose every time. It is how you react and come out of tho...
Beginning Oct. 24, all local calls in Montana must be dialed with the 406 area code to connect. Montana’s 406 area code currently allows seven-digit dialing to complete local calls. That will change this month due to a Federal Communications Commission order designating 988 as the new, nationwide, 3-digit number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Some seven-digit phone numbers in Montana’s 406 area code begin with 988. To prevent misdialing the 988 Lifeline, all local calls in Montana must be dialed with the area code. The 10-...
SEELEY LAKE – The community is invited to join Seeley Swan Pathfinder Publisher Nathan Bourne Thursday, Oct. 21 at 2 p.m. for an informational presentation on how to use the community events calendar located at SeeleySwanEvents.net. This event will be held via ZOOM to allow attendees to actively participate in the training on their home computer. The idea for the online community calendar came about in early 2020 when Alpine Artisans’ Program Director Jenny Rohrer invited representatives from several local groups to discuss creating an all-incl...
MISSOULA – The University of Montana-sponsored Family Medicine Residency of Western Montana has expanded its resident physician medical services to Partnership Health Center's Seeley Lake Clinic. The expanded service was made possible by a federal grant through the Health Resources & Services Administration. The residency program is one of 20 organizations nationally to receive the HRSA grant, with the goal of increasing rural training and exposure for resident physicians specializing in f...
GREENOUGH: Monday, Oct. 4 third grade students from Bonner learned more about their surroundings and the recreation offered at Montana State Parks. Developed by State Parks AmeriCorps member Hillary Sward and led by State Park staff and other AmeriCorps members, the first "Junior Ranger Day" held at Salmon Lake State Park taught students about camping, fishing, water safety and their natural surroundings. Prior to becoming an AmeriCorps volunteer, Sward taught 5-12 grade bands. She attended the...
In celebration of 35 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 35 years as documented by the Pathfinder. 35 years ago: Oct. 16, 1986 issue - Community Survey First impressions Computers began to digest the preliminary data from the... Full story
Drought Management Plan webinar, Oct. 14 Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is working with the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, the Governor’s office, regional stakeholder groups and the public on updating the statewide Drought Management Plan. The public is invited to join an informative webinar Oct. 14 from 1:30 - 2:30 p.m. to learn more about the update and the many ways to get involved. Stakeholder engagement and participation in the planning process are central to building and enhancing Montana’s drought res...
SEELEY LAKE – While several decades have passed since horses were used to log on the Double Arrow Ranch, last Monday a pair of horses and mules owned by Rob Henrekin and his daughter Jess Lehl helped clean up the Whitetail Aspen Commons. The Double Arrow Land Owner Association (DARLOA) Parks & Resources Committee Chair Tom Browder said the method was a perfect fit for the area. "What old is new again," Browder said. "Now we have this example ...and maybe some other folks in the area that have m...
SEELEY LAKE – Ginger Williams was often seen this summer picking up trash or watering flowers along Highway 83. "I love Seeley Lake," Williams wrote in an email. "I have lived here over 40 years. With all the tourism that has come into our community [this summer], I wanted to spruce 'downtown' up a bit especially in front of the businesses that could use a little help since everyone was so busy." Williams wasn't the only one who volunteered her time to help improve the Highway 83 corridor. O...
SALMON LAKE – On Oct. 3 at approximately 6:59 p.m. a call was received for a three vehicle head-on crash. Following the investigation, Montana Highway Patrol Trooper Mary Strumpfer determined it was two separate accidents. No life-threatening injuries were reported. The cause of the head-on collision is still under investigation. The two crashes occurred north of Salmon Lake around mile marker nine on Highway 83. When officers arrived, Strumpfer said Highway 83 was completely blocked. While t...
Alpine Artisans' popular Tour of the Arts returns for its 18th year with over 15 artists at work in their studios, galleries and museums scattered throughout the Seeley-Swan and the Blackfoot Valleys. Held Oct. 9-10 to capture the height of the colorful yellow and golden western larch, the Tour features local artists showing a wide variety of their work. In addition, wood carvers and wood workers will offer live demonstrations. Please note that two studios featured in the Tour brochure will be...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Council will hold its October meeting on Monday, Oct. 11 at 6 p.m. This will be a virtual meeting via Zoom All members of the community are encouraged to join, and a full agenda will be posted on the Seeley Lake Community Council Facebook page prior to the meeting. There will be an update from the Sewer District by board member Cheri Thompson, and an update on Forest Service activities by District Ranger Quinn Carver. In addition, the Council will consider new bylaws recommended by the county...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake Elementary received a $1,000 donation from Recycling Works following two glass recycling events in Seeley Lake. The donation will be used to purchase outdoor equipment for students to use during recess. Recycling Works received a $1,575 grant through the Seeley Lake Community Foundation to offer glass recycling to local residents. Participants were asked to donate $1 per gallon with 100% of the donations benefiting the local schools. Recycling Works approached SLE S...
SEELEY LAKE - Want to know how to protect yourself from scams online? Have a cell phone/computer and do not know how to complete all the tasks you would like to from it? Want to know how to use Facebook and other social medias more efficiently? Stop by the Seeley Lake Community Foundation West Wing Thursday, Oct. 14 between 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. and visit with volunteers to answer your technology questions, concerns and issues. The volunteers assisting are knowledgeable in several areas and can assist you with help on all different devices; from...
POTOMAC – At their special meeting Sept. 20 Potomac School board tabled the decision to amend their Return to School Policy and 1900 Series. They picked up the discussion and unanimously approved the amendments as well as approved COVID pay for certified and classified staff at their Sept. 27 special meeting. Board Trustee Wes Mitchell proposed the idea to review the entire Return to School policy and 1900 series following the school’s shift to remote learning Sept. 20. “Seeing the effect and knowing how this is affecting everyone and how t...
SEELEY LAKE - Thomas Boelman will bring his years of carpentry experience to Seeley-Swan High School's art and industrial arts classes this year. Boelman graduated from ITT Technical Institute in Indiana with an architectural engineering degree in 1979. He then graduated in 1984 with a B.A. in liberal arts with an emphasis on theater from Hope College in Michigan. He got his master's degree in scenic and lighting design in 1997 from the University of Montana. He taught scenic and lighting...
Calling all trunks for the annual Trunk-or Treat events in Seeley Lake and Condon Sunday, Oct. 31. Cabins are also available to decorate and welcome tricker treaters at the Tamaracks Resort. The Trunk-or-Treat will return for its eighth year at Seeley Lake Elementary from 4:30 – 6 p.m. and its third year at the Hungry Bear Bar and Grill from 4:30 – 7 p.m. in Condon. Starting at 6:30 p.m. the community is invited to attend the Tricks and Treats events at Tamaracks Resort. Members of the community are invited to decorate a trunk and line the SLE...
Seeley Lake Senior Center closed for congregate meals SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Senior Center is closed for congregate meals until further notice. It continues to offer carry out and delivered meals. Please call 406-677-2008 the night before or by 8 a.m. the day of and leave a message with the number of meals. Carry out meals can be picked up between 10:45 - 11:30 a.m. Fall Larch Walk, Oct. 9 SEELEY LAKE – Everyone is invited to join Clearwater Resources Council for a fall Larch Walk through Girard Grove Oct. 9 from 11:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. Due...
In celebration of 35 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 35 years as documented by the Pathfinder. 35 years ago: Oct. 9, 1986 issue Bomb drops on junior high plan Seeley Elementary trustees may have to rethink their game plan for th... Full story
Sitting around the shop table, local trappers Bob Sheppard and Rob Henrekin discussed the expanded wolf hunting and trapping regulations approved by the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission this past August. Changes implemented include raising the statewide quota to 450 wolves before review, increasing and removing regional quotas and doubling the total wolves allowed per hunter/trapper from five to 10. The Commission also extending the wolf trapping season and legalized neck snares, baiting...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Fire Department opened up the Fire Hall and offered a barbecue to the community Saturday, Sept. 25. Community members had the chance to check out and learn about all the new equipment the department has acquired over the past few years and the children enjoyed checking out the ambulance and fire engines. "It was a success," said EMS Lieutenant Rita Rossi. "People enjoyed the food, the community and learning what we have." "It was a great opportunity to have the p...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Community Hall was filled with laughter, hugs and smiles as around 50 graduates from Seeley-Swan High School classes 1965-1975 shared memories, stories and reconnected. While there were plenty of games and other activities, conversation in small groups of friends dominated the afternoon. There was also a memorial where graduates could honor other graduates that have passed. A handful of the graduates still live in the Seeley-Swan while others traveled from around t...
A small group of folks in the valley, not connected with any particular group or organization, are starting an effort to enable each of us to better understand and appreciate an inclusive sense of our community of Seeley Lake and the Clearwater Valley. We care deeply about our community, both the people and this place we call home. A community, we believe, is made up of two distinct but connected features: • First, it is made up of various groups of people, often being distinct from each other. Human nature makes us most comfortable living and...
SWAN VALLEY - The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation is planning to complete prescribed fire operations this fall. A prescribed fire burn plan is created for each project to establish control measures to meet project objectives. Careful monitoring of fuel moisture, temperatures, relative humidity, wind and forecasted weather systems ensures parameters identified in the burn plan are met and determines if conditions are favorable to safely and will meet project objectives. Prescribed fire is used by forest managers to...
MISSOULA - The 1971 Smokejumper New Man Class had a 50th reunion in Missoula on Sept. 21 and Sept. 22. The reunion included a flight in Miss Montana, the restored C-47 aircraft. Among the 18 in attendance from the 1971 New Man Class was Missoula County Sergeant Robert Parcell. Parcell was among the 39 graduates of the 50 that started rookie training. He jumped from 1971 – 1974 and again from 1980-1983 after serving with the Marine Corps. In the late 1980's and early 1990's, Parcell was the o...
SEELEY LAKE – Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are seeking information on a female grizzly bear that was shot and killed in the Woodworth area south of Seeley Lake. The bear was discovered by a local landowner on Sept. 8, south of Woodworth Road on the boundary of the Blackfoot Clearwater Wildlife Management Area. Wildlife officials investigated the scene and determined that the bear had two gunshot wounds and was likely killed sometime during the first weekend of September. The adult female grizzly had b...
SEELEY LAKE – At the Seeley Lake Fire Board Sept. 21 meeting, the Fire Chief Dave Lane provided updates regarding calls, grants and staffing. As of August 2021, the Department has responded to 267 calls this year, up 66 calls from August 2020. This is a 24% increase. Lane said he believes this is the highest call volume the District has had to-date based on historic call records he has found. The District recently received a $3,000 Missoula County Fire Protection Association grant. This grant must used for wildland firefighting gear and/or p...
SEELEY LAKE – "To walk into a library and be called by name by a librarian who knows your reading interests and even remembers your dog's name – [Sue Stone] is a treasure," wrote long-time Seeley Lake Community Library patron Cathy Harrits in an email. "We'll miss Sue!" Susan Stone has been the Missoula Public Library Seeley Lake Branch librarian since October, 1994. She is taking an early retirement starting Nov. 3. In her 27 years, Stone has watched the transition from print to digital, con...
MISSOULA - On Monday, the Missoula City County Health Department started offering booster doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to eligible county residents. Missoula City County Health Department COVID-19 Incident Commander Cindy Farr said the boosters will be available at the department’s vaccine site at Southgate Mall. “We’re looking forward to helping county residents, but it’s important to remember there are some limitations to the boosters,” Farr said. • Boosters are for patients aged 65 and older and residents of long-term care facili... Full story
Interaction between the speakers and the audience at the Roads and Trails program presented Aug. 7 by the Upper Swan Valley Historical Society generated additional tales worth sharing. These short stories wrap up the eight-week series. Dances Someone from the audience asked Leita Andersen, to "tell that story about the time you were going to a dance and the car broke down on the road and the weather was like forty degrees below and you had on silk stockings..." Leita obliged. "At that time,"...
SWAN VALLEY - Daniel Bernt, 10, of Condon won the book "Big Bear Feet" from the Swan Valley Library after he participated in the library's summer reading program. He read 50 books to win the prize....
SEELEY LAKE – The Quarteto Nuevo concert Sept. 26 was a concert of firsts. This was the first 2 Valleys Stage (2VS) concert in 18 months, the first 2VS concert hosted by a local business and the first performance in the concert series held outside. The founders of 2VS were also present and it was the first for many of the more than 75 in attendance hearing a world chamber jazz ensemble. Rolly Meinholtz and his wife Peggy of Missoula started 2VS in May 2002. The original goal was to bring live p...
Seeley Lake Senior Center activities canceled, meals continue SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Senior Center has canceled activities including Mexican Train, bingo, bridge and pinochle until further notice. Meals will continue to be served in the congregate setting, carry out or delivery. Call before 8 a.m. to order. Open burning opens Oct. 1 MISSOULA - In response to predicted weather, stable current and predicted fire danger indices, air quality and historical data, fire managers decided to reopen prescribed wildland and essential agriculture b...
In celebration of 35 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 35 years as documented by the Pathfinder. 35 years ago: Oct. 2, 1986 issue No new Post Office 'til late 1987 Seeley Lake residents concerned about the location of the...
With the favorable moisture recovery in the area, the Seeley Lake Ranger District is in prescription to take on some fall prescribed burning. Over the next two days, the District will be lighting East Colt Summit, a 550 acre unit on the east side of Highway 83 15 miles north of Seeley Lake across from Summit Lake. Smoke may be visible from Seeley Lake, Holland Lake, Rovero's Flats and the Highway 83 corridor. District Ranger Quinn Carver said the unit has been logged and prepped for the past...
POTOMAC - By Monday afternoon, Sept. 20, Potomac School received notice of positive COVID test results from students in each of its six cohort groups. Principal John Rouse said all students were sent home and virtual instruction began Tuesday. At the start of the 2020-2021 school year, Potomac School established classes as cohort groups. They are prekindergarten; kindergarten; first grade; second and third grade combined; fourth and fifth grade combined; and sixth, seventh and eighth combined....
MISSOULA COUNTY – With the seven day rolling average of active cases per 100,000 people hitting a new record high of 87 on Friday, Sept. 17 and active cases above 1,150, Missoula County leaders made a plea for residents to get vaccinated, social distance and go back to the basics of wearing a mask, hand washing, limiting social circles and staying home if sick. Missoula City-County Health Officer D'Shane Barnett said the numbers are such that mask mandates and other regulations including l... Full story
"You rangers don't make bears stay away?" was one quote Swan Valley Bear Ranger Kathy Koors wrote down after a day driving backroads, checking campsites and talking to visitors and locals alike who did not have their garbage, or food secured. Another favorite, "I just assumed, because it's a campground, that it's fenced to keep wild animals away." Koors, like many others who love the wildlife in the Swan, Clearwater and Blackfoot Valleys, is concerned about the safety of wildlife especially...
SWAN VALLEY – Car enthusiasts brought their prized vehicles to share with the community at the Show and Shine in the Swan Saturday, Sept. 18. More than 25 cars, trucks and motorcycles, made from 1913 to 2019, lined the Hungry Bear Bar & Grill's back lawn. Owners visited with community members and visitors sharing their "labor of love" and getting together with other people that love cars. Dick and Bobbie Jo Wolff organized the show hosted by the Condon Car Nuts. When they were unable to a...
SEELEY LAKE - The area closure for the Dry Cabin fire will be lifted at 12:01 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 23. Information will be posted to the Dry Cabin Fire InciWeb https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7660/ and the Lolo National Forest Facebook Page as needed or if conditions change. The Dry Cabin fire was reported July 11. It burned nearly 3,500 acres in the Scapegoat and Bob Marshall Wilderness, Flathead and Lewis & Clark Counties in the Flathead National Forest and Lolo National Forest 20 miles north of Ovando. Fire activity has been minimal,...
SWAN VALLEY – After an 18-month hiatus, Alpine Artisans' 2 Valleys Stage musical concerts return to our valleys beginning with a talented quartet of California artists Quarteto Nuevo. Quarteto Neuvo will perform at 3 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 26 at the big heated tent in the backyard of the Hungry Bear Bar and Grill in Condon. Please note that this venue has moved from the Swan Valley Community Hall due to COVID precautions. Tickets are available at the door: $14 for adults, $12 for seniors and f...
In July and early August, CRC surveyed key lakes in the Clearwater Valley to document absence/presence of aquatic invasive macrophytes (plants). Heidi Sedivy, a CRC employee with expertise in Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS), conducted the survey with the help of both CRC staff and volunteers. CRC is happy to report that based on our findings, no new invasive plants were detected in any of the lakes surveyed – Seeley, Placid, Salmon, Big Sky, Alva or Inez. While this is good news, it should be n...
OVANDO – Wildlife officials captured a grizzly bear in the Ovando area on Sept. 2 and relocated it to the north side of the Rattlesnake Wilderness the same day. The bear was captured after it repeatedly returned to an abandoned shed in search of grain and horse food. The 211-pound female grizzly did not have a prior history of conflicts. In fall, bears are increasingly active in preparation for winter denning and many conflicts involve bears getting into livestock feed and unsecured garbage as they search for food. Montana Fish, Wildlife & P...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Council resumed their monthly virtual meetings Monday, Sept. 13. There, attendees listened to representatives from the Seeley Lake Ranger District and Seeley Lake Sewer District talk about their groups’ upcoming plans. Seeley Lake Ranger District recreation manager Matt Walter announced that Lake Alva and River Point Campgrounds will be closed by Oct. 1. Seeley Lake Campground is already closed and Big Larch remains open year round but there are no services and the roads will not be plowed. He said t...
SEELEY LAKE - New Seeley-Swan High School science teacher Gretchen Watkins hopes to keep her students engaged for the 2021-2022 school year. "I try to be as interactive as possible," she wrote in an email. "I find most students learn science best if they can be a part of ... doing the activities that we are learning about." She will be teaching all grades in earth and space science, biology and chemistry classes. Watkins has a broadfield certification for secondary science in Montana. She also r...
POTOMAC – At their Sept. 13 meeting, the Potomac School Board discussed the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) complaint and their response as well as worked through their Strategic Plans and Goals for this year. Principal John Rouse updated the board on the OCR complaint that was filed against the District in August. At the August board meeting he reported an anonymous individual complained that the school’s playground equipment is not handicap appropriate and that there are an insufficient number of accessible handicap parking spaces ava...
SEELEY LAKE – At their Sept. 20 meeting, the Seeley Lake Elementary Superintendant Josh Gibbs updated the School Board on the current status of COVID in the school. While the school skirted COVID last year with no cases at school, SLE’s first case this year was reported Sept. 15. In other business, the Board approved hiring two new staff, discussed installation of solar panels on the school roof and approved a policy on staff sick leave relating to COVID. As of Monday, Gibbs said there were five positive cases in the school and 26 students wer...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Sewer District Board discussed a variety of items at their Sept. 16 meeting including paying plaintiff’s legal fees for failed lawsuits against the District, funding for a high school water testing program and dissolving the District. Board President Tom Morris received a letter from Don Larson asking for “help from the community” to pay legal bills related to a pair of lawsuits Larson filed to fight the proposed community sewer. In the letter, Larson states that he has already paid $84,000 and has been billed for...
Interaction between the speakers and the audience at the Roads and Trails program presented Aug. 7 by the Upper Swan Valley Historical Society generated additional tales worth sharing. These short stories will be shared for the next two weeks to wrap up the series. Drinking stories The old roads had their challenges, but they never kept the folks in the valley from having fun. Gene Miller's memory that the road from Condon to Swan Lake was virtually impassable during winter prompted someone...
SEELEY LAKE - Montana Mountain Mushers is holding a free dog mushing clinic on Saturday, Oct. 2-3 at the West Side Bypass Trailhead, four miles north of Seeley Lake, Montana. All beginning or experienced mushers, runners, bike and scooter enthusiasts are invited to Canine Fun Days. The clinic will run from 9 - 11:30 a.m. on Saturday and 9 - 11 a.m. Sunday. There will be hands-on training for everyone. Experienced dog mushers will answer questions about equipment, proper training, nutrition and venues for dog mushing. Following the clinic,...
Fire Department BBQ & Open House Sept. 25 SEELEY LAKE – The community is invited to attend an Open House at the Seeley Lake Fire Department, 200 Firehouse Lane, Saturday, Sept. 25 from 12-3 p.m. Come enjoy hot dogs and hamburgers while checking out the equipment and station upgrades including the ambulances and fire trucks; the vehicle exhaust system in the bays; turnout gear extraction equipment; powered gurney and loading system; Lifepack 15 Cardiac Monitor and more. Chief Dave Lane said the volunteers will also be present to share their p...
In celebration of 35 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 35 years as documented by the Pathfinder. 35 years ago: Sept. 25, 1986 issue Ad hoc group pursues goals There was a packed house at Leisure Lodge last Thursday evening when... Full story
MISSOULA - In response to higher fuel moistures and sustained cooler temperatures, Missoula County fire protection agencies have lowered the fire danger to Moderate, effective immediately. Fall prescribed wildland and essential agriculture burning, that closed last week, remains closed. Forecasted weather includes cooler temperatures throughout the area for this upcoming week, but also breezy/windy conditions daily and a mostly dry cold front coming in Wednesday. “Caution is still warranted with any spark right now—but especially when bre...
SWAN VALLEY – Called "a jewel of faith" at its dedication Sept. 1, 1996, Our Lady of Swan Valley Mission Catholic Church (OLSV) celebrated 25 years Sept. 6. It has strived to follow the words spoken over it at the dedication "to be a spring of living waters, a school of wisdom where we will learn to put God first, neighbors second and ourselves last." "Given all the circumstances, keeping this church going for 25 years would have been humanly impossible if not for the grace of God and the f...
Twenty years ago on Sept. 11, 2001 Americans watched on television or were witness to the horror as aircraft hit the World Trade Center Twin Towers and crashed into the Pentagon. The images that were replayed over and over on the television and that others witnessed first-hand are seared in the minds of those of us old enough to remember. When the dust cleared, the Al Qaeda terrorist attacks not only united Americans but also changed our country forever. Nineteen men hijacked four US commercial...
You are what you eat. If you care about your health, small town survival in farm and ranch country, opportunities and how ingenuity and hard work by one individual can make a real difference, you owe it to yourself to read this book. Author Bob Quinn will be presenting his book on Saturday, Sept. 18 at 1 p.m. at the West Wing of the Seeley Lake Community Foundation as part of Alpine Artisans' Open Book Club. Free. Everyone welcome. Quinn went off to college from his family's conventional wheat...
SEELEY LAKE – Classmates, staff and graduates who attended Seeley-Swan High School from 1963 – 1974 and their spouses are invited to attend a reunion Saturday, Sept. 25 from 12 – 10 p.m. at the Seeley Lake Community Hall. There will be games, class photos taken starting at 3 p.m., dinner served at 5 p.m., music in the evening and plenty of time to reconnect. Everyone is invited to come starting at 12 p.m. Bring your favorite games or come and join in corn hole, life-sized Jenga and sever...
KALISPELL – Flathead National Forest Supervisor Kurt Steele released a draft record of decision (ROD) and final environmental impact statement (EIS) on a 174,000-acre forest restoration project in Swan Valley. The final EIS evaluates and discloses the predicted environmental effects of the Mid-Swan Landscape Restoration and Wildland Urban Interface Project. Through this project, the Forest Service is proposing to: treat vegetation; use prescribed fire; restore whitebark pine and western white pine; decommission, store and improve existing F...
The fifth in the series covering the Roads and Trails program presented Aug. 7 by the Upper Swan Valley Historical Society (USVHS). CONDON – Upper Swan Valley Historical Society President Steve Lamar introduced Dennis Jette as one of the local residents who worked in road construction when the highway and power lines were being installed. Jette said his grandfather homesteaded on Kraft Creek in 1912, though his family didn't move to the valley until 1951. He was in the eighth grade at the t...
POTOMAC – At their Sept. 7 meeting, the Greenough-Potomac Fire Board sold their 1991 Chevrolet, Type 6 Engine, affirmed the Chief’s authority to request gear be returned by inactive members and discussed their fee structure charged to residents and commercial businesses for this year. The Board received three sealed bids for the Type 6 engine. All of the bids were $5,000 or over. Bradd Kindle of Greenough was the highest bidder with a bid of $5,501. The board was pleased with the response and were surprised that all the bids were within $50...
A parent looking at a child's poor report card might say, "You'd better keep your nose to the grindstone next semester and get those grades up!" Is this parent suggesting painful disfigurement will make the child smarter? No, the parent simply wants the child to focus more time, effort and attention on school studies. But how do the nose and grindstone enter in? One theory relates to the milling process. In an earlier age, grains were transformed into flour by using two large millstones, one...
SEELEY LAKE – At a Sept. 9 public hearing, the Missoula County Commissioners unanimously approved the notice of intent to file Alpine Trails Phases 3 and 4 subdivision north of Seeley Lake. While the staff with Missoula County Community and Planning Services (CAPS) recommended the removal of a gate restricting access to S.O.S. Road prior to approval, the Commissioners appreciated the solutions and explanation offered and felt that that condition of approval was not needed for Phases 3 and 4 to proceed. Alpine Trails Subdivision is a 30-lot s...
SEELEY LAKE - New Seeley-Swan High School math teacher Melissa Lapka is excited to kick off the school year and engrain herself in the school and community. "I'm just looking forward to incorporating myself into this new school and [getting] to know all the kids, the families, [as well as] going to see all the extracurriculars," she said. Lapka will teach Algebra 1 and Geometry classes. She graduated from the University of Montana with degrees in secondary math education and psychology. She...
POTOMAC - Potomac Pioneers began their new school year Aug. 30. There are several updates to staff, programs and the facility this year. New staff includes Jodi Hausmann who is the new preschool teacher. Kayla Brewer is the new paraprofessional for the preschool class. Instructional paraprofessional Anna Bunderson is also new staff this year. The new school board chair is Courtney Hathaway. Several staff also took new positions within the school. Breanna Peterson, who taught preschool last year, is the new kindergarten teacher. Christi...
HELENA – Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is accepting applications for the Northwest Lion Ecoregional Population Committee, which will advise the Fish and Wildlife Commission on management of mountain lions in northwest Montana. The committee will be asked to develop a target that maximizes public satisfaction related to mountain lion hunting opportunity, mountain lion conflict and ungulate population trends. The committee will provide a recommendation on what the mountain lion population should look like five years from now. In 2019, the F...
In celebration of 35 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 35 years as documented by the Pathfinder. 20 years ago: Sept. 20, 2001 issue Chips..bits & pieces by Gary Noland, Editor Best estimates are that 5,000 Americans, civilian men... Full story
Free Aging Mastery Program Mondays Oct. 4 – Dec. 13 Missoula Aging Services is offering the National Council on Aging’s evidence-informed Aging Mastery Program (AMP). Registration is open for the fall session that starts Monday, Oct. 4 through Monday, Dec. 13. Classes are held every Monday from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. in the Missoula Public Library’s Cooper Room B (fourth floor) and virtually using Zoom. AMP is a fun, innovative, 11-session class aimed at empowering adults age 55 and older to embrace their gift of longevity by spending more time each...
POTOMAC - By Monday afternoon, Sept. 20, Potomac School received notice of positive COVID test results from students in each of its six cohort groups. Principal John Rouse said all students were sent home and virtual instruction will begin Tuesday. At the start of the 2020-2021 school year, Potomac School established classes as cohort groups. They are prekindergarten; kindergarten; first grade; second and third grade combined; fourth and fifth grade combined; and sixth, seventh and eighth... Full story
SEELEY LAKE – Standing on top of a mountain in a lookout 20 feet in the air can be an experience of a lifetime. However, those that have stayed in one overnight had the opportunity to relive what it was like to be a lookout, watch the sun set around them and make memories they can hold onto forever. This unique opportunity to rent the Double Arrow Lookout west of Seeley Lake nearly became another point in history after it was determined that the lookout had deteriorated to the point where it e...
SEELEY LAKE – The rows of chairs set up in the Double Arrow Homestead Pavilion quickly filled with people. An overflow crowd clustered around the sides of the pavilion in chairs they brought from home. Another group set their home-brought chairs in the shade of a line of trees. They had no real hope of seeing the guest author but trusted the large loudspeakers would at least carry his words to them. Who was the man able to draw this crowd of more than 180 people? On Sept. 5, under the a...
The Helmville Rodeo Club hosted their annual Labor Day Rodeo Sunday, Sept. 5 and Monday, Sept. 6 at the Helmville Rodeo Grounds....
MISSOULA COUNTY - Signs that read "Please be patient - We are short staffed," "Now hiring" and "Closed due to short staff" have become common for customers to see when entering local businesses this summer. The fluctuating spread of COVID-19 has upended countless aspects of daily life, especially in the business world. Over the season, employers around the U.S. experienced a widespread workforce shortage resulting in delayed material shipments, restricted operating hours and longer wait times....
SEELEY LAKE - A new bear-resistant structure was recently erected near The Filling Station in order to prevent bears from scavenging through their dumpster. The materials were funded as part of a $15,000 grant from the Missoula Resource Advisory Committee. Other portions of the funding went towards an electric fence at The Ice Cream Place. It was completed earlier in the summer. Blackfoot Challenge Volunteer Vance Russell was contracted to do the labor. He began Tuesday, Aug. 24. First, he insta...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Council is resuming its monthly meetings the second Monday of the month. The September meeting will be held via Zoom starting at 6 p.m. Monday, Sept. 13. The agenda includes presentations regarding affordable housing with Homeword Inc., an update on the plans from the Seeley Lake Sewer District, and information on the activities and plans for the fall on the Seeley Lake Ranger District. Everyone is invited to attend the meeting. Feel free to bring to the Council any other matters that are important to...
HELENA – Montana has some of the longest hunting seasons in the West, healthy herds of game and access to millions of acres of public land. However, hunters must be mindful of fire danger and of private landowners who are facing grass shortages, poor crop production and fatigue from monitoring for fire. Hunter harvest helps to reduce wildlife densities on a stressed landscape and perhaps to help lessen winter depredation on haystacks or winter range. In addition to the following hunting forecast, FWP provides online information about hunting a...
SEELEY LAKE – Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Arntzen visited Seeley Lake Elementary school to encourage students and staff on their first day of school, Wednesday, Sept. 1. Although Superintendent Arntzen has driven though Seeley Lake many times, she has never stopped at SLE. She visited the fifth grade classroom and stopped in the lunchroom where the cooks were preparing lunch. "Superintendent Gibbs was very welcoming as well as fifth grade teacher Jona Bartlett. As a t...
SWAN VALLEY – After building the music program at Huntley Project Schools from a handful of students to three choirs and two bands in junior high through high school, Aaron Morgenstern left teaching and went into business management. As the new Swan Valley School principal and music teacher, he looks forward to combining his love of working with children and experience teaching music with his ability to manage people through building relationships and working towards a common goal. He looks f...
The fourth in the series covering the Roads and Trails program presented Aug. 7 by the Upper Swan Valley Historical Society (USVHS). CONDON – For his part in the Upper Swan Valley Historical Society's Roads and Trails program, Gene Miller talked about the earliest bridges in the area. Miller moved with his family to the Upper Swan Valley region in the late 1930s. According to Miller, "When you came from Swan Lake there were only two bridges - one across Cold Creek and one across Lion Creek. T...
In celebration of 35 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 35 years as documented by the Pathfinder. 35 years ago: Sept. 11, 1986 issue Quick Response Unit If you were in Seeley Lake very much this past week, you are aware of some of... Full story
Set a new course with Adventure Club, starting Sept. 15 SEELEY LAKE - Starting Wednesday, Sept. 15 the Seeley Lake Baptist Church will be hosting a weekly Adventure Club from 3:15 – 5 p.m. for students ages three through sixth grade. Pastor Jim Johnson looks forward to starting this Biblically-oriented, high-energy, fun program to help children and their families grow together in their faith. Adventure Club offers lessons and games that are age-appropriate for three different age groups: Trackers Ages Three – Five; Scouts Grades First – Third...
Due to a rebound in higher temperatures and drying vegetation, Missoula County fire protection agencies are raising the Missoula area fire danger rating to High effective immediately. In high fire danger, dry grasses and needles ignite easily and fires can spread rapidly and may be difficult to control. Due to this elevated fire risk in conjunction with air quality concerns, fall outdoor burning has also been closed. “While the rain last month helped slow our local fire behavior, wildfires are still actively burning in other states and s... Full story
SEELEY LAKE - A large male black bear was captured by a culvert trap and euthanized by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) earlier this month. FWP Bear Specialist Jamie Jonkel said they were confident that this was the same bear that had broken into at least 10 trailers causing “severe damage” to at least two of them. The bear broke into a couple of campers and garbage sheds around Elaine’s Way before he broke into a garage at the Seeley Lake Ranger Station. There, he was able to get some dog food. Jonkel said they knew the bear would retur...
SEELEY LAKE – Jodi Stierwalt never shied away from big tasks-or big vehicles. An equipment operator in the United States Navy Reserve, her attitude when asked if she could operate a specific piece of machinery was, "I don't know. Let me try." A self-described Navy brat, Stierwalt is proud of her father who was a World War II Veteran. He survived the Japanese attack at Subic Bay in the Philippines, which occurred shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Stierwalt's tangential connection with t...
POTOMAC - The Iverson family received praise from various Missoula County organizations following their reception of this year's Land Stewardship Award. The award was presented at their ranch in Potomac Monday, Aug. 23. According to a press release, the award is intended to recognize landowners and residents who exhibit "excellent stewardship work on their land" and make efforts towards improving the conditions of local land, water, forests, wildlife and communities. Some of the Iverson family...
SEELEY LAKE – On Aug. 26, the Missoula County Commissioners unanimously approved the increase in fees and fiscal year 2022 budget for the Seeley Lake Refuse District. The total annual assessment for District residents increased $30 to $180 for 10 cubic yards of trash. Out-of District and specialty item fees also increased. The District is fee-based and the rates have not changed since 2011. At that time they were raised from $125 to the current $150. This allows every lot, tract or parcel of record within the District to dump 10 cubic yards (...
MISSOULA - In response to higher fuel moistures and sustained cooler temperatures, Missoula County fire protection agencies have lowered the fire danger to Moderate, effective immediately. Open burning for prescribed wildland and essential agriculture burning in Missoula County will open Sept. 1 and open Oct. 1 in the Swan Valley. Fire restrictions have been rescinded across Missoula County and throughout northwestern Montana. All outdoor burning in Missoula County is by permit only, and the General Burning Season (burning of yard...
SEELEY LAKE - Need to convert your bank statements into a PDF? Don’t quite understand the difference between a window and a tab? Want to know how to get your email on several of your personal devices (like your phone, tablet or laptop)? Stop by the Seeley Lake Community Foundation West Wing Thursday, Sept. 9 between 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. and visit with volunteers to answer your technology questions, concerns and issues. The goal is not only to resolve immediate issues but prepare attendees for the next time they need to do a similar task. “Instead o...
SEELEY LAKE - Local artist Janeen Mauldin offers Seeley Lake Market patrons a selection of glistening beaded suncatchers every Sunday at her stand, Janeen’s Rainbows. Mauldin started making her suncatchers three years ago after a bird collided with a window at her home. She originally used CD-ROMs to refract light and divert birds away from windows but they were not weather resistant. She then began making her own suncatchers. After some time, her children suggested that she begin selling t...
SEELEY LAKE – "Home Waters, a Chronicle of Family and a River," written by John Maclean, will surely have a deep and personal impact with readers of this newspaper, the Pathfinder. Nationwide reviews fit well the summaries of what this reviewer had intended to say. But soon after its release, the accolades from the national reviews, e.g. The New York Times, the Chicago Tribune, Barnes and Noble, Publishers Weekly and the Washington Post, rushed to give the chronicle an exemplary thumbs up! T...
HELENA – Reach Higher Montana is offering Gianforte Trades and Technology Scholarships for students going into eligible programs at participating schools. The scholarships provide $1,000 per semester for full-time students and $500 for part-time students. Applicants must reside in Montana, apply each semester and file a FAFSA. The fall deadline to apply is Wednesday, Sept. 15. Eligible programs include automotive technology, plumbing, electronics, construction, diesel technology, cybersecurity and dozens of other computer and technical p...
The fourth in the series covering the Roads and Trails program presented Aug. 7 by the Upper Swan Valley Historical Society (USVHS). CONDON – Dixie Meyer shared her memories of the roads and trails of the Upper Swan Valley in the early forties and fifties. She said her dad brought in a team of horses and some saddle horses by way of the Piper Crow Creek trail. The earliest car she remembered her family having was a Model A pickup. She and her two sisters rode in the back on an old oilcloth s...
MISSOULA - At their Aug. 24 meeting, the Missoula County Board of Health voted unanimously to follow the Center for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines regarding quarantine that differentiates between vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals. While still unchallenged in court, this decision has the potential to violate House Bill 702 which created vaccine status as a protected class under the Montana Human Rights Act, a state law that prohibits discrimination. Prior to the discussion Missoula City-County Health Officer D’Shane Barnett explained t...
Montana health care providers can now offer third doses of the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines to certain immunocompromised individuals following new recently announced federal recommendations. Third doses are available in Missoula County through the Missoula City-County Health Department but only to those with increased health risks, not to the general public. “This is great news because we know the impact COVID-19 has with high-risk groups,” DPHHS Director Adam Meier said. “The updated recommendations will ensure those most vulne... Full story
Summer is drawing to a close and area elementary schools will be beginning classes in the next week. Seeley Lake Elementary, Sunset School and Swan Valley Elementary Schools are all welcoming new teachers, adding new programs and learning tools and have been making upgrades to their facilities. Since all elementary schools are separate Districts from Missoula County Public Schools, their school boards have approved their own reopening plan and COVID mitigation measures. These three schools made very little revision to their reopening plan from...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley-Swan High School welcomed freshman and new students Aug. 30 and resumed Aug. 31. New Principal Shawn Holmes is excited to welcome new and returning teachers and students and continue learning and growing together while prioritizing student and staff safety in light of the ongoing pandemic. COVID Accommodations Holmes said while they had students out because they were identified as a close contact, SSHS did not have a positive COVID case in the school last year. "Our kids r...
PLACID LAKE – Saturday, Aug. 28 divers and snorkelers spent the day on Placid Lake searching for any evidence of northern pike. For the second year of this underwater effort, no pike were detected using this method. During routine monitoring in early May 2020, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks discovered a northern pike in Placid Lake. The Fish and Wildlife Commissioners declared that the fish must be killed and reported when caught. Clearwater Resource Council organized a spearfishing event w...
Powell County Sheriff Gavin Roselles announced that citizens with cellular phone subscriptions may now send a short message service (SMS) text message to 911 for emergency help when unable to make a 911 voice call. Text-to-911 presently works on AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint and Verizon cell phones. Powell County joined 36 other Public Safety Answering Points with Text to 911 capabilities including all surrounding counties. Text-to-911 is not intended as a replacement to 911 voice calls in emergency situations. Rather, it serves as an alternative when...
Online Auction to support victims of Juniper Drive fire SEELEY LAKE - Local artist Donna DaCosta (Mosaics by Donna, @mosaicsbydonna) is hosting an online auction starting 9 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 1 through 4 p.m. Friday, Sept. 3 on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/seeley.lake.fire.auction/ to help alleviate some of the financial stress of the families affected by the fire in downtown Seeley Lake July 22. All proceeds will be divided equally and sent directly to the families. DaCosta donated several items for the auction as well as received do...
In celebration of 35 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 35 years as documented by the Pathfinder. 35 years ago: Sept. 4, 1986 issue Monster bull trout caught Bill Koon of Helena caught a 28-1/2 inch, 13 pound bull trout (Dolly... Full story
SEELEY LAKE – Following a request for an injunction filed by several environmental groups challenging the North Fork Blackfoot River Indigenous Fish Restoration Project, the Lolo and Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forests withdrew their decision on Aug. 5. The decision, signed June 2, approved a permit authorizing Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks to remove the non-native hybrid population of fish and replace it with westslope cutthroat trout to hopefully establish a viable population of native trout. “The legal challenge has caused us to wan...
OVANDO - Ovando residents and local agencies hope to spread the word on bear safety in order to avoid incidents similar to the fatal grizzly bear attack that occurred in downtown Ovando in early July. Representatives from Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks (FWP), and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) held an open house in Ovando Thursday, Aug. 5. There the representatives and residents had a public discussion on what communal and individual methods could be taken towards mitigating...
SEELEY LAKE - For 23 years Alpine Artisans, Inc. has used their Loon and Fish Festival to offer around 25 Seeley Lake, Ovando and Lincoln artists a space to showcase their work in an organized format. This year AAI Program Manager Jenny Rohrer said she thinks that this year's iteration was "the best festival we've ever had." "The purpose of the Loon and Fish Festival is to show ... the diversity of artwork of our artists and the variety of work that is being created in our community," she said....
GREAT FALLS - Longtime Swan Valley resident the late Leonard Moore was inducted into the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame on Aug. 14 at a ceremony in Great Falls....
SEELEY LAKE – In addition to the citations issued by Montana Highway Patrol Billy Munoz, the driver of the white Ford Taurus, who was reported driving recklessly and later rolled the vehicle on Cedar Lane Aug. 13, received four citations from Missoula County Sheriff's Office Deputy Heath Hanson. Hanson shared more of the story to the "High speed chase ends with no injuries" run in the Aug. 19 issue https://www.seeleylake.com/story/2021/08/19/news/high-speed-chase-ends-with-no...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Ranger District is open to the public after experiencing a small outbreak of COVID. Seeley Lake District Ranger Quinn Carver said it was quickly contained through testing and following the 14-day quarantine protocol to reduce the risk of spread. The office was closed from July 23 - Aug. 6 to avoid contact with the public. Carver said while there were several cases, the entire District staff did not contract COVID. He credited this to the District staff being divided into modules to limit exposure to the entire c...
Interagency fire managers across northwest Montana are rescinding Stage 2 Fire Restrictions. Recent rain and cooler temperatures have brought needed moisture to forest vegetation and lowered the fire danger across northwest Montana. Fire managers remind the public that debris burning remains closed and does not open until October 1st, 2021. As the weather continues to cool and we move into the fall, camping and outdoor recreation are popular activities. Be prepared and have the proper tools to extinguish a campfire before you light it. Bring a...
SEELEY LAKE – Standing on the football field, Seeley-Swan High School's new principal Shawn Holmes watches the football team practicing Friday morning. "Whether I'm the principal, athletic director or teacher, that is my make up," Holmes said. "Those things are fun." A 1983 SSHS graduate and staff member since fall of 1995, Holmes brings years of experience, an appreciation and knowledge of the local community and an excitement to offer the best educational experience to students. He looks f...
SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley Elementary School Board unanimously approved the 2022 school budget during their monthly meeting Tuesday, Aug. 17. They also unanimously approved the appointing of Sara Lamar as a new trustee as well as curriculums for music and U.S. history courses. This year’s main fund will be $391,940.32. District Clerk Heather Mincey said this year their total mills are 76.89 which is lower than last year’s figure of 88.35. Mincey said this is because the district tax base has increased resulting in a tax bill reduction and...
SEELEY LAKE – After a year of epidemic-inflicted hiatus, Montana Shakespeare in the Parks (MSIP) greeted a large audience of eager playgoers on the grounds of the Double Arrow Lodge Aug. 16. The traveling troupe performed "Cymbeline," one of Shakespeare's lesser-known plays. It is also considered one of the playwright's most ambitious and complicated plays, with multiple plots and subplots. Sometimes classified as a romance, the play portrays the trials of two lovers, King Cymbeline's d...
SEELEY LAKE - The Blackhawk Disc Golf Course near Seeley-Swan High School received a string of renovations this past year. SSHS teacher Trace Stone said while he has done some work on the course in the past, this year is the most they have done at one time. Stone said former teacher Brian Bennion was enthusiastic about the project and helped him organize with the student council to work on redoing the course, installing posts and putting in dirt tee pads. Much of the work dealt with reviving...
The Missoula City-County Health Department is asking residents to reduce the number of people in their social circles as COVID-19 case counts rise rapidly in the community. Not only is the Delta variant more infectious than the original strain of COVID-19, the Health Department’s case investigation team has noticed most positive cases are reporting between 10 - 25 close contacts on average. During our last winter surge of COVID-19, most positive cases only reported six close contacts on average. The contact tracing team is racing to notify c... Full story
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Sewer District Board approved their Action Plan and jumped into action with reports on improving the District’s communication and researching sewer alternatives at its Aug. 19 meeting. The Action Plan, which had been discussed at length the last couple months, received very little updates from last month’s meeting with the exception of a spreadsheet to track work. Director Cheri Thompson said she added the spreadsheet so the Board could track work being done and better communicate that information to the publi...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Elementary School Board unanimously approved revisions to their School Reopening Plan revision during their monthly meeting Monday, Aug. 16. In addition they also unanimously approved the student handbook and reviewed the 2022 fiscal year budget. Superintendent Josh Gibbs said many of the changes in the reopening plan resulted from how they adapted at the end of the last school year. Since it was passed in May, masks will be optional unless the Board votes to mandate them or they develop some sort of metric. Face...
SEELEY LAKE - Mountain Berry Bowls food truck offers a selection of organic fruit bowls on the go this summer in Seeley Lake. Co-owners and sisters-in-law Leigh Zell and Shannan Bogner have been franchisees of the truck since July 9. The overarching company is based out of Whitefish, Montana with other trucks located around Montana, Idaho and Colorado. They said they were drawn to the company for its locality and health-focused approach. "We wanted to do something together and something healthy,...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley Lake Farmers Market merchant Owen Tyler of Potomac has had a passion for knifemaking for around three decades. He began making them as a hobby after a man had given him a Centennial knife for fixing his car in the mid-1970s. "I got to looking at it and it's not even straight," he said. "It was a $100 knife. I thought, 'Well, I can make a knife better than that.'" He uses 440C stainless steel for the blades and antlers or desert ironwood for the handles. Some of them are...
In celebration of 35 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 35 years as documented by the Pathfinder. 35 years ago: Aug. 28, 1986 issue Ad Hoc Group addresses more business problems The Ad Hoc Businessperson's Group met last Thursday... Full story
The third in the series covering the Roads and Trails program presented Aug. 7 by the Upper Swan Valley Historical Society (USVHS). CONDON – Upper Swan Valley Historical Society President Steve Lamar introduced speaker Leita Anderson by first explaining that in 1894 Charley Young, along with five other men, forged a route into the Upper Swan Valley extending from Ovando to Lion Creek. In 1917 a rough road was built between Lion Creek and Swan Lake. Eighty-nine-year-old Leita Anderson provided s...
Additional 4-H Awards MISSOULA - Potomac Valley 4-H sheep members received ribbons in showmanship that were not available last week before press. Brayden Cooney and his brother Layne Cooney each received blue ribbons for sheep showmanship. Back to School Bash this Friday, Aug. 27 SEELEY LAKE – Kids entering kindergarten through sixth grade are invited to join Pastor Craig Wilson and his wife Erika for a fun afternoon of water games, crafts, lunch and epic ice cream sundaes. The Back to School Bash will be held from 12 – 3 p.m. at Mission Bible...
MISSOULA COUNTY - At their Aug. 10 meeting, the Missoula County Public School Board of Trustees approved their reopening plan and voted 6-3 in favor of approving their face covering guidelines for all K-12 public school students in the county including Seeley-Swan High School. The trustees will review the guidelines at their first meeting in October. Superintendent Rob Watson made a presentation on MCPS’ reopening plan. He said their COVID-19 mitigation strategies from last year will shift this school year. Watson told the Board there were s...
MISSOULA - Potomac youth who partake in 4-H projects work hard during the 4-H year which runs from October to the end of September. This year at the Western Montana Fair, 20 Potomac 4-H members participated in more than 40 areas including animal and non-animal projects. The Cloverbuds Project is for 4-H members ages six to eight. They met monthly and created snow scenes, paintings and birdhouses for their fair projects. Tom and Camilla Peterson made the birdhouse kits for the Potomac...
The Missoula City-County Health Department’s mobile vaccine clinic will make several stops throughout Missoula County for the months of August and September. This includes a mobile clinic in Seeley Lake Sept. 1 at the Seeley Lake Community Foundation building, 3150 MT Hwy 83 N from 12 - 5 p.m. The mobile vaccine clinics will offer the Johnson & Johnson and/or the Moderna vaccine to residents 18 or older and the Pfizer vaccine to residents 12 and older. Patients ages 12 to 15 must be accompanied by a guardian, while those ages 16 to 17 must b...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Cemetery District is celebrating 25 years of preserving the honor of the area's deceased residents this year. The conception of a cemetery in Seeley Lake came during the late 1980s and early 1990s when a group of residents met at the home of Allen and Mildred Chaffin and began working on gathering enough signatures so that development could be placed on a ballot. According to Chaffin in the article "Plum Creek land donation helps long-sought cemetery goal" run in...
ARLEE - The Crooks fire (https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7759/) located 10 miles east of Arlee on Confederated Salish Kootenai Tribal Lands, experienced significant growth Monday afternoon and evening. The plume could be seen from Highways 83, 200 and 90. Seeley Lake District Ranger Quinn Carver said the fire is growing into old burn scars from the Liberty fire of 2017 and Jocko Lakes fire of 2007. As of 5 p.m. Monday it is still 10 miles from the tribe's boundary around Jocko Lakes. The...
* This article has been updated Aug. 25 to include the information run in the Aug. 26 article "Driver receives several additional citations" https://www.seeleylake.com/story/2021/08/26/news/driver-received-several-additional-citations/7716.html SEELEY LAKE – "Stay off the roads!!!" was the post on the Seeley Lake Neighborhood Watch page just before 4 p.m. Friday, Aug. 13. The post continued warning of cops in a high-speed chase with a "white car" headed into the Double Arrow. While the driver e...
SEELEY LAKE – The Alpine Artisans' Loon and Fish Art Show and Festival is a local tradition. For 22 of the last 28 years, this event has showcased the prolific and varied artwork produced by dozens of our members from the Swan Valley through Seeley Lake, Ovando and Lincoln. This year's Festival kicks off with a gala opening on Friday evening, Aug. 20, from 5 - 9 p.m. in a new location for the Festival – the Seeley Lake Community Foundation Building. "AAI saw the opportunity to create an ele...
SEELEY LAKE - Since 2000, the Soup Bowl Fundraiser has raised more than $31,000 for the Seeley-Swan Community Food Bank. Coupled with Alpine Artisan's Loon & Fish Festival and started by Swan Valley Potter Bob Korn, the event returns Saturday, Aug. 21. The bowls go on sale starting at 10 a.m. at the Festival sales table in the West Wing of the Seeley Lake Community Foundation building. Soup will be served across the parking lot at Mission Bible Fellowship beginning at 11 a.m. Korn said the idea...
OVANDO - Residents and visitors enjoyed camaraderie, food and live music from Helena band Copper Queen at Blackfoot Challenge's third annual Summer Block Party in Ovando Wednesday, Aug. 11. Sara Schmidt, Blackfoot Challenge communications manager, said they were excited to bring the event back this year after taking last year off due to COVID-19. She said, "It's really just a celebration for all of our members and partners who are working to steward the Blackfoot Watershed and an opportunity to...
SEELEY LAKE – After the Charlie Wolff Memorial Golf Tournament last September, organizers Mark and Ruby Wilson decided they wanted to do something beyond the tournament that provided ongoing financial support for the community of Seeley Lake. With encouragement from Double Arrow Golf Pro Nathan Miller, they founded Charlie's Helping Hands 501(c) 3 as a way to honor Charlie's memory and his unwavering goal of making the world a better place that started with the youth of the Seeley Lake area. "...
SEELEY LAKE - Residents and guests showed their stuff at Loving Hearts' annual Brunch and Fashion Show at Mission Bible Fellowship Saturday, Aug. 14. Loving Hearts Manager Mary Newpower was proud of how the show turned out. "I think it went very, very well," she said. She said they had a similar turnout compared to last year but they were still able to raise nearly $2,700 in total revenue, almost $200 more than their intended goal. The show acts as the main fundraiser for Loving Hearts'...
SWAN LAKE - Residents and visitors alike enjoyed the 40th annual Swan Lake Huckleberry Festival Aug. 14. From the pancake breakfast and vendors to the games and Huckleberry baking contest, there was something for everyone. The event was sponsored by the Swan Lake Chamber of Commerce and Community Club. All of the proceeds from the event will be used to benefit the Swan Lake community. There were more than 10 entries in this year's Huckleberry Baking Contest. This year's winners all for the 12...
This is the second in the series covering the Roads and Trails Program presented Aug. 7 by the Upper Swan Valley Historical Society (USVHS). CONDON – Salish Kootenai College Professor and Specialist in Culture and Language Tim Ryan discussed the trails which Native American tribes used when traveling through the region that later became known as the Upper Swan Valley. For the Native people, travel on those trails was intricately woven into the circle of their lives. Before he began teaching at t...
POTOMAC - The Potomac Elementary School Board unanimously approved a series of Montana School Board Association (MTSBA) policy updates on both first and second readings during their monthly board meeting Monday, Aug. 9. During the meeting the board also approved their 2020-2021 trustees’ financial summary and budget as well as reviewed their Return to School Plan. The required updates approved on second reading dealt with student immunization, administering medication and prevention of disease transmission. The recommended updates touched on f...
SEELEY LAKE - Jesse and Chuad Johnson of Johnson's Homegrown sell whatever crops they can grow on their farm west of Missoula every Sunday at the Seeley Lake Market. Jesse said they mostly sell vegetables but they sell fruit whenever they can. He estimates they offer anywhere from 50 to 60 crops including golden beets, broccoli and green onions. Some of their most popular products include kohlrabi, sugar snap peas and carrots. "We try to give a good mix of everyday items and unique items that...
If Jack gave Jill a stock market tip that caused her to lose rather than gain money, Jill might tell Jack at their next meeting, “Hey, you gave me a bum steer!” Did Jack give her a lame castrated male cow? Or a male cow that was lazy or just down on his luck? If Jack laughs instead of being sympathetic, might Jill use a stronger mule-related epithet to describe him? Though the origin of the phrase “bum steer” is uncertain, dictionaries and phrase finders generally agree the “steer” in question is not the noun referring to a castrated b...
In celebration of 35 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 35 years as documented by the Pathfinder. 35 years ago: Aug. 21, 1986 issue Anuka: "Just another log cabin" "I started with an unlimited budget ... and managed to exceed it."... Full story
SEELEY LAKE – SSHS Graduate Klaire Kovatch received her Gatorade Player of the Year banner and a trophy. The banner will be hung next to the scoreboard on the east wall of the SSHS gymnasium and the trophy will be displayed in the cafeteria....
SEELEY LAKE - Stevensville artist Trinity Gibson offers a unique pairing of hand puppets and jewelry at her Seeley Lake Market stand. This is her third year working as a merchant for the market, having skipped last year because of COVID-19. Gibson has been making beaded and charmed jewelry for roughly 22 years. "When I was pregnant with my son, my sister-in-law sent me a little bag of beads to keep me busy because we were new in a town far, far away from home," she said. "I just fell in love...
Blackhawks Spaghetti Feed and Auction Fundraiser, Aug. 19 SEELEY LAKE – Come out and support the Seeley-Swan Blackhawks football and volleyball programs for the second annual spaghetti feed and auction starting at 7 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 19 at the Seeley Lake Community Hall. Dinner includes spaghetti, salad, bread and bottled water for $7 per plate. Children five and under eat free. Auction will follow the dinner. Weekly COVID-19 update As of Aug. 16, there have been 120,325 cases of COVID-19 in Montana. There have been 916,964 doses of v...
SEELEY LAKE - Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) Bear Specialist Jamie Jonkel said a medium “dark phase” black bear has recently been breaking into around 10 different vacant trailers at night in the Seeley Lake area. FWP is working on trapping the bear and removing it upon capture. The bear has been seen as far north as the northern turnoff to Boy Scout Road and as far south as Double Arrow. Since it does not stay in one area long, the bear has been difficult to pinpoint. It has learned to unlock camper doors by peeling the bottom of the...
POTOMAC - Lead by Potomac vaulting clinician Christi Taillefer, local girls have been learning equestrian vaulting during multi-day clinics in June, July and August at local arenas. Horse Vaulting is an equine sport involving athletics while on the back of a moving horse. It is one of the oldest equestrian sports and can be traced back to Roman games and German riding which included acrobatic displays performed on moving horses. Now there are competitions in certain states in the USA....
SEELEY LAKE - The Bob Marshall Music Festival returned for its fifth year after taking a year off due to COVID-19. Max Pigman, Lewis and Clark Brewing Company CEO and one of the festival owners, said his second year as festival owner went well. "It was just a really, really fun event and we lucked out with the weather," he said. "I would say [this was] the highest attendance that I've seen in those ... previous years." Attendance was capped at 1,000 people. Pigman said they had 943 check-ins...
MISSOULA – As COVID-19 cases are on the rise across the nation, Missoula County is in the top five in Montana for active cases. Local agency officials met Aug. 4 to provide information regarding the current situation including the Delta variant, vaccination information and the shift in Center for Disease Control guidance regarding face coverings. Mayor John Engen said the goals remain the same for Missoula since the beginning of the pandemic - to ensure that the hospitals are viable and can handle the case load COVID patients and other ailments...
The Seeley Lake Water District would like to inform our customers that this month we will begin the process of replacing the water meters throughout the entire district. Replacing a water meter should take approximately 15-30 minutes, during which time we will need to turn the water off to your home. There will be no cost to the customer for this work. We will do everything we can to make this process as trouble-free as possible to all of our customers and ask for your patience during this time. As with most equipment, water meters wear out...
SEELEY LAKE - On Aug. 2, an intense rain shower event occurred in the Monture area, on the Seeley Lake Ranger District just north of Ovando, Montana. The combination of intense rain, very steep slopes, geology and 2017 post-burn conditions resulted in debris flows within the tributaries of Spread, Falls, Bill and Yellowjacket Creeks. Debris flows impacted the Monture Campground, Monture Outfitter and Guide camp and Monture Creek Trail (#27) at Spread and Bill Creeks. No people were injured in...
MISSOULA – At their meeting Thursday, Aug. 5 the Missoula County Commissioners appointed Garry Swain to fill Klaus von Stutterheim’s position on the Seeley Lake Community Council. Swain will fill the position until May 31, 2024. There were two applicants for the position, Swain and Seeley Lake business owner John Richards. Richards applied to fill Kris Martin’s term with Sharon Teague whom the Commissioners appointed Feb. 4, 2021. He again applied for Von Stutterheim’s position. At the Commissioners’ May 11 meeting, Richards was the sole appl...
CONDON – Old timers dredged up old memories Saturday, Aug. 7 as the Upper Swan Valley Historical Society (USVHS) held its combined summer fundraiser and history program at its museum location. The topic this year was Roads and Trails of the Upper Swan Valley. USVHS President Steve Lamar introduced the topic by noting that although Native Americans had been coming through the area for eons, the Upper Swan Valley was one of the later places settled and developed by homesteaders. The main h...
SEELEY LAKE - With this year’s performance of Cymbeline, Seeley Lake is privileged to be part of an international experiment brought to us by Montana Shakespeare in the Parks (MSIP). This free event is Monday, Aug. 16 at 6 p.m. on the lawn at the Double Arrow Resort, which is co-hosting the event. MSIP’s Cymbeline is one of seven unique productions of Shakespeare’s play; other locations range from Kazakhstan to Wales to Yosemite National Park. Although Cymbeline was first staged in 1610, this variation is tailored to uncover ecological value...
SEELEY LAKE – At this year's Loon and Fish Festival, attendees can purchase a commemorative Loon and Fish t-shirt poster. Graphic Artist Kris Gullikson created the poster with all but one of the t-shirts logos designed by Alpine Artisans, Inc. artists since the event started in 1993. A limited number of posters were printed and all proceeds support the AAI's Student Art Scholarship fund. As a way to market the Festival, the AAI's Loon and Fish Festival Committee always conducted a contest a...
MISSOULA - Widespread precipitation and cooler temperatures throughout the Missoula area have prompted Missoula County fire protection agencies to lower the fire danger in the Missoula area to VERY HIGH, effective immediately. Stage II Fire Restrictions are still in place. The movement of the arrow back reflects the current and short-term predicted conditions but residents and visitors are urged to still use caution when outdoors— Very High fire danger means that fires start easily from all causes, and immediately spread rapidly and increase q...
POTOMAC – At their Aug. 3 meeting, the Greenough-Potomac Fire Board invited representatives with Robert Peccia & Association Engineering Firm and Montana Department of Transportation to discuss the reconfiguration of Clearwater Junction, at the intersection of Highway 200 and Highway 83. Board Chair Scott Gordon explained that the intersection falls in their jurisdiction and they wanted to continue the conversation about what the changes may look like and how that will affect their response. Jacquelyn Smith, preconstruction engineer for M...
SWAN LAKE - For generations the Swan Lake community has celebrated art, music and food through their annual Huckleberry Festival. This year's iteration will take place Saturday, Aug. 14 marking the event's 40th anniversary. Since its beginning in 1981, the festival has taken place on the second Saturday of August in the Swan Lake Day Park near mile marker 72 on Highway 83. "Whoever picked that date was a genius because we have been blessed every year," said Lesly Olsen, who has been...
In celebration of 35 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 35 years as documented by the Pathfinder. 35 years ago: Aug. 14, 1986 issue Bill Samsel: District Ranger at Seeley in 1929 Few people remember the Forest Service today the... Full story
After a quiet year of hiatus due to the COVID pandemic, 2 Valleys Stage is coming out full swing with an exciting season of jazz, Celtic, classical, comedy, brass and world music. These performances follow the season opener of Montana Shakespeare in the Park (MSIP), presenting Cymbeline on Monday, Aug. 16 at 6 p.m. on the grounds at the Double Arrow Resort. Cymbeline is free, appropriate for all ages and we encourage you to bring a lawn chair and a blanket. Thanks to Double Arrow Resort for lodging the full cast of MSIP. 2 Valleys Stage is...
SEELEY LAKE - Nearly 50 runners tightened their running laces for the first ever Bob Marshall Trail Half Marathon and 10K Saturday, Aug. 7 at the Seeley Creek Trailhead. The top three finishers for the Half Marathon were Oshen Piller with a time of 1:36:11, Heather Sturdivant with 1:54:37 and Luke Jacobson with 2:01:30. The top three finishers for the 10K were Isabella Clinch with 53:55, Miles Bieber with 56:10 and Jake Kraemer with 58:24. Chris Stout of Wolf Pack Productions, the organization...
Seeley Lake Library News SEELEY LAKE - Due to high school renovations, the Seeley Lake Library will be temporarily closed. The Summer Reading Program will be extended. The public will be notified as soon as the library reopens. Thank you for your patience and support. Montana Department of Transportation at Seeley Lake Market Aug. 15 SEELEY LAKE - The Montana Department of Transportation will be at the Aug. 15th Seeley Lake Market to provide the community with information about the three major future local highway projects. The public is...
SEELEY LAKE – On July 29, the Missoula County Commissioners held a budget hearing to consider rate increases for the Seeley Lake Refuse District fiscal year 2022 . The annual assessment would increase $30 to $180 as well as other increases in out-of-district and specialty item fees. The final budget for the District will be approved on Aug. 26 during the Commissioners’ meeting at 2 p.m. During the meeting, Missoula County Budget Analyst Amanda Henthorne gave a presentation regarding the Seeley Lake Refuse District and the need to increase rev...
SEELEY LAKE - The fifth annual Bob Marshall Music Festival returns as planned to Seeley Lake Aug. 6 and 7. Festival organizers are eager to bring an exciting lineup and plentiful activities including family activities on the Festival Grounds. There is also the Seeley Lake Duathlon/Triathlon and Bob Marshall Trail Half Marathon and 10K Saturday morning. Lewis and Clark Brewing Marketing Director Heidi O'Brien wrote that the festival organizers are going to stick with their original capacity of...
MISSOULA - Seeley Lake Trailblazer Dani Sexton is excited to return to the Missoula County Fairgrounds for the annual Western Montana Fair with her new steer, Hollywood, after last year's event was restrained due to COVID-19. "I'm just ready to show again in front of a bunch of people instead of just the judge like last year," she said. "I really like being around a lot of people and ... going to the carnival at night." Hollywood was born in March 2020 and Sexton bought him in November from Two...
SEELEY LAKE – Ron Talcott joined the military with a clear understanding of what that decision entailed. He had the experience of his grandfather, who served in the United States Army, and his father, who served during World War II, to draw on. When he applied to and received an appointment to the Air Force Academy, his goals were to receive a good education and retire with skills that would translate into a civilian career. Understanding that military life would require his family to move many...
A cow moose drinks out of a puddle at a residence in the Potomac Valley while her twin calves (right) wait in the woods. While moose live in the area, they are not common, especially in residential areas....
OVANDO – Due to increased fire activity, the Flathead National Forest and Lolo National Forest jointly issued area and trail closures in response to the Dry Cabin fire burning about 20 miles north of Ovando in the Upper Dry Fork and Cabin Creek areas of the Scapegoat and Bob Marshall Wilderness areas. Closures are in place for public safety. For the most up-to-date information visit https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7660/ The Dry Cabin Fire is approximately 3,000 acres in size. It is burning a...
The Seeley Lake Community Foundation is proud to announce the recipients of the 2021 SLCF Scholarship. Seeley-Swan High School graduates Kara Good and Nicole Williams each will receive $1,000 towards university expenses! Good graduated from Seeley-Swan High School in 2020. Throughout her high school years, she received numerous awards both in academics and athletics. Some of her accomplishments include: state-wide 2019 Montana High School Mathematics Award; the National President's Award for...
OVANDO - Ovando residents came together in the Ovando School gym Thursday, July 30 to discuss whether the community should decrease the minimum developmental acreage from one to ½ acre in order to allow for more potential housing. Powell County Planning Director Scott Hazelton led the presentation and facilitated the discussion. Overall the community did not support the idea of smaller lot size but was interested in adding other zoning parameters. Hazelton said Powell County's motivation...
POWELL COUNTY - The Powell County Community Foundation is accepting grant applications from non-profits throughout Powell County. The PCF awards grants, usually ranging from $500 to $2,000, for charitable purposes in the following focus areas: basic human needs, arts and culture, recreation, and economic development. The application deadline is Friday, Sept. 10. The short application form is available by writing to the PCF at P.O. Box 834, Deer Lodge, Montana, 59722, or by contacting board members Kirk Sandquist, Steve Owens, Mary Ann Fraley, C...
CLEARWATER - Missoula County Commissioners and partnered agencies recognized employees at the Clearwater Junction Watercraft Inspection Station Monday, Aug. 2 as part of the statewide Watercraft Inspector Appreciation Week. County staff praised the station staff for their success at preventing aquatic invasive species from spreading in Montana's waters. "Inspection Station Supervisor Lindsey Bona-Eggeman and her team have done an outstanding job of being the first line of defense for our...
SEELEY LAKE - A half dozen residents participated in a Pathways and Trails Master Plan workshop at the Seeley Lake Community Foundation’s West Wing July 28. Missoula County is beginning the process to create a countywide Pathways and Trails Master Plan to guide the development and prioritization of regionally and locally shared-use pathways and trails that serve communities throughout the county. Missoula County Parks, Trails & Open Lands Manager Juniper Davis explained that the workshop was to gather community input on what gaps or problems t...
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - Incoming Seeley Lake Elementary School seventh grader Walter Shields returned from a five-day excursion to the National Youth Leadership Forum: Pathways to STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) earlier in July. He participated in informational sessions about engineering, crime scene investigations and "small medical procedures." According to Envision Experience, the organization behind the program, the forum is hosted in over 20 major cities across the U.S....
SEELEY LAKE – With school resuming in less than a month, teachers are preparing their classrooms and planning for the year to best serve their students. This year, four teachers were able to apply for and receive funds that will help make their classroom and their students' experience a little more enjoyable. Seeley Lake Elementary Superintendent Josh Gibbs said these community partnerships "help a great deal" for the school and teachers to provide the best education possible. Former Clearwater... Full story
SEELEY LAKE - Recycling Works is holding the first of three glass recycling events in Seeley Lake Saturday, Aug. 28 from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the Seeley Lake Community Foundation (3150 MT-83 N). Seeley Lake residents can drop off clean, food-grade glass for recycling. There is no cost outside a recommended donation of $1 per gallon, which will be donated to Seeley Lake Public Schools. According to their website, Recycling Works is a non-profit organization bringing sustainable waste management practices to Missoula. We began as a subsidy of the...
SEELEY LAKE - Residents and visitors came together Saturday, July 31 to participate in Clearwater Resource Council's second annual Make the Cut Invasive Waterlily Removal Event. Participants competed to cut and bag as many waterlilies as they could within the span of a few hours. In total those involved collected 37 bags equaling 850 pounds of waterlilies, a couple hundred more than the previous year. According to CRC Executive Director Caryn Miske, waterlilies are "prolific" and push out other...
SEELEY LAKE - Local artist Terri Townsend sells just about any "useful item" made out of fabric at her Undafoot Creations stand in Seeley Lake Market. Some of her products include baby clothes, potholders, purses and reusable grocery bags. A product's final form is predetermined by whatever fabric Townsend has to work with and how much she has at her disposal. This is her sixth year working as a merchant for the market. She has previously participated in Missoula's Farmers Market but this year s...
In celebration of 35 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 35 years as documented by the Pathfinder. 35 years ago: Aug. 7, 1986 issue Local teacher computerizes track meets Art Sikkink, science teacher at Seeley Swan High School, has... Full story
GREENOUGH – Garnet Ghost Town reopened for visitors after the Bureau of Land Management issued a new area closure in the Anderson Hill Fire vicinity. The new closure is much smaller and allows the public to access Garnet while also providing space for firefighters to safely continue suppression and mop-up operations on the 750-acre fire. The BLM closed Garnet Ghost Town on July 16, the day after the fire was reported within a mile of the historic site. Under Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation wildland fire protection, t...
SWAN VALLEY - Young adults of the Salish, Kootenai and Blackfeet Tribes have been helping with forest restoration efforts in the Swan Valley since mid-June through the Mission Mountains Youth Program. Their service will conclude at the end of July. This is the program's first year of existence. Program Leader Tim Ryan said his niece Marlee Ostheimere, from the National Forest Foundation, approached him to establish the program. He was inspired by another youth organization he was involved with...
New fires in the Jocko and north of Condon There are two large fires in the area as of this week. The Crooks fire was discovered July 23 and is approximately six miles west of the DNRC border, south of the Jocko Road, and eight miles southeast of Arlee, Montana. As of press time it was 705 acres. The Jocko Road is closed at the CSKT Reservation divide/ Montana DNRC border (adjacent to Seeley Lake Ranger District lands) due to increased fire activity from the Crooks fire. For continued information visit: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7759/...
SEELEY LAKE - On Aug. 2, an intense rain shower event occurred in the Monture area, on the Seeley Lake Ranger District just north of Ovando, Montana. The combination of intense rain, very steep slopes, geology and 2017 post-burn conditions resulted in debris flows within the tributaries of Spread, Falls, Bill and Yellowjacket Creeks. debris flows impacted the Monture Campground, Monture Outfitter and Guide camp and Monture Creek Trail (#27) at Spread and Bill Creeks. No people were injured in...
SEELEY LAKE – After 40 years of body work, owner of Seeley Lake Auto Body Randy Reinitz sold his shop and retired. He built his reputation on customer satisfaction using his artistic ability to repair and restore vehicles, offering compassion for his customers, building relationships with insurance adjusters and maintaining a level of professionalism and honesty in his work. In retirement, he and his wife Carol Ann are looking forward to more free time and working on their property north of S...
SEELEY LAKE – As Seeley Lake resident Michael Riel and his wife returned from Missoula around 4:30 p.m. Thursday, July 22, they noticed a light column of smoke from behind Pop's Place. A recently retired 11-year volunteer firefighter/EMT who understood that no one should be burning due to restrictions, he turned off Highway 83 onto Redwood Lane making his way to Juniper Drive to check it out. "It was evident that there was a fire cooking," he said. He began evacuating people from the area and w...
OVANDO - In the wake of a tragic grizzly attack that claimed the life of visiting cyclist Leah Lokan on July 6, Ovando has seen an outpouring of support as it makes plans to ensure nothing like that ever happens again. A retired registered nurse and an avid mountain biker, Lokan, 64, was eight days into a trip along a portion of the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route with her sister Kim Lokan and a friend, Katie Boerner. Lokan opted to spend her night in Ovando in her tent, in a camping area near...
SEELEY LAKE – On Friday, July 23, representatives of Clearwater Resource Council and the Department of Natural Resources led local homeowners on a tour through Double Arrow to describe what fuel mitigation methods they can take on their properties. CRC President Jon Haufler said fuel mitigation efforts are intended to reduce ladder fuels. Ladder fuels create continuity in the fuels for fire to spread from the surface into the tree crowns, creating a much more intense fire. By removing flammable...
KALISPELL - Interagency fire managers agreed to implement Stage II Fire Restrictions effective Monday, July 26 across the Flathead National Forest, Glacier National Park, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks sites, Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation Kalispell, Stillwater and Swan Units and Flathead County. The intent of Fire Restrictions is to reduce fire risk and prevent wildfires during periods of high to extreme danger by decreasing potential sources of ignition. Each year,...
SEELEY LAKE - Since early last week, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) Bear Specialist Jamie Jonkel said that he has received multiple reports showcasing bears with "extreme food conditioned behavior" in the Seeley Lake area. One is a small, dark black bear that was seen entering two homes in the Double Arrow area twice. Another medium, cinnamon-phase black bear had been seen in the Big Larch, Lake Alva and Lake Inez campgrounds. Jonkel said FWP set two culvert traps on a Double Arrow...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Elementary School Board unanimously approved a resolution allowing the public sale of the school’s surplus property during their regularly scheduled meeting Monday, July 19. They also approved new teachers, discussed curriculum upgrades and planned for next year. The extra supplies being offered to the public included file cabinets, TV monitors, computer monitors, tables and chairs. For a full list see the classifieds in this week’s Pathfinder. The items will be distributed in the form of a silent auction Tue...
SEELEY LAKE – Friends, family and acquaintances of the Wayne Cahoon family gathered Sunday, July 24 for the first annual Wayne Cahoon Memorial Golf Tournament at Double Arrow Golf Course. All proceeds from the tournament went to support the Building 4 WC Limited non-profit and the Braulik family that lost their home in a fire this past week. The Tournament was organized by Wayne's daughter Chelsea to "honor Wayne Cahoon by continuing his legacy of building youth and building people by raising fu...
SEELEY LAKE - Russ Talmo, Defenders of Wildlife program associate, wrapped up Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks' bear exclosure project around the The Ice Cream Place's dumpster Friday, July 16. He electrified the fence adding the additional deterrent to hungry bears. The solar-powered electric fence will have a joule strength of 1.5 and will push around 10,000 volts of electricity throughout its wires. According to Talmo, a structure would need at least 6,000 volts to act as a deterrent to...
SEELEY LAKE - A group of Seeley-Swan High School students traveled around 70 miles in 10 days by foot through the Bob Marshall Wilderness as part of their own independent expedition. The group included recent graduate Eric Lorentz and incoming seniors Crystal Lopez, Oskar Murphy, Will Batchelder and his cousin Asa from Sandpoint, Idaho. The group left Sunday, July 4 from Holland Lake and returned Tuesday, July 13 via the Benchmark Creek Trail ending in Augusta. Murphy estimated that they travele...
SEELEY LAKE - Ovando resident LaVonne Jorgenson enjoys the extra income she gets when she sells her homemade pottery and pies as well as her "farm fresh" eggs every Sunday at Seeley Lake Market. Jorgenson gets her eggs from a chicken coop at her home. Jorgenson has been a merchant at the market for 15 years and originally began making pottery in the 1970s. "It looked like fun," she said. She makes cups, bowl sets and pie plates along with other various specialty pieces. She shapes her pieces in...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Fire District Board approved Chief Dave Lane to research to see if there would be interest for a paid firefighter/paramedic or firefighter/EMT position for the District and what the cost would be. The board agreed they would hold a special meeting to approve or refuse the position should Lane get interest. In other business, the board approved the match to a Town Pump grant to purchase a second LUCAS Device, Chest Compression System to perform manual CPR, for the second ambulance. In his report, Lane said they r...
No news is good news and there’s been very little news lately about AIS issues in Montana. That’s a good thing, but it’s not because nothing is happening. Some of what has been happening behind the scenes that you might be interested to know are… Missoula County became the first – and only, so far – county to create an AIS District. The AIS District functions about the same as the Weed District only the AIS District focuses on all species of aquatic invasives including plants, animals and pathogens. The AIS District Board is currently working t...
In celebration of 35 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 35 years as documented by the Pathfinder. 35 years ago: July 31, 1986 issue Sailors gather at Placid Lake The 18th Annual Driftwood Classic was held last Saturday at Placid... Full story
Weekly COVID-19 update As of July 26, there have been 115,406 cases of COVID-19 in Montana. There have been 888,482 doses of vaccines administered and 440,754 Montanans fully immunized. There are 820 active cases, 5,648 total hospitalizations with 90 active, 112,891 recoveries and 1,695 deaths in Montana due to COVID-19 complications. Missoula County has had 9,540 cases, 82 active cases, 9,359 recovered and 99 COVID-related deaths to date. For the most up-to-date and accurate information please refer to the Missoula County-City Health Departmen...
GREENOUGH – Garnet Ghost Town is once again open for visitors after the Bureau of Land Management issued a new area closure in the Anderson Hill Fire vicinity. The new closure is much smaller and allows the public to access Garnet while also providing space for firefighters to safely continue suppression and mop-up operations on the 750-acre fire. The BLM closed Garnet Ghost Town on July 16, the day after the fire was reported within a mile of the historic site. Under Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation wildland fire p...
SWAN VALLEY – When seventh-grader Karen Clothier from Salmon Prairie met eighth-grader Dale Conley of Big Fork at a 4-H meeting she told her girlfriends he was the cutest boy there. They worked side by side starting in the Clothier hay field and from then on with all their different businesses based from their home on the Swan River. That spark continues through friendly banter and laughter for the Conleys who have been partners in life for 60 years of marriage and raised four children. After t...
Due to worsening fire danger, campfires are banned and other fire restrictions went into affect Saturday, July 17 throughout most of the Missoula area. As of 12 p.m. Monday, July 19 there were 20 large fire incidents in Montana. Since Jan. 1, there have been over 1,400 fire starts in Montana burning over 150,000 acres, with over 500 starts this month. Of the fire starts in the last month, over 75% were human caused. "With current fire activity and predicted weather, we all need to do everything...
SEELEY LAKE - The Forest Service has issued a decision to authorize Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks (FWP) to establish a secure conservation population of native westslope cutthroat trout in the North Fork of the Blackfoot River in the Scapegoat Wilderness. The project will work to remedy non-native stocking actions taken prior to Wilderness designation. The project area spans the Seeley Lake Ranger District in the Lolo National Forest and the Lincoln Ranger District in the Helena – Lewis and Clark National Forest and will begin as soon as t...
Seeley Lake Volunteer firefighters responded to an equipment fire at Pyramid Mountain Lumber Monday, July 19 just after 11:30 a.m. The front loader was fully involved and mill workers were actively containing the fire to the front loader. Seeley Lake Fire Chief Dave Lane and the structure engine were clear of the scene at 12:39 p.m. The cause is still under investigation but Lane said it was most likely a mechanical issue that started the fire. There were no injuries or damage to anything but...
OVANDO - DNA results received Wednesday, July 14 confirmed the bear killed by wildlife officials Friday, July 9 was the same bear who fatally attacked a camper in Ovando early on the morning of July 6. The DNA samples from the bear, saliva sample at the scene of the attack and samples from two chicken coops that were raided in the area all match up. Montana is bear country and recreationists can be bear aware by following some simple guidelines: • Carry bear spray and be prepared to use it • Avoid surprise encounters by traveling in gro...
SEELEY LAKE - Learn about an opportunity to finally buy your own home here in Seeley Lake. Trust Montana, a non-profit community land trust, will present on its Home Buyer Choice (HB Choice) homebuyer assistance program, Tuesday, July 27 at 5:30 p.m. in the West Wing of the Foundation Building (3150 MT Hwy 83 N). The program will provide five grants up to $80,000 to income-qualified homebuyers in Missoula County. Applications are due Friday, Aug. 20. A lottery will be held to select the five applicants. *Hint-there’s not many so far, so any qua...
SEELEY LAKE – Under smoke filled skies, family and friends of the late Trenton Johnson gathered at his memorial on top of the Florence Lake Trail 451 July 18 to remember him, share stories and laughter and raise funds for the Wildland Firefighter Foundation, a national non-profit whose main mission is to support and sustain the home of a fallen or injured firefighter – where compassion spreads like wildfire. Johnson, 19-year-old firefighter from Missoula, sustained fatal injuries from a fal...
Houndstongue is a well-known noxious weed here in the Seeley, Swan and Blackfoot region. As a member of the Borage family, it contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids that make it toxic for livestock to ingest. We often find the seeds before we find the plants themselves, as the seeds are known for their Velcro like characteristics that easily attach to our pants and pets. Houndstongue can grow in a variety of habitats and is very successful at spreading. This noxious weed is a biannual plant, meaning...
Missoula County is embarking on the creation of a county-wide Pathways and Trails Master Plan, focused on creating regional connections outside of Missoula’s urban area. They are seeking community input to understand current needs and values to guide the development of vibrant, healthy places for the county. The community is invited to join the discussion at a workshop Wednesday, July 28 from 5-6:30 p.m. at the Seeley Lake Community Foundation’s West Wing. This Master Plan is a long-range planning document to guide Missoula County’s Parks...
MISSOULA – Due to a wildfire burning about a mile east of Garnet Ghost Town, the Bureau of Land Management temporarily closed the historic site and surrounding area for public safety and to allow firefighters to conduct suppression activities. The Anderson Hill Fire was first reported the afternoon of July 15. The closure order took effect July 16 for BLM lands in most of the southwestern portion of the Garnet Mountains from Elevation Mountain on the northeast to I-90 on the south. Some major landmarks within this closed area are Garnet G...
SEELEY LAKE - Students from the University of Texas at Austin stayed the night at the Seeley Lake Baptist Church Wednesday, July 14 as they made their way back to Texas from Glacier National Park as part of Texas 4000 for Cancer. Texas 4000 is a federally registered non-profit organization founded in 2004. University students participate in the longest annual charity bicycle ride in the world as a way of raising money for cancer research. In previous years participants would ride 4,000 miles...
SEELEY LAKE - Former Bob Marshall Wilderness outfitter Smoke Elser broke down the history and methods of packing during a special outdoor presentation at the Big Larch Campground amphitheater Thursday, July 15. Elser spent over 50 years as a wilderness outfitter in the Bob Marshall and as an instructor in packing, horsemanship and minimal impact camping. He currently lives in Missoula and teaches a packing class at Ninemile Ranger Station in association with the University of Montana. He started...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Sewer District Board continued discussing an Action Plan for moving forward at its July 15 meeting. In other business, Vice President Beth Hutchinson resigned her position ahead of the meeting and the Board approved a job description for an Interim General Manager position. The proposed Action Plan is a four-page document explaining the direction the Board intends to take in the coming year. In the overview it states that the Board will focus on assembling information to inform itself and constituents about w...
SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley Elementary School Board unanimously approved the hiring of Aaron Morgenstern of Seeley Lake as the school's new principal and music teacher during their regular meeting Monday, July 12. In addition, they announced the departure of current Board Chair Nathan Richardson, unanimously approved policy updates on second reading and approved the appointment of their new trustee Kitty Logan, a former principal of the school. Missoula County Superintendent Erin Lipkind...
SEELEY LAKE – Into its sixth year of the Change Your Pace Challenge, the Seeley Lake Community Foundation raised over $80,800 for 14 local organizations, including over $23,000 for the CYP Match Fund. The match fund was up $9,000 up from last year and had the highest number of individual donors that the program has seen since it started in 2016 with 192 families giving. "Not only did we have one of the highest match percentages [$0.49 per dollar raised], more people are getting into this," Commu...
SEELEY LAKE - Alpine Artisans is gratified to announce recent grant support from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation and Humanities Montana. “A common reaction of many people new to the area when they first take a close look at our website or get acquainted with our programs is “I can’t believe the variety of programming Alpine Artisans brings to our valleys!” Apparently, several major funding sources agree, and are eager to support our work, enhancing the cultural offerings of our area. In April, t...
SEELEY LAKE - Snowy Peaks Off Road & Fabrication Owner Dean Ruth is prepared to make any welding or fabrication modifications his customers request with his new automotive customization shop based in Seeley Lake. He works with customers on modifications including suspensions, bumpers, rock rails, roof racks, spare tire mounts, roll cages and lift kits. Ruth specializes in square-body vehicles which he describes as "anything from '73 to '87" as well as 1991. These include crew cabs, blazers,...
SEELEY LAKE - Every Sunday at the Seeley Lake Market, Author Powell Swanser of Turah, Montana sells his first book, "John Colter Young Patriot," in addition to a knife set and aquatic creature carvings. This is his second year being a merchant at the market. Swanser said he is a direct descendant of Colter. Colter was a member of the Lewis and Clark Expedition and the first known person of European descent to enter what would become Yellowstone National Park and to see the Teton Mountain Range....
In celebration of 35 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 35 years as documented by the Pathfinder. 35 years ago: July 24, 1986 issue Pete Rovero...a part of history Story Addrien Marx "Does it really matter when I was born? Ah,... Full story
EDNA, CALIFORNIA - Seeley-Swan High School graduate Kyle Peltier is over halfway through his multi-month journey hiking along the west coast on the Pacific Crest Trail. He began his trek April 11. As of Friday, July 16 he has arrived in Edna, California. Within a few days he will have completed 60% of the 2,600 mile trail. For the last three months, Peltier has made his way through the entire state of California. Once he reaches Oregon he will have 900 miles left to his end goal of the Canadian...
SCAPEGOAT WILDERNESS – As of Monday, July 19 at 4 p.m. the Dry Cabin fire in the Scapegoat Wilderness grew to 2,200 acres. According to Public Information Officer Trainee Heather Martens, this was due to the hot, dry weather conditions over the weekend. As of Monday, there are no trail closures however future closures will be considered for public safety concerns, fire growth and activity. The Dry Cabin fire was first reported Sunday, July 11 at 1:30 p.m. The fire is located approximately 20 miles north of Ovando and 22 miles northeast of S...
SEELEY LAKE – At their July 13 meeting, Seeley-Swan Medical Center Satellite Manager Georgiann McCoy informed the Seeley-Swan Hospital District board about their continued partnership with Missoula City-County Health Department to provide free gun locks to Seeley residents. She also updated them on the residency program that will be in full swing by mid-August. The Medical Center currently has 24 gun locks available to anyone in the community through a partnership with the Health Department Suicide Prevention and Awareness Program and P...
COVID-19 testing available for outbound travelers MISSOULA - The Missoula City-County Health Department’s (MCCHD) COVID-19 testing clinic located at 4025 Flynn Lane now offers free COVID-19 testing for residents who plan to travel outside of Montana. The labs that process the tests are only open on business days. Because of this, the Health Department encourages residents to book a COVID-19 test with plenty of time to receive the results if they are required by their end destination. The Health Department is not responsible for any delays in r...
SEELEY LAKE - At approximately 4:30 p.m. Thursday, July 22 firefighters were called to a structure fire on Juniper Drive in Seeley Lake. When they arrived multiple structures were involved and neighbors and community members were working to keep the flames from spreading using garden hoses. Everyone was evacuated and there were no injuries. Seeley Lake Fire Chief Dave Lane requested mutual aid from neighboring districts. Firefighters from Greenough/Potomac Volunteer Fire Department, Swan Valley... Full story
OVANDO - Before dawn Tuesday, July 6, Leah Lokan, a 65-year-old cyclist from Chico, California, was killed by a grizzly bear while camping in Ovando. Friday morning, a grizzly bear suspected of killing Lokan was shot and killed by wildlife officials less than two miles from Ovando. According to Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks details about the attack suggest that the bear entered Ovando early in the morning and went near the Ovando Post Office at about 3 a.m. Tuesday, where the victim was sleeping in a tent. Another couple in her party were...
MISSOULA - Hot, dry conditions and lack of precipitation forecasted are prompting Missoula County fire protection agencies to raise the fire danger in the Missoula area to EXTREME, effective immediately. Extreme fire danger means that fires start quickly, spread furiously and burn intensely. All fires are potentially serious and firefighters are rarely able to attack it directly making suppression efforts more complex. The tri-county area, including Missoula, Mineral and Ravalli counties, has...
HOLLAND LAKE – Finding a Billy Goat in distress near Upper Holland Lake was not something Jennifer Fife of Great Falls and her friend Ryan Seyler expected to find on their first day hiking into Big Salmon Lake in the Bob Marshall Wilderness. However after answering the goat's calls of distress and coming to its aid, they hiked out with "Penelope" to find its owner. With the assistance of Missoula County Sheriff's Sergeant Robert Parcell, the goat now has a new home in Seeley Lake. On June 25 F...
SEELEY LAKE - Alpine Artisans is pleased to announce our Senior Scholarship winner and three additional Youth Grant awards. Seeley-Swan High School recent graduate Kess Victor will use her $1,000 Senior Scholarship to attend University of Montana, focusing on therapy for children and adolescents with a minor in fine arts to supplement her therapy skills. Victor was the recent recipient of a 'Most Inspirational Student' award at SSHS, and her application for the scholarship award was equally...
HELENA – Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is seeking public review and comment on several wildlife-related items approved for comment during the recent Fish and Wildlife Commission meeting. Proposals include the 2021 wolf hunting and trapping season, nongame check-off workplan, pheasant releases, Jordan urban wildlife plan, 2021 elk and deer muzzleloader season, 2021 elk shoulder season and 2021 contractual public elk hunting access agreements. More information on these items can be found on the FWP website under “Public Comment Opp...
SEELEY LAKE – “We wanted everyone in the community to have the opportunity to get a family photo that doesn’t cost anything,” said Jama Mauldin, executive director with Sparrow’s Vine Pregnancy Resource Center. Thanks to a grant from the Seeley Lake Community Foundation and collaboration with Nature Scapes Greenhouse, Mon-A-Lisa Photography and Seeley Office Stop Sparrow’s Vine’s vision will become a reality July 17. Families are invited to come for their free family photo this Saturday from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. at Nature Scapes Greenhouse on H...
SEELEY LAKE - The Clearwater Resource Council (CRC) sponsored an invasive fragrant waterlily "dig-it" event on Saturday, July 10. The demonstration project on Seeley Lake is being used to test efficacy of removing waterlily rhizomes to reduce the spread of invasive waterlilies on Seeley Lake. A total of nine volunteers and three CRC staff removed a very large truckload of rhizomes this past Saturday. CRC plans to return to the demonstration site over the next three to five years, at a minimum,...
SEELEY LAKE - While Forest Service land is open to the public, businesses and other organizations have opportunities to lease or hold events on federal land that may require a fee for use. Kate Jerman, Lolo National Forest public affairs officer, said in an email that federal regulation allows the Forest Service to issue authorizations for use and occupancy of National Forest Lands. “An objective of recreation management for the Forest Service is to identify, analyze and monitor the changing demographic composition of the country and regional m...
SEELEY LAKE - Loving Hearts Thrift Store is prepared to show off the best it has to offer at its annual Fashion Show. The fundraising event will take place at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 14 inside Mission Bible Fellowship. Brunch will be served at 10 a.m. before the show begins around 10:30 a.m. Loving Hearts Manager Mary Newpower said this is roughly her sixth year organizing the show. They were unable to host it last year due to COVID-19. Throughout the past couple of years, volunteers have set...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley Adventures Operations Manager Heather Myre said she is looking forward to helping customers and staff explore the natural area in and around Seeley Lake with her new motorized recreational vehicle rental business venture. The service operates out of Kurt's Polaris on Highway 83 even though Myre considers it an entirely separate business. Myre is the daughter of Curtis Friede, owner of Kurt's Polaris since 1989. Myre grew up recreating with motorized vehicles. After...
SEELEY LAKE - Annie Micklitz helps her husband Jeff sell his custom made slogan signs every Sunday at Seeley Lake Market. Annie said Jeff makes his signs in his woodshop from trees or reclaimed pallet wood from their property. Some of his products are hand painted while others are stenciled on with custom stencils. This is their fourth year selling the signs at the market. The couple has lived in Seeley for around six years having moved from Wisconsin following Jeff's retirement. "He's always...
In celebration of 35 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 35 years as documented by the Pathfinder. 35 years ago: July 17, 1986 issue: Pathfinder buys Valley Times Pathfinder Press, Inc., Seeley Lake, recently acquired the assets of... Full story
POTOMAC - Jennifer "Niffer" Stackpole owned her catering service The Balsamroot Catering Company for around a decade before she opened her new food truck the Copper Cliff Cafe last summer. She loves sharing her love of food with her customers and welcoming the community to her outdoor venue in Potomac Thursdays and Saturdays and serving patrons at the Seeley Lake Market on Sundays. Stackpole said she grew up around cooking quite a bit as her grandmother was a "great cook" and her mother was a Fr...
Half of the year is gone and far more than half the people whose New Year’s resolution was to get in shape have long since put away the dumbbells and let their bodies go to pot. Which brings up the questions, why are exercise weights called “dumbbells”? And just what “pot” did their body go into? Dumbbell—the exercise equipment, not the name siblings throw at one another—traces its origin back to church bell ringers. Church bells are heavy, about 400 to 7,000 pounds heavy. So while the thought of youthful bellringers being pulled off their fee...
Weekly COVID-19 update As of July 12, there have been 114,325 cases of COVID-19 in Montana. There have been 874,859 doses of vaccines administered and 434,242 Montanans fully immunized. There are 466 active cases, 5,555 total hospitalizations with 51 active, 112,185 recoveries and 1,674 deaths in Montana due to COVID-19 complications. Missoula County has had 9,423 cases, 41 active cases, 9,286 recovered and 96 COVID-related deaths to date. For the most up-to-date and accurate information please refer to the Missoula County-City Health Departmen...
OVANDO - On Sunday, July 11 at approximately 1:30 p.m., the Dry Cabin Fire was reported and aerial resources were dispatched immediately to size up the fire. The fire is located approximately 20 miles north of Ovando, Montana, in the Scapegoat Wilderness. The aerial reconnaissance flight indicated that the fire was already an estimated 10 acres in size and within the day the fire rapidly grew to 50 acres due to terrain and heavy fuels. The fire is burning actively and is now estimated to be at...
DNA results received Wednesday confirmed the bear killed by wildlife officials last Friday was the same bear who fatally attacked a camper in Ovando early on the morning of July 6. The DNA samples from the bear, saliva sample at the scene of the attack and samples from two chicken coops that were raided in the area all match up. Montana is bear country and recreationists can be bear aware by following some simple guidelines: • Carry bear spray and be prepared to use it • Avoid surprise encounters by traveling in groups, making noise and bei...
Due to a wildfire burning about a mile east of Garnet Ghost Town, the Bureau of Land Management has temporarily closed the historic site and surrounding area for public safety and to allow firefighters to conduct suppression activities. The closure order takes effect immediately for BLM lands in most of the southwestern portion of the Garnet Mountains from Elevation Mountain on the northeast to I-90 on the south. Some major landmarks within this closed area are Garnet Ghost Town, Garnet Range Road, Elevation Mountain, Douglas Creek, Mulkey... Full story
Due to worsening fire danger, campfires are banned and other fire restrictions are taking effect at 12:01 a.m. July 17 throughout most of the Missoula area. Stage II restrictions will go into effect Saturday morning at 12:01 a.m. for areas including the Lolo and Bitterroot National Forests, Bureau of Land Management land, US Fish & Wildlife lands, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks and Montana State Trust Lands and private property within Missoula County. Factors influencing this decision include... Full story
MISSOULA - The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) is working to contain the Anderson Hill Fire located one mile southeast of Garnet Ghost Town in Granite, Powell, and Missoula Counties. Under Montana Department of Natural Resources & Conservation (DNRC) wildland fire protection, the Missoula Unit of the DNRC Southwestern Land Office responded and is employing full suppression strategies. There are values at risk-evacuation orders and warnings are being issued....
SEELEY LAKE - Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) Bear Specialist Jamie Jonkel said he is confused by the recent number of local mother bears abandoning their cubs either permanently or temporarily. This year in Seeley Lake, he believes six cubs were abandoned. While the cause is unclear, most of the cubs were reunited and Jonkel sees no real long term effect on the bear population. According to Jonkel, cub abandonment usually only happens on rare occasions when the area's wildlife is...
SEELEY LAKE – There is another Market in town this summer with vendors from the area. The Pop Up Market will be held every week on Saturday from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. on Fat Hippie's lawn through the end of summer. Color Street Sales Rep Kristy Pohlman came up with the idea for the Pop Up Market. "It is another place to get out and sell and another [Market] for people to go," Pohlman said. She approached Fat Hippie Owner Terry Lucke about the idea of holding the market at his location on Highway 83...
SEELEY LAKE – "I didn't like the races but this memory – the laughing, grown up racing, teenage cousins who were really competitive and the whole atmosphere of family, laughing and hanging out and having a good time together - stuck with me," reminisced Seeley Lake resident Missy Kesterke about her grandmother's yard parties in Mandan, North Dakota growing up. With most of her family still in Mandan, Missy and her husband Shane started the Fourth of July weekend tradition in 2010 in Seeley Lak...
SEELEY LAKE – Each year the Montana Newspaper Association (MNA), a consortium of 83 news publications throughout the state, sponsors the Better Newspaper Contest. The goal of the contest is to encourage member newspapers to continually strive for excellence in their publications. Participants enter what they consider their best candidates in categories focused on writing, photography and advertising throughout the previous year. Seeley Swan Pathfinder won a gratifying number of awards in the 2...
SEELEY LAKE – The community is invited to an informational meeting at the Seeley Lake Baptist Church July 14 at 7 p.m. given by Texas 4000. Texas 4000 is a group of 24 cyclists from the University of Texas doing a 4000-mile round-trip to raise money for cancer. According to their website, Texas 4000 cultivates student leaders and engages communities in the fight against cancer. They share hope, knowledge and charity in the fight against cancer through their cornerstone event, a 4,000+ mile bike ride from Austin, Texas to Anchorage, Alaska. T...
SWAN LAKE - For 40 years, the second Saturday of August has meant art, food and fun on the shores of Swan Lake. The Flathead Valley’s original Huckleberry Festival will take place on Saturday, Aug. 14 at the Swan Lake Day Park near mile marker 72 on Montana Highway 83. Admission is free. The event will open with a pancake breakfast served from 8- 11 a.m. The rest of the day’s activities will be held from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. The Arts and Crafts Fair featuring more than 50 artists and craftsmen will feature Montana-made and handmade works. Food tru...
SEELEY LAKE - On Thursday, July 15 from 6 – 7:30 p.m. the US Forest Service, Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation and Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks will host guest speaker Smoke Elser at the Big Larch Campground amphitheater in Seeley Lake. Elser spent over 50 years as a wilderness outfitter in the Bob Marshall Wilderness and as an instructor in packing, horsemanship and minimum impact camping. US Forest Service employees will join him as they discuss the history of p...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Sewer District Board adopted a resolution setting the method and assessment to collect taxes for their 2021-22 fiscal year at a hearing June 28. Following the hearing, the Board held its regular monthly meeting where it discussed an action plan laying out direction for the District and hiring a manager. The Board only received a half dozen protest letters out of the more than 500 properties in the District. District Manager Jean Curtiss said she received a few phone calls regarding the assessment. One of the issues...
MISSOULA COUNTY - The Missoula Board of County Commissioners held a presentation and accepted comments regarding a special election in November over a local-option marijuana excise tax during a public meeting Thursday, July 1. The discussion regarding the ballot’s language will continue at their July 15 meeting. In November the state of Montana voted to legalize marijuana for recreational use. In his presentation, Chris Lounsbury, Missoula County Chief Administrative Officer, said that as part of the legislative process, Montana House Bill 7...
SEELEY LAKE - Tarkio jewelry artist Sarah Carson offers a large collection of handcrafted stone and wooden jewelry at Seeley Lake Market on Sundays. When COVID-19 hit last year, she left her job as a nurse in ER to pursue her passion of hand making jewelry in a more serious capacity. "It's been quite a blessing," she said. "I've had a rock passion for a lot of years and [now] I can tumble local stones from Montana and make some jewelry out of that as well." This is her first year working as a me...
Lions Firewood Raffle winner keeps wood SEELEY LAKE - Bob Weston, brother to Seeley Lake Lion Richard Weston, won the firewood in the annual Lion’s Raffle. Instead of $200 cash, he chose to keep dump truck load of cut and split firewood. “We very much appreciate all the support. We did very well,” said Lion Boyd Gossard. “The proceeds will support local Lions Club activities.” Hospital District meeting July 13 to be held via conference call SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake-Swan Valley Hospital District’s July board meeting will be held via co...
In celebration of 35 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 35 years as documented by the Pathfinder. 35 years ago: July 10, 1986 issue Tourists: Our Lifeblood and Our Curse Story Suzanne Vernon When somebody mentions the word... Full story
OVANDO - Ovando resumed it's Fourth of July celebration this year after canceling last year due to COVID. The parade through downtown was themed "Back-to-Good Times." Attendees also enjoyed a barbecue and beer garden following the parade....
SEELEY LAKE - Residents celebrated the 24th anniversary of the Annual Rubber Duck Race along the Clearwater River during Seeley Lake's Fourth of July festivities Sunday, July 4. Event organizer Cristine Matheny estimated that around 300 ducks passed through the finish line with the first 10 receiving prizes. Volunteers helped make sure the ducks were not caught in vegetation and were properly removed from the river after the event. The race was sponsored by Seeley Lake Youth Activities and the...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Volunteer Fire Foundation invited residents to meet volunteer firefighters and members of the Quick Response Unit while learning about fire safety during their Annual Pancake Breakfast Sunday, July 4 at the Fire Station. In addition to breakfast, the event also offered attendees inflatable bouncy houses, bicycle decorating, photos with Seeley Lake Engine #1 and customized classic cars courtesy of Glacier Street Rod Association....
SEELEY LAKE - Mission Bible Fellowship welcomed locals and visitors alike at their free barbecue. Attendees could enjoy shredded pork with beans and potato salad, dessert and a watermelon. Local musicians played a concert outside during the barbecue and a craft table allowed children to make red, white and blue visors and sunglasses to wear at the parade....
SEELEY LAKE - Locals and visitiors alike took to Seeley Lake to close out the Fourth and enjoy the shows. Oregon band Code Red performed classic rock hits before the fireworks ceremony on Lindey's Prime Steak House lawn. Around 7:30 p.m. several boats in a boat parade came through decorated with flags and sharing their patriotic spirit. Private fireworks shows dotted the shoreline before the community show put on by Big Sky Fireworks lit up the night. The community display was put on with funds...
SEELEY LAKE - After canceling last year due to COVID restrictions, the Seeley Lake parade returned to Highway 83. With temperatures in the mid-90s, those that gathered appreciated the goodies and the sprinkles of water from some of the floats while others in the crowd were ready and fired back with squirt guns. Thank you for helping Seeley Lake Celebrate Freedom! • Obsession Pottery • Wild About Seeley • Fat Hippie • Glen’s Automotive • Pop’s Place • Trail Creek Merc • Emily Rindal Insurance...
SEELEY LAKE - After canceling last year due to COVID restrictions, the Seeley Lake parade returned to Highway 83. With temperatures in the mid-90s, those that gathered appreciated the goodies and the sprinkles of water from some of the floats while others in the crowd were ready and fired back with squirt guns. Thank you for helping Seeley Lake Celebrate Freedom! • Obsession Pottery • Wild About Seeley • Fat Hippie • Glen’s Automotive • Pop’s Place • Trail Creek Merc • Emily Rindal Insurance...
Thank you for helping Seeley Lake Celebrate Freedom! • Obsession Pottery • Wild About Seeley • Fat Hippie • Glen’s Automotive • Pop’s Place • Trail Creek Merc • Emily Rindal Insurance Agency • Lindey’s Prime Steak House • Clearwater Montana Properties • Claire Muller • Deer Creek Excavating • Rent-All • Rovero’s • Heritage Plumbing • Richard & Carol Weidner • Seeley-Swan ATV Club Inc. • Seeley Lake Auto Parts • Carl Gustaf Flygare III • Tamaracks Resort • Kelly Darrow • Gerry and Bonnie Connell • Seeley Lake Liquor Store • True North Massage ...
SWAN VALLEY - Highway 83 was lined with parade-goers for this year's annual parade in Condon. The parade was sponsored by the American Legion Post #63 and ran from Liquid Louie's north to the Swan Valley Community Hall. There the festivities continued with huckleberry ice cream, a barbecue and the O-Mok-See. The Swan Valley Community Foundation also put on a fireworks show in the arena at dusk....
SWAN VALLEY - Highway 83 was lined with parade-goers for this year's annual parade in Condon. The parade was sponsored by the American Legion Post #63 and ran from Liquid Louie's north to the Swan Valley Community Hall. There the festivities continued with huckleberry ice cream, a barbecue and the O-Mok-See. The Swan Valley Community Foundation also put on a fireworks show in the arena at dusk....
OVANDO – After searching by helicopter and on the ground, the grizzly bear that killed a woman Tuesday morning has not been found. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks bear specialists and wardens are continuing to monitor culvert traps set in the area. The woman was identified as 65-year-old Leah Davis Lokan of Chico, California. The search even included the use of infrared technology from Two Bear Air Rescue out of Kalispell, but efforts to find the bear are now focusing on traps near Ovando. Details surrounding the circumstances of the attack i...
KALISPELL - National Forest System Trail #35, also known as the Holland Gordon Trail, and National Forest System Road #44A are closed to all traffic and public use. The closure is in place to protect public safety due to a horse carcass along the trail. Trail #35 is closed from the junction with Road #9558 in section 35, T20N, R16W, to the junction with Trail #415 in sections 31, 315, and 36, T20N, R16W. The closure for Road #44A begins at the junction of Road #9558 in sections 35 and 36, T20N,...
MISSOULA - Due to increasing temperatures and drying vegetation, wildland fire officials with the Missoula County Fire Protection Association (MCFPA) have raised the fire danger within Missoula County to HIGH and closed outdoor burning by permit effective Tuesday, June 29. High fire danger means that dry grasses and needles ignite easily, fires can spread rapidly and may be difficult to control. Unattended campfires are likely to escape. Always attend your campfire and use established fire rings. Remember to completely drown your campfire with...
SEELEY LAKE - A dislodged hitch caused a stolen trailer to flip on its side at mile marker 19 Highway 83 just north of Boy Scout Road Wednesday, June 23. Three people were in the towing vehicle, the driver in her early 40s and her four-year-old twins. No other vehicles were involved and no injuries were reported. Montana Highway Patrol Trooper Billy Munoz said that he received the call at approximately 12:39 p.m. According to Munoz, the pickup truck was traveling south when the trailer began "fi...
SEELEY LAKE - Forty years ago Seeley Lake residents Glen and Mary Ann Morin moved to Seeley Lake. They started a business and served on various elected and non-profit boards focusing on building relationships and serving the community. To recognize this commitment and dedication, the Morins were chosen as this year's Grand Marshals for the Seeley Lake Fourth of July Parade. "Glen and Mary Ann have given so much of their time, energy and resources to this community over the past 40 years asking...
MISSOULA - Health Officer and Director D’Shane Barnett advises Missoula County residents to take caution to protect their health amid this week’s heat wave. “As many of you are aware, the National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory warning for Missoula County in effect from 12 p.m. Tuesday through 8 p.m. Thursday,” Barnett said in a press release. “Hot temperatures can lead to the occurrence of heat-related illness in humans and animals. Please take appropriate precautions to prevent this from happening.” According to the National We...
Fort Benton rests along the mighty Missouri River. Founded in 1846, it's the oldest town in Montana. During its first century, Fort Benton would become a springboard for trade as goods would be offloaded at the navigable end of the Missouri River and transported west by wagon. Flood control and other initiatives in the 1940s rendered Sioux City the new head of navigation on the Missouri, as the Great Northern railroad would become the primary means of transportation to the community. Today, the...
SWAN VALLEY - Liquid Louie's Owner Valli (Reed) Bigley was selected as this year's Grand Marshal for the town's Fourth of July parade by American Legion Post 63. "Val and her partner Lars [Hansen] from Liquid Louie's have been longtime supporters of the American Legion, veterans and her community," Ed Klassen, American Legion Post 63 commander, wrote in an email. "Her father was in the Navy, former husband in the Marines. Lars is a member of the Sons of the Legion. Pride for this nation runs...
SEELEY LAKE - The Glacier Street Rod Association will have multiple cars on display outside the Seeley Lake Fire Station during the Seeley Lake Fire Foundation's annual Fourth of July pancake breakfast from 7-11:30 a.m. Association President Rob Eickert said the non-profit group, which is based out of Kalispell, will celebrate their 40th anniversary this year. They currently have 56 members. Their overarching goal is to promote car safety and host display events for special interest vehicle enth...
OVANDO – "I love having the ability to affect students' lives," Ovando teacher Leigh Ann Valiton said. "I don't care what affiliation, wherever your families' beliefs are, I want you to understand the facts. I just like it when I see the light bulb go off. That is the best gift of teaching." After working at Ovando School more than 20 years, Valiton retired this spring from teaching. While she will maintain her position as chair of the school board and hopes to continue helping when needed, s...
I decided we needed to have a class reunion (1963-1974) to honor students that did or did not graduate, because of the long bus ride. Remember the long fight Seeley Lake and surrounding communities had and they made trips to our capital in Helena to get a high school built in Seeley Lake? Every year students wrote letters to the Helena Legislators. I remember standing on the balcony in the capitol building, looking down on the senators. Lots of people showed up!! Sometimes we take things for granted and we all need to know how lucky we are to...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Elementary School Board unanimously approved updates on their 3000 policy series during their regularly scheduled monthly meeting Monday, June 21. During the meeting they also approved a stipend for staff as well as the Safe School Reopening and Continuity Plan. Much of the updates on the 3000 series dealt with wording clarification and redundancy reduction for policies including bullying and harassment, attendance and enrollment and student records. Some of the updates came as a result of statewide legislative...
In celebration of 35 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 35 years as documented by the Pathfinder. 35 years ago: July 3, 1986 issue Champion cuts Twin Creek Loggers Sixty-five people have been or will shortly be terminated at the... Full story
SEELEY LAKE – The American flag is the preeminent symbol displayed at Fourth of July celebrations throughout the United States. Unlike the flags of other nations which once established maintain a static design through the generations, the American flag is a dynamic entity reflecting the growth of the nation it represents. The most obvious evidence of growth is the need to rearrange the configuration of the stars in the blue square canton whenever a new state is admitted to the union. Other flag deviations provide a graphic depiction of the c...
Still ebullient from the previous day's meeting of the Continental Congress – the Congress that had just approved a formal resolution to break from the rule of King George and establish an independent government – John Adams wrote to his wife Abigail: "The Second Day of July 1776 will be the most memorable Epoch in the History of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Delive...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley Lake local Victoria Elliott is excited to be back as a merchant for Seeley Lake Market so she can sell her cotton appliqué dish towels to patrons. Elliott said she has been a merchant at the market for about 11 years and has been sewing for 20 years. She learned the skill by taking lessons from Patti Bartlett at Deer Country Quilt. Her mom helps her design the patterns and then she traces those patterns on a special paper. She then presses it onto fabric and begins cutting...
SEELEY LAKE - Missoula Woodworker Dave Erickson brought his collection of wooden bookcases, benches and birdhouses to sell at the Seeley Lake Market. Erickson has been a merchant at the market for three or four years, however he has been crafting a plethora of wooden decorations for around 50. "There was an old carpenter from Lolo back in '62 that got me into carpentry," he said. "And I helped build houses for probably four or five years." Currently Erickson does woodworking mostly as a hobby....
Fireworks reminders this Fourth The public is reminded that fireworks are prohibited on state and federal lands as well as on the Double Arrow Ranch. Shooting off fireworks is also not allowed in designated forested lands, land within one air mile of forests as defined by the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation. Even though the Fire Danger is Moderate as of Monday, June 28, with the expected heat wave, fuels will be drying out. Sparks from fireworks can cause a fire and spread quickly if there is wind in the grass, dry...
OVANDO - A cyclist was killed by a grizzly bear in a campground near Ovando before dawn Tuesday, July 6 according to a press release from Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. FWP’s Wildlife Human Attack Response Team is currently responding to the fatal attack by searching for the suspected bear. The team is made up of game wardens, biologists and wildlife conflict specialists. A helicopter has been added to aid in the search. The camper, who has not yet been identified, was attacked around 3:30 a.m. A local business’ video camera caught foo... Full story
SEELEY LAKE - Members of the Seeley-Swan Search and Rescue team (SSSAR) received the Distinguished Citizen Medal from the Bitter Root Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) before their regular meeting Tuesday, June 15. The Medal is presented to groups that exemplify honor, service, courage, leadership and patriotism. SSSAR is the first group in Montana to receive this award. "We're here today to thank and recognize each and every one of you for volunteering for the Seeley-Swa...
SWAN VALLEY - Throughout this past school year, students from Swan Valley Elementary School wrote poems, short story excerpts and created artwork that were published into an anthology literary magazine called "Wild Words: A Swan Valley School Anthology." Every student in the school had at least two pieces represented in the 41-page publication that was organized and published by Classroom Aide Liza Ward. Ward worked as an aide for grades third through fifth and taught poetry, fiction, personal e...
SEELEY LAKE - This upcoming summer season, Seeley Lake is expecting to see a shift in available lodging. With the main two motels and multiple vacation rentals no longer available for visitors, those traveling through the area may need to reserve a place to stay further in advance or look for alternative lodging accommodations. Simultaneously some employers have seen a lack of available housing affect the size of their workforce. This past January, The Resort at Paws Up (Paws Up) purchased The Wilderness Gateway Inn, Seeley Lake Motor Lodge and...
In the Clearwater River Watershed alone there are over two-dozen lakes that provide opportunities for anglers and recreationalists. While some are more well known and exceedingly popular during the summer months, you may not have remembered some of these lakes that could provide the quiet escape you've been looking for! Just miles north of the Seeley Lake community lies lakes Alva and Inez. Lake Alva has 'no wake' boating restrictions, making it a popular destination for non-motorized...
SEELEY LAKE - Two vehicles were involved in a collision at mile marker 19 Highway 83 near Elaine's Way just after 5 p.m. Tuesday, June 15. Montana Highway Patrol Sergeant Sean Finley said that there were no serious injuries as a result of the accident. Seeley Lake Rural Fire District volunteers were at the scene. Further details were not available because the investigating trooper could not be reached for comment by the print deadline....
GREENOUGH - The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) and engineering firm Robert Peccia & Associates gathered public input during two virtual open houses Wednesday, June 16. The two entities are trying to look at reconfiguration options for the intersection of Highway 200 and Highway 83 also known as Clearwater Junction. Part of what triggered the request for change was a number of accidents occurring in the area. The purpose of the change is to address accidents and improve overall traffic flow. Between 2003 and 2019, 35 crashes were...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Council received updates on Fourth of July activities as well as other upcoming local projects during their regular monthly meeting Monday, June 14. In the meeting, Jordan Lyons, Missoula County Community and Planning Services housing specialist, provided the results of a recent Community Needs Assessment; Claire Muller, Seeley Lake Community Foundation executive director, then announced updates on the Change Your Pace program; and Seeley Lake District Ranger Quinn Carver described project updates and...
Hummingbirds are stunning creatures: not only for their jewel-like beauty and gravity-defying aerial acrobatics but also for their sheer fortitude. Every fall, they migrate thousands of miles to Mexico or Central America. Their wings thrum at up to 80 beats per second. When they sleep, their body drops into a state of torpor: their heartbeat and breathing slow to a state almost near death. Yet when they awake, their first order of business is hovering about trees and blossoms, hunting for...
MISSOULA – In bear country, it's normal to find bruins munching down on temptations left out by humans – from a backyard apple tree to leftovers in the trash bin – but these encounters can cause trouble for humans and bears alike. One method to reduce human-bear conflicts is to secure attractants like garbage and livestock feed. While effective when implemented, this approach requires people to change their behavior, and that makes things a little more complicated. University of Montana resea...
POTOMAC - Members of the Potomac School Board approved a collection of Montana School Board Association (MTSBA) policy updates both on first and second reading with amendments during their regular meeting Monday, June 14. The Board also heard from the eighth graders on their recent school trip and approved the 2019-2020 audit. The required policy updates that were approved on second reading with amendments had to do with uniform complaint procedure; district policy and procedures; school calendar and day; school emergency and closure; entrance...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Fire Board amended their by-laws and approved the 2021-2022 budget at their June 15 meeting. They also addressed public questions regarding the mission statement, financials and public information requests. At a special meeting June 21, they approved a five percent raise for Chief Dave Lane and assigned Board Chair Scott Kennedy and Board Member Jon Kimble to a committee to further discuss the volunteer shortage and options. In his report, Lane said on June 13 following the windstorm, the District responded to 13 c...
In a wildfire briefing at the state Capitol attended by more than a dozen land use and wildfire response agency leaders, Gov. Greg Gianforte said he wants to double the number of treated acres on Montana’s forests and pressured the National Park Service to extinguish all wildfire starts on park service lands. Gianforte said the state is undergoing a forest health crisis due to insect outbreaks, disease and heavy fuel loading that leads to an elevated wildfire risk. Increasing treatment — forest management strategies including some mix of thi...
Seeley Lake residents Elizabeth “Ibby” Lorentz, Brittany Cory and Nicole Williams were named to the Dean’s List for the spring semester. Lorentz, a junior majoring in biological sciences, was named to the Dean’s List for the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln after maintaining a grade point average of 3.7 or higher. She was among more than 6,800 students at Nebraska named to the Spring Deans’ Lists for the spring semester. For the full Deans’ List, visit https://go.unl.edu/deanslist-spring21. Cory and William...
SWAN VALLEY - Hailey Loudon and her husband Jesse Arno are bringing back Swan Valley Café for the first time since it closed in 2016. They are excited to bring in another active restaurant to the Condon area. "I always just wanted to own my own business and ... it seemed like a good opportunity," Loudon said. "It's been for sale forever and I would try to convince him to do this for about 10 years now. He finally just gave in." Loudon is originally from Aurora, Oregon but she graduated from Seel...
SEELEY LAKE - Potomac resident Sherri Housley has been selling her collection of various jam and jelly flavors at Seeley Lake Market for around a decade. She learned how to make jam at an early age when she would help her family pick strawberries and make jam out of it. "That's how we ate, we were really poor," she said. She finds the jam-making process "relaxing" and says that describing it is like describing art. She said while some may freeze the fruit in their jars, she prefers to leave...
In celebration of 35 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 35 years as documented by the Pathfinder. 35 years ago: June 25, 1986 issue New survey questions surface at Condon community meeting About a dozen Swan Valley residents...
Weekly COVID-19 update As of June 21, there have been 113,225 cases of COVID-19 in Montana. There have been 852,515 doses of vaccines administered and 420,329 Montanans fully immunized. There are 454 active cases, 5,446 total hospitalizations with 44 active, 111,119 recoveries and 1,652 deaths in Montana due to COVID-19 complications. Missoula County has had 9,337 cases, has 37 active cases, 9,205 recovered and 95 COVID-related deaths. For the most up-to-date and accurate information please refer to the Missoula County-City Health Department we...
SALMON PRAIRIE - "We talked the teacher into letting us go up in the attic to see if we could kill some of the pack rats that were always up there. She went along with us for awhile until she couldn't get us to come down. I made the mistake of telling my folks about what I was doing instead of my studies." Karen Conley, a former student of Salmon Prairie Elementary School, told this story as it was recorded and published in the book, "Lake County School History, Vol. II' in the chapter on Swan...
GREENOUGH - Horse enthusiasts rode through the Blackfoot Clearwater Wildlife Management Area (aka Game Range) as part of Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation's (RMEF) annual Horse Ride Saturday, June 12 at Old Boyd Ranch. Blackfoot Clearwater Chapter Co-chairs Twyla and Todd Johnson have been organizing the event for over 20 years. Its purpose is not only to give horseback riders an opportunity for adventure and prizes but also to act as an additional fundraiser for the RMEF. "My husband and I really...
SEELEY LAKE - Paul Benbow, former Seeley Lake resident who currently lives in Missoula, had an "intense" experience during the heavy thunderstorm Sunday, June 13. According to the Seeley Lake Remote Automated Weather Station (RAWS) near the Seeley Lake Airport, temperatures reached 90 degrees by 5 p.m. However as the predicted cold front hit, temperatures dropped 30 degrees and winds hit gusts of up to 39 miles per hour by 7 p.m. The RAWS at Clearwater Junction recorded wind gusts up to 42...
SEELEY LAKE – Local growers, artisans, non-profits and other organizations will once again fill the Seeley Lake Community Foundation's lawn, Highway 83, starting this Sunday, June 20 for the Seeley Lake Market. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Sunday through Labor Day, the community can come, browse and support local vendors. This is the third year the Market has been managed by the Foundation. Market manager Rachelle Harman said the intent is to promote homemade or homegrown products/crafts. T...
On Thursday, June 10 the Clearwater Resource Council kicked off its newest education and outreach program, the Campfire Series. This first presentation was titled "Aquatic Invasive Species" and was led by Heidi Sedivy at the Placid Lake Campground. Sedivy discussed various aquatic invasive species (AIS) that threaten Montana and reviewed the different ways AIS are spread. She emphasized the importance of Clean Drain Dry, while also highlighting the lesser-known ways invasive species are...
Are you or someone you know struggling to catch up on your home energy bill from last winter? There might be help available. While it has been frustrating at times throughout COVID to work through the process of applying for help, Energy Share and the Human Resource Council (HRC) in Missoula want you to know there is help available, including one-on-one assistance when needed. Energy Share helps Montanans who are facing home energy emergencies. The HRC processes Energy Share applications and can help you apply. Common reasons people apply for E...
SEELEY LAKE – At their June 8 meeting, the Seeley-Swan Hospital District Board learned more about the residency program that will be starting at the Seeley-Swan Medical Center this fall. The Medical Center Satellite Manager Georgiann McCoy said there are several residents interested in doing their rural rotation in Seeley Lake. Dr. Stephen Humpal and Nurse Practitioner Lynne Rogers are hoping to have a resident in the clinic every Friday starting in September. They will have two to three that will rotate every week. McCoy said this will allow f...
SEELEY LAKE - Annette Johnson wrapped up her 24-year position as Seeley-Swan High School math teacher at the end of this school year. Johnson graduated from Great Falls High School in January 1985. Soon after she attended the College of Great Falls where she graduated in 1988 with a bachelor's degree in secondary math education and business. She then received a master's degree in technology in education as well as several math credits from the University of Montana. She started teaching math at...
MISSOULA COUNTY - The Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation announced that two Seeley Lake students won cash prizes for their participation in an essay-writing contest. Ava Thornsberry won first place and received $300. Clara Kyrouac tied for third and received $100. Other Missoula-area students to win were Abigail Sherwood in second and Kenney Smith tied for third. Each entrant received a one-year membership to the Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation. In their essays, the girls talked about the significance of the 1803-06 Lewis and...
SWAN VALLEY – "Let's hear it for the chili," Auctioneer Rip Grubaugh said to which the room erupted in applause. The 30th Annual American Legion Post 63 Chili Cookoff filled the Swan Valley Community Hall June 12 with aromas of 15 different chilis. The taste testers agreed all the chilis were good with their own style. The hardest part was choosing the best. Patricia Maurer again claimed the traveling trophy after her chili was named the 2021 Chili Champ. The Chili Cookoff is the only major f...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley Lake Elementary School eighth graders enjoyed their last day as students in the school's gymnasium during their graduation ceremony Tuesday, June 8. As tradition, the graduates presented flowers to their parents in the audience. Amaiya Dalrymple and Bailey Bartlett introduced the ceremony. "The reason you're getting wonderful flowers is because you have done so much for us for so many years," they said. "We also want to show some recognition for fathers. We admire all the...
POTOMAC - Potomac Elementary School eighth graders and kindergartners concluded important life stages following their graduation ceremony Wednesday, June 9 at the Potomac Greenough Community Center. In his opening speech Principal John Rouse acknowledged the inquisitiveness of this year's group of kindergarteners. "They come here with a sense of curiosity," Rouse said. "A sense of curiosity which is evidenced through unending questions. Well, we hope we kept it alive and we believe we did. ......
SWAN VALLEY – "We made it," said Swan Valley School Principal Ralph King June 8 at the Swan Valley School Kindergarten promotion and eighth grade graduation. This set the stage for an evening of celebrating successes, overcoming adversity and looking towards the future. Prior to presenting the completion certificates, Kindergarten, First and Second Grade Teacher Chris Mauldin applauded the kindergarteners for rising to the added challenges this year with masks trying to understand what M...
In celebration of 35 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 35 years as documented by the Pathfinder. 35 years ago: June 19, 1986 issue Fishin' At The Pothole "Fishin' at the Pothole," a children's fun day held Saturday in Seeley Lake...
SALMON PRAIRIE - Salmon Prairie Elementary School eighth grader Cameron Lytle wrapped up his time in the one-room schoolhouse at the school's graduation ceremony and end of the year picnic Monday, June 7. Next year he will attend Seeley-Swan High School. "Cameron, we're going to miss you," said Supervising Teacher Holl Hubbard. "We wish you the very best ... and the door is always open and you can come back and visit. It's going to be different without you here." Lytle's grandmother Zana Lytle...
SEELEY LAKE –The consensus for the 2021 Mr Pike Tournament was ""It was tough fishing." With 24 participants only seven teams came for the weigh-in Saturday and six on Sunday. Regardless of the results, the intent of the tournament is just to have fun fishing for pike and adding a little competition with it. Mr Pike Tournament is held annually in June. Participants can fish Seeley or Salmon Lakes on Saturday and Sunday. They are allowed to weigh-in three fish, over 22 inches, each day. Prizes a...
MISSOULA COUNTY - The Missoula County Sheriff's Office has a new method of patrolling local bodies of water during warmer seasons. Missoula County Sergeant Bob Parcell said the Office recently purchased its second jet ski earlier this year after having purchased one in 2020. The newer one is currently in Kalispell having its lights and decals installed. The waverunners will be used to patrol all lakes to make sure boaters have the appropriate registration and are taking safety precautions like w...
Terry Holka Celebration of Life June 19 SEELEY LAKE - The community is invited to a Celebration of Life for Ter-Bear at 3 p.m., Saturday, June 19 at him cabin at 1660 Riverview Drive. This is an informal gathering with a potluck to follow. Please bring stories, a dish to share and chairs. Cottonwood Lakes Road now open SEELEY LAKE - Heavy equipment and crews removed the small landslide on Cottonwood Lakes Road #477 located on the Seeley Lake Ranger District. All barricades are removed and the road is now open and drivable from Cottonwood Lakes...
SEELEY LAKE – The Fourth of July celebrations are returning to Seeley Lake again this year with overwhelming community support. A citizens’ committee formed in May to organize the Highway 83 Parade and fireworks over the Lake. The Seeley Lake Area Chamber of Commerce agreed to apply for the Department of Transportation (MDT) permit, carry the insurance and hire Big Sky Fireworks for the public display over Seeley Lake Sunday, July 4. The Seeley Swan Pathfinder ran a survey regarding Fourth of July activities in Seeley Lake. Out of 420 responses...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake resident Jesse Chadwick was a card-carrying, flag-waving, all-in American when he joined the United States Army in 2000. By the time his military stint was over in 2003, he had combat PTSD and was completely disillusioned with the avowed American values of "liberty" and "justice for all." Chadwick began with positive feelings about the military. His high school education had taken a side turn to the Montana National Guard Youth Challenge Program (now Montana Youth C...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley-Swan High School seniors closed a new chapter of their lives as they celebrated their achievements at the school's graduation ceremony Sunday, June 6. During his opening speech, Principal Kellen Palmer acknowledged the challenges the 19 students had faced in recent years. "This is a 13 year culmination of hard work," he said. "The last few years have been well, unusual to say the least. Between the way last spring ended and then the uncertainty surrounding this fall, it's be...
SEELEY LAKE - Since its founding in 1993, Clearwater Montana Properties has emphasized community-building as a key component of its company culture. Through its Charitable Giving Program, the company’s agents give back a portion of all real estate proceeds to the communities in which they were earned. To date, the program has produced over $706,315 in charitable donations to causes throughout Montana, Idaho and Washington. “Each year Clearwater and our agents give a portion of each com...
SEELEY LAKE - The June 14 meeting of the Seeley Lake Community Council will present an informative program on topics important to our area. We have the new affordable housing specialist from Missoula County as one of the presenters, and we all agree this is a key need for our community. Again we will conduct our meeting virtually, and we invite members of the community to join. Featured speakers are as follows: • Jordan Lyons, Housing Specialist, Missoula County Community and Planning Services: discussion of affordable housing resources in M...
MISSOULA - Due to increasing temperatures, lack of precipitation, and drying vegetation, wildland fire officials with the Missoula County Fire Protection Association (MCFPA) have raised the fire danger within Missoula County to MODERATE, effective immediately. When fire danger is moderate, fires readily start in open, dry grassland and will burn and spread quickly on windy days. Most wood fires will spread slowly to moderately. Outdoor burning with a permit is still open in Missoula County, but MCFPA urges residents to not burn on windy days...
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks announced that 42 trail organizations, communities and various land-managing agencies throughout Montana will receive federal Recreational Trails Program (RTP) grant awards for their projects in 2021. This includes the full funding for the Seeley Lake Driftriders Snowmobile Club. Fifty-three RTP applications were received this year from a variety of eligible applicants, including federal and state agencies, towns, cities, counties, private clubs and nonprofit organizations. The Recreational Trails Program current...
Wildfire is no stranger to communities in western Montana. As the climate warms, wildfire risks increase. Reduced snowpack, soaring summer temperatures, altered bark beetle reproductive cycles and more severe periods of drought all interact to create situations where catastrophic wildfire is poised to become even more of a problem for communities located in the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI). The town of Seeley Lake has a number of agencies and organizations working to create a more...
SEELEY LAKE – For many the CL-415 and lead plane that flew around Seeley Lake Friday, June 4 brought up memories of the air show from the Rice Ridge Fire. With no smoke in the air or active wildfires in the area, the CL-415 returned to Seeley Lake for pilot training and qualification. The plane seen Friday is owned by Aero-Flite based in Spokane, Washington. According to CL-415 Chief Pilot Jason Robinson, the CL-415 was crewed by two pilots and one inspector pilot. A USFS Pilot Inspector was c...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Elementary kindergarten class said their classmates' name in unison as photos from the year's activities showed during the slideshow at their Completion Ceremony June 4. Captured in snapshots, parents and family members could see their children learning, playing and interacting throughout the year. The class cohesion was tangible as they echoed each other's names throughout the dark SLE gymnasium. As the lights returned, teacher Sheila Devins said "Flat tire" the cl...
As the weather warms and recreationists venture into the woods, Be Bear Aware Campaign Director Chuck Bartlebaugh wants everyone to be informed on how to avoid confrontations with black and grizzly bears, the correct methods of using bear spray and protecting oneself if a bear attacks. According to missoulabears.org, bears are omnivorous, have an excellent sense of smell and must gain enough weight during the warmer seasons to sustain them for four to seven months of winter. Bears are able to...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Elementary junior high band showed what their music program is capable of at their year-end concert Tuesday, June 1. The show featured a mixture of both concert and pep band songs. Music teacher Janet Morgenstern said many of the performers were playing at a fifth grade level when they began practicing this January. However, over time they have been able to catch up to their respective grade levels. "They did really, really well tonight," she said. "We knew we...
SEELEY LAKE – The Fire Board met for an informational workshop Tuesday, June 8 at 1 p.m. regarding the potential of hiring employees as well as purchasing a Type I engine that will be going up for bid in Missoula soon. No decisions were made at the meeting and discussions will continue at the next board meeting June 15 at 6 p.m. at the District. Workshops and special meetings are posted on the District website seeleyfire.org and posted at the Station. Current Situation Fire Chief Dave Lane provided the board with a current roster. They c...
In celebration of 35 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 35 years as documented by the Pathfinder. 35 years ago: June 12, 1986 issue C.B. Rich - An Introduction (Editor's note: Diane Herron, graduating senior, delivered the followin...
SEELEY LAKE - The Montana Coaches Association (MCA) voted Seeley-Swan High School Track and Field Coach Mike Haines "Coach of the Year" for Class C Girls Track and Field after the team won the Class C state title this year. This is his third time receiving the award. He was recognized in 2014 and 2019 when the girls track team won the Class C state title. Haines described receiving the award again as humbling. "I'm blessed with having coached really good athletes and I have really good...
Spring Wildflower Hike, June 19 SEELEY LAKE – Clearwater Resource Council invites you to its second guided nature walk event June 19 from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Gather friends, grab your boots come learn about spring wildflower identification! Steve Shelly, retired Forest Service Botanist, will be the guide and interpreter. The hike will be approximately three to four miles. It will occur rain or shine and will not allow dogs. Dress appropriately and provide your own water and snacks. The event will be limited to 20 participants. Please RSVP at htt...
GREENOUGH – The Sunset School families and friends gathered May 25 for a year-end celebration and to recognize their eighth-grade graduates Aiden Eichenlaub and Jase Root and kindergartner promotions for Hudson Skelton and Lily Kihara. This is the first time since 2014 that Sunset has graduated an eighth grader. Supervising teacher Toni Hatten said despite the global pandemic, Sunset's goal was to offer in-person learning and they achieved that all year. Although things were different, school w...
SWAN VALLEY - Veterans and residents gathered together on the Cold Creek Bridge in Condon to honor fallen military members at their Memorial Day ceremony Monday, May 31. During the ceremony, Edward Klassen, Swan Valley American Legion Post 63 commander, spoke about the history of Memorial Day and its incarnations across the U.S. before it became a national holiday in 1971. "These American veterans of all American conflicts are at rest now," he said. "We must bear the burden of carrying this...
GREENOUGH - Jesse D. Sims, 24 from Stevensville, Montana, succumbed to his injuries following a single-vehicle ATV accident in the early morning hours of May 29, near Clearwater Junction. No other persons were involved in the accident. Sims was a former Grizzly defensive lineman. A #37 legacy jersey holder, Sims was a four-year starter for the Grizzlies who earned All-Big Sky honors at defensive tackle following his senior season in 2019. Highly respected among his teammates and coaches, he was also a two-time recipient of Montana’s Larry M...
Lakeside Campground will be temporarily closed for the next two to four weeks due to a small landside in a recent construction area. Spring precipitation and runoff has made the area unstable. The group reservation site #3 will remain open/accessible to reservation holders only (through www.recreation.gov) and the campground host will facilitate access for those reservation holders. All other sites within Lakeside Campground will remain temporarily closed. Crews will work over the next few...
SEELEY LAKE - Late in the evening on May 25, a small debris slide was discovered covering a portion of the Cottonwood Lakes Road #477 adjacent to the Rice Ridge fire burned area. The slide is located ¼ mile west of the junction of Cottonwood Lakes Road #477 and Lower Cottonwood Road #9976. The slide is the result of heavy rain and soil saturation in the area which caused the slope above the road to slump and slide over Cottonwood Lakes Road #477. As a result of the slide, a 4-mile...
GREENOUGH – The public is invited to attend one of two Virtual Open Houses June 16 at 12 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. to learn more about the Clearwater Junction Intersection study, provide comments and ask questions. The goal of this project is to reconfigure the intersection of Highway 83 and Highway 200 to improve safety and traffic flow for all highway users. The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) and contracted engineering firm Robert Peccia & Associates are exploring improvement options for the intersection of Highway 200 and Highway 83, mo...
SEELEY LAKE – Nearly 100 members of the community joined together Monday, May 31 to remember and honor those veterans who sacrificed and gave their lives in service to our country. People looked through the name plaques that were recently mounted to the new kiosk to find those they loved and remember others from the community who served. "Our presence here is in solemn commemoration of all these men and women, an expression of their tribute to their devotion to duty, to their courage and p...
SEELEY LAKE - Students from Seeley Lake Elementary and Seeley-Swan High School showed off their talents at "Spotlight," a talent show featuring acts from both schools in the high school's small gym Tuesday, May 25. Acts ranged from a variety of fields including singing, dancing, magic tricks and science experiments. Music teacher Janet Morgenstern opened the show, highlighting that talent comes in many forms - what one sees as talent can be different for someone else. This was followed by a...
MISSOULA COUNTY - The results of a recent Missoula County Community Needs Assessment (CNA) survey showed that 68% of residents felt that the county should prioritize projects that increase the supply of housing affordable for all income levels. Based on these results, CAPS will communicate these priorities with County Commissioners. The Missoula County Community and Planning Services’ Grants and Community Programs Division divulged the results of their recent annual CNA survey during a virtual meeting Tuesday, May 25. This assessment was i...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley-Swan High School graduate Locke Hassett is looking forward to returning to his hometown as he takes on his new position as Seeley Lake Elementary School Outdoor Program leader. He previously worked for the Outdoor Program in 2017. “I’m really just looking forward to seeing how much it’s grown,” he said. “When I worked there a couple years ago, back in 2017, we had maybe 10 kids max. And after speaking with [Program Director] Bridget Laird, she said that it’s grown quite a bit. So it’s just going to be really interesting t...
SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley Elementary School Board held a discussion on how they should approach advertising an open part-time principal/teacher position during a special meeting Wednesday, May 26. They unanimously voted to have Erin Lipkind, Missoula County superintendent of schools, and District Clerk Heather Mincey create an advertisement for the position on the school’s website with the stipulation that it could be modified at any time. They also certified their new trustee Sophie Trull. Ralph King served as the school’s principal for...
MISSOULA – At the University of Montana, 2,550 undergraduate students made the spring semester 2021 Dean’s List or President’s 4.0 List. The University of Montana Western named 540 students to the 2021 spring semester Dean’s List. Several students from Condon, Potomac and Seeley Lake were included. To qualify for the UM Lists, students must be undergraduates, earn a semester GPA of 3.5 or higher and receive grades of A or B in at least nine credits. Double asterisks after a name indicate the student earned a 4.0 GPA. A single asterisk indicates...
MISSOULA COUNTY - Missoula County’s Epidemiological Situation Unit provided updates on COVID-19 and vaccinations in the county during a virtual press conference Wednesday, May 26. D’Shane Barnett, Incoming Missoula City-County Health Department (MCCHD) director and health officer, congratulated the county on having the highest vaccination rate in the state of Montana. “I am inheriting a great department,” Barnett said. “And all of the work that has been done has led to Missoula County really leading the way in the state when it comes to COVID-...
SEELEY LAKE - Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) Bear Specialist Jamie Jonkel and Rob Green, an environmental studies graduate student with the University of Montana, unloaded building supplies outside of The Ice Cream Place with the help of restaurant Co-owner Paul Daniels Thursday, May 27. The supplies are intended for an electric fence meant to keep bears from getting into the restaurant's dumpster. Jonkel said he expects the project to take roughly a week with the goal of having it compl...
In celebration of 35 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 35 years as documented by the Pathfinder. 35 years ago: June 5, 1986 issue Microwave radiation different from Chernobyl radiation The radiation in microwave ovens is not the s...
Trail Condition Report started for season SWAN VALLEY – Trail conditions for the Mission Mountain Wilderness and Swan Front are now available from June through October online at https://www.swanvalleyconnections.org/trail-conditions. Daughter of the Sun Back Country Services provides the reports published by Swan Valley Connections. They include general information, warnings, timely notices and road conditions to favorite hiking trails and designations in the Swan Valley. Applicants sought for expanded Seeley Lake Cemetery Board Missoula C...
MISSOULA - All Missoula County offices will reopen to the public on Tuesday, June 1 with the following guidelines in place: • Masks are no longer required of employees, public or clients within county buildings. It is strongly recommended for individuals who have not had the opportunity to or cannot be vaccinated to continue wearing masks. Signage will continue encouraging the wearing of masks inside. • No individual inquiries as to vaccination status are permitted. Please note that some departments may continue requiring masks in certain are...
Congratulations 2021 Graduates!! SSHS Graduation: Sunday, June 6 SSHS, 1 PM. Guests invitation only Speaker: Sandee Cahoon Valedictorian: Klaire Kovatch Salutatorian: Jordan Johnson... Full story
GREENOUGH - Ryan Sokoloski, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks park manager for Placid Lake, Salmon Lake and Beavertail Hill State Parks, said that the Clearwater Junction RV dump site will be closed indefinitely unless something changes substantially. According to him, in spring 2019 FWP saw the site's system fail repeatedly for a multitude of reasons. The built-in alarm system continually went off and when maintenance workers went in to fix the issue they would have to manually override it to get...
SEELEY LAKE - Volunteers with the Veterans and Families of Seeley Lake (VFSL) did some maintenance work to the Memorial Garden Tuesday, May 18 in preparation for Memorial Day. Aside from cleaning the grounds and removing weeds, the biggest change the site saw was at the kiosk. The wooden plaques were replaced with metal-engraved ones. The new kiosk features metal-engraved plaques that will be protected from the elements under a roof. The previous version had wooden plaques hung on a chain....
SWAN VALLEY - Henry Meyer Jr. and Joan Rodamer celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary on May 11. They were married May 11, 1951 in South Carolina. Henry and Joan were high school sweethearts from Lyndhurst, New Jersey. They wanted to get married and have a church ceremony but Joan's parents did not approve of the marriage. The thought of Henry sweeping Joan away to some remote, untamed location and "homesteading" was not what they wanted for their young daughter. Although Joan was 20 years...
POTOMAC - After having studied the Middle Ages, the sixth through eighth grade students together with the staff decided to host Medieval Days May 18 - 19. Social Studies teacher Jessica Van Kerkhove said the goal of Medieval Days was to provide a more hands-on experience for students to learn about the Middle Ages. The Middle School teachers were royalty presiding over their 'kingdoms.' Each kingdom was set in a classroom closely resembling manors. Van Kerkhove explained that each kingdom had...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Sewer District Board appointed Cheri Thompson to serve on the Board and adopted an equal assessment method for next year’s tax assessment at their May 20 meeting. In other business, the Board hired an interim manager, heard a presentation on a water study in the area and discussed studying the groundwater with the Health Department. Thompson was the only applicant to fill Director Walt Hill’s seat after he resigned in February. The Board interviewed Thompson at the meeting. Thompson said the reason she applied is b...
SEELEY LAKE - The sixth annual Change Your Pace Challenge kicks off next week! The Seeley Lake Community Foundation's Change Your Pace Challenge is a campaign for community-wide giving, celebrating the people and organizations that make our community great. During this month-long fundraising period (June 1-30, 2021), the "CYP" motivates community members to give to their favorite participating local nonprofits and community groups, knowing the impact of their gift will grow thanks to the CYP...
MISSOULA - At their May 21 Administrative Meeting, the Missoula County Commissioners appointed Kathy Koors and Jesse Arno to the Swan Valley Community Council for three-year terms. Koors reapplied for her position after it was not filled. Arno was recruited by former Council Chair Ken Donovan whose term expires May 31, 2021. “[Jesse] seems like a fine person who has been active enough in the community,” Commissioner Chair Dave Strohmaier said. “It always comes up with the question of do we feel good enough about this individual to appoi...
GREENOUGH - Students from Sunset School ended their school year with a bang as they performed a drum concert inspired by West African music for family members Friday, May 21. The students had been training with Matthew Nord, who teaches African rhythms for Tangled Tones Music Studio in Missoula, for about five sessions over the course of two months. In between performances, Nord educated audience members on the various drums they were using in the set including djembes, dunun, sangbans,...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Elementary School Board unanimously approved a canvass of the election results for the general fund levy during its regular meeting Monday, May 17. During the meeting the Board also approved the school’s 2021 Summer Lunch program, new hires and talked about updates to the School Improvement Plan. Superintendent Josh Gibbs said the levy passed but by “a very narrow margin.” A total of 990 ballots were submitted, 887 of which were accepted. Of those 887 votes, 452 were in favor while 418 were opposed. The remai...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Fire Board reorganized and discussed an amendment to their by-laws at their monthly meeting May 18. The board swore in Gary Lewis and Connie Clark to serve for another three years. They voted to retain Scott Kennedy as the board chair, Lewis as the vice chair and Clark as the secretary. Lane suggested adding a paragraph related to the Seeley Lake Rural Fire District by-laws that delegates managing duties to the District fire chief when there is one in place. The Seeley Lake Fire Board by-laws were last updated i...
OVANDO - Students at Ovando School gave audience members a taste of all seven continents as they explored various cultures through the medium of dance during the school's May Day Tea event in the school gym Thursday, May 20. Teachers Leigh Ann Valiton and Andrea Tougas as well as community member Angela Williams organized the event. Valiton said this performance was made possible through the Ovando School Cultural Enrichment Committee. According to her, the students have been preparing for...
SEELEY LAKE - After its building was purchased four years ago by Jason Moe of Moe Opportunities, LLC, the Moe-asis bar and hotel is now on the brink of being fully operational this upcoming summer. Located on Highway 83 just north of Seeley Lake, the bar opened Wednesday, May 12 and the hotel will hopefully be open around the beginning of July. Named after its owner, Moe-asis Manager Katelyn Lewis said the goal for the bar and hotel is to have an inviting environment for both visitors and...
In celebration of 35 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 35 years as documented by the Pathfinder. 35 years ago: May 29, 1986 issue New convenience store under construction in Seeley Lake Norm Baier has raised a few eyebrows... Full story
Memorial Day Ceremonies May 31 SEELEY LAKE & SWAN VALLEY – Members of the Seeley Lake and Swan Valley communities are invited to Memorial Day Ceremonies May 31. The ceremony in Seeley Lake will be held outside at the Seeley Lake Memorial Gardens in Highway 83 on the north end of Seeley Lake at 11 a.m. The event is hosted by Veterans & Families of Seeley Lake and will honor service members that have passed. Please arrive early as parking is limited. The ceremony in Swan Valley will be held on the Cold Creek Bridge across the Swan River at 1...
Lakeside Campground on Lake Alva will be temporarily closed for the next 2-4 weeks due to a small landside in a recent construction area. Spring precipitation and runoff has made the area unstable. The group reservation site #3 will remain open/accessible to reservation holders only (through www.recreation.gov) and the campground host will facilitate access for those reservation holders. All other sites within Lakeside Campground will remain temporarily closed. Crews will work over the next few...
SEELEY LAKE – Last Friday, Missoula County Public Schools Superintendent Rob Watson recommended Seeley Lake's Shawn Holmes to serve as the new principal at SSHS. He accepted the position and will replace current Principal Kellen Palmer who transferred to Washington Middle School in Missoula, Montana. Watson said in a letter to SSHS parents that they had many qualified candidates for this position. The interview and selection process was rigorous and thorough including a formal interview with sta...
SEELEY LAKE - As bear and human interactions become more frequent in the warmer months, the annual cycle of bears becoming acclimated to human attractants will come into full effect. Continued conflicts with humans can eventually result in the removal of a bear. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) Bear Specialist Jamie Jonkel said he has begun seeing a lot of trash inadequately disposed of in the area which will continue to perpetuate the situation. "When I was driving around town, I mean...
MISSOULA - Due to increasing temperatures, lack of precipitation and drying vegetation, wildland fire officials with the Missoula County Fire Protection Association (MCFPA) have raised the fire danger within Missoula County to Moderate, effective immediately. When fire danger is moderate, fires will readily start in open, dry grassland and will burn and spread quickly on windy days. Most wood fires will spread slowly to moderately. Outdoor burning with a permit is still open in Missoula County, but MCFPA urges residents to not burn on windy day...
Seeley Lake Ranger District completed a 130-acre prescribed burn Monday, May 17 in the Horseshoe Hills area located approximately three miles southeast of Seeley Lake and Double Arrow Ranch. Five engines and 34 firefighters from the Seeley Lake and Missoula Ranger Districts and Montana Department of Natural Resources conducted the burn to help reduce hazardous fuels adjacent to private property and improve wildlife habitat. District Ranger Quinn Carver said they had good consumption of slash...
MISSOULA - Athletes from Seeley-Swan's track team competed at the District 13C meet May 14-15 in Missoula and broke five meet records. The Lady Blackhawks took first place, earning 184 points, well ahead of Drummond in second with 130. Seeley-Swan's Boys took second with 134 points behind Drummond's 168. Walker McDonald blew the competition away in the Discus and Shot Put, setting meet records in both events. In the Discus he threw 164 feet 10 inches, besting second place by 35 feet. He won the...
GREENOUGH - Wildlife enthusiasts scoured the Blackfoot Clearwater Wildlife Management Area, also known as "the Game Range," for antlers as the area opened to the public Saturday, May 15. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Sergeant Dan Curtin said that from his perspective this year's turnout was about the same as previous years and may have actually been slightly less than in the past. He estimates that there were close to 1,000 people on the Range. "Everything went really smoothly," he said....
SWAN VALLEY - Swan Valley Library is open during regular hours. Preschool children are invited to come to the library on Mondays from 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. to listen to a story and make a craft or art project. Book Chat will be held on Wednesday, May 26 at 1 p.m. We will be discussing #1 bestselling author Kristin Hannah’s new book entitled “The Four Winds”. Books are available at the library to borrow. “The Four Winds” is a heroic novel set during the Great Depression and the drought which brought on the Dust Bowl in the 1930s on the Great Plain...
SWAN VALLEY - Members of the Swan Valley Elementary School Board unanimously voted to follow the recommendations of the Missoula-City County Health Department (MCCHD) to rescind their mask mandate during their monthly board meeting Tuesday, May 11. As of Wednesday, May 12 students and staff are no longer required to wear masks on school grounds. During the discussion Principal Ralph King said that he wanted to add the verbiage “optional” to whatever motion the Board would make to avoid implications. “There’s nothing mandatory or recomme...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley Lake Community Council heard updates regarding the Bob Marshall Music Festival, the status of the sewer project, Paws Up’s use of two motels for employee housing, and U.S. Forest Service summer projects during their regularly scheduled meeting Monday, May 10. Bob Marshall Music Festival Heidi O’Brien, Lewis and Clark Brewing marketing director, provided updates on the Bob Marshall Music Festival. She said they were ready to make any adaptations required should conditions change in the weeks leading up to the festival sch...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley-Swan Hospital District learned of staffing changes and received a vaccination update from Partnership Health Center at their May 11 meeting. PHC hired Georgiann McCoy as the new Seeley-Swan Medical Center Satellite Manager to fill Karen Ayers position. “We feel that the expertise that she brings to that position is going to be exactly what we need to be able to move into the future,” PHC representative Abby Berow said. Due to her new position, McCoy can no longer serve on the Hospital District board. The board is seeki...
"Die Hard" probably conjures up images of Bruce Willis jumping from an airplane or crawling through an air vent or walking barefoot through broken glass. But the phrase pre-dates the movie series by at least 200 years. In 18th century England, before gallows platforms were built with trapdoors, the body of a hanged person twitched and jerked until the victim strangled to death. Sometimes condemned people arranged to have someone hang onto their legs to make their death quicker. The invention of...
The May 20, 2021 issue marks 35 years of publication for the Seeley Swan Pathfinder. Started by Swan Valley residents Suzanne and Sheldon Vernon and Seeley Lake residents Dick and Michele Potter, the Pathfinder was envisioned to focus on community issues and provide a forum for discussion. In the inaugural issue May 22, 1986, Potter explained the new enterprise and the reason for its existence, "We believe that this newspaper is making its first appearance at a time when the community has... Full story
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley-Swan High School students took their learning schedule outside at Placid Lake during the school's Community Discovery Day Wednesday, May 12. Trace Stone, social studies and Spanish teacher, organized the event with science teacher Shelby Holmes. He said that previously the day has been either more service or educationally oriented, however, this year was a combination of both. He believes it has been around for at least a decade. "The fundamental reason [of the day] is to...
GREENOUGH - Author Tanya Fyfe spoke with Sunset Elementary School students about her new book, "Lost and Found in Missing Lake," as well as her writing process during their class Friday, May 14. After a brief presentation she answered questions from the fifth through eighth grade class. Fyfe shared her personal experiences and how they impacted the creation of the book. She spoke about her upbringing in a small town before moving to Vancouver, Canada where she trained as a figure skater. She...
POTOMAC - The Potomac Elementary School Board unanimously approved maintaining their 1900 policy series and Return-to-School Plan with certain amendments during their monthly board meeting Thursday, May 13. While the series contains policies intended to prevent the spread of COVID-19, masks are no longer required on school grounds. At the meeting, the board also changed membership and approved Montana School Board Association (MTSBA) policy updates on first reading. Board members decided to keep the 1900 policy series until the end of the...
Customer Service Training available May 21, May 27 and May 29 Glacier Country Tourism presents their 2021 customer service trainings entitled “Customer Service Essentials” on May 21 from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. and May 27 from 1 – 4 p.m. and “Management Conflict: Principles and Practice for the COVID Era and Beyond” on May 28 from 1 – 4 p.m. This year’s trainings have been developed in partnership with the University of Montana College of Business, based on what businesses and employees are facing in a COVID-19/post-COVID-19 world. The customer se...
MISSOULA COUNTY - According to the Missoula City-County Health Department, Missoula County met its vaccination goal to move face coverings from a mandate to a recommendation as of Monday, May 10. In a public statement, Health Officer Ellen Leahy said that 60% of the county’s eligible population has received at least one dose of the vaccine, reaching its intermediate vaccination goal. The county’s case incidence rate has also stayed below 25 new cases daily per 100,000 population on a seven-day rolling average. In April, the County Health Boa... Full story
SEELEY LAKE - The Missoula Education Foundation and Missoula County Public Schools recognized Seeley-Swan High School seniors Kess Victor and Quinlan Ream as the school's Most Inspiring Students. The students were presented with their awards at the MCPS banquet April 22. According to Principal Kellen Palmer, the nominators look for students who have overcome adversity and have been an inspiration to staff and students alike. "It's just someone that's gone above and beyond and has really set a...
BLACKFEET RESERVATION - Three Seeley-Swan Search and Rescue (SSSAR) volunteers were involved in the search and recovery efforts for missing three-year-old Arden Pepion the weekend of May 1. Pepion was last seen near Joe Show E Road off of U.S. Highway 89 S at approximately 7 p.m. Thursday, April 22 on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation southeast of Browning. Pepion was last seen wearing a purple jacket with a unicorn design on front, gray under sweater, black leggings and black boots with green tr...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley Lake Elementary School students spent the day at the Lions Club Park learning about bear safety and the role bears play in the local ecosystem during the school's Bear Academy Tuesday, May 4. Students transitioned through presentations taught by local agencies throughout the day. "We just have this really awesome, collaborative group of people who've all come together to educate Seeley's young people about living in bear habitat," organizer Rob Green said. "It's really cool...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Sewer District Board will be discussing and possibly selecting an assessment method for the 2022 fiscal year at their May 20 meeting. At last month’s meeting the Board chose three assessment methods to consider and have published on their website for the public to look up how each method impacts their property. A link to the document can be found on the District’s website seeleysewer.org The first method, listed in the first column, is the “equal” method. This means that every lot within the District would pay...
The Missoula Public Health City-County Health Department’s National Diabetes Prevention Program called Prevent T2 is starting a new virtual session starting May 19 from 4 – 5 p.m. Prevent T2 is a lifestyle balance program carefully designed to help reduce the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. The program is based on research studies regarding the best ways to help people make life-long changes that support healthy eating, an active lifestyle and weight loss and management. The classes are held weekly for the first 12 weeks, bi-monthly for...
SEELEY LAKE - The final, unofficial results were reported May 4 for the Seeley Lake Rural Fire District Board of Trustees, Potomac School District 11 Board of Trustees and the Seeley Lake Elementary General Fund Levy elections. There was nearly a 54% turnout for Seeley Lake while only 36% of voters returned their mail-in ballots in Potomac. For the Fire District’s two open positions, incumbents Gary Lewis and Connie Clark received the most votes. Lewis received 512 votes, 31.5%, and Clark received 409 votes, 25.15%. Candidate Kristy Pohlman r... Full story
SEELEY LAKE - The Blackfoot-Clearwater Wildlife Management Area (WMA), aka the Game Range, along with many other state WMAs opens Saturday, May 15 at 12 p.m. to shed-antler hunters and other recreationists. While cars have already started “lining up” at the Game Range’s West Gate on Highway 83, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Game Warden Sydney Young reminds the public that it is illegal to park vehicles within the road right-of-way on a public highway. Many of Montana’s WMAs provide security to wintering wildlife during the most vulnerable time...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Elementary School Board unanimously voted to rescind their mask policy in accordance with Missoula-City County Health Department’s (MCCHD) recommendations during a special meeting Wednesday, May 5 in the school gym. Face coverings are now optional due to the MCCHD rescinding the requirement Monday, May 10. In an April 15 meeting, Missoula City-County Board of Health decided that face covering requirements will be converted into recommendations when at least 60% of Missoula County residents ages 16 and older have r...
Missoula County is seeking input to help identify needs and gaps in the community related to public infrastructure and facilities, economic development, housing, human services and COVID-19 response and recovery efforts. The Community and Planning Services Grants and Community Programs division conducts an annual community needs assessment to gauge the community’s interests and funding priorities. The needs assessment is the first step in determining how to effectively use potential state and federal funds and to ensure that community d...
SEELEY LAKE - Local author Tanya Fyfe received the 2021 Finalist Book Excellence Award in the Young Adult Fiction category for her most recent book "The Runaways of Missing Lake." This is the third award for this book published in September 2020. Other awards include the 2020 Pinnacle Award Winner in Young Adult Fiction and 2021 Independent Press Distinguished Favorite Award in Teen Fiction. Founded in Toronto, Ontario, the Book Excellence Awards is an international book awards competition dedic...
SEELEY LAKE – Students took the red carpet Friday, May 7 for their 2021 Prom themed "A Spring Ball." Seeley-Swan High School Principal Kellen Palmer was the announcer for the Grand March. This year's Eric Lorentz and Klaire Kovatch were crowned prom king and queen. Walker McDonald and Sally Aldeen were this year's prom prince and princess. Grand March was held on the walkway outside and only two spectators were allowed per student to follow Missoula County protocol for COVID-19. Students and p...
After Mission Mountains Mercantile's mascot Condi the dinosaur was stolen, it was no surprise the response on social media when "The Cow" from Clearwater Junction went missing this weekend. As it turns out, the landmark bull at Clearwater Stop 'N Go was taken to Missoula's Town & Country Auto Body for a makeover. Once he is all spruced up and ready for photos again he will be returned for the summer....
MISSOULA – The University of Montana has more than 1,700 students who are degree candidates for spring semester 2021 including several from Seeley Lake. Students with “cum laude” after their name indicate a GPA of 3.40 to 3.69. “Magna laude” indicates a 3.70 to 3.89 GPA, and “summa laude” is 3.90 and above. Official awarding of a degree and any official graduation with honors or graduation with high honors designation is not made until students have completed their final term of enrollment and have met all requirements. Degree candidates fr...
Veterans Memorial Cleanup Day, May 18 SEELEY LAKE – The community is invited to join the Veterans and Families of Seeley Lake starting at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, May 18 for a clean up day at the Veterans Memorial Gardens on Highway 83 north of the Seeley Lake Motor Lodge. Participants are encouraged to bring work gloves and tools to assist with raking, slash pick-up and working in the flowerbeds. A crew will also be working on mounting the new plaques to the Veterans Memorial Kiosk. Those with family members who were listed on the wood plaques a...
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Thursday, April 29 U.S. Senator Jon Tester reintroduced his landmark Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Act (BCSA) in the Senate. With no change to the bill since it was reintroduced in 2019, many still support it while other recreationists are getting more vocal about the lack of collaboration that developed the current proposal. History of the BCSA The Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Project started more than 15 years ago from a collaborative effort of ranchers, logger, timber companies, outfitters, local citizens, b...
The final, unofficial results until canvass are in for the Seeley Lake Fire Board, Potomac School Board of Trustees and the Seeley Lake Elementary General Fund Levy elections held May 4. For the Fire Board of Trustees two open positions, Gary Lewis and Connie Clark received the most votes. Lewis received 512 votes, 31.5%, and Clark received 409 votes, 25.15%. Kristy Pohlman was only 16 votes shy of Clark pulling 24.17%. It is unsure at this time if, because the two candidates were so close, there will be a recount. For the Potomac School Board...
SWAN VALLEY - Two unknown suspects were caught on camera stealing Condi, the green dinosaur statue located outside of Mission Mountains Mercantile between 1:40 and 1:50 a.m. Monday, April 25. They cut the cable that secured the statue, loaded it into a box truck and headed north. Missoula County Sheriff's Deputy Ryan Dunster said the two suspects were wearing white hoodies and pants with masks and black gloves. They were seen coming in from the south on Highway 83 but driving northbound in a...
SEELEY LAKE - After taking a year off due to COVID-19, Alpine Artisans, Inc.'s (AAI) Loon and Fish Art Show and Festival will return for 2021 with a new date. Instead of taking place Memorial Day weekend, the festival will instead take place from 5-9 p.m. Friday, Aug. 20 and 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 21 in the Seeley Lake Community Foundation Building. AAI Program Manager Jenny Rohrer said they attempted to change the date last year to late July but because it was canceled they set it a...
SWAN VALLEY – Swan Valley Connections (SVC) received a $1 million North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) grant to fund a wetland restoration project on the Swan River National Wildlife Refuge in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). NAWCA is the federal grant program dedicated to funding the conservation of wetland habitats for migratory birds. This was the only project funded in Montana by the NAWCA this grant period. The goal of the project is to restore the n...
SEELEY LAKE – A lawsuit filed last December against the Seeley Lake Sewer District seeking to force the District to construct the proposed sewer treatment plant and collection system has been dropped by the plaintiffs. The District’s defense attorney Jean Faure received an email from the Plaintiffs’ attorney Nathan Wagner April 19 indicating their intention to dismiss the case if both sides would be responsible for their own attorney fees. “After reviewing the provisions of the Resolutions, and the arguments made in your brief in light of the...
SEELEY LAKE - The May 10th meeting of the Seeley Lake Community Council will present an informative program on topics important to our area. Again we will conduct our meeting virtually, and we invite members of the community to join. Featured speakers are as follows: • Heidi O’Brien, Marketing, Lewis & Clark Brewing: Bob Marshall Music Festival update. • Jim Erven, Environmental Health Specialist-Land, Missoula City County Health Department: Septic regulations and permitting. • Steve Hurst - Managing Director, The Resort at Paws Up: Seeley...
SEELEY LAKE – With the Fourth of July a little over two months away, discussions have begun around what this year’s celebration in Seeley Lake will look like. The Seeley Lake Area Chamber of Commerce was instrumental in putting together the parade through downtown Seeley Lake and the fireworks over the lake. Last year since the parade through downtown was canceled due to COVID-10, Tamaracks Resort organized a boat parade and put on the fireworks show in the middle of the lake. Several other organizations hold events that many people look for...
5 Montana Legislature Adjourns after Near-Marijuana Meltdown and Bill-Resurrecting Blitz The 67th Montana Legislature adjourned on Thursday, April 29, following a week filled with policies brought back from the dead and capped by a failed high-stakes gamble by conservative Republicans to rewrite a major portion of the recreational marijuana plan passed just days earlier. Both chambers adjourned “sine die” -- a Latin phrase meaning “without assigning another day to meet” -- just minutes apart, with Republicans touting a laundry list of bill... Full story
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley Lake community members and visitors had the opportunity to meet the top five candidates for the Seeley-Swan High School principal position at a Meet-and-Greet event April 30. Current Principal Kellen Palmer resigned his position effective at the end of this year. Candidates included Daniel Grabowska, John Stilson, Thomas Vail, Shawn Holmes and Edward Norman. Attendees were able to ask candidates questions and provide written feedback on forms outside the event. Missoula...
SEELEY LAKE – Despite the rain this weekend, the Seeley-Swan High School Leos Club decided to get out and do some community service. They decided sweeping the parking lot at the Seeley Lake Senior Center, something they have been asked to do in the past, was a perfect fit since it allowed them to maintain the District's standard for social distancing. "We talked about calling and asking first until one of the kids stated the obvious, 'They aren't going to say no. Let's just surprise them!'" s...
MISSOULA COUNTY - The Missoula County Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) unanimously approved $63,699.19 in funding for seven projects intended to improve the Lolo and Flathead National Forests during a meeting Thursday, April 29. Seeley Lake Ranger District’s Placid Gold Phase 1 Herbicide Application received $15,719.19 in funding, $281.19 short of the amount requested. The RAC approved the lower amount to remain within their budget while having minimal impact on the project’s objectives. The objective of the project is to manage invasive spe...
SEELEY LAKE - Residents and visitors will be able to pick up the new Blackfoot, Clearwater, Swan Valleys Visitors and Resource Guide entitled "Dream, Explore, Discover." The guide will be available at the Seeley Lake Historical Museum and Visitors Center or local businesses throughout the area. The last time a visitors guide was produced for the area was in 2013. Seeley Lake Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Lisa Hayhurst said readers can expect to see new content with "larger,...
SWAN VALLEY - With winter activities converting into summer ones, recreationists and national forest staff reflect on an illegal activity that has seemingly gained more prominence in recent years, snowmobile trespassing. The Flathead National Forest offers approximately 800,000 acres of recreational land including groomed and ungroomed trail opportunities. According to their website, some areas are closed to snowmobiles including the Bob Marshall, Great Bear and Mission Mountains Wildernesses. The Flathead National Forest offers free over-snow...
SEELEY LAKE - An outbuilding and nearby private property located just north of the Clearwater Heights Condo complex burned in a wildland fire Wednesday, April 28. Seeley Lake Fire Chief Dave Lane said the possible cause is under investigation and that one person was transported for an undisclosed reason. Kate Jerman, Public Affairs Officer for the Lolo National Forest, said that a call for the fire was made at 6:31 p.m. There is joint response jurisdiction in the area which means that Seeley...
SEELEY LAKE - Around 20 firefighters from the Seeley Lake and Lincoln Ranger Districts held a prescribed burn Friday, April 30 to treat 40 acres of the Mountain Creek area, three miles east of Seeley Lake off of Cottonwood Lakes Road. Seeley Lake District Ranger Quinn Carver said prescribed burns are necessary to the area for two reasons: biological and social. The ecological reason is that intentional burns allow the forest to regenerate itself and be more resilient to wildfires in the future....
SLE Special Board meeting to discuss mask policy, May 5 SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Elementary School Board will be holding a special board meeting at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 5 in person in the SLE gym. The board will discuss and take action on how the District will proceed for the rest of the school year after Missoula County lifts the face covering mandate May 11. Potomac School Board meeting changed to May 13 POTOMAC - During a special meeting Monday, May 3, the Potomac Elementary School Board unanimously voted to move their regularly s...
The 67th Montana Legislature has adjourned, capping four months of work in an unprecedented hybrid session as the state and the nation struggle to end the COVID-19 pandemic. With more than 1,300 bills introduced, 500 passed and 350 signed into law, the 2021 session saw conservatives advance a flood of legislation to the governor’s desk, fueled by the presence of a Republican in the state’s highest office for the first time in 16 years. Much of that legislation dealt with fallout from the pandemic, even as the Legislature combated the virus in... Full story
MISSOULA COUNTY - According to the Missoula City-County Health Department, Missoula County met its vaccination goal to move face coverings from a mandate to a recommendation as of Monday, May 10. In a public statement, Health Officer Ellen Leahy said that 60% of the county’s eligible population has received at least one dose of the vaccine, reaching its intermediate vaccination goal. The county’s case incidence rate has also stayed below 25 new cases daily per 100,000 population on a seven-day rolling average. In April, the County Health Boa... Full story
SEELEY LAKE - Clearwater Resource Council (CRC) invited members of the public and local organizations to celebrate Earth Day with them at a chili tailgate Thursday, April 22. Attendees were welcome to have some complimentary chili and lemonade with reusable utensils while listening to organizations present their messages. CRC Executive Director Caryn Miske said they had been organizing the event for a little over a month. This is the first time an event like this has taken place for them. "The...
SEELEY LAKE - Parents and community members will have an opportunity to meet the candidates who are applying to be Seeley-Swan High School’s new principal for next school year. Attendees can ask candidates questions and provide feedback to those doing the hiring. The meet-n-greet will take place from 5 - 6 p.m. Friday, April 30 in the school’s large gym. Masks will be required. The five candidates, in alphabetical order, and their experience are the following: Daniel Grabowska received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and history from Mon...
SEELEY LAKE – At the Seeley Lake Fire Board's monthly meeting Tuesday, April 20, Fire Chief Dave Lane presented the idea of a feasibility study and hosting a board workshop to discuss hiring personnel and accompanying tax levy to cover the cost. He also promoted volunteer Emergency Medical Technician Rita Rossi to Emergency Medical Services Lieutenant and volunteer firefighter John Homen to Fire Captain. In other business, the cost for the current medical director was questioned and the board u...
The Missoula Education Foundation (MEF) announced their #406vaxxedandproud incentive campaign Monday, April 26. The campaign’s goal is to get all 16-18-year olds in Missoula County vaccinated against COVID-19 by June 1. This will help reach the goal of 75% of the community vaccinated to achieve community immunity. Any 16-18-year-olds who live in Missoula County and are currently enrolled in a participating high school can enter once they have completed their first dose. Deadline to show proof of first dose is June 4. Students can show their vac... Full story
SEELEY LAKE - Lisa Hayhurst, Executive Director of the Seeley Lake Area Chamber of Commerce and Eric Hayhurst, Chairman of the Board, have been volunteering for the Chamber since 2017. Their last day will be May 1. Ariana Richards, a current Chamber Board Member, will continue serving on the Board. With no response to the open vacancies, the Chamber will hold off conducting or coordinating future events until the open positions have been filled. The Board has outsourced part time, paid positions for the bookkeeping / tax work, website...
Seeley Lake area business owners (or anyone interested in starting a business!) are invited to come meet your local Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Business Advisor on Thursday, May 13 in the West Wing of the Foundation Building. There will be two, one-hour sessions, for the convenience of busy business owners, one at 10 a.m. and another at 5:30 p.m. Pastries from Bernice's Bakery and coffee will be provided for the morning session. Pizza will be provided for the evening session,...
MISSOULA – The public is invited to comment on a proposal by the Bureau of Land Management to acquire more land in the Blackfoot River Watershed. The BLM's Missoula Field Office seeks public input on a proposed land acquisition from The Nature Conservancy of 11,000 acres in the Ninemile-Woodchuck area of the watershed. The comment period for an environmental assessment evaluating the impacts of acquiring the acreage will close on May 24. The proposed acquisition is in Missoula County about 30 m...
SEELEY LAKE – During their monthly meeting April 19, the Seeley Lake Elementary School Board decided to postpone updates to their 3000 Policy Series as well as their 2021 summer lunch program for their next meeting in May. Superintendent Josh Gibbs also provided updates on the School Improvement Plan and other aspects of the school during his report. The board decided to table their summer lunch program until they can obtain additional information from the Montana Office of Public Instruction. They tabled the 3000 Policy Series because one m...
SWAN VALLEY - Members of the Swan Valley Elementary School Board unanimously approved a first reading of multiple new policies and policy revisions during their monthly meeting Tuesday, April 20. They also discussed Missoula City-County Health Department’s conversion of COVID-19 prevention methods going from mandates to recommendations in May. The new policies have to do with student sexual harassment grievance procedures, staff sexual harassment procedures, personnel background checks, and drug and alcohol testing for school bus drivers. T...
MISSOULA COUNTY - As the U.S. continues to push efforts to establish herd immunity against COVID-19, data analysts and historians will likely be making observations on the pandemic’s world-encapsulating effects for years to come especially in terms of socialization. One aspect that could be touched on is how the pandemic’s ripple effects have affected survivors of domestic abuse and sexual violence in terms of accessing resources. Morgan Haynie is a criminal advocate for the Crime Victim Advocate Program (CVA), a division of the Community Jus...
Over the last few weeks, a number of private landowners, organizations and public agencies have conducted prescribed burns in the Blackfoot River watershed with the goal of enhancing both forest health and community safety. While this fills the skies with smoke for a few days, burning this time of year has numerous benefits for both forested landscapes and communities. Cindy Super is the Forestry and Prescribed Fire Coordinator for the Blackfoot Challenge, a community-based organization that fac...
As Montanans look to enjoy the outdoors this spring and summer, state and local public health officials urge everyone to follow a few simple steps to prevent tick bites and related illnesses: Limit exposure to ticks, use insect repellent, and inspect yourself, gear and pets for ticks. Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) officials report each year thousands of people in the U.S. are bitten by ticks and become infected with a tick-borne illness. “There’s numerous prevention measures Montanans can take to avoid tick bites whi...
Whitebark Pine Zoom presentation Join Swan Valley Connections Wednesday, May 5 at 6:30 p.m. via Zoom for a presentation on the ecology and conservation of whitebark pine, an at-risk, keystone species of high elevation habitats in the Northern Rockies. Drawing on his extensive work with these special trees, U.S. Forest Service Supervisory Research Biologist Bob Keane will explore the whitebark pine’s fascinating roles and restoration questions in mountain ecosystems. Log on to https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83458922265 for the presentation. No r...
Mobile home parks are one of the last strongholds of reliable affordable housing in Montana, helping people of a wide range of income levels become homeowners, even as prices for most other residence types in across the state continue to spike. But as investment firms snap up properties across the state, there are signs that even mobile homes may soon become out of reach for many Montanans. It’s certainly a worry for Cindy Newman, who owns a mobile home in the Highwoods Mobile Home Park in Great Falls, which Utah-based investment firm H... Full story
Republican Lawmakers Locked in Battle with State Supreme Court over “Judicial Transparency” As the Montana Legislature nears the close of its biennial business, Republican lawmakers are mounting a case against the judicial branch and the state Supreme Court with accusations of judicial bias and improper record keeping, while Democrats call the inquiry a “witch hunt.” Since the start of the 2021 Legislative Session, lawmakers have proposed numerous bills seeking changes to the judicial branch. Some bills, like several that would have made st... Full story
MISSOULA COUNTY - The Missoula City-County Board of Health voted four to one to convert several of the County’s current COVID-19 mitigation efforts from requirements to recommendations during a virtual meeting Thursday, April 15. This conversion applies to the operators of businesses, bars, restaurants, barbers, gyms and other entities in Missoula County. Replacing all of the capacity limits and other mitigation requirements, these operators are now recommended to do the following: • Find ways to enable physical distancing between non... Full story
SEELEY LAKE – The Missoula County Sheriff’s Office investigated several burglaries in the past couple of weeks. While it is still unknown if any are connected, Missoula County Sergeant Bob Parcell said he expects old burglaries that happened over the winter to be reported by returning seasonal cabin and homeowners. Parcell said the burglary reported April 11 on Boy Scout Road happened sometime after Dec. 15, 2020. “It is probably an old one, just now discovered,” Parcell wrote in an email. April 15, out-of-town homeowners watched in real ti...
GREENOUGH – Just before 10 p.m. Thursday, April 15, local volunteer firefighters and law enforcement responded to a van that was on fire in the Harper's Lake Campground. While the van was a total loss, no one was injured. According to Greenough-Potomac Volunteer Fire Department Fire Chief and Incident Commander Ryan Hall, they were paged out at 9:56 p.m. Personnel with Seeley Lake Volunteer Fire Department, Missoula County Sheriff's Office and Montana Highway Patrol also responded to the i...
SEELEY LAKE – More than 50 members of the public, Seeley Lake Fire Department volunteers, staff and board members attended the Fire Board Candidate Meet and Greet April 16. Hosted by Cheri and Steve Thompson, they said it was an opportunity for the community to connect with the candidates and ask them questions in a neutral setting. "People will vote for whom they want. I don't care who they vote for," Cheri said. "Some people are new to town and don't know who people are. That was my whole p...
Beginning this summer season on the Lolo National Forest, Quartz Flat (Loop A), River Point (Seeley Lake) and Lakeside (Lake Alva) Campgrounds will be available for online reservation. Big Hole Lookout and Savenac East Cottage, both new additions to the popular rental program, are now also available for online reservation. Online reservations can be made through recreation.gov. “Much of the public expects to use an online reservation system to plan their vacation,” stated Kate Jerman, Lolo National Forest Public Affairs Officer. “Tr...
SEELEY LAKE - Firefighters on the Seeley Lake Ranger District are planning to conduct prescribed burning over the coming weeks to reduce hazardous fuels, reduce woody debris from past logging operations, restore wildlife habitat and better protect neighborhoods and the community from future wildfire. Pending favorable conditions, underburning operations could begin as soon as Wednesday, April 21 and continue in the coming weeks. Underburning, a type of prescribed fire treatment, ignites surface fuels under the forest canopy. Firefighters have...
The Nature Conservancy and partners plan to conduct and/or assist with prescribed fires in the Blackfoot Valley this spring. The burns are part of TNC's ongoing forest restoration work which includes timber harvest and thinning. The primary purpose of the burns and our other forest restoration work is to reduce the risk of high severity fires in these forests. This will include reducing the woody debris that has accumulated and could feed a fire that would threaten nearby communities. The burns...
SEELEY LAKE - The Missoula Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) is allowing members of the public to make comments before or during their meeting at 1 p.m. Thursday, April 29 regarding recommended funding for local project proposals. Among the 13 listed proposals are Morrell Creek and Seeley Lake bear attractant removal/conflict, both of which are expected to receive up to $15,000. Last year the Missoula RAC recommended funding 13 projects to benefit the region in multiple ways including improving watersheds, treating noxious weeds, managing...
POTOMAC - Members of the Potomac School Board voted four to one to reject a motion requesting that mask wearing be voluntary on school grounds during a monthly Board meeting Monday, April 12. The board also heard updates on the seventh and eighth grade trips and approved all but one intent to hire. For the past few school board meetings, staff members and parents have publicly advocated for making masks optional on school grounds. At their last meeting in March the Board was informed that if they chose not to follow Missoula City-County Health...
SEELEY LAKE –Expecting to spend her first year simply getting to know the students, community and building trust, Seeley-Swan High School and Seeley Lake Elementary music teacher Janet Morgenstern said the students dove in headfirst and “I think we are rockin’.” While her expectations have been exceeded and many gains have been made in a program, Morgenstern said there still is a long road ahead in the schools’ musical journey. For the last several years, the music program lacked consistency and continuity between the elementary and high scho...
SEELEY LAKE – At its April 15 meeting, the Seeley Lake Sewer District Board adopted their fiscal year 2022 budget and discussed assessment methods and filling a vacancy on the Board. District Manager Jean Curtiss informed the Board that she plans to resign her position at the end of June. Director Beth Hutchinson felt that going forward at this time the District could use a manager that was more of a placeholder to meet state law and reduce their operating budget accordingly. She said the manager could be as simple as being paid to attend m...
OVANDO - Staff members from Blackfoot Challenge shared their experiences and expertise with certain programs during a virtual event called Stories from the Field Wednesday, April 14. The first speaker was Cindy Super, the forestry and prescribed fire coordinator. She spoke about the importance of restoring fire as an ecological process as she described her team’s process of organizing a prescribed fire on private property in the Blackfoot last spring. “We will learn together as we bring fire back to its rightful place on our landscape,” she s...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley Lake Community Council heard updates regarding tourism, vaccines and projects on the Seeley Lake Ranger District during their monthly meeting Monday, April 12. Fire Board candidates Alyssa McLean and Kristy Pohlman also shared a little more about why they are running for the Seeley Lake Fire District Board of Trustees in the May 4 election. Racene Friede, President and CEO of Glacier Country, discussed trends in Western Montana tourism and expectations for the 2021 season. Prior to the pandemic in 2019, 12.6 million...
SEELEY LAKE - The National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT), NorthWestern Energy and Carroll College recognized Seeley-Swan High School junior Aspen Derry for their Aspirations in Computing Award. Derry was listed as one of 17 high school women recognized for the award. She will receive a certificate for her achievement. As part of her online application, Derry submitted a personal website she had developed in fall 2020. She learned her coding skills from her mentor Nora...
Loving Hearts now open Saturdays SEELEY LAKE – Loving Hearts Thrift Store is now open Saturdays from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. This is in addition to regular hours on Wednesday from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Loving Hearts is fully stocked with clothing, household goods, books, toys and more. Volunteers manage and staff the store and all the proceeds go back into the Seeley Lake community. They appreciate your patience and understanding through the pandemic and look forward to seeing you. Masks are still required to be worn in the store. Community Meet-...
HELENA — According to data from the Montana Department of Transportation, the Treasure State is home to more than 1,800 gravel pits. These so-called “open-cut” mining provides material critical to everything from paving roads to building homes. Proponents of a bill that could soon head to Gov. Greg Gianforte’s desk say it could pave the way for even more gravel production in the state by further easing the permitting process for certain types of operations. But some landowners worry that House Bill 599 would allow gravel operations to impact... Full story
Montana Legislature Considers Lengthening Driver’s License Renewal Cycle, Raising DUI Penalties Lawmakers in the 67th Montana Legislature are debating and advancing a number of bills seeking to revise the way drivers are licensed and increase punishments for repeat DUI offenders. Members of the House Transportation Committee held a hearing on Senate Bill 336 on Monday, April 12, after the bill cleared the Senate unanimously a week earlier. Sponsored by Sen. Chris Friedel, R-Billings, the bill seeks to lengthen the period of time before M... Full story
Over the past month, Missoula County's new COVID-19 case incidence rate has stayed relatively low and COVID-19 vaccine appointments opened to all Missoula County residents ages 16 and older. In light of those developments, the Missoula City-County Health Department believes now is the time to step down more of Missoula's COVID-19 requirements. The Health Department proposes the Board of Health changes most COVID-19 mitigation requirements to recommendations for businesses, bars, restaurants,... Full story
SEELEY LAKE - After taking a break in 2020 due to COVID-19, The Bob Marshall Music Festival is back with an entirely new set of dates. Instead of taking place in June, the festival is scheduled for Aug. 6 and Aug. 7 and will continue to take place during the first weekend of August moving forward. Early bird tickets will go on sale at 5 p.m. Wednesday, April 14. Max Pigman, festival organizer and Lewis & Clark Brewing Company owner, said they decided to push it back this year to allow time for...
POTOMAC – Just after 5:30 p.m., April 7, 10 fire engines responded to a hay fire in the lower Blackfoot Valley north of Highway 200. No structures were lost and no one was injured, however, the homeowner lost 40, 800 pound round bales of hay. This was the fourth human-caused wildland fire Greenough/Potomac Volunteer Fire Department has responded to since April 3. Greenough/Potomac Fire Chief Ryan Hall said they were dispatched a minute after the call came in at 5:36 p.m. on Wednesday for a h...
The Clearwater Resource Council (CRC) is holding an outdoor chili tailgate Thursday, April 22 from 4 – 6 p.m. The event is open to the entire community to celebrate Earth Day at the Bison and Bear Center. With the purchase of a raffle ticket, attendees will receive a free drink and bowl of homemade chili made with locally sourced meat, and a veggie chili will be available for non-carnivores. In keeping with the spirit of Earth Day, please bring your own reusable bowl, cup and utensil. All p...
SEELEY LAKE – Chris La Tray's website identifies him as a Métis writer and storyteller but publication of his "One-Sentence Journal: Short Poems and Essays from the World at Large" projected him into the limelight as a poet. La Tray was the guest speaker for Alpine Artisans' third virtual Open Book Club April 10, attended by approximately 50-55 people. Along with reading from "One-Sentence Journal," he also read two as yet unpublished poems "Super Blue" and "Comet" and an essay entitled "B...
MISSOULA COUNTY - According to the results of Missoula County’s community survey, county residents have several opportunities for education, culture and the arts but experience high living costs when compared to over 600 communities across the U.S. Missoula County mailed the 1,700 surveys in June to residents and received 538 responses. Strategic Initiatives Manager Casey Gannon said was “a great response rate” during a virtual meeting with commissioners Jan. 14. Of those responses, 370 resided within Missoula City limits while 168 lived in un...
Voter Information: There are two candidates each running for one, three-year term and one, one-year term trustee positions for the Potomac School District #11. Candidates' responses were based on the following questions: • Biography • Qualifying experience • Why do you want to be a trustee? • What challenges do you see facing Potomac School and the Board? • Are there things you would like to see changed or addressed at the school or with the board? • If so, how would you address them? Ballo... Full story
Ballots for the Seeley Lake Elementary General Levy election were mailed April 14 to all registered voters in Seeley Lake Elementary District #34. The Missoula County Elections Office encourages voters to mail their ballot with plenty of time to meet the May 4 deadline, postmarks not accepted. There will be a ballot drop off at Seeley Lake Elementary on May 4 from 7 a.m. - 8 p.m. For more information visit the Missoula County Elections Office (https://www.missoulacounty.us/government/administration/elections-office) or call 406-258-4751. Tax... Full story
Voter Information: There are four candidates for the two, three-year terms on the Seeley Lake Fire Board. Candidates' responses were based on the following questions: • Biography • Qualifying experience • Why do you want to be a trustee? • What would you like to see changed or what issues would you address if elected? • What challenges to you see facing the board and the fire department in the near future? Ballots for the Seeley Lake Rural Fire District Trustee election were mailed April 14... Full story
FWP seeks public comment on Elk Management Guiding Principles, Chronic Wasting Disease Management Plan HELENA – Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is seeking public comment on Elk Management Guiding Principles developed by the Elk Management Plan Initial Guidance Citizens Group. This process was the first step in the revision of Montana’s Elk Management Plan. Comments are due by 5 p.m. May 3. FWP is interested in comments regarding whether the guiding principles are adequate in describing what the department should be striving to achieve in an upd...
Butte-Silver Bow County Health Officer Karen Sullivan was enjoying a drink in a Butte brewery after work when she said she got the call. For two months, she and her fellow county health officials across the state had been keeping tabs on reports of an outbreak of a strange new virus in Wuhan, China, but up until the evening of March 13, 2020, it had been business as usual for Sullivan and the county health department. Then a state official rang her at 6:30 p.m. “How’s your Friday?” she recalls the official asking. “Great. I’m having a beer wi... Full story
Montana Senate Passes State Budget Bill, Rejects Attempt to End Medicaid Expansion The state budget is on the move again in the Montana Legislature after the Senate passed in on a 33-17 vote Thursday, making few changes and defeating an attempt to end Medicaid expansion in the process. House Bill 2 is the only bill the Legislature is constitutionally required to pass, as it determines how much money state agencies and programs will receive for the next two years. This session, the budget is about $12.6 billion, with funds going to five main... Full story
MISSOULA COUNTY - Missoula City-County Health Department (MCCHD) is shortening their quarantine period to seven days for COVID-19 close contacts who meet Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria. Close contacts are defined as individuals who have collectively spent 15 minutes or more within six feet of a person infected with COVID-19 during a time period when the infected person was considered contagious. Close contacts who remain symptom-free since their exposure and receive a negative Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test result on... Full story
OVANDO - Ovando citizens came together Tuesday, March 30 in the Ovando School gym for a community meeting to review updates from local town boards and discuss upcoming events. Events discussed were Town Clean-up Day, Fourth of July, and the citywide garage sale and farmer's market. Blackfoot Challenge Office Administrator Deb Dillree and Ovando School Supervising Teacher Leigh Ann Valiton facilitated the meeting. Organizers confirmed that Town Clean-up Day will officially take place at 10 a.m....
SEELEY LAKE – There were a lot of smiling children Saturday, April 3 as they traveled through the Seeley Lake Elementary School parking lot and received an Easter basket at the Seeley Lake Lions Club Easter Hop-n-Bop. While the Lions hope they can return to the traditional Easter Egg Hunt and Scavenger Hunt next year, they were happy to be able to offer this to the community. Organizer Lion Michelle Saalfeld said the biggest challenge was figuring out how they could still hold the event and g...
SWAN VALLEY - Area residents got into the Easter spirit a day early as they participated in the community's annual Easter Egg Hunt, Saturday, April 3 in the Condon Community Ball Field. The event allowed participants of all ages to get involved in the search of 3,000 eggs. Hunts were separated into three sections: 0-5, 6-20 and 21+. Outside of the expected candy, some of the eggs in the 21+ group contained drink tickets while eggs in the younger categories offered chances to win trinkets, toys...
MISSOULA COUNTY - Following a nationwide search, the Missoula City-County Board of Health selected D’Shane Barnett to replace outgoing Health Officer Ellen Leahy in June. He will begin his new role May 17. Barnett has worked in the American Indian health field for over 20 years. He is the former director of the National Council of Urban Indian Health in Washington, D.C., and currently serves as the executive director of All Nations Health Center in Missoula. He has a bachelor’s degree in sociology and is currently completing his doctorate in...
SEELEY LAKE - The April 12 meeting of the Seeley Lake Community Council will present an informative program on topics important to our area. Featured speakers are as follows: • Racene Friede, President and CEO of Glacier Country. Racene will discuss trends in Western Montana tourism and expectations for the 2021 season. • Nick Holloway, Project Manager for vaccination programs, Missoula City County Health Department. Nick will review the current state of vaccine programs. • Quinn Carver, USFS Seeley Lake District Ranger, will give an update abo...
While the Missoula County Elections Office received many valid candidate filings, several board positions remain unfilled, as indicated in the list. Commissioners are seeking applicants to fill these board positions, which will become vacant May 31. Applicants must be residents of Missoula County and at least 18 years old. Additional residency requirements may apply. All board positions are served on a volunteer basis. Applications for vacant positions are available at https://boards.missoulacounty.us/apply/. Submissions may be filed...
SEELEY LAKE – Join Chris La Tray and the Open Book Club via Zoom Saturday night at 7 p.m. as La Tray reads his amusing poetry from his collection of life in Montana titled "One-Sentence Journal: Short Poems and Essays from the World At Large." La Tray is an enrolled member of the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians and lives near Missoula. "One-Sentence Journal," La Tray's first book, won the 2018 Montana Book Award, 2019 High Plains Book Award for best first book and was a finalist for t...
Each spring, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) receives calls from people who have picked up deer fawns or other wildlife. It's important to remember that Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks no longer accepts, holds or rehabilitates moose, deer, elk and most other animals. Often times, people think they are rescuing an orphaned animal. However, it's important to understand that wildlife care for their young much differently than humans. They have strategies to provide the highest chance of s...
SEELEY LAKE - Chelsea Cahoon is hoping to offer Seeley Lake residents and visitors a unique recreational service with her new business venture - Big Dog Dad's Indoor Golf Simulator. Along with offering leagues in the fall and spring, golfers of any level can keep their skills polished during the offseason. Cahoon officially opened the virtual experience Jan. 28. Her father Wayne purchased the simulator last year. Wayne was the head coach of the Seeley-Swan High School golf team who allowed team...
SEELEY LAKE - The week leading up to Easter, six area churches joined in a cooperative effort and distributed a DVD of the "Jesus" film along with Easter goodies to 300 families in the Seeley Lake area. The intent of the project was to bring a message of hope to residents in Seeley Lake and serve as an invitation for residents to reach out to the various churches for help and assistance. Volunteer with the project Phyllis Campbell said the local Christian community has been praying for ways to...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Community Foundation is launching the sixth annual Change Your Pace Challenge again this summer. Applications for local organizations that would like to participate in the fundraising efforts are due Friday, April 30. The Seeley Lake Community Foundation’s Change Your Pace Challenge is a campaign for community-wide giving throughout June. During this month-long fundraising period, the Challenge motivates community members to give to their favorite participating local nonprofits, knowing their dollars will be str...
MISSOULA – Montana's COVID-19 vaccine distribution is among the most efficient in the nation, but closer examination reveals a patchwork of systems among counties and tribal governments that will be put to the test as the state opens vaccine eligibility to all people 16 and older starting this month. KHN, Montana Free Press and the University of Montana School of Journalism surveyed all 56 counties and eight tribal governments to find out how vaccine distribution has worked over the past four m... Full story
Clarification and correction SEELEY LAKE – In the April 1 issue, it was stated in the article “Seeley-Swan golfers come out swinging” that Head Golf Coach Wayne Cahoon only had one golfer in 2018 and 2019. While Cahoon had only one golfer in 2018, in 2019 he had a team but only one qualified for state. The team continued to grow and five girls and eight boys were on the team at the start of the season in 2020. However due to COVID, all meets were canceled and Cahoon didn’t have the opportunity to coach another team at state. Death Notice...
Three bills debuted in the Montana Legislature during the week of March 29 with vastly different approaches for regulating voter-approved recreational marijuana in the state, and all of them moved forward after a week of whirlwind hearings that nearly left Republican leadership’s favored approach dead in committee. After Montana voters legalized the sale and consumption of recreational marijuana last year by ballot initiative, the Montana Legislature was tasked with implementing a program. The three major proposals -- House Bill 670, 701 and 7... Full story
Montana House Approves Draft of Bill to Spend $3 Billion in Federal COVID-19 Relief; Senate Panel Advances Budget Ahead of a key deadline on April 8, the Montana Legislature is quickly advancing a bill to spend billions in federal COVID-19 dollars as guidelines for how that money can be spent continue to roll in. House Bill 632, sponsored by Rep. Frank Garner, R-Kalispell, and dubbed the “Beast Bill” by lawmakers, advanced out of the House Appropriations Committee on Monday, March 29, and cleared the full House on an 83-14 vote just three days... Full story
HELENA – Governor Greg Gianforte today announced that the Montana Emergency Rental Assistance program is taking applications from Montanans who have lost income and are at risk of housing instability due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “The last year has brought real, serious challenges to hardworking Montana families through no fault of their own,” Governor Greg Gianforte said. “Emergency rental assistance will help Montanans, who have struggled financially through this pandemic, get back on their feet and remain secure in their homes.” Funded th... Full story
Missoula County opened COVID-19 vaccine availability to all county residents 16 and older on Sunday, March 28. This was four days earlier than the state of Montana which opened vaccine eligibility April 1. Those over the age of 16 can receive a Pfizer vaccine while anyone over 18 can receive the Johnson & Johnson or Moderna vaccine. “With Missoula County cases again on the rise, we have entered the race between vaccine rates and case rates that experts warned us about,” Health Officer Ellen Leahy said. “It is the right time to open vacci... Full story
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley Lake resident Bob Homuth has only been beekeeping for a couple of years but he is already looking towards doubling his colonies this upcoming spring. While he loves just watching the bees work, one of the sweetest rewards of his hobby is sharing the honey with friends and family and receiving positive feedback. Homuth moved to Seeley Lake in 2015 to become a service technician for Energy Partners after living in Missoula since 1986. He was born in North Dakota and moved to...
SEELEY LAKE – This past January, The Resort at Paws Up (Paws Up) purchased The Wilderness Gateway Inn and the Seeley Lake Motor Lodge on Highway 83. They are excited to use both properties and the RV Park behind the Motor Lodge to provide a high-quality living space for year-round managers and seasonal employees and enhance their long-term investment in the local community. While the current plan is employee housing, they are contemplating seasonal public availability as long as it improves t...
After years of being asked to start a gossip column, the Pathfinder has finally decided to bend to the wishes of the masses and start our own April 1. Taking our cue from editors of the past, we will be highlighting the goings-ons of our readership, including the who’s, who and what’s, what. We hope that everyone, especially those without access to social media, can feel more informed and connected. • This past Thursday, Mike Marshall found a dirty magazine in the trash can at the Post Office addressed to...
SWAN VALLEY – Children and adults of all ages can get in the Easter spirit this year at Condon's annual Community Easter Egg Hunt starting at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 3 at the Condon Community Ball Field north of the Condon Airstrip on Highway 83. Face masks and gloves are optional but participants must bring their own baskets. Participants will be separated into five different hunts for the following age groups: 0-5, 6-12, 13-20 and 21+. Among the 3,000 candy filled eggs will be some that c...
SEELEY LAKE - The Clearwater Resource Council is embarking on a watershed planning process to identify, prioritize, and better coordinate efforts to protect and restore natural resources within the Clearwater region (from Highway 200 up to Summit Lake). This work is funded by the Bureau of Reclamation and will aid in future on-the-ground restoration activities in the watershed. The goal of the watershed plan is to outline baseline conditions for the watershed and develop a prioritized matrix of...
Montana's first watercraft inspection stations opened for the 2021 season. Inspection stations near Dillon and Ravalli opened earlier this month. The watercraft inspection station at Clearwater Junction will open April 17 and operate from dawn to dusk. The Anaconda station opened March 20 and intercepted the first mussel-fouled boat of the year. A used motorboat that had been recently purchased in Wisconsin was found with zebra mussels attached to the anchor. The Anaconda inspectors reported...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley-Swan High School art students had the opportunity to have their work showcased in a public forum at Gallery 83's Open House Friday, March 26. Brandy Wyckoff, art teacher and gallery owner, said 20 pieces by students were featured in a specific section of the gallery. There was no overarching theme submissions had to adhere to. A nearby computer flashed graphic design submissions also made by the students. Junior Chase Haines' multimedia project featured imagery based on the...
The Southwestern Land Office (SWLO) of the Montana Department of Natural Resources & Conservation (DNRC) and Keep Montana Green announced the southwestern Montana regional winners of the 60th Annual Keep Montana Green Wildfire Prevention Art Contest. Local winners included third grader Maggie Applegate from Helmville School who placed first in the primary division (kindergarten through third grade); sixth grader Michael Goettle from Helmville School who placed second in the intermediate division...
SEELEY LAKE – At their monthly meeting March 22, the Seeley Lake Elementary School Board unanimously approved a resolution of intent to impose an increase in levies for transportation, building reserve and tuition fund and to run a general fund levy election. The general fund levy will appear on the May 4 mail-in election for those within Seeley Lake School District #34. Ballots will be mailed April 14. For the permission levy, transportation saw a 1.72 decrease in mills for an estimated revenue change of -$15,275.71. Building reserve saw a ....
OVANDO - Ryan and Tiffanie Zavarelli are ecstatic to be entering into a new phase of their lives as they take ownership of Trixi's Antler Saloon from Ryan's parents Cindy and Ray Francis beginning April 1. Tiffanie said come April the couple will be jumping right into their new positions with no transitional break in between. The couple recently moved back to Ovando in preparation of the change. They will be taking this on as an opportunity to "step out of city life" and be closer to Ryan's...
Prescribed burn planned for Game Range on Bandy Ranch WOODWORTH – Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks in coordination with the University of Montana is planning to conduct an 80-acre prescribed burn on the Bandy Ranch, on the east side of the Blackfoot/Clearwater Wildlife Management Area Game Range. The burn will be conducted in April when weather, fuel conditions and air quality become favorable. Smoke will be visible from Highway 200, Highway 83 and the Woodworth area. According to FWP Wildlife Biologist Scott Eggeman, the purpose of the project...
Montana House of Representatives Advances State Budget in Partisan Vote The state budget cleared another major hurdle in the Montana Legislature after lawmakers in the House of Representatives passed it down party lines on Wednesday, March 24, with all 67 Republicans voting in favor and 33 Democrats against. House Bill 2 determines how much money state agencies will receive from a pool of about $12.6 billion over the next two years. Passing a balanced state budget is the only task the Legislature is constitutionally required to do. But, the... Full story
Republican Rep. Geraldine Custer is not one to mince words. When a bill came up in February that would make it harder to vote by absentee ballot, the former Rosebud County clerk and recorder spoke up, and firmly. “This bill is probably the worst bill I’ve seen all session, and if you want the truth of the matter, it just needs to die,” Custer told her fellow committee members. The panel killed the bill the next day. Last week, she broke with her party to vote against a bill that would eliminate the decades-old local-option gas tax. “This... Full story
SEELEY LAKE – At their March 18 meeting, the Seeley Lake Sewer District Board passed a pair of resolutions that put the proposed sewer project on the shelf and resolved to find a solution to the groundwater pollution. They also worked on closing out the grants that were for the proposed project, worked on their fiscal year 2022 budget, discussed the process of appointing a director to the vacancy on the Board and got a legal update on the lawsuit against the District. Resolutions The Board passed a pair of resolutions dealing with the future o...
MISSOULA COUNTY - Earlier in March, President Joe Biden sent out a federal order making teachers and school staff across the country eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. This allocation came at no hindrance to the vaccine supply that was already expected to be given out to Montanans who now qualify for Phase 1b plus of the distribution plan. Seeley Lake Elementary School Superintendent Josh Gibbs said after Biden's announcement, the process of organizing a vaccination clinic at the school... Full story
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley Lake campgrounds and day use sites as well as the Historic Double Arrow Lookout will see deferred maintenance upgrades starting this summer following an allocation of funding from the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA). Montana Senator Jon Tester recently secured $285 million that will go into 54 national forest service projects according to a March 11 press release. Twelve of these projects will directly impact the Lolo National Forest including area campground sites and...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley Lake Lions Club is inviting local families to celebrate Easter at Seeley Lake Elementary School by picking up a basket at the Easter Hop-n-Bop. The event will begin at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 3 and will end at roughly 2:30 p.m. Children will be able to pick up an Easter basket from one of four stations based on their age: 0-3, 4-6, 7-9 and 10-12. No signup is required. Lions Club Secretary Cheryl Lewis said they intend to give away over 200 baskets full of candy, small toys or trinkets. Every basket will contain a plastic...
Bears are emerging from dens with the onset of spring, and people are reminded to “Be Bear Aware.” Bears can be found throughout Montana. In recent years, grizzly bear populations have expanded and bears are sometimes found in historic ranges beyond western Montana As bears begin foraging for food, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is asking residents to remove or secure food attractants such as garbage, bird feeders and pet food. The most common human-bear conflicts involve unsecured food attractants. People venturing into the outdoors sho...
This spring, firefighters with the Bureau of Land Management’s Missoula Field Office as well as the Lolo and Flathead National Forests are planning to conduct prescribed burns to reduce hazardous fuels, restore wildlife habitat and better protect communities from future wildfires. 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. Frequent, low-intensity fire is essential for improving habitat c...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley-Swan High School junior Hannah Ayers received an honorable mention at the Prospects 2021 High School Business Pitch Competition for her business proposal for the Seeley Swan Sandwich Shop. She won a $250 Visa gift card that she intends to put towards her college fund. Matthew Olson, network development director for the Montana Chamber of Commerce as well as program manager for the competition, said Ayers was among the top 25 submissions out of 93 total. A total of 171...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Rural Fire Chief Dave Lane provided several updates at the District’s March 16 board meeting. The Board also unanimously approved two standard operating procedures (SOP) related to wage increases and Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) Compliance. In the Chief’s update, Lane said this spring they have three volunteers that will be attending an EMT class and four members that will be attending the Basic Wildland Firefighting course in Lincoln, Montana. “That is pretty exciting,” Lane said. “Not only are we getting peo...
SEELEY LAKE – Approximately 34 people Zoomed in for Alpine Artisans' March 20 Open Book Club reading and discussion featuring Gwen Florio. Florio read from her latest book "Best Laid Plans," which begins a new crime mystery series. She also spoke about her other books and discussed her writing methods. Fellow writer Richard Fifield introduced Florio to the attendees, calling himself a huge fan of hers not only in her role of novelist but also as a journalist. Florio's 40-year journalism c...
Weekly COVID-19 update As of March 22, there are 103,098 cases of COVID-19 in Montana. There have been 406,329 doses of vaccines administered and 158,085 Montanans fully immunized. There are 974 active cases, 4,718 total hospitalizations with 51 active, 100,710 recoveries and 1,414 deaths in Montana due to COVID-19 complications. Missoula County has had 8,560 cases, has 138 active cases, 8,333 recovered and 89 COVID-related deaths. For the most up-to-date and accurate information please refer to the Missoula County-City Health Department...
“Open Cut 2.0” Bill would Ease Regulations on Gravel Pit Permit Applications A bill seeking to ease permitting requirements for gravel pits in rural areas and make it harder to call a public hearing on new facilities is drawing clear battle lines in the Montana Legislature, as property owners say it cuts them out of the process. In a hearing that lasted for more than two hours on Monday, March 15, the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Steve Gunderson, R-Libby, called the bill -- House Bill 599 -- “Open Cut 2.0,” which he said built off the provision... Full story
Patty Sundberg remembers a time early in her 40-year career in beekeeping when a 5% annual colony loss felt like a big deal. Now, she said it’s all her company can do to hold that rate at 20% -- though, on bad years, it can swing even higher. In the mid-2000s, word of a frightening trend in bee populations began circulating in the scientific community: entire colonies of bees were dying off at stunning rates. Dubbed “colony collapse disorder,” some beekeepers were reporting hive losses as high as 30% to 90% during the 2006-2007 winter. The n... Full story
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley-Swan High School graduate Kyle Peltier plans to do the hike of a lifetime as he prepares for his trek that starts April 11 along the Pacific Crest Trail. The trail is 2,653 miles and goes from the Mexican border to the Canadian border. Hikers pass through multiple terrains along their journey including desert, rain forest and mountains. The Pacific Crest Trail Association (PCTA) estimates that the hike will take 133 days if the participant travels an average of 20 miles a...
HELENA - A bill that would provide Montana’s public sectors from frivolous COVID-19 lawsuits is soon heading into the state Senate. House Bill 435 passed on its third reading 67-32 in the Montana House of Representatives March 1. Bill sponsor Rep. Bill Mercer (R-Billings) said that part of the motivation behind the bill is to make it easier for schools and public services in the state to re-open. “If we are going to move forward and reopen activities as we have traditionally known them, when entities are making best efforts to do things in a r...
SEELEY LAKE –Seeley Lake resident Timothy Pratt was found guilty of one felony count of negligent endangerment and one felony count of criminal mischief after allegedly driving his truck into his brother’s car and pushing it into his brother’s apartment at the Wolf Ridge Apartment complex in Seeley Lake the morning of Sept. 21, 2019. The criminal mischief misdemeanor charge was dismissed. According to court documents, when Pratt’s brother refused to open his apartment door, Pratt tried to kick it in. After three failed attempts to kick in the...
SEELEY LAKE – With sunshine and temperatures reaching the low 50s, snowmobilers and volunteers for the annual Seeley Lake Driftriders Fun Run could be seen in t-shirts along the route. Local families and riders visiting the area came out to the annual fundraising event Saturday, March 13. Driftriders President Bill Swain explained that the Fun Run is supposed to be on President's Weekend in January along with the annual Snowball Banquet. "First we didn't have snow and COVID was still scary," S...
Put on your skates, this roller coaster will have you short of breath and sprinting in Gwen Florio's shoes as she tells the tale of a her new series detective Nora Best in "Best Laid Plans." Best is racing away from her husband, her job and home to run right into murder! And she's a suspect, jailed and out to hang. Fleeing from Denver and her cheating husband through the night in her bright new Airstream, Best arrives at an empty RV Park in Wyoming to face a new group of friends coping with thei...
Missoula Aging Services received reports of a new COVID-19 vaccine email scam where people are asked to complete a survey. They offer a free reward but ask people to pay a nominal fee "to cover shipping." Survey scams like this are a creative way to steal your identity or money. Many survey scams offer a reward and give you a limited time to respond if you want to take the survey. A legitimate survey would not assign a time limit, nor would they ask for your credit card or bank account to pay... Full story
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley Lake Community Council discussed how to honor the memory of the late Council Chairman Klaus von Stutterheim during their regularly scheduled monthly meeting Monday, March 8. Council also heard updates regarding vaccines, the Sewer District Board and the Seeley Lake Ranger District. Vice Chair Jack Greenwood said Von Stutterheim’s contributions to organizing council meetings became immediately apparent following his passing. “Now that Klaus isn’t here, we’re finding out exactly how much work he did,” Greenwood said. “[W...
POTOMAC - The Potomac School Board unanimously voted to approve their 2021-2022 lease agreement with Potomac Greenough Community Center (PGCC) during their regularly scheduled monthly meeting Monday, March 8. They also approved a second reading of Montana School Board Association (MTSBA) policy updates and discussed what direction they would move in regarding the school’s mask mandate. Trustee Dr. Courtney Hathaway said she met with PGCC Chair Dawn Downs to go over the changes that the School Board had made to the agreement during a special m...
SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley Elementary School Board unanimously voted to approve a second reading of board policies regarding marijuana at their monthly board meeting Tuesday, March 9. The policies exclusively had to do with consumption and possession of marijuana on school grounds. While recreational usage was legalized in Montana during the 2020 election, it will still be against school policy to possess or use the substance on school grounds. The main changes made were mostly wording clarification. Principal Ralph King announced that all s...
Weekly COVID-19 update As of March 15, there are 101,933 cases of COVID-19 in Montana. There have been 362,219 doses of vaccines administered and 140,739 Montanans fully immunized. There are 1,041 active cases, 4,669 total hospitalizations with 56 active, 99,499 recoveries and 1,393 deaths in Montana due to COVID-19 complications. Missoula County has had 8,428 cases, has 146 active cases, 8,198 recovered and 84 COVID-related deaths. For the most up-to-date and accurate information please refer to the Missoula County-City Health Department...
Lawmakers Hear Bill to Combat Drug, Sex Trafficking in Montana A bill drafted with the help of former Republican state Senator Dr. Al Olszewski would add a new set of signs to Montana’s highways and airports greeting visitors with notice of a reward for information leading to the prosecution of drug and sex traffickers. Senate Bill 333, sponsored by Sen. Brad Molnar, R-Laurel, seeks to break down what Molnar called a “culture of trust” in drug and human trafficking circles by offering $50,000 to anyone who gives law enforcement infor... Full story
Hot off its first 45 days filled with contentious policies and partisan clashes, the 67th Montana Legislature is buckling down to the task of building the state’s budget for the next two years. While the budget is arguably the most critical bill the Legislature passes, determining how much money state-funded programs will receive, the process of assembling it can often be a head-scratching affair. With the budget now in the limelight as lawmakers race to the end of their 90-day session, here’s an explanation of the process of funding Mon... Full story
The Montana Historical Society is seeking nominations for people and organizations whose exemplary commitment to identifying and preserving our historical and cultural heritage makes them eligible for the Heritage Keeper Awards. The nomination deadline is April 1. Up to three people or organizations will be honored by the MHS Board of Trustees for the Heritage Keeper Awards. An additional award, The Montana Heritage Guardian Award, given out only on special merit, recognizes the accomplishments of one of the Heritage Keeper Award nominees with...
This week, Health Officer Ellen Leahy issued new COVID-19 guidance and requirements for long-term care, assisted living, and retirement homes with communal spaces operating in Missoula County. These new requirements take into consideration that many residents have been offered voluntary COVID-19 vaccination, yet not all residents and staff have been vaccinated for COVID- 19 and transmission of COVID-19 is still occurring in Missoula County and Montana. Facilities under the facility-specific health officer orders shall follow the listed rules... Full story
Following a nationwide search, the Missoula City-County Board of Health will consider four finalists to replace outgoing Health Officer Ellen Leahy when she retires in June after serving in that role for more than 30 years. There will be several opportunities this week for the public to participate in the process, including community meetings with each candidate. These meetings will feature representatives from a broad cross-section of interests, including BIPOC and LGBTQ communities; area healthcare providers and emergency services; bars,... Full story
OVANDO - Trixi's Antler Saloon will venture into a new phase as co-owners Cindy and Ray Francis pass the bar and restaurant to their son Ryan Zavarelli and his wife Tiffanie April 1. Cindy said they are excited for Ryan and Tiffanie to take over because it will allow the business to stay in the family for the third generation in a row. The saloon has been operating in Ovando since 1960. The building was originally an old barrack from Fort Harrison that the original owner Trixi McCormick paid $1...
POTOMAC - Potomac teacher Kristina Davis received the Montana Environmental Educational Association's (MEEA) Formal Educator of the Year Award. She will be officially recognized virtually March 25 at the MEEA's annual conference. Davis has taught math and science at Potomac School for the last 12 years. When Davis was a young student herself, she loved field trips and even more so now as an educator. She said it is a great way to teach her first love, wildlife biology, to the students and...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley-Swan High School 2020 graduate Terra Bertsch recently signed with the University of Providence in Great Falls to compete in track and basketball. Bertsch took a semester of classes at Montana State University in Bozeman before deciding to transfer to the University of Providence in the fall 2021. As part of agreeing to compete for both teams, she was offered a full-ride scholarship. She was happy that she could work her schedule around both sports so she could remain...
SEELEY LAKE - The Lolo National Forest issued a decision on the Westside Bypass Wildfire Resiliency Project on the Seeley Lake Ranger District. The project area is located on National Forest lands about two miles northwest of Seeley Lake. The project will help address existing fuel and vegetation conditions that contribute to an increased risk of severe wildfire in areas adjacent to state and private lands. “Implementation of portions of this project could begin as soon as this spring season,” said Quinn Carver, Seeley Lake District Ran...
Missoula County and the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation will host an open house for the public Thursday, March 18 to review the new FEMA Clearwater River preliminary floodplain maps. The virtual open house will take place from 6 -7:30 p.m. via Zoom. Anyone interested in attending the open house can register online at http://bit.ly/ClearwaterOH. At the open house, staff will provide an overview of the preliminary maps, discuss proposed changes and answer questions about flood insurance, mapping and regulations. The...
The Missoula City-County Health Department (MCCHD) is now offering asymptomatic testing to certain occupations at the Flynn Lane Clinic and Mobile Testing Clinic. As of Monday, March 8, Missoula County residents in the following occupations may sign up for testing: healthcare workers; school personnel (including teachers, aides, janitors, etc.); first responders; grocery store, food service and gym employees; public transit employees (includes school bus drivers); personal care workers (hair stylists, massage therapists, tattoo artists, etc.);... Full story
Invasive zebra mussels found another avenue for potential infestation of Montana waters. Montana, Fish, Wildlife & Parks was notified Wednesday that zebra mussels were detected in aquarium moss balls sold at a pet store in Washington state. FWP immediately checked pet stores around Montana and found invasive mussels in moss balls at multiple locations. It appears these moss balls were imported from the Ukraine to a distributor in California and were shipped to pet stores nationwide. The facility that imports the moss balls has been quarantined...
Being an owner of forested property can bring many upkeep duties. Thinning, burning, road work and monitoring for health can keep a property owner pretty busy. Windstorms this winter have damaged many trees and can make a mess. Unfortunately, these trees become a "buffet" for beetle activity and the insects can spread to healthy trees if not dealt with in a timely fashion. Most forest insects occur naturally throughout Montana, but with some careful planning and cleanup, you can prevent the spre...
SEELEY LAKE - As the anniversary of COVID-19 coming into the U.S. passes, the majority of its citizens have experienced an unprecedented period of social isolation. The threat of the virus makes it difficult for certain institutions to be fully functional and for individuals to socialize how they normally would. Local Therapist Kim Heninger LCPC, LAC, LLC said there is an “insidious depression” that sets in over time as a result of extended isolation. This can result in a “void” that needs constant fulfillment. “I don’t want to make a gene... Full story
SEELEY LAKE – One of the Alpine Artisans'(AAI) programs formerly on COVID-19 hiatus Zoom-ed back to life March 6. The first Zoom Open Book Club event featured critically acclaimed author Russell Rowland with his newest book "Cold Country." Pre-COVID, Grizzly Claw Trading Company provided the venue for area residents to gather and listen to authors read from their latest works and respond to audience questions. While the Zoom format may have dampened what many author guests have described as t...
SEELEY LAKE – Riding a snowmobile before he could walk and driving his own at age three, Kyle Huestis was hooked on horsepower at a young age. After opening Freshies Built with his wife Lee in 2016 and moving to Seeley Lake in December 2018, they have grown from a mechanic shop of favors to shipping customized snowmobiles across the country to now offering guiding, clinics and a vacation rental for their guests. They strive to offer the best, all inclusive snowmobile and backcountry service t...
HELENA – Seeley-Swan High School graduates Gabrielle "Gabby" Sexton and Nicole Williams were among 81 Montana students who received a $1,000 Reach Higher Montana Scholarship for use in the 2021-2022 academic year. Scholarships were awarded to Montana students and must be used at accredited Montana colleges. Reach Higher Montana Programs Manager Rhonda Safford said this year they had more than 800 applicants for the 81 scholarships. "It is quite competitive," Safford wrote in an email. More t...
Seeley Lake Community Council seeks applicants for vacant term MISSOULA - The Missoula County commissioners are accepting applications for one vacant term on the Seeley Lake Community Council. The term runs through May 31, 2021. Because the remainder of the vacant term is so short and election filing deadlines have passed, the appointed member’s term will automatically renew to a new three-year term. If the commissioner-appointed member would like to continue serving beyond May 31, 2024, they must file as a candidate in the 2024 s...
Despite all the challenges brought by the pandemic, lawmakers in the 67th Montana Legislative Session are wasting no time in pushing through a deluge of bills -- some new and untested, some vetoed numerous times before, but all being considered in a new light with a Republican governor in office for the first time in 16 years. Wednesday, March 3 marked the halfway point of the session and a key deadline called “transmittal.” Any general policy bills not attached to the state budget that have not advanced from the house they originated in are... Full story
Montana House and Senate Adjourn for Mid-Session Break After Breakneck Floor Sessions After days of marathon sessions, the Montana House of Representatives and Senate adjourned for a nearly week-long break, having advanced more than 200 bills between the two houses in just two days. The break falls on the “transmittal” deadline, in which all bills that don’t have spending attached must advance from the house they originate in, or are considered effectively dead. This session, the week leading up to transmittal brought a flood of bills that... Full story
HELENA - An amended version of a bill that would place no more than 39% of out-of-state elk and deer tags into an “early bird” limited outfitter pool has caused debate in the Montana State Senate resulting in its original sponsor voting against the newest version. A second reading of Senate Bill 143 amended passed in the Senate 27-23 Feb. 23. The bill’s sponsor, Senate District 43 Representative Jason Ellsworth (R-Hamilton), originally brought the bill forward with the intention of providing stability to outfitters. It would give them a selec...
SWAN VALLEY - When Unleashed in the Swan owner Kathy Koors of Condon agreed to help foster two dogs while a married couple from Kalispell recovered from COVID-19, she did not expect to continue caring for them once those owners died from the disease. She and other local animal care workers are now encouraging residents, especially elderly ones, to plan ahead for their mortality specifically regarding their pets. Koors found out about the fostering opportunity from Flathead Animal Clinic. She...
SEELEY LAKE - Voters in the Seeley Lake Sewer District rejected a pair of bonds by a 70% margin Feb. 23 that were proposed to pay for construction of a wastewater treatment plant and Phase 1 of the collection system. As a result of the failed election, the Sewer District Board received a letter canceling the primary funding package. The results of the election were discussed at a Feb. 24 Board meeting where Director Walt Hill also resigned his position on the Board. The General Obligation bond for the treatment plant was turned down by a vote...
SEELEY LAKE - Claire Muller, Seeley Lake Community Foundation, executive director, gave updates on how the funding from the $2,000 Reimagining Rural grant was distributed. The original plan was to use the majority of the funding towards providing complementary outdoor Christmas lights to Seeley Lake businesses and homeowners with the remainder going to general Winterfest expenses. Those who took the lights do not have to return them to the Foundation and can reuse them for years to come. Muller said they spent almost $1,300 on lights with...
The Lolo National Forest is moving forward with implementing fee changes for developed recreation sites as recommended by the Sanders, Mineral, Missoula and Tri County Resource Advisory Committees, and as approved by the Regional Forester. Revenue generated at these sites is retained by the Lolo National Forest and provides critical support for maintaining high-quality recreation experiences and funding maintenance and improvements. The changes to campground fees will take effect for the 2021 summer season and changes to rentals and lookout...
Spring is coming and that means the start to outdoor burning in the county! The General Outdoor Burning Season opened March 1 in Missoula County. If you are planning to burn, please remember that all outdoor burning requires a Missoula County outdoor burn permit and the only material that may be disposed of by burning is untreated wood and vegetation generated onsite. Permits cost $7 and can be purchased or renewed online at www.burnpermit.mt.gov or in person at most local fire protection agencies. Some agencies may be closed to the public due...
SEELEY LAKE - The next meeting of the Seeley Lake Community Council will be this Monday, March 8 at 6 p.m. It will be held via Zoom, and the instructions for sign-on are at the end of this release. The first speaker will be Cindy Farr, Incident Commander - COVID-19 Response, Missoula City-County Health Department. Cindy will give an update on vaccination programs and progress in Missoula County. The second speaker will be Jean Curtiss, Manager of the Seeley Lake Sewer District. Curtiss will discuss the recent sewer election. Our third speaker w...
In normal, non-pandemic years, Alpine Artisans, Inc's Open Book Club (OBC) brings people together on a Saturday evening nearly once a month. There, we enjoy rubbing shoulders with an accomplished author, we listen to them read their work, and if we're lucky, we kick off the evening with a Seeley-Swan High School student reading their poetry. OBC founder Sara Wilcox said, "It's been a long year without these gatherings, we miss the inspiration and connection we have with friends, community and...
Life may now seem turned upside down by the coronavirus and recent school closure and event cancellations but Alpine Artisans would like to encourage parents and high school seniors to think positive. We're beginning to see the light at the end of the 'Coronavirus pandemic tunnel' and Alpine Artisans (AAI) encourages parents and high school students to consider the grants and scholarships we offer. Does your K-12 student want to attend lessons or a summer camp in music, drama or any of the...
POTOMAC - Members of the Potomac School Board unanimously voted to deny an amended Potomac Greenough Community Center (PGCC) lease agreement for 2021-2022 during a special meeting Monday, Feb. 22. Earlier in the meeting, the Board unanimously approved the Potomac Association of Classified Employees (PACE) contract for 2021-2023 as well as the Principal’s contract for 2021-2022 with slight revisions made to both. The School Board met Tuesday, Feb. 18 where they discussed the lease and made initial amendments to it. The lease they approved at t...
HELENA - Two bills sponsored by House District 92 Representative Mike Hopkins (R-Missoula) regarding freedom of expression on college campuses have passed the Montana House of Representatives and are set to move on to the Montana State Senate. If approved these would both be passed into state law. House Bill 349 would allow campus organizations to exclude people based on their beliefs as well as prevent universities from expelling students based on their speech. It passed on third reading 67-33 Feb. 23. According to Hopkins, this bill protects...
SEELEY LAKE - Veterans and Families of Seeley Lake surprised two of the group's oldest veterans, 90 years young, with U.S. American flags that were flown over the Capitol in Washington, D.C. Veterans and Families President Barbara Knopp said they awarded Glenn Truett (left) and Scott Edwards (right with mask next to veteran Elden Barbieri) the flags to honor their service to their country. Truett served six years in the Army and Edwards served four years in the Navy as a Seabee both during the...
Two bills giving the Legislature and other elected officials more oversight of emergency declarations and local health mandates passed the Montana House Monday. House Bill 121 and House Bill 230 are the products of several related proposals brought by lawmakers in response to local health orders that some have criticized for failing to consider their effects on local economies or failing to include elected officials in the decision-making. Broadly, the two bills would limit the authority of public health officials and the governor. Both passed... Full story
Missoula County Community and Planning Services is now accepting nominations for the annual Land Stewardship Award. The award recognizes landowners and residents who are taking stewardship of land and water seriously and embarking on projects and practices that make a difference for land, water, forests, wildlife and communities. Community members and organizations are invited to nominate landowners and residents who are restoring, protecting or enhancing land and natural resources to ensure natural systems are maintained and strengthened. The...
Montana joined at least half a dozen other states last month in asking the federal government to waive its required standardized testing for schoolchildren this spring. But under a new directive issued by the U.S. Department of Education last week, schools across the state will be required to administer the testing this year, despite the ongoing pandemic. In a letter announcing the decision, the department said standardized test results will be critical in gauging the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on learning, and will give parents an i...
Satellite Office closed March 11 SEELEY LAKE - The Missoula County Treasurer’s Satellite Office (3360 Highway 83N) will be closed on Thursday, March 11. They will resume regular hours March 25 from 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., closed for lunch 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Winter Snowshoe March 14 SEELEY LAKE – Clearwater Resource Council invites everyone to its first, socially-distanced nature walk event March 14 from 12 – 3 p.m. The walk will leave from the Canoe Trailhead at the Seeley Lake Ranger Station. Gather friends, grab your snowshoes and join...
Lawmakers Race to Introduce Bills Before Key Deadline; House Committee Holds Marathon Hearings As the Legislature approaches the halfway point of the session -- and a key deadline for general bills -- one House committee heard more than 50 bills in four days, imposing strict time limits on testimony and raising questions about transparency and public access. That deadline -- called “transmittal” -- falls on Wednesday, March 3, the halfway point of the Legislative Session and the last day for all bills, except those that appropriate state fun... Full story
For two whole days in October, the sounds of shattering glass and blood-scrubbing brushes rocked Ruby’s Cafe in Missoula -- a charming, 40s-style diner owned by Brenda Hallas. She spent the days in her basement office, listening to the chaos without a worry in her mind. In fact, given the chance, she said she’d invite the noisemakers back for another round. “I really hope if something comes up again, and they need a diner again, they’re going to call us,” Hallas said in a phone call. “I want to have a rapport with these people.” When the crew...
Just after sunrise Saturday, Jan. 9, local wolf trapper Rob Henrekin fired up his snowmobile to check his trapline, something he has done every day since the wolf season opened Dec. 15. While he had seen tracks from a pair of wolves Dec. 24, he had not had a single visit to his 40+ foothold traps. "It is such a rush everyday, even when I don't catch a wolf," said Henrekin. "If I'm just patient and everything is working, they will be back. Whether I catch them or not is unknown but I'll have a...
SEELEY LAKE - Both of the Sewer Bonds up for election Feb. 23 failed by a large margin. The preliminary results for the Phase 1 Bond was 33 Yes, 80 No. For the Plant, 98 voters approved and 198 voted against. Results are preliminary until canvassed. The Sewer Board's next meeting is Wednesday, Feb. 24 at 6 p.m. Visit https://seeleysewer.org/ for how to participate in the virtual meeting....
SEELEY LAKE – Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021 was officially proclaimed Klaus von Stutterheim Day by the Missoula County Commissioners. The Proclamation honors Von Stutterheim's many years of service to Seeley Lake and Missoula County and urges all Missoula County residents to emulate his example by giving back to their friends, neighbors and community in a way that leaves this place better than they found it. The Commissioners chose to name a day after Von Stutterheim because of his many years of l...
SEELEY LAKE - The Missoula County Sheriff's Office honored five individuals at a ceremony Tuesday, Feb. 16 for their life-saving actions following a September plane crash north of Seeley Lake Airport. The individuals recognized include Seeley-Swan Search and Rescue (SSSAR) volunteers Matt Pitman, Jason Ayers and Kal Kovatch, Civilian Mike Lindemer and U.S. Forest Service Federal Officer Tyler Robinson. Around 10 p.m. Sept. 12, 2020, SSSAR and local law enforcement responded to a report that an...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Foundation (SLCF) helps local groups fund important community projects. In this capacity, the SLCF strives to be a community resource and catalyst for innovative approaches to improving the quality of life in Seeley Lake. We’re pleased to announce the 2021 SLCF Community Grants, awarded to projects benefitting Seeley Lake: • $1,575 to Recycling Works to start a Rural Glass Recycling Project in Seeley Lake, with a local glass drop-off location open to the public and emptied regularly. • $2,425 to Seele...
MISSOULA COUNTY - The Missoula City-County Board of Health voted 6 to 1 to make several revisions to the County’s current COVID-19 mitigation requirements during a virtual meeting Thursday, Feb. 18. These revisions include: 1. Increasing event capacities from 25 to 50 for indoors and 100 for outdoors. 2. Removing capacity limits except as necessary to meet distancing requirements. 3. Removing certain restrictions on businesses including, but not limited to: fitness facilities, pools, places of worship and assembly, personal care businesses, r... Full story
The Joe Biden-Kamala Harris Administration and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) are making operational changes to the U.S. Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) in order to create more equitable relief for American small businesses according to a press release. The SBA will: • Establish a 14-day, exclusive PPP loan application period for businesses and nonprofits with fewer than 20 employees. • Allow sole proprietors, independent contractors and self-employed individuals to receive more financial support by revising the PPP’s fundi... Full story
SEELEY LAKE – At their Feb. 16 meeting, the Seeley Lake Fire Board listened to letters written by Fire Chief Dave Lane and Board Chair Scott Kennedy in response to a letter dated Jan. 14 from the Missoula County Commissioners. It was sent to Board Chair Scott Kennedy and Sam Hunthausen, executive officer of the State Board of Medical Examiners. Lane read his response to the Commissioners’ letter. This was also provided to the Pathfinder and parts were included in the Jan. 21 article “Commissioners discuss concerns regarding Seeley Lake Ambul...
SEELEY LAKE - Developers of a proposed 13-lot residential subdivision held a virtual neighborhood meeting Tuesday, Feb. 16 to go over initial details for the project. Paul Forsting, IMEG Corporation land use planner, presented the aspects of the subdivision. The 200-acre property site is owned by John Richards. It is located between Camp Utmost Way and Blanchard Creek Road off of Highway 200 in Greenough. Forsting added there was a similar neighborhood meeting a couple of years ago over a subdiv...
SEELEY LAKE - Members of the Seeley Lake Elementary School Board unanimously approved a second round of board policy updates in their 2000’s series during a meeting Wednesday, Feb. 17. Superintendent Josh Gibbs also provided updates on the School Improvement Team’s efforts as well as other various aspects of the school. Policy updates included: • Removing the Montana Digital Academy policy because it is already a part of state law. • Using the old library policy for members of the public because it is more in-depth. • Removing a policy around d...
Following the close of the Special District filing deadline Feb. 8, the Seeley Lake Rural Fire District is currently the only Special District election that will appear on the May 4 mail-in ballot. However, citizens can apply to be a write-in candidate until March 1 for Special Districts and April 1 for School Districts. If someone does apply as a write-in candidate, this could trigger an election if there are more candidates than positions. However, their name would not appear on the ballot. The School District filings remain open until 5...
AARP Montana invites community organizations and local governments across the state to apply for the 2021 Community Challenge grant program, now through April 14. Grants fund quick-action projects that can range from several hundred dollars for small, short-term activities to several thousand or tens of thousands for larger projects. Now in its fifth year, the grant program is part of AARP’s nationwide Livable Communities initiative, which supports the efforts of cities, towns, neighborhoods and rural areas to become great places to live for p...
Memorial donations for Sandy Berry SEELEY LAKE – Due to the closing of the Paws Up Safe Home Animal Shelter in Potomac, those wishing to honor Sandy Berry can make donations in her name to Hazel and Owen Tyler at 1270 Copper Cliff Drive, Potomac, MT, 59823 or a charity of their choosing. The Tylers operated the no kill animal shelter that is closing Feb. 28. They will continue to support the animals that were not adopted. ROCKS ice rink open SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake ROCKS Ice Rink in the Seeley Lake Elementary field is open with a lar...
Montana Constitutional Amendment would Establish Protections for Electronic Messages The Montana Legislature is considering a bill proponents say will offer increased clarity and protections for privacy in the digital age. Senate Bill 203, sponsored by Sen. Kenneth Bogner, R-Miles City, seeks to ask voters to amend Montana’s Constitution to add language to Article II, Section 11 that would explicitly protect electronic data and communications from illegal searches and seizures. At the bill’s first hearing on Tuesday, Feb. 16, Bogner described t... Full story
Nine years ago, doctors diagnosed Caden Shrauger with stage-four neuroblastoma, a rare cancer that developed in his nerve cells and spread throughout his body. At the time, doctors told his family he had a 50% chance of survival. Caden underwent numerous rounds of treatment to fight back, and eventually, he won his battle -- but not before the chemotherapy damaged his hearing. Now, the 12-year-old Bozeman boy is on his second pair of hearing aids, which, he told lawmakers on the Montana House Human Services Committee, help him do everything... Full story
SEELEY LAKE - Former Seeley-Swan High School (SSHS) student Owen Mercado and his mother Deidre Lechowski-Mercado are suing the school and the Missoula County Public School District (MCPS) alleging that the school and its staff members were made aware of discriminatory behavior and were negligent in the handling of multiple harassment reports. MCPS largely denied that reports were made on the family’s part addressing discrimination that took place on school grounds. The lawsuit was filed in Federal Court Jan. 21. Three students, a deputy county...
MISSOULA - Homeschooled Junior Grace Wilson of Seeley Lake has culminated her passion for musical theater as she takes the stage as Shrek in Missoula Children's Theatre's (MCT) adaptation of Shrek The Musical JR. The production will air virtually Feb. 20-21. This is the first time she is performing without a live audience. "I think it'll be good because we can still put on a play and ... we can still have people see our performance," Wilson said. "I'm willing to bet that a lot more people will...
SEELEY LAKE – In 1965 Jeff Wisehart moved from New Mexico to San Jose, California, where he lived with his sister while attending West Valley College. He said California at that time was beautiful, though he was a bit disappointed to discover there were not 10 girls for every guy, as his buddies had assured him. But it didn't matter whether he was happy with the move or not, the Vietnam draft caught up with him. At the induction center in Oakland, California, Wisehart was asked "Army or N...
MISSOULA COUNTY - The Missoula City-County Board of Health announced a series of recommended changes to be made to Missoula County’s current COVID-19 mitigation requirements during a virtual meeting Friday, Feb. 12. These revisions will be up for consideration at an upcoming meeting at 12:15 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 18. In October, MCCHD set a goal for the County that if the daily incidence rate went below 25 for two consecutive weeks, then the Department would consider relaxing certain restrictions. This is based on the seven day average in d... Full story
SEELEY LAKE - J&E Contracting Owner-Operator Ed Jungers received Montana Tree Farm Program's (MTFP) 2020 Logger of the Year. Jungers started the logging company with his father John over 20 years ago. Part of the reason he was nominated was for his early adoption of Cut-to-Length (CTL) logging equipment in the state of Montana. According to the MTFP Facebook post recognizing Jungers, CTL is an "innovative approach to forest management [and] is particularly adept at utilizing small diameter...
POTOMAC - At their Feb. 8 meeting, the Potomac School Board voted four to one to approve the Potomac Education Association (PEA) contract for 2021-2023. This new contract would result in a $4,024.25 salary raise for all teachers regardless of experience. In other business, the board approved the permissive levy, continued working through policy updates and the eighth grade class provided an update on their class trip. Principal John Rouse said that Gov. Greg Gianforte intends to increase starting teacher pay through House Bill 143 which adds...
SEELEY LAKE - In response to public feedback, the Lolo National Forest is extending the public comment period for the North Fork Blackfoot River Native Fish Restoration Project for an additional 30 days or through March 12. Located in the Scapegoat Wilderness on the Seeley Lake and Lincoln Ranger Districts in Powell and Lewis and Clark counties, the project would authorize Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) to implement fish management and stocking actions within the wilderness to establish a secure population of native trout. “Thank you t...
HELENA – Montana families are closer to accessing the information they need about the COVID-19 vaccine rollout thanks to a newly launched online resource center from AARP Montana. The site offers up-to-date information as well as answers to frequently asked questions about how to navigate the vaccination process in Montana. The resource guide is available by visiting aarp.org/mtvaccine. “We have received many calls, emails and texts from people trying to figure out how to receive a vaccine,” said AARP Montana State Director Tim Summers. “We l... Full story
SEELEY LAKE – At their Feb. 9 meeting, the Seeley-Swan Hospital District Board received updates regarding vaccinations, Karen Ayers’ resignation at the Seeley-Swan Medical Center, Lazy Acres RV Park Subdivision and the sewer bond election. Partnership Health Center representative Abby Berow reported that 204 PHC patients were vaccinated Feb. 8 at the drive-thru Vaccination Clinic at Seeley-Swan High School. Everyone who received their first dose will return Feb. 28 to receive their second dose. Berow said PHC was responsible for scheduling the...
It used to be said Eskimos had 100 different words for snow. Now the word "Eskimo" is largely considered a pejorative term and has been replaced by Alaskan Native. With that change comes the understanding that there is no one "Eskimo" language, so the claim of 100 different words in it is a non-issue. But there is no need to look to foreign languages to find multiple names for snow. According to the Farmers' Almanac, English itself has at least 40 different terms for that cold, white,...
The community members and families of Seeley Lake and Swan Valley have stepped up to support Seeley-Swan High School (SSHS) this school year. Usually, the members of the Club are showcased on signs in gymnasium for all to see. However, this year, games are not open to everyone who wishes to come and cheer. A list of Club members is below. The Club was able to provide Blackhawk logo masks for the entire student body and to the sports teams. As usual, the Boosters will support the athletic teams...
The Seeley-Swan turned into a winter wonderland over the weekend. The Seeley Lake Ranger District officially reported 31 inches of snow from 2 p.m. Friday, Feb. 5 – Monday morning around 10 a.m. By the end of the weekend, the North Fork Jocko Snotel Site added 33 inches of snow to the 62 inches on the ground. This week a few readers continued to share their fun in the snow....
Seeley Lake Community Council vacancy filled SEELEY LAKE – At their Feb. 4 meeting, the Missoula County Commissioners appointed Seeley Lake resident Sharon Teague to the Seeley Lake Community Council. Teague and Seeley Lake resident John Richards applied for the vacancy. Teague will fill the remainder of Kris Martin’s vacant term through May 31, 2023 at which point she will have to apply for reelection to remain on the Council. Teague was welcomed to the Council at their Feb. 9 meeting. To view the recording of the meeting visit htt...
Look What’s Law: Governor Signs Bill Reducing COVID-19 Liability, Rolls Back Mask Mandate Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte has signed into law a major COVID-19 liability bill, which soared through the Montana Legislature during its first month. Senate Bill 65, sponsored by Sen. Steve Fitzpatrick, R-Great Falls, greatly reduces the extent to which businesses, healthcare professionals, and manufacturers of personal protective equipment are liable for harm related to COVID-19. The bill sets a higher bar for lawsuits, changing the standard from ... Full story
Casey Olson has been on a drill rig since 1991. Back then, Olson worked at a mineral exploration company, and though the work was “break-back,” learning the equipment wasn’t too difficult. Fast forward 30 years later, he’s now running Rabco Services as an independent well drilling contractor in Columbia Falls and Olson says the technology is rapidly outpacing the knowledge of new workers, which are hard enough to find as it is. “We’re trying to target younger guys, we take older guys -- we take whoever wants to come,” Olson said in a phone in... Full story
SEELEY LAKE - Partnership Health Center (PHC) collaborated with the Missoula County COVID-19 Vaccine Coordination Team to organize a drive-thru COVID-19 vaccination clinic at Seeley-Swan High School Monday, Feb. 8. Around 200 PHC patients in the Seeley-Swan area were able to receive the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine. The second doses will be administered at the same location Sunday, Feb. 28. According to Eric Halverson, PHC public information officer, this clinic was exclusively for PHC... Full story
POTOMAC – After receiving a call that a doberman-pitbull cross named Angel was pregnant and would be shot unless someone took her, Paws Up Safe Home welcomed another cast-off. Within a week, she had six puppies. Even though the puppies all died, Angel was given a second chance at a new home. "She is the best dog," said Sherri Housley, Paws Up board member. "I've had her since she was 10 months old." After more than 20 years of caring for lost, abandoned and abused pets in the area as well as f...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley-Swan Search and Rescue were called out at approximately 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 6 to look for two snowmobilers from Arlee who got off the trail south of Fawn Peak and could not find a trail out. SSSAR worked through the night in difficult weather and terrain and rescued the snowmobilers and returned to the Westside Trailhead by 6 a.m. Sunday morning. According to Missoula County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Ryan Dunster the man and woman were coming down the south side of Fawn Peak and headed back to the Westside Trailhead. The...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley Lake Historian Ron Cox, representing the Seeley Lake Historical Society took the group of around a dozen people on a three-hour loop from Camp Paxson to Seeley Lake Campground, to the Maclean Cabin and through Girard Larch Grove. During the tour he talked about a range of historical topics including Hotel Point, early residents and logging history. Cox said part of the grant money from the Reimagining Rural Series went towards plowing the parking lot so attendees could...
SEELEY LAKE - In mid-December, Pyramid Mountain Lumber, Inc. was alerted to the presence of positive COVID-19 cases among its employees. In about a three-week period, the mill saw eight positive cases, a majority of which were office personnel or exposed to office personnel. This is the area with the most exposure to the general public. Pyramid’s Human Resources Director was notified of the first case Dec. 13. Controller Wendy Dalrymple said that in addition to the positive cases, five employees, three in the office and two in the mill, had to...
Alpine Artisans, Inc. representatives Kris Gullikson and Gene Schade presented checks to Seeley Lake Elementary and Swan Valley Elementary schools from the AAI Giving Tree for art supplies. The funds can be requested by teachers to purchase art supplies in their classrooms....
SEELEY LAKE - Resident Cheri Thompson found an explosive secret while she was digging through her family's relics. Amongst the familial treasures were a live Type 91 Japanese fragmentation grenade and an artillery fuze which came from her father's World War II memorabilia. She immediately turned over the items to Robert Parcell, Missoula County Sheriff's Office Sergeant and retired Marine Colonel, who brought it to the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) in Missoula. Thompson's father Ivan Odom...
The season of Lent is a time of prayer, fasting and self-examination in preparation for the celebration of the resurrection of the Lord at Easter. It is a period of 40 days — like the flood of Genesis, Moses’ sojourn at Mount Sinai, Elijah’s journey to Mount Horeb, Jonah’s call to Ninevah to repent and Jesus’ time of testing in the wilderness. (The Sundays in Lent are not counted in this counting of the time between Ash Wednesday and Easter, as every Lord’s Day is a celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.) For Catholics and many Pr...
SEELEY LAKE - Students in Seeley-Swan High School's Blackhawk Business Professionals of America (BPA) group placed high enough in the recent BPA Regional Conference to move on to the statewide competition March 14-16. The students who will move on are Freshman Conner Chadwick in Financial Math & Analysis, Junior Hannah Ayers in Entrepreneurship, and Sophomore Cora Stone in Interview Skills as well as Ethics & Professionalism. The school group was created earlier in the fall with SSHS Business...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley-Swan turned into a winter wonderland over the weekend. The Seeley Lake Ranger District officially reported 31 inches of snow from 2 p.m. Friday, Feb. 5 – Monday morning around 10 a.m. By the end of the weekend, the North Fork Jocko Snotel Site added 33 inches of snow to the 62 inches on the ground. We asked our readers to share their snow and winter fun photos with us....
Neighborhood meeting for Commercial Major Subdivision GREENOUGH – IMEG, formerly Territorial Landworks, Inc., will be hosting a Neighborhood Meeting Tuesday, Feb. 16 at 4 p.m. to discussion a commercial major subdivision being proposed between Blanchard Creek and Camp Utmost. To join via phone call 1-309-644-4427, Conference id #312 387 613#. To join via computer call 406-532-0263 prior to the meeting and a Microsoft Teams meeting link will be emailed to you. For more information direct questions to Paul Forsting, paul.t.for...
SEELEY LAKE - Dave Evans has been a member of the Seeley Lake community for 47 years, first visiting in 1974 before fully settling down in 1988. After starting coaching in 1999, Evans spent more than 20 years training athletes and inspiring them to work hard and become successful people. He retired before this year’s Seeley-Swan High School basketball season. Evans coaching career began for the Seeley Lake Elementary Eagles in 1999 starting with basketball and football. This helped transition Evans into coaching at Seeley-Swan High School in 2...
HELENA – Nominations are open for the Office of Public Instruction’s 2022 Montana Teacher of the Year Program. Members of the public can fill out a simple form to nominate a teacher. Teachers can self-nominate by filling out an application. All current and actively teaching Montanans who are making a positive difference in the lives of students are encouraged to apply. If nominated, the OPI will reach out to the nominated teacher and ask them to fill out an application. “Montana teachers are remarkable in an average year, but in the past year...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley-Swan turned into a winter wonderland over the weekend. The Seeley Lake Ranger District officially reported 31 inches of snow from 2 p.m. Friday, Feb. 5 – Monday morning around 10 a.m. By the end of the weekend, the North Fork Jocko Snotel Site added 33 inches of snow to the 62 inches on the ground. We asked our readers to share their snow and winter fun photos with us....
The bell rang once to signal members of the Montana House of Representatives to punch in their votes, and the result was a dead heat: 50 for “yes,” 50 for “no.” That was enough to kill House Bill 27, the first in a stream of bills working to address gaps in support for Montana students’ mental health. Sponsored by Rep. Moffie Funk, D-Helena, the bill would have permitted schools to implement “handle with care” programs -- allowing law enforcement to contact a child’s school and alert staff to handle the student with extra care because of a po...
Bills Aim to Reduce Prescription Drug Costs in Montana A House committee tabled a bill in the Montana Legislature that would have limited copays for insulin to $35 for a month’s supply after it drew support from families and healthcare providers who say the price of the drug has become otherwise unaffordable. Rep. Jessica Karjala, D-Billings, presented House Bill 222 to members of the House Human Services Committee on Monday, Feb. 1. “The bottom line is that the price of insulin with insurance has become prohibitive, and often, out of rea...
SEELEY LAKE – On Jan. 25, the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) issued Opencut Mining Permit #2864 to Deer Creek Excavating, LLC for a 20-acre sand and gravel pit on 26.5 acres located approximately four miles east of Seeley Lake in Powell County. Owner of Deer Creek Excavating, LLC Gary Lewis looks forward to beginning operations at the Cottonwood Site this summer. “We are pleased that the permit has been approved and we look forward to serving the community of Seeley Lake with our own gravel products,” said Lewis and his w...
MISSOULA COUNTY - By the end of January, Missoula County shifted into the first tier for Phase 1b vaccine distribution. Tier one of Phase 1b includes county residents ages 70 and older, Native Americans and other people of color. Following these groups, appointments will be opened to younger individuals who meet other eligibility criteria under this Phase. Due to high demand and limited doses, Phase 1b appointments will open with a tiered approach as required by the Missoula City-County Health Department (MCCHD). Those without Internet access... Full story
SEELEY LAKE - The fate of a pair of bonds to fund Seeley Lake’s proposed sewer system is in the hands of the voters with ballots being mailed out Feb. 3. If the bonds pass in the Feb. 23 election, the Seeley Lake Sewer District can move forward to finish checking off the conditions of the funding package and put the proposed sewer project out to bid. However the water gets muddier when looking at the impacts of a “no” vote. The Pathfinder reached out to the Missoula City-County Health Department, Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ...
SEELEY LAKE - Alpine Artisans, Inc. (AAI) named Carla and Gene Schade as the recipients of their annual Arts Benefactor Award during their annual meeting which took place virtually Sunday, Jan. 24. Every year the AAI Board of Directors selects someone to receive the award based on contributions of outstanding merit to the local community. AAI Program Manager Jenny Rohrer said the Schades "have brought so much to the organization" both together and individually. "The overall thing is that Gene...
SEELEY LAKE – The community is invited to attend a History Snow Walk n’ Talk starting at Camp Paxson and Winterfest at Seeley Lake Elementary during the afternoon on Saturday, Feb. 6. The Seeley Lake Historical Society is hosting the Snow Walk from 1 – 4 p.m. The Seeley Lake Area Chamber of Commerce is hosting Winterfest activities from 3-6 p.m. The History Snow Walk n’ Talk will start at Camp Paxson, located along Boy Scout Road. Meet at the campfire for the start of snow tour at 1 p.m. The tour will include a walking loop from Camp Paxson to...
SEELEY LAKE - The next meeting of the Seeley Lake Community Council will be held this Monday, Feb. 8 at 6 p.m. via Zoom. The main topic will be COVID vaccinations. Cindy Farr, County Incident Commander - COVID-19 Response, will explain the current status of vaccinations in Missoula County, where to get information and how to sign up, the schedule of vaccination priority, the availability of vaccine, etc. It should be a very interesting and informative session, with an opportunity for citizens to ask all the questions they might have. Finally,...
MISSOULA – AARP will be offering free tax service at Southgate Mall, in the former location of Lane Bryant, between Hoagieville and Champs in the Dillard’s wing, on Mondays and Wednesdays. Appointments will be accepted between 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays by calling 406-531-2701. Please don’t call until Feb. 8th for the next block of appointments. For more information visit www.mttaxaide.org Also every Saturday beginning Feb. 6 through March 13 from 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., the VITA Program will be offering free tax help to those... Full story
SCAPEGOAT WILDERNESS – The Lolo National Forest is seeking comments on the North Fork Blackfoot River Native Fish Restoration Project which is located in the Scapegoat Wilderness on the Seeley Lake Ranger District on the Lolo National Forest, and the Lincoln Ranger District on the Helena – Lewis and Clark National Forest, in Powell and Lewis and Clark counties. The project would authorize Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) to implement fish management and stocking actions within the wilderness that would establish a secure population of nat...
MISSOULA COUNTY - When one positive case of COVID-19 has the power to disrupt the operations for an entire institution, clarifying what is considered an active case versus a positive test can be important when determining the contagiousness of an individual. According to Cindy Farr, Missoula City-County Health Department COVID-19 incident commander, a positive test is someone who tests positive for COVID-19 while an active case is someone who has tested positive and is still in the contagious... Full story
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Foundation is offering a free Grant Technology training for businesses and nonprofits at 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 18 led by SLCF Executive Director Claire Muller. This one-hour discussion will include information on how to use Submittable, a popular cloud-based platform headquartered in Montana that (among many other funders) the State of Montana used for administering COVID-19 grants in 2020. We will also go over how to look for grants, manage the funding you receive, how to think about incorporating grants...
Calls are being received at local Area Agencies on Aging reporting that a credit card arrived in the mail from “Money Network Financial” saying that they represent the US Treasury and to call to activate the card. These are legitimate cards. Some eight million Americans are receiving their stimulus payments on a pre-paid debit card sent through the mail, in addition to others who will receive the payment via paper checks or automatic deposits. Just because the last payment was received one way, does not mean it will be received the same way... Full story
SEELEY LAKE - Massage Therapist Michelle Dunn is hoping to offer her clients relieving therapeutic massage services as she opens the extension of her massage clinic in Missoula, True North Massage, in Seeley Lake. Her techniques include trigger point therapy, myofascial release, soft tissue release, cupping, deep tissue massage and Swedish massage. "My mission is to give my community a way to manage pain relief and stress to keep active so you can adventure in the great outdoors," Dunn said....
Placid Creek Rd. 349 temporary road closure PLACID LAKE - Placid Creek Road National Forest Service Road 349 from milepost 2.7 to milepost 5.1 will be temporarily closed through the end of February for fuels reduction work. The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is conducting the work on private lands. For more information or to check the status of the road call the Seeley Lake Ranger District, 677-2233. Missoula County Commissioners seek applicants for board positions The Missoula County Commissioners are accepting applications for the Seeley Lake...
SEELEY LAKE - Skiers were given free reign to run the 39th annual OSCR cross country ski race whenever they wanted last weekend. Participants were recommended to begin the self-supported 10-, 22- or 44-kilometer course from 8 - 10 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 30 or Sunday Jan. 31. Due to the lack of snow, the 25k loop was shortened to a 22k, making the longest distance 44k. According to Lynn Carey, Seeley Lake Nordic Club vice-president and race director, the club could not formally organize the...
Partnership Health Center, in collaboration with the Missoula County COVID-19 Vaccine Coordination Team, will hold a drive-thru COVID-19 vaccination clinic at Seeley-Swan High School on Monday, Feb.8 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Approximately 200 Partnership Health Center patients from the Seeley-Swan area will receive the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine. Second doses will be administered at the same location on Sunday, Feb. 28. The clinic will be the first drive-thru COVID-19 vaccination clinic in Missoula County and the first clinic specifically... Full story
The Missoula City-County Health Department (MCCHD) will hold more public vaccination clinics on Tuesday, Feb. 9 and Wednesday Feb. 10 at the former Lucky’s Market in the Southgate Mall. Approximately 400 first-dose COVID-19 vaccine appointments are available, with 200 appointments scheduled each day. Appointments will open online at 4:00 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 8. The link to make appointments will be available on the Vaccine Information page at http://covid19.missoula.co/. This clinic will not take walk-ups and appointments are mandatory. These a... Full story
MISSOULA COUNTY - Residents have publicly questioned Seeley Lake Rural Fire District's methods of garnering revenue at fire board meetings since the District voted to charge for fire and accident response in July, 2019. Some have also compared fees charged between Seeley's services and Swan Valley's. Even though both fire districts operate in Missoula County, comparing them is like comparing apples to oranges. Property owners within the District pay an annual tax for fire service based on...
SEELEY LAKE - As part of the last item on her bucket list, resident Dottie Wood, 91, had the opportunity of a lifetime to ride in a hot air balloon free of charge. "It was an experience [...] that I thought I would never get to do," Wood said. Wood said riding in a hot air balloon was on her bucket list because she liked the idea of exploring the world in a similar fashion to the movie "Around the World in 80 Days." "I thought that would really be something, to go around the world and not have t...
SEELEY LAKE - Mary Strumpfer is taking the streets as Seeley Lake’s new resident trooper for the Montana Highway Patrol. In her new position Strumpfer hopes to bring more traffic safety knowledge to the community especially when the tourism season is high in the summer. “There’s a lot of children on the sidewalks and crossing the roads,” she said. “The safer that people drive, the less instances that we have where we have to deal with possibly traumatic things.” Strumpfer graduated Seeley-Swan High School in 2017 and was officially sworn in as...
SEELEY LAKE - The community gathered around a massive flame as part of the 24th annual Christmas Tree Bonfire in the Filling Station parking lot on Friday, Jan. 22. Don and Lorraine White were visiting Seeley Lake from Washington state. "We were glad we could come and get here just in time. It was terrific," Don said. The Filling Station Owner Kris Martin said the word was spread through social media, work of mouth and the newspaper. The Seeley Lake Area Chamber of Commerce provided fireworks...
MISSOULA COUNTY - The Missoula City-County Board of Health (MCCHD) unanimously voted to revise their COVID-19 mitigation requirements for restaurants, bars, breweries, distilleries and casinos during their meeting on Thursday, Jan. 21. These revisions included lifting the 10 p.m. closing time, changing capacity to the degree necessary to ensure six-foot distancing between groups and increasing the number of people at a table from six to eight. These changes went into effect Jan. 22. Missoula... Full story
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Sewer District Board had its monthly meeting on Jan. 21 when the Board discussed litigation strategy, a change in who qualifies for voting agents in the upcoming bond election and comments made by a Director at another public board meeting. The Board closed the meeting to discuss litigation strategy with their attorney regarding a lawsuit filed in December seeking to force the District to install the proposed sewer and mandate properties to connect among other things. After coming out of the closed session,...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE) School Board members unanimously voted to extend their ice rink agreement with Seeley Lake Regional Outdoor Center for Kinetic Sports (ROCKS) for another three years during their monthly meeting Tuesday, Jan. 19. They also approved hiring for various positions and continued updating their 2000’s policy series. ROCKS Board members Garry Swain and Scott Eggeman spoke to the school board. SLE had a three year agreement with ROCKS that expired this year. The agreement allowed ROCKS to host the ice rink a...
Several local students made the Dean’s and President’s Lists at University of Montana, UM Western, Montana State University and Carroll College. University of Montana At the University of Montana in Missoula, 2,540 undergraduate students made the fall semester 2020 Dean’s List or President’s 4.0 List. To qualify, students must be undergraduates, earn a semester GPA of 3.5 or higher and receive grades of A or B in at least nine credits. Double asterisks after a name indicates the student earned a 4.0 GPA. A single asterisk indicates a GPA gre...
The Montana Department of Labor & Industry (DLI) today is warning Montanans of a widespread text message scam that masquerades as a message from the Department. At this time, it is believed that these scammers are sending fraudulent text messages to phone numbers with a 406 area code in the hopes that one is a current UI claimant. These text messages attempt to persuade recipients to click on a link, which may install malware on their devices. An example of how this fraudulent text message... Full story
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Rural Fire District welcomed three new members at their Jan. 19 fire board of trustees meeting. Jason Rawlings, Austin Binder and John Baker completed their task books and can now run calls. They all spoke the oath of the Fire Department and received their badges. In other business: • Lane reported that the District met all of its requirements to receive the more than $74,000 in CARES Act funding. The grant helped purchase a Power Load lift and Power Pro gurney for...
WHITEFISH, MONTANA - Children can now learn about Greek and Roman mythology while learning their ABCs thanks to Cassidy Meade's new book, "A is for Athena: The ABCs of Greek and Roman Mythology." The paperback book is organized in an ABC format with every letter attached to a Greek or Roman mythological figure. Every page also contains an illustration representing the associated figure. Meade said it is targeted towards younger children mostly between the ages of five and eight. Her passion for...
A virtual program for those with dementia and their caregivers MISSOULA - The Missoula Art Museum is providing a comforting art-viewing and art-making experience for those in the early stages of dementia and their caregivers. A new video is uploaded to the Missoula Art Museum’s YouTube channel on the first Monday of each month at 2 p.m. There is no registration required and no cost. Everyone is invited to tune in or watch when it is convenient. Based on the Museum of Modern Art’s “Meet Me” program, Art in the Moment creates a dementi...
HELENA — In a tense and emotionally charged floor session, the Montana House on Monday passed four bills seeking to curtail abortion access and two that restrict the rights of transgender youth and athletes. In the matters of reproductive health care, the bills passed along party lines, 67-33. Only a handful of Republicans sided with Democrats in opposition to the proposals concerning transgender people. House Bills 136, 140, 171 and 167 are the first of many anticipated proposals attempting to chip away at the legal right to receive an a... Full story
Anti-Transgender Bills Draw Opponents Lawmakers have advanced two measures aimed at banning transgender women and girls from playing women’s sports and blocking transgender youth from receiving gender-affirming treatment after facing a storm of opposition from concerned citizens, parents, businesses and medical organizations. Rep. John Fuller, R-Whitefish, sponsored House Bill 112, also called the “Save Women’s Sports Act.” The bill would require transgender women and girls to compete with others of their gender assigned at birth at the ele... Full story
HELENA — One day after House Bill 113 survived intense debate and a major vote on the House floor, the proposal failed to clear a procedural vote Tuesday after five Republicans reversed their stances, making the final vote count 49 in favor, 51 opposed. Advocates for transgender rights hailed the change as a significant win. “The trans and nonbinary community is strong and so are our families, friends and supporters,” said SK Rossi, one of the lead lobbyists opposing the bill on behalf of the cities of Missoula and Bozeman. HB 113, which would... Full story
HELENA -- Americans pay four times more on average for prescription drugs than people in other countries, John Doran of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Montana told a panel of lawmakers Friday in support of Senate Bill 137, introduced by Sen. Steve Fitzpatrick, R-Great Falls. The bill would force prescription drug companies, pharmacies and health insurance providers to disclose information to Montanans about why prices are so high. Richard Miltenberger is the CEO of Mountain Health Co-op, and said the bill is an important first step in reducing drug... Full story
MISSOULA – At their Administrative Meeting Jan. 14, the Missoula County Commissioners discussed a letter regarding complaints they have received concerning the medical care being provided by the Seeley Lake Ambulance. The letter was sent to the Board of Medical Examiners and Seeley Lake Fire Board Chair. Missoula County Chief Administrative Officer Chris Lounsbury introduced the letter and explained the commissioners have received complaints about the medical care being provided by the Seeley Lake Ambulance. He explained that while the C...
SEELEY LAKE - Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the annual cross country skiing races Skiesta and the Biathlon have been postponed to next year while the 25k and 50k OSCR will take place unsupported. Seeley Lake Nordic Club organizes the Biathlon and OSCR while Seeley Lake Elementary organizes Skiesta. Lynn Carey, club vice president and race director, said the Biathlon had to be canceled because it required every shooting station to have a handler which would be impossible with social distancing....
With winds gusts reaching nearly 50 miles per hour around the area Wednesday, Jan. 13, downed trees caused widespread power outages, blocked roads and damaged property. While emergency personnel responded to several calls throughout the day, Missoula Electric Cooperative (MEC) crews worked into the weekend restoring power and community members helped neighbors cut out roads, driveways and remove trees from buildings and vehicles. The Seeley Lake Remote Automatic Weather Station (RAWS) located at...
At its meeting Jan. 21, the Missoula City-County Board of Health (MCCHD), will consider adopting revisions to current COVID-19 mitigation requirements for restaurants, bars, breweries, distilleries and casinos. These revisions have been under careful consideration since early November 2020, after a group called Revive Missoula’s Bars and Restaurants – a coalition of about 70 bar and restaurant owners – approached MCCHD hoping to find a suitable solution that would allow bars to be open later at night. The coalition told MCCHD that bars tend... Full story
MISSOULA COUNTY - Missoula County's Office of Emergency Management (OEM) announced their development of a Type III Incident Management Team to coordinate Phase 1b of the COVID-19 vaccine administration throughout the county during a press conference Thursday, Jan. 14. OEM Director Adriane Beck will oversee the effort. The Western Montana All Hazard Incident Management Team is comprised of members from local public agencies including fire and law enforcement. According to a press release, the... Full story
POWELL COUNTY - The Tri County Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) voted to increase recreation site fees for 11 sites across the Lolo National Forest during a virtual meeting on Tuesday, Jan 12. Sites that saw increases were located in the Seeley Lake Ranger District (Powell County) as well as Missoula Ranger District (Granite County). Monture Guard Station Cabin's nightly fee increased from $60 to $75 while Big Nelson Campground went from no charge to $10. Jeff Ward, U.S. Forest Service...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley Lake Community Council listened to presentations from multiple community leaders during their virtual meeting Monday, Jan. 11. Speakers included Missoula District Administrator Bob Vosen who presented Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) projects expected to take place in the upcoming year; Claire Muller, Seeley Lake Community Foundation executive director, who presented the Foundation’s accomplishments in 2020 and their plans for 2021; and Seeley Lake District Ranger Quinn Carver who spoke about the U.S. Forest S...
SEELEY LAKE – At their Jan. 12 meeting, the Seeley-Swan Hospital District Board voted unanimously to designate Chair Twyla Johnson as the special district agent to vote in favor of the sewer bond that is being voted on Feb. 23. They also learned more about the possibility of the Seeley-Swan Medical Center being included in the residency program through Partnership Health Center. Board member Walt Hill provided background information on the letter the Hospital District received from the Sewer District. Hill also serves as a director on the Sewer...
Fall prevention workshop, Feb. 3 and March 3 Join Missoula Aging Services and Stephanie Markin for a virtual Falls Prevention Workshop Feb. 3 starting at 10:30 a.m. or March 3 starting at 11 a.m. This one-hour workshop is designed for older adults, care partners or anyone else with an interest in falls prevention. The session will review preventative measures that any person can take to prevent falls. This includes strengthening exercises, home modifications and strategies to build self-confidence. Falls can be harmful for anyone in the...
POTOMAC - Members of the Potomac School Board discussed the continuation of their 1900 series policies which includes requiring masks in school facilities at their Jan. 11 meeting. The series also maintains student cohort groups throughout the school day and encourages social distancing as much as possible inside the buildings. Given Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte’s recent announcement of his intentions to remove the statewide mask mandate following vaccine distributions, Principal John Rouse recommended that the school maintain its current l...
LINCOLN - For the second time in its 36-year run, the annual mushing competition, Montana Race to the Sky, has been canceled. Pam Beckstrom, 35 year volunteer, said after much deliberation, the event's board decided on Jan. 10 that the event would be postponed to next year. They made the announcement the next day. Beckstrom said there were several reasons behind their decision. The biggest one was limited gathering size due to COVID-19. Restrictions prevent the event from not only having spectat...
HELENA -- A controversial bill that expands where concealed weapons are allowed passed the Montana House of Representatives Thursday. Legislators voted along party lines, with 66 Republicans voting for the bill, and 31 Democrats voting against it. Three lawmakers did not vote. House Bill 102 allows Montanans to carry a concealed firearm without a permit anywhere they would normally be allowed to open carry, including inside banks. During a tense debate in the House Wednesday, the bill’s sponsor, Representative Seth Berglee, R-Joliet, said h... Full story
Wading into a public debate that has grown heated on social media, the House Local Government Committee held a hearing Thursday afternoon for House Bill 121, which would limit the authority of public health officers and health boards, and give elected bodies more power in setting public health policies and orders. The measure is part of a broader effort by Republican lawmakers, telegraphed after the November elections, in response to local health department directives and former Gov. Steve Bullock’s response to the COVID-19 crisis. Opponents t... Full story
Tense Standoff Between Legislators Disrupts First Gun Bill Debate in Montana House The Montana Senate will now consider a bill that would greatly expand where concealed weapons can be carried in Montana after the House of Representatives passed House Bill 102 along party lines. The debate over the bill briefly ground to a halt last week as one lawmaker shut down another’s comments as a violation of decorum. Members of the Montana House of Representatives were debating HB 102 when Rep. Jim Keane, D-Butte, who opposed the bill, asked Rep. Seth Be... Full story
As COVID-19 vaccine providers in Missoula County start the transition to vaccinating individuals in Phase 1b, residents can now find up-to-date information about vaccine options by visiting https://covid19.missoula.co/ online or calling 258-INFO if they do not have Internet access. The Missoula County Vaccine Information page on the website contains information on vaccine providers in the county, including how, when and where each provider is administering the vaccine. Residents with regular healthcare providers should look for that...
MISSOULA - At a virtual public hearing Jan. 7, the Missoula County Commissioners unanimously voted to table a resolution outlining the need for safety while operating all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) until further discussions can take place among commissioners and dealers. If there are any modifications or amendments to it, a second hearing will be scheduled. Missoula County Chief Administrative Officer Chris Lounsbury presented the resolution before the Commissioners. He said it came at the request of the Montana Association of Counties where it...
MISSOULA - "My favorite part is the joy and surprise on their faces to get something extra for the Christmas holiday," Missoula County Sheriff's Office Deputy Ryan Dunster said about handing out bicycles to local children for the past five years. "It is just a good thing, we are able to give back through this donor." This past holiday season, the Missoula County Sheriff's Office carried on the tradition of delivering bicycles to area children. According to Missoula County Sheriff's Office...
SWAN VALLEY - Swan Valley Elementary School went into fully remote learning after a member of the school community tested positive for COVID-19. Staff received the news on Thursday, Jan. 7 and subsequently closed the school that morning. Students and staff are scheduled to return to in-person learning Tuesday, Jan. 19. Following notification of the positive test, students and staff were sent home with the intent to return on Monday after a deep clean of the school. However, after Principal Ralph King spoke with the school board over the weekend... Full story
SWAN VALLEY – Turning 18 in 1966, the height of the Vietnam War, Ray Haera figured he had the choice of getting drafted or voluntarily joining the military. He figured he had more options if he took the voluntary route. Though his father had served in the Navy in World War II and his older brother was also in the Navy, Haera was not sure he wanted to go that route. On the other hand, Haera said, "Everybody I knew was getting drafted. I had so many friends in the Army and the Marines who had a...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Sewer Board has been granted an extension to respond to a lawsuit filed by a group of landowners. The lawsuit seeks to force the District to follow through with previously adopted resolutions to construct the proposed sewer, mandate connections and also to reimburse the plaintiffs’ legal fees. The lawsuit filed Dec. 15 and served a few days later gave the District three weeks to respond before the plaintiffs could request an entry of default judgment against the District for the relief demanded in the complaint. T...
MISSOULA COUNTY - The Seeley Lake Lions Club, Seeley Lake Regional Outdoor Center for Kinetic Sports (ROCKS), Veterans and Families of Seeley Lake, and The Potomac-Greenough Community Center will all receive grants of various sizes following a Missoula County Commissioner meeting on Thursday, Jan. 7. Missoula County’s Parks, Trails and Open Lands Program distributed $46,000 in matching grants to organizations throughout the county with the intent of improving local communities. The Seeley Lake Lions Club will receive $16,988 to put in a p...
HELENA—Winter is the best time to test your home for radon according to Paul Tschida, radon specialist for the Montana Department of Environmental Quality’s Radon Control Program. “Testing for radon when your doors and windows are closed typically provides the best results to determine ‘worst-case’ radon levels in your home,” said Tschida. “That’s why January is National Radon Action Month, during which the program encourages testing.” If test results are elevated, mitigation is recommended. Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas t...
HELENA – During his first press conference of 2021 Tuesday, Jan. 5, newly elected Montana Governor Greg Gianforte announced his plan to eventually rescind the statewide mask mandate after vaccines are distributed. He said that he is also waiting to receive legislation that will protect businesses, schools, places of worship and nonprofits from lawsuits so long as they "make a good faith effort to protect individuals from the spread of the coronavirus and follow clear public health g... Full story
As Montana schools sought to contain the pandemic last March by shutting their doors for the remainder of the spring semester, Flathead County Superintendent of Schools Jack Eggensperger began to notice an increase in the number of parents registering to homeschool their kids. The trend continued throughout the summer and into the fall, right up to the day in early October when his office recorded its official homeschool headcount for 2020. That figure was 1,567 students — more than double the 715 homeschool students recorded in October 2019. E...
The Nature Conservancy's (TNC) sale of 12,039 acres of former industrial timber land to the U.S. Forest Service will allow for more public access according to a press release. The sold area was part of a 2014 purchase representing the last industrial timber land in the Blackfoot. The land partially covers the Seeley Lake Ranger District as well as the Missoula Ranger District. The map was previously characterized by a checkerboard-like pattern representing public-private ownership created over...
One of the devastating side effects of COVID-19 is that many people have been forced to rely on food banks to help them "make ends meet." But exactly what ends are supposed to meet? Where does that saying come from? The first recorded mention of the phrase dates to a 1662 book by Thomas Fuller called "The History of the Worthies of England" (i.e., worthy men). Published posthumously, the book was the first attempt at a dictionary of national biographies. Though Fuller was studious about...
Seeley Lake Community Foundation accepting grant applications through Jan. 31 SEELEY LAKE - Non-profit organizations are invited to submit grant proposals up to $2,500 to the Seeley Lake Community Foundation (SLCF) for 2021 projects. Applications are due Jan. 31. The SLCF’s small grant program helps local groups fund 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, the SLCF strives to be a community resource and cat...
LAKE COUNTY - Lake County Commissioners unanimously voted to keep the Porcupine Dump site open for two days a week following recommendations from the Solid Waste Board during their Dec. 16 Commissioner meeting. The days in question have not been decided. Solid Waste Board Member Carol Field is canvassing area residents to determine which days are preferable. Once the days are determined, residents will be notified. The site will remain in its current location for the time being. Lake County’s Solid Waste Board originally recommended closing t...
SEELEY LAKE - Runners will be able to run the 42nd annual Snow Joke Half Marathon on their own terms this upcoming February. Run Wild Missoula helps put on the event. Interim Executive Director Ashley Cossairt said their decision to make the race virtual instead of in-person was so that they could avoid spreading COVID-19. "Given the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic and the number of active cases in the state of Montana, we determined it was better to take a more cautious approach and offer...
SEELEY LAKE – Sitting around a table at the Elkhorn Café in the fall of 1999, Seeley Lake resident Stan Nicholson told Loren Rose and four other future board members that there were 28 nonprofits and quasi-government agencies in the Seeley Swan Valley. "They all needed a 'boost' and bake sales aren't going to cut it," Rose recalled Nicholson saying. "How can we raise serious capital for all those entities to flourish?" From this initial discussion and many more involving the community, the Se...
SEELEY LAKE - Playing in the snow with family was an activity many Seeley Lake residents enjoyed over the New Year including Kris Martin and her son Sam Welch. They built these two snow bears to help them ring in the New Year on Thursday, Dec. 31 at their home on A Street....
Do you ride all-terrain vehicles? The Missoula County Commissioners are holding a hearing Jan. 7 at 2 p.m. where they have been asked to approve a resolution “Outlining the need for safety while operating all-terrain vehicles.” The Commissioners have been asked to take two actions. First for the county to encourage and promote safe use of all-terrain vehicles, especially by children. Second for the county to endorse the following rules of the trail “to make safety a part of the plan for every ride and help reduce ATV-related deaths and injur...
SEELEY LAKE – According to the Missoula County Elections Office, there are a couple of changes to the voter registration process for property owners in the Seeley Lake Sewer District for the upcoming Bond election. The Feb. 23 election will be conducted by mail with ballots being mailed Feb. 3. Unlike most elections, Sewer District elections allow certain landowners the ability to register and vote in addition to the registered voters who reside in the District. There are several ways in which landowners may be eligible to vote depending on h... Full story
SEELEY LAKE - The next meeting of the Seeley Lake Community Council will be this Monday, Jan. 11 at 6 p.m. with an intriguing agenda. It will be held via Zoom. Instructions for sign-on are at the end of this release. The first speaker will be Bob Vosen, Missoula District Administrator with Montana Department of Transportation. He will cover a number of subjects, including banners on the light posts, flower boxes, memorial plaques and the Salmon Lake construction. Next will be Claire Muller, executive director of the Seeley Lake Community...
When it comes to communication about climate change, there's a lot of complexity to consider, said USGS scientist Dan Fagre. "The problem is that to really understand it, people need to understand the process," he explained. "It's sort of analogous to a lot of ideas out there about nutrition: people glom onto an idea but they don't really go a little deeper to find out what the underpinnings of that really are." Most scientists don't like to do outreach and communication, Fagre said, which can b...
Governor Steve Bullock announced Dec. 30 the state’s COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan has been updated to incorporate the new federal recommendations for allocation to critical groups in Montana and an estimated timeline. “As the first phase of Montana’s COVID-19 vaccination plan is fully under way, it’s inspiring to see that thousands of health care workers have already been vaccinated and that it’s now reaching staff and residents of long-term care facilities,” Governor Bullock said. “As we continue to focus on vaccinating those most vu... Full story
MISSOULA COUNTY – Missoula County Commissioners approved distributing almost $625,000 from the COVID-19 Small Business Job Retention Fund to 27 businesses impacted by the pandemic. The funding is intended to help businesses retain jobs for low- and moderate-income employees. Of the awarded grants, 58% went to food and drink industry businesses for a total of $365,000. Retailers received 12%, professional services got 10%, preschool and childcare employers received 10%, transportation services r...
Yurt at Seeley Creek Nordic Ski trails closed for season SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Creek Nordic Ski trails just north of town on Morrell Creek Road are groomed and ready for skiers. However due to COVID-19, the yurt at the trailhead is closed for the season. Flathead Audubon offers program on Montana fish, Jan. 11 Have you ever heard of a fish that doesn’t like to swim? Or how about the one so primitive and bizarre that it is surely a ghost from very ancient times? Flathead National Forest Fisheries Biologist Beth Gardner has picked out sev...
MISSOULA COUNTY - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently gave guidance to public health officials that would allow for close contacts of positive COVID-19 cases to reduce their quarantine times if they met specific criteria. The CDC says local public health authorities will make the final decision about how long quarantine should last, based on local conditions and needs. Following the CDC’s announcement of updated quarantine guidance, the Missoula City-County Health Department (MCCHD) immediately adopted a 10-day q... Full story
SWAN VALLEY – "On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, a partridge in a pear tree...," and so the song goes counting down the days. This song took on new meaning this year at Swan Valley School as each day, one of the 11 teachers or staff were called down to the office following the song. They were given a t-shirt and gifts of recognition for their hard work thanks to the group that calls themselves the Amazing Walking Women (AWW) of Condon. On the 12th day the staff and s...
SEELEY LAKE – Two days before Christmas, Red Sleighs Over Montana took off from Missoula Airport on "Santa's Airmail Route." Santa visited 20 communities across western Montana delivering gifts to the children, visited with them about what they wanted for Christmas and talked about aviation. "We were just tying it all together with aviation, education and helping some kids and families out that need a little extra help. Especially with COVID the small businesses were devastated," said Museum o...
OVANDO – Despite the challenges presented by COVID and a shorter-than-usual time frame between Thanksgiving and winter break, Ovando students hosted their annual Christmas Program Dec. 17. The students rose to the challenge and gave their immediate families some comic relief during the hustle and bustle of the season. Ovando School Teacher Leigh Ann Valiton explained this year's production "Christmas Shorts" written by Lucy Williams was a series of short skits, with slap-stick humor, much l...
The holiday season is such a grand phenomenon in American culture that in the last century a movie subgenre has evolved out of its existence and aesthetic. Over the years this subgenre has culminated its own characters, tropes and cliches. Despite the similarities in themes however, directors and writers over the years have found ways to be creative with the Christmas aesthetic and have created movies that will remain relevant for decades. “Babes in Toyland,” also known as “March of the Wooden Soldiers,” is a 1934 black and white movie starrin...
A new survey of Montanans shows positive attitudes toward grizzly bears and support for the presence of grizzly bears within the state. However, acceptance of bear presence in areas closer to residential and agricultural areas is lower than in remote public land areas. Researchers with the University of Montana worked with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks biologists to better understand Montanans' perspectives about grizzly bears and grizzly bear management in Montana. A survey questionnaire was...
If you’re on Medicare, you will not be receiving a new chip card or a plastic version to replace your paper ID card. If somebody calls you to tell you that, they’re lying. It’s another Medicare scam. This scam is active in Montana and several people have already unwittingly given away their personal information. The caller identifies themselves as Medicare and after confirming your card’s number they will send you a new plastic card. Please be on alert, calls have been reported in multiple counties. Medicare will never call people on Medicar...
MISSOULA - The road ahead for those traveling a popular byway along the Blackfoot River should be a little smoother in the future, thanks to the Bureau of Land Management Missoula Field Office’s approval of a proposed $5-million Federal Lands Transportation Project to improve 5.7 miles of Johnsrud-McNamara Road. The road is a connecting link to several popular fishing and recreation sites along the Lower Blackfoot River corridor from Johnsrud Park to Whitaker Bridge. “The project was approved to improve the long-term condition of the road, whi...
MISSOULA – The State of Montana Fish Guidance Board, which includes Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) and the Departments of Environmental Quality (DEQ), and Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS), has updated the fish consumption guidance for all species of fish on a 148-mile stretch of the Clark Fork River and tributaries in western Montana in response to new research results. Guidance now recommends avoiding consumption of all species of fish from the Clark Fork River’s confluence with the Bitterroot River, just west of Missoula, to...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Elementary School Board unanimously voted to use the remaining $13,000 the school received in CARES Act money towards purchasing new security cameras during their Dec. 21 meeting. The board also received updates on the Student Improvement Plan, COVID and discussed how homeschooled children could engage with the school. SLE Superintendent Josh Gibbs said the school’s CARES Act money must be spent before Dec. 30, otherwise it goes back to the state. The camera company the school is using is Verkada which Gibbs has d...
BILLINGS, MONTANA - "We have more ICU patients than we have ICU beds available," Respiratory Therapist Michael Biggins said in an email. "This has led to converting offices, staff break rooms and closets into hospital rooms to accomodate for the surge. We have even had to double up two related COVID-19 patients to share one ICU room to save on resources." Biggins, who was raised in Seeley Lake, has been a Respiratory Therapist at both major hospitals in Billings since 2012. He graduated from...
SALMON PRAIRIE - Salmon Prairie Elementary School students braved the winter night as they acted out their modern reinterpretation of "A Christmas Carol" called "Scrooge" on Tuesday, Dec. 22. Supervising teacher Holl Hubbard said he had the students perform the program outside to be in compliance with Lake County COVID regulations. "We realized that with the students and myself, we would be at [capacity]," he said. "As far as the COVID ... this was completely out of the box. One of our board...
Death Notice SEELEY LAKE - Jack C. Venters, 76, passed away in the evening, Friday, Dec. 25 at the St. Patrick Hospital in Missoula. Brothers Mortuary and Crematory are honored to care for the family. Memories and condolences may be shared with the family at www.brothersmortuary.com Ethnobotany Zoom presentation, Jan. 6 SWAN VALLEY - The community is invited to join Swan Valley Connections for their first Zoom presentation of 2021 on Wednesday, Jan. 6 at 6:30 p.m. Rose Bear Don’t Walk, ethnobotanist and descendant of the Bitterroot Salish and C...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Sewer District Board of Directors learned at the end of their Dec. 17 meeting that a lawsuit had been filed against the District seeking to force the District to construct the proposed system. In the Board’s regular business they approved a letter to be sent out to District landowners and voters with information on the project and the Feb. 23 Bond Election. District Manager Jean Curtiss informed the Board at the end of her Manager’s report that she had seen a draft of a lawsuit against the District. However, at th...
SWAN VALLEY – Red arrows pointed the way from Highway 83 down Kauffman Road leading to Santa's Village. This is the first year Santa has spent a week in the Swan Valley, offering gifts, goodies and activities to all the young at heart. "With all the wonders that Christmas has to offer we have seen the sparkle dim just a little this year," Santa said. "Many focusing so much on new cases and loss it seems the entire world needs to remember the joy of being alive. The amazing goodwill that fills th...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley Lake residents literally lit up the pavement on Saturday, Dec. 19 when they participated in the first ever Christmas Caravan of Lights. Attendees gathered their vehicles, trailers, UTVs and ATVs and left from the Seeley Lake Chicken Coop and Lounge at dusk. Mike Williams, Mike Weigel, Trevor Crofutt and Chicken Coop owner Mike Layman coordinated the event. Weigel said they did not want to be overly formal with the set up so they just went for it. "We sat down once and said,...
In 2020, Montana State Parks saw an increase of almost 25% in the number of visitors compared to the same time period last year. Parks experienced around 3,000,000 visitors between January and September. Around 80% of Montana State Parks saw increased visitation throughout the year with eight parks exceeding 100,000 visitors. "These visitation increases represent the busiest summer on record for the State Park system," FWP Director Martha Williams said in a press release. "FWP staff,...
MISSOULA COUNTY - Missoula Aging Services (MAS) is introducing a new program called Lifelong Connections which will provide low-income, older adults with tablets, two years of Wi-Fi and training at no cost. The overall goal of the program is to train 100 older adults on how to use technology in order to access telehealth, reduce social isolation, continue to volunteer and to take advantage of services available online like grocery shopping. Those enrolled in the program will receive a Samsung Galaxy Tab A. Rob Edwards, MAS community services...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake Fire Chief Dave Lane announced at the monthly Fire Board meeting Dec. 15 that the District received more than $76,000 in grants this past month. He also recognized volunteers for multiple years of service. Lane said the Department received a Rural Fire Capacity (RFC) grant for $2,800 through the Montana Department of Natural Resources. The RFC Program assists rural volunteer fire departments by providing cost-share grants for training, equipping and organizing. The g...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Fire Department started up their ambulance and fire truck engines and shined their lights for something other than an emergency on Saturday, Dec. 19. The six attending personnel instead volunteered to venture out into the chilly climate in order to deliver gifts to 10 families as part of the third annual Angel Tree. Fire Chief Dave Lane said the Foundation organizes the event while the Fire District supports it. This is the first year Auxiliary Member Tabitha B...
SWAN VALLEY – Even though Swan Valley School did not have an audience this year for their Christmas Program, it did not squash their Holiday Spirit. Singing with their class in the fresh snow or in their classroom, students shared songs of the season that were videoed and shared on the Swan Valley School's private Facebook page. Wednesday, Dec. 16 Jamie Matthew's third – fifth grade class chose to do their Christmas Program outside. "We live in such a beautiful area, and we were able to spread o...
POTOMAC - The Potomac School Board unanimously approved the Revised Return to School Plan with an amendment during their monthly meeting on Monday, Dec. 14. In their discussion, the board talked about the transition process into online learning if an outbreak were to take place at the school. They decided that if the school hits its “trigger point,” then it would go online. The trigger point is when two teachers have to quarantine or 33% of students test positive. In addition, board members unanimously voted to revise the Family Onsite Ins...
3/4 cup sifted flour 1 tsp. baking powder 2 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice 1/2 tsp. nutmeg 1/2 tsp. salt 3 eggs, slightly beaten 1 cup sugar 2/3 cup canned solid pack pumpkin 1 cup chopped walnuts Cream cheese filling (Recipe follows) Cream Cheese Filling: Beat together 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 - 8 ounce package cream cheese, 6 Tbsp. butter and 1 tsp. vanilla until smoothe. Preheat oven to 375O. Grease a 15” x 10” x 1” jelly-roll pan. line with wax paper, grease and flour wax paper • Sift dry ingredients together. Set aside. • Beat eggs...
GREENOUGH - Sunset Elementary School students were busy on Thursday, Dec. 17 filming their scenes for "Christmas Sprinkles," a brand new anthological holiday program. Supervising Teacher Toni Hatten said she chose the collection of skits because the format could be virtually adapted had the school closed. However, she was glad the students could perform together, even though there was not an audience. "I'm so glad that we didn't have to [go virtual], because I'm not sure technically how we...
SEELEY LAKE - Tanya Fyfe's "The Runaways of Missing Lake" won the Pinnacle Book Achievement Award for Best in Teen Fiction, Tuesday, Dec. 15. This is the first award for Fyfe's fourth book in the series about Luke and the Dragons of Missing Lake. For the past 38 years, the National Association of Book Entrepreneurs, recognize some of the finest books published by their members. The Pinnacle Book Achievement Awards are given to independently published books in a wide variety of categories....
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley Lake Elementary School's third grade class was declared the winner of the school's annual door decoration contest with their snow globe compilation on Friday, Dec. 18. They will receive a hot cocoa bar when they get back from break. The sixth grade class came in second and the first graders came in third. They will respectively win a popcorn party and a treat bag. Organizer Toni Sexton said the intent of the contest was simply to do something fun and help bring a little...
Historical purists might claim the first Christmas card was the elaborately decorated, 33 inch by 24 inch three-panel manuscript given to King James I of England (aka King James IV of Scotland) in 1611. The center panel contained a rose with a Christmas and New Year greeting around it, while the side panels had four poems and a song. Among non-purists, Sir Henry Cole is more commonly accepted as the originator of the Christmas card in 1843. According to the standards of Victorian England, it...
Swan Valley Library is closed until Jan. 4 SWAN VALLEY - Due to COVID-19 quarantine, the Swan Valley Library is closed. Cleaning and disinfecting are taking place. The Library will reopen Monday, Jan. 4, 2021 at 10 a.m. Thank you for your patience. The Swan Valley Library is located on Highway 83 in Condon and is just north and adjacent to the Swan Valley Community Hall. The library is open Mondays and Fridays from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. and Wednesdays from 10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. For more information call 406-754-2521 or 406-754-2377. Applications...
SEELEY LAKE – While serving on a Naval ship in Vietnam, Larry Busby received a letter from a Californian woman he had never met. "It was something to receive that kind of a letter from Gwen," said Larry who was from Oklahoma. "All the guys were envious. I was walking in tall cotton." Larry followed the instructions in the letter that said, "Remember where you were when you open the letter so when you return, you can tell me." Upon his return to the states a few months later, he met Gwen. They we...
SEELEY LAKE - Residents stopped by Tamaracks Resort's Seeley Lake cabin on Saturday Dec. 12 to take pictures with Santa as well as pick up a toy and stocking from Tamaracks' Giving Tree. The event also featured a bonfire, hot beverages and a raffle for prizes courtesy of Energy Partners. Winners were announced on the Resort's Facebook page. On one of the Christmas trees organizers hung envelopes containing free gift cards to Rovero's and Cory's Valley Market. Tamaracks Events Coordinator Tera...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley Lake Elementary students spread Christmas cheer at their Winter Program on Friday, Dec. 11 inside the school's gym. K-12 Music Teacher Janet Morgenstern led the entire program including directing the band that incorporated Seeley-Swan High School students. Morgenstern said she was working under several limitations while leading the school's performances for the first time since joining the school in September. Under normal circumstances she would prefer to make larger...
SEELEY LAKE – After receiving grant funds totaling $1,500 to "Light up Seeley Lake," the Seeley Lake Community Foundation has distributed more than a half mile of lights to 28 participants along Highway 83, including two honorable mentions, from the Seeley Lake Historical Museum and Visitors Center north to Energy Partners. Not only is Highway 83 through Seeley Lake offering more of a light display this holiday season, the community as a whole appears to have joined the effort. As part of Reimag...
SEELEY LAKE – For the past two years, students at Seeley Lake Elementary School have the opportunity to be creative in their classrooms thanks to community support through the Alpine Artisans, Inc (AAI) Giving Tree for art supplies. The AAI Giving Tree is continuing again this year raising money for supplies that support art in the classrooms. Seeley Lake artist Kris Gullikson started the Giving Tree for art supplies in 2018. “The idea came from my heart being an artist. I knew that the supplies they had were limited,” said Gullikson. “I saw th...
Missoula County will distribute up to $625,000 in grant funding to help local businesses impacted by the pandemic retain jobs for low- and moderate-income employees through the COVID-19 Small Business Job Retention Fund. Applications opened Dec. 10 and grant funding will be awarded and distributed in January. Application packages will be reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis. The grants will be supported through the Community Development Block Grant Economic Development Revolving Loan Fund, which is comprised of Department of Housing... Full story
SEELEY LAKE – This Saturday community members and businesses are invited to build a float, decorate their vehicles, trailers, UTVs and ATVs and meet at the Seeley Lake Chicken Coop at 5 p.m. for the Christmas Caravan of Lights. Organizer Mike Weigel said the caravan, with their lights and Christmas music playing, will drive around Seeley Lake, through the Double Arrow Ranch and possibly around the lake. There will also be hayrides, a bonfire and music playing at the Chicken Coop parking lot for those that just want to come and have fun. “Just c...
SEELEY LAKE - As part of the movement to "Light up Seeley Lake" coupled with Mountain Lakes Presbyterian Church's mission to bring joy to the community during the COVID pandemic, Mountain Lakes' Worship Ministry Team is offering free luminary packets for community members to take home and display Christmas Eve. Starting Dec. 20, the luminary packets will be available in a basket on the front porch of the Church, 3292 Highway 83 North. Each packet includes five luminary bags, tea lights and...
SEELEY LAKE – At the Seeley-Swan Hospital District board meeting Dec. 8, Partnership Health Center (PHC) Executive Director Laurie Francis updated the board on PHC’s COVID response and operations. The board also voted to authorize an additional $1,250 in legal fees in response to the proposed RV Park on land adjacent to the Seeley-Swan Medical Center. Francis said as of Tuesday, six out of the 16 staff at the Medical Center were currently home due to COVID-19 quarantine requirements. This is a similar percentage at the other PHC clinics. PHC...
SEELEY LAKE - Around 45 people passed through Mission Bible Fellowship on Tuesday, Dec. 8 to pick up some gifts at a heavy discount during Loving Hearts' annual Christmas Toy and Gift Sale. Loving Hearts Manager Mary Newpower said the event had to go forward despite COVID-19 because members of the community were depending on it to give their children toys for Christmas. Most of the products available cost anywhere from $0.50 - $4. "Our community is structured with so many people in service jobs...
Since Thanksgiving, radio and streaming platforms have begun overflowing with the gauntlet of holiday songs Americans have come to expect every year. Over the course of multiple holiday seasons, certain songs return again and again until they are integrated into the wider American population’s consciousness even outside the holiday season. Christmas carols have ventured beyond their exclusively religious contexts and have entered into more secular environments as technology, marketing and distribution have evolved to keep up with the s...
Free meals for students over Winter Break SEELEY LAKE - Seeley Lake Elementary is offering free meals to anyone under the age of 18 during the Winter Break (Dec. 21 – Jan. 1). A box containing five days worth of breakfasts and lunches can be picked up at SLE from 12 – 2 p.m. on Mondays, Dec. 21 and Dec. 28. To sign up for a food box, please fill out the form https://forms.gle/6vsbPoVC2pz6KFBJA. To guarantee a box for Monday, please complete the form by 12 p.m. on Wednesday. Please contact SLE with any questions, 406-677-2265. Loving Hearts fre...
SEELEY LAKE – After being prompted into action by the repainting of the carved bears and Clearwater Mini Storage's new Welcome sign on the west side of Highway 83, local artist and graphic designer Kris Gullikson replaced the old "Welcome to Seeley Lake" sign. She has been part of the effort to install gateway signs on the north and south end of Seeley Lake for 35 years. "I wanted to be proud of coming home - and have others here feel the same," wrote Gullikson in an email. The idea to brand S...
CONDON – When Mike Williams was two years old, his family moved to Condon and his father went to work at the sawmill at Gordon Ranch. Mike attended grade school in Seeley Lake, high school in Missoula and two years of college at Bozeman. When he dropped out of Montana State University, things started moving fast. Williams said, "We had an early Thanksgiving dinner and somebody went out to get the mail. While I was eating Thanksgiving dinner, I opened my draft notice!" It was 1967, a time of m...
GREENOUGH - "I didn't know snowmobiles could fly," said four-year-old Olivia Bourne in awe as she watched professional riders Seeley Lake native Caleb Kesterke and Kyle Saxton of Big Fork, Montana doing freestyle snowmobile tricks more than 30 feet in the air. While "flying" is a huge rush, both Kesterke and Saxton agree that training at Kesterke's freestyle campus at Clearwater Junction in the off-season is helping them learn tricks that they can incorporate into their backcountry riding this... Full story
SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley Community Giving Tree was put up this week at the Mission Mountains Mercantile and is ready to accept gifts. Also added to the Community Giving Tree are tags with varying amounts to support the Alpine Artisans Art Supplies Giving Tree for Swan Valley Elementary. Anyone is encouraged to leave a wrapped gift under the tree to be handed out to those who are less fortunate or alone this season. Please mark the gift for man, woman, boy or girl. The Merc will ensure it...
SEELEY LAKE –While National Forest Service roads generally close to wheeled vehicles Dec. 1, due to the lack of snow this year on the Seeley Lake Ranger District, the roads remain open until grooming begins. There will also be temporary road and snowmobile trail closures in place throughout the winter to provide for public safety during logging and fuel treatment activities. Dec. 1 marks the annual date that Forest Service roads typically transition to over-snow-trails restricting access to motorized, wheeled vehicles. However, District R...
MISSOULA COUNTY - Missoula County updated attendees about 2021 open enrollment for the Health Insurance Marketplace during a virtual press conference on Wednesday, Dec. 2. The deadline to enroll is Dec. 15. Olivia Riutta is the outreach manager for Montana Primary Care Association as well as an author for Cover Montana, a project under said association. The project website provides information and “enrollment assisters” to help those interested choose what coverage works best for their situation. Riutta said Cover Montana and health care pro...
SEELEY LAKE - Families were able to pick up some extra holiday cheer at the third annual Reverse Giving Tree on Saturday, Dec. 5 at the Seeley Lake Community Hall. At the event, children were able to pick up a stocking and toy, write a letter to Santa, and even meet the big man himself. Toys, including stuffed animals, puzzles and books, were provided for free by Organizer and Montana Girl owner Sheila Czifro as well as donated by community members. Capacity was limited to 25 people at one time...
COVID-19 has cast its increasingly large shadow over Christmas. In many homes one or both parents are out of work and finances are crushingly tight. Yet children are still hoping for a mound of presents under the Christmas tree. Perhaps struggling parents can gain some insight from the National Toy Hall of Fame. Originally housed in Salem, Oregon and later moved to the Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, New York (now simply called The Strong), the Toy Hall of Fame began honoring toys...
Governor Steve Bullock announced Monday, Dec. 7 that the first round of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine expected to be delivered to Montana in mid-December will target health care workers at Montana’s major hospitals. “For nearly nine months, Montana’s health care workers have worked tirelessly to care for the people of this state, putting their own health at risk,” said Governor Bullock. “By prioritizing the vaccination of those on the frontlines, we can help ensure our hospitals can continue serving patients while we continue to manage the sprea... Full story
SEELEY LAKE – At the annual Seeley Lake Fire Department awards dinner Dec. 6, Rita Rossi was recognized by her peers as the Volunteer of the Year for the Seeley Lake Volunteer Fire Department. Rossi has been with the Department for approximately 19 years. This is her second time being named Volunteer of the Year. She received the recognition in 2008 as well. According to Seeley Lake Fire Chief Dave Lane, Rossi responded to 111 calls (39.1%) this past year. In addition to responding to calls, R...
It’s that time of year when ice anglers and other recreationists head out to Montana’s “hard” waters for the winter season. Whether ice fishing, ice skating, hunting, snowmobiling or just taking a walk, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks staff remind recreationists that safety should be the number one concern during a day out on (or near) the ice. When on the ice, remember: • Anglers and other recreationists should be familiar with the water body. Pay close attention to the changing conditions of the ice. • If you doubt the safety of the ice - s...
Food Bank needs volunteers SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley-Swan Community Food Bank is in need of volunteers. They would be asked to work one Tuesday a month from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Until COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, customers are not coming into the Food Bank. They call ahead and place an order or fill out a form requesting the food they need. Food is bagged and placed on a table outside for them to load in their vehicle. If you have any questions or would like to volunteer please call Karen Montgomery at 210-1004. Tamaracks Giving Tree, Dec. 12...
Missoula County will distribute up to $625,000 in grant funding to help local businesses impacted by the pandemic retain jobs for low- and moderate-income employees through the COVID-19 Small Business Job Retention Fund. Qualifying businesses will be able to submit applications this week, and grant funding will be awarded and distributed in January. The application portal for the grants will open at 9 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 10, and complete application packages will be reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis. The grants will be supported... Full story
The Missoula City-County Board of Health, at its Dec. 17 meeting, will consider adopting by rule several or all of the COVID-19 directives issued by Governor Steve Bullock this year. The Board of Health will accept public comment ahead of taking any action. The Board of Health will consider adopting these directives as a rule because they are set to expire when the Governor leaves office next month. Adopting these directives as a BOH rule will not add additional restrictions. Rather, it will allow for continuity of current COVID-19 mitigation...
Governor Steve Bullock announced Wednesday, Nov. 25 that the state’s Coronavirus Relief Funds have been redistributed to provide approximately $13 million for K-12 schools to cover remaining expenses incurred due to COVID-19 through Dec. 30. This includes nearly $300,000 for Missoula County Public School high schools and more than $27,000 for area elementary schools. “School administrators and educators are working diligently to provide educational opportunities for Montana’s students during challenging times – and we must do all we can to... Full story
The 2020 general big game hunting season closed Nov. 29, with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks' west-central Montana check stations reporting above average hunter success in the Bitterroot and Upper Clark Fork and lower success in the Blackfoot. Hunter numbers at the FWP Darby, Anaconda and Bonner Check Stations were lower than average, partly a result of reduced staffing and hours of operation due to COVID operating procedures. Those that stopped through the stations reported above average...
Congratulations to everyone for a successful hunting season. Thank you for sharing your photos!...
Congratulations to everyone for a successful hunting season. Thank you for sharing your photos!...
HELENA, MONTANA – On Nov. 23 Missoula County Sheriff's Office Undersheriff Richard Maricelli and Sergeant Robert E. Parcell traveled to Helena to present four members of the 1-189th General Support Aviation Battalion, Montana Army National Guard, with Certificates of Commendation for their efforts in an Oct. 5 rescue of two hikers near the summit of Holland Peak. "Congratulations on a job well done!" wrote the Sheriff's Office in a press release. A narrative of the events: On Oct. 5, a 5...
SEELEY LAKE - Trail Creek Merc co-owner Lynda Mickelson said the store's capacity was capped at 24 so some families had to briefly wait outside before meeting Santa Saturday, Nov. 28. Once they entered, children wrote what they wanted for Christmas in a letter to Santa. After meeting him, they received a jingle bell. "We just decided that Santa needed to come to the valley," Mickelson said. "Santa comes to our house every year and we just wanted to share that with the community." Santa said he...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Foundation recently received the full $2,000 grant they requested following the Reimagining Rural series. Communities were only able to apply for the grant if they participated in all three of the Reimagining Rural workshops. During the last session, attendees collectively decided to consolidate multiple community improvement ideas into Winterfest which will take place this upcoming winter. Most of the Winterfest activities have not yet been finalized but ideas for events included lighting up the town...
At the Cahoon Strong "Paint a Heart" Day fundraiser on Saturday, Nov. 28, attendees could either purchase a canvas to paint a heart or sponsor one with a donation. Organizer Kris Gullikson said they received several individual donations, one as high as $500. As of Saturday night, Gullikson said they raised $1,150, all of which was presented to the Cahoon family to provide relief for Wayne's passing and Christian's recovery following an airplane crash in September. "Thank you to all who came to...
SEELEY LAKE - Dr. Michela Reese will become Seeley Lake Chiropractic's new chiropractor towards the beginning of next year. She said she has not yet finalized the date she will begin but she intends for it to be sometime after Jan. 6. Her goals for her patients are to provide them with healthy biomechanics to eliminate their pain and discomfort as well as provide them with rehabilitation plans to prevent future injuries. For herself, she strives to consistently use evidence-based research to...
SEELEY LAKE - With every new year comes several factors that are inserted into an already complex economic landscape. The overall effect it will have on businesses such as grocery stores will not be known until the future, however what can be determined now is how grocery prices have changed in the last 30 years. On Sept. 26, 1990, Melody Spafford of Seeley Lake did the annual Price Check Comparison for the Valley Market in Seeley Lake. She compared their prices to three grocery stores in Missoula: Buttrey’s, Albertons and Tidyman’s. The pri...
SEELEY LAKE - Each year the Seeley Lake Lions Club distributes Holiday Food Baskets to area families in need of help, providing a holiday meal for Christmas. The Lions perform various fundraisers throughout the year to raise money to purchase turkey dinners, with all the trimmings for those in need. Besides fundraisers by the Lions Club, donations from the community have been made in the past. All groceries are purchased locally at Cory’s Valley Market. Cory’s employees assemble the food baskets, which are then distributed by Lions Club members...
SEELEY LAKE – Even though the Seeley-Swan High School (SSHS) fall sports awards banquet was canceled this year due to COVID, football, volleyball and cross country athletes still received their varsity letters, pins, chevrons, All-Conference and Academic All-State awards. Each player receives a letter after participating in the required number of varsity games or meets. They receive a pin for every activity for which they meet the varsity requirements. For every year they meet the varsity requirements after receiving their pin in a specific a...
The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) will begin a formal solicitation process for forest restoration and management projects Dec. 1 as it seeks to address forest health and wildfire risks identified in the recently-completed Montana Forest Action Plan. The effort to implement on-the-ground forest restoration and management work across ownership boundaries was boosted earlier this week when Governor Steve Bullock allocated $4.5 million from the state’s Fire Suppression Fund toward the initiative. “This funding wil...
Loving Hearts Toy and Gift Sale, Dec. 8 SEELEY LAKE – The community is invited to come and shop at the annual Loving Hearts Toy and Gift Sale Dec. 8 from 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. at Mission Bible Fellowship. There are a lot of toys and gifts ready for purchase. Organizers said to be sure to get there on time, as toys sell out fast. Each customer will receive a free stocking filled with goodies. Masks are required to be worn and hand sanitizer is available to use before handling the merchandise. Social distancing is requested. Hospital District mee...
SEELEY LAKE - It's that time of year again when our community helps some of our Seeley Lake area children to have a more joyful Christmas. Mountain Lakes Presbyterian Church started the traditional Giving Tree in the early 1990s. In keeping with tradition, it was set up at Cory's Valley Market last week. It is ready for community members to take a tag or more. Please visit the "Giving Tree" to help with this project for the children in this area at Christmas. Parents or guardians have indicated...
The connection between Christmas and toys is a long-standing one. At one time, toys were handmade rather than store-bought. As society evolved, and technology along with it, superior materials, new forms of media and innovative production technology have changed the type of toys available. Some of these playthings become a fad for a short time, others come back year after year though sometimes in a changed form. One of the most beloved toys, the Teddy Bear traces its origins to a hunting trip wh...
MISSOULA - The Missoula County Board of Health unanimously voted in favor of adopting the Oct. 27 Health Officer Order with revisions. The order went into effect Friday, Nov. 20 and will remain in effect until revoked or revised. In addition to the already announced capacities on businesses and gatherings as well as required notice for events over 25, gatherings expecting 25-250 attendees must now provide a notice to the Health Department 10 days in advance. Gathering size limits do not apply to students in classrooms or at K-12 school-related... Full story
POLSON - Lake County’s Solid Waste Board reviewed public comments made at an October County Commissioners public hearing in Swan Lake regarding the closure of the Porcupine Dump site, at Porcupine Creek along Highway 83, during their meeting at Polson City Court on Wednesday, Nov. 18. The Board originally recommended closing the site at their August meeting due to illegal dumping from contractor use, gate damage and vandalism. If closed, then residents would have to use the Ferndale Transfer Station site which is 13 miles away. Commissioners c...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Sewer District Board of Directors voted at their Nov. 19 meeting to call for a bond election to be held Feb. 22, 2021 to finance the proposed wastewater treatment plant and Phase 1 of the collection system. In doing this the Board abandons the previously approved financing method. The idea of a bond election was floated several months ago as a compromise to keep the project moving forward after voters elected two new directors. In their campaigns, Tom Morris and Jason Gilpin were very vocal that they wanted the c...
POTOMAC - The community of Potomac has proven resilient since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. Since the spring, residents have donated, participated and benefited from the kindness and generosity of friends, neighbors and strangers. Residents banded together and worked hard to guarantee support for others including comfort, food and firewood. Since March, Potomac School has been a link in the chain of giving. According to Potomac School secretary Janette Ployhar, volunteers served 110... Full story
Members of the Montana Department of Transportation and HDR summarized and answered public questions regarding the Salmon Lake Reconstruction Project during a presentation on Thursday, Nov. 19. The project area covers the length of Highway 83 along Salmon Lake from mouth to mouth stopping just short of the Placid Lake Road intersection. MDT Missoula District Administrator Bob Vosen said the design speed of the area is going to be 45 miles per hour and is not the same as a speed limit. The goals of the project are to widen the roadway,...
SEELEY LAKE – At the Seeley Lake Fire Board’s monthly meeting Nov. 17, Fire Chief Dave Lane provided updates regarding an audit and office closure. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is auditing the Fire District for the grant they received in 2018. The District was randomly selected for the audit to ensure the money is being spent according to the grant. Chief Dave Lane and District Administrator Lynn Richards have complied the requested documents. They will be submitted before the Dec. 14 deadline. In response to the increasing num...
SEELEY LAKE – The third annual reverse giving tree event returns to Seeley Lake Saturday, Dec. 5 from 4 – 7 p.m. at the Seeley Lake Community Hall. Organizer and owner of Montana Girl Sheila Czifro has 48 Christmas stockings filled with toys, Crayola crayons, color sheets, Play Doh, crafts and more. There will also be a large selection of new and gently used toys, gift items, food cards and toiletries for anyone in need. "This year more than ever our community needs something good to look for...
SEELEY LAKE - Sydney Young recently began her new position as Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) game warden for Seeley Lake and its surrounding areas. Young's main goal is to make sure hunters are aware of boundaries, respect private land, and are hunting safely and ethically. She hopes to maintain "a happy balance" between humans and wildlife. Young began her position on Oct. 24, taking over for Jake Barzen. FWP Region 2 Game Warden Captain Joe Jaquith said Young and Barzen both applied for...
MONTANA - Governor Steve Bullock announced on Tuesday that he would implement a new set of public health measures intended to slow the spread of COVID-19 in Montana beginning on Friday, Nov. 20. The measures would limit capacity in bars, restaurants, breweries, distilleries and casinos to 50%; limit public gatherings to 25 individuals when social distancing is not possible; and require face coverings in all counties statewide regardless of case count. These establishments must also close no later than 10 p.m. with no more than six people per... Full story
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Elementary School Board unanimously approved the Board Strategic Plan as it currently stands as well as reviewed other aspects of the school during their regular meeting on Monday, Nov. 19. Superintendent Josh Gibbs presented the Strategic Plan’s goals and respective measurable objectives on how the school can continuously improve itself going into the future. The District School Improvement Team has had one meeting so far and they intend to have another one next month with future meetings taking place on a m...
SLE Pattie Crum's second grade class wrote "I'm thankful for..." My dogs and my Dad. I am thankful for my school. ~ Jerimyah I am thankful for sleep. I love Mrs. Crum. She is the best teacher. ~ Kaelynn I am thankful for Xbox and my phone and my tablet and my bike and my scooter and my friends and Mrs. Crum and my mom and Dad and my Hover Board and my school and my Name. ~ Cooper I am thankful for my family and my Grandpa. ~ Allie I am thankful for my family, friends and teacher and I am also...
There is perhaps no feature more prominent in the discussion of climate science than the disappearance of glaciers. In Glacier National Park, this rings especially true. U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) research ecologist Dan Fagre has traveled the world conducting research on glaciers and mountain ecosystems. After working for more than 29 years in Glacier National Park, he knows Montana's glaciers better than most. "People like glaciers," he said. "They like to see them. A lot of people come to...
Artists Sunday is the nationwide movement dedicated to supporting artists and recognizing the impact they have in enriching lives, communities and the economy. The new effort is designed to make the Sunday after Thanksgiving the most profitable day of the year for artists. Seeley Lake artist Kris Gullikson joined this alliance because she believes artists have something to give and this time of year is the perfect time to purchase art as a gift for family members, friends or anyone who “has everything.” Consumers are encouraged to shop with art...
If the early history of Seeley Lake is intertwined with the lumber industry, the rise of the United States Forest Service is incontrovertibly intertwined with Seeley Lake and in particular with the Big Blackfoot Timber Sale of 1907-1910. Historian and member of the Camp Paxson Preservation Board Gary Williams has been researching that sale. The Seeley Swan Pathfinder will be bringing some of the interesting bits of information he has discovered about logging in the Seeley Lake area and also...
In defending himself before the Senate Hearing Committee on the government’s response to Hurricane Katrina, former FEMA Director Michael Brown used a strange phrase: “I told the staff… the day before the hurricane struck, that I expected them to cut every piece of red tape, do everything they could; that it was balls to the wall…” The slang phrase Brown used derives its meaning neither from sports nor male anatomy but from aviation. The first written usage dates to Frank Harvey’s “Air War – Vietnam” which contains the sentence, “You kn...
United States Presidents receive numerous gifts during their time at the White House, including live animals. John Quincy Adams received an alligator; Richard Nixon, two giant pandas; Theodore Roosevelt a zebra and a lion; George H. W. Bush a Komodo dragon and Ronald Reagan a white horse. On a more mundane level, turkeys are popular gifts, especially during holidays. Originally, presidential gifted turkeys were intended, and accepted, as the showpiece main dish for a holiday meal. That is,...
Montana Wilderness Association (MWA) launched the 12th annual Picture Wild Montana photo contest, with prizes offered for the best photos taken on public lands across the state. The theme of this year’s contest is “The Joy of the Wild.” MWA wants to highlight the joy that Montanans feel while exploring public lands and waters including wilderness areas, state parks, national forests, wilderness study areas and other public lands. Since 2009, thousands of amateur and professional photographers from across the state have participated in the P...
Wood theft at Ski Trails Yurt SEELEY LAKE – Firewood is being stolen from the Seeley Creek Nordic Ski trails yurt a little at a time. A lot of effort and volunteer work goes into collecting the firewood so those who use it in the winter have a warm place to rest. The Ski Club has installed security cameras at the yurt and will be monitoring them. However, anyone with information regarding the wood theft(s) is encouraged to report it to law enforcement. Swan Valley Community Library Highlights SWAN VALLEY - Swan Valley Library, a branch of M...
SEELEY LAKE – After serving as the Seeley Lake Area Chamber of Commerce executive director and on the board since the summer of 2017, Lisa Hayhurst and her husband Eric feel it is time to pass the torch. They are hoping to fill the executive director and board chair position before their last day, May 1, 2021. “It takes a lot of time and it is a lot of hours,” Lisa said. “I’m very thankful to everybody for the opportunity to serve as the executive director and volunteering for the past four years. It allowed me to meet people in the community a...
SWAN VALLEY – At 11:11 a.m., Nov. 11, the sound of a bell cut through the cold air as more than 30 veterans, their families and the Condon community gathered outside the Swan Valley Community Hall to honor veterans. "All have given something, some have given all," said American Legion Post 63 Commander Edward Klassen. The bell ringing ceremony is a national tradition that is practiced in the Swan Valley on Veterans Day. In Europe they rang the bell at the end of WWI in 1918. The Legion gives a...
MISSOULA COUNTY - Local businesses have been affected on a spectral level since restrictions were implemented in March to mitigate the effects of COVID-19. Some saw an initial hit and began to recover throughout the summer tourist season while many others continue to struggle with coronavirus' ongoing financial impact. In an effort to capture the perceptions of tourism-related business owners and managers through the pandemic, the University of Montana's Institute for Tourism and Recreation... Full story
SEELEY LAKE – The community is invited to paint a heart for the Cahoon family at the Cahoon Strong "Paint a Heart" Day fundraiser, Saturday, Nov. 28 from 12-5 p.m. at the Seeley Lake Community Hall. Organizer Kris Gullikson is confident it will be a fun event and stressed that anyone can do it. Gullikson was good friends with Charlie Wolff and also knew Wayne Cahoon. Her husband Erik is a pilot and aircraft accidents hit really close to home. "I just wanted to ease the family burden, in any w...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Sewer District Board and one of its former insurance providers have signed an Assignment of Rights and Claims that will keep the District from having to pay legal fees for defending the District against a 2018 lawsuit. There has been a longstanding question over whether or not the District’s insurance would cover the cost of the defense because the District changed insurance companies just days after the lawsuit was filed. The District did not know of the lawsuit when it made the change. The District’s policy wit...
SEELEY LAKE - Respective House and Senate winners Mike Hopkins and Shannon O’Brien talked about the upcoming legislative session, their priorities during their time in office and what committees they would like to be a part of during the monthly Seeley Lake Community Council meeting on Monday, Nov. 9. Hopkins is the Republican District 92 State Representative. He said his primary concern going into office was the state’s economy and budget which were hit hard after the lockdown due to a stall in income taxes. The last four years, leg...
Non-profit organizations are invited to submit grant proposals to the Seeley Lake Community Foundation for 2021 projects. The Foundation awards grants of up to $2,500 for projects to benefit the area of Seeley Lake. Applications are due Jan. 31 each year. Grant awards are announced by early March. The 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, the Foundation strives...
POTOMAC – The Potomac School Board worked through their strategic planning at their Nov. 9 meeting. They all agreed that the seven focus areas would be retained with just a shift in the implementation of priorities. The board also received an update from Principal John Rouse regarding upcoming extracurricular activities and from the eighth grade class regarding their class trip. At the beginning of the strategic planning discussion, Chair Cliff Vann explained this is an annual discussion that provides an opportunity to reshape the direction o...
If the early history of Seeley Lake is intertwined with the lumber industry, the rise of the United States Forest Service is incontrovertibly intertwined with Seeley Lake and in particular with the Big Blackfoot Timber Sale of 1907-1910. Historian and member of the Camp Paxson Preservation Board Gary Williams has been researching that sale. The Seeley Swan Pathfinder will be bringing some of the interesting bits of information he has discovered about logging in the Seeley Lake area and also...
SEELEY LAKE - Over 20 residents came together to celebrate the lives and memories of those who served in the American military for Veterans Day on Wednesday, Nov. 11 at the Veterans Memorial Garden. Following a group prayer, Veterans and Families of Seeley Lake (VFSL) President Barbara Knopp made a speech honoring those who gave their time and lives during war. "We're here today to honor our service members past and present and to remember their sacrifices they have made and the courage it...
OVANDO –Nancy Shannon won the Ovando Scarecrow contest with her "Thin Green Man with Owl." There were four scarecrow entries in the first annual contest of the 21st century. Sheppard collected more than 100 votes via email, Facebook and at the Ovando Post Office. Coming in second behind Shannon's creation was the "BCC Board Meeting" created by the Blackfoot Commercial Company staff. The Ovando Grade School students' "Ovando School Witch" took third followed by Terry Sheppard's "Little D...
Hunter numbers and harvest rebounded in the fourth weekend of the general big game hunting season in west-central Montana, bringing harvest totals in line with average for this point in the season. The biggest bump came from deer harvest. The rut picked up over the past week and accordingly the cumulative deer harvest reported at the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) check stations near Bonner, Darby and Anaconda doubled from where it was in just one weekend. The whitetail harvest reported at the three check stations now sits at 242,...
Christmas tree permits from local National Forests are now available to purchase online through Recreation.gov. Details about designated cutting areas, dates and types of trees that may be cut may be found on Recreation.gov or visit the National Forest webpage where the trees will be harvested. The Forest Service decided to move permit sales to Recreation.gov as an added convenience for visitors, as well as to provide an alternative to in-person transactions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. To purchase a Christmas tree permit, search for Lolo or...
Al-Anon resumes weekly in-person meetings SEELEY LAKE – The local Al-Anon group has begun meeting in-person every Thursday at 5 p.m. at the Mountain Lakes Presbyterian Church. Attendees are asked to wear masks and chairs are placed six feet apart. All ages are welcome to this open meeting. For more information email mlpc_logchurch@live.com or call 406-677-3575. Leo’s Club Turkey Drive, Nov. 19-21 SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley-Swan High School Leos Club will be sponsoring their fourth annual Turkey Drive to support the Seeley-Swan Community Food...
MONTANA - Governor Steve Bullock announced on Tuesday that he would implement a new set of public health measures intended to slow the spread of COVID-19 in Montana beginning on Friday, Nov. 20. The measures would limit capacity in bars, restaurants, breweries, distilleries and casinos to 50%; limit public gatherings to 25 individuals when social distancing is not possible; and require face coverings in all counties statewide regardless of case count. These establishments must also close no later than 10 p.m. with no more than six people per... Full story
SEELEY LAKE – Seaman Leon (Bud) Anderson was off duty and on liberty in San Francisco when World War II ended. "I was on Market Street when the news broke," he said. "Everybody was talking about it and Market Street in San Francisco was wild!" Born on a ranch near Havre in 1926, Anderson later moved with his family to Seeley Lake. When his eighteenth birthday approached, he knew he would be drafted. He chose to enlist in the Navy instead. Boot Camp was in Farragut, Idaho, at the south end of L...
BONNER, MONTANA – Two Seeley Lake residents were killed in a head-on collision Sunday afternoon, Nov. 8 on Highway 200 just east of Bonner. Seventeen-year-old Isaac Morse and 18-year-old Damien Miner died at the scene. According to Highway Patrol Trooper Alex Hiday another 18-year-old male from Seeley Lake and the driver of the second vehicle, a 40-year-old female from Clinton, Montana, were transported to the hospital. Around 1:40 p.m. on Sunday, a Honda Civic was traveling in the eastbound lane on Highway 200. According to Hiday, while t...
SEELEY LAKE - "I think the hardest part of this whole thing was I just felt horribly guilty," said Seeley Lake resident Emily Rindal who tested positive for coronavirus in early September. "I know it wasn't my fault and I didn't know I had it. But ruining people's plans for Labor Day and having the fear of what if they die, what if they are hospitalized, that guilt just killed me." Rindal was not alone in her mental struggle with the virus that has changed how everyone interacts. Even though it... Full story
LAKE ALVA - Motorists should expect traffic disruptions on Highway 83 along Lake Alva due to a Montana Department of Transportation project. The project is intended to re-establish roadway slope stability as well as evaluate a nearby culvert which may need to be repaired or replaced. Between mile markers 24.9 to 25 on Highway 83, work began the week of Oct. 12 with traffic diverted into a single lane. Travelers should expect 15 minute delays, 12 foot width restrictions and reduced speeds to 35...
MISSOULA COUNTY - The political divide between the rural and urban areas of Missoula County were seen in the results of the District 1 County Commissioner race and the vote over referendum 130 this year. Ballot issues that saw more unity among the County were CI-190 and 118. The County has a total of 52 precincts. There are 33 urban precincts within Missoula's city limits and the remaining 19 are outside the city. There was a 79.55% voter turnout in Missoula County, just slightly below the 80.55...
SWAN VALLEY - Missoula Attorney Quentin Rhoades showed Condon residents how they can legally defend themselves and their property during the second Neighborhood Watch meeting on Thursday, Nov. 5 in the Swan Valley Community Hall. In addition, organizer Steve Card was elected as the Neighborhood Watch's new chairman while Mikki Gleason was nominated as the group's secretary. Rhoades is a civil attorney for the United States Concealed Carry Association Inc. (USCCA) who litigates lawsuits...
If the early history of Seeley Lake is intertwined with the lumber industry, the rise of the United States Forest Service is incontrovertibly intertwined with Seeley Lake and in particular with the Big Blackfoot Timber Sale of 1907-1910. Historian and member of the Camp Paxson Preservation Board Gary Williams has been researching that sale. The Seeley Swan Pathfinder will be bringing some of the interesting bits of information he has discovered about logging in the Seeley Lake area and also abou...
SEELEY LAKE - The Veterans and Families of Seeley Lake (VFSL) began the initial construction for the new veterans' memorial kiosk in the Memorial Garden on Monday, Nov. 2. VFSL member Darryl Wolery said the replacement structure will be more weather resistant and will better maintain the names of those honored. Currently the 142 memorial plaques are made of wood and need to be redone every three years. Not only will the structure's new metal plates last longer without required maintenance, but...
Notice to Food Bank users SEELEY LAKE - Because of the increase in COVID-19 cases, Seeley-Swan Community Food Bank clients are required to wear masks outside when coming to the Food Bank. Also a reminder to Food Bank users, there is no smoking allowed on school property. The Food Bank is open Tuesdays from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. and is located next to the door of the Multi-Purpose Room at Seeley Lake Elementary School. For more information call 406-677-5025. Learn more about the Salmon Lake Highway 83 Reconstruction Project SALMON LAKE — The Mon...
SWAN LAKE - Lake County Commissioners said they would engage in further discussions to avoid closing the Porcupine Creek Solid Waste Site following public comments at a meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 28 in the Swan Lake Community Center. Several residents came to argue against the closure after the county's Solid Waste Board recommended closure of the site due to illegal dumping, gate damage and vandalism from contractor use. A member of the public presented a petition with over 100 signatures from...
POTOMAC – When Potomac School Principal John Rouse got the call from the Missoula City-County Health Department in mid-September that one of the students had tested positive for COVID-19, months of planning and policies were put to the test. Following the quarantine period, none of the 10 students or one teacher identified as close contacts exhibited symptoms or tested positive. “We dodged a bullet,” said Rouse. “While I think we have a good plan, I don’t know it was our plan that did it. I think it was because we are small and remote.... Full story
MISSOULA - During their virtual press conference on Tuesday, Oct. 27, the COVID-19 Joint Information Center announced new Missoula County restrictions that will go into effect at 8 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 29. Missoula City-County Health Officer Ellen Leahy said beginning this week, business capacity will be limited to 50%, event gathering sizes will be reduced to 25 people and alcohol service will stop at 10 p.m. Any group event over 25 is expected to check in with the health department before planning the gathering. Organizers must have a written... Full story
SEELEY LAKE – "I've got so much candy," yelled one of the smiling trick-or-treaters to their parent as they left the Tamaracks Resort Tricks and Treats event Oct. 31. Candy wasn't the only thing children of all ages enjoyed – there was a selfie station, corn hole game, music and campfires. CLB Landworks won the "Best Cabin Award" selected by the attendees. The Tamaracks Resort welcomed the community businesses and individuals to sponsor a cabin for the evening, decorate it and hand out pre...
SEELEY LAKE - The next meeting of the Seeley Lake Community Council will be this Monday, Nov. 9, via Zoom. Instructions for sign-on are at the end of this release. The first speaker will be Claire Muller, Executive Director of the Seeley Lake Community Foundation. She will give a summary and update on a recent three-day seminar “Re-Imagine Rural.” The seminar brought together neighbors to think about small steps Seeley Lake might take to improve our community. Participants described it as a “very exciting three days.” She will be followe...
SEELEY LAKE - The Forest Service invites the public to provide feedback on the Westside Bypass Wildfire Resiliency Project on the Seeley Lake Ranger District located northwest of Highway 83 and Seeley Lake. The project focuses on addressing hazardous forest fuel and vegetation conditions that contribute to an increased risk of a severe wildfire on national forest lands. Forest Service managers and partners from the Montana Department of Natural Resources met with the public two weeks ago for a virtual engagement session focused on the project...
SEELEY LAKE - "I'm so happy I started it up again, I'm so happy I finished it and now I'm so happy that people are loving it," said award-winning author Tanya Fyfe about her new release "The Runaways of Missing Lake." "It just encourages me for that next one." "The Runaways of Missing Lake" is the fourth book in the Missing Lake series that follows 16-year-old Luke Houser on his journey into adulthood. In the first book, Luke moved to rural Montana with his father and stepmother Jackie. He runs...
If the early history of Seeley Lake is intertwined with the lumber industry, the rise of the United States Forest Service is incontrovertibly intertwined with Seeley Lake and in particular with the Big Blackfoot Timber Sale of 1907-1910. Historian and member of the Camp Paxson Preservation Board Gary Williams has been researching that sale. The Seeley Swan Pathfinder will be bringing some of the interesting bits of information he has discovered about logging in the Seeley Lake area and also abou...
OVANDO - The scarecrows have been set up in Ovando as part of the first Ovando Scarecrow Contest in 20 years. "I thought maybe this was a good time [for the contest]," competition organizer Terry Sheppard said. "People are all stressed out. [I thought it would] give them a reason to get out." There are four scarecrows currently entered into the competition. Registration concluded Oct. 23 with submissions open Oct. 12. Entry conditions were left open to spark creativity so long as entrants were...
SEELEY LAKE - Over a dozen cars came together Halloween night to welcome trick-or-treaters at the seventh annual Trunk-or-Treat event hosted at Seeley Lake Elementary. In addition to the treats, the event also featured music, free pizza at Stageline Pizza and Dracula's Castle. Those with trunks were awarded gifts from local businesses as part of a Trunk-or-Treat contest judged by event organizers members. Crystal Lopez, Crystal Melendrez, Kuko Lopez, Rebecca Bowman and Naya Lopez came in first...
SWAN VALLEY - Around 10 trunks participated in the second annual Trunk or Treat event at the Hungry Bear Steak House in Condon. There was also hot cider and music for attendees to enjoy. Organizer Edward Klassen said, "This was a great showing. Lots more kids and people [than last year]. People actually ran out of candy towards the end. We had a great time." Klassens look forward to continuing the annual event and appreciate all the participation from the community....
MISSOULA – Hunter numbers through the west-central Montana wildlife check stations were down through the first two weekends of the big game hunting season. Hunter success held above average at the Anaconda and Darby stations and fell below average through Bonner. Overall, Motana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) biologists checked 3,131 hunters with 118 elk, 24 mule deer, 87 white-tailed deer, two black bear, one sheep, one goat and one wolf in the first two weekends at the three longest running check stations in the region. Last season, 4,029 h...
Harvest your writing talent with fall writing classes MISSOULA - The Missoula Writing Collaborative announces online writing classes in prose, poetry and how to create a writing practice for adult learners. These classes will feature writers from the Missoula Writing Collaborative including Dana Fitz Gale, Mark Gibbons and Rebecca Carson. On Saturday, Nov. 7, five, two-hour classes will be featured, starting at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. On Nov. 11, two, four-week classes in fiction and building a writing practice will kick off. Prices begin at $26...
From Seeley Lake to Condon, the fun never stopped Saturday, Oct. 31. With temperatures hanging in the 40s, it was a great time to dress up, get out of the house and load up on treats....
As of Wednesday at 1 p.m., Montana has voted to give its three electoral votes towards Republican Presidential Candidate Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence. They received 320,650 votes (56%) versus Democrat opponent Joe Biden and his Vice Presidential candidate Kamala Harris who received 233,084 votes (41%). So far 468 precincts have fully tallied their votes while the remaining 185 are still in the process. The total recorded turnout was 574,822 out of 752,551 currently registered... Full story
MISSOULA - Missoula City-County Health Department staff joined epidemiologists from the University of Montana's School of Public and Community Health Sciences for a virtual meeting to provide updates on COVID-19 Thursday, Oct. 22. This is the third epidemiological update that has been presented to the county since response efforts began earlier this year. The intention of the meeting was to provide updates on epidemiological information, showcase COVID-19 trends in Missoula County and make recom... Full story
Area residents experienced record-setting snowfall and temperatures over the weekend compared to recent history. According to Seeley Lake Ranger District, the snow depth measured at the District was 11 inches over the weekend. Since the District started keeping records in 1967, the most snow recorded for October was 7 inches in 1975. Various Seeley-Swan Valley residents reported receiving 12-18 inches. The National Weather Services reported Potomac as being the coldest spot in the lower 48...
SWAN VALLEY - The Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame (MCHF) and Western Heritage Center (WHC) inducted Leonard Moore of Condon into their 13th class of the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame. According to a press release, inductees are chosen from a field of candidates nominated by the general public. They are honored for their notable contributions to the history and culture of Montana. Every year one living candidate and one legacy candidate are chosen from each of the 12 districts. "The Hall of Fame...
All mail ballots are due by 8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 3 at the Elections Office at 140 N. Russell Street, Missoula. Voters can drop off their ballots at several locations including Seeley Lake Elementary, and the Potomac-Greenough Community Center. For more information visit https://www.missoulavotes.com....
The USDA Forest Service’s Northern Region has imposed new restrictions on the possession and use of forage and mulch products on National Forest System lands in order to help curb the spread of noxious weeds. As of Oct. 8, it is illegal to possess, store or transport straw, hay, grain, seed or other forage or mulch products on Forest Service lands without documentation that the product is certified as “weed free” by a state certification process that meets or exceeds the North American Weed Free Forage standards. The order remains in effec...
SEELEY LAKE - Local organizations and businesses are offering boos, ghouls and several eerie events to choose from this Halloween night, Saturday, Oct. 31. • From 3 - 9 p.m., Stageline Pizza is offering one free slice of pizza to students in costume. • Mission Bible Fellowship will hand out candy bags and hold a family friendly photo booth in their main entrance from 4 - 6 p.m. Each attending family will get a mini Polaroid to take with them. • The Second Annual Trunk or Treat Event in Condo... Full story
Missoula County will mail tax bills to all property owners in the county by Tuesday, Oct. 27. They are already available online at www.missoulataxes.us. Tax payments for the first half of the year are due by 5 p.m. Monday, Nov. 30. Tax payments are currently being accepted and online payments may be made via credit card, debit card or electronic check. Service fees apply when paying online by credit or debit card. The fee for paying by electronic check has been removed for all transactions when paying online. Taxes can be paid: • By mail: Clerk...
HELENA – Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks will begin accepting grant applications for four recreation grant programs on Monday, Nov. 2, at 12 p.m. via the online system at funding.mt.gov. Applications for the Recreational Trails Program, the Off-Highway Vehicle Grant Program, the new Montana Trail Stewardship Grant Program, and the new Summer Motorized Trail Pass Grant Program are due by Feb. 1, at 3 p.m. In total, these four grant programs provide over $3 million for recreation projects across Montana. Montana Trail Stewardship Grant Program: Th...
SWAN VALLEY - Four volunteers are preparing to take their initial two tests so they can eventually become nationally certified EMTs to serve the Swan Valley. The volunteers have been attending multiple weekly classes sponsored by Swan Valley Emergency Services since early fall. They are looking forward to receiving their certifications and serving the community. Lectures are broadcasted through Zoom from Missoula Emergency Services Incorporated (MESI). This is the first year Swan Valley...
If Mary slides into her seat just as the theater lights dim, she might think to herself, “Whew! I made it in the nick of time.” But why does time have a nick in it? The dictionary defines the noun “nick” as a small notch or groove. As a verb it means to cut into, – he nicked his chin shaving. Or the verb can describe a way of recording a score by means of making a notch in a stick or some other object. Apparently this last definition is the one most closely associated with time or precision. From ancient times, bones and sticks were notched t...
SEELEY LAKE – At the Oct. 22 meeting, the Seeley Lake Sewer District Board continued on its path toward holding a bond election. The Board was presented with a draft resolution to hold a bond election. The District’s Bond Council Dan Semmens said that if the Board wants to move forward with an election date in February of 2021, it should adopt the resolution at its November meeting. There would be two types of bonds. A general obligation bond would pay for the treatment plant, force main and lift stations and a revenue bond would pay for Pha...
SEELEY LAKE - Heidi Sawitzke hopes to bring creativity into the classroom and make connections with students during her role as the new English Language Arts and Social Studies teacher for junior high students at Seeley Lake Elementary. Sawitzke became interested in education as a career after realizing the positive impact teachers can have on society. "I have always loved learning and I want to share that love of learning with my students," Sawitzke said. "I am always learning something new. I...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley Lake Elementary Superintendent Josh Gibbs provided updates on Board Strategic Planning results and other aspects of the school during the Board of Education’s regular meeting Oct. 19. Gibbs said they are still not ready to approve the School’s Strategic plan. However he wanted to give the board members an idea of what concerns, causes and solutions the document addresses. He said currently the timelines and budgets are missing but he intends to plug those in by the next board meeting and have it ready for approval by Novemb...
SEELEY LAKE – After more than five years maintaining their own road, residents in the Clearwater East Neighborhood including Grizzly Drive and Cub and Claw Lane in Dogtown are working towards a solution. At an informational meeting this past August with the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, DNRC Right-of-way Specialists presented the process of forming a Road Users’ Association (RUA) that would provide a means to agree to, schedule and collectively pay for road maintenance on the existing neighborhood roads. Since onl...
SEELEY LAKE – "We could live in here," said Seeley Lake Historical Society Board Member Cheri Thompson about the nearly fully furnished Maloney Cabin. "I think it has come out very well." The Historical Society hosted a "Cabin Warming" Sunday, Oct. 25 at the Seeley Lake Historical Museum grounds to showcase all of the 100-year-old items that fill the restored Maloney Cabin. All items were donated to the Historical Society for display. There is also a Maloney Cabin Guide providing information a...
If the early history of Seeley Lake is intertwined with the lumber industry, the rise of the United States Forest Service is incontrovertibly intertwined with Seeley Lake and in particular with the Big Blackfoot Timber Sale of 1907-1910. Historian and member of the Camp Paxson Preservation Board Gary Williams has been researching that sale. The Seeley Swan Pathfinder will be bringing some of the interesting bits of information he has discovered about logging in the Seeley Lake area and also...
Whatever happens in the Nov. 3 election, western Montana voters will elect a fresh face to Montana's Public Service Commission, the body that decides what utilities can charge home and business owners for energy. With no incumbent in the race, this year's open contest features former state Sen. Jennifer Fielder, a Republican from Thompson Falls, versus former PSC staff attorney Monica Tranel, a Missoula Democrat, now a private attorney representing renewable energy clients. The candidates in...
MONTANA – Governor Steve Bullock announced Friday, Oct. 23 the public can now notify health officials of violations of COVID-19 directives by using the Consumer Complaint Form used to report food borne illnesses and other public health and safety issues. “The Consumer Complaint Form will allow citizens to report their concerns about businesses and events that have not enacted the directives intended to protect everyone,” Governor Bullock said. “All Montanans deserve a safe community and healthy environment, and reporting these concerns means we... Full story
Local Food Bag Drive started at Cory’s Valley Market SEELEY LAKE - The Veterans and Families of Seeley Lake (VFSL) started their annual food drive at Cory’s Valley Market to support the Seeley-Swan Community Food Bank through the holiday season. Items needed at the Food Bank are pre-packaged into bags that are available to purchase for $10. After purchase, the bag is dropped off in the box near the exit of the store. The bags are delivered to the Food Bank to help keep the shelves stocked. This program runs through Dec. 15. VFSL app...
Rising before sunrise, professional photographer Zack Clothier and his wife Cortney hiked into a small lake. They day after their wedding, Clothier promised his wife that this would not be a photography trip. When they arrived at the lake, it was only filled to half capacity. Colorado had experienced extreme drought that year in 2018. Clothier sought out the right composition before the sun rose on this October morning. Focused on the cracked foreground that was typically at the bottom of the la...
SEELEY LAKE - Traffic on Highway 83 near Salmon Lake is experiencing disruptions resulting from a Department of Transportation project. Cameron Kloberdanz, Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) Geotechnical Engineer, said the project is intended to reconstruct the roadway section along Salmon Lake in order to make it safer, mitigate rockfall hazards and improve pavement quality. The project team is using designs to determine if they can install three to four foot shoulders on each side of t...
SEELEY LAKE - Residents voted to collectively work towards planning and developing Winterfest following a presentation from Red Ants Pants Founder and White Sulphur Springs resident Sarah Calhoun at the third and final session of Reimagining Rural Tuesday, Oct. 13. At the last Reimagining Rural meeting, it was announced that communities could apply for grants of up to $2,000 for local projects through an online grant application. Communities could only apply for the grant if they participated...
“I can’t believe we won,” said Olivia Bourne, daughter of Seeley Swan Pathfinder owners Nathan and Andi Bourne after the Seeley Swan Pathfinder received the top award for Division 1 in the Montana Newspaper Association 2020 Better Newspaper Contest. The Pathfinder received the General Excellence Award for Division 1 Thursday, Oct. 15 out of newspapers across the state that were recognized in the contest with general circulations of less than 1,250. In a virtual presentation, MNA Executive Direc...
LAKE COUNTY - Lake County Commissioners will hold a public meeting at 6 p.m. Oct. 28 in the Swan Lake Community Center, 22778 State Highway 83, to discuss the possible closure of the Porcupine Creek Solid Waste Site. Lake County Commissioner Bill Barron said Solid Waste Board members recommended closing the site due to the area experiencing a large amount of illegal dumping, gate damage and vandalism from contractor use. During the Lake County Solid Waste Management Board meeting Aug. 12, board members said the site receives construction waste...
SEELEY LAKE – On the morning of Oct. 16, Mike Boltz, owner of the Seeley Lake Motor Lodge, looked out his kitchen window to see one of his septic tank pumps and its piping laying on the surface of the ground. Unfortunately it was not entirely a surprise for Boltz who said it was the fourth time his septic system has been the target of vandalism in the last six months. This time he reported the vandalism to law enforcement. Boltz said most of the vandalism is more of an irritation than an e...
SEELEY LAKE - Since its founding in 1993, Clearwater Montana Properties has emphasized community-building as a key component of its company culture. Through its Charitable Giving Program, the company’s Agents give back a portion of all real estate proceeds to the communities in which they were earned. To date, the program has produced over $600,000 in charitable donations to causes throughout Montana, Idaho and Washington. “Each year Clearwater and our agents give a portion of each commission earned to an entity of the agents choosing in the...
SEELEY LAKE - Humanities Montana awarded Alpine Artisans' Open Book Club the Montana Center for the Book Prize. This is the first time the Club has received an award like this. According to a press release, the Montana Center for the Book Advisory Committee "was impressed with the longevity of the program, the steady growth and the caliber of authors who have been featured over the years." The Club is one of three award-winning programs with the other two located in Belgrade and Billings....
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Historical Society is closing in on completing the largest undertaking they’ve ever undertaken. Construction of a replica 1920s cabin using logs from a 1920s cabin and a 100-year-old lodge is close enough to move in before a Seeley Lake winter sets in. The cabin is furnished with early 20th century pieces reminiscent of early day Seeley Lake settlers. What could be considered as the first business district of Seeley Lake began along Seely Creek (upstream of Highway 83) about 1920. This included rental cabins and m...
SEELEY LAKE - The Forest Service held a virtual meeting Thursday, Oct. 15 to gather public input and describe the details of the Westside Bypass Wildfire Resiliency Project on the Seeley Lake Ranger District. The project is located two miles north and northwest of Seeley Lake. Its intent is to improve forest health by addressing the future impacts of insects and diseases as well as mitigate hazardous fuel conditions that increase the potential severity of wildfires. The project proposes using commercial and non-commercial vegetation treatments...
SEELEY LAKE - Missoula County Commissioner Josh Slotnick addressed affordable housing issues in Seeley Lake, Lolo and Frenchtown during Seeley Lake Community Council’s meeting Monday Oct. 12. The Council also received updates on countywide COVID numbers and received an update from Seeley Lake schools. Slotnick said money is available in the county budget to have a staff member exclusively focus on affordable housing beginning in January. He or she will determine ways on how more housing can be created in communities like Seeley Lake. Said h...
During the fall in the Blackfoot Watershed, Isabella Tiger Moth and Spotted Tussock Moth caterpillars can be seen crawling in the sunshine across roads and over fences. These caterpillars are known as woolly bears. While some believe their coloring can predict the weather, other features of their life cycle push the boundaries of what some would think is science fiction. Many moth species have fuzzy caterpillars that go by the name of woolly bear or woolly worm. Woolly bear caterpillars are the...
POTOMAC – Potomac School Board offered their support for the continued planning of the eighth grade trip, the basketball season and Missoula Children’s Theatre (MCT) at their Oct. 12 meeting. They also refined their mask policy and voted to support teachers’ stipends for continuing education. Potomac eighth graders presented their three options for their eighth grade trip. Two of the three options required travel outside of Montana. While educational opportunities have not been fully explored for the three options, they told the board they unde...
If the early history of Seeley Lake is intertwined with the lumber industry, the rise of the United States Forest Service is incontrovertibly intertwined with Seeley Lake and in particular with the Big Blackfoot Timber Sale of 1907-1910. Historian and member of the Camp Paxson Preservation Board Gary Williams has been researching that sale. The Seeley Swan Pathfinder will be bringing some of the interesting bits of information he has discovered about logging in the Seeley Lake area and also...
SEELEY LAKE – As a young child, Julee Samuli loved to set up a classroom and teach to her stuffed animals. After getting a degree in music therapy in 1991 and then taking a break from teaching to raise her children, Samuli is back in the classroom teaching sixth grade at Seeley Lake Elementary. She looks forward to fostering success in her students academically, socially and emotionally while incorporating different learning styles, problem solving from different perspectives and teaching life s...
Meals continue for Cahoon family SEELEY LAKE – Christian Cahoon made it home Friday night from the hospital. Local law enforcement provided an escort for him and his family. The community lined Highway 83 with lights, signs and honking to welcome him home. It was reported that the welcome home parade could be heard at the last home football game at Seeley-Swan High School. Meals continue to be coordinated for the Cahoon family. If anyone is willing to make a meal please contact Teresa Cahoon at 406-210-4688 to sign up and to ask any q...
MISSOULA – Thursday, Oct. 15 the Missoula County Board of Health reviewed a proposed revision to the Board’s Face-covering Rule and accepted the revisions effective immediately. The revisions to the Board’s Face-covering Rule bring local rules into better alignment with the Governor’s face-covering directive and face-covering exemptions. Accepted revisions to the local rule include the following: • People ages five and older in Missoula County are required to wear face-coverings as outlined in the rule. • The rule retains a more stringent p...
MISSOULA - During their virtual press conference on Tuesday, Oct. 27, the COVID-19 Joint Information Center announced new Missoula County restrictions that will go into effect at 8 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 29. Missoula City-County Health Officer Ellen Leahy said beginning this week, business capacity will be limited to 50%, event gathering sizes will be reduced to 25 people and alcohol service will stop at 10 p.m. Any group event over 25 is expected to check in with the health department before... Full story
SEELEY LAKE – Two women from Hamilton, Montana, artists in their own right, came to Alpine Artisans' Tour of the Arts Saturday October 10. "Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!" Barbara Liss exclaimed as she saw Will Kats' display of his woodcarvings at the Grizzly Claw Trading Co. "The detail is just amazing!" her companion said. "This is awesome!" she added as she moved to look at the bust – carved head, shoulders, and upper chest – of a Native American subject in full regalia. "I think they're just stunni...
SWAN VALLEY- A 56-year-old man and his 31-year-old hiking partner were rescued from Holland Peak Monday, Oct. 5 after one of the men experienced a life-threatening medical condition. The men were airlifted from Holland Peak by the Army National Guard Medevac Team and the patient was transported to Kalispell Regional Medical Center via ambulance. According to Missoula County Sheriff's Deputy and Incident Commander Ryan Dunster, Seeley-Swan Search and Rescue was called at 1:10 p.m. Monday...
SEELEY LAKE – Saturday morning, May 9 Clearwater Montana Properties CEO Kevin Wetherell was out showing vacant lots on Double Arrow Ranch. “When I finished showing property that morning, I looked at my phone and it was blowing up with Facebook notifications,” said Wetherell. “Then I started to see what had happened. I couldn’t even believe what was happening and how quickly it was happening.” Wetherell found himself in the crosshairs of a social media storm when his name and image appeared on a post in the “Justice For Gregory and Travis Mc...
PLACID LAKE - Clearwater Resource Council reported another algae bloom just south of the public boat launch at Placid Lake State Park. The bloom was observed Wednesday, Oct. 7. Samples were sent to the Flathead Lake Biological Station. They confirmed Monday that it was blue-green algae. While most blue-green algae blooms do not produce toxins, it is not possible to determine the presence of toxins without testing. All blooms should be considered potentially toxic. Very small exposures, such as...
MISSOULA - In response to a predicted cooling trend and chance of precipitation, Missoula County opened fall burning effective Oct. 12. At that time, the only burning that will be permitted is prescribed wildland and essential agriculture burning. All outdoor burning in Missoula County is by permit only, and the General Burning Season (burning of yard debris/untreated vegetative waste generated onsite) is closed until March 1, 2021. Within Missoula City limits, parcels must be at least one acre or more in size to be eligible for an outdoor...
WOODWORTH – Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks in coordination with the University of Montana is planning to conduct an 80-acre prescribed burn on the Bandy Ranch, on the east side of the Blackfoot Clearwater Wildlife Management Area Game Range, this fall when weather, fuel conditions and air quality become favorable. Smoke will be visible from Highway 200 and the Woodworth area. The area will be closed to hunters and recreationists during burning operations. According to FWP Wildlife Biologist Scott Eggeman, the purpose of the project is for e...
SEELEY LAKE - To help fill Seeley Lake Elementary School’s parking lot for Trunk-or-Treat from 5 - 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, organizers are encouraging businesses to set up their own trunks. They are also looking for additional volunteers. Organizer Toni Sexton said they still need teen zombie actors to “drag” themselves up and down Pine Street and the Trunk-or-Treat area. A zombie safety precaution meeting will take place at 4:30 p.m. before festivities start. Hand sanitizing areas and COVID-19 precautions will be in place. The Senio...
SWAN VALLEY – "We felt so connected to the Swan Valley community by doing hard work for a common need," said Wendy Weaver, Executive Director, Montana Aquatic Resources Services out of Livingston, Montana. "We would love to start something like this in our community too, where we know people are burning wood, and lots of folks can't get wood for themselves. We just had the best time working with the best folks in such a beautiful place. It was really something special to be a part of!" Nearly 3...
Marijuana is back on the ballot - the third time in the last five election cycles - but this year Montanans will decide for the first time whether to follow other states like Colorado and Washington in legalizing use for all adults. The issue comes in the form of complementary ballot initiatives I-190 and CI-118. I-190 creates the rules for a recreational marijuana system in Montana, including a 20% tax. It also allows each county the option to prohibit dispensaries in their county. CI-118...
SEELEY LAKE - Fat Hippie, LLC owner Terry Lucke and office manager Dawn Butler are concerned with certain aspects of the upcoming initiative I-190 on the November ballot that would legalize the recreational use of marijuana in Montana. “I don’t ever want to be the guy that comes out saying that I think that weed shouldn’t be legal cause I really do think it should be legal,” Lucke said. “I also don’t want to be the guy that stands around and is misinterpreted as saying that I think that anybody should be in a cage as a result of a non-violent d...
Stretching from Seeley Lake to Lincoln, this year's Tour of the Arts sponsored by Alpine Artisans, Inc. was a big draw to the area Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 10-11. While COVID-19 limited the participation of several of the regular artists, this year's Tour featured three new galleries, a new studio and several new artists. There were additional in-person demonstrations including pine needle weaving and watercolor painting at Gallery 83, chainsaw carving at Willow Creek Gallery, Will Kats' wood...
SWAN VALLEY - Swan Valley resident Steve Card led a meeting Oct. 6 at the Swan Valley Community Hall to discuss residents joining together to look after the safety of their neighbors. He listed steps that residents can take to safeguard the community against threats to property and lives. Missoula County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Ryan Dunster spoke to those present about how residents can help themselves when threatened with harm. Card presented information from the Neighborhood Watch web page. He then shared some of the recent crimes in the S...
If the early history of Seeley Lake is intertwined with the lumber industry, the rise of the United States Forest Service is incontrovertibly intertwined with Seeley Lake and in particular with the Big Blackfoot Timber Sale of 1907-1910. Historian and member of the Camp Paxson Preservation Board Gary Williams has been researching that sale. The Seeley Swan Pathfinder will be bringing some of the interesting bits of information he has discovered about logging in the Seeley Lake area and also...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley-Swan High School presented the Homecoming royalty at coronation Friday, Oct. 9 during half time of the football game....
Correction SEELEY LAKE – In the article “Reimagining Rural encourages small town residents to develop projects” printed in the Oct. 8 issue, the idea for residents building snow sculptures on their property was incorrectly attributed. Seeley Lake resident Carla Schade presented the idea during the brainstorming. Welcome home Christian Cahoon – Shh…It’s a surprise SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake resident Christian Cahoon will be returning Friday, Oct. 16 after spending more than a month in the hospital after recovering from injuries sustained in an ai...
SEELEY LAKE - Reimagining Rural's second of three sessions focused on improving smaller communities with already available resources. The presentation was led by Deb Brown and Becky McCray from SaveYour.Town. McCray is from Oklahoma and Brown is from Iowa. It took place Tuesday Sept. 29 at the Seeley Lake Historical Museum and Visitors Center. McCray opened her presentation by reminding attendees that their small towns "have survived before." "Rural communities have endured boom and bust...
SEELEY LAKE – Homecoming week and weekend festivities for Seeley-Swan High School look a little different this year due to COVID-19 restrictions. SSHS Principal Kellen Palmer said they are still trying to make it fun throughout the week. The homecoming parade typically held on Saturday morning has been canceled. While the games will be played Saturday, spectators are limited. The SSHS Booster Club members and other volunteers decorated Airport Road to the High School and along Highway 83 on S...
SALMON LAKE – Thursday afternoon, Oct. 1 Clearwater Resource Council collected samples of a possible blue-green algae south of Salmon Lake State Park after getting a report of the bloom. The Flathead Lake Biological Station confirmed Monday morning that it is Anabaena. This genera may produce different toxins including anatoxin and microcystin that can make people very sick and be deadly to animals. Anatoxin is a neurotoxin that affects the nervous system. Signs can appear within 15 -20 m...
Author John Fraley has spent years capturing the stories and history of those who have ridden and hiked through the Bob Marshall Wilderness. In his newly released book, "Heroes of the Bob Marshall Wilderness," Fraley covers a plethora of figures involved with the region, but the longest section is dedicated to the work of Montana outfitter Joe Murphy. The second chapter, "Wilderness Cowboy," covers Murphy's life from his birth in 1890 to his death in 1972. Fraley describes him as "the first big...
The next meeting of the Seeley Lake Community Council will be on Monday, October 12 via Zoom. Instructions for sign-on are at the end of this release. The first speaker will be Josh Slotnick, County Commissioner, who will talk about the major projects the Commissioners are envisioning. He will be followed by Cindy Farr of the Missoula City County Health Department. She is in charge of the County’s response to the COVID-19 virus. Cindy will give an update on COVID cases in Missoula County and the County’s response. Next will be Josh Gibbs, the...
SEELEY LAKE – The Forest Service invites the public to participate in a virtual meeting on Thursday, Oct. 15 from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. The goal of this meeting will be to share information and gather input about the Westside Bypass Wildfire Resiliency Project on the Seeley Lake Ranger District. The project is located north and northwest of Seeley Lake in Missoula County and focuses on improving forest health and hazardous fuel conditions that have increased the concern of severe wildfire and f...
SEELEY LAKE - The annual trick or treating event, Trunk-or-Treat, will return for its seventh year on Halloween night. From 5-7:30 p.m. Oct. 31, children will be able to pick up goodies in the Seeley Lake Elementary parking lot. The event will feature Dracula’s Castle in the SLE entrance, free of charge. When attendees and volunteers are in the Trunk-or-Treat area, masks are needed. Organizer Toni Sexton said there are a few advantages to Trunk-or-Treat versus the more traditional method of going door-to-door. “Number one there’s no drivi...
SEELEY LAKE – After attending the candlelight vigil at the Cahoon's home Sept. 17, six-year-old Kaylee Cahoon told her grandparents Tira and Steve Beary she wanted to make a yard sign that said #CahoonStrong. She said she is a Cahoon and wanted to show support for her daddy Christian who was injured in a plane crash Sept. 2. With a little help from Dee Schmitz at Heritage Office Stop, not only did she design a yard sign for her yard and bedroom, she is selling them as a fundraiser to help her d...
SEELEY LAKE - Tamaracks Resort is hosting their first ever Tricks & Treats event on Halloween night. Tamaracks Event Coordinator Tera Wold said their goal is to have all 17 cabins booked for the event with business, non-profits and individuals handing out candy. They look forward to welcoming the community to the Resort on Halloween. The event will go from 6 to 9 p.m. for trick or treating with music playing over speakers until 10 p.m. Staff will hand out maps containing the names of those who booked cabins. The map will come with a card for...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Ranger District is collaborating with Montana Department of Transportation Missoula District to remove any standing dead trees, or snags, and dead branches from both sides of Highway 83 north of Seeley Lake before winter. Ideally, all snags that could potentially reach the highway will be cleared all the way to the Summit prioritizing the worst areas first. Chad Pearson, maintenance superintendent for the Missoula District, said the project is intended to avoid...
SEELEY LAKE – A family from Missoula coming to enjoy a day on Seeley Lake might load up the car with a cooler, beach chairs, sand toys, blow-up floats, fishing gear, snorkels ... At which point dad will probably say, "My gosh, we're taking everything but the kitchen sink!" It's unknown just how that phrase, and its variant "...kitchen stove," "kitchen range" came about, but it has been in use since the early 1900s. A May 6, 1906 article in "Scribner's Magazine" carried the sentence, "She had o...
SEELEY LAKE - Scott Thompson is a woodcarver and acrylic painter who is one of several participating artists in Alpine Artisans' upcoming Tour of the Arts. Thompson is originally from Butte, but he moved to Willow, Alaska in 1990 where he currently lives. He bought property in Seeley Lake two years ago and now plans to spend three to four months out of the year in the area. He chose to move to Seeley Lake because his family would frequently drive through the town on their way to Kalispell. In ad...
In the early history of Seeley Lake is intertwined with the lumber industry, the rise of the United States Forest Service is incontrovertibly intertwined with Seeley Lake and in particular with the Big Blackfoot Timber Sale of 1907-1910. Historian and member of the Camp Paxson Preservation Board Gary Williams has been researching that sale. The Seeley Swan Pathfinder will be bringing some of the interesting bits of information he has discovered about logging in the Seeley Lake area and also...
Ballots will be mailed Oct. 9. Return ballots by mail, vote in person Oct. 20 at the Missoula County Satellite Office or drop off ballots at various drop off locations including Seeley Lake Elementary on Election Day, Nov. 3. For more information visit https://www.missoulacounty.us/government/administration/elections-office Shannon O'Brien (D) Biography • Where do you live? I live in Senate District 46: The Rattlesnake Neighborhood of Missoula • How long have you lived in Montana? My hus...
Ballots will be mailed Oct. 9. Return ballots by mail, vote in person Oct. 20 at the Missoula County Satellite Office or drop off ballots at various drop off locations including Seeley Lake Elementary on Election Day, Nov. 3. For more information visit https://www.missoulacounty.us/government/administration/elections-office Juanita Vero (D) - Incumbent Biography • Where do you live? Greenough, Montana • How long have you lived in Montana? 39 years • Education: Lewis and Clark College; BA, Engli...
Ballots will be mailed Oct. 9. Return ballots by mail, vote in person Oct. 20 at the Missoula County Satellite Office or drop off ballots at various drop off locations including Seeley Lake Elementary on Election Day, Nov. 3. For more information visit https://www.missoulacounty.us/government/administration/elections-office Mike Hopkins (R) - Incumbent Biography • Where do you live? Missoula • How long have you lived in Montana? Born in Helena, 36 years old • Education: Political Science, Publi...
Grizzly Bear Ecology and Conflict Management presentation Oct. 14 SWAN VALLEY – Everyone is invited to join Swan Valley Connections for a virtual presentation with Kari Eneas, wildlife biologist with the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, on Wednesday, Oct. 14 at 6:30 p.m. Eneas will give an overview of grizzly bear ecology, share some of the finds from her research and discuss how bears are managed on the Flathead Indian Reservation. Connect to the presentation via Zoom, https://us02web.zoom.us/J/85010117895. Visit Sw...
SEELEY LAKE – The Filling Station sign on Highway 83 "The days of zombie apocalypse" has been a source of entertainment for nearly 200 days of the coronavirus pandemic. While they updated the sign daily before they reopened May 26, the owners and staff are struggling to maintain their sense of humor. "Even the nicest people have their limits," read the sign on day 176. With all the state and county COVID-19 requirements, The Filling Station is doing their best to follow the rules and serve t...
SEELEY LAKE - As part of their Hill 16 trail system project, Seeley Lake Regional Outdoor Center for Kinetic Sports' (ROCKS) recently completed the Lake View Trail and began a yet to be named all-access trail. Both are located near Placid Lake State Park. The Lake View Trail is a "family friendly" trail designed for all types of non-motorized uses including hiking, bike riding and riding horses. The trailhead, for the roughly two mile trail, opens at the intersection of North and South Placid La...
SEELEY LAKE – More than 50 people gathered on the lawn north of the Seeley Lake 1-Stop Saturday, Sept. 26 to join in prayer for the community, state and nation. Led by local pastors, area Christians came together and asked for peace, hope, unity and revival in these times of uncertainty, division and fear that has gripped the lives of so many. The community prayer time was an idea from Faith Chapel's Pastor Gary Wayne. He presented the idea to the other local pastors that meet weekly. "This p...
SEELEY LAKE – District Court Judge John Larson dismissed the embezzlement case against Kody Kelley of Seeley Lake without prejudice Sept. 3. In April 2020, Kelley was charged with felony theft of property exceeding $1,500 by embezzlement from the Seeley Lake Volunteer Fire Foundation. The case was dismissed following the request to Judge Larson from Deputy County Attorney Leta Womack after the parties entered into an agreement for pretrial diversion. According to the charging documents, Kelley was charged with embezzling $4,264.23 from the F...
Thursday, Sept. 24 the U.S. District Court extended the deadline for completing the 2020 Census until Oct. 31, 2020. Even though the Trump Administration has appealed the decision, local residents can continue to use the services offered at the Seeley Lake Community Foundation and through the Seeley Lake Leos Club at Seeley-Swan High School to complete the survey through the deadline. Governor Steve Bullock and Lt. Gov. Mike Cooney applauded the decision saying it will allow more time for a complete count of Montana’s residents. They also a... Full story
In response to recent moisture received, Missoula County Fire Protection agencies are lowering the Missoula area fire danger rating to Moderate, effective immediately. In moderate fire danger, fires can start from most accidental causes, but the average fire is of moderate intensity. Fires will still spread rapidly in open grasslands on windy days and timber fires will spread slowly to moderately fast, but in heavy concentrations of fuel they can still burn very hot. It is important to note that the danger of fire is still present and with a...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Elementary School Board of Education unanimously approved their student and employee handbooks during their regular meeting Monday, Sept. 21. Superintendent Josh Gibbs also discussed the progress on SLE’s strategic plan. The handbooks contain several policies and procedures for students and staff including dress code, harassment consequences and appropriate behavior in various circumstances. Regarding masks, Gibbs said if a student refuses to wear one, then following additional conversations they would go to remote...
University of Montana professor of Journalism Lee Banville said the engagement of malicious or false information is just a part of how social media works. Much like how a sensational newspaper would write a controversial headline to entice more readers, the grabbing of reactions is built in to get people to click on links or engage with a post. "Everything is easy to share on social media apps. It's built around you easily sharing information that may provoke some kind of reaction, whether it's...
SEELEY LAKE - Stageline Pizza's Seeley Lake location will transfer ownership to Kyle Zumwalt beginning Oct. 1. Zumwalt purchased the pizza restaurant from previous franchisees Patrick and Cheryl Sheridan. Since 2018, Zumwalt has owned It's Ah Wrap before deciding to consolidate both restaurants' menus into the Stageline location. Because It's Ah Wrap was located on leased property, it will close permanently. Currently Stageline offers pizza, breadsticks, wings and calzones. Once Zumwalt takes...
Alpine Artisans' popular Tour of the Arts returns for its 17th year with one new studio, three new galleries and the Blackfoot Pathways International Sculpture Park joining the dazzling mix of over 25 artists at work in their studios, galleries and museums scattered throughout the Seeley Lake and the Blackfoot Valleys. Held Oct. 10-11 to capture the height of the colorful yellow and golden Western Larch, the Tour will also kickoff Friday afternoon with two watercolor workshops at the Tamaracks...
If the early history of Seeley Lake is intertwined with the lumber industry, the rise of the United States Forest Service is incontrovertibly intertwined with Seeley Lake and in particular with the Big Blackfoot Timber Sale of 1907-1910. Historian and member of the Camp Paxson Preservation Board Gary Williams has been researching that sale. The Seeley Swan Pathfinder will be bringing some of the interesting bits of information he has discovered about logging in the Seeley Lake area and also...
Death Notice SEELEY LAKE - LaMyra “Kay” Price, 82, passed away in the morning, Monday, Sept. 28, 2020, at her home in Seeley Lake. Brothers Mortuary and Crematory are honored to care for the family. Memories and condolences may be shared with the family at www.brothersmortuary.com. Community Firewood Day, Oct. 9 SWAN VALLEY - Join Swan Valley Connections for their Community Firewood Day Oct. 9 from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Volunteers will be splitting, delivering and stacking firewood for a full list of people in need in the community. If you’d like to...
POTOMAC - The Bureau of Land Management’s Missoula Field Office is seeking the public’s input on a proposed $5-million Federal Lands Transportation Project to improve 5.7 miles of Johnsrud-McNamara Road. The office has prepared an Environmental Assessment for the project. This can be found at https://www.eplanning.blm.gov and search for “Johnsrud.” “With driver safety one of the BLM’s top priorities, there is currently a need to improve the condition of Johnsrud Road,” said Acting Missoula Field Manager Wendy Warren. Approximately...
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Montana Senator Jon Tester’s Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Act was heard in the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing Wednesday, Sept. 16. The U.S. Forest Service spoke in support of the BCSA and shared concerns after representatives expressed that they would work together towards the act’s intended goals. The next phase will be a vote among all committee members that has not been scheduled yet. If passed, the BCSA will move on to the full Senate for a vote. Tester’s office said he is encouraged by the h...
SEELEY LAKE - Reimagining Rural is a new virtual event series that aims to develop self-reflective discussions among residents to help improve rural communities. The Seeley Lake Community Foundation is hosting the three part series, the first of which was presented Tuesday, Sept. 15. The intent was to address negative perceptions common in current discussions regarding small towns. Keynote speaker Ben Winchester from the University of Minnesota Extension Center for Community Vitality presented h...
SEELEY LAKE - "Charlie was an individual who walks into a room and meets all sorts of different people. When he walks out of the room, he's got 20 new friends," said Mark Wilson, Charlie Wolff's neighbor on Big Sky Lake and in Green Valley, Arizona. "He took an interest in people and what they did." Friends, neighbors and others who loved Charlie and the Cahoon family gathered Friday at Double Arrow Golf Course for the First Annual Charlie Wolff Memorial Golf Tournament. Charlie along with his...
In the days before social media networks took the country by storm, the media portrayed images of the "perfect body" or "dream house" in magazines, advertisements and on television. Now, with the evolution of social media, the exposure to people around the world, increases the opportunity for connection and comparison. When developing a sense of self, this can be a slippery slope if the road is not purposefully defined. While science lags in understanding the role of social media in shaping ones... Full story
Missoula County Fire Protection agencies want to remind residents and visitors that fire danger remains High in the Missoula area and that outdoor burning by permit is still closed. Some wetting rain and a brief respite in heat and smoke can be deceiving but not was not enough to fully replenish the dry fuels – the danger of fire remains. The weather forecast does call for potential moisture and a higher than normal chance of precipitation in the six to 10-day outlook, but the forecast also calls for dry, windy conditions later this week. F...
Over 70,000 ballots will be mailed out Friday, Oct. 9 to registered Missoula County voters for the November General Election. Residents will be able to register and vote during a satellite event in Seeley Lake from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 20 at the Seeley Lake Tax Extension Office, 3360 HWY 83 N. hosted by the Missoula County Elections Center. All mail ballots are due by 8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 3 at the Elections Office at 140 N. Russell St. Votes must be received by then, not postmarked. Postage will be paid on all mail ballots for the...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Sewer District Board continued discussing holding a bond election and rejected an ordinance reinforcing a resolution mandating connections at its Sept. 17 meeting. The Board also received a proposal that would keep the District from having to pay $350,000 in legal bills to defend the District from Don Larson’s lawsuit. In other business the Board approved paying its past due legal bills after negotiations, the Board gave a landowner a letter stating it wouldn’t initiate annexing their property and Director Pat G...
POTOMAC - The Potomac Elementary School Board unanimously approved the Montana School Board Association fall policy updates during their virtual meeting Monday, Sept. 14. They also discussed the first COVID case at the school. The primary reasons for the policy updates were language changes around sexual harassment policies and procedures which required a re-confirmation of all of the listed policies. Students can no longer report sexual harassment anonymously to decrease the potential of false claims. The other policy updates outside of...
SEELEY LAKE – Members of the public continued to express their concerns surrounding the Seeley Lake Fire Department leadership and board oversight at the Fire Board meeting Sept. 15. While some of the concerns have been addressed, there are others that the public feels the board should investigate further. Lavonne Dunster and Cristine Matheny spoke during public comment. Both of them emphasized that they want to support the department and help it get better. That is the main reason they feel they need to speak up. They also said they have n...
SEELEY LAKE - Wildlife officials captured and relocated a male grizzly bear in Seeley Lake late last week after repeated incidents of pursuing garbage and other attractants at campgrounds and home sites in the area. The bear did not have a prior history of conflicts and was collared and relocated to a remote area in the Whitefish Mountain Range in northwest Montana. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks confirms there are still other bears in the Seeley Lake area, currently seeking out garbage and other food sources around homes and recreation areas....
SEELEY LAKE - Local golfers came together over the weekend and raised more than $5,000 for Seeley-Swan Blackhawks Athletics as well as honored the life and legacy of Mike Haley at the first annual Mike Haley Memorial Golf Tournament. The tournament took place Saturday afternoon at Double Arrow Golf Course. It was organized by Mike's son Jacob Haley. Mike was killed in a vehicle accident May 5, 2019. Jacob said the tournament acts as a way to memorialize his father as well as the plane accident...
SWAN VALLEY - Flathead National Forest staff and concessionaires are preparing campgrounds and other recreation sites to close or move to primitive status for the winter season. Many campgrounds are available for primitive camping in the off-season, meaning that campsites are not regularly maintained, toilets may be closed and potable water systems are shut off. Dispersed camping in non-developed campground areas is also available in the off-season. People should rely on Motor Vehicle Use Maps to identify appropriate dispersed camping areas....
If the early history of Seeley Lake is intertwined with the lumber industry, the rise of the United States Forest Service is incontrovertibly intertwined with Seeley Lake and in particular with the Big Blackfoot Timber Sale of 1907-1910. Historian and member of the Camp Paxson Preservation Board Gary Williams has been researching that sale. The Seeley Swan Pathfinder will be bringing some of the interesting bits of information he has discovered about logging in the Seeley Lake area and also...
Seeley Lake Leos Club to assist with census and voter registration SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake LEOs Club is volunteering to help members of the community complete the census and their voter registration Monday through Friday from 12-3 p.m. at the Seeley Lake Public Library. For more information or to make an appointment call Leos Club Advisor Mary Stone at 406-677-2224 Ext. 5731. Students will meet the community members at the back door and escort them into the building. Community prayer time, Sept. 26 SEELEY LAKE – The community is inv...
MISSOULA - Members of the Missoula Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) voted to recommend proposed fee installations and increases at Missoula County sites within Lolo National Forest during their Sept. 8 virtual meeting. Later they allocated more than $150,000 for project proposals including $30,000 to projects on the Seeley Lake Ranger District. RAC members included Chair Ben Horan, Zachary Bashoor, Mike McGrew, Kristen Baker-Dickinson, Scott Kuehn, Jack Rich, Dr. Seth Wilson, Dr. Steven...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley-Swan Search and Rescue and local law enforcement assisted Powell County Saturday, Sept. 12 after a 1966 Cessna 172 was reported downed north of the Seeley Lake Airport. Pilot Charles Wolff, 67 of Green Valley, Arizona and part-time Seeley Lake resident, and Seeley Lake resident Wayne Cahoon, 59, died in the crash. The second passenger Christian Cahoon, Wayne's son, was airlifted to Seattle, Washington. The cause of the crash is still under investigation. Just before 10 p...
SEELEY LAKE – Friday morning, Sept. 11 Seeley Lake Rural Fire Department personnel stood in front of the Seeley Lake Post Office to commemorate those who lost their lives and served during the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001. Nineteen terrorists hijacked multiple airplanes and flew them into the World Trade Center in New York City, New York, the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia and a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania resulting in the deaths of 2,977 people. Most of the deaths were civilians b...
Missoula County Sheriff's Office Detective Garret Van Hoose's spends many of his work hours learning how to hack ethically and track down criminals all through an IP address. He is a member of the Montana Internet Crimes Against Children's Taskforce, an organization dedicated to the prevention and response to human trafficking. Van Hoose knows the depths of social media. He just doesn't know if the law can ever catch up with cybercriminals. "Social media is definitely a moving target. It is a...
SEELEY LAKE - My name is Henry Netherland and I am thrilled to come in as the new full time reporter for the Seeley Swan Pathfinder. I was originally born in Chicago, Illinois but was raised in one of its suburbs, Glenview. I graduated with a bachelor's degree from Colorado State University in 2019 where I majored in journalism and minored in French. Outside of school, I actively participated in the university's plethora of student media programs including their daily newspaper, radio station an...
Every 10 years we are asked to do one of the easiest and most important things we can do for our communities, fill out our Census form. It doesn't sound exciting or glamorous, but without Census data, our communities, neighbors and families risk losing out on important federal dollars. Montana currently ranks in the bottom five states in the country for the response to the 2020 U.S. Census. The deadline is Sept. 30. An accurate count determines how all the federal taxes we pay come back here to...
SEELEY LAKE – Missoula County Office of Emergency Management has teamed up with United Way of Missoula County and the Montana Conservation Corps (MCC) to focus on reducing wildfire risk and catastrophic losses to resources and property on private land throughout Missoula County. The Missoula County Home Ignition Zone Fuels Mitigation Program provides homeowners the opportunity to reduce Home Ignition Zone vulnerabilities to wildfire through a cost-share program Oct. 13-31 and next summer. A...
The Lolo National Forest announced the following campground and recreation site seasonal closures and updates: Seeley Lake Ranger District: • Seeley Lake and Lakeside Campgrounds closed on Sept. 8 • Extended season! River Point Campground will remain open free of charge until Sept. 28. • Big Larch Campground will remain open and free of charge until snowfall with camp hosts. Water services will be available until the end of September. • Big Larch dock will be pulled for the season on Oct. 1...
Fire danger remains Very High on the Flathead National Forest and Missoula County fire protection agencies lowered the fire danger to "High" due to the recent cold front and moisture that visited the Missoula area on Labor Day. While fuels on the Flathead National Forest are very dry and susceptible to rapid fire spread once ignited, fuels in the Missoula area are predicted to dry out quickly with a predicted return of prolonged dry and warm weather. Fire agencies warn residents and visitors, especially hunters heading out into the field, that...
SEELEY LAKE – After the combine started on fire and the main belt in the swather blew while she was operating it, Janet Morgenstern decided that managing the family's 11,000-acre ranch in Wibaux, Montana was not something in her future. However, the love of music that her family instilled in her grew into a passion for music and teaching. After 17 years of teaching music across the mid-west, Morgenstern is the new Seeley Lake Elementary and Seeley-Swan High School music director. She looks f...
HELENA - After working for a year to provide recommendations and input on the future of grizzly bear management in Montana, the Montana Grizzly Bear Advisory Council released its final report Sept. 10. “The Grizzly Bear Advisory Council members embraced a true commitment to collaboration in the interest of identifying common ground on a host of issues facing conservation and management of this iconic species,” Governor Steve Bullock said. “I’m grateful for their hard work and look forward to advancing the implementation of many of their r...
SWAN VALLEY – Swan Valley School opened with in-person learning Sept. 8. The school board received an update on the first day of school and discussed the face covering requirement that evening at their monthly board meeting. Swan Valley School Principal Ralph King said the first day of school was successful. They have 25 students enrolled this year. All of the students returned to in-person learning except four students chose to do half days and four students who are completely remote. They are taking measures to ensure that if they need to swi...
If the early history of Seeley Lake is intertwined with the lumber industry, the rise of the United States Forest Service is incontrovertibly intertwined with Seeley Lake and in particular with the Big Blackfoot Timber Sale of 1907-1910. Historian and member of the Camp Paxson Preservation Board Gary Williams has been researching that sale. The Seeley Swan Pathfinder will be bringing some of the interesting bits of information he has discovered about logging in the Seeley Lake area and also...
Death Notice TULSA, OKLAHOMA - Dr. Ben F. Irvin, 74, died of natural causes at his home in Tulsa, Oklahoma Sept. 11, 2020. He was a former educator in Seeley Lake and Lincoln, Montana. Death Notice GREEN VALLEY, AZ - Charles E. Wolff, 67, passed away early in the morning Sept. 13 tragically due to a plane crash in Seeley Lake. Brothers Mortuary and Crematory are honored to care for the loved one. Memories and condolences may be shared with the family at www.brothersmortuary.com. Loving Hearts open Wednesdays SEELEY LAKE - Loving Hearts Thrift...
SEELEY LAKE – This past August the Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Project released an economic report highlighting how public lands and water sustain the economy of the Blackfoot and Clearwater Valleys and nearby communities. There has also been a recent ad campaign launched by the Montana Wilderness Association and Mountain Mamas calling on Senator Steve Daines, R – Montana, to give the Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Act (BCSA) a hearing in the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. While Daines is being pressured to support the...
Beginning note: In the age of online information and fast paced technology, understanding how today's people communicate seems daunting. The Pathfinder talked to professors, law enforcement, mental health professionals and community members to better understand what being a part of social media means and how one can be a better consumer of this media. This four part series is divided into the origins and basics of social media, crime and misinformation online, identity and connections through...
SEELEY LAKE – Like so many other groups in 2020, Alpine Artisans (AAI) has found ways to function in the "new normal." AAI Program Manager Jenny Rohrer confirmed that the annual Tour of the Arts will take place as usual on the second weekend of October. AAI's 2 Valleys Stage (2VS) Director Samantha Arroyo said though the concert season will be an abbreviated one, the Stage will bring outstanding performers in December and again in April. Rohrer said, "We're excited because in spite of the c... Full story
Helmville Rodeo Club welcomed local and professional Northern Rodeo Association cowboys and cowgirls to their 56th annual Helmville Labor Day Rodeo. The event ran Sept. 6 and Sept. 7 and was the final Northern Rodeo Association rodeo of the year....
SEELEY LAKE – What better way to practice social distancing while supporting a great cause than to spend Sept. 19 on the Double Arrow Golf Course for the Mike Haley Memorial Golf Tournament. Mike’s son Jacob organized the tournament to honor his father and all proceeds will support Seeley-Swan Blackhawks Athletics. The deadline to register is Sept. 14. Jacob was an athlete throughout his career at Seeley-Swan High School. He played football, basketball, track and golf. He was part of the SSHS Golf Team that won the State C Golf Cha...
SEELEY LAKE - The next meeting of the Seeley Lake Community Council will be on Monday, Sept. 14 via Zoom. Instructions for sign-on are at the end of this release. The first speaker will be Jennie Dixon, planner with the Missoula County Community and Planning Services. She will talk about a zoning code update that applies to the “urban fringe,” but not to Seeley Lake. She will be followed by Walker McDonald, a senior at the High School who is spearheading a project to build a skate park in Seeley Lake, similar to the one in Lincoln. For det...
It's summertime in the Blackfoot, and that means the Blackfoot Challenge's team of range riders are back in the saddle. Every summer when cows are put out to graze their summer pastures farther away from the ranch headquarters, our range riders go with them. By actively monitoring wolf and grizzly bear activity in proximity to grazing livestock, range riders hope to decrease the potential for conflict and livestock loss. While the increase in human presence near livestock deters wolves and...
SEELEY LAKE – Starting Wednesday, Sept. 16 the Seeley Lake Baptist Church will be hosting a weekly Adventure Club from 3:30 – 5 p.m. for students ages three through sixth grade. Pastor Jim Johnson looks forward to starting this Biblically-oriented, high-energy program providing not only a fun program to help children and their families grow together in their faith but also assist parents with child care Wednesdays after school. There was no children’s ministry at the Baptist Church when Pastor Jim arrived last October. “It was just somethi...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley-Swan High School recognized their senior Lady Blackhawk athletes and manager along with their families and friends at their home game Saturday, Sept. 5. Senior football athletes were recognized Friday, Sept. 4 and will appear next week....
MISSOULA – Partnership Health Center learned Sept. 3 that a member of their clinical staff tested positive for COVID-19. PHC Communication Director Eric Halverson confirmed that this does not affect the staff at the Seeley-Swan Medical Center. PHC is working closely with the Missoula City-County Health Department to identify close contacts as they rigorously adhere to all required quarantine and isolation protocols. The Health Department will individually and privately notify any patient determined to be a close contact; patients should not c... Full story
SEELEY LAKE – Ever since learning about heredity in her sixth-grade science class with Sharon Teague at Seeley Lake Elementary, Shelby Holmes loved science. As she continued onto junior high with teacher Patti Bartlett and the "super engaging curriculum" including monitoring water quality in Morrell Creek "I was hooked. Tonya [Smith] just continued that love for it." Holmes, a 2014 Seeley-Swan High School graduate, returned this year as the new SSHS science teacher. Holmes said being a f...
If the early history of Seeley Lake is intertwined with the lumber industry, the rise of the United States Forest Service is incontrovertibly intertwined with Seeley Lake and in particular with the Big Blackfoot Timber Sale of 1907-1910. Historian and member of the Camp Paxson Preservation Board Gary Williams has been researching that sale. The Seeley Swan Pathfinder will be bringing some of the interesting bits of information he has discovered about logging in the Seeley Lake area and also...
SWAN VALLEY - The Flathead National Forest is planning to conduct fall prescribed fire projects on the Swan Lake, Hungry Horse/Glacier View Ranger, Tally Lake and Spotted Bear Ranger Districts 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...
MISSOULA – The Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) acquisition of 1,120 acres in the Lower Blackfoot River drainage secures permanent public access to the land. Using $868,000 from the Land and Water Conservation Fund, the transaction finalizes a series of recent acquisitions which help stitch together what had been a patchwork of interspersed public and private land. “Expanding access to our public lands is an upmost priority of the Trump Administration and the Bureau of Land Management,” said BLM Deputy Director for Policy and Programs William...
MBF Kids Club resumes Mondays starting Sept. 21 SEELEY LAKE - MBF Kids Club will be starting on Monday, Sept. 21. The group meets every Monday from 3-5 p.m. at Mission Bible Fellowship. Activities include games, snacks, crafts, Bible lessons and music. The group is free to attend. MBF Kids Club is open to children in kindergarten through sixth grade at Seeley Lake Elementary school, homeschoolers and to students who are doing online learning. To sign up, get a permission slip from Suzie in the SLE office or contact Erika at 406-499-2903....
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley-Swan Search and Rescue and local law enforcement assisted Powell County Saturday, Sept. 12 after a 1966 Cessna 172 was reported downed north of the Seeley Lake Airport. Pilot Charles Wolff, 67 of Green Valley, Arizona and part-time Seeley Lake resident, and Seeley Lake resident Wayne Cahoon, 59, died in the crash. The Seeley Lake Fire Department transported the other passenger to Missoula via ambulance with severe injuries since Life Flight was unable to fly. The patient w... Full story
SEELEY LAKE – While swimming with his family this summer, someone came over to introduce themselves to Seeley Lake resident Chris Mauldin. Without thinking about social distancing, Mauldin, who is deaf when not wearing hearing aids, leaned in and asked the person to speak directly into his ear. He later recognized that his default way to communicate is no longer acceptable. The social norms that allowed for close proximity and being able to engage in public without a face covering are c... Full story
SEELEY LAKE – With hunting season just around the corner Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Bear and Lion Specialist Jamie Jonkel wants to remind hunters and others out recreating to carry bear spray and be aware. For those living in and around Seeley Lake, he also asks them to secure their garbage and other attractants and stop feeding deer and birds. He estimates there are 50 different black bears and 15-20 grizzly bears around Seeley Lake including two female grizzlies with this year's cubs. "...
SEELEY LAKE – With the sun setting behind the Mission Mountains and live music playing on the porch of the Double Arrow Lodge, customers couldn't help but enjoy a beautiful summer evening. Ever since Double Arrow reopened following COVID-19 closures, a local group of acoustic musicians have been jamming to their favorite songs for members of the community and visitors alike every Tuesday night on the porch of the Lodge. "We just do it for fun, a chance to play and hopefully it brings people t...
When COVID-19 safety protocols shifted whole sectors of the health care industry from in-person visits to a telehealth model, Arjun and Hannah Verma watched their parents - a pulmonologist and a cardiologist - fret about some of their elderly patients who were unprepared for the switch. The elder Vermas were concerned that their patients who didn't own camera-enabled devices or know how to use videoconferencing platforms would be forced to forgo critical care. Arjun and Hannah, who live in...
SEELEY LAKE – Entering through a single entrance, Seeley Lake Market attendees put on their masks and stopped to visit with Amaya Harman. Harman patiently explained the contact tracing form and answered any questions. Then visitors were able to visit with their favorite vendors each week following the one-way isle through the Market. While Market Manager Rachelle Harman and Seeley Lake Community Foundation Past President Carla Schade said it was a different Market this year due to COVID restrict...
SEELEY LAKE – Join with the Seeley Lake Community Foundation and your neighbors Sept. 15 from 6 – 8 p.m. the Reimagining Rural Community Gathering, an invigorating series of community talks, at the Tamaracks Resort Outdoor Woodland Venue, 3481 Highway 83 north of Seeley Lake (weather and COVID dependent). These free events are open for anyone to attend, although attendance will be capped at 50 people in the outdoor venue. COVID-19 safety measures will be in place to keep everyone safe and com...
If you've turned on the TV in Montana recently, you've probably been bombarded with advertisements propping up-or tearing down-candidates for political office. Each contender claims they're the best choice to uphold "Montana values." But what does that mean? Who is that promise for? And how do those unspoken values shape Montana's politics? In the new podcast "Shared State," Montana Free Press, Montana Public Radio and Yellowstone Public Radio will bring listeners along for a deeper look at the...
HELMVILLE – Despite nearly half of the Northern Rodeo Association (NRA) rodeos canceled this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Helmville Rodeo Club is looking forward to hosting their 56th annual two-day Labor Day rodeo Sept. 6 and Sept. 7 starting at 1 p.m. both days. Because the NRA finals were canceled, this is the final rodeo in the NRA Tour 2020. The best of the best NRA cowboys and cowgirls are expected to participate as well as local favorites in the mini bull riding, mutton busting and barrel racing. The Club has been busy e...
SEELEY LAKE - Closures are starting to lift on the Forest Services roads around Seeley Lake as work is completed. Dunham Creek Road #4388 is open to the Lodgepole Trailhead just as hunting season opens. The contractor who did the work in Lodgepole Creek moved over into Shanley Creek to open the road from a slide earlier this summer which should be open soon as well. The Upper Cottonwood Road work was completed in July. Morrell Creek is also another area of focus. According to Seeley Lake...
SWAN VALLEY - The Flathead National Forest is seeking public input on a draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for a 174,000 acre landscape level project to restore forest conditions and reduce fuels in Swan Valley. The purpose of the Mid-Swan Landscape Restoration and Wildland Urban Interface Project (Mid-Swan Project) is two-fold: to restore and maintain key habitat for plant and animal species in light of a changing climate, and to reduce the risk of extreme wildfire adjacent to local communities. “The project is anchored in the e...
MISSOULA – The Missoula Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) is scheduled to meet on Sept. 8 at 3 p.m. virtually. The objectives of the meeting are to: • Approve meeting minutes as needed; • Discuss, recommend and approve new Title II projects and hear project proposal presentations as requested by the RAC; • Discuss and make recommendations on recreation fee proposals for sites located within Missoula County on the Lolo National Forest. At the conclusion of the meeting, the committee will recommend projects for funding under Title II of the Secur...
If the early history of Seeley Lake is intertwined with the lumber industry, the rise of the United States Forest Service is incontrovertibly intertwined with Seeley Lake and in particular with the Big Blackfoot Timber Sale of 1907-1910. Historian and member of the Camp Paxson Preservation Board Gary Williams has been researching that sale. The Seeley Swan Pathfinder will be bringing some of the interesting bits of information he has discovered about logging in the Seeley Lake area and also...
SEELEY LAKE - Walking on the campus of Dixie State University in St. George, Utah, Brian Bennion had the distinct impression, and a really good feeling, that becoming an English teacher would be the best choice for him. "At the time I had been debating what discipline I wanted to teach, but it wasn't until that point in time that I firmly decided to become an English teacher," said Bennion. Bennion is looking forward to bringing his love of learning, reading, research and drama to the classroom...
Seeley Lake Library News SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Library has resumed curbside service and is currently open after school on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 3:30 - 6 p.m. In accordance with local COVID-19 directives, upon arriving at the library, patrons are asked to call 677-8995 to arrange pickup of their items. If driving, library patrons are asked to stay in their vehicles. All items returned curbside or to the book drop will show as “checked out” on user accounts for a while. Items are currently quarantined a minimum of four b...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Elementary School Board approved the re-opening plan for the 2020-2021 school year at their Aug. 17 meeting. SLE will be welcoming all students back to school in person Sept. 8. Families do have the option for 100% remote learning with a deadline to submit the SLE Family Onsite instruction opt-out form to SLE by Aug. 28. The board also received resignation letters from junior high teacher Bridget Laird and sixth grade teacher Sharon Teague. They approved several hires and are still accepting applicants for one c...
SEELEY LAKE – An early morning thunderstorm Aug. 19 was a rude awaking for many in the valley but it proved to be especially rude for the Bertsch family who lives on Boy Scout Road in Seeley Lake. About 15 minutes after a lightning strike shook their house their son received a call from his friend Ben Haley informing them their shop down the road was on fire. Ben and his mom just happened to be driving by around 7:30 a.m. when he spotted what looked like smoke. He kept looking as they drove b...
Carbon County is mostly rural. Coupled with its older population, and considering the current pandemic, social isolation worries Therese Picasso-Edwards. "[Seniors] just didn't feel that they are in the county-wide loop," Picasso-Edwards, the Red Lodge Area Community Foundation program director, said. Carbon County has been working to increase mobility for senior citizens and decrease social isolation after it joined a nationwide age-friendly initiative. The county is one of two localities in...
SEELEY LAKE - At 10 o'clock at night, one member of the Kesterke family mixes together fruits and vegetables to make a healthy "sugar glider salad." The nightly snack is for their small lovable pets, their sugar gliders. They often, like their human counterparts, prefer to eat the fruit over the veggies. When they aren't asleep during the day, these small mammals jump around their cage, take an occasional field trip to explore the house or even spend time with the family in a group tent. "They...
With the uncertainty the coronavirus pandemic brings to returning to school and employment, child care has been a main point of discussion at several school board meetings and the local and state level. There are several resources available to support families, including a grant to help defray the cost of in-home care for those that cannot allow their child to participate in group settings and financial support for child care facilities. Last week ENHANCE released the results of a survey conducted of more than 3,000 Montana residents. ENHANCE... Full story
Montana State Parks is seeking public comment on 25 grant applications for Snowmobile Trail Grooming funds for the 2020-2021 winter season. The Seeley Lake Driftriders are included to receive more than $17,000. Public comment will be accepted through Tuesday, Sept. 8 at 5 p.m. The Montana Snowmobile Program, as administered by Montana State Parks, was established in the early 1970s and is an essential component of both motorized and non-motorized winter recreational activities in the state. Montana’s groomed trails provide important access a...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Sewer District Board had a marathon meeting stretching over four hours on Aug. 20. The board covered many topics ranging from a cash shortfall, potential bond election, mandating hookups, legal bills, water testing results and other regular business. District Manager Jean Curtiss informed the Board that the District has around $34,000 to operate in the coming months after paying this month’s invoices. The first half of this year’s property tax bills are not due until the end of November so the District won’t...
SEELEY LAKE – If you have been out on the lake this summer or plan to hunt this fall, chances are you will have the opportunity to meet the new game warden for the Seeley Lake area. Jake Barzen started as the new game warden in early July following Bill Koppen's retirement last year. Barzen looks forward to getting to know people in the community and working to protect the exceptional resources in the area. "I want folks to be comfortable talking to me so everyone can take part in protecting o...
SEELEY LAKE – At their Aug. 18 meeting, the Seeley Lake Fire Board hosted more than 25 members of the public who voiced their concerns, frustrations and praise for the Department. Prior to opening the meeting for public comment, Board Chair Scott Kennedy read a letter from the board that addressed concerns brought up by Alyssa McLean at the July meeting. Regarding the Fire District employee that contacted McLean’s supervisor, Kennedy said Chief Dave Lane will address the situation since it was a personnel issue. Kennedy said there is no pen...
If the early history of Seeley Lake is intertwined with the lumber industry, the rise of the United States Forest Service is incontrovertibly intertwined with Seeley Lake and in particular with the Big Blackfoot Timber Sale of 1907-1910. Historian and member of the Camp Paxson Preservation Board Gary Williams has been researching that sale. The Seeley Swan Pathfinder will be bringing some of the interesting bits of information he has discovered about logging in the Seeley Lake area and also...
Online courses for hunter and bowhunter education Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is offering online hunter and bowhunter education courses in response to COVID-19. To take the online hunter education courses, Montana students can get the free code by visiting http://fwp.mt.gov/education/hunter/ and select the course you want to take. The online courses, which are developed and administered by the outdoor education company Kalkomey, include text, videos and interactive scenarios to engage students. Students will need to pass a final test to...
Firefighters with the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, U.S. Forest Service and volunteers with Greenough/Potomac Volunteer Fire Department responded to a wildland fire burning near Clearwater Junction Monday night just before 6 p.m. The Clearwater Fire was around one acre when resources arrived and there was a live power line down. The fire was controlled just before 9 p.m. All resources were released by 9:30 p.m....
MISSOULA – The Missoula County Public School Board of Trustees approved Superintendent Rob Watson’s recommended reopening plan on a split vote at their Aug. 11 meeting. MCPS schools will reopen Aug. 26 in Phase 1 - Hybrid model and Seeley-Swan High School will reopen Sept. 1 (pending board approval Aug. 20) in Phase 2 – Modified Schedule. Students will also have the option to choose the MCPS Online Academy for 100% remote learning beginning Sept. 8 until the District reaches Phase 3. Watson presented a phased approach for a return to schoo... Full story
SEELEY LAKE – "I've taken a pie to the face, slept on the top of the school roof and was duct tapped to a wall when the students met their goals [for "I Love to Read" month]," said Seeley Lake Elementary's new Superintendent Josh Gibbs smiling at the memories. "I didn't enjoy school and definitely didn't put my best effort in. I understand that school is not everyone's strong suit and I try and reach out to those students and build those connections....It is just those little types of things, no...
SEELEY LAKE – Missoula County Sheriff's Office Sergeant Robert Parcell received the Montana Sheriffs & Peace Officers Association (MSPOA) Distinguished Career Award Aug. 17. He has been with the Missoula County Sheriff's Office for the past 38 and was nominated for the award by Missoula County Sheriff TJ McDermott. "There is not a person more deserving of this award," said McDermott. "Bob has served with honor, integrity and dedication throughout his entire career." Throughout his nearly four d...
As longtime volunteers grow older, many want to take a step back to allow for more travel and leisure time. What will volunteer organizations do to fill the void, and how can we keep older volunteers active? Many communities are struggling to find an answer. Wolf Point's Clint and Arlyss Long have been at the head of a small army of volunteers behind the Wild Horse Stampede, the oldest continuous rodeo in the state of Montana, for nearly 40 years. Along with the many challenges experienced...
Hot, dry conditions continue to dry fuels out, prompting Missoula County fire protection agencies to raise the fire danger in the Missoula area to VERY HIGH, effective midnight Aug. 18. Very high fire danger means that fires start easily from all causes, and immediately spread rapidly and increase quickly in intensity. There are no new fire restrictions at this time and outdoor burning by permit remains closed in Missoula County as well as in our surrounding counties. Residents and visitors are urged to use extra caution when outdoors due to th...
SWAN VALLEY - Flathead National Forest firefighters are working on suppressing a fire in a remote area of the Swan Mountain Range. The Lion Creek Fire was reported Tuesday, Aug. 11, burning in heavy fuels on steep slopes. The lightning caused fire was 110 acres as of Monday, Aug. 17. With the hotter, drier weather, fire managers expect to see more active fire behavior in the coming days. The fire is burning approximately one mile outside the Bob Marshall Wilderness and four miles from other land ownership (DNRC). At 10:50 a.m. Aug. 11, a...
The Missoula County Election Advisory Committee restructured its membership to include three new, at-large members. Applicants with rural representation and a knowledge of underserved communities are preferred, but not required. The online application is open through Tuesday, Sept 1. Current bylaw and membership revisions reflect the EAC’s desire to ensure all Missoula County constituents have access to vote. One of the positions reassigned was the Libertarian central committee seat, which has been vacant for years, as there is no longer an e...
POTOMAC - Potomac School is preparing for students to return Aug. 26 since remaining closed after spring break in March. Principal John Rouse presented the re-opening plan and recommendations to the School Board at their Aug. 10 meeting. They agreed to open in-person with the opportunity for parents and students to engage in online at-home learning. The board also addressed several topics regarding the re-opening plan including face coverings, athletics and the eighth grade trip funds from last year. Rouse created a Safe Learning Plan which... Full story
SWAN VALLEY – At their meeting Aug. 11, the Swan Valley School Board voted 3 to 1 to approve Principal Ralph King’s recommended guidelines for reopening Sept. 8. The Swan Valley School will begin face-to-face instruction five days a week with preschool suspended until further notice. The school is also working on an avenue for families that want to keep their child home due to the current health situation. The Opening Guidelines are subject to revision at any point should the directives from the Governor or Missoula City-County Health Dep... Full story
SEELEY LAKE – As of July 20, Gallery 83 is under new ownership. Seeley Lake resident Brandy Wyckoff looks forward to continuing to provide a space for Montana artists to feature and sell their work. She hopes to offer a diversity of art, keeping things fresh and interesting for customers. Gallery 83 opened this past May in the south end of the Lazy Pine Mall on Highway 83. The new gallery was owned by Chris Larabee and operated by his father Brian. After selling their home in Seeley Lake, B...
If the early history of Seeley Lake is intertwined with the lumber industry, the rise of the United States Forest Service is incontrovertibly intertwined with Seeley Lake and in particular with the Big Blackfoot Timber Sale of 1907-1910. Historian and member of the Camp Paxson Preservation Board Gary Williams has been researching that sale. The Seeley Swan Pathfinder will be bringing some of the interesting bits of information he has discovered about logging in the Seeley Lake area and also about the fledgling U.S. Forest Service. SEELEY LAKE...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake resident Tom Browder and his wife Carolyn Lewis installed a free library outside ReMarkable Floral Tuesday, Aug. 11. This was part of his effort to reach out to communities while campaigning for House District 92. Browder said instead of using his campaign funding to send mailers and do phone calls, he decided to use recycled materials to build "Food Bank" boxes and libraries from East Missoula to the Swan Valley. Browder, Lewis and their friends Cheri and Steve T...
MISSOULA - The Potomac Valley and Seeley Lake Trailblazers 4-H clubs participated in the Western Montana's Farm to Fair Aug. 3-8. This years results are below. 4-H uses the Danish system in the judging process. Top ribbons include grand and reserve champion, followed by a purple group (P – top in their class), blue group (B), red group (R) and white group (W – participation ribbon) according to the placing received. Potomac Valley 4-H Brayden Cooney: Market Lamb Interview, Blue; Novice She...
Free Mobile COVID-19 testing clinics available weekly SEELEY LAKE - Missoula County residents experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 or those identified by the Missoula City-County Health Department as a close contact to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 are encouraged to take advantage of a free COVID-19 Mobile Testing Clinic available in Seeley Lake and Clinton every Tuesday. Symptoms include: fever, cough, diarrhea, chills, muscle pain, new loss of taste or smell, shortness of breath, sore throat or vomiting. Missoula City-County...
SEELEY LAKE – More than 20 volunteers clipped and bagged 524 pounds of flowers and leaves of fragrant waterlilies from Salmon Lake and Placid Lake Saturday, Aug. 15 for the first annual lily removal competition "Make the Cut" held by Clearwater Resource Council. CRC Executive Director Caryn Miske was pleased with the turnout for the first event. She said CRC's goal is to hold the competition twice next year and expand to other infected lakes in the area if the community involvement is there. T...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Sewer District Board voted to stick with a market value excluding improvements method for spreading the cost of the annual District operating budget at a Special Board meeting Aug. 3. Then they set the assessments at a hearing Aug. 6. The Board held another special meeting following the hearing, where they voted to continue seeking information regarding a bond election that could change how the District pays for the proposed sewer system. At the Aug. 3 special meeting Manager Jean Curtiss presented the Board w...
SEELEY LAKE – For those traveling south on Highway 83, their arrival into Seeley Lake is now announced with a new "Welcome to Seeley Lake" sign. It was installed last week by Clearwater Mini Storage, which is listed at the bottom of the sign. Kevin Wetherell, managing partner of Clearwater Mini Storage, has been involved in the Seeley Lake Community Foundation and Seeley Lake Area Chamber of Commerce board of directors off and on over the last 20 years. He said the "Welcome to Seeley Lake" s...
Who's getting older? We all are. Yet denial, misinformation and fear often characterize this universal experience. One hundred years ago life expectancy was about 47 years. According to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, by 2050 one in five Americans will be 65 or older. Lengthening lifespans require a more informed and positive approach to aging, both for individuals and society. Ann Karpf, British author of "How We Age," said, "Each time we see an older person, we ne...
MISSOULA – While it was still dark Thursday morning, Aug. 6, Seeley Lake Trailblazer Dani Sexton was giving her steer Pickles a bath. It was the big day for him to show in the Western Montana Fair, something Sexton had being working on since purchasing him from Two Creeks Ranch this spring. He was loaded and rolling towards Missoula from their home in the Woodworth area south of Seeley Lake by 5 a.m. For the past 10 years the first week in August was all about the Fair for Sexton. However w...
SEELEY LAKE - The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation Southwestern Land Office ended last week with 17 fires--12 lightning and five human caused. All are controlled or out except for the Elevation Mountain fire, which started Aug. 8 in the BLM Wilderness Study Area southeast of Greenough. The Elevation Mountain fire is approximately 10 acres, burning in heavy timber with a lot of dead and down fuels in rough and remote terrain. Two hot shot crews, the Deer Lodge prison crew, six jumpers, and a few overhead are working to...
Summer is in full bloom. Before you take a dip in the lake this summer, state agencies are urging Montanans to know the health risks of Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs). Clearwater Resource Council received reports of possible blue-green algae in Seeley Lake. Water samples have been sent it to test for toxicity. The HAB website listed a report dated Aug. 6 that read, “No visible bloom, but a dog presented with acute neurologic signs and death in less than an hour after swimming in the river that leads into Seeley Lake. Last week a different dog s...
Governor Steve Bullock announced Aug. 6 that like the June primary, counties will be able to opt in to an all-mail voting system. He also directed early voting to be expanded based on recommendations from the Montana Association of Clerks, Recorders and Election Administrators. "The local election administrators stressed there is serious ethical concern about conducting an election under standard procedures," Bullock said in a press conference Aug. 6. "The risk of viral transmission and... Full story
MISSOULA – That last phone call someone wants to receive is from the health department identifying them as a close contact to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. However, a phone call from a someone pretending to be involved with contact tracing could not only cause undue mental stress, it could also cost money unless identified as a scam. The Missoula City-County Health Department (MCCHD) laid out the process for identifying close contacts and testing requirements to help residents d... Full story
Despite the pandemic, the Seeley Lake and Swan Lake Ranger Districts are seeing very high visitor use on roads, trails, dispersed camping sites and in the developed campgrounds. Both Districts are actively working to increase their presence to manage public safety, protect resources, work to benefit visitor experiences and accommodate the increased use they have been seeing this year. "I think it is really cool that the public is rediscovering their public lands. That is a very positive thing...
The phrase "that just makes me want to pull my hair out" has origins that go back to Egypt and Greece and the Christian Bible, but probably has most connection to an obsessive/compulsive syndrome disorder. In ancient Egypt, hair pulling was a customary part of a funeral ritual. A sculpture relief in Gizah clearly shows a man holding his arms up and pulling his hair in two opposite directions. Other reliefs and paintings show women in funeral processions plucking hairs from the top of their...
SEELEY LAKE – Everyone is invited to join the Clearwater Resource Council for its first annual lily removal competition Aug. 15 from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. at Placid and Salmon Lakes. Please register at crcmt.org by 5 p.m., Friday, Aug. 14 to ensure they have enough lunches. Teams of two are encouraged to bring their own watercraft and will be provided with the tools and training to remove as many fragrant waterlilies as possible for the free event. Any type of watercraft is acceptable, but please make sure to follow clean, drain, dry procedures to...
The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) has begun implementation of new load posting procedures on public bridges across the state as mandated by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). As a result, motorists may soon start to notice new weight limits and signs on some bridges. The postings are part of recently updated federal requirements for bridge load rating and posting. Bridge weight restrictions are required when the engineering analysis of a bridge, known as a load rating,...
The Powell County Community Foundation is accepting grant applications from non-profits throughout Powell County. The PCF awards grants, usually ranging from $500 to $2,000, for charitable purposes in the following focus areas: basic human needs, arts and culture, recreation, and economic development. The application deadline is Friday, Sept. 11. The short application form is available by writing to the PCF at P.O. Box 834, Deer Lodge, MT, 59722 or by contacting board members Kirk Sandquist, Steve Owens, Mary Ann Fraley, Claudia Dippold,...
SEELEY LAKE – Monica Tranel, a two-time Olympic rower, a mother of three, and a candidate for Public Service Commission District 4, rode into Seeley Lake to meet with members of the community Aug. 4. This was on day five of her eight day, 550-mile 406 Connect bike tour across the seven counties of District 4 in an effort to learn what powers up and connects Montana communities. "Growing up with my nine siblings in eastern Montana, our family loved spending hours on Montana's open roads on our b...
If the early history of Seeley Lake is intertwined with the lumber industry, the rise of the United States Forest Service is incontrovertibly intertwined with Seeley Lake and in particular with the Big Blackfoot Timber Sale of 1907-1910. Historian and member of the Camp Paxson Preservation Board Gary Williams has been researching that sale. The Seeley Swan Pathfinder will be bringing some of the interesting bits of information he has discovered about logging in the Seeley Lake area and also...
Sunday, Aug. 6, marked the 75th anniversary of the United States dropping an atomic bomb on the city of Hiroshima, Japan. Seeley Lake resident Cheri Thompson shared her father Ivan Odom's account of the aftermath. Odom served in the Air Force as a cargo pilot and flew C-47s during the Pacific Theater in WWII. He joined the Air Force in February, 1943 and received orders to return home in December of 1945. During his time in the Air Force Odom wrote many letters to his parents including one...
Produce boxes available at Seeley-Swan Community Food Bank SEELEY LAKE – Thursday, Aug. 13 at 4 p.m. there will be produce boxes available at the Seeley-Swan Community Food Bank, next to the multi-purpose room at Seeley Lake Elementary. There is a limited number of boxes available and will be distributed on a first come, first served basis. Veterans Memorial Gardens preparing for new kiosk SEELEY LAKE – In preparation for the new kiosk, some of the arches at the Seeley Lake Veterans Memorial Gardens north of Seeley Lake have been removed. The...
SEELEY LAKE – As of Tuesday, July 21, Missoula Emergency Services Incorporated (MESI) and Life Flight Network will no longer automatically respond when an Advanced Life Support (ALS) call is dispatched in the Seeley Lake Fire District. Instead, MESI will respond as mutual aid resource when requested and Life Flight will be on standby. Seeley Lake Fire Chief and Paramedic Dave Lane requested the change to automatic dispatch that has been in place for more than 30 years. “In my mind, these are changes that are going to reduce public safety iss...
CHOTEAU - Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks on Monday still had five grizzly bear traps east of Choteau where a grizzly mauled rural Teton County resident Shanun Rammell on July 27, but a ground and air search has failed so far to find the bear. Rammell, who was hospitalized at Benefis Health System in Great Falls, was bitten on both hands, his forearms, his shoulders and his back and sustained scratches, gouges and puncture wounds. He underwent surgery to repair the damage to his right hand. He...
Could senior cooperative housing, a model gaining popularity in states with aging populations, be the solution to alleviating social isolation and population loss in Montana's rural small towns? In Montana's rural counties, where demographic trends show large numbers of young people leaving for the state's fast-growing urban areas, the need for elderly housing solutions is going to become increasingly important. These communities are losing population and growing older. But many seniors in...
SEELEY LAKE - Racers clad in wetsuits waited patiently under the starting arch of the Youth For Christ Seeley Lake Challenge Triathlon on Aug 1. The race, located on the River Point Campground and parts of Boy Scout Road, featured triathletes from all across Montana. "I'm just glad we were able to give people an opportunity to choose to race if they wanted," Race Organizer Cheri Thompson said. "A lot of people trained for races and they have not had any outlet." Thompson said the event was not g...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Foundation is proud to announce the recipients of the 2020 SLCF Scholarship. Hunter Shelmerdine, Lily Mercer and Chance Johnson each will receive $500 towards university expenses. These students had to learn how to navigate their freshman year of college during a very unusual time due to COVID-19. Shelmerdine graduated as valedictorian of the Seeley-Swan High School Class of 2019. He is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering at Mo...
POTOMAC – Two political signs promoting Trump for President were defaced with spray paint last week in Potomac. Both signs are visible from Highway 200 and were on private ground. One was lit and the lighting was also vandalized. The Missoula County Sheriff's Office reminds the public that political signs are private property. If a sign is stolen, it can be reported as theft. If a sign is defaced or vandalized, it is considered criminal mischief. If the land is posted with "No Trespassing" s...
SEELEY LAKE - Friday, July 31, the National Park Service recognized the Seeley Lake community as a participant in its Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Sustainable Community Partnership Program. The Program celebrates Seeley Lake historic connection to Lewis and Clark’s 1803 expedition, known popularly as the Corps of Discovery expedition. In order to qualify for this designation, the National Park Service requires that a community demonstrates its connection to the Corps of Discovery and that the connection is showcased and celebrated i...
MISSOULA – The Lolo National Forest protection area received over 300 lightning strikes from storms on the night of July 30. Firefighters responded to and rapidly contained four small fires across the Forest since the storm. Although firefighters were able to effectively contain and control these fires, fire officials would like to remind the public to remain vigilant and cautious with the persistent hot and dry weather. The Lolo National Forest remains in HIGH fire danger. As of July 30, there have been 44 small wildfires on the Forest; 38 h...
SEELEY LAKE - On Friday, July 24th, a ROCKS work party spent 50+ hours on the new “Lakeview” trail just north of Placid Lake State Park. This work-party improved drainage on the trails that ROCKS constructed last August-September and pulled weeds. This is the second time this summer that the “Youth In Restoration” group associated with the Missoula County Weed District has helped ROCKS with the Lakeview trail. In June 25 volunteers from this same group pulled weeds along the trail. Last fall ROCKS scheduled three different weed-sp...
In a normal year politicians running for office are often speaking to potential voters, canvassing neighborhoods and holding fundraisers. But with COVID-19, local candidates have to try to connect with voters without seeing them in person or at least in large crowds. "You don't have the audience, you don't have the ability to meet one-on-one with a lot of people or address groups, and you cannot attend meetings," said Missoula County Commissioner candidate Alan Ault. Without face-to-face...
MISSOULA - 4-H Club members across the area are having a busy week for the 2020 Western Montana Fair. This year's Fair situation presented unexpected challenges and will hold a unique place in history. The theme, "Farm to Fair," is a timely tribute to the importance of agriculture during moments of crisis. When one door closes, a window opens. For safety reasons, the general public will not be allowed to attend the Fair this year or access the Fairgrounds. Instead, the Fair will be available onl...
Since the COVID-19 pandemic has precluded travel and large-scale gatherings, the Montana Historical Society’s 47th state history conference entitled “20/20 Vision: Looking Clearly at the Past” will be held online during a two-month period. The programs range from a presentation on the 1779-1784 smallpox pandemic to a behind-the-scenes tour of our collection. This free conference is supported by funding from the Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation. Much of the program will be posted online for later viewing and Zoom links to all sessi...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake Elementary Superintendent Josh Gibbs shared SLE’s proposed reopening guidelines Friday, July 31 via video. He emphasized this plan is fluid and will change based on the state and local restrictions and case counts in Missoula County. These guidelines will be included in the reopening plan that will be presented and approved by the SLE School Board at their meeting at 5:30 p.m., Aug. 17. Gibbs said the guidelines utilized the best information and guidelines currently available from the Center for Disease Control, Mis... Full story
SEELEY LAKE - When she started her first coffee shop in 2005, Jackie Callison did not think her business would be where it is today. Now, she has three coffee kiosks in small towns in western Montana, the most recent addition located in the parking lot of the Bison and Bear Center. Her goal is to consistently be there for her customers, always offering great coffee and a place for employment to locals in the community. "It just happened to come up a couple of months ago and I jumped on it and I...
Editor's Note: This story was reprinted with permission from the Upper Swan Valley Historical Society and the Forder family SWAN VALLEY - I had brought the pack string out of the Little Salmon just before the start of hunting season in about 1971 or so and had stopped at what was called at that time the Swan River Tavern or Liquid Louie’s for a cold beer and a couple bottles of Packer Gas and Cowboy Pop. Mame Haasch was tending bar and asked me if I had a cook hired for the hunting camp. I said “no.” She informed me that Blanche Huston was l...
Editor’s note: Hugh Archibald was introduced last week in the Seeley Lake Timber Sale 1907-1910 series. Hugh Archibald of Clearwater dropped into the land office yesterday to see about advertising some lands. “First time I’ve been to a post office for nine months,” he remarked. “Yes, I’m pretty old; they used to tell me a long time ago that I’d be dead before now, but I ain’t – I ain’t dead a bit.” The pleasant countenance and friendly smile of Chief Clerk Adams seemed to invite the old man’s confidence and he rambled on. “I haven’t been dow...
Seeking volunteer to help monitor AIS on Brown’s Lake For the past few years, Blackfoot Challenge has partnered with the Clearwater Resource Council and Swan Valley Connections to monitor lakes for the presence of aquatic invasive species. CRC is taking the lead on monitoring this year, and they are looking for an individual with a boat who would be willing to take CRC’s Big Sky Watershed Corps member out to collect plankton tow net samples during the month of August. If you plan on boating Brown’s Lake next month and are interested in helpi...
SEELEY LAKE – Since July 6, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks has removed four mountain lions that were living in Seeley Lake around the high school. FWP Wildlife Conflict Specialist Eli Hampson believes they were orphaned siblings, between eight and ten months old. He said their removal was necessary for public safety. One June 16, a Seeley Lake resident on Spruce Street reported that his dog was taken by a mountain lion after it was let out in the middle of the night. Hampson said in mid-June there were also reports of a large group of mountain...
MISSOULA - From photography to market animals with a bit of everything in between, 4-H clubs in Potomac and Seeley Lake have their projects ready for the 2020 Western Montana Fair Aug. 2 - 8. All animal projects will be shown by the 4-H members and judged before and during fair week. However, the public is not allowed to attend due to COVID-19. Judging of non-animal projects will take place during fair week in the exhibit building without public attendance. The Livestock sale will be Aug. 8 for...
PLACID LAKE - Dark wetsuits and orange spears floated above the water of Placid Lake July 25 as members of the Missoula-based spearfishing club joined forced with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, the Clearwater Resource Council and the Placid Lake Cabin Owners Association in hopes to find and kill any northern pike hiding in the water. After five hours of searching, nobody was able to spot the invasive species. "Today went overall pretty good. We didn't find any pike," said Missoula-based...
It is not hard to associate aging adults with limited technological knowledge, nor is it difficult to understand that teens can jump onto a new device with ease. And anyone can understand that tech support in the form of automated chats or lengthy phone calls can lead to more stress than solutions. "Do we really need any more apps in the world right now?" Trish Lopez asked herself as she listened to other people pitch at a startup incubator in Albuquerque, New Mexico in 2015. Lopez's own contrib...
SEELEY LAKE – At the July 16 Seeley Lake Sewer District Board meeting, Missoula City/County Health Department Environmental Health Specialist II Jim Erven told the Board that if the proposed sewer system were scrapped by the voters in the District, there would be a government response of some kind. “One thing that will not be acceptable is a do nothing option,” said Erven Erven felt the need to make a statement at the Board meeting after the Health Department saw the agenda item considering putting the proposed sewer to a vote of the elect...
SEELEY LAKE - The Lolo National Forest Supervisor has signed the Record of Decision for the Center Horse Project Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The Center Horse project includes restoration activities and road treatments to improve water quality, restore or enhance fish and wildlife habitat, and conserve and improve soil resources. The project will also set the transportation network within the project area to meet public and administrative needs. The project area is in Missoula and Powell Counties on the Seeley Lake Ranger District. It...
A large slide across the Shanley Creek Road (FS 602) was reported last Friday. The Seeley Lake Ranger District closed the gate for safety purposes and is working on a plan to address the slide area. More information will be available soon. The District appreciates the public's patience. For more information call the District, 406-677-2233....
The Montana Governor’s Grizzly Bear Advisory Council has updated its consolidated draft recommendations report and it is posted online: fwp.mt.gov/gbac. The council will review all public comments on the July 17 and July 24 versions of the document at the same time. For those who commented on the July 17 version and have a similar comment to share regarding the July 24 version, there is no need to resubmit the comment. The public is invited to provide comments on the two documents through the close of business Aug. 4. The council will m...
SEELEY LAKE – At the Seeley Lake School Board meeting July 20, new superintendent Josh Gibbs presented options for returning to school, suggested staff changes following the resignation of Jama Mauldin and Rachel Bemis, discussed transitional kindergarten and addressed SLE equipment and check out options. Reopening Plan Gibbs presented a phased reopening plan that he’s developed incorporating input from regional superintendents, the governor’s office, the Montana School Board Association and local health officials. “It is always adjusti...
SEELEY LAKE – At their July 21 meeting, the Seeley Lake Fire District Board welcomed two new members to the department and learned about a shift in dispatching procedure with Missoula Emergency Services, Inc (MESI) and Life Flight. They also heard from a member of the public who questioned the professionalism of the department staff. Nathan Bailey and Marcelo Gonzalez were sworn in as members of the department after finishing their probation. "This welcomes you to our family," said Chief Dave L...
If the early history of Seeley Lake is intertwined with the lumber industry, the rise of the United States Forest Service is incontrovertibly intertwined with Seeley Lake and in particular with the Big Blackfoot Timber Sale of 1907-1910. Historian and member of the Camp Paxson Preservation Board Gary Williams has been researching that sale. The Seeley Swan Pathfinder will be bringing some of the interesting bits of information he has discovered about logging in the Seeley Lake area and also abou...
Loving Hearts temporarily closed SEELEY LAKE – Due to the increase of COVID-19 cases in Missoula County, Loving Hearts is temporarily closed for the safety of the volunteers and the community at large. If you need items please call Mission Bible Fellowship 406-677-2110 or Mary 406-670-5526. Donations are not being accepted at this time. Thank you for your understanding. Seeley Lake Elementary Outdoor and Enrichment programs suspended SEELEY LAKE - Due to spiking COVID cases in Missoula County and in an effort to minimize potential community s...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Sewer District Board covered a wide range of topics at their July 16 meeting. They signed a resolution recommitting to move the project forward while considered a different method of financing, discussed appealing the denial for attorney’s fees in the lawsuit against the District and reconsidered the annual fee assessment methodology. The District also received an invoice from Beal Law Firm for nearly $15,000 for the lawsuit filed and then withdrawn on behalf of the District against newly elected President Tom Mor...
On Thursday, July 16, Governor Steve Bullock issued a directive requiring face coverings in certain indoor spaces and for certain organized outdoor activities in counties currently experiencing four or more active cases of COVID-19 in an effort to slow the spread of the virus in Montana. Missoula County was ahead of the statewide mandate making a county-wide mandate requiring face coverings a week earlier on July 9. However, there are some differences in the directives that affect how businesses, managers of public spaces and individuals are... Full story
"His mobile home was not livable," said Missoula Aging Services (MAS) Resource Specialist Linda Howard, about a client she worked with in Seeley Lake. This was not a problem Howard or MAS had the resources to address directly, but she knew people who did. With the help of a local church, community service organizations and neighbors, the client was moved into a new mobile home at no cost to him. This story is not unique in Montana, where neighbors help neighbors and communities take care of...
GREAT FALLS - The Seeley Swan Pathfinder was printed for the last time at River's Edge Printing on the Goss Community press in Great Falls Tuesday, July 14. River's Edge, owned by Gannett, shuttered their print facility after printing since 2006. The Pathfinder has been printing with them since 2014 and will now be printed in Helena....
According to NASA, the NEOWISE comet is 64 million miles from Earth and will be visible in the northwest sky, just below the Big Dipper until July 23. For more information about the comet and where to look visit https://www.nasa.gov/feature/how-to-see-comet-neowise....
SEELEY LAKE – Tracy William Merritt, a 59-year-old man from Helena, died after the motorcycle he was driving struck a deer on Highway 83 near Rice Ridge Road Monday, July 13 around 4 p.m. His wife, who was riding as his passenger, sustained non-life threatening injuries. Both were wearing helmets. According to Montana Highway Patrol Trooper Philip Smart, Merritt was driving south on Highway 83 with his wife. As they approached the intersection near Rice Ridge Road, a deer came into the road. Smart said he announced to his wife that there was a...
SEELEY LAKE - Construction for the Smokes Cabin bridge replacement project will begin at the end of July and last through Sept. 1. The Smokes Cabin bridge crosses the North Fork of the Blackfoot River via Hobnail Tom Trail #32 at milepost 3.1. The current bridge has reached its appropriate lifespan and needs to be updated. During construction, the bridge crossing will be closed for public safety. The District’s goal is to complete the project ahead of the majority of hunting season. Trail #32 will remain open for use. Outfitters and the g...
MISSOULA -Douglas-fir trees throughout western Montana are being damaged by an outbreak of Douglas-fir tussock moth (DFTM). Damage is particularly notable throughout Missoula, Kalispell and along Flathead Lake. The Montana Department of Natural Resources (DNRC) and the USDA Forest Service are currently monitoring the scope and extent of damage. DFTM are voracious feeders that can cause alarming damage to trees, but a virus naturally builds up by approximately the third year of an outbreak and...
Governor Steve Bullock directed $75 million from the Coronavirus Relief Fund to Montana K-12 schools to cover expenses incurred due to COVID-19 and take precautions to keep students and staff safe this fall. This includes nearly $140,000 to elementary schools in Potomac, Ovando, Seeley Lake and the Swan Valley and more than $1.5 million to Missoula County Public High Schools. “We know that our schools, along with teachers, administrators and parents, are tackling so much to prepare for students to return to some normalcy this fall. Things w... Full story
POTOMAC – It was a 1975 Centennial knife made by Gerber that inspired Potomac resident Owen Tyler to pursue knife making. "I was looking at it and the blade wasn't even made straight," said Tyler. "I thought for that price [$99] I can make a knife better than that." Tyler has made more than 400 knives since he started making them in 1987. While the biggest challenge and most time consuming part of making a knife is filing the blade even on both sides, it is satisfaction in the handmade, f...
MISSOULA - Missoula County Public Schools plans to bring back students for the Fall 2020 semester. In the July 14 board meeting, officials addressed what the district can do to keep students in the classroom without furthering the spread of COVID-19. Plans will be finalized in August before students return to school. “We are committed to some type of in-person learning,” said MCPS Superintendent Rob Watson. MCPS published guidelines for students to be back in classrooms based on Gov. Steve Bullock’s Safe and Healthy Schools in Montana plan,... Full story
SEELEY LAKE – A few weeks ago a group of Seeley-Swan High School students put out a survey to gauge interest in a skatepark in Seeley Lake. Now that they have 125 signatures and a list of interested parties, spokesman Walker McDonald, SSHS junior, said they are excited to continue exploring the idea. The group is on the agenda to present at the Seeley Lake Community Council's September meeting, Sept. 14. "We want to build a skatepark in Seeley Lake because it will give a lot of kids a reason t...
SEELEY LAKE - Jenifer Flannery has been helping her family, friends and neighbors run errands, organize, clean and manage their home and businesses. After helping a few of her close friends and seeing the needs that people have in the area, Flannery decided to put her passion for helping others to work. She opened Artarose, a professional, affordable, customized service for house management, personal assistant and concierges services, to meet the demands of everyday living. "With everything...
SEELEY LAKE – At the Seeley-Swan Hospital District meeting July 14, Partnership Health Center (PHC) executive director Laurie Francis gave her normal report and offered further explanation regarding dental services at the Seeley-Swan Medical Center. The board also received an update on the proposed RV Park and welcomed new board member Georgiann McCoy. Francis explained that almost every dental intervention is an aerosolizing procedure that spreads droplets all over. While manual cleanings can be done that is not the way it has been done. In l...
SWAN VALLEY – The Swan Valley School Board discussed their options for returning to school in-person in the fall at their July 14 meeting. They agreed to solicit teacher, parent and community input via a survey before making their decision in August. In other business, they hired C&K Custodial owned by Chris and Kellie Auchenbach to do the maintenance and cleaning duties at the school and renewed Principal Ralph King’s and secretary Katie Gleason’s contracts for the 2020-2021 school year. The main point of discussion was the 2020-2021 schoo... Full story
The "Goddess foot of the mountain" flowers are found throughout the area in spring and summer. They have been admired for their beauty and collected for centuries. Cypripedium montanum perennial flowers are commonly known as a type of lady's slipper plant which is part of the orchid family. Known as the Slipper orchids, these native orchids can be found in a variety of habitats including grassy meadows, small openings, tucked under conifer trees, in cool damp glades and even prairies. There are...
Swan Lake Huckleberry Festival canceled SWAN LAKE - Following receipt of the latest mandates from the Governor’s office, members of the Swan Lake Chamber and Community Club voted to cancel the 2020 Festival scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 8. The decision was made to ensure the health and safety of the members of the Swan Lake community. Festival chairs Lesly and Terry Olsen will be contacting all arts and crafts and food vendors to make arrangements concerning their vendor application fees. For additional information contact the Olsens at 8...
MISSOULA – District Court Judge Leslie Halligan denied the Seeley Lake Sewer District’s motion for award of attorney’s fees against Don Larson but granted the District its Verified Bill of Costs totaling $510.24. Halligan declined to rule on a motion by the Plaintiffs to disqualify the District’s attorney Jon Beal. Halligan dismissed the lawsuit that was filed by Larson in June of 2018 on May 21, 2020. Approximately a week after the case was dismissed, Beal filed a motion to award attorney’s fees. In the order denying attorney’s fees, Halli...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Community Foundation presented more than $65,500 to the Change Your Pace Challenge's 15 participating organizations at an intimate ceremony July 8. The check presentation is usually done at the Seeley Lake Community Foundation's annual banquet in August, which was canceled this year due to coronavirus. The Change Your Pace (CYP) Challenge is a campaign for community-wide giving that was started five years ago by the Foundation. During the month-long fundraising p...
SWAN VALLEY – For the past 23 winters, Mike Holmes has been starting a fire every morning at the Hungry Bear Steak House at 6:30 a.m. Every winter he brings in 30 cords of firewood for the Hungry Bear and the Gordon Ranch. This winter he can relax a little bit after he and his wife Sue sold the Swan Valley restaurant and retired July 1. The Holmes agreed to be successful business owners in the Valley, they had to invest a lot of time in the restaurant, working it and being there. While Mike won'...
SEELEY LAKE –Kody Kelley of Seeley Lake plead not guilty May 28 to a felony charge of theft of property exceeding $1,500 by embezzlement. According to charging documents, on March 21, Seeley Lake Volunteer Fire Foundation President Michael Richards stated that Kelley, the Foundation’s treasurer, used the Foundation’s debit card for personal purchases and money withdrawals. Kelley had been the Foundation’s treasurer since February or March of 2018. When Kelley stopped providing financial statements and coming to the Foundation’s meeting,...
MISSOULA - Warmer, drier conditions have tilted the scales in fire danger from Moderate to High. Recent lightning storms have ignited a dozen fires in the area but since grasses in the forest remain green and fuel moistures in larger forest fuels remains high, initial attack has kept all of those fires less than 1/3 of an acre in size. Human-caused fires are the major point of emphasis for wildland fire managers. Fire danger at lower elevations are more likely to spread in valley bottoms as grasses begin to cure. There has been a significant...
KALISPELL – USDA Forest Service Chief Vicki Christiansen recently honored The Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation, the nonprofit partner that coordinates with the Forest Service in stewardship of the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex, with the Chief’s 2019 “Enduring Service” award. In total, more than 73 nominations in five categories were considered nationally for the 2019 USDA Forest Service Volunteer and Service Award that recognizes public contributions to citizen stewardship & partnerships, cultural diversity, enduring service, and leaders...
SEELEY LAKE – Multiple bridge and culvert replacement projects are in progress or scheduled to begin within the next 2-3 weeks on the Seeley Lake Ranger District. Temporary road closures will be in place for public safety due to heavy machinery operations and temporarily impassable road segments in the project areas. “We thank the public for their patience and understanding as we work on these critical repairs,” said Quinn Carver, Seeley Lake District Ranger. “These repairs will ensure recreational access and long-term road integrity as well...
SEELEY LAKE – “There was a lot of dead timber and dead trees standing and it was quite a mess,” said Sandi Pisauro during a presentation about the Clearwater Resource Council’s Fuels Mitigation Program. “We knew right away we wanted to get something taken care of.” The Pisauroes moved onto three and a half acres on the Double Arrow last summer and received a grant to help mitigate their fuels. They worked with logger Jaylund Rammell and completed the project in about three months. “It worked so well and the property looks fabulous,” sa...
MISSOULA - The Missoula City-County Health Department board voted unanimously to require facemasks in every indoor public space in the county at their July 9 meeting. They received over 4,000 comments from the public before the hearing, of which roughly half were processed. The processed comments showed 80% support for the initiative. The ruling goes into effect immediately and makes face masks the new normal as coronavirus cases continue to rise across the county and Montana. “Our cases are up and they continue to go up, our number of c...
Tens of thousands of businesses and nonprofit organizations across Montana have benefited from the Paycheck Protection Program, a massive federal effort that has routed billions of dollars into subsidized bank loans intended to help small businesses keep workers on payroll during the economic disruption prompted by the coronavirus pandemic. Data released this week by the U.S. Small Business Administration provides the first detailed accounting of the businesses aided by the program, indicating...
SEELEY LAKE – With the COVID-19 regulations limiting vendors at farmers markets and closing fairs and festivals, craft vendors have been "left in a lurch." However the restrictions did not stop local craft businesses Montana Girl, Obsession Pottery and The Stubborn Moose from finding a creative solution. They opened a new cooperative named "Handcrafted in Seeley Lake" in the Filling Station Mall. They offer a fun, unique selection of locally handcrafted items and classes for the community and v...
If the early history of Seeley Lake is intertwined with the lumber industry, the rise of the United States Forest Service is incontrovertibly intertwined with Seeley Lake and in particular with the Big Blackfoot Timber Sale of 1907-1910. Historian and member of the Camp Paxson Preservation Board Gary Williams has provided information about that sale. The Seeley Swan Pathfinder will be bringing some of the interesting bits of information he has discovered about logging in the Seeley Lake area...
In 2010, the Whitehall Senior Center, an activity and meals hub for seniors in Whitehall, was trying to unload a bus and a van it had been using to transport its patrons and residents of a nearby assisted-living home. The Montana Department of Transportation had designated the center that area's agency to provide state-funded public transportation for seniors and people with disabilities. But the center was finding the state's reporting system and other requirements too cumbersome. Dick Gustin,...
Over his 29 years working in Glacier National Park, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) research ecologist Dan Fagre has seen a lot of changes. Even as the pressures of climate change encroach upon this mountain region, Fagre and other scientists see boundless opportunities for research and education. Fagre and other members of the USGS Climate Change and Mountain Ecosystems (CCME) Program focus on alpine climatology, snowpack, snow avalanches, alpine vegetation, and glaciers for most of their...
Seeley Lake Library closed for renovations SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Library will be temporarily closed for curbside service beginning the week of July 13 due to renovations taking place at Seeley-Swan High School. The public will be notified as soon as the library reopens. Thank you for your patience and support. Seeley Lake Water District closed to general traffic SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Water District Office is open to the public by appointment only. Please call 677-2559 to make an appointment. Masks are required. Seeley Lake R...
MONTANA – Governor Steve Bullock today issued a directive requiring face coverings in certain indoor spaces and for certain organized outdoor activities in counties currently experiencing four or more active cases of COVID-19 to slow the spread of the virus in Montana. Governor Bullock issued the directive to require businesses, government offices and other indoor spaces open to the public to ensure that employees, contractors, volunteers, customers and other members of the public wear a face mask that covers their mouth and nose while r... Full story
As Montana enters into July, the 2020 fire season is expected to put the state’s prevention and containment capabilities to the test. Not only is the current climate being compared to years like 2017 but officials are also working to present the spread of the coronavirus between firefighters and camps. “Fundamentally COVID is just another twist we go through when assessing our fires,” said Seeley Lake District Ranger Quinn Carver. “[The season] probably won’t be a lot different. You still don’t know where the fire will start and you don’t k...
SEELEY LAKE – It was just another day for John Devins out practicing with his little league team at the Seeley Lake Elementary baseball fields until SLE superintendent John Hebnes came out and encouraged him to apply for the maintenance position. With a degree in education, teaching experience and working as a carpenter for almost 20 years, Devins applied for the opportunity and was hired more than 20 years ago. He will close the door on this chapter as he retires July 8. "I have been g...
As dusk approached Seeley Lake's Fourth of July, Tamaracks Resort owners Jessica and Jeff Kimmel waited patiently as the first ever fireworks show that they put on for the community was about to begin. "Right at 10:30 p.m. all the boats on the water started honking their horns and we armed the barge, punched in the code and hit go," said Jessica. "And 28 seconds later it went off." The display went off without a hitch. In past years the Seeley Lake Area Chamber of Commerce hosted the official...
SALMON LAKE - To land a northern pike that is half as long as one is tall is definitely an accomplishment. Ten-year-old James Hocking of Butte, Montana did just that while fishing on Salmon Lake over the Fourth of July weekend. When Hocking set the hook, the pike went straight to the bottom and nearly took him with it. His step-mother Samantha grabbed him and the rod and kept him in the boat while netting the fish. His grandparents Norm and Charmin Bernstrauch of Seeley Lake were there for the...
MISSOULA - Warmer, drier conditions recently have tilted the scales in fire danger from Low to Moderate, indicating the start of fire season in Montana. Even though grass is green, the primary indicator of fire danger is the dryness of dead fuels. In response to the move to Moderate fire danger, Missoula County is closing Outdoor Burning by Permit, effective Tuesday, July 7. There were thousands of burn permits activated in Missoula County since outdoor burning by permit was opened in March. Missoula County Fire Protection Association agencies...
Missoula County is planning to resurface portions of Holland Lake Road, Frontier Drive, Canyon Drive and Placid Creek Road. The project is scheduled to begin Monday, July 13, though scheduling will be dependent on the Montana Department of Transportation’s contractor for a separate project on Highway 83. Missoula County will receive millings from the MDT project on Highway 83. MDT’s contractor will deliver millings to the four county roads and Missoula County Public Works Road Division will then place and compact the milled material along the...
Less than three years have passed since the fires of 2017 and the Lolo National Forest is still making significant steps toward recovery in areas impacted by severe wildfire. Working in close partnership with the National Forest Foundation (NFF), a national nonprofit partner of the U.S. Forest Service, crews have completed planting of over 240,000 Ponderosa Pine and Western Larch seedlings across the Missoula, Seeley Lake, Superior and Plains-Thompson Falls Ranger Districts located in Missoula, Mineral and Sanders counties. Planting occured...
In 1949 you could buy some pretty powerful fireworks, fairly cheap compared to today’s prices. A big choice of all kinds of roman candles, buzz bombs with metal propellers, you had to be very careful where you set them off. They usually went straight up, but sometimes they didn’t and would scoot along the ground until they hit something solid. If a person was in the way they could be hurt pretty bad. There was a piece called a serpent, when you set that off it went thru the air slithering like a big snake, leaving a big string of sparks beh...
POTOMAC - During the June 29 school board meeting via Webex, the Potomac School Board approved a series of policies that will give the school district the flexibility to address whatever conditions and/or requirements the school district will face in August as they prepare to return to school for the 2020- 2021 school year. Potomac School Principal John Rouse said, “Our intention is to provide quality in-person classroom instruction unless required to do otherwise by the Governor’s office, the health department or our local school boa... Full story
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Volunteer Fire Foundation pancake breakfast kicked off the Fourth of July activities in Seeley Lake. Even though they modified a few things to accommodate with the Health Department regulations surrounding the coronavirus, the community still had the opportunity to start their celebration with the traditional pancake breakfast. In the afternoon, Highway 83 was empty but a new boat parade was launched thanks to the organizational efforts of Tamaracks Resort. The...
Last week in Graying Pains, the Missoulian's David Erickson examined the introduction and implementation of Kaigo Hoken, or care insurance, in Japan, the world's demographically oldest country. This week's conclusion of that story explores how a similar policy might translate to Montana, the oldest state in the American West. A full 13% of Montanans are in their 60s, and the "baby boomer" generation is nearing or entering retirement age. Care for the elderly will become an increasingly pressing...
Lions Club firewood raffle winner SEELEY LAKE – Phil Hauck won this year’s Lions Club Firewood Raffle. Lion Boyd Gossard said the fundraiser went very well and they appreciated everyone’s support. Health Department considers mandating masks indoors, July 9 The Missoula City-County Board of Health will convene a special meeting on Thursday, July 9 from 12:15 - 2:15 p.m., to reviewing a proposed mask rule. Requiring masks would be to reduce the spread of the pandemic disease COVID-19 by increasing the use of face coverings among people in indoo...
SWAN VALLEY - While a few things like the huckleberry ice cream, annual book sale and displays in the Community Hall were missing, Swan Valley's Fourth of July activities continued on. With one of the only parade in the state, the Swan Valley American Legion Post #63 sponsored event was a lot of family fun followed by a barbecue sponsored by Condon Community Church and the O-Mok-See, games on horseback. The celebration ended with what was called a "great display" of fireworks over the...
SWAN VALLEY - While a few things like the huckleberry ice cream, annual book sale and displays in the Community Hall were missing, Swan Valley's Fourth of July activities continued on. With one of the only parade in the state, the Swan Valley American Legion Post #63 sponsored event was a lot of family fun followed by a barbecue sponsored by Condon Community Church and the O-Mok-See, games on horseback. The celebration ended with what was called a "great display" of fireworks over the...
SWAN VALLEY - While a few things like the huckleberry ice cream, annual book sale and displays in the Community Hall were missing, Swan Valley's Fourth of July activities continued on. With one of the only parade in the state, the Swan Valley American Legion Post #63 sponsored event was a lot of family fun followed by a barbecue sponsored by Condon Community Church and the O-Mok-See, games on horseback. The celebration ended with what was called a "great display" of fireworks over the...
MISSOULA - The Missoula City-County Health Department board voted unanimously to require facemasks in every indoor public space in the county at their July 9 meeting. They received over 4,000 comments from the public before the hearing, of which roughly half were processed. The processed comments showed 80% support for the initiative. The ruling goes into effect immediately and makes face masks the new normal as coronavirus cases continue to rise across the county and Montana. “Our cases are up and they continue to go up, our number of c... Full story
With an influx of visitors and coronavirus cases entering the Fourth of July weekend, the Missoula City-County Health Department asked event coordinators to be cautious on what is one of the busiest holidays in Seeley Lake. Though events are looking different than previous years, the county is excited with how the community of Seeley is handling the pandemic. “We have actually really good interactions with folks and they clearly care about doing the right thing with their community,” said Alisha Johnson, Health Department Public Inf... Full story
Despite some Western Montana Fair event cancellations, 4-H and Future Farmers of America (FFA) members are still able to exhibit their projects but without spectators due to COVID-19 risks. Missoula County Fairgrounds Events & Operations Manager Billie Ayers and Fairgrounds Director Emily Brock together with the Fair Office partnered with the 4-H, FFA and Missoula County Commissioners, sponsors and volunteers to support the 4-H and FFA organizations in their ability to show at the fair. "We are...
SWAN VALLEY - Condon resident Linda Howard joined the Missoula Aging Services (MAS) in 2016 and currently works as the organization's Resource Specialist in the Seeley Swan area. Many of the skills she relies on in her work with MAS she attributes to her four-year stint in the United States Air Force. After graduating from Louisiana's Tulane University with a master's degree in Health Systems Management and Hospital Administration, in 1981 Howard joined the United States Air Force. She looked...
"This was a tough decision for Alpine Artisans to cancel the Loon and Fish Festival this summer," stated AAI Program Manger Jenny Rohrer. "The Festival was scheduled for the first weekend in August, featuring a major art show and sale, Soup Bowl Food Bank fundraiser, live music and scholarship raffle, but in consultation with our volunteers, we decided to play it safe and come back again next summer. We couldn't live with bringing even one case to our community". In a normal summer, AAI's 2...
SEELEY LAKE - After decades of working for others, Lynda and Kevin Mickelson decided it was time for a change. The newly retired couple opened Trail Creek Merc on June 28, a one-stop-shop for gifts, in the Bison and Bear Center. "I think that our personal mission on this is to be doing something that we want to do and enjoy," said Kevin. The Mickelsons grew up together in Missoula and in the summer they spent time in the valley with family. They both graduated from Loyola Sacred Heart in 1979....
SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley Library is still offering curb side service to patrons who have a hold on a library item or who want to borrow a chrome book for use outside the library. Patrons can request books from the Library’s shelves by phoning 754-2521. The request will be brought out to them. WIFI is available both inside and outside the library at all times. Books are now transferred between most of the Missoula Public Library branches so patrons can place holds on books which can be picked up at Swan Valley Library. To place holds, visit...
The Fourth of July is an excellent time to get outside with family and friends and recreate on the Lolo National Forest. With more people out recreating, the Seeley Lake Ranger District is asking people to do their part when it comes to wildfire prevention. “We are expecting another busy Fourth of July weekend on the Seeley Lake Ranger District,” said Quinn Carver, District Ranger. “We have had record numbers of visitors in our campgrounds this summer. As we head into another holiday weekend on the District, we are asking people to recre... Full story
SEELEY LAKE - A Seeley Lake resident’s dog was killed by a mountain lion early Wednesday, June 16 off of Spruce Street. The last mountain lion sighting in the area was reported almost a month prior, but Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Cougar and Bear Management Specialist Eli Hampson said they are quite common in the area. “There’s a lot of deer in town for food, and there is a healthy lion population in the area as well as deer and elk,” Hampson said. He added, “I can’t tell you how often the lions are going through town like that but I...
MISSOULA - Two Missoula area restaurants announced via their Facebook page last week that they would close after an employee test positive for COVID-19. Paradise Falls voluntarily closed upon hearing from the worker and has been cooperating fully with the Missoula City-County Health Department’s investigation. The investigation is moving swiftly and employees who have been identified by the Health Department as close contacts to the infected co-worker are being interviewed, quarantined and scheduled for testing. The Staggering Ox was n... Full story
This is part 1 of a two-part story about financing elder care in aging populations. Part 2 - what new strategies could Montana explore? - will be published next week. Montana, the oldest state in the western United States, faces many of the same problems as Japan, the world's oldest country. Might there be solutions for Montana from what looks to be a successful experiment enacted two decades ago to help pay for elder care in Japan? On April 1, 2000, a new law in Japan began the world's largest...
We often wonder how our founding fathers could have written the phrase "all men are created equal" while simultaneously sanctioning and supporting slavery. A close look at the changes made in the various drafts of the Declaration of Independence reveals a struggle to try to accommodate those two ways of thinking. The Declaration of Independence started with a rough draft created by Thomas Jefferson. It took him almost three weeks to craft it. He then submitted his work to the other members of...
Lorentz named to spring Deans’ List at Nebraska LINCOLN, NEB. - Elizabeth “Ibby” Lorentz of Seeley Lake was named to the Deans’ List for the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln for the spring semester of the 2019-20 academic year. Lorentz, a junior biological sciences major, earned a grade point average of 3.7 or higher. Nearly 7,500 students at Nebraska have been named to the Deans’ List for the spring semester. For the full Deans’ List, visit https://go.unl.edu/deanslist-spring20. Weekly COVID-19 update As of Ju...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Sewer District held a special meeting June 22 to take action on issues stemming from their attorney resigning from his position as the Board’s business counsel. They also discussed and voted to withdraw a lawsuit initiated by the District and filed on June 12 against newly elected Directors Tom Morris and Jason Gilpin. The meeting started out with a discussion on what was on the agenda and what was not. On the District’s website, information for the meeting listed several actions the Board may take, however, the a...
OVANDO - A cycling T-shirt hung for the first time on the side of Kathy Schoendoerfer's store, the Blackfoot Angler. On a normal year, hundreds of bike-packers, racers and cycling tours would have already passed through Ovando. However, this year they are only a trickle. "It is not like they all spend a lot of money, especially in my shop, but they can pick up a T-shirt. It's just little things," said Schoendoerfer who manages the Ovando Improvement Fund. "They will visit the museum and make a...
As businesses and schools closed because of the coronavirus, Blackfoot Communications had to keep up with the new booming demand of people working from home, while Seeley-Swan High School also addressed a lack of computers for their students. Not only did Blackfoot increase broadband for people in the Seeley-Swan Valleys but they also connected students who did not have online access or a laptop at home. “We are still trying to dig out of loads of work. We only have so many technicians and we are doing our best,” said director of ope... Full story
Wildfire prevention personnel and first responders have been encountering a high number of unattended campfires this spring across public lands within Missoula County. Even though mild spring conditions have ushered in wet, cool conditions, campfire safety should always be followed to prevent wildfire. Campfires should be kept smaller than 3 feet in diameter, and optimally be contained within an existing metal ring at a designated campground or other established site. If campers are enjoying a...
SEELEY LAKE - The Change Your Pace (CYP) Challenge runs through 5 p.m. June 30, leaving under a week to increase the power of a donation to your favorite local cause(s), with the help of the CYP Match Fund. The Seeley Lake Community Foundation's fifth-annual CYP Challenge is a campaign for community-wide giving, celebrating the people and organizations that make our community great. Fifteen local organizations are participating this year, raising money for local projects during this month-long f...
SEELEY LAKE - Alpine Artisans has received $5,000 through Humanities Montana’s CARES grant program. This rapid-response funding provides general operating support to cultural organizations in the state that have been affected by the COVID-19 health crisis. “AAI is thrilled that Humanities Montana’s has recognized the important role that rural organizations play in building and maintaining the cultural and literary life of small town Montana. AAI’s In the Footsteps of Norman Maclean Festival and Open Book Club literary events will benefit...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Library will resume limited curbside lending services on Tuesday, June 23. In order to protect community members and Library staff from COVID-19 transmission, and in consultation with Missoula City-County Health Department, the following practices will remain in place for the foreseeable future: REQUESTING MATERIALS: Library users may call 677-8995 to request materials. Calls will be taken Tuesdays – Thursdays, 10:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Please allow 24 hours for processing of requests. As in the past, you will be not... Full story
A Bozeman man who landed a helicopter in the Bob Marshall Wilderness in May has paid the maximum $500 fine, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said June 16. Samuel L. Schwerin, 48, of Bozeman, received the notice for the violation, a federal misdemeanor, after landing a helicopter on the South Fork of the Flathead River in the Bob Marshall Wilderness on May 16. The U.S. Forest Service investigated the incident after receiving a report on May 19 by a person traveling on horseback and who saw a helicopter parked on a gravel bar on the South Fork of the...
SEELEY LAKE - Rain fell onto the blue and white umbrellas keeping the Johnson's Homegrown stand dry for the Sunday, June 21 Farmers Market. The stand was the only vendor at the market, a rare sight when last year the entire lot of the Seeley Lake Community Foundation would be filled by merchants and customers. "[The Missoula County's] regulations for farmers' markets were for produce only, so that is what we started with," said Carla Schade, Seeley Lake Community Foundation board member and...
SEELEY LAKE – At their June 16 meeting, the Seeley Lake Fire District Board of Trustees approved pay increases for Fire Chief Dave Lane and District Administrator Lynn Richards. Captain Michael Richards also shared details about the Fire Foundation Pancake breakfast that is scheduled on the Fourth of July in compliance with the Missoula City-County Health Department regulations. Lane proposed a seven percent raise for Lynn Richards. This is twice the increase recommended by Missoula County and would be nearly a $2,500 increase for the year. R...
SEELEY LAKE – COVID-19 has infected not only our bodies but also our language. Three interesting new words arising from the pandemic are doomsurfing (and its companion doomscrolling) and infodemic. Whether or not Kevin Roose originated the phrase doomsurfing, he certainly offers a vivid definition of it in his New York Times April 20, 2020 article: “I’ve been doing a lot of this kind of doomsurfing recently — falling into deep, morbid rabbit holes filled with coronavirus content, agitating myself to the point of physical discomfort, erasing any...
Last week's Graying Pains story explored the challenges of family farm succession as Montana's agricultural demographic ages, and a program designed to connect up-and-coming farmers in western Montana. This week's installment explores the same issue - and a community college proposal to address it - near the state's eastern border. * * * * * GLENDIVE - Not everyone who is interested in agriculture grows up on a farm, and without the skills and experience, finding your way into a family farm...
SEELEY LAKE - Erika Wilson knew in the back of her mind there was no way Mission Bible Fellowship's Vacation Bible School summer camp would be able to happen this year. Instead, she opted to create a smaller, more personal camp in her own backyard. "Kids have a hard enough time keeping their hands to themselves, period," Wilson said. "I felt we have to do something different." Normally the church holds a vacation bible school in its normal building, which brings about 100 campers and...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Elementary School board discussed hiring and hired some of the proposed summer and kitchen staff positions at their June 15 meeting. They also approved several contracts and agreed to add preschool/transitional kindergarten funding and recreation equipment to the agenda for the July meeting after they were brought up during public comment. At the start of the meeting, Chair Kyle Marx addressed the nine letters submitted to the board regarding the recent teacher reassignments to different grades. A special board m...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Sewer District Board held a meeting June 15 where it seated its newly elected Board members, elected new officers, selected the market value approach to spreading assessments to pay for the administrative budget and set a new time for regular meetings. The Board also discussed hiring a new attorney for its regular business. Directors Tom Morris and Jason Gilpin who were elected in May were seated at the meeting. They were not sworn in during the meeting because Morris and Gilpin had already completed their Oath o...
SEELEY LAKE - Runners stretched, filled up their water bottles, and did practice laps to prepare for three different length versions of the Bad Bob race, put on by the Mountain Trail Series June 20. The 10, 25, and 50K launched from the Seeley Creek trailhead and sent trail runners from Morrell Creek over the top of Rice Ridge. "Today has gone by and everything seems smoother than normal," said race organizer Chris Stout. "The route is a little different but to be honest the race is pretty much...
Weekly COVID-19 update As of June 22, there are 734 cases of COVID-19 in Montana. There are 163 active cases, 89 hospitalizations with 13 active, 550 recoveries and 21 deaths in Montana due to COVID-19 complications. Missoula County has had 49 cases and one reported death. For the most up-to-date and accurate information and best ways of protecting yourself and others, please refer to the Missoula County-City Health Department website http://missoula.co/cvirus or call 406-258-INFO (4636) Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Other resources inc...
SEELEY LAKE - Fishermen and women braved the weekend weather to finish out the annual Mr. Pike tournament June 13 and 14. Though less than 10 teams fished the event, it was still a celebration. "It is just about us friends coming out and having fun while trying to beat each other," said organizer DJ Harris. "Just another fishing trip." Harris, who with teammate LeeRoy Walz, finished first in the tournament with a total of 37.8 pounds including the largest fish of the tournament weighing 8.6...
SEELEY LAKE – When the Seeley Lake Area Chamber of Commerce canceled the community Fourth of July parade and fireworks due to COVID-19 restrictions, owners of the Tamaracks Resort Jeff and Jessica Kimmel decided to throw a celebration. “We knew the rules that the Chamber would have to follow in order to provide safe social distancing per the governor’s directive and that it was impossible for them to comply,” wrote Kimmels in an email. “In trying to bring people together and offer solutions to the problem, we did the research to see what woul...
The 68-year-old old poultry farmer pointed out the hen houses he built decades ago, providing details of each wooden tenement's residents. Hugh Spencer built the hen houses and accompanying grain bins, which look like high-density housing for chickens, shortly after he and his wife Viki purchased the land in 1981. Spencer's 48-week-old hens are kept in the northernmost house. The pullets (or young hens) are kept in the center house. The veteran, 90-week-old hens huddle together in the southernmo...
POTOMAC - Signs and banners decorated the highway in front of Cullys and along Potomac Road in celebration of the Potomac School graduating classes of 2020. Both the kindergarten and eighth grade graduations had to comply with Missoula County Public Health Department rules regarding social distancing and disinfection. The events were by invitation only and were held outside. On Thursday evening, June 11, nine Potomac School kindergartners graduated. The ceremony was held in the athletic field...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley-Swan High School is upgrading its pipes over the summer after discovering a high concentration of lead back in 2017. The project, made possible by a $400,000 grant, will replace all the domestic water piping entering the high school. “It is huge first off from a safety standpoint,” said SSHS Principal Kellen Palmer. “Everyone who enters our building, whether that’s students, staff, or community guests, will have peace of mind knowing everyone can go drink out of the drinking fountain and not have to worry.” The new pipes...
With the unexpected arrival of a pandemic, thousands of Montanans are out of work. For many, it could be the first time navigating the government’s policy on unemployment or business support funding. The Pathfinder looked to answer questions raised by changes in state and federal unemployment benefits, as well as members of the community. The following questions and answers were researched through the Montana Department of Labor and Industry and The Missoula Job Office. Questions appear in bold followed by the answer. History of how unemploymen... Full story
The Blackfoot Board of Trustees was pleased to award a total of $31,500 in academic scholarships to 46 outstanding students residing within the company’s Montana and Idaho rural service territories. The scholarship recognizes students who have demonstrated academic success, as well as a commitment to bettering their community. Blackfoot’s scholarship fund is intended to support pursuits in higher education. Congratulations to our all of our recipients! Local scholarship recipients from District 1 (Condon, Seeley Lake) and District 3 (Avon, Ell...
SEELEY LAKE - DJ Benton, of Seeley Lake, rode towards Mount Morrel on his 47th birthday May 10 with a goal to match his miles traveled to years lived. While he watched the trees and mountains pass him by on his ride, he discovered a herd of elk. "It was fantastic. They weren't sure what to make of me," Benton said. "[Biking] makes me humble because you slow down. Me being a rookie cyclist, I am not fast anyway." The nurse practitioner recently got into cycling to stay in shape during the...
SEELEY LAKE - Korinne Treser and Ashly Berentsen each received $1,000 college scholarships this June from Grizzly Claw Trading. The scholarships are funded through the sales of used books donated by the community, friends and Grizzly Claw Owners Dee and Susan Baker. This year marked the "going over" of the $9,000 mark since the fund was started. The goal was to pass the $10,000 mark this year but the COVID-19 shutdown made that impossible. Treser will be attending Montana Tech this fall. She...
POTOMAC – Potomac Principal John Rouse set up a classroom with six feet between desks, hung signs as reminders about handwashing and hand sanitizer use and had a package of masks available to use for the June 8 school board meeting. This was an effort to visually show the board what returning to school in the fall could look like as they launched into the Montana School Boards Association (MSBA) 1900 Series Knowledge-Based Decision-Making Template. In other business, the board approved signing the annual lease with the Potomac Greenough C...
April 29, 2020... It was so hot out today, my body felt like it was burning because I haven't experienced heat like that since summer. Oh how I miss summer. I miss those long nights sitting around a campfire eating those gooey, but delicious s'mores. Having family and friends come over, barbecuing steaks for dinner. I told myself that those times will come again... once all this blows over. Today, my mom and I went to get our favorite drinks at our local coffee shop - Chai tea with oats milk... Full story
Don Larson has spent the last 22 winters fishing and cruising off the Central America coastline. Due to the coronavirus, both Larson and his partner Rosie Strope ended up staying out on the open waters a lot longer than expected. "This year we got down and got our boat ready to go, got out there and they closed all the borders," Larson said. "We were marooned for three months!" According to the news company Reuters, many Central and South American countries opted to close their borders as early...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley-Swan Hospital District received updates from Partnership Health Center’s new chief medical officer and discussed the community artwork on display at their June 9 meeting via conference call. As of April 1, Dr. James Quirk was hired as PHC’s new Chief Medical Officer. He has done site visits as well as has seen patients in Seeley Lake since starting at the Medical Officer. He said that the staff at the Medical Center has been doing an excellent job and has helped lead the way for PHC with their thoughtfulness on how t...
SEELEY LAKE - When program director of the Montana Mrs. America pageants Cindy Archer canceled the statewide competition due to the coronavirus, she remembered talking with Jessica Kimmel about a new outdoor venue at the Tamaracks Resort. Months later, Miss Montana for America and the Mrs. Montana 2020 competed and were crowned in Seeley Lake June 13. "So we are so lucky and blessed to be in Montana," Archer said. "The event place was spread out in open air and the cabins provided a place to...
SEELEY LAKE - Terry Antonich spent his youth on Lake Inez, and hoped one day he would be able to find a career in Seeley. So when Dick Lewis decided to retire from Rent-All, Antonich took over. "Having always wanted to own my own business and putting myself in a financial position to take advantage of a business opportunity, I jumped on the opportunity to purchase an established business in Seeley Lake," said Antonich. Antonic graduated from the University of Montana in 2000 with a degree in...
MISSOULA - The Missoula County Public School District released guidelines about students returning to class for the fall semester. Notably, the District is putting Seeley-Swan High School in a different category from the other schools. “Seeley-Swan High School, Willard Alternative Learning High School Program and Jefferson Early Learning Center have smaller student populations and will be able to host more students in a face-to-face instructional setting,” the MCPS press release said. As MCPS prepares for students to be back in class in Aug... Full story
Montana State students named to spring semester 2020 honor rolls BOZEMAN — Montana State University has announced its undergraduate honor rolls for spring semester 2020. There are two MSU honor roll lists, the President’s List and the Dean’s List. To be eligible for the lists, students must have earned at least 12 college-level credits. This honor roll list was current as of June 11 and includes all registration corrections or grade changes processed to that date. The 2,439 students with a perfect 4.0 grade point average for the semester were...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Sewer District filed a lawsuit Friday, June 12 against newly elected board directors Thomas Morris and Jason Gilpin seeking to stop the pair from taking any steps that may interrupt the ongoing sewer project. Despite filing the lawsuit three days prior to their June 15 board meeting, there was no notification or discussion of it at the meeting. The 77-page Verified Compliant with 16 pages of attachments was filed by District board attorney Jon Beal and verified by board President Pat Goodover. Goodover’s notarized... Full story
SEELEY LAKE – “People think of our country as being rich because of natural resources such as timber and gold,” said fashion designer Liz Claiborne at Salmon Prairie School’s eighth grade graduation in 1988. However she pointed out, we also enjoy something more important, “brains - educated kids. Educated children are a true natural resource…Montanans will all benefit if children are encouraged to pursue a good education” The late Liz Claiborne and Art Ortenberg invested in education in the Seeley-Swan Valleys by funding several programs incl...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Sewer District Board passed a budget for the 2021 fiscal year at their June 4 special meeting that is a little more than double last year’s budget. They tabled the decision on how to spread the assessment over the landowners. In other business the Board didn’t take action to authorize the project to go to bid because there are still a handful of things that are incomplete. District Manager Jean Curtiss presented the Board with a proposed budget between $224,329 and $283,329. The $59,000 difference was what was b...
SWAN VALLEY - John Stark's handcrafted, larch, 26 X 40 foot log house built in 1939 is located on a little more than two acres near Cygnet Lake in the Swan Valley. The use of locally available materials allowed the Stark house to complement its forested and rural setting and it still retains a high degree of integrity and stands as a sterling example of a simple, yet exceptionally well-constructed, log building reads the application for a place on the National Register of Historic Places Its...
SEELEY LAKE - The Fat Hippie Dispensary noticed new faces come into the store after the start of June. The recent influx of non-regulars could be tied to a new state law that allows medical marijuana cardholders to freely choose where to purchase their medicine. "Patients deserve to be free to shop to meet their needs and we are excited that is finally going to happen," said owner Terry Lucke. "It opens up a lot of possibilities for people to shop wherever they want, whenever they want." In...
MISSOULA - University of Montana's 'Main Hall' shined gold on June 6 to represent the Seeley-Swan High School Class of 2020. The lighting was a part of an eight-day celebration for graduates in Missoula County. Alongside main hall, the "M" was illuminated at dusk, which featured streaks of sunlight after a rainy day....
Individual(s), identifying themselves as law enforcement specifically deputies from the Missoula County Sheriff’s Office, are calling residents and stating that money is owed, they must pay immediately or be arrested. Victims are then asked to provide information related to personal banking or other payment methods to pay the bill. Missoula County Sheriff’s Office, or any law enforcement agency, will not call and request banking or credit card information over the phone. If you receive a message stating that it is the Sheriff’s Office and y...
MISSOULA - The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) bought 4,480 acres in the Lower Blackfoot River drainage from The Nature Conservatory (TNC) , which secures permanent public access to the land. The purchase was within the Upper Belmont Creek landscape, roughly 25 miles northeast of Missoula, and was part of the TNC’s Clearwater Blackfoot Project. The purchase used $3.4 million from the Land and Water Conservation Fund. The new acquisition helps stitch together what had been a patchwork of interspersed public and private land. This combines w...
SEELEY LAKE – Busy campgrounds across the Seeley Lake Ranger District are experiencing an uptick in bear activity prompting Forest officials to remind visitors to be “Bear Aware” and store food and other attractants properly. In the past two weeks, multiple bear sightings have occurred at Big Larch and Seeley Lake Campgrounds. At times, bears have come within 10 feet of humans and dogs, they have been spotted investigating tents, vehicles and coolers looking for food rewards. No injuries to humans or pets have occurred. “We are working with ou...
As Montana's aging population continues to grow (18.9% of Montanans are now 65 or older), rural residents face the same aging challenges as their urban counterparts but often with fewer resources. A low-cost, high-benefit strength-training program offered through Montana State University Extension may be one solution for how seniors living in small towns can access a fitness program that will help them age well. The StrongPeople program helps participants of any age increase their joint flexibil...
SEELEY LAKE – While delayed for a month due to the coronavirus, the annual Cakes for Canines donation breakfast was a huge success again this year. All proceeds support Paws Up Safe Home Animal Shelter in Potomac. "People were very generous," said Operator Hazel Tyler. "We saw a lot of friends and saw a lot of people that we hadn't seen because of COVID-19. Everyone seemed to have a good time, I know I did." In addition to the pancake, bacon and egg breakfast, there were items to bid on and a ra...
SEELEY LAKE – Built 80 years ago, Camp Paxson, on the southwest shore of Seeley Lake, has been a confluence of natural, cultural and commercial history hosting a summer camp for boy scouts and various other youth organizations, events and schools. This year it returns to a historical use, opening its doors to welcome firefighters. In the early 1940s, it was the place were conscientious objectors trained to be smokejumpers. Today, it is lodging the Seeley Lake Ranger District fire crew in l...
This spring, area students received degrees and were recognized on university Dean’s Lists for academic excellence. University Graduates The University of Montana had 1,863 students who are degree candidates for spring semester 2020. Samuel Aldeen of Condon received a Bachelor of Arts: History. He graduated magna cum laude with a GPA of 3.7-3.83. Kaila Olson of Potomac received a Bachelor of Arts in Education: Elementary Education. Olson graduated cum laude with a 3.4-3.69 cumulative GPA and was on the President’s List for the spring sem...
Each year, Missoula Electric Cooperative awards 15 $1,000 scholarships to local students who are working to achieve their educational goals in Montana. This year four area students received a regular scholarship: Amy Ostertag, University of Montana (District 5 - Seeley Lake / Condon); Rachel Bemis, University of Montana (District 5 - Seeley Lake / Condon); Lars Erickson, Hellgate High School (District 6 – Helmville / Ovando/Potomac) and McKoy Gebhardt, Helena High School (District 6 – Helmville / Ovando/Potomac). Trenton Crowe, Highlands Col...
SEELEY LAKE- The Veterans and Families of Seeley Lake (VFSL) said they are preparing to replace the current veterans' memorial off Highway 83 before Veterans Day 2020. The plan is to replace the existing wooden signs with a more long-lasting structure in the same location. "[The current name plates] are wood plaques, and every year we have to [restore] them, or at least part of them," said VFSL member Darryl Wolery. "The longer they are in the weather the less time they will stay nice." The...
SEELEY LAKE - "This was a dream come true but a dream I never knew I had," said Sarina Gilpin, new owner of Deer Country Quilts. "If you would have asked me 10 years ago, I would not have thought this is what I would want to do with my life." Gilpin, who has worked at the quilt store since 2014, looks forward to carrying on the legacy of quilting in the valley and continuing to be a destination quilt store. Her mission continues to revolve around customer service and providing a safe place for...
MISSOULA – Fourth Judicial District Court Judge Robert L. (Dusty) Deschamps, III denied a Writ of Mandamus that would have forced the Missoula County Elections Administrator (EA) to approve two citizens’ initiative petitions for collection of signatures. Attorney Colleen Dowdall filed the petition for the Writ in January of 2020 on behalf of a pair of landowners in the Seeley Lake Sewer District, Don Larson and Tom Morris. The two citizens’ initiative petitions in question were filed with the EA in 2019 with one filed by SLSD resident Frann...
SWAN VALLEY - "You were top shelf. You looked out for younger kids at the school and we appreciated everything you brought to the table this year," said Principal Ralph King about the eighth graders to a handful of close family and friends at the Swan Valley School eighth grade graduation ceremony June 2. Each graduate was able to invite nine guests to the in-person ceremony. While it was different that previous years, where the whole community shows up to support the students, many of the...
MISSOULA - The Bureau of Land Management’s Missoula Field Office, in partnership with Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks, is asking for public comment on a proposal to allow overnight and/or multi-night float trip experiences at four float-in sites along the Blackfoot River. No float-in sites currently exist on BLM-managed lands, and only a few sites exist on private or other public lands. Collaboration over recreation on the Blackfoot River has existed since the 1970s with the development of the Blackfoot River Recreation Landowners agreement a...
SEELEY LAKE - Fourteen kindergarten students were promoted to first grade this year at Seeley Lake Elementary after they met all the requirements for kindergarten....
Miss and Mrs Montana 2020 at Tamaracks Resort June 13 SEELEY LAKE – The community (age 12 and older) is invited to come and watch the Miss Montana 2020 and Mrs Montana 2020 Pageants at Tamaracks Resort Woodland Venue Saturday, June 13 at 5 p.m. Everyone is asked to be seated by 4:30 p.m. and it is a suggested donation of $20 for Seeley Lake residents. All proceeds will support the pageant. For more information follow the Tamaracks Resort’s Facebook page Free Mobile COVID-19 testing clinics available weekly SEELEY LAKE - Missoula County res...
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks and Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation released their decision regarding the Removal and Remediation of Elbow Lake Dam Project May 26. Instead of demolishing the dam as originally proposed, they instead will defer taking action for the time being and leave the structure to naturally degrade. “As stated in the draft Environmental Assessment (EA), the dam is illegal as it lacks the necessary authorization and accompanying water rights, and it is highly unlikely that those could be obtained i...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Area Chamber of Commerce's Visitor Center will not look the same this year. After two years separated from the Seeley Lake Historical Museum and Visitor Center locally known as "the Barn," the official Visitor Center returned to the Barn May 29 and will be managed by the Seeley Lake Historical Society. The Chamber is running remotely. In the past, the Chamber ran and staffed the Visitor Center in the Seeley Lake Historical Museum and Visitors Center. The Chamber...
SEELEY LAKE - "Don't bring in a rocker - I don't need those kinds of things," Pearl Hawkins told Seeley Lake Elementary preschool teacher Sheila Devins on her first day as a foster grandparent. "I'm going to get down in the beanbags with the kids." Sixteen years later, "Grandma Pearl," nearly 78, is the longest-serving foster grandparent in Missoula County, having volunteered more than 17,400 hours in the preschool classroom. Hawkins laughed when she said she missed her calling as a preschool...
SEELEY LAKE – "When we toss these caps and hang up these robes, we will leave this place behind and find our own way," said Salutatorian Ella Batchelder highlighting the different paths she and her classmates will pursue following graduation. "We are resilient. We are the class that was born during 9-11, started sophomore year evacuated from our homes in the smoke of the Rice Ridge Fire and finished our schooling in Seeley Lake during a pandemic. We've got this." Adaptable, resilient, c...
Did you know the CARES Act allocated $1.25 billion just to Montana? This is IN ADDITION TO other funding Montanans have access to, like the SBA money (including the PPP and EIDL), unemployment money (including new availability for sole proprietors and independent contractors, plus $600/week extra for all) and the $1200 stimulus checks to individuals! And, did you know that Montana’s $1.25 billion in COVID-19 funding must be spent by the end of the calendar year? That’s great news during this stressful time, because this means more money wil... Full story
National Forests and Grasslands throughout the Northern Region, including the Lolo and Flathead National Forests, will continue to offer free firewood and other forest product gathering for personal use for the remainder of 2020. Starting June 1, the Forests are requiring the public to obtain a hard-copy permit in order to track harvesting and communicate important wildfire safety and collection information. "As the impacts from COVID-19 continue to be felt across the country, we remain committe...
At a press conference May 28, Governor Steve Bullock and the state of Montana prioritized preparing highly transited ‘destination communities’ for higher amounts of tourists as the state loosened interstate travel restrictions as a part of its Phase Two reopening plan. This includes adding additional resources for community testing and contact tracing in high-visitation communities, as well as an informational campaign to educate visitors on responsible travel and a grant program for small businesses across the state to implement safety mea... Full story
MISSOULA - On Thursday, May 28, the Missoula City-County Health Department amended local orders to embrace the Governor’s requirements for Phase 2, which take effect June 1. Missoula County offices will begin to reopen to the public with precautions in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Starting Monday, per Governor Bullock’s directive, gyms, fitness studios, pools, restaurants and bars can move to 75% capacity providing that they can maintain six-foot distancing. Restaurants and bars can increase the number of people seated at tab... Full story
KALISPELL - Last month, the Flathead County Resource Advisory Committee and USFS Northern Regional Office approved fee changes for 12 rental cabins and the Spotted Bear and Lindbergh Lake campgrounds in Flathead National Forest. The changes come as part of a regional effort to better align prices with the services and amenities the areas provide. Most existing rental fees at Flathead National Forest have not been changed for over 15 years, with some dating back to 1999. The public was first notified about this proposal in 2017 with an early opp...
SWAN VALLEY – "Loss changes everything. Your way of life, your hopes, your dreams, your normal and your faith," wrote musician, teacher and video producer Katie Wright of the Swan Valley. Wright has transformed her love of music and God into a tangible connection that she hopes offers blessing and hope to others. After producing her initial film "The Gift" in 2017 she has expanded, creating four more productions each with their own motivation and purpose. Her most recent film, "Seek and Find" w...
SWAN VALLEY - Swan Valley School graduated four eighth graders June 2 in a closed, in-person ceremony. The students shared their favorite memory, someone who had impacted their lives at school and their teacher Colleen Harrington wrote a little about them....
SEELEY LAKE - The bear in front of the Grizzly Claw Trading Post on Highway 83 has been refurbished in an effort to signify a 'rebirth' to local businesses. Seeley Lake resident and woodworker Tom Flannery spent eight days last month sanding and refinishing the iconic bear. "When things look run down people feel run down," said Flannery. "We need to take a little pride in our town." Flannery encourages everyone to utilize the resources they have and do one thing to visually brighten up town – w...
PLACID LAKE - During routine monitoring in early May, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks discovered a northern pike in Placid Lake. The Fish and Wildlife commissioners declared at their May 28 meeting that the fish must be killed and reported when caught. “We are seeing too many of these,” said Commissioner Tom Aldrich. “We’ve got to take every reasonable measure we can to figure out what’s going on and halt what’s going on with that fishery in Placid Lake.” According to FWP, the goal of the kill order is to find the pike’s origin, populat...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Elementary eighth grade graduates were recognized June 2 through a video that was posted to the SLE website and Facebook page. Below, some of the graduates shared their favorite memory from SLE. Their teachers Patti Bartlett and Bridget Laird also offered them best wishes for the future....
GREENOUGH - Multi-colored cones lined the grass outside of Sunset School as the teachers recognized their students for finishing out the unexpected school year. Roughly 10 families gathered under summer dusk Friday, May 29 to watch. "We are thankful that we are still able to come together to celebrate what you have learned and accomplished each school year," said teacher Toni Hatten. For the 29 students, parents and teachers in attendance, the ceremony was the first time the group was able to...
CORRECTION SEELEY LAKE – In the Seeley Swan Pathfinder article, “Annual assessment may double,” published May 28, 2020, the cost of Pyramid Mountain Lumber, Inc.’s share of the Seeley Lake Sewer District’s tax bill was incorrect. Pyramid’s sewer tax bill doubled from approximately $10,000 in 2018 to approximately $20,000 in 2019. If the proposed administrative budget is passed and the assessment method stays the same, it will more than double again this year. The administrative budget and assessment method will be discussed and adopted at...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Sewer District Board discussed a plethora of topics at its May 21 regular meeting including more than doubling the annual District operating budget, project updates, hiring a new attorney, drilling new test wells and performing an income survey. The meeting was recessed in the middle to hold a public hearing on a grant application for Phase 2 of the collection system. As the meeting started President Pat Goodover asked the directors in attendance, including newly elected but not seated directors, their thoughts o...
SEELEY LAKE – Friday afternoon Seeley Lake Elementary staff Toni Sexton, Suzie Teafoe and Janina Bradley hung banners recognizing the eighth grade graduates at SLE on the fence facing School Lane. "We have known some of these kids since they were in preschool. It just doesn't feel right to not somehow honor them," said Teafoe. "Even if it is in just this small, little way." Missoula County Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist Shannan Sproull said ever since schools have been closed and g...
SEELEY LAKE - A Seeley man was convicted of repeatedly raping a 15-year-old minor in 2018. Roy William Wickum, 38, plead guilty to the charges of sexual intercourse without consent and sexual assault and will serve 30 years with 20 suspended, according to the charging documents, for each count. Wickum reportedly abused the minor between May and August of 2018 and again in March of 2019, according to the filed complaint. Missoula county prosecutors said Wikum repeatedly groped, assaulted and raped the girl over that period of time. According to...
SEELEY LAKE - Due to the uncertainties of the coronavirus pandemic many of the activities for the Fourth of July in Seeley Lake have been canceled. However the Seeley Lake Volunteer Firefighter Foundation is working with the Missoula County Health Department and hopes to be able to still offer their pancake breakfast. The Fourth of July parade and fireworks show, sponsored by the Seeley Lake Area Chamber of Commerce, averages 5,000+ people. Many visitors come together from all over the United States for the events. The Chamber decided to...
The sound of taps echoed over the traffic passing on Highway 83 as veterans and community members gathered at 11 a.m. Monday, May 25 at the Seeley Lake Veterans Memorial Gardens to honor the fallen. "For those that gave the ultimate sacrifice, I have the greatest respect and appreciation for their contribution and sacrifice and we are proud to honor them today," said Veterans & Families of Seeley Lake President Barb Knopp. "Take the time, not just on Memorial Day, but every day to take a moment...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley Lake's Joel Roesner drew the winning raffle ticket May 19 at Deer Country Quilts for the quilt made by LaRee Morris. Morris started the quilt raffle in January to help Roesner cover expenses. Roesner drew Seeley Lake resident Connie Betson's ticket for the quilt. The raffle raised $400 for the Roesners....
Enjoying your work is one of the greatest feelings a person can have. I questioned what job was right for me but I think if there is any that I can truly appreciate it is the one I have now. I am just two semesters into college and 19 years old. Yet in my short time at the University of Montana, my interest in journalism developed quickly. It took just a week in Missoula before I found myself as the student newspaper sports reporter. While my stories did not reach a large audience, I saw how...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Foundation's Change Your Pace (CYP) Challenge is a campaign for community-wide giving, celebrating the people and organizations that make our community great. During this month-long fundraising period, June 1-30, the CYP motivates community members to give to their favorite participating local nonprofits and community groups, knowing the impact of their gift will grow thanks to the CYP Match Fund. Fifteen local organizations are participating this year,...
SEELEY LAKE – The issue of when directors terms end and when to seat newly elected directors reared its head again in a special meeting May 21 that was held ahead of the regular meeting and also spilled into the regular meeting. The special meeting had just one item, litigation strategy, under new business on the agenda. Director Beth Hutchinson questioned how the meeting was scheduled on 48 hours notice explaining that the by-laws require 80 percent of the directors to agree to it. She said she was not asked. District Manager Jean Curtiss expl...
MISSOULA – District Court Judge Leslie Halligan threw out Don Larson’s lawsuit against the Seeley Lake Sewer District on May 21. The order came in response to a motion by the District’s attorney Jon Beal seeking to dismiss the case due to the plaintiffs providing inadequate responses to discovery and missing multiple deadlines. Beal successfully argued that the plaintiffs’ actions or lack thereof were abusive and a bad-faith litigation tactic that prolonged the lawsuit to a severe disadvantage to the District. The District has repeate...
SEELEY LAKE - Over the past three months, Pyramid Mountain Lumber has made some major upgrades in its production line. Despite the uncertainty in the economy due to the coronavirus pandemic, Pyramid just finished the $1.5 million second phase in the three-phase project. As a part of a three-phase plan, the 70-year-old company installed an automated tray sorter system in the second stage. After lumber was scanned, graded and trimmed by the GradExpert, an automated grading system that came online...
On March 12, a collaboration of 16 Montana newsrooms launched the first story of a series titled Graying Pains, months in the making, exploring Montana's status as the demographically oldest state west of the Mississippi. The next day, Montana Gov. Steve Bullock announced the state's first four documented cases of COVID-19. If you read, watch or listen to Montana media, you know what happened next. The collaborating newsrooms responded by doing what newsrooms do best, immediately dispatching...
It looked like a lot of senior gatherings: a chatty group of folks, mostly in their 70s and 80s, with friends and family in a church basement, dining on quiche, pastries, fresh fruit and other goodies. There was plenty of laughter and a strong sense of camaraderie. But there was something special happening on a January morning at Kalispell's First Presbyterian Church. This was a celebration by volunteers and members of the recently launched My Glacier Village, Montana's first and only chapter...
Montana will lift its 14-day quarantine for out-of-state travelers as the state transitions to phase two of the Reopening the Big Sky plan on June 1, Gov. Steve Bullock announced Tuesday. Lifting the quarantine will coincide with a likely June 1 opening of Montana’s gates to Yellowstone National Park in West Yellowstone, Gardiner and Cooke City, Bullock said. Yellowstone’s Wyoming gates opened to travelers on Monday, May 18. The lifting of the quarantine was not initially considered part of phase two but Bullock said he decided to lift the qua... Full story
A follow-up test has confirmed a positive case of chronic wasting disease in a white-tailed deer buck that was euthanized in Gallatin County this month after displaying several classic symptoms of the disease. The deer, which was found in the Springhill area north of Bozeman, represents the first confirmed case of CWD in the county. CWD was first detected in Montana in 2017. Since then, FWP has closely monitored the prevalence and distribution of CWD through targeted surveillance and sampling efforts. The disease is now known to exist across...
SEELEY LAKE – With three newly elected board members seated at the Seeley lake Elementary School Board May 19, two letters of resignation were accepted and all teacher contracts were approved despite two being recommended for nonrenewal by Superintendent Daniel Schrock. Since one of the nonrenewals was for the preschool teacher, the board discussed offering preschool next year. They agreed they all wanted to see it available and requested more information regarding funding options to be presente...
The Seeley-Swan High School Class of 2020 will be having an invite-only graduation at 1 p.m., Sunday, May 31. This will be live streamed online from the school's website (https://www.mcpsmt.org/seeleyswan) and on the "Seeley-Swan High School Activities" Facebook Page. The community is invited to a drive-through celebration in the SSHS parking lot at 1:45 p.m. The graduates will be spaced out. The community is asked to remain in their cars to ensure social distancing. Thank you to the parents,...
SEELEY LAKE - Though his plans for the future were not set in stone, Sam Weisenburger knew he would go into service leadership. Now with high school wrapping up, he decided to become an Army officer. "I learned that you can always have a plan but make sure you are flexible to change," said Weisenburger. "There's a certain point when you realize it's about taking it in and understanding that you'll do better." The Seeley-Swan High School senior was appointed to go to school as a cadet at West...
SEELEY LAKE – “Gratitude and deep appreciation…This sums up the feelings of students that were awarded scholarships and youth grants from Alpine Artisans over the last thirteen years,” read the opening of an article written by Alpine Artisans, Inc. Executive Director Martha Swanson in fall 2007. Even though the impact for the students was evident, with 14 students receiving more than $8,600 in scholarships and the youth grant program starting in 2005, Swanson explained AAI was at a crossroads. Without the financial support of AAI members...
HELENA - Since February, Tylyn Newcomb has been losing sleep over a seemingly herculean task: how to ensure the government counts as many Montana residents as possible for the 2020 census, and, in doing so, generate fair federal funding and electoral representation for the next decade. "I mean, it's vital work," said Newcomb, one of the lead staffers focused on census outreach and grant funding for the Montana Nonprofit Association. "And so we don't have the option to just give up and say it's...
CORRECTION In the caption under the photo of the young grizzly bear, we incorrectly identified Kathy Koors as a bear manager. Her correct title is Bear Ranger. While her title was correct in the article, the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks bear manager for the Swan is Tim Manley and for the Blackfoot/Clearwater area is James Jonkel. Grizzly Claw Scholarship available for graduating seniors SEELEY LAKE - Graduating Seeley-Swan High School seniors are encouraged to apply for the Grizzly Claw Trading Book Fund College Scholarship. Every year the...
SEELEY LAKE – "I looked up and she held up this giant elk shed," said Austin Bernstrauch who was out antler hunting on the Blackfoot Clearwater Wildlife Management Area Game Range for the opener Friday, May 15 with his girlfriend Maggie Duran. "It was a good find. I was very proud of her." While this year's antler hunting opener on the Game Range had over 500 vehicles and more than 1,000 people participate opening day, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Wildlife Biologist Scott Eggeman said everythi...
SEELEY LAKE – According to a memo on the Seeley Lake Sewer District website the Board will not seat two newly elected Directors at their May 21 meeting. Instead they will wait until a special meeting June 15. The decision is sure to cause some waves at the May meeting as it goes against the Board’s own by-laws and relies on how the word “new” is interpreted in a section of the Montana Code Annotated (MCA). In a statement to the Pathfinder, Sewer Board President Pat Goodover wrote that when considering what date to seat newly elected Directors T...
SEELEY LAKE – With all of the local schools in distance learning and social distancing still required by Governor Steve Bullock in the Phase 1 reopening strategy, plans for graduation ceremonies and end of the year celebrations are slowly coming together for area schools. According to the Missoula City-County Health Department's graduation ceremony order issued May 8, organizers must submit a Graduation Ceremony Operation Plan that shows how they will meet the minimum requirements and submit it...
SWAN VALLEY – It was just another day delivering packages to the Swan Valley. UPS driver Matt Hoge was within 10 feet away from the house carrying a package when two black bear cubs came running out from the corner of the house. While they narrowly missed Hoge who was in shock, his attention quickly shifted to the sow that was right behind them. The homeowner, who had opened to the door to greet him, stepped back into the house and closed the door. "I'm trying to get in. I had to yell at him a...
Bags of trash littering driveways and streets in Seeley Lake is an all too common sight lately. Missoula Bears reports black and grizzly bears are active in Seeley Lake and are getting into trouble with bird feeders and uncontained garbage. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks reminds everyone that attractants should have been secured by April 1 including garbage cans, livestock feed and pet food stored in bear resistant containers, bird feeders put away and livestock secured by an electric fence....
Residents across Missoula County will receive mailed surveys this week asking them to provide feedback to help county leaders better understand the broader needs of the communities they serve. The county is working with the National Research Center to conduct the survey and analyze the results. The firm will mail invitations to complete the survey to 1,700 randomly selected addresses across Missoula County this week. Responses to the survey are anonymous and the adult 18 or older who most recently had a birthday in each selected household shoul...
SWAN VALLEY - In the last two weeks, Flathead National Forest and other local firefighting agencies have responded to multiple human-caused wildland fires across Flathead Valley. As part of Wildfire Awareness Month which occurs every year in May, the Forest is asking the public to take significant steps to reduce wildfire risks around their property and during recreation activities. Now more than ever, it is essential that everyone do their part to prevent human-caused wildfires and prepare their homes and property for the summer. “Many p...
HELENA - Just how hard do Montana cities, counties and school districts lean on residential property taxes to fund government services? Figures presented to lawmakers last month indicate the answer varies widely across different parts of the state, ranging from as low as $125 annually per capita in McCone County to as high as $15,794 per capita in Madison County. The data was presented Jan. 13 by legislative researcher Megan Moore to a group of lawmakers and tax policy experts conducting an ongo...
Invasive Dreissenid mussels pose one of the biggest threats to Montana’s waterways. Native to the Black and Caspian seas, the introduction of zebra and quagga mussels has given rise to extensive detrimental environmental and economic impacts throughout the United States. These invasive mussels are now found in every major watershed in the contiguous United States, except one. The Columbia River drainage basin, which encompasses most of western Montana, is the last major watershed in the country that has not been invaded by zebra and quagga m...
Wildlife Services, a division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture that annually kills thousands of wild animals across Montana, will at least temporarily cut back on how and where it kills animals such as bears, wolves and coyotes in the state under a settlement reached Thursday with WildEarth Guardians. The settlement applies to wildlife in protected areas like Wilderness Areas and National Wildlife Refuges, and also halts the use of sodium cyanide bombs on public land and private land in 41...
Two particular flowering plants are the toast of late spring and summer in Montana. In the mountain forests and openings of northwestern Montana, beargrass – the official flower of Glacier National Park – struts its stuff along roads and highways, as well as throughout the wilderness areas in northwest Montana. Meanwhile, the sturdy yucca stands guard over the rolling land and river breaks east of the mountains. Both plants, so similar yet so different, are symbolic of the land they grow on....
SEELEY LAKE – When Seeley Lake Elementary first grade teacher Rachel Bemis first talked with Missoula Aging Services RSVP volunteer Jim Haueter about providing their students with some of his hand-carved wooden animals, it was for a end of the year gift. Now with distance learning in full swing, they both agreed it would be a great addition to the weekly packet and bring joy to the students. Haueter started carving tree stumps on his property in more than 10 years ago when the bark beetle outbre...
SEELEY LAKE – The word quarantine has been much in the news lately. In terms of COVID-19, it means stay in your home away from other people for 14 days. But where did the word come from? Interestingly, it originated during another pandemic, the bubonic plague that spread across Europe in waves. Quarantine derives from the phrase "quaranta giorni" which literally means "space of 40 days." It refers to the policy, first started in Venice, Italy, in 1377, of refusing to allow ships arriving from pl...
SEELEY LAKE – The Missoula Education Foundation and Missoula County Public Schools recognized senior Levi Reinitz and sophomore Crystal Lopez as a Most Inspiring Student at Seeley-Swan High School. SSHS Principal Kellen Palmer presented the awards at their home May 18. The award recognized the students' achievements and commitment to their education. Reinitz was a library aide for the past two years. He worked to ensure the student program would continue and created a job description and b...
SWAN VALLEY – "I want to encourage kids to get outside, explore nature and understand the value of their natural heritage," said Swan Valley teacher turned author and illustrator Sharon Lamar. Since 2010 Lamar has published three children's books. She just released her fourth children's book "Wild at Heart" that celebrates a young girl's unforgettable hike into the wilderness. Lamar first ventured into writing and illustrating as a Christmas present for her husband Steve. "He liked it so much h...
Now is a chance for Seeley Lakers to see a wildflower that is not found elsewhere in Montana. The white, creme or buff colored Glacier Lilies are unique to this small area. It is only found in about a one to two-mile periphery of Seeley Lake. The more common color in other parts of the valley, and in the rest of Montana, is a bright yellow. They very seldom are found mixed together. Other known locations for the white glacier lilies are in southeastern Washington and adjacent Idaho. The white va...
Graduation across the nation is looking quite a bit different this year, and the same is the case for this little girl's Kindergarten Promotion at Sunset School in Greenough. Normally, we would be gathering in our tiny schoolhouse with family and loved ones to celebrate the end of the year. This year, we are anticipating an outdoor movie theater style celebration, with appropriate six foot distancing of course! We will go out with a bang no matter what! Although the last three months of Sophia... Full story
Congratulations Aiden McNally! He graduated from eighth grade at Ovando and will be attending Drummond High School in the fall. Congratulations Silas Hessler! He graduated from Kindergarten this year. He will return as a first grader to Ovando School in the fall.... Full story
April 8 Today I woke up thinking about how many new emails I got this morning from school. Enjoying not having to wake up at 6 o’clock every morning to catch the bus, being able to sleep in because of this virus. Getting out of bed, doing my school work online. This morning I ate eggs and toast for breakfast. Now looking out my window at the blue sky glad I am not at school. After breakfast my dad and I were going to haul equipment but not realizing the frost was coming out of the ground made it very soft and easy to get stuck. So we did not ha...
Artist demonstrations, May 23 and May 24 SEELEY LAKE – Gallery 83 will be hosting featured Lincoln painter Judy Johnson outside the gallery Saturday, May 23 starting at 11 a.m. Artists who have their work on display in the gallery will also be available to visit about their work. The public is invited to come check it out at the south end of the Lazy Pine Mall this weekend. They are working on scheduling another painter for Sunday as well. Seeley Lake Memorial Day Ceremony, May 25 SEELEY LAKE – The public is invited to attend a Memorial Day...
SEELEY LAKE – Saturday afternoon, May 9 Clearwater Montana Properties CEO Kevin Wetherell found himself in the crosshairs of a social media storm when his name and image appeared on a post in the "Justice For Gregory and Travis McMichael" private Facebook group. The post, accompanied with a photo of a tactical shotgun lying on a chair read, "Stay out of our Neighborhoods and this incident will not happen again." Wetherell quickly denied the post on his personal page posting, "I was hacked, or s... Full story
SEATTLE, WASH. – When Addy "Boo" Trevino's parents Jen and Treay agreed to donate cells following Addy's initial brain tumor biopsy, they had no idea that gift would allow researchers all over the world the opportunity to continue to study their growth and test new treatments three years later. Seattle Children's Hospital Pediatric Neuro-oncologist and Addy's doctor Nicholas Vitanza will soon be submitting the results of a study for peer review and publication in a scientific journal. The study...
SEELEY LAKE – Every few minutes the phone rang at All Decked Out on Monday. Owner Becki Robbins did her best to work her customers in but she is booked solid for this week and into next. Robbins was shut down March 23. She doesn't qualify for grants because she doesn't have any employees. While she could get a small business loan she declined and has continued to use her two months of reserve to pay bills through this unexpected emergency. "Being in business in Seeley is so unstable," said R... Full story
SWAN VALLEY – The Swan Valley community celebrated their blessings at the second annual Condon Easter Egg Hunt May 9. This event, scheduled for April 11, was postponed due to the statewide shelter in place order issued for coronavirus. Organizer Edward Klassen said the event went great. He hoped everyone had a great time and he is looking forward to more participation next year. Klassen thanks all the businesses for their support, the volunteers that helped set it up and his wife Heidi and d...
The Seeley Swan Pathfinder was one of more than 200 news organizations to receive nearly $16 million in grants through the Facebook Journalism Project’s relief fund for local news. The grant will be used to hire a part-time reporter, grant free and reduced local and regional advertising to businesses and non-profits impacted by COVID-19 and grant free and reduced subscriptions to high-risk residents. The COVID-19 Local News Relief Grant Program was designed to provide support for US local news organizations serving a critical role for c...
The final, unofficial results until canvass are in for the Seeley Lake Sewer Board, Seeley Lake Elementary Board of Trustees and the Seeley Lake Elementary General Fund Levy. The Sewer District election had approximately 67 percent voter turnout and the School Board and bond had approximately 64 percent turnout. For the Sewer Board of Directors' two open positions, Thomas P. Morris and Jason Gilpin received more than double the votes than the closest candidate Duane Anderson. Morris received 168...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Ranger District staff is working hard to reopen developed campgrounds by Memorial Day weekend or shortly after depending on current conditions. Campgrounds and rental facilities across the Lolo National Forest will begin a phased reopening on May 13 based on seasonal availability and facility conditions. Until then, developed campgrounds and rentals remain temporarily closed. "The number one priority for the [Seeley Lake Ranger] District from now until Memorial Day...
The Big Blackfoot Chapter of Trout Unlimited, in collaboration with many different private landowners, agencies and other non-profits, has been working over the past 30 years restoring habitat for trout populations across the Blackfoot and Clearwater watersheds. Trout that live in Montana's rivers and streams rely on cold, clean water with plenty of open miles to swim long distances and ample hiding spaces in deep pools full of wood, root systems and overhanging trees. We are proud to work on...
SEELEY LAKE – "I miss the sounds of the gym. I'm just really excited to hear the hum of people," said Terryl Bartlett, Owner of Optimal Fitness in Seeley Lake. "I love that gym, I love all the people that come and I cannot wait to open the doors." After being closed since March 18, Optimal Fitness will reopen May 15. While hours will be reduced and hourly sign ups required, Bartlett is doing everything she can to make the gym as safe, clean and accessible as possible while complying with the G...
SWAN VALLEY - Swan Valley Emergency Services lost a vital member on April 30, 2020. Dan Maloughney served the community for 40 years, starting with the QRU when it formally organized as one of the founding members, then with the fire department upon its inception. Serving in many formal capacities over the years, the latest being the Medical Chief, Dan was passionate about learning all he could about the COVID-19 virus so he could keep the community and all of our members safe. He was very...
SWAN VALLEY – "I love to sew and I love to feel like I'm helping people," said Dixie Parker of Condon who has made more than 671 cloth masks since mid-March. Parker, who was encouraged to start making masks by daughters Casey Graham and Kellie Auchenbach, is giving away the masks to help those in need during the coronavirus pandemic. Not only has she supplied masks to those in her community but veterans in Colorado and health care workers in Colorado, Washington and Arizona. "I was just so t...
Firefighters responded to a wildland fire south of Placid Lake around 3:15 p.m. Sunday, May 10. Fire Chief Dave Lane said no one was hurt and no structures were threatened. The fire was controlled Sunday night. According to Lane, the homeowner was burning an anthill on the property a couple days prior to the wildfire. The fire continued to burn underground and resurfaced Sunday afternoon. With the higher temperatures and wind, the fire took off. The fire grew to five acres burning in grass and...
SWAN VALLEY – Flathead National Forest and concessionaire Flathead Valley Campgrounds are working hard to open developed fee campgrounds over the next three weeks, with most sites anticipated to fully open by Memorial Day weekend. Rental cabin facilities will also begin a phased reopening, expected on or before Memorial Day weekend based on seasonal availability and facility conditions. Currently, dispersed camping is available in developed sites in many non-fee campgrounds. People should avoid dispersed camping in fee campgrounds due to a...
SEELEY LAKE – The Missoula County Sheriff’s Office received reports this past week of scammers contacting Seeley-Swan residents and soliciting money over the phone. While there are more and more scams happening, the Federal Communications Commissioners offers the following tips to help protect yourself from the gamut of scams, including coronavirus scams: • Do not respond to calls, texts or emails from unknown numbers or any others that appear suspicious. • Do not confirm information requested from callers. • Never share your personal...
Weekly COVID-19 update As of May 11, there are 459 cases of COVID-19 in Montana including 423 recoveries, 62 hospitalizations with four currently hospitalized and 16 deaths due to COVID-19 complications. Missoula County has had 41 cases. There has been one death and everyone else has recovered. • The Seeley Lake Library remains closed. • For the most up-to-date and accurate information and best ways of protecting yourself and others, please refer to the Missoula County-City Health Department website http://missoula.co/cvirus or call 406...
May is National Wildfire Awareness month, and the Blackfoot Clearwater community is prone to wildland fire. During your annual spring-cleaning efforts celebrate Wildfire Awareness Month by preparing your home and property for the upcoming fire season. Some suggestions include: • Clean your roof and gutters by removing pine needles or other debris. • Remove any flammable material within five feet of your home. • Remove items stored under your decks and porches, especially the remnants of last winter’s firewood and other flammable materia...
SEELEY LAKE – "Look Hale, they got their fishing pole snagged on something," Seeley Lake resident Laura Devins told her four-year-old son while they were out canoeing on Seeley Lake Saturday, May 2. "We were going to paddle over and see if we could help them but then we saw the line get really tight and it started to pull their boat around which was crazy. We realized it was a huge fish." Mike Deming of Manhattan, Mont. and his fishing buddy Justin Kitto came up for a day of fishing in the a...
SWAN VALLEY – An accident on Highway 83 just south of Holland Lake Road claimed the life of 29-year-old Melissa Ellis-Munoz on May 1 at approximately 3:30 p.m. According to Montana Highways Patrol Trooper TJ Templeton, Ellis-Munoz was traveling southbound when her silver Subaru left the roadway to the right side, over corrected and then rolled. Speed is not believed to be a factor but the accident is still under investigation. Templeton said Ellis-Munoz was restrained and suffered fatal injuries...
SEELEY LAKE – The light poles along Highway 83 are now decorated with the faces of the 19 seniors who will graduate from Seeley-Swan High School May 31. The joint effort between the Seeley-Swan High School Booster Club and Missoula Electric Cooperative was an effort to make the best out of the reality that this year's seniors will likely not have the ceremony and celebration from the community that classes in the past have had. Booster Club treasurer Kelly Hoag saw a story on social media w...
Last week, the Bob Marshall Music Festival, LLC announced the cancellation of the 2020 festival. “We had hoped to be able to pull off the festival but with so many things up in the air, we have been forced to cancel,” organizers posted on their website. Factors that played into the decision included: not knowing at what phase of opening Montana would be; bands not sure if they would be able to make the trip while respecting quarantine; attendee survey feedback regarding the festival and the sanitation logistics of having hundreds of us cam...
SWAN VALLEY – "Normally you pick a place, you plan it all out, you get enough people, have enough time to put it all together. We are just going to have a few other things we need to do," said Edward Klassen, organizer of the Condon Community Easter Egg Hunt. "We want to celebrate all the blessings bestowed upon us." The Klassen family rescheduled the Condon Easter Egg Hunt for this Saturday, May 9 starting at 11 a.m. at the Condon Community Ball Field, off Highway 83 on the north end of the a...
The community has wondered about the opening of Loving Hearts and the ability to donate items. I am available to take donations, however, Loving Hearts will not have regular working hours until May 27. If you would like to donate, please do not just leave items at the store. Call, text (406-670-5526) or email (mnewps@gmail.com) me prior to dropping things and someone can meet you. Last night a friend passing by called to inform me that there was a large pile left at the store. I, unfortunately, had already showered and was in my pajamas. I was...
SEELEY LAKE – Since economies around the world have ground to halt in the last month, there are very few industries that haven’t seen an impact. While the lumber prices have dropped an average of 20% in the last month for the products Pyramid Mountain Lumber, Inc. produces, Pyramid has remained operational through the coronavirus pandemic thanks to their employees. They are continuing to invest another $1.3 million in their phased upgrades to the mill. Chief Operations Officer Loren Rose said this year was lined up to be a really good yea...
It's an honor and privilege to serve resilient communities willing to take steps to overcome whatever challenge is before them. The Sheriff's Office and Detention Center are also working to meet the challenges of this pandemic to minimize impacts to our communities. The flexibility and great work by our patrol deputies, detectives, detention staff, administrative staff and search and rescue volunteers has allowed us to continue to protect and serve, complete time-sensitive civil process, issue...
These are historic days in Missoula County as our community copes with the changes and challenges of COVID-19. The Missoula County Elections Office and Elections Advisory Committee are looking ahead to June 2 and a primary election unlike any election in our history. In March, the governor’s office issued a directive giving counties the option to run the primary as an all-mail election, and county commissioners later approved a resolution to take advantage of that option. The EAC is grateful to the commission for approving the resolution. It e...
The Clearwater Junction watercraft inspection station opened April 18. Anyone transporting motorized or non-motorized watercraft is required, by law, to stop at all stations they encounter. This is an effort to protect Montana's waters and native aquatic species from aquatic invasive species (AIS). AIS, including diseases, are easily spread from one water body to the other. Because some aquatic invasive species are microscopic, standing water inside bilges, live wells, compartments, ballast tank...
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is seeking 10 to 12 individuals to serve as a statewide citizens group to collaboratively provide guidance for the new Montana Elk Management Plan. The group will be tasked with developing an issue statement about elk management and define meaningful and enduring principles that may guide future elk management decisions. The citizens group will represent a variety of stakeholders. Meetings will be facilitated to maintain objectivity, productivity and provide guidance. The Elk Management Plan Initial Guidance Citiz...
SEELEY LAKE – Traditionally, a large cheering crowd greets the first mushers to arrive in Nome, Alaska, the endpoint of the Iditarod dogsled race. Local musher Jessie Royer, who pushed into Nome March 18 for a triumphant third-place finish said, "It was very strange. It was kind of like a ghost town. Like there wasn't hardly anybody up there." That was just the beginning of Royer's abrupt initiation into the coronavirus pandemic raging around the world. Royer, now back at her home at Placid L...
The Seeley Lake Elementary voted unanimously May 1 to continue with distance learning through the end of the school year June 4. They also adopted a declaration of unforeseen emergency due to the coronavirus pandemic that allows them to continue to receive state funding through June 30. Following Governor Steve Bullock’s announcement to allow schools to reopen May 7, SLE Superintendent Daniel Schrock elicited feedback from SLE staff and parents and consulted with the Western Montana School Administrators, Missoula County Public Schools and S... Full story
SWAN VALLEY – The Swan Valley School board voted unanimously at a special board meeting May 4 to not resume in-class instruction and unanimously adopted a declaration of unforeseen emergency due to the coronavirus pandemic that allows them to continue to receive state funding through June 30. Swan Valley School Principal Ralph King recommended that Swan Valley School finish out the school year using the distance learning model. He told the board he discussed the issue with other administrators and the Montana School Board Association (MSBA) off... Full story
POTOMAC – When the Federal Drug Administration started allowing distilleries to produce hand sanitizer, owners of Steel Toe Distillery Christina and Carl Bock decided that was not something they wanted to add to their product line. However when Joint Operation Mariposa, a non-profit Veterans Advocacy and Outreach Program out of Plains, Mont., called out of the blue, they reconsidered. "They were having a really hard time finding any hand sanitizer to distribute to first responders, veterans a...
SEELEY LAKE – "We used to run up and down the street as kids and hang [May Day Baskets] on all the old people's doors, ring the bell and run," said Cheri Thompson, member of the Mountain Lakes Presbyterian Worship Ministry Team. "It was just a really fun memory that [our local] children didn't have." In an effort to continue reaching out to the community, the Worship Ministry Team decided to put together bags filled with craft materials and fresh flowers for students in the area to p...
Even as Governor Steve Bullock announced April 22 that Montana will begin a phased reopening of its economy, uncertainty remains in the tourism industry, one of the state's largest economic sectors. And at least one Montana tourism agency is actively discouraging visitation. The phased reopening will allow some outdoor recreation businesses, like guiding, to return to work, as long as they can maintain social distancing recommendations. However, all non-essential travelers coming to Montana, res...
After deliberation and consideration of public input, the Missoula County Public School Board of Trustees voted Friday, May 1 to keep the 18 elementary and high schools on their remote learning plan through the remainder of the school year. All school campuses, office buildings and playgrounds will remain closed until further notice. At their next meeting, the school board will further discuss plans for graduation ceremonies and other year-end activities. Some of the key issues that were... Full story
MISSOULA – As part of our ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are committed to helping our communities lessen any challenges during this difficult time. This includes assisting our schools with remote learning. The Electronic Equipment in Education (EEE) Program is a joint partnership between Blackfoot Communications, Energy Partners and Missoula Electric Cooperative. Through the EEE Program, we are providing our schools with additional funding for technology needs to ensure educators and students can participate in remote l... Full story
Death Notice SWAN VALLEY - Daniel Maloughney, 70, of Condon passed away at St. Patrick Hospital on April 30. Arrangements are under the care of Garden City Funeral Home. 50/50 Ice Off Challenge winner SEELEY LAKE – Bill McDonald of Missoula and cabin owner in Seeley Lake, won $190 in the Tamaracks Resort’s 50/50 Ice Off Challenge. The ice went off Seeley Lake April 21. Shortly after restrictions are lifted Alpine Artisans will be throwing a party at the Tamaracks Resort utilizing the funds raised. Curbside library service available in Swa...
The final, unofficial results until canvass are in for the Seeley Lake Sewer Board, Seeley Lake Elementary Board of Trustees and the Seeley Lake Elementary General Fund Levy. For the Sewer Board of Directors' two open positions, Thomas P. Morris and Jason Gilpin received more than double the votes than the closest candidate Duane Anderson. Morris received 168 (33.94%) votes and Gilpin close behind with 161 (32.53%) votes. The Seeley Lake Elementary School District 34 election also had two clear...
Missoula Health Officer Ellen Leahy updated local orders that were initially issued on April 24, 2020. The orders allow businesses and individuals providing grooming, beauty, body art, piercing, massage, spa, and similar services to open May 11 with a service plan that supports employee health screening, social distancing, face-covering use, and enhanced cleaning and sanitizing. The limit on events and gatherings such as fairs, concerts, races and sporting events, and private parties outside the home was raised to 50 people. Events with 50 or... Full story
SEELEY LAKE - When the annual Junior Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) event in Missoula was canceled, the Cahoon family was not discouraged. They decided they would still do the walk in Seeley Lake despite COVID-19 to raise money and awareness for Type 1 Diabetes research in support of their son. "The reality of our lives is that Chase will always be a Type 1 Diabetic for the rest of his life," wrote Bekah Cahoon, Chase's mother, in an email. "There is no vaccine that will take it away, there...
OVANDO – When Governor Steve Bullock announced his reopening plan Wednesday, April 22, he said that he has yet to talk to an educator in the state that feels their students are gaining during this time of remote learning. He obviously hadn't talked to the teachers at Ovando School. Not only do teachers Leigh Ann Valiton and Andrea Tougas feel their students are gaining, they said they are excelling. While many schools grapple with the decision to reopen or not May 7, Ovando School finishes f...
SEELEY LAKE – "I want to make sure you guys are safe and customers have the ability to be safe in here," said Kris Martin, owner of The Filling Station as she stood in front of her employees April 26. "I have to get back in business so I can stay alive and hopefully everyone has a job when all of this is over and not with someone else." After reviewing Governor Steve Bullock's statewide reopening directives released Wednesday, April 22, Martin called a meeting with her employees. Even though t...
MISSOULA – Friday, April 24 Missoula Health Officer Ellen Leahy issued additional local orders to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 for Missoula County. These measures followed Governor Steve Bullock’s announcement on Wednesday, rescinding the “Stay at Home” directive for individuals on April 26 and allowed some businesses to reopen on April 27. “Given Missoula’s large population [second largest in the state], our need to protect our health care hub and particularly to avoid preventative transmission of disease and reduce the likelihood...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Sewer District (SLSD) held its April 16 meeting four days later on April 20 after a glitch in their online meeting software prevented the login instructions printed on their agenda from functioning. While the Board eventually was able to join into the first meeting, they delayed it to ensure the public was able to participate. At last month’s meeting the Board held off paying an invoice from Beal Law Firm that covered charges from March through December 2019 totaling nearly $48,000. The charges were for Dis...
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks euthanized a young male grizzly bear on Monday, April 13 after it killed three calves over a period of several days on a ranch east of Ovando in the Blackfoot Valley. The grizzly killed three calves from April 10 - 12. The bear was also suspected to have been responsible for another livestock injury in the same area the week before. Because the bear remained in the area, continuing to pursue livestock, wildlife officials set traps for the bear. FWP bear management specialist Jamie Jonkel said that unfortunately...
Last week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service offered to extend contract deadlines on certain timber sales, sale of property stewardship contracts and forest product permits awarded or issued before April 1. Extending these deadlines supports the long-term viability of the timber industry in markets where conditions have been significantly disrupted, especially in rural, forest-dependent communities. The extensions do not apply to projects implemented under the Good Neighbor Authority or the salvage projects currently u...
MISSOULA, Mont. – The Missoula Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) is now accepting new project proposals. The application deadline is Aug. 1. The committee has approximately $151,500 in project funding to award. Funding and administration for the RAC is provided under the authority of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self–Determination Act (Title II). Projects must benefit National Forest System lands and ecosystems in Missoula County. The Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 was passed by Congress to restore s...
SEELEY LAKE - Many of the places of worship in the area reopened for in-person worship Sunday, April 26 in accordance with the Governor Steve Bullock's reopen plan. Others will continue through their online platform into May. According to the statewide phased reopening strategy, places of worship could become operational with reduced capacity and where strict physical distancing protocols can be maintained between non-household members. Places of worship should avoid gathering in groups of more...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley-Swan Hospital District Board met April 21 via teleconference for their April meeting. Partnership Health Center’s Executive Director Laurie Francis provided an update on PHC innovations and the Seeley-Swan Medical Center operations in light of the coronavirus pandemic. The board received an update on the RV Park and trustee elections. Francis said that of the 290 people employed by PHC, 72 are working from home. None of these employees have been furloughed or laid off even though their patient load is down due to lim...
POTOMAC – With more than 30 staff, parents and board members participating in a Zoom meeting, Potomac School Board unanimously voted Monday, April 27 to declare an Unforeseen Emergency through June 30 based on the risks presented by the coronavirus pandemic. They will not return to the classroom for the remainder of the year and finish the 2019-2020 school year with distance learning. All of the board members shared feedback that they received from parents and staff. The staff agreed they w...
SEELEY LAKE – There is a new art gallery in town that looks to attract Montana artists to display a diversity of work. Located in the south end of the Lazy Pine Mall on Highway 83, Gallery 83 owner Chris Larabee looks forward to offering an affordable location for artists to share their artwork and where the community and visitors can appreciate the artists' creativity. Brian Larabee, father of Chris who is looking after the operations of the store, said he has been doing stained glass for 30 y...
"I remember the teachers telling us as we were walking out the door, "Happy spring break." "Have a good break." I didn't think that would be the last time I went to school...or seeing all my friends, laughing and smiling. I miss them, I miss them a lot. I wish I could see them again without having to worry about getting sick. I text or FaceTime a lot of my friends but it doesn't feel that same. It's like we're being social but not really. We can't actually talk face to face like we used to. With...
Local and statewide COVID-19 updates Governor Steve Bullock announced a gradual and phased reopening of the state beginning April 26 for individuals and extending to businesses April 27. Individual counties still had the authority to impose more restrictive local ordinances. “As these businesses open and more Montanans leave their homes, I’m asking all Montanans to continue to act like a loved one’s life may well depend on your actions, because they do,” said Bullock during the press conference April 22. Businesses where groups gather without...
MONTANA – Governor Steve Bullock today announced that families, small businesses, non-profits, health services centers and individuals across Montana hardest-hit by impacts of COVID-19 will be eligible to apply for grants through nine new programs created in response to the emergency. Guided by more than 1,400 public comments and his Coronavirus Relief Fund Advisory Council, Governor Bullock is making $123,550,000 available in the first round of emergency grants funded through the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (... Full story
OVANDO – The Blackfoot Angler owner Kathy Schoendoerfer was struggling to communicate - not a situation she often finds herself in being the self-proclaimed "Ovando organizer of frivolous affairs." With five fishermen from Mongolia in her shop, Schoendoerfer knew zero Russian or Mongolian and they knew limited English. She did the best she could using hand signals and drawings and helped them get everything they needed. When she checked them out, they kept showing her two fingers and saying "...
Living in rural Montana, people get used to seeing signs of wolves, lions and bears and if they get lucky, running into the animals themselves. However, the presence of predators for ranchers and other livestock owners poses unique challenges. In 2019, the Montana's Livestock Loss Board recorded 376 livestock killed by wolves, grizzly bears and lions. This is the highest number of livestock killed by predators since they started keeping statistics in 2008 and resulted in the highest payouts to...
SEELEY LAKE - "Health should come before homework, family should become before frustration and learning should come before letter grades," said Missoula County Public Schools Superintendent Rob Watson said in the Missoula County COVID-19 update April 15. "It's not about your letter grade at this point it is really about learning. If we can keep students engaged in learning activities through the closure, it will help when we get finished." Seeley Lake Elementary and Seeley-Swan High School teach...
With quarantines and self-distancing temporarily being a large part of Montanans’ lives, historians and archivists around the state and in Missoula County invite residents to share their personal experiences with future generations. “There are many gaps and blanks in our local history. One reason for our skimpy history is because people of the past thought their tribulations, or ordinary life, was not worthy of recording for future generations,” wrote the Seeley Lake Historical Society in a press release. “Generations later would dearly...
MISSOULA – Businesses impacted by COVID-19 now have a single point of entry to assistance and expertise, thanks to the University of Montana's new Business Emergency Assistance and Recovery (B.E.A.R.) Powered by UM initiative. In recent weeks, UM has actively supported businesses in Missoula and across the state in navigating the impacts of COVID-19 through its Accelerate Montana portfolio of economic development programs. Since its launch, the BEAR Program has assisted 27 businesses with Payche...
The Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) expanded mental health services to help Montanans who may be experiencing a range of emotions including loneliness, sadness and fear as a result of the current COVID-19 situation. The Missoula City-County Health Department has also compiled some helpful resources for anyone experiencing changes in their mental health, including a crisis line ready to take your call. “We continue to monitor and make adjustments as necessary to meet the needs of Montanans during this challenging time,” sa...
SEELEY LAKE – Sharing the love of reading and encouraging literacy are goals of Seeley Lake Elementary third grade teacher Kristy Pohlman, SLE Librarian Susan Bracha and local realtor Carey Kanavel. Through their collaborative efforts a new Book Box is available outside of SLE. Students now have access to library books and anyone can participate in the give-and-take books. They are hopeful the Book Box will be available through the summer and additional Book Boxes will be available at other loca...
Fairytale Farms Volunteer Day, April 25 GREENOUGH – Join Fairytale Farms for their monthly volunteer day Saturday, April 25 from 12-5 p.m. Volunteers will learn about Hugelkultur garden beds and work in the greenhouse. Please bring work gloves, water bottle and snacks, no lunch will be provided. There will be a portable toilet available for volunteers to use. Volunteers are asked to RSVP, 406-244-8811, since group size is limited to 50 people. Fairytale Farms is located at 11791 Waterfowl Lane, Greenough. For more information visit their F...
MONTANA – Governor Steve Bullock announced a gradual and phased reopening of the state beginning Sunday for individuals and extending to businesses on Monday. Individual counties still have the authority to impose more restrictive local ordinances and encourages local officials to work regionally and make local adjustments as local needs demand. Missoula County Incident Commander Cindy Farr said Missoula County will release their guidelines by the end of the week. “There are very few states in the country that can say they have seen the number... Full story
MISSOULA – Friday, April 24 Missoula Health Officer Ellen Leahy issued additional local orders to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 for Missoula County. These measures followed Governor Steve Bullock’s announcement on Wednesday, rescinding the “Stay at Home” directive for individuals on April 26 and allowed some businesses to reopen on April 27. “Given Missoula’s large population [second largest in the state], our need to protect our health care hub and particularly to avoid preventative transmission of disease and reduce the likelihood... Full story
POTOMAC - The Potomac community continues to adjust to COVID-19. The school, businesses and other organizations keep moving forward amidst challenges and continual change. The Potomac School has been closed since the Governor closed schools statewide March 23. Although students can no longer meet in their classrooms, the Pioneers are all studying and doing homework from home. Principal John Rouse said the school appreciates the effort parents and family members of students are making to keep a... Full story
SEELEY LAKE - Each year, Alpine Artisans, Inc. selects an individual or a business that has contributed outstanding merit to the local community. This year's Arts Benefactor award was given to Sara Wilcox, founder of AAI's Open Book Club and co-founder of the In the Footsteps of Norman Maclean Festival. Wilcox has been involved with AAI for 13 years. She is familiar to those in Seeley Lake who frequent the Grizzly Claw Trading Company where she works both as a barista and as the Grizzly Claw's b...
SWAN VALLEY – There is a new ranger who will be making the rounds in the Swan Valley this spring and summer visiting campgrounds and dispersed sites helping to educate the public about living responsibly with bears. While the Swan Valley Bear Ranger Kathy Koors is new to the position this summer, she has been the heartbeat behind the position's existence since it started more than 13 years ago. The reinstatement of the position has also gone full circle bringing the first two bear rangers in the...
With warmer, drier conditions expected later this week, interagency wildland fire officials with the Missoula County Fire Protection Association (MCFPA) are expecting an increase in outdoor burning by permit. The fire danger rating is currently LOW and a quick scan into the hills around Missoula reveals snow on the ground. Missoula County citizens are taking advantage of more time spent at home, protecting their neighbors by complying with the state’s shelter in place order. There’s another group of your neighbors that need to be in the for...
Following the extension of Montana Governor Steve Bullock’s directive that out-of-state travelers must quarantine for 14 days, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks director Martha Williams has suspended nonresident hunting seasons for spring turkey and black bear until at least April 24. On Tuesday, April 7 Bullock extended the mandatory quarantine directive related to COVID-19 through April 24 for travelers arriving in Montana from another state or country. The quarantine directive for out-of-state travelers applies to public outdoor recreation, gro...
Voter Information: There are five candidates for the two open SLE School Board trustee positions. The sixth candidate Jody "Doc" Welter will fill the two-year position since he ran unopposed. Candidates are listed below in the order the filed for election. Candidates' responses were based on the following questions: • Biography • Qualifying experience • Why do you want to be a trustee? • What challenges do you see in the near future? • Are there things you would like to see changed on the board...
Voter Information: There are five candidates for the two open director positions on the Seeley Lake - Missoula County Sewer District. Candidates are listed in the order they filed. Candidates' responses were based on the following questions: • Biography • Qualifying experience • Why do you want to be a director? • What challenges do you see facing the Sewer Board and District in the near future? • Are there things you would like to see changed or what issues would you address if elected? • What...
Governor Steve Bullock issued a directive allowing Montanans to renew their driver’s licenses online and by mail and extended the deadline to complete title and registration paperwork. This is an effort to provide essential services without furthering the spread of the coronavirus. In a press conference April 14, Attorney General Tim Fox and Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) Administrator Sarah Garcia provided more details regarding the Directive. Fox said these are temporary measures and will continue to be assessed per state and federal g... Full story
If you are worried about how you are going to pay your home energy bill as a result of issues related to COVID-19, please contact Energy Share of Montana. Energy Share is a statewide nonprofit organization whose purpose is to help Montanans facing loss of heat or lights in their home and who have no resources to pay the bill themselves. Energy Share is fuel blind so helps people no matter what their heat source is. If you or someone you know needs help: • Contact the Human Resource Council in Missoula at 406-728-3710 or http://www.humanresource... Full story
SEELEY LAKE - The stay at home order couldn't have come at a better time for local artist Kris Gullikson at her Uncorked and Creative Studio in Seeley Lake. Though the learning curve has been steep, she is now ready to help everyone's creativity come out and play. She has opened Pandora's Box in a good way and is now able to supply and teach art to kids, adults or families during these trying times. Gullikson has been painting for 30 years and has a Graphic Arts degree from Colorado Institute...
SEELEY LAKE – Amidst the uncertainty and challenges presented by statewide closures of schools and businesses, many residents are reaching out to others with encouragement and support. The ways to do that are endless and exemplify the words "Montanans taking care of Montanans." Depending where you live in Seeley Lake, the encouragement for our local health care workers and other essential workers can be heard with howls at 8 p.m. every night. The Facebook group "HOWL for Seeley Lake" has v... Full story
With the Governor declaring the Easter Bunny essential and forgiving the 14-day quarantine as long as the Bunny maintains social distancing guidelines, we want to share reader photos from the holiday weekend. There are so many ways to celebrate. Readers gave us a glimpse of their holiday activities....
SEELEY LAKE – When school buildings closed because of the Corvid-19 pandemic, teachers devised home assignments for their students. However, with distractions such as toys, TV and video games readily accessible in the home, many students had a hard time focusing on those assignments. And no doubt many a parent was heard to say, “Knuckle down and get to work,” or perhaps “buckle down and get to work.” While the two phrases now mean the same thing, they have different origins. Knuckle down may sound like a gorilla’s way of walking but the phr...
Missoula resident Alex Gray is running to become the first member of the Little Shell Tribe to serve in the Montana Legislature. In December 2019, Congress granted federal recognition to the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians after over a century without legal status. Following generations of fighting for recognition, tribal member Gray now is seeking Senate District 46 position as a Democrat to be the first ever Little Shell member of the Montana Legislature. "Montana's legislature has...
Shannon O'Brien, former dean of Missoula College and education policy advisor to Governor Bullock is running for Montana Senate in District 46 as a democrat. Montana Federation of Public Employees (MFPE) and the current outgoing Senator Sue Malek endorsed her. Raised by a teacher and small business owner in a rural town, O'Brien said, "The truth is, we are all really more alike than we are different. By focusing on the similarities that we share, and not the few differences, we can roll up our...
Missoula County Public Schools started serving meals to all youth under 18 in Missoula and Seeley Lake starting Monday, March 23. Since the start, MCPS has served nearly 21,000 meals through the end of March including 1282 in Seeley Lake. The district will continue to serve meals as long as schools remain closed. MCPS served over 20,898 meals from March 23 – March 31. This is more meals than MCPS served in the entire summer of 2019 at their four summer nutrition sites in Missoula. In the first f...
Below is a summary of the new information about local and statewide closures, restrictions and accommodations due to the coronavirus as of Monday, April 13. Information changes daily, sometimes hourly. Please call ahead or contact the organization directly with questions. Please follow the Seeley Swan Pathfinder website (seeleylake.com) for Breaking News for our area. We will post information as it becomes available. For the most up-to-date and accurate information and best ways of protecting... Full story
Seeley Lake Gun Range now open SEELEY LAKE – The Wilderness Sportsman’s Club Gun Range on Cottonwood Lakes Road is now open. The Seeley Lake Ranger District opened the road to the range to allow for vehicles. The Club reminds shooters to use the range responsibly and pick up after themselves. Flathead National Forest suspends spring prescribed burning SWAN VALLEY – The Flathead National Forest has put an indefinite hold on spring prescribe burning operations due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Forest will continue to adapt as the situa...
To protect the health of essential workers and members of the community, the Missoula City-County Board of Health adopted a recommendation today that all members of the public and employees and volunteers serving the public wear a cloth face covering over their nose and mouth when in public and unable to social distance. The recommendation does not replace the need for social distancing, but rather provides additional protection to members of our community from presymptomatic spread. The recommendation applies to members of the public when... Full story
MONTANA - At a press conference Friday, April 17, Governor Steve Bullock announced the state is planning to do a phased reopening of the state following the expiration of the Stay at Home Directive and other closure orders April 24. This plan, which is still in development, is based on President Donald Trump’s recommendations for reopening the economy that was released Thursday. According to Worldometer’s website on Friday, Montana ranked #48 of the 50 states with 422 cases. There are 233 patients who have recovered and 21 active hos... Full story
Local and state agencies are warning consumers to beware of frauds exploiting the outbreak of COVID-19 and the economic stimulus checks that will be distributed across the country. “Scammers are hard at work turning breaking news into ways to steal your money or personal information. While we know about several types of COVID-19 scams, these frauds are constantly evolving, and the best tool you have to protect yourself is your own good judgment,” Attorney General Tim Fox said. “Fraudsters are working COVID-19 into common phone scams you may a... Full story
SWAN VALLEY – "I think some of those teachers got glitter out just to get to me," said Swan Valley Elementary School custodian Dar Kearney laughing at the memories. "The older kids all knew, Dar hates glitter." Just shy of 16 years, Kearney retired from her job as the Swan Valley Elementary School custodian at the end of March. While she is looking forward to having more time to spend on her home improvement projects, gardening and planting flowers, she will miss the students and treasures h...
SEELEY LAKE – Sunday morning, April 5 those driving Highway 83 through Seeley Lake were greeted with Burma-Shave-type signs on pastel-colored crosses with a palm branch mounted to every light pole between Riverview Drive and Cedar Lane. While most were humorous asking motorist "How do you make Holy Water?" "Boil the hell out of it," and saying "Tweet others as," "You would like," "To be Tweeted," they all had a message that Mountain Lakes Presbyterian Church hoped permeated the community in t... Full story
SEELEY LAKE – In November of 1967, when the Vietnam War was heating up, Don Johnson received notification he had been drafted into the United States Army. Though repulsed at the possibility of having to kill another human being, his sense of patriotism and love for his country impelled him to embrace his duty and honor the draft notice rather than run from it. That decision was the beginning of a circuitous route which would guide him to the evangelical ministry. Johnson said he hoped the A...
POWELL COUNTY - The Powell County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) 911 Dispatch Center will be instituting measures to assist in the pre-screening of potential exposure for First Responders. When someone calls 911 or the non-emergency line, he or she may be asked a series of questions that will help assess the condition of the patient or those that may come in contact with first responders. The dispatcher may ask the caller whether they or the person needing medical help has a fever, has respiratory distress or has traveled or interacted with someone w...
What a wild few weeks it has been. We hope you're doing ok. Crises bring lots of stress and unknowns. Yet, this is also an opportunity for some beautiful collaboration. There are so many good people in this community! Many of our neighbors are having a hard time and we realize that number will grow the longer this pandemic goes on. Over here at the Seeley Lake Community Foundation, we are reaching out to different parts of our community and looking at how we can help get people access to the res...
Below is a summary of the new information about local and statewide closures, restrictions and accommodations due to the coronavirus as of Monday, April 6. Information changes daily, sometimes hourly. Please call ahead or contact the organization directly with questions. Please follow the Seeley Swan Pathfinder website (seeleylake.com) for Breaking News for our area. We will post as it becomes available. For the most up-to-date and accurate information and best ways of protecting yourself and... Full story
SEELEY LAKE – Among the things the coronavirus has disrupted is the supply lines feeding the nation. Who would have thought toilet paper would become the most hoarded commodity? There's a possibility it may also lead to fewer Easter "necessities." The traditional Easter egg hunt has already been canceled for Seeley Lake and other places. So just in case supplies of baskets, egg dying equipment, or candy run out before you get there, or because you are staying home as all the health officials are...
SWAN VALLEY - Flathead National Forest is planning spring prescribed fire projects when weather and air quality are favorable. People can expect to see smoke in various places in the Flathead Valley depending on burn locations and weather conditions. The Forest follows a prescribed burn plan for each project, designed to reduce the potential for an escaped wildland fire or other adverse effects like excessive smoke. Fire managers time the projects to comply with air quality standards and state and local regulations to reduce smoke impacts in...
SEELEY LAKE – During this time of toilet paper shortages across the country, local owner of Rockn-B Septics Norman Bernstrauch reminds those on septic systems to put used handi wipes, disinfectant wipes and paper towels in the trash. Flushing them down the toilet can result in clogs in their septic system and, in worse case scenarios, can require homeowners to replace their entire drain field. Bernstrauch has owned Rockn' B Septic for the past seven years. In his tenure he has had several c...
SEELEY LAKE - Stuffed animals are appearing in windows of residences and businesses as the Seeley Lake community joins the global movement of "Teddy Bear hunts" for children. The hunt is inspired by the children's book "We're Going on a Bear Hunt" written by UK author Michael Rosen. The intent is to give children a fun, socially distant activity to do with adults. Teddy bears have been spotted all over the world bringing joy and promoting a sense of community during a time of isolation....
WASHINGTON – The Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service announced that distribution of economic impact payments will begin in the next three weeks and will be distributed automatically, with no action required for most people. However, some seniors and others who typically do not file returns will need to submit a simple tax return to receive the stimulus payment. Who is eligible for the economic impact payment? Tax filers with adjusted gross income up to $75,000 for individuals and up to $150,000 for married couples filing j...
SEELEY LAKE – Due to the school closure because of the coronavirus pandemic, the Seeley-Swan High School (SSHS) winter sports awards banquet was canceled. Members of the SSHS varsity basketball teams will still receive their varsity letters, pins, chevrons, All-Conference and Academic All-State. Letters, Pins & Chevrons: Students earned a letter if basketball was the first activity they have lettered in along with a pin. Pins are awarded to students who have previously lettered in another activi...
Ice Off 50/50 Challenge partners with AAI SEELEY LAKE – Participants have until Sunday, April 12 at 6 p.m. to enter their guess for the 2020 Ice Off 50/50 Challenge sponsored by Tamaracks Resort. Each date and hour is $10. Half of the pot, which is up to $300 as of Monday, April 6, will go to the winner. The other half will be donated to the Alpine Artisans Inc. to throw the first big event at Tamaracks Resort after coronavirus restrictions are lifted. Tamaracks Resorts partnered with AAI following last week’s article announcing the Cha...
SWAN VALLEY - The Montana History Foundation (MHF) announced its 2020 grant cycle will put $164,800 into 29 historic preservation projects in 27 communities this year including the Upper Swan Valley Historical Society. Since 2012, when the MHF grants program began, they have provided more than $1 million to history projects throughout Montana, supporting 247 projects in 47 counties. Funding for the MHF Grants Program comes from a variety of private sources, including a grant from the Fortin...
SEELEY LAKE –Seeley Lake pastors and representatives from Missoula Aging Services sat around a big table at Seeley Lake Baptist Church March 19. Their conversation centered around working together to best serve the community through the coronavirus pandemic. Through this collective conversation they formed the new collaborative Seeley Swan Helps to pool resources to assist those in need and organize volunteers. The seeds for the Seeley Swan Helps collaborative started around five years ago with weekly prayer meetings between Mission Bible F... Full story
Effective March 28, all Lolo National Forest campgrounds, rental cabins and lookouts will be temporarily closed through April 30 or until the order is rescinded. The health and safety of visitors, as well as Forest Service employees and volunteers, is paramount during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Forest is working to meet the social distancing guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to help reduce the spread of the virus. The closures will not impact Lolo National Forest trails, trailheads, recreation areas, dispersed camping sites...
SEELEY LAKE – "The more time we spend with our dogs, the better that relationship is going to be and the more value you are going to have in the eyes of your dog," said Julee Samuli, a certified dog trainer who lives in Seeley Lake. "A lot of people think training is cues - that is static and boring. Helping people know how to have fun, play and train at the same time gets people more involved with their dogs and they want to spend more time with their dog." Dogs have been an essential part o...
Editor's Note: This article was updated Thursday, April 2. The Tamaracks Resort will be partnering with Alpine Artisans, Inc. (not the Chamber as originally published) for the big event following the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions. SEELEY LAKE – The ice going off Seeley Lake is a long awaited event for Seeley Lake residents and visitors alike kicking off the spring season. While the ice on the south end of the lake opens up starting at the end of March, the ice at the north end of the lake is the last to go. Tamaracks Resort, with support f...
Below is a summary of the new information about local and statewide closures, restrictions and accommodations due to the coronavirus as of Tuesday morning, March 31. Information changes daily, sometimes hourly. Please follow the Seeley Swan Pathfinder website (seeleylake.com) for Breaking News for our area. For the most up-to-date and accurate information, please refer to the Missoula County-City Health Department website http://missoula.co/cvirus or call 406-258-INFO (4636) Monday – Friday f... Full story
The Nature Conservancy and its 550 scientists are launching Nature Lab, a new online learning platform designed to help students learn the science behind how nature works for us and how we can help keep it running strong. “As schools around the world shut down in response to COVID-19 and parents work to balance the demands on their time and energy, we know that students will have very different learning experiences over the next few months,” said Kate Ireland, director of Youth Engagement Programs at The Nature Conservancy. “I’m proud that Th...
Montanans are lucky to have so many opportunities to get outdoors and recreate, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. And while Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks encourages recreation outside, we also encourage careful planning and prudence. The safety of the public and FWP staff is of utmost concern. As a reminder, social distancing guidelines should be followed at all FWP sites. Keep your distance from fellow recreators. If a parking lot at a fishing access site or state park is full, consider another place to recreate. Also, in keeping with...
KALISPELL – Fifteen rental cabins in Flathead National Forest have been closed indefinitely for the health and safety of visitors and staff. Developed campgrounds and most restroom facilities are also closed. Even though campgrounds are closed, boat launches associated with campgrounds remain open. Effective immediately, all Flathead National Forest rental cabins will be closed and unavailable to rent via Recreation.gov. Notifications to cabin renters will be made as soon as possible and refunds will be processed. On the Swan Lake Ranger D...
Glacier National Park announced it will temporarily close, as of 5 p.m. Friday, March 27 in coordination with the state of Montana, Flathead County, Glacier County and the Blackfeet Tribe. "We're closed until we all feel that it is safe to reopen," Superintendent Jeff Mow said in an interview with Montana Free Press as the park closed. Local and state health officials had raised health concerns about visitors traveling to the park from across the country and potentially transporting COVID-19,...
HELENA – Montana Attorney General Tim Fox issued a letter of advice in response to a request for guidance on how government entities should conduct open meetings during the COVID-19 state of emergency. “The COVID-19 pandemic and social-distancing measures taken to contain its spread have created unique challenges for public participation in their government,” Fox said. “It is imperative that state and local agencies adapt to the new circumstances while upholding Montanans’ constitutional rights of access and participation. These guidelines are...
SEELEY LAKE – When schools were closed for an additional week following spring break, Mission Bible Fellowship's Kids Club Coordinator Erika Wilson came up with the idea to put together Boredom Buster Bags to spark students' creativity and provide opportunities for parents to entertain their children. What Wilson didn't expect was how many new people in the community she met handing out the bags and how grateful parents and grandparents were for the entertainment supplies. During an MBF small g...
SEELEY LAKE – The word "hairbrained" conjures images of Lucy from the "I Love Lucy" show engaging in hilarious and unsuccessful attempts to get into show business or to make money as in the famous chocolate factory episode. No doubt Lucy's mop of red hair helped to perpetuate the spelling of "hairbrained." Though both spellings are in common usage, the more correct spelling is "harebrained" because the original reference is not to hair but to the species of rabbit known as the European or b...
SEELEY LAKE - Despite the uncertainty and challenges presenting the community after two weeks of restrictions and closures, local residents and businesses are still trying to keep a positive attitude and share some humor. What are you doing to put a smile on someone else's face? Share your photos with us! Email to pathfinder@seeleylake.com for next week....
SEELEY LAKE – Double Arrow Landowners Association sponsored a virtual Community Preparedness Discussion that was aired live on the Seeley Swan Pathfinder Facebook page March 26. DARLOA President Tom Browder and DARLOA board member Tom Kuchai organized and hosted the event at the Seeley Lake Historical Museum and Visitors Center. Presenters included: • Seeley-Swan High School Principal Kellen Palmer offered updates for the schools, lunches available for students 18 years old and younger and rem...
Death Notice, James “Jim” Calvin Webb SWAN VALLEY - James “Jim” Calvin Webb, age 86, of Condon passed away on Monday, March 23. Services for James will be held at a later date and will be announced when arrangements are complete. Please visit www.buttefuneralhome.com to offer the family a condolence or to share a memory of James. Axelson Funeral and Cremation Services has been privileged to care for James and his family. Community invited to go on a bear hunt SEELEY LAKE – During this time of social distancing, locals Mark and Alicia Kues start...
MONTANA – Governor Steve Bullock issued a Directive allowing Montanans to renew their driver’s licenses online and by mail and extended the deadline to complete title and registration paperwork to provide essential services without furthering the spread of COVID-19. “Today’s actions ensure Montanans can access essential services from home and extends certain deadlines to minimize the public’s contact with local government employees and avoid furthering the spread of COVID-19,” Governor Bullock said. The Directive will allow the Motor Vehic...
MONTANA – Governor Steve Bullock announced March 31 consumer protections to lessen the economic impacts on Montanans during the COVID-19 statewide emergency by stopping evictions, foreclosures and cancellation of utility services including water, heating and internet service. “One of my top priorities is continuing to find ways to ease the financial hardships on Montanans. So long as this virus forces Montanans to stay home to save lives, Montanans need a home to stay in,” Governor Bullock said. “This order ensures that a loss of income won’t l... Full story
MONTANA – Governor Steve Bullock announced Friday that in the coming days and weeks, he will extend federal food assistance to more than 100,000 Montanans, increase food supplies at emergency food pantries and food banks, and streamline nutrition assistance for new mothers and children. All of these changes are made available through flexibility and funding provided in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and will be implemented by the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services. “Montana families are alr... Full story
MISSOULA - The Missoula City-County Health Department is deeply saddened to announce that a Missoula resident passed away from complications due to COVID-19 infection. Our team at the health department sends our deepest condolences to their family, friends and loved ones at this terrible time. We know this loss will be felt by our whole community, as Missoula is like a big family. We urge people to continue being vigilant and supportive of each other as we all work together to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and protect each other, especially... Full story
MONTANA - On Tuesday, April 7, Governor Steve Bullock extended all current orders set to expire April 10 through April 24. The extension covers the stay at home order, school closures, on-premises dining and beverage operations, eviction and foreclosure suspensions and the mandatory 14-day self-quarantine for travelers coming into Montana for non-work-related travel. Bullock encouraged the public to continue to practice social distancing of at least six feet when engaging in essential... Full story
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Sewer District (SLSD) held its March 19 meeting via teleconference call to avoid congregating people per recommendations to limit the spread of coronavirus. The District finally received a bill from their attorney for regular Board business for ten months of work in 2019. In other business the District received word that a grant for Phase 2 is no longer available and the Board voted to reapply. The 42-page invoice from Beal Law Firm covered charges from March - December 2019 and totaled $47,860.57. The D...
ALASKA – Nine days, 17 hours, 47 minutes and 16 seconds after leaving Anchorage, Seeley Lake part-time resident Jessie Royer mushed her dogsled team into Nome, Alaska to a third-place finish in the 2020 Iditarod race. She arrived March 18, seven hours after first-place finisher Thomas Waerner from Torpa, Norway and just one hour after Mitch Seavey from Seward, Alaska. Prize money for each Iditarod involves a complicated algorithm, awarding incrementally increasing amounts for finishers 1-20. T...
"I want to let all of the parents that have found themselves quarantine schooling at home that what you're doing is hard! You didn't want to do this and it's probably not going to look like what a typical homeschoolers day looks like," posted homeschooling mother Michelle Cahoon on the "School at Home" Facebook page. "My number one piece of advice is to give yourself grace [and have fun]. Don't expect to get it all done. It doesn't have to look like public school at home. Take lots of brain brea... Full story
SEELEY LAKE – While Seeley Lake Elementary bus driver Gary Wayne drove his route Monday morning, he never picked up any children. Instead he, along with SLE kitchen staff Joy Clemens, dropped off sack lunches and breakfasts packaged for area students who are home due to school closures. This is a service being offered to area students 18-years-old and younger at no cost while schools are closed due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Governor Steve Bullock closed schools statewide March 1...
Although spring has officially arrived, unpredictable weather is creating variable conditions across the Seeley Lake Ranger District. Large amounts of snow remain at high elevations, while lower elevations may be experiencing spring melt. Melting snow and ice creates soft roadbeds and poses challenges and risks to driving out on the Forest. The District is asking the visiting public to avoid driving on roads that are wet. Traveling on soft roadbeds can lead to expensive repairs, longer-term closures to fix problems and potentially vehicles...
Are you interested in a summer arts camp or a senior college scholarship? Alpine Artisans is offering scholarships and we're eager to receive your application – due April 18. For more information and the application forms visit http://www.alpineartisans.org/scholarships/ Youth Arts Grants: All K-12 students attending schools or home-schooled are eligible. Grants can be for art, drama, dance or music workshops, camps or lessons. Our website offers local experts who provide lessons. Senior S...
GREENOUGH – Sunday night, March 15 when Governor Steve Bullock announced a statewide school closure for two weeks, Sunset School supervising teacher Toni Hatten started thinking about the best lesson delivery method for the school's 14 students. Without the luxury of spring break, Monday morning Hatten and teacher Hali Richmond came up with binders for each child and two weeks' worth of work to help keep them engaged in learning from home. They delivered the binders and students' Chromebooks t...
Below is a summary of the new information to local and statewide closures, restrictions and accommodations due to the coronavirus as of Tuesday morning, March 24. Information changes daily, sometimes hourly. Please call ahead or contact the organization directly with questions. Please follow the Seeley Swan Pathfinder website (http://www.seeleylake.com) for Breaking News for our area. We will post as it becomes available. For the most up-to-date and accurate information and best ways of... Full story
SEELEY LAKE – According to the Missoula County Elections Office, there are a handful of changes to the voter registration process for property owners in the Seeley Lake Sewer District for the upcoming board election. The May 5 election will be conducted by mail with ballots being mailed out April 15. While any active registered voter residing within the Sewer District is eligible, there are also several ways in which landowners may be eligible to vote. How they register depends on how they own their property. Residents, either renters or l...
SEELEY LAKE – The March 12 issue of the Seeley Swan Pathfinder carried a report on the multimedia presentation Scott Kirby presented the previous Sunday in Condon. That presentation primarily addressed the adults of our communities. When Alpine Artisan's 2 Valleys Stage arranges these community performances, it also contracts with the artists to offer presentations and workshops in the local schools. In his presentations at Swan Valley School, Potomac Elementary, Seeley Lake Elementary and S...
Virtual Conversation on Preparedness, March 26 SEELEY LAKE – The public is invited to engage in a live-streamed Conversation on Preparedness Thursday, March 26 starting at 5:30 p.m. Tune in for a panel discussion via the Seeley Swan Pathfinder Facebook page and submit questions through the Facebook chat window. There will also be an opportunity to comment on a proposed Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning (HVAC) system for the Seeley Lake Historical Museum and Visitor’s Center (Barn). The conversation is sponsored by the Double Arrow Lan...
MONTANA – Governor Steve Bullock today issued a directive to extend closures of public schools and dine-in food service and alcoholic beverage businesses through April 10 and mandate social distancing measures to slow the spread of COVID-19 in Montana. “Montanans have an obligation to slow the spread of this virus. Our fellow Montanans can all continue to set a good example for each other in adhering to social distancing directives – and know that it will save lives,” Governor Bullock said. “For every person who stays at home and avoids no... Full story
Personal firewood cutting will be free to the general public from April 1 through June 1, 2020, on the Lolo and Flathead National Forests. No permit will be required during this time. Woodcutters can take up to 12 cords of firewood for personal use. A cord is the amount of tightly piled wood in a stack four feet high by four feet wide by eight feet long. Personal use firewood cutting allows you to remove downed timber or to cut standing dead trees under most conditions on National Forests and...
Following the March 25 governor’s directive, Missoula County will run the upcoming June 2 federal primary election via all-mail ballot. Ballots for the primary election will be mailed to voters on May 8. Voters will be able to update their information for the primary via the mail and not risk unnecessary exposure until 5 p.m. Tuesday, May 26. Voters are encourage voters to check www.MyVoterPageMT.com to confirm their status and to reach out to us at 406-258-4751 or electioninfo@missoulacounty.us for any updates. On Wednesday, May 27, until 1... Full story
MONTANA – Governor Steve Bullock today issued a Directive requiring Montanans to stay home and temporarily closes all nonessential businesses and operations to curtail the spread of COVID-19. The order, which goes into effect at 12:01 a.m. on March 28, will buy time for health care workers on the frontlines and seeks to limit long term impacts to the state's economy. "In consultation with public health experts, health care providers, and emergency management professionals, I have determined that to protect public health and human safety, it i... Full story
MONTANA – Monday, March 30 Governor Steve Bullock directed that travelers arriving from another state or country to Montana for non-work-related purposes undergo a 14-day self-quarantine. The Directive follows the governor’s prior travel advisory and last week’s Stay at Home Directive. “While we love our visitors, we would ask that you not come visit while Montanans are watching out for one another by staying at home,” said Governor Bullock. “This is important not only to protect our health care system, but also to protect against the spread... Full story
Below is local, county and statewide information provided as of Monday, March 16 at 7 p.m. Information changes daily, sometimes hourly. Please call ahead or contact the organization directly with questions. The Seeley Swan Pathfinder is committed to providing the most up-to-date, accurate information possible. We will be posting Breaking News on our website (seeleylake.com) and sharing local information on our Facebook page (Seeley Swan Pathfinder). The paywall for all coronavirus information ha... Full story
SEELEY LAKE - The Lolo National Forest is amending the Recreation Fee proposal from last summer by postponing the proposed day use fees at the Seeley Creek Winter Sports site, Pattee Canyon Nordic Ski Trail system, and Big Larch and Seeley Lake day use areas and boat ramps. The Forest will continue to move forward with the proposal to raise or implement fees on some existing campgrounds and new or existing rental cabins/lookouts. If recommended by local Secure Rural Schools Resource Advisory...
SEELEY LAKE – Josh Gibbs accepted a two-year contract to become Seeley Lake Elementary's superintendent. Seeley Lake Elementary School Board voted unanimously to offer the position to him at their March 11 meeting. There were more than ten applicants for the superintendent position. After reviewing applications, the board chose six to interview. Jon Konen, Eric Larson and Josh Gibbs interviewed for the superintendent position March 1 after the other three had already accepted other positions. Th...
SEELEY LAKE – "The food was really good," said an attendee dressed in green as they left the Seeley Lake Senior Center's annual St. Patrick's Day dinner March 15. While attendance was down this year, the corned beef and Irish Stew was a treat for many along with the goodies from the Cake Walk and an abundance of items in the Silent Auction. The St. Patrick's Day Dinner is an annual fundraiser supporting the general operations at the Senior Center. Senior Center president Boyd Gossard said t...
SEELEY LAKE – The public is invited to engage in a live-streamed Conversation on Preparedness Thursday, March 26 from 5:30 - 8 p.m. Tune in to a panel discussion via the Seeley Swan Pathfinder Facebook page and submit questions through the Facebook chat window. There will also be an opportunity to comment on a proposed Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning (HVAC) system for the Seeley Lake Historical Museum and Visitor’s Center (Barn). The conversation is sponsored by the Double Arrow Landowners Association and will be facilitated by Thomas K...
The bears are awake! The Be Bear Aware Campaign has been notified by wildlife officials in Montana, Washington and Idaho that bears are coming out of hibernation. As bears awaken they may be irritable, making it imperative that those recreating carry bear spray, know how to use it and that attractants are secured. According to reports on Missoula Bears, signs of black bears have been seen in the Rattlesnake and Frenchtown. There have also been multiple reports of grizzly bear tracks in the Blackfoot. Bear tracks have also been seen in Condon...
KALISPELL - Snow and ice melt are creating muddy conditions on many National Forest roads. People planning on driving in the forest should use caution and plan on turning around if they find soft roads. Motorists may encounter roads that the forest has temporarily closed to prevent damage. It’s also important for people to use good judgment if they find an open road that seems too wet for travel. Traveling on soft roadbeds can lead to expensive repairs and longer-term closures to fix problems. This winter has been the third warmest on record i...
SEELEY LAKE & SWAN VALLEY – Photos of empty store shelves are flooding social media. Most recently our local stores have been cleaned out of certain products. Both the Mission Mountain Mercantile (The Merc) and Cory's Valley Market issue a word of caution and assure the community they are doing everything they can to help their customers. "Your local businesses are working seven days a week. They take this responsibility seriously, it is not just to make money," said Grace Siloti, co-owner of t...
SEELEY LAKE – At their March 11 meeting, the Seeley Lake Elementary school board discussed COVID-19 preparations, the 2018-2019 test scores and unanimously approved running a general fund levy. The General levy will appear on the May 5 mail-in election. During his superintendent report, Daniel Schrock said that he ordered a cordless disinfectant fogger for $700. It will not arrive until April 30. It takes an average of three minutes to clean a room. Until then they are promoting good hand washing techniques, frequently wiping down commonly t...
SEELEY LAKE – "Giving back to my community has always been important to me," said Jaycee McGraves, Seeley Lake Fire Department volunteer Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) since January 2019. "The training is there and I love to learn and be able to take that training, pass it on and help others." With a core group of volunteers, the Seeley Lake Fire Department continues to do their best responding to the medical and fire calls throughout the District. However Chief Dave Lane said Seeley Lake i...
GREENOUGH – Fairytale Farms in Greenough has taken a huge step towards their dream of improving the food security of the local communities with access to healthy, organic produce and offering agricultural education. With their recently renewed 501(c)3 status and grant for a 30-foot X 72-foot greenhouse, they are now able to expand their education-focused organization with the help of volunteers. Bo and Sarah Mendenhall started Fairytale Farms in 2011 while renting property in the Swan Valley. T...
Missoula County seeking nominations for Land Stewardship Award Missoula County Community and Planning Services is now accepting nominations for the annual Land Stewardship Award. The award recognizes landowners and residents who take stewardship of land and water seriously and are embarking on projects and practices that make a difference for land, water, forests, wildlife and communities. Community members and organizations are invited to nominate landowners and residents who are restoring, protecting or enhancing land and natural resources...
SEELEY LAKE - In a meeting with the Seeley Lake Senior Center (Sela Senci) board of directors and Rob Edwards, Missoula Aging Services Community Services Director, the group laid out a plan to minimize risk as much as possible while continuing to provide meals to their members 60 years and older. They are looking for volunteers willing to help prepare meals and drivers to deliver. Based on the guidance from Governor Steve Bullock to limit contact, as of Thursday, March 19 the congregate meals... Full story
CLOSURES & CANCELLATIONS • The Seeley Lake Senior Center has cancelled congregate meals and all social activities until further notice. Meals are still available for pick-up and Meals on Wheels is operating normally. To order a meal call 677-2008 the night before and leave a message with the number of meals and what time meal(s) will be picked up the next day between 10:30am-12pm. To sign up for Meals on Wheels, to volunteer to prepare, serve or drive, and/or for additional assistance for those 60+ or homebound call Missoula Aging Services R... Full story
MONTANA – To curtail the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in Montana, Governor Steve Bullock today announced measures to close dine-in food service and alcoholic beverage businesses and other activities that pose enhanced health risks, effective at 8 p.m. on Friday, March 20, 2020. This Directive expires at 11:59 p.m. on March 27, 2020, the same day that school closures are set to expire, though the date will likely be extended. “Both young and older Montanans, in urban and rural communities, have tested positive for coronavirus, making it eve... Full story
• Living Water Catholic Church is not having services until further notice through the diocese. • Condon Community Church cancelled all of their Services for the next two weeks. That includes Sunday School, Worship Services, & Choir Practices for March 22nd & March 29th as well as our weekly Bible Studies. • Almost all churches have switched to using their website and/or Facebook page for service and prayer meetings. Please check those for further announcements and opportunities to worship from home. • Effective March 19, the Seeley Lake Se... Full story
OVANDO - While to many in Ovando, social isolation so it is "just another day in the Valley," the normal has changed in response to COVID-19. Organizations and businesses within the community are adjusting the best they can to best serve their customers and community members. The following Ovando businesses and organizations are available to support the community and others: Blackfoot Commercial Co: Open 7 days a week. Monday - Saturday 8am - 5pm and 10am - 4pm on Sundays. Hours subject to... Full story
MISSOULA - Missoula City-County Health Officer Ellen Leahy issued a local adoption and extension until April 15 of the Governor's state-wide directive from March 20 regarding bars, restaurants, casinos and gyms. The Missoula City-County Health Department also added closure orders for cosmetic salons, body art establishments and massage parlors effective 11:59 p.m., March 24. Also, a requirement for social distancing in retail stores in Missoula City and County has been added. In the order, Leahy extended the Governor's closure order for... Full story
SEELEY LAKE – Travis Burgess, 43, was charged with the burglaries at It's Ah Wrap and the Stone Fly Bar/Clearwater Stop N Go. Items stolen from It's Ah Wrap coffee and sandwich kiosk in Seeley Lake Feb. 29 were found following a search of the vehicle the suspect was driving. The ATM that was stolen from the Stone Fly Bar March 1 was recovered after Burgess took authorities to the location where it was dumped. Missoula County Sheriff's Office Sergeant Robert Parcell was called Saturday, Feb. 29 f...
MISSOULA – Two landowners in the Seeley Lake Sewer District (SLSD) have petitioned the Fourth Judicial District Court in Missoula for a Writ of Mandamus regarding the Missoula County Elections office’s denial of a pair of citizens’ petitions. Attorney Colleen Dowdall filed the Petition for Writ of Mandamus on behalf of Don Larson and Tom Morris. If the Writ is issued the Court would order the SLSD attorney to complete the ballot language as laid out in state law and force the Missoula County Elections Administrator to approve the pair of previo...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Elementary School board voted unanimously at their special meeting March 4 to initiate a contract with Eric Larson for the SLE superintendent/principal position. Larson submitted a letter, declining the appointment citing obligations to his extended family. The board will further discuss their options at their regular monthly meeting Wednesday, March 11 at 5:30 p.m. Jon Konen, Eric Larson and Josh Gibbs interviewed for the superintendent position March 1. The board deferred the decision until March 4 prior to w...
The Missoula City-County Health Department’s infectious disease and emergency preparedness teams, along with local and state partners, continue to monitor the Coronavirus (COVID-19) situation overseas and in the United States and have created a response plan should any cases be confirmed in Missoula County. Currently there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Montana. “We’ve increased communications with the state, local hospitals, clinics and emergency responders and we also designated staff to monitor information daily. Our team also creat...
SWAN VALLEY – When Beauty Lou (Lilly Boyd) "wished upon a wishbone" to turn the man who won first place at the county fair for his beautiful roses into a beast, her wish was granted. It wasn't until years later that she realized the power of her wish and the beast (Jalen Kauffman) understood that his pride in his looks, wealth and roses had kept him away from things much more important, like friendship. Missoula Children's Theatre and Swan Valley School students presented "Beauty Lou and the C...
SEELEY LAKE – During Seeley Lake Elementary’s strategic planning cross-over event Feb. 22, Dr. Daniel Farr stated that SLE was going to lose about $50,000 in budget authority because eight students that are home schooled were erroneously reported as enrolled. Upon further review of the arrangement with the distance learning students, Superintendent Daniel Schrock said what SLE is doing is legitimate and it would meet the requirements to count the students with no loss to the budget. According to Montana Code Annotated 20-9-311: Calculation of...
SWAN VALLEY – Audience members watched as their neighbors and familiar places appeared on the big screen at Swan Valley School March 8 as part of Scott Kirby's Main Street Souvenirs presentation. Kirby captured the Blackfoot Valley around Potomac, up the Clearwater through Seeley Lake and north to Swan Lake in his multi-media stage performance. He artfully combined live music, narration, historical and modern photographs, paintings and video clips to tell the story of the gathering of small-town...
SEELEY LAKE - Pyramid Mountain Lumber excelled again this year in grader performance. The Western Wood Products Association (WWPA) recognized Monie Bergeson, Tim Wood, Chace Bartolet and Paul Gereg with the High Quality (Hi-Q) Award for their timber grading accuracy in 2019. This is more than half of the certified graders at Pyramid. Pyramid offers three to four different species of lumber and each species has three different products that qualify for the Hi-Q award. To be eligible for the...
SWAN VALLEY - Missoula County Building and Development Programs Manager Nicole Whyte along with Missoula County Commissioner Juanita Vero attended the Swan Valley Community Council meeting March 2. Whyte informed the more than 20 attendees about the proposed increase to the County building permit program fees. The attendees brought up suggestions, criticisms and frustrations with County taxes. Whyte said that the 2018 building codes that the state adopted Dec. 7, 2019 went into effect in the County March 7. Whyte explained the reasons for...
People have been parsing the human lifespan into a taxonomy of ages forever. Aristotle proposed three categories: youthful, prime of life and elderly. Two thousand years later, Shakespeare's Seven Ages of Man carved human chronology into seven slices, with the body's final frailty circling back to the original oblivion of infancy. And in the 1980's, British historian Peter Laslett proposed a revised map of three ages, with a caveat for the third: it could be a time of post-retirement...
Seeley Lake Community Foundation scholarship application due July 10 SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Foundation is pleased to announce a scholarship opportunity for local students. The SLCF scholarship is designed for students who have graduated from Seeley-Swan High School and have finished at least one year of college or trade school. The $1,000 scholarship is meant to assist with costs incurred at a college, university or technical school. Applications are due July 10. Scholarship applications are available online at http://www.seele...
MONTANA – Governor Steve Bullock today confirmed two presumptively positive cases of coronavirus, or COVID-19, in Missoula County. • The Missoula County patient is a female in their 30s • The Missoula County patient is a male in their 50s The tests, conducted by the DPHHS Public Health Laboratory, were confirmed Saturday evening. As is current standard, test results are considered presumptively positive and will be confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). DPHHS and the Missoula City-County Health Department are immediately follo...
LOCAL INFORMATION: • Partnership Health Center is deeply committed, as always, to the health and wellbeing of our patients and staff. We are closely monitoring and responding to the evolving situation surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. At this point, PHC plans to offer full services at the Seeley-Swan Medical Center. They are working closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as state and local health authorities, to ensure they continue delivering safe, quality care w... Full story
The Missoula City-County Health Officer issued an order closing bars and limiting restaurant service starting at 8 a.m. Tuesday, March 17 through 8 a.m. on Tuesday, March 24. The order comes on the heels of CDC guidance to restrict events to fewer than 50 people and the growing evidence supporting social distancing, or the avoidance of large groups of people and close contact. Other jurisdictions in Montana are doing the same, including Butte, as well as elected officials across the country. "I... Full story
SEELEY LAKE - Three candidates for the Seeley Lake Elementary superintendent Jon Konen, Eric Larson and Josh Gibbs toured the facilities, met with faculty, staff and the community and interviewed Sunday afternoon at SLE. Following public comments on the candidates and an executive session where the Board reviewed the background check information, the board announced they would deliberate and select a candidate Wednesday, March 4 at 5:30 p.m. at SLE. The meeting is open to the...
SEELEY LAKE – Law enforcement responded to two burglaries in the area over the weekend. The suspect Travis Burgess, 43, was detained Sunday while involved with another alleged burglary in Missoula with Kasey Hugs, 35. Both are in the Missoula County jail on felony burglary charges. Burgess has also been charged with felony criminal mischief and Hugs was charged with obstructing a peace officer. Saturday morning, Feb. 29 around 5:30 a.m. It’s Ah Wrap on Highway 83 was entered and items were stolen. Law enforcement said they had information, inc...
SEELEY LAKE – Nearly 700 runners "Took the Leap" and ran around Seeley Lake in the 41st annual Snow Joke Half Marathon. This was the second time in race history the Snow Joke has fallen on Leap Day. The last time was in 1992 when the Cheetah Herders were still organizing the race. For the second year, Run Wild Missoula and the Missoulian organized the race and were excited about the turn out. Racers agreed it was a beautiful course and a beautiful day to "Take the Leap on Leap Day." There w...
SEELEY LAKE - U.S. Senator Jon Tester announced that the Seeley Lake Sewer District will receive a grant for $660,000. SLSD Manager Jean Curtiss said the grant will be applied toward Phase 2 of the collection system and reduce the cost to landowners by $4,853 per lot. The grant funding comes from the Water Resources Development Act and will cover about 10 percent of the cost of constructing Phase 2’s collection system. A complete funding package has not been secured for Phase 2 but grants from Montana’s Renewable Resource Grant and Loan Pro...
HELENA – In preparation for the Oct. 1 federally enforced deadline for identification changes to fly domestically or enter secure federal facilities, the Montana Department of Justice’s Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) would like to remind citizens about REAL ID. REAL ID is an option that can be added to your Montana driver license or identification card for an additional fee. If you add it during your renewal cycle, the cost is an additional $25. Outside the renewal cycle it is $50.00. While most people have heard of REAL ID, some don’t know...
SEELEY LAKE – On Saturday, March 7, Veterans and Families of Seeley Lake (VFSL) will be hosting a spaghetti dinner fundraiser and auction to support the Ellinghouse triplets Mia, Kensi and Natalie. While neither parents Shawn Ellinghouse or Kristy Pohlman are veterans, VFSL President Barbara Knopp said, “We just want to help wherever we can.” Knopp said the idea for the fundraiser just popped into her head. “I think God was talking to me,” said Knopp. “I said why don’t we do this? They are in need. They have three girls to take care of and t...
SEELEY LAKE - Next Monday’s meeting of the Seeley Lake Community Council promises to be quite lively: Sewer Board candidates will talk about their views on the project as part of a Sewer Candidates Forum. There are two vacancies on the Board and five candidates running: Tom Morris, Jason Gilpin, Carleen Gonder, Duane Anderson and Kyle Zumwalt. All candidates have indicated that they will attend the Forum, with the exception of Tom Morris, who has a prior engagement. Morris also commented that while he has no problems stating his position, ...
During sunny late winter days in the Blackfoot Watershed, multitudes of small black things can be seen wriggling on the snow. They are called snow fleas, Snow fleas, or Hypogastrura nivicola, are part of the arthropod group called springtails which include horseshoe crabs, spiders and scorpions. Springtails are not considered insects because their mouthparts are internal while insect mouths are external. Unlike parasitic fleas, snow fleas are decomposers and not bloodsuckers. They do not bite...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley-Swan High School English freshman and sophomore student audio documentary "Voices from Seeley Lake" aired on Montana Public Radio Sunday, Feb. 23. The documentary was a product of the Empathy Project built in collaboration with the Montana Media Lab at the UM School of Journalism and a variety of Seeley Lake community members after reading "To Kill A Mockingbird, The Screenplay" in English class last spring. "Voices from Seeley Lake" is now available on the Montana M...
SEELEY LAKE – At the Missoula County Public Schools Board Special Board meeting Feb. 25, the board unanimously appointed Jennifer Vogel of Potomac to fill the vacant District “D” seat through the school board election May 5. This position represents Clinton, Potomac, Swan Valley, Seeley Lake and Sunset school boundary areas. Vogel was the only applicant for the seat that was vacated by Elliott Dugger Jan. 14. Vogel has taught special education for nine years and has been the special education teacher at Potomac School for the past two years. Sh...
SEELEY LAKE – "For as long as I can remember I've endeavored to make things I either didn't have, couldn't afford, couldn't find or just for fun," wrote Jeanette Roesner, owner of The Dooking Weasel, in an email. "I've been an artist, author and seamstress all my life." Roesner opened The Dooking Weasel in January. She looks forward to offering handmade custom crafts, toys, embroidery and books as well as providing sewing services including mending and alterations to the communities of the S...
Mobile Unit in Seeley Lake, March 5 SEELEY LAKE – The Mobile Unit offering free and confidential ultrasounds and pregnancy testing will be in the Lazy Pine Mall parking lot March 5 from 10:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. They also offer STD/STI testing. Some tests may carry a low lab fee. Sparrow’s Vine and Care Net of Missoula sponsor the Mobile Unit. Call Sparrow’s Vine, 677-1900, or Care Net, 549-0406, to make an appointment. Walk-ins welcome as time allows. Swan Valley School presents “Beauty Lou and the Country Beast,” March 6 SWAN VALLEY – Everyone...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley-Swan High School Junior Aspen Conley was voted Missoulian's Prep Athletes of the Week, sponsored by Republic Services, last week. Conley appreciated the recognition and support she received during the vote. Conley started playing basketball in third grade but her love for the sport started when she was younger. The Conley family has always been big basketball fans. She watched her older sister KeAnna play growing up. Conley said KeAnna inspires her and pushes her to play t...
HELENA—The Office of Public Instruction announced today that nomination and application forms are available for the 2021 Montana Teacher of the Year Program. Members of the public can fill out a simple form to nominate a teacher. Teachers can self-nominate by filling out an application. All current and actively teaching Montanans who are making a positive difference in the lives of students are encouraged to apply. If nominated, the OPI will reach out to the nominated teacher and ask them to fill out an application. Nomination forms are due b...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Elementary School Board hosted a community cross-over event Feb. 22 to gather information that will be used to create a strategic plan for the school. Dr. Daniel Farr led the cross-over event and is working for the Board to help develop a strategic plan. Farr explained some of the issues public schools are facing nationwide. In the last century approximately 100 things have been added to the list schools are asked to teach students with dozens of those coming in t...
MISSOULA - Missoula County Commissioners are seeking public comment as they consider adopting a resolution to place a county-wide gas tax on the June 2 primary election ballot. The first public hearing on the issue will be at the commissioners’ public meeting at 2 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 27 in the Sophie Moiese Room at the Missoula County Courthouse. The board will take constituent comments until the public meeting at 2 p.m. Thursday, March 5 when they will vote on whether to adopt the resolution. If adopted, commissioners will sign the r...
**Editor's Note: Following the print deadline for the Feb. 27 issue, two of the candidates Brian Rayburn and Danny L. Johnston accepted positions elsewhere. This is the most current interview schedule and bios provided by Seeley Lake Elementary Wednesday, Feb. 26. SEELEY LAKE - The Board of Trustees for the Seeley Lake Elementary School District is pleased to announce three finalists for the position of District Superintendent. The community is invited to a Meet and Greet in the Seeley Lake Elementary Library at 12:30 p.m. Sunday, March 1 and c...
SEELEY LAKE - John Fraley is no stranger to the Seeley-Swan Valley audience and so his new edition of "A Woman's Way West" will appeal greatly to all our readers. It tells the story of Doris Huffine, into whose family he eventually marries, who became an early pioneer in these local valleys and who left her exquisite mark on what is homeland to us. Fraley will be reading from his book at the Open Book Club on Saturday, Feb. 29 at 7 p.m. at the Grizzly Claw Trading Company. The event is free and...
SWAN VALLEY - Alpine Artisan's 2 Valleys Stage is bringing Scott Kirby to the Blackfoot and Swan Valleys to take us on an artistic journey through our local history and small-town American life. This adventure, combining visual, musical and narrative components, is sure to elicit hometown nostalgia as he reminds us of the enduring spirit born of Montana rural living. Scott will be performing at 3 p.m. March 8 in the Swan Valley Elementary School Gymnasium. Kirby's website proclaims, "As a...
As the current license year is winding down, hunters and anglers can look for a few immediate changes for the coming year. The new license year starts on March 1, which means that is the day you can begin to buy your 2020 hunting and fishing licenses and begin applying for permits and special licenses. The deadline to apply for deer and elk permits is April 1. Hunters should keep a couple of things in mind as they look to the application process for this year. First, this will be the first year that hunters will be able to apply for all their...
"I'm just a regular guy who skis a lot," said Ovando resident Tim Swanberg who skate skied the 100K, nearly 65 miles, trek from Lincoln to Seeley Lake in 14 hours Feb. 15. While the conditions were far from perfect, this was the first time everything aligned to attempt the distance in one shot since Swanberg had the idea more than five years ago. Swanberg's first experience with long distance was as a 16-year-old. He and his friend Mike Lemon, 15, hiked over Pyramid Pass in early June, into Big...
SEELEY LAKE – Special Education Director and Special Education Teacher Janina Bradley was recognized as the Seeley Lake Elementary Teacher of the Semester at the Seeley Lake Elementary School Board meeting Feb. 18. Superintendent Daniel Schrock chose Bradley for her hard work and dedication while serving more than 30 students all year. Schrock brought back the student of the week to the school this year. He also chose to recognize the teachers because, “It is simply the right thing to do in being appreciative of their efforts and the dir...
SEELEY LAKE - What do ospreys and the Maloney cabin have in common? What does a pianist and a mountain biker share? Where do you find both a memorial site and young mothers? What brings students focused on science and creative writing together? They’re all connected to Seeley Lake, of course! These are some of the many organizations making great things happen in our community: Wild Skies Raptor Center, Seeley Lake Historical Society, Alpine Artisans, Seeley Lake ROCKS, Veterans and Families of Seeley Lake, Sparrows Vine, Clearwater Resource C...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Rural Fire District board of trustees discussed fire and EMS billing as well as the county lease at their monthly meeting Feb. 18. They also addressed comments from the public who is concerned about the lack of responders showing up on incidents. Seeley Lake Fire Chief Dave Lane reported to the board that since they changed their billing procedures and switched their billing company, they have received more than $4,000 and have more than $2,600 in progress that is expected to be paid for fire calls. “All of the...
SEELEY LAKE - This coming Saturday, a hardy group of runners will attempt a 13.1-mile circuit of Seeley Lake in the 41st annual Snow Joke Half Marathon. Tony Banovich, executive director of Run Wild Missoula, has high hopes for this year’s iteration of the winter tradition. “This’ll probably be the biggest in the last four years with number of participants,” he predicted Thursday. “Right now we’ve got 730 registered. … If the weather holds nice, we’ll get a nice little surge of numbers. I’m expecting we’ll get 750 or more registered and that wo...
POTOMAC - More than 150 people attended the annual Pancakes and Permits event Feb. 22 at the Potomac/Greenough Community Center (PGCC). For two hours the coffee and conversation flowed as Potomac and surrounding community members enjoyed each other over a hot breakfast of sausages, eggs and pancakes. The Potomac Valley 4H Club and the Greenough/Potomac Volunteer Fire Department (GPVFD) hosted the breakfast. The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation Clearwater Unit was there al...
Al-Anon resumes in Seeley Lake SEELEY LAKE – Starting March 4, Al-Anon will meet every Wednesday starting at 7 p.m. at Mountain Lakes Presbyterian Church. This group is open to anyone in the community, including children, who would like to participate. Al-Anon is for anyone affected by someone dealing with addiction. The group will focus on the 12 steps of recovery. For more information contact Rev. Carrie Benton at 406-677-3575 or email mlpc_logchurch@live.com. Help your child get ready for kindergarten Community members are invited to a s...
SWAN VALLEY – Swan Valley Connections is among 85 nonprofits statewide that received notice Jan. 31 from the Montana Department of Justice Motor Vehicle Division that their generic specialty license plate has been revoked for failing to reach the minimum of 400 active registrations. A four-month extension was granted last week to allow these 85 organizations to increase their plate sales. However if they are unable to meet the requirement, SVC will loose more than $5,000 annually in u...
SEELEY LAKE – Eric Hayhurst became interested in photography when he was a student at Capital High School in Helena. He liked the creativity of developing a negative in the darkroom to produce the photo as he wanted it to appear, liked the freedom inherent in layout and composition. Hayhurst considered pursuing a career in photography after graduation but realized it would be difficult to make a living as a photographer. His solution: become a photographer in the United States Navy. Hayhurst ent...
SEELEY LAKE – The Lodge on Seeley Lake was packed Saturday night, Feb. 15 for the 10 year Celebration for Destinations for Education (D4E). Not only did the event celebrate a decade of support for the grassroots program, it also raised more than $5,200 for the nine students returning to Orosi, Costa Rica this April. Attendees enjoyed a Latin Buffet and a seemingly never-ending table of desserts while socializing at the donation-only event. The 2020 travelers did the prep work, served and made s...
SEELEY LAKE – Monday afternoon, Feb. 10 Doug Pewitt, 80 of Seeley Lake, took his last ride from his home above Salmon Lake. His battle with Alzheimer’s came to an end when he got too close to the thin ice around the inlet of Salmon Lake and his vehicle fell through the ice. “This has been an unbelievable tragedy for my sister. Heroic from my other sister’s perspective because he got into the car and took control of his life since he had not had control for the past four to six years. For me it is poetic because here is a man that couldn...
Following the close of the Special District filing deadline Feb. 10, Seeley Lake Sewer Board is currently the only Special District election that will appear on the May 5 mail-in ballot. However, citizens can apply to be a write-in candidate until March 2. If someone does apply as a write-in candidate, this could trigger an election if there are more candidates than positions. However, their name would not appear on the ballot. The School District filings remain open until March 26. Current candidates for Special Districts (Filing to be listed...
Fiscally responsible budgets, strong conservative fiscal policy, the first comprehensive infrastructure package for Montana in over a decade, protecting our Second Amendment rights and fighting to keep taxes low in Montana. These are some of the things I promised to get done if I was elected to serve you in the Montana Legislature. After representing the people of House District 92 for the past two sessions, we have a real record of getting things done and getting them done with bipartisan...
Montana's hunting legacy depends on active, skilled and ethical hunters who pass on their traditions to new generations. This happens in hundreds of classrooms across Montana each year through the state's Hunter and Bowhunter Education program. Instructors in the program volunteer their time and talents to give new hunters baseline instruction on safety, ethics, procedure and other components of successful hunting. Hunter Education, which is administered by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, is...
SEELEY LAKE – Missoula County Building and Development Programs Manager Nicole Whyte attended the Seeley Lake Community Council meeting Feb. 10 to discuss changes to the County building permitting program including adopting new codes and a fee increase. Whyte said that following the Building Forum put on by the Council last year, several County agencies that were involved in different areas of permitting got together to discuss how they could better streamline the permitting process for both contractors and homeowners. Out of that meeting c...
SEELEY LAKE – After a vehicle went through the ice on Salmon Lake, Feb. 10 and emergency responders were released, Clearwater Towing of Seeley Lake worked late into the night to recover the vehicle. Clearwater Towing Manager Ben Shields said over the years, they have pulled a lot of things off and out of the lakes in the valley. However, they have never pulled a vehicle out that was that far from shore. Before Seeley-Swan Search and Rescue was released from the scene, they spotted Shields as he...
HELENA - The Montana Historical Society (MHS) is accepting applications for the Centennial Farm and Ranch program. New inductees will receive a framed certificate signed by the governor, recognition at the “Ag Day” ceremony in the Montana State Capitol during the 2021 legislative session, the ranch/farm history printed online and in MHS’s periodic Centennial Farm and Ranch yearbook and a durable 24-inch by 36-inch UV-coated metal roadside sign. Since 2009, the MHS Centennial Farm and Ranch program has recognized the state’s agricultural traditi...
SEELEY LAKE – The phrase “bury the hatchet” means to cease hostilities and make amends. Not surprisingly, the origin of the phrase comes from Native Americans, who literally did bury hatchets. Doubtless such ceremonies were performed before Europeans landed on the North American continent but the earliest recorded account, dated 1680, comes from Samuel Sewell a judge, businessman and printer in the Province of Massachusetts Bay. He documents how trouble between the colonials and the Native American tribes was settled by Major Pynchon and the c...
Death Notice SWAN VALLEY - Marian (Matthew) Seaman, 87, passed away in Missoula on Friday, Feb. 14. Arrangements are under the care of Garden City Funeral Home. Federal Grant Brings Early Education Option to Rural Montana 4-year-olds HELENA, MONT. — Rural Montana families now have a new way to prepare their children for kindergarten at home thanks to a large federal grant. The United States Department of Education awarded the nonprofit organization, Waterford.org, an Education Innovation and Research (EIR) Expansion Grant with a goal of f...
SEELEY LAKE – Just after 4:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 10 a vehicle was reported sinking into the northern portion of Salmon Lake near the open water. A certified diver with the Missoula County Sheriff's Office extracted the sole occupant Douglas Pewitt, 80 of Seeley Lake, at approximately 8 p.m. The vehicle was then removed from the lake. The recovery took several hours with very cold temperatures. The Missoula County Sheriff's Office ruled it an accidental drowning. The Sheriff's Office said, "A b...
SEELEY LAKE – "Ten years ago, I and a handful of other students headed to Ecuador. We didn't realize that we were starting something that would last much longer than our time at Seeley-Swan High School," wrote Locke Hassett, 2011 SSHS graduate, in an email. "I didn't realize that that short trip would re-frame my worldview and quantify experiences to be infinitely more valuable than objects." Destinations for Education (D4E) celebrates 10 years of community support Saturday evening, Feb. 15 a...
SEELEY LAKE – The Montana's Race to the Sky came through Seeley Lake this weekend after the 35th anniversary start in Lincoln at 1 p.m. Saturday. Seeley Lake's Jessie Royer and her J Team won the 300 mile and Josi Thyr, also from Seeley Lake, was the 100 mile champion. 300 Mile Race Royer took the lead in the 300 mile race in the first 50 miles. She passed all nine 300-mile teams on the way to White Tail Ranch and was the first musher to arrive at 7:45 p.m. Saturday night with 12 dogs. Just 1...
SEELEY LAKE – More than 100 people came out to ice skate and play in the snow Saturday, Feb. 8 for the Seeley Lake Elementary Winterfest. The enthusiasm was tangible as children of all ages and adults enjoyed ice skating, sledding, snow shoeing, skiing, making snow persons and snow sculptures. The hot dogs and snacks served by the Seeley Lake Lions Club disappeared half way through the six-hour event. There was plenty of fresh snow and flavoring for the homemade snow cones and fires to warm u...
HELENA – Montana State Parks (stateparks.mt.gov) is seeking public comment on proposed Recreational Trails Program (RTP) grant applications for the current grant cycle which closed Jan. 31. Among the applicants are the Seeley Lake Driftriders, Seeley Lake Nordic Club, Seeley Lake ROCKS and Swan Valley Connections. Public comment on the proposed RTP grant applications is open through Monday, March 9 at 5 p.m. RTP is a federally funded program administered by Montana State Parks which provides funding for trail and trail related projects a...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley Lake resident Tom Browder has announced his candidacy for Montana House District 92 on the Democratic ticket. Tom grew up in western Montana where he enjoyed fishing, hunting and hiking from an early age. His deep appreciation for the Montana outdoors continued with six summers of seasonal work at the Seeley Lake Ranger Station. Tom enlisted in the US Army in 1969 and served almost three years on the East German border during the height of the Cold War. After his military...
The prevalence of chronic wasting disease in Montana has created "a new reality" for hunters and wildlife managers, just two years after it was first detected in the state. An extensive program of testing deer, elk and moose harvested across Montana from April 1, 2019, to Jan. 29, 2020, turned up 142 positives from Libby to the Hi-Line to the Ruby Valley to southeastern Montana, the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks said. The positives included 86 white-tailed deer, 53 mule deer,...
The Montana Historical Society is seeking nominations for people and organizations whose exemplary commitment to identifying and preserving our historical and cultural heritage makes them eligible for the Heritage Keeper Awards. Up to three people or organizations will be honored by the MHS Board of Trustees for the Heritage Keeper Awards. An additional award, The Montana Heritage Guardian Award, given out only on special merit, recognizes the accomplishments of one of the Heritage Keeper Award nominees with a record of outstanding...
Movie night at the barn, Feb. 15 SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Historical Society will be presenting “The Hanging Tree” Saturday, Feb. 15 at the Seeley Lake Historic Museum and Visitors Center. The doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the movie starts at 7 p.m. Dorothy M. Johnson wrote the story the movie is based on in 1957. Johnson was born in Iowa and soon after her birth, the family moved to Montana. She began to write professionally while in high school at Whitefish. Three of her best-known western stories were made into films: “A Man Called Horse...
SWAN VALLEY – A five-year dream is finally a reality for Swan Valley School. While the finishing touches are still being completed, the new school portal is operational and ready to welcome parents and visitors to the school. Swan Valley School Board Chair John Mercer said five years ago the board and staff identified the need for a main entrance. Because of the school's configuration, when someone entered the building, the secretary could see who entered the building with a camera but there w...
SEELEY LAKE –Angela Johnson reaches in her cage and gently pulls out one of her baby green-cheeked conures. It sits in her hand while she pets its head and then it climbs up her shirt and snuggles into her neck, hoping to take a nap after snacking on oranges. "They just want attention and to love," said Johnson. "You can't find a really good friendly bird at a pet store. I knew I could provide that." Johnson has had her breeding pair of conures for a year. Within a month and a half they had t...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Biathlon continued to grow this year drawing racers from across western Montana Feb. 1. Ninety-six racers took to the course putting their skiing ability and marksmanship to the test in the 21K, 9K and 3K races. The smiles on everyone's faces said it all as they hung out near the finish in the sunshine with temperatures in the upper 40s. Race Director Chris Lorentz was very pleased with how smooth the race went. Grooming was a challenge with warm weather p...
SEELEY LAKE – The community is invited to Seeley Lake Elementary for an afternoon of winter fun Saturday, Feb. 8 from 12 p.m. – 6 p.m. Seeley Lake Elementary Winterfest includes open skating, games, snow sculptures, food and prizes. Everyone is invited to this free, family event. According to Seeley Lake Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Lisa Hayhurst, the idea for a winter event originated from SLE Superintendent Daniel Schrock last October during the Trunk-or-Treat. He approached the...
SEELEY LAKE - At the next meeting of the Seeley Lake Community Council, the first agenda item will be a presentation by Missoula County Public Works staff: a discussion of updates to the permitting process, revised building codes and fee increases. Missoula County Public Works Director Shane Stack and Building Department Program Manager Nicole Whyte will be the speakers. Responding to a number of community members’ complaints about the permitting process (“too bureaucratic,” “you get chased from department to department,” “it adds unnecessari...
SEELEY LAKE - Montana’s own Race to the Sky 35th anniversary sled dog race, will be held Feb 7-11. Local mushers include Jessie Royer in the 300-mile, Roy Etnire in the 100-mile and past-resident Cindy Gallae, now from Minnesota, in the 300-mile. Race to the Sky commemorates the Camp Rimini War Dog Reception and Training Center near Helena, Mont. for its efforts during World War II as a sled dog training facility. An Iditarod qualifier, the 300-mile Race to the Sky begins and finishes near Lincoln, Mont. The 100-mile starts in Lincoln and e...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley Lake Elementary School first grade teacher Rachel Bemis won Republic Services and KPAX-TV One Class at a Time Grant last week. She was awarded $250 which she will use to purchase art supplies including watercolors, chalk, oil pastels and clay for her classroom. Bemis is in the process of obtaining her master's degree through the Creative Pulse Master of Arts in Integrated Arts and Education from the University of Montana-Missoula. "I was inspired last year as a new teacher...
Beginning March 1, hunters and anglers can expect a few changes this year when they buy their 2020 licenses. The most visible change Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks customers will see is a change to license paper. Starting this year, both licenses and carcass tags will be printed on normal-sized paper so that license buyers will be able to print them at home. For years, FWP licenses and tags have been produced on weather-resistant paper. However, this is not only expensive, but requires printing technology so outdated that it’s almost i...
SEELEY LAKE – Out of more than 20 entries, Susanna Andersen's photo of the bridge on Boy Scout Road was selected for the cover of the 2020-2021 Seeley Lake Lions Club Phone Directory. It was chosen because it was immediately recognizable as an iconic part of the Seeley Lake area. Andersen lives in Seeley Lake. She remembers crossing the bridge as a small child when going to the campground. Her dad would always stop and point out the beaver lodge. Once Andersen had her own children, they would c...
Mobile Unit in Seeley Lake, Feb. 6 SEELEY LAKE – The Mobile Unit offering free and confidential ultrasounds and pregnancy testing will be in the Lazy Pine Mall parking lot Feb. 6 from 10:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. They also offer STD/STI testing. Some tests may carry a low lab fee. Sparrow’s Vine and Care Net of Missoula sponsor the Mobile Unit. Call Sparrow’s Vine, 677-1900, or Care Net, 549-0406, to make an appointment. Walk-ins welcome as time allows. Community Organizing for the Common Good, Feb. 8 SEELEY LAKE - Join the Seeley Lake Community Foun...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Elementary School Board voted at their Jan. 21 meeting to not renew Superintendent Daniel Schrock’s contract but invited him to reapply for the job. Ahead of the decision, the Board preformed an evaluation of Schrock. He waived his rights to privacy allowing the public to remain in the meeting. Schrock was awarded a one-year contract last August to replace former Superintendent Chris Stout, who resigned in June. The Board must renew or not renew the superintendent’s contract by February. More than 20 people atten...
SEELEY LAKE – Pilots train hard for a potential emergency landing. However, having the knowledge to survive after landing the aircraft in mountainous terrain during the winter season is a whole different skill set. More than 20 individuals learned and practiced their survival skills at the Surratt Memorial Winter Survival Course held in Seeley Lake Jan. 24-26. While everyone recalled different parts of the training stood out, the focus was clear - the best chance for survival in an emergency w...
SEELEY LAKE – Last Chance Saloon Owner Jerry O'Connell was faced with a tough decision. After posting for auditions to perform at his saloon, O'Connell couldn't decide between the six groups that auditioned. Following the last performance, he proclaimed, "I think we are going to hire everybody. Drinks on the house!" Friday night around 90 attendees at the "Western Burlesque" were taken back to the late 1800's in the Last Chance Saloon when times were tough and the alcohol flowed freely. While a...
SEELEY LAKE – Monday, Jan. 27, two business in Seeley Lake reportedly received a call from someone posing to be NorthWestern Energy. They were told they had outstanding bills and unless they paid immediately their electric would be shut off that night. Following the call, Grizzly Claw Trading Co. Manager Kathy Kinzfogl immediately recognized that NorthWestern Energy was not their provider electric provider. She called Energy Partners, their propane heat source, and was told they were targets of a scam. Both Kinzfogl and Energy Partners a...
SEELEY LAKE - The second phase of timber management for root disease around the Big Larch Campground will start within the next two weeks. Bull Creek Forestry, a local contractor, will work to remove dead, dying and diseased trees around the campground to prevent further spread. While work will not be happening directly in the campground, machinery and crews will be working in the vicinity. The public is advised to be aware of heavy equipment and crews of workers nearby. The work is expected to be completed before the campground opens for the...
MISSOULA - The Missoula County Elections Office is encouraging civically engaged community members to serve as election judges for the 2020 primary and general elections. The office hopes to recruit 600 election judges, poll book judges and polling place managers for the upcoming election year. Election judges greet voters, issue ballots, operate equipment, answer questions and hand out “I voted” stickers. They are paid for their service and their training. Judges are asked to work the June primary and the general election in November for eit...
SEELEY LAKE – Tuesday night, Jan. 21 the Seeley Lake Fire Department was paged out to a structure fire on Leota Peak Court. When Fire Chief Dave Lane arrived, the family was outside. They explained that there was a propane explosion. No one was injured and while the house is a mess and needs repair work, it is livable. Lane said when the snow slid off the roof, it hit the regulator for the propane tank. The fitting failed and the propane leaked and entered the house through an open vent. Since propane is heavier than air, it followed the path o...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Fire Board received updates from Fire Chief Dave Lane and voted for him to handle a patient hardship request at their Jan. 21 meeting. They also answered questions regarding the accident involving the command vehicle. Lane said the call volume for 2019 was 305, up 44 calls for 2018. They have a few new applications in for new members and more people are picking up applications to join the department. He felt this was very positive and looks forward to getting the new fire fighter recruits through their probation p...
SWAN VALLEY - Volunteer Grizzly Bear Advisory Council member and Swan Valley Connections employee Jonathan Bowler talked about the need for public input concerning grizzly bear management. He also talked about the purpose and the work of the GBAC at the Swan Valley Community Council meeting Jan. 21. Grizzly bear populations continue to expand in Montana and even into areas that have not seen them in decades. It is creating management and conflict challenges demanding solutions. In April 2019 Montana Governor Steve Bullock directed the GBAC...
MISSOULA - Fourth generation, lifelong resident of Missoula County and current County Commissioner Juanita Vero filed to run as the Democratic candidate in the 2020 election for Missoula County Commissioner on January 9, 2020. "I'm running to retain my seat because I believe in the Missoula County staff and citizens I work with daily," said Vero. I want citizens to know they've been heard by county leaders and empowered to create the community in which they want to live." Born and raised on the...
SEELEY LAKE – The Missoula County Sheriff's Office presented Sheriff Office Certificates of Commendation and Letters of Appreciation recognizing several Seeley-Swan Search and Rescue volunteers and citizens for their efforts during the rescue of five snowmobilers Dec. 15 and the recovery of two men buried in an avalanche Jan. 1 both in the Lake Dinah area. "I just want to say thank you," said Missoula County Sheriff TJ McDermott. "We could not do our mission without you and without this c...
Death notice for Donald Schaff SEELEY LAKE - Donald J. Schaff, 88, of Seeley Lake, died Jan. 17 at The Living Center in Stevensville, Mont. A memorial mass is pending for Feb. 10 in Seeley Lake at Living Water Catholic Church with a reception to follow. Time TBA Bridge players wanted SEELEY LAKE – A Chicago-style Bridge group is looking for full-time or substitute card players to join their group. They meet at the Seeley Lake Senior Center Thursdays from 11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. The group includes beginners and is not very serious. Anyone int...
SEELEY LAKE – Skiers and shooters will combine their skills on the Seeley Lake Nordic Trails for the Seeley Lake Biathlon Saturday, Feb. 1. Being the only citizens Biathlon in Montana, all experience levels are welcome to this very “Montana-esque” event. Racers can participate in either a 21K, 9K or 3K. Regardless of the total distance, skiers will do three loops. In between each lap they will shoot first standing and second prone. Penalty laps are skied for all missed shots. This past summer, the Seeley Lake Nordic Club improved the cours...
SEELEY LAKE – Groomers hit the trails at 5:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 25 to prepare the course for this year's OSCR, "Over Seeley's Creeks and Ridges." Nearly 120 racers came from all over the northwest including racers from Minnesota and Alaska for this year's 50K, 25K, 10K and 5K races Jan. 25. This year's race was a double loop format for the 50K. 50K racers started to trickle in for their second loop following the start of the 25K. With no new snow to work with and warm temperatures, the c...
SEELEY LAKE – "And the winner is..." said auctioneer Dan Pate of Pate Auctions after the winning ticket for the 2020 Khaos 850 was drawn. Anne Micklitz of Seeley Lake went home with the 2020 Khaos 850 and Spencer Graveley won the 2019 custom Built Polaris EVO 144. Many others won prizes from local businesses, Klim, 509 and other sponsors of the Seeley Lake Driftriders Snowball Banquet and Fun Run this past weekend. Driftriders President Bill Swain said it was a fantastic weekend. He was e...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Sewer District Board had another light agenda Jan. 16 as the District works on final details leading up to the proposed project going to bid. In other business, temporary construction easements were discussed, the Board approved moving three properties to adjacent sub-districts and the Board voted on another section of the District’s by-laws. District Manager Jean Curtiss said the plans for the proposed sewer project are currently waiting for approval from Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). Uni...
SEELEY LAKE – "What do you need a 10-in auger for?" asked the salesman when Randy Teague was shopping in Missoula. "I said, 'Well you never know if you are going to get the opportunity for a big one that you need to have that big hole to get them through.'" Despite continued critique and editorial comments from the salesman, Teague relied on his experience. He remembered when his father was ice fishing in Seeley Lake with a six-inch hole years before northern pike were introduced. He hooked i...
SEELEY LAKE – The red-roofed complex of buildings straddling both sides of the south end of Salmon Lake form a familiar landmark on entering the Seeley Valley. They've been there since 1915 and have accumulated a long history and generated a number of legendary stories. On Jan. 19, the Seeley Lake Historical Society sponsored a guided tour of the grounds, filling in some of the history and offering some stories for the approximately 20 attendees to ponder. Ron Cox from the Historical Society l...
SEELEY LAKE – When Ginger Williams presented the idea to bring “the show back, have some fun in January and get people’s mind off of winter” to the Seeley Lake Area Chamber, Executive Director Lisa Hayhurst was quick to tell her the Chamber would sponsor the event. “That is when the idea started rolling,” said Williams who has been working on the show since November. The community is in for a night of fun and laughter at their year’s Winterfest 2020 “A Western Burlesque” 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 24 at the Seeley Lake Community Hall. Tickets are...
SEELEY LAKE – Karen Hughes with Missoula County Community and Planning Services presented the Climate Ready Missoula draft plan at the Seeley Lake Community Council meeting Jan. 13. They are accepting comments on the proposed draft plan through Feb. 3. Hughes explained that Climate Ready Missoula is the result of an 18-month process of meetings, workshops, open houses and online surveys led by Missoula County, Climate Smart Missoula and Missoula City. It was developed with the help of local projections for climate available through the M...
SEELEY LAKE - While Montana has the highest suicide rate in the United States, Missoula County continues to make improvements through education, outreach and services provided to those in mental health crisis. Nancy de Pastino, Suicide Prevention Coordinator Missoula City-County Health Department, presented on suicide prevention and resources available in Missoula County at the Seeley Lake Community Council meeting Jan. 13. Montana has the highest rate of suicide in the nation – twice the national average in 2017. Despite the state s...
SEELEY LAKE - The Nature Conservancy and U.S. Forest Service are excited to announce the finalization of a sale which will move 16,400 acres of former commercial timber lands into the public domain. The land, west of Seeley Lake, was characterized by the checkerboard pattern of public-private ownership that was created more than a century ago. This sale includes land from the 117,000 acres that TNC purchased from Plum Creek Timber Company in 2015. Over the last 30 years, TNC has purchased more t...
Alpine Artisans, Inc. presented Seeley Lake Elementary school and Swan Valley School with checks for art supplies this past week. The annual AAI Art Supplies Giving Tree raised $348 for SLE and $221 for Swan Valley School. Seeley Lake artist Kris Gullikson started the Giving Tree for art supplies last year. She has been a guest artist in several classrooms and while the students had supplies, they were very well used. "The teachers have been spending money out of their pocket for years," said...
The Missoula City-County Air Pollution Control Board will hold a public hearing on proposed changes to the Missoula City-County Air Pollution Control Program on Thursday, Feb. 20 at 12:15 p.m. in the second-floor conference room at the Health Department at 301 West Alder in Missoula. The Air Board will consider proposed changes to most chapters of the Program. Many proposed changes correct spelling errors, correct reference errors, make changes to align local program rules with state and federal rules, or are edits for clarification....
SEELEY LAKE - The Filling Station hosted their annual Christmas Tree bonfire Friday, Jan. 17. Complete with music and a fireworks display from the Seeley Lake Chamber of Commerce, locals and visitors alike enjoyed the tradition of the big fire, playing on the snow pile and socializing. The Seeley Lake Fire Department volunteer firefighters offered their support as well....
SWAN VALLEY - Swan Valley residents interested in local weather data collecting met Jan. 8 to obtain more information on how to record and share local weather observations on the website Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network or CoCoRaHs. Volunteers in locations around the United States, Canada and the Bahamas measure rain, hail and snow in their backyards, enter it on the website and within minutes it is included in maps and data analysis tools. Swan Valley resident and CoCoRaHs...
Nearly 15 percent increase to building permits proposed MISSOULA - Based on a request for commission action, the Missoula County Commissioners will consider a resolution to adopt the 2018 Building Codes as well as a resolution to adopt increased fees for building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits of roughly 15 percent. If approved both would take effect Feb. 1. The decision will be made at the Commissioners’ public hearing Jan. 30 at 2 p.m. in the Sophie Moiese Room 151 of the Missoula County Courthouse Annex, 200 West Broadway, M...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake volunteer firefighters responded Friday night, Jan. 10 to a structure fire on Grayling Drive in Seeley Lake. The fire was contained to the outbuilding where it started. No one was injured in the fire. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. No foul play is expected. The Seeley Lake Fire Department received a page around 10 p.m. for a wildland fire. Before arriving, more information confirmed it was a structure fire. Three volunteer firefighters and Seeley L...
SEELEY LAKE - "Montana, winter, pond hockey, love - That is what this is about," said Seeley Lake Pond Hockey player Brian Jon Zimmer as he walked off the ice following his last game Sunday, Jan. 12. Player Holly Foster, an eight-year participant, added that Seeley Lake Pond Hockey has become their family's third major holiday along with Christmas and New Years. Many other tournament veterans echoed their love of the tournament and offered accolades and appreciation for the work and dedication...
SEELEY LAKE – When Seeley Lake native Caleb Kesterke was paid to offer snowmobile riding clinics in Russia this past November, his dream of making money riding snowmobiles took another jump towards reality. As the youngest backcountry rider sponsored by Polaris, Kesterke has spent years to reach this point and hopes to turn his passion for snowmobiling into a career through hustle, dedication and perseverance. Kesterke, now 22, started shooting photographs and videos of himself snowmobiling i...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley-Swan Search and Rescue returned to Lake Dinah again this weekend to assist a 26-year-old female from Huson, Mont. who was injured after falling off her snowmobile. The injured female was treated on sight for possible hypothermia and, despite the pain, was able to ride her own sled out. She then was taken by personal vehicle to Missoula for treatment. Around 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 11, the SSSAR were dispatched for an injured snowmobiler at Lake Dinah. According to Missoula County Sheriff Sergeant and Incident Commander...
MISSOULA – The Missoula Field Office and Federal Highway Administration will hold an open house in Missoula to discuss a proposed $5 million Federal Lands Transportation Project to improve 5.7 miles of Johnsrud-McNamara Road. The meeting, open to the public, is set for Jan. 22 from 3:30 - 6:30 p.m. at the BLM’s Missoula Field Office at 3255 Fort Missoula Road. The heavily used Johnsrud-McNamara Road runs parallel to the Blackfoot River 17 miles east of Missoula and provides access to five BLM recreation sites as well as the Montana Fish, Wil...
KALISPELL – Professional working artists from various disciplines, media and styles are invited to apply the Artist Wilderness Connection, an artist-in-residence program where artists stay in remote forest cabins for one to two weeks to create art. Applications are due Feb. 25. Artists will be notified by March 27. A collaborative project managed by Flathead National Forest, Hockaday Museum of Art, Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation and Swan Valley Connections, the Artist Wilderness Connection is now in its 17th year. Two artists will be s...
KALISPELL - Kurt Steele has been named forest supervisor for Flathead National Forest. He's expected to begin work in mid-February. Steele has been the deputy forest supervisor for the Nez-Perce Clearwater National Forests for the past three years. "I am very pleased to welcome Kurt to the Flathead National Forest," said Regional Forester Leanne Marten. "Kurt is a proven leader who welcomes new voices and diverse perspectives, and has dedicated his career to public service." In addition to his...
HELENA – January is Radon Awareness Month and the Montana Department of Environmental Quality’s Radon Control Program encourages people to consider that long-term exposure to indoor radon can be deadly. Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer for non-smokers and second only to smoking for the entire population. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that more than 20,000 Americans die of radon-related lung cancer every year. Radon is a colorless, odorless, naturally occurring radioactive gas. Radon seeps into homes and bui...
SEELEY LAKE – Last May the Seeley Lake Refuse District stopped accepting plastic recycling due to continuing problems with improper sorting, low market value, increasing freight costs and overall loss of revenue from plastic recycling. At the end of 2019, the District stopped accepting magazine recycling due to low market value. If the market rebounds, Pacific Recycling in Missoula said they will consider recycling them again. However, continued contamination in the recycle bins in Seeley L...
The Missoula Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program, administered through the Missoula City-County Health Department, is accepting new clients in Missoula and surrounding counties. As the nation’s most successful and cost-effective public health nutrition program, WIC is designed to influence lifetime nutrition and health behaviors for participating families. Nationwide, WIC provides healthy food, nutrition education, breastfeeding support and other benefits to more than 7 million people, including 16,000 participants in Montana. The p...
SWAN VALLEY - In Montana's Swan Valley, grizzly bears, wolverine, moose and wolves cross the roads and backyards that lie between mountain ranges. Separating the Mission Mountains and the Bob Marshall Wilderness, the rural valley is both a crucial wildlife corridor and a blueprint for collaborative conservation. Two hundred acres in the heart of the Swan are now protected forever as open space and habitat after The Vital Ground Foundation completed a conservation easement with the Quinn Family o...
SEELEY LAKE – What do curling, football, shooting and ice fishing have in common? They are all the ways to score points at the annual Fishing and Football On The Ice that was held Saturday, Jan. 11 on the north end of Salmon Lake. Commonly referred to as FAFOTI, organizer Chris Neibauer of Seeley Lake said it is a group of his friends, many he has known for up to 40 years, that come from all over to eat good food, drink a few beers and try and catch some fish. There used to be a big ice f...
Legends and Lore of Mowitza, Jan. 19 SEELEY LAKE – Join the Seeley Lake Historical Society and Legendary Lodge caretaker Ron Burnett for a tour of the historical Mowitza Lodge on Salmon Lake. Meet at the Seeley Lake Historical Museum and Visitors Center at 12:30 p.m. to car pool to Legendary Lodge. Tour will be from 1 – 3 p.m. Participants will traverse Salmon Lake on the historical walk n’ talk. Visit the historic Mowitza Lodge and cabins, now called Legendary Lodge, with an optional climb to the “Tea House.” Learn about the Butte Clark fam...
SEELEY LAKE – A New Year's Day ride took a fatal turn when three snowmobilers from Anaconda were trapped in an avalanche near Lake Dinah, in the southern Mission Mountains west of Seeley Lake. While one was able to free himself and called for help, Jade Green, 24, and Lowell Grosvold, 26, were buried and perished in the slide. According to Missoula Avalanche's Preliminary Report of Lake Dinah Avalanche Accident released Jan. 3, around 2 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 1 one of the riders was stuck on t...
SWAN VALLEY – Edward and Heidi Klassen met and began a relationship aboard the USS John Stennis. Both ended up serving 20 years in the U.S. Navy and ultimately getting married. But maintaining a relationship while both partners were in the service was not easy. It was even more complicated with children involved. Edward, who had three daughters from a first marriage and later one son and a daughter with Heidi said, "The hardest part about going on deployments is you have to find arrangements f...
SEELEY LAKE – On Nov. 18, Bradley Walters of Seeley Lake was convicted of one felony count of theft by embezzlement for more than $10,000 and one felony count of deceptive practices while working as the secretary/treasurer of the Seeley Lake Wilderness Sportsman’s Club. Missoula County District Court Judge Robert L. Deschamps III sentenced Walters to six years deferred sentence for each count, 30 days in the Missoula County Detention Facility and nearly $21,300 in restitution plus fines and fees. Walters was the secretary/treasurer of the See...
SEELEY LAKE – In addition to her first state title, Seeley-Swan High School Cross Country coach Zelda Haines was voted the Montana Coaches Association's Coach of the Year for Class C Girls' Cross Country. While Zelda has received assistant coach of the year when she coached junior high track, this is her first Coach of the Year. Zelda said while she appreciates the formal recognition, her goals have always been to see the team take state and for the program to grow. Zelda grew up on a ranch. A...
SEELEY LAKE - Suicide Prevention will top the agenda of next Monday’s meeting of the Seeley Lake Community Council. Sadly, Montana holds the suicide record in the nation with more than three and a half times the rate of New York, the lowest state. Nancy de Pastino, Missoula County Suicide Prevention Coordinator, will start with a presentation of what the County is doing to help desperate people who can see no way out. Following Pastino will be Molly Bowlen of the Missoula City-County Department of Relationship Violence Services. Bowlen will t...
MISSOULA - Seeley Lake ROCKS received a $10,000 grant for expansion of the ice rink at Seeley Lake Elementary school as part of nearly $37,000 in matching grants awarded by the Missoula County’s Parks and Trails Advisory Board. Grant applications submitted this year reflect the community’s continued interest in enhancing trails for both transportation and recreation. The newly formed Butler Creek Trail Association received $12,000 to complete preliminary design work for a shared-use path along Butler Creek Road, and the National Museum of For...
SEELEY LAKE - Alpine Artisans' Open Book Club kicks off the new year with the presentation of an exciting collection of short stories from over 41 Montana women, titled "We Leave the Flowers Where They Are," Saturday, Jan. 11 at 7 p.m. at the Grizzly Claw Trading Company in Seeley Lake. This remarkable collection was edited and curated by longtime memoir instructor and novelist Richard Fifield. Three of the anthology's contributors will be present to read and comment on their experience, along...
SEELEY LAKE – Despite the feet of new snow, the organizers of the 10th annual Seeley Lake Pond Hockey Tournament (SLPH) will not be swayed. The Four rinks in the south bay of Seeley Lake will be ready to welcome 34 teams Jan. 10-12. The community is invited down to the lake to enjoy the tournament. SLPH is a USA Hockey sanctioned tournament that is designed as a fund raiser for local charities as well as a weekend to bolster local commerce in Seeley Lake. Since its inception in 2010, the SLPH tournament has donated close to $7,500 to help b...
SEELEY LAKE - World-renowned classical pianist Tanya Gabrielian started off the New Year bringing a whole new level of music to the Seeley-Swan High School auditorium. Playing to an audience of more than 100 people Sunday, Jan. 5, Gabrielian captured the hearts and minds of those in attendance with her piano mastery and ability to make an emotional connection to the music. Before each of the four songs, Gabrielian provided history and context for the composer and the piece. In addition, she...
SEELEY LAKE – Mushers and skijorers of all experience levels are invited to Montana Mountain Mushers Fun Days Jan. 11 and Jan. 12 at the West Side Bypass Trail, just north of Seeley Lake off Fawn Creek Road. Park in the musher’s parking lot (on the left before the snowmobile trailhead) and be ready to run. Participants will run their dog(s) Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. There will be a lot of hands-on training for everyone. Whether you are a recreational musher, want to start skijoring or would like to race, Fun Days is a must...
Missoula County Public Schools launches strategic planning process MISSOULA - Missoula County Public Schools (MCPS) is beginning the next phase of its long-term planning process. MCPS wants the public’s input on what they value most about MCPS and improvements for the future. Input offered through the survey and at the strategic planning sessions will be used to set the future direction for MCPS. The public is invited to join the MCPS Board and a committee of approximately 40 teachers, staff, parents and community members in the MCPS B...
SEELEY LAKE – Questions over where SLE Outside Store's inventory went after the Store was closed has led to former Seeley Lake Elementary Superintendent Chris Stout paying SLE for items sold through an eBay account. In July 2017 Stout told the Pathfinder that the inventory would be sold during clearance sales or sold online following the closing of the Store's retail location. With the Rice Ridge Fire essentially shutting down retail business in Seeley Lake, no clearance sales were held before t...
MADRID, SPAIN – "I'm so interested in climate change because it is kind of the absolute example we have of just how pure science will not change the way people behave. It needs to be personal. We need to talk about our values and how climate change and its effects can affect those values," said Lily Clarke, former Condon resident. "[The conversation] needs to be about our families, how we value our rural livelihood, how climate change is affecting that and how we can shift our practices to m...
OVANDO – Attendees at Ovando School's annual holiday production were treated to a story of caring, perseverance and childhood memories as the 10 students and three community members performed "The Nutcracker Prince" the evening of Dec. 19. After receiving a nutcracker as a gift from her Uncle Drosselmeyer (Kyle deRonnebeck), Clara (Sawyer Hessler) is distraught when her brother Fritz (Silas Hessler) breaks it. Her uncle assures her that everything will be fine in the morning. She said a p...
MISSOULA - Former Seeley Lake chiropractor Dr. Andrew Lance Bohlman, 48, entered a guilty plea Oct. 15 before Missoula County District Court Judge Jason Marks after being charged Sept. 25 with one count of Medicaid Fraud by common scheme, a felony. After a pre-sentence investigation was conducted, the defendant was sentenced Dec. 2 to six years at the Montana State Prison, deferred, and placed on supervised probation. Bohlman was also ordered to pay $100,000 in restitution to the Montana Medicaid Program in addition to other court ordered fees....
SEELEY LAKE – This fall, you may have noticed the large white truck with "Health Matters" printed on the side parked behind the Bison and Bear Center in Seeley Lake. Care Net of Missoula recently expanded their services reaching outside of Missoula with their mobile unit. Services include pregnancy testing, limited ultrasounds, free or reduced cost STD/STI testing, material goods, education and emotional support. They will be in Seeley Lake again Jan. 9. Care Net Pregnancy Support Center of M...
SEELEY LAKE - Alpine Artisans' 2 Valleys Stage is ushering in the New Year by bringing a world class opportunity to our rural communities. Straight from concert venues such as Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, the Sydney Opera House, Queen Elizabeth Hall, the Salle Cortot (Paris) and the Glasgow Concert Hall, acclaimed pianist Tanya Gabrielian will be performing at 3 p.m. Jan. 5 on the stage of the Seeley-Swan High School Auditorium! Gabrielian writes that she feels just as comfortable with...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley-Swan High School Writing 101 senior debate took place Dec. 18. They debated whether the United States Federal Government should ensure universal health coverage (UHC) in the United States. Teacher Lori Messenger explained that the seniors chose the topic of UHC because many of them did not know much about the issue. They felt this was an opportunity to explore this national issue since they will be able to vote next year. Students drew from a hat which side of the i...
POTOMAC - There was standing room only during the annual Potomac School Christmas Program Dec. 18 in the Potomac/Greenough Community Center (PGCC) as more than 300 people attended to watch the students and sit with family and friends. Highlights of the evening included the annual art silent auction, presentation of raffle prizes by the eighth grade, singing and dancing, special guests and Christmas cookies and drinks. Eighth grader Lauren Nordberg emceed the event again this year. She...
SALMON PRAIRIE - The Salmon Prairie School invited the community to their production of "Rudolph" Dec. 19. The student body made up of three students, seventh grader Cameron Lytle, kindergartner Hannah Bachkala and first grader Stetson Hulett along with teacher Holl Hubbard wrote the play roughly based on the TV production of "Rudolph." They also created the set drawings. Hubbard said that in the past, veteran students of the winter program helped the younger and new students. This year all the...
SEELEY LAKE - Phase II of the Double Arrow Ranch Subdivision added a little competitive spirit to the holidays with a decorative lighting contest. The contest was a way to show appreciation to those who provided a bright spot in the neighborhood and perhaps to encourage others to show their Christmas spirit. Twenty-one residents participated this year in the second annual competition. Three volunteers judged the light displays. Judges considered originality/creativity, magnitude, attractiveness...
The Seeley Lake Elementary kindergarten through third grade classes collected 38 sets of pajamas and a book for each set, plus some extra books during their first annual SLE Pajama/Book Drive in December. SLE third grade teacher Kristy Pohlman delivered most of the donations to the Watson's Children's Shelter as well as a set to the Ronald McDonald house Monday, Dec. 23. "Thank you to each and everyone of you that donated!" wrote Pohlman on Facebook. "You made it possible!"...
SEELEY LAKE - Arguably the most decorated street in Seeley Lake, all but one house on Fir Drive had a light display to celebrate the holiday season....
Annual Christmas Tree Bonfire set for Jan. 17 SEELEY LAKE - Everyone is invited to bring their Christmas trees to the Filling Station parking lot in Seeley Lake for the Christmas Tree Bonfire, Jan. 17. Place trees in the pile with tinsel, wire, lights and ornaments removed. The pile will be lit around 5:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 17. The community is encouraged to come out for the free event to celebrate winter. Swan Valley Community Library Highlights SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Library will be hosting a weather data class on Jan. 8 at 1 p.m. in the libr...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Sewer District Board pushed their final by-laws amendment out another month and spent a significant amount of their Dec. 19 meeting hearing and responding to public comment on a variety of issues. Last month the Board approved the bulk of the updates to their by-laws but excluded an updated section on Duties of the Board. The Board agreed to send that section back to the committee to rework it. District Manager Jean Curtiss provided the board with another draft Duties section for consideration. The committee h...
SEELEY LAKE – After taking over The Bob Marshall Music Festival in the middle of 2019, The Bob Music, LLC Managing Partner Max Pigman is looking forward to bringing more organization and structure to the Festival while continuing the family-friendly atmosphere concert goers have grown to love over the past four years. They are looking forward to offering a diverse line-up that people will enjoy kicking their shoes off and dancing and will be organizing more family-fun activities for people to p...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Fire Department and Seeley-Swan Search and Rescue responded to a snowmobile accident Saturday afternoon, Dec. 21. The 27-year-old woman from Great Falls, Mont. was airlifted from the Marshall Lake area after breaking her lower leg above the boot. The Great Falls woman was riding with her husband and 12 others on Saturday. Her husband called 9-1-1 at 2:20 p.m. to report his wife had hit a tree while riding and had broken her lower leg. While they had plenty of people, they had no way to get her out. Seeley Lake F...
GREENOUGH - The Reception Barn at Paws Up Resort was the site of Sunset School's Dec. 19 holiday play, "A Little Elfin Magic." Dressed in Christmassy reds and greens, all 13 students, from kindergarten to seventh grade, played elfin parts. The central dilemma of the play is that the toy-making elves have not awoken in time to make all the toys needed for Santa's delivery. Though blaming and complaining initially, eventually the elves all decide to give up the toys they hoped to get for...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Fire Department lit up the night Dec. 21 with their lights and Christmas music as they delivered gifts to 16 families in Seeley Lake. This was part of the second annual Angel Tree sponsored by the Seeley Lake Volunteer Firefighter Foundation and the Seeley Lake Rural Fire District. This was Fire District volunteer Caitlyn Long's first year organizing the event. She said on Dec. 10 they still had 15 angels on the tree. They put out a post on social media and c...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley-Swan High School senior Samuel Weisenburger added to his U.S. military academy nominations after being among the 15 Montana students nominated by U.S. Senator Steve Daines and the 20 Montana students nominated by Congressman Greg Gianforte. A congressional nomination is a critical step in the process for Montanans seeking admission to one of the nation's four military academies: the U.S. Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs (USAFA), the U.S. Military Academy at West Point...
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) is seeking public input on hunting season proposals for the 2020-21 seasons through Jan. 22, 2020. Proposals are available for review and comment online. FWP will also hold public meetings throughout the state to provide information and take public input. In west-central Montana’s Region 2, FWP will host nine public meetings: Jan. 7 – Missoula, Doubletree Hotel (100 Madison St.), 7 p.m. Jan. 8 – Lincoln, Lambkins Café (460 Main St.), 6 p.m. Jan. 9 – Hamilton, Bitterroot River Inn (139 Bitterroot Plaza Dr...
Multiple accounts of scam calls have been reported to Montana’s Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP). Just this month seven Montanans, believing that they were talking to Medicare, gave out their Medicare numbers. Those calls included “your Medicare number is invalid” and “Medicare is replacing cards with one that has a chip reader,” and in all cases they asked to confirm the current numbers. A direct result of people’s Medicare numbers falling into the wrong hands is the more than $21,000 in documented fraud cases sent on to the Office of Inspector G...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Driftriders’ Snowball event is expanding this year in hopes to increase membership and raise more funds to support the Club’s grooming program as well as raise funds for their new groomer shed. The event will be held at the Paws Up Outpost Building Jan. 18 at 6:30 p.m. and will feature special guest Levi LaVallee, Winter X Games gold medalist and Red Bull Rider. While the event has traditionally been held at the Seeley Lake Community Hall, last year the Snowball filled the Hall to capacity. “We could not find a pla...
SEELEY LAKE – While the community may not have noticed any change with the annual Giving Tree that has been sponsored by the women of Mountain Lakes Presbyterian Church for decades, this year was a year of transition. Mountain Lakes Presbyterian Church Pastor Reverend Carrie Benton said God made a way. Thanks to the community's generosity, the annual Giving Tree provided 123 gifts to 64 children from 26 families in Seeley Lake. Since its inception, the Giving Tree has always been a Mountain Lake...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake ROCKS was busy the past couple of weeks putting up the Community Ice Rink at Seeley Lake Elementary. The rink is open for skating over the winter break. This year ROCKS expanded the rink, added a light to allow for evening skating and they hope to bring in a portable shed to house the skates. ROCKS expanded the rink adding 50 feet to the length making it 150 feet by 60 feet. "It will be better for lots of different activities and just for pure skating," said ROCKS i...
Each holiday season the Pathfinder reports on a different holiday tradition. In conjunction with that, reporters ask a specific question of people who happen to be out engaging in holiday activities. This year's Holiday Traditions question is: Do you use special candles and/or decorate with lights at your house for the holidays? If so, why? The Posthumuses who live near Clearwater Junction have candles in the house windows all year round. The windowpanes facing Highway 83 form a large pyramid...
SEELEY LAKE - This article is to address the common questions the Seeley Lake Sewer District Board has heard regarding the recent mailing. 1. Why did I receive this letter requesting I sign a temporary right of entry for construction? The project is almost ready to go to bid and the Board wanted to get construction easements in place before the contract is awarded. They will bid to connect all existing properties that generate wastewater but will not be able to do the work on personal property without notarized permission. 2. I have more than...
SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley School hosted a night of holiday song and dance Dec. 18 featuring the students from preschool through the junior high. Each class sang a couple of Christmas songs accompanied by Ellie Wood and then third through eighth graders joined with the staff to close the program with "Let It Be Christmas" by Alan Jackson....
Part I, "Candles and Festivals of Light," recounted Christian, Jewish, Hindu and African-American winter festivals formulated around the theme of light conquering darkness. Those celebrations transcend national boundaries. Part II will look at celebrations involving light and candles but carried out on a smaller, more national or regional scale. One candle ceremony performed in churches, but also by many Christians in their homes, is the lighting of the Advent Wreath. Though the symbolism of Chr...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley Lake Elementary School welcomed in the holiday season with their Winter Concert Tuesday, Dec. 17. The program opened with the Seeley-Swan Mountain Bells quintet. The program continued with each class offering a couple of musical selections under the direction of SLE Music Director Sandra Abbott and accompanied by Joann Wallenburn. The program concluded with an all school performance of "We Wish You a Merry Christmas....
FWP looking for information on deer poached in Upper Rock Creek Area Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) is seeking information on a white-tailed deer that was poached earlier this week in the upper Rock Creek area east of Missoula. The whitetail buck was likely shot sometime early on Tuesday, Dec. 17 and found between Rock Creek Road and US Forest Service Grizzly Campground in the Ranch Creek area. Only the antlers were taken and the rest left to waste. FWP game wardens say that wildlife crimes like this one are often solved because of...
SWAN VALLEY - More than 150 people crowded into the main lodge of the Oro Ranch on Saturday night, Dec. 14 in honor of a grizzly sow named Windfall, to raise money and ensure that future generations will see grizzlies in the meadows and forests of the Swan Valley. "I am really surprised at the turnout, especially for a community of this size," newcomer Phil Grunis said above the noise in a room crowded with fellow bear lovers. "We want to do everything we can to help make communities compatible...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley-Swan Search and Rescue rescued five snowmobilers who were lost in the Lake Dinah area Sunday night. While one was wet after his snowmobile went through the ice and another had a shoulder injury, no one required medical attention and everyone reached the trailhead safely by 2:15 a.m. Monday morning. Five snowmobilers from Minnesota were riding in the Lake Dinah area Sunday afternoon. Incident Commander Missoula County Sheriff's Sergeant Robert Parcell said one of the s...
POTOMAC - On the snowy evening of Saturday, Dec. 14, more than 100 people attended the annual Christmas Comes Home event in the heart of Potomac. Outside there were wagon rides, a bonfire and a live Nativity scene. Inside, the Potomac Greenough Community Center was full of Christmas delights including music, children's activities, Christmas quilts and decorated Christmas trees. The eighth-grade class served dinner as part of their fundraiser for their class trip. The Potomac Quilt Guild...
SEELEY LAKE - As the door opened, carolers began singing "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer." Dressed for the weather with their Santa hats and reindeer antlers, the Seeley Lake Trailblazers 4-H Club brought holiday songs and cookies to area residents Wednesday, Dec. 11. With a dash of merry and lots of smiles, they ended their singing with "We Wish You a Merry Christmas." This was the first year the Seeley Lake Trailblazers have gone caroling in Seeley Lake. Leader Lori Thomas said they have...
SEELEY LAKE – Beginning this week, winter salvage logging operations will resume on parts of the Seeley Lake Ranger District and some areas will be closed to snowmobile use for public safety due to large equipment operating in these areas. Operations will be ongoing throughout the winter until early spring; associated snowmobile trail closures will be signed. The following snowmobile trails will be closed to complete the Dark Horse and Left Mule salvage operations (within the Rice Ridge Fire b...
SEELEY LAKE – Thanks to the generosity of the community through last year’s Giving Tree for art supplies, students at Seeley Lake and Swan Valley Elementary schools have the opportunity to be creative weekly. The Alpine Artisans, Inc. (AAI) Giving Tree is continuing again this year raising money for supplies that support art in the classrooms. The community can pick a tag off the tree at the Grizzly Claw in Seeley Lake and Swan Valley Centre in Condon through the end of December. Seeley Lake artist Kris Gullikson started the Giving Tree for...
BILLINGS – Montana recorded its first suspected case of chronic wasting disease in wild elk Monday, Nov. 25. A landowner harvested the cow elk on private land northeast of Red Lodge earlier this month and samples were extracted from the carcass in Billings Nov. 6. Test results confirming the suspected presence of the disease were returned to Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks and the hunter on Monday. CWD was found in a herd of captive game-farm elk near Philipsburg in 1999 and the herd was depopulated. Until this week, however, the disease h...
BILLINGS - Les Meyer, Superintendent of Fairfield Public Schools, was selected as the 2019 Superintendent of the Year for Montana and was honored at the annual Montana Conference of Education Leadership (MCEL) held in Billings this past October. Meyer graduated from Seeley-Swan High School in 1988 and started his educational career in Fairfield. Meyer grew up at Salmon Prairie with his parents Dixie and Neil Meyer and two sisters Pam and Gerri. Meyer said he was raised to go to work every day...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake Elementary received a $1,500 check from long time resident and Missoula County Electric Board Member Ray Cebulski Tuesday, Dec. 10. Superintendent Daniel Schrock applied for the grant through MEC to help the school with educational supplies. SLE will use these funds and purchase wiggle chairs for the lower elementary students. Schrock said research has shown that these chairs have a positive impact as they are designed to allow students the ability to wiggle and move a...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Community Hall was filled with the hustle and bustle of the holiday season Saturday, Dec. 14 at the Holiday Bazaar in Seeley Lake. Organizer and potter Carrie Darrah was pleased with the turn out and thankful for the support of the local artisans. Darrah, a local potter and regular vendor at the Seeley Lake Farmer's Market, was approached last summer about hosting a larger bazaar in Seeley Lake since the Seeley Lake Senior Center no longer hosted theirs at the s...
SEELEY LAKE – Around 15 families filled stockings at the Tamaracks Resort Giving Tree Sunday, Dec. 15. This was the first year for the event sponsored by Tamaracks Resort and Montana Girl. Sheila Czifro, owner of Montana Girl, remembered a time when she received a food basket for Christmas. "You never know what day you may be needing something," said Czifro. "I know what it is like to wonder." Last year Czifro purchased food cards for people she heard needed help. "I just wanted to do s...
Candles brighten many occasions, but they are most prominent and most infused with meaning during the winter holidays. Among others, Christianity, Hinduism, Judaism and Kwanzaa use candles and lamps in their holiday celebrations. Yule, deriving from old Norse "jól" and Old English "géohol" began as a celebration of the winter solstice, the shortest day and longest night of the year. Archeologists have discovered that the sun shining through the upright lentils of England's Stonehenge signaled a...
SEELEY LAKE – Sunday, Dec. 15 marked 25 years that Jack and Belinda Rich have shown their appreciation to the community by inviting everyone to their ranch for a day of winter fun. More than 125 people came this year. Rich is quick to point out that he is carrying on the tradition started 62 years ago by his father C.B. Rich, who strongly felt the need to thank the community for their support and friendship. In the early days, the community came together in downtown Seeley Lake to celebrate t...
MISSOULA - Chad Bauer, a member of Gov. Steve Bullock's Grizzly Bear Citizen Advisory Council, expressed a sense of urgency and unease on the second morning of the council's Dec. 4-5 meeting in Missoula. Bauer and Bullock sat across from each other in a crowded conference room on the University of Montana campus. Bullock had recently announced the end of his presidential campaign, and Bauer, who works as a municipal market manager for Missoula waste hauler Republic Services, was three months...
SEELEY LAKE – Loving Hearts continues to grow and expand while also offering their annual events including the Christmas Toy Sale and Fashion Show. The volunteers are thankful for the community's support that allows them to continue their ministry and supporting those in need. For more than a year, Loving Hearts has rented a storage unit for donations and has been keeping items for the Toy Sale and Fashion Show and housing them at Manager Mary Newpower's home. Their dream has been to have a spac...
Each holiday season the Pathfinder reports on a different holiday tradition. In conjunction with that, reporters ask a specific question of people who happen to be out engaging in holiday activities. This year's Holiday Traditions question is Do you use special candles and/or decorate with lights at your house for the holidays? If so, why? The Tupper family hangs garlands and lights from their balcony. Kathy Hendricks said she strings lights on the railing of their front deck and others inside a...
Prehistoric Native American Indians referred to the main stream in our valley as Clear Water. Several impoundments now known as the "Chain Of Lakes" stilled the flow allowing sediments to settle. A springtime visit to the Blackfoot River confluence with its brown water makes the Clearwater namesake apparent. The Clearwater River has had a long history of being dammed up. The earliest on the river was in 1906 at what is now the Riverview bridge. It was a splash dam to impound water in what was...
SEELEY LAKE – School is well underway now and beginning readers are being initiated into the magic lying dormant in the 26 letters of the alphabet. They are learning the magic spells that reveal which letters when placed next to which other letters yield words and then sentences and eventually whole stories. But to young learners, there may seem to be twice as many letters as the teacher says there are. The teacher gives the same name to two very different squiggles and calls one upper case a...
Santa Claus is coming to Swan Valley SWAN VALLEY – Santa Claus will be at the Mission Mountains Mercantile Saturday, Dec. 21 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. to visit with all the children and children-at-heart in the valley. Bring your camera and wish list for Santa. It is sure to be a Holly, Jolly Time. Missoula City-County Air Quality Advisory Council seeks members MISSOULA - Do inversions, forest fire smoke, or road dust concern you? Volunteers are needed to become members on the Missoula Cit...
SWAN VALLEY – "I want this place to be beautiful. I want it to be a showcase," said Allen Erickson, founder of the North West Montana Veterans Stand Down & Food Pantry, sharing his vision for Camp Ponderosa Veterans Retreat and Learning Center. "We've got to live in this place together so let's make it something to give back to society and help veterans." The North West Montana Veterans Stand Down & Food Pantry hosted a community meeting in Condon Dec. 7 to provide more information about t...
POTOMAC – "It really puts things in perspective and makes you realize what's important," said Jodi Hausmann, mother of four whose daughter Everly was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia this past July. "We've learned to count our blessings every day. And just being, maybe not thankful for every situation, but trying to find small moments of joy in the situation." Last week the Hausmanns returned to Montana Children's Hospital in Kalispell for Everly's second round of intensive chemothera...
SEELEY LAKE - Many area children and children-at-heart stopped to make sure they were not on the naughty list this year when Santa Claus visited The Filling Station Dec. 3. Santa received letters and patiently listened as little ones whispered in his ear their Christmas wishes....
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley-Swan High School senior Sam Weisenburger was among 34 students nominated by U.S. Senator Jon Tester to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, the U.S. Naval Academy, the U.S. Air Force Academy and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy based on their academic accomplishments, extracurricular activities and commitment to serving and leading in the United States military. "I'm proud to nominate Montana's best and brightest students to our nation's most prestigious military academi...
SEELEY LAKE - Each year Seeley Lake Lions Club distributes Holiday Food Baskets to area families in need of help, providing a holiday meal for Christmas. The Lions perform various fundraisers throughout the year to raise money to purchase turkey dinners, with all the trimmings for those in need. Besides fundraisers by the Club, donations from the community have been made in the past. All groceries are purchased locally at Cory’s Valley Market. Cory’s employees assemble the food baskets, which are then distributed by Lions Club members. It has...
SWAN VALLEY - The Upper Swan Valley Historical Society hosted their annual Frostbite Festival Dec. 7 at the Swan Valley School. There was something for all ages including a bake sale, bazaar, crafts and a watercolor class by local artist Sharon Lamar. The proceeds go towards maintaining and operating the Swan Valley Museum....
SEELEY LAKE - Montana Wilderness Association is excited to announce the 2020 season of Winter Adventures (formerly Wild Winter Adventures). This year, participants will be able to choose from 42 Winter Adventures in diverse locations across the state including a Ski for All Jan. 11 in Seeley Lake and Winter Bird Ecology Feb. 15 in Condon. Sign up opens 9 a.m. Dec. 9. This is the first year MWA has offered cross-country skiing adventures for those looking for a new way to explore Montana’s forests, mountains and prairies. “Our Winter Adventures...
HELENA – The Montana Historical Society’s State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) is announcing $350,000 in Revitalizing Montana’s Rural Heritage (RMRH) grant program funding to support the preservation of historic buildings in rural communities across the state. This brick-and-mortar grant comes from the National Park Service’s (NPS) Historic Revitalization Subgrant Program (HRSP), funded by that agency’s Historic Preservation Fund. SHPO is among nine entities nationwide to obtain HRSP funds in the program’s inaugural year. The state agenc...
Did you know that many of the elderly who qualify for services through Medicaid for their health coverage lack access to these same services? This lack of access is a critical unmet need and a continuing problem for many of Seeley Lake's seniors and disabled residents. The Seeley Lake Community Foundation started the iRide program, in partnership with the Missoula-Ravalli Transportation Management Authority, in April 2017 to help meet the needs of Seeley Lake's transportation disadvantaged. The...
SEELEY LAKE – A packed crowd assembled at the Double Arrow Lodge Dec. 8 to hear the Seeley-Swan Mountain Bells ring in the 2019 Christmas season. Under the title "Step Into A Christmas Card," the members of the bell choir presented a selection of familiar carols specially arranged for handbells. Again this year the ringers have added new skills to their repertoire allowing them to play increasingly complex arrangements. Using both chimes and bells, the ringers coaxed an astounding number of m...
Each holiday season the Pathfinder reports on a different holiday tradition. In conjunction with that, reporters ask a specific question of people who happen to be out engaging in holiday activities. This year's Holiday Traditions question is Do you use special candles and/or decorate with lights at your house for the holidays? If so, why? Betty Dustin of Condon said, "I use little white lights on my house all year long just because I like the ambiance of that. I do use candles inside, but...
Rich Ranch Community Appreciation Day, Dec. 15 WOODWORTH – The community is invited to the Rich Ranch for their annual Community Appreciation Day Sunday, Dec. 15 from 1-4 p.m. at the Rich Ranch, 939 Cottonwood Lakes Road. The Seeley Lake Lions Club will be hosting their annual Chili Contest Lunch complete with cookies from the Seeley Lake Trailblazers 4-H club. There will be sleigh rides through the pasture and local musher Jessie Royer will return with the J Team offering rides in her dog sled. Santa will stop for a visit at 3 p.m. with g...
DEER LODGE, MONT – Powell County and the Deer Lodge Medical Center (DLMC) have come to an agreement regarding Powell Emergency Medical Services, LLC (Powell EMS), previously the Powell County Ambulance Service. That agreement includes language that Powell EMS will respond to calls throughout the county, will provide the Quick Response Units (QRUs) in the county with assistance for training and supplies, will provide budget and accounting activities to the county, will support call response of the Lincoln and Seeley Lake ambulance services and w...
The general big game hunting season that opened Oct. 26 concluded Sunday, Dec. 1 across Montana. Despite fewer hunters than in years past in northwest Montana, the overall number of harvested deer was up over last year. In west-central Montana, the season started off with unusually early winter conditions, contributing to stronger than normal deer and elk harvests in the first few weeks but wrapped up with average to below-average totals in some spots. Check stations only sample a small portion...
Thank you to everyone who shared their photos with us this year! Congratulations on your success!...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Leos Club hosted their third annual Turkey Drive Nov. 22. The Club raised more than $1,300 for the Seeley-Swan Community Food Bank this year. While no turkeys were donated, this is the first year the community donated more than $1,000 towards the effort. The Turkey Drive started in 2017. For the past two years, the Club has raised around $750 and collected 10 turkeys the first year and six the second year. This year, nine Seeley-Swan High School Leos Club members c...
OVANDO - Good family, rural community fun drew people from as far away as Florida to the 18th annual Old West Christmas Fest. The town of Ovando came a live with sweets and treats, wagon rides, gingerbread house creations, coloring contests and the constant echo of a mule's Hee, Haw. Despite the constant snow and temperatures that dropped nearly 20 degrees throughout the day, many hardy souls came out for the fun and of course to visit Cowboy Claus. Bite of Ovando Meatball Cook off Winning...
SEELEY LAKE - Variable snow conditions exist throughout the Seeley Lake Ranger District with limited snow at low elevations and larger snow accumulations at high elevations making Forest travel hard to plan and predict. The District is preparing to transition to Winter Motor Vehicle Use (MVUM) with some exceptions. These exceptions are to provide the public some wheeled vehicle motorized access until snow conditions change and are favorable for over the snow use and associated trail grooming. The following roads will be open to wheeled...
HELENA – Montana State Parks is seeking public comment on the draft Montana State Parks 2020/2021 Fee Schedule. If adopted, the fee schedule would be in effect from Jan. 1, 2020 through Dec. 31, 2021. Comments will be accepted through Sunday, Dec. 22 at 5 p.m. Gov. Bullock’s Parks In Focus commission issued its final report in 2018 making several recommendations about funding and management of state parks. A legislative audit was completed with several recommendations for oversight and funding. “We made a commitment to the public in 2017 that...
SEELEY LAKE - The community started their holiday shopping by supporting local artists and crafters gathered at Lindey's Prime Steak House on Small Business Saturday, Nov. 30. For the next three weekends there are bazaars and craft shows in Condon, Potomac and Seeley Lake. Visit the community calendar for all the details of upcoming events....
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake resident Sandra Abbott became the music director at Seeley-Swan High School last January. She is now teaching general music to all ages at Seeley Lake Elementary School including band to all sixth, seventh and eighth graders. She enjoys watching students learn and looks forward to rebuilding the music programs at SLE and SSHS. Abbott started playing the piano when she was five years old. Her father played the trumpet and realized she was playing by ear. They started her...
New iRide phone number SEELEY LAKE - The phone number for the I Ride van service has changed to 406-916-7860. MT Veterans Camp Ponderosa informational meeting, Dec. 7 SWAN VALLEY - Everyone is invited to attend an informational meeting about the NW MT Veterans Camp Ponderosa from 3 - 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7 at the Swan Valley Community Hall. For more information contact Cinnamon 406-250-2394. Step into a Christmas card, Dec. 8 SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley-Swan Mountain Bells handbell choir invites you to their annual Winter concert Sunday, Dec. 8...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Sewer District Board hammered out the final details of the Rules and Regulations, approved an opinion of probable cost for operating the system, adopted most of their bylaws revision and discussed a variety of other business at their four and a half hour long Nov. 21 meeting. The new “worst case scenario” monthly estimate is $130.58 plus $2 per 1,000 gallons used for properties assigned one Volume Ratio Unit (VRU), equivalent to a single family house. Rules and Regulations Hearing The Board made minor edits to th...
SWAN VALLEY - Swan Lake District Ranger Chris Dowling received applause from attendees at the Swan Valley Community Council special meeting Nov. 21 when he announced there would be no fee to use the Day Use at Holland Lake during the 2020 season. Dowling explained that the fee for the campground would increase from $18 to $20 per night. He said he had met with the concessionaires and the Flathead National Forest supervisor Chip Weber to go over numbers of administration and operation costs. They did not want to see a decrease in tourism...
MISSOULA – On Thursday, Nov. 21, the Montana Department of Livestock (MDOL) reported the first case of terrestrial (non-bat) rabies in Missoula County in four years. The rabies-infected animal was a skunk captured in the Wye area of Missoula on Sept. 18. Earlier that day a resident noticed the skunk acting abnormally and contacted Animal Control. MDOL and Missoula City County Animal Control are working together to notify residents of the diagnosis. There are no known cat, dog or human exposures at this time. The Department of Livestock has i...
SEELEY LAKE – For the past year Blue River Station and Obsession Pottery have joined together to offer something for all ages to have fun with pottery at their holiday pottery events. Potter Carrie Darrah provides the ceramic piece that attendees paint while enjoying a beverage and snack provided by Blue River Station. "It's to bring the community together so they can visit, have fun and let their kids enjoy something different," said Nancy Butcher, owner of Blue River Station. "It brings a l...
SWAN VALLEY - The Condon Community Church hosted their annual Condon Community Thanksgiving dinner Nov. 24 at the Swan Valley Community Hall. This year nearly 100 attended the event....
SEELEY LAKE - Qualifying non-profit and public organizations are invited to submit grant proposals to the Seeley Lake Community Foundation for 2020 projects. As part of its mission, the Seeley Lake Community Foundation endeavors to help charitable groups in Seeley Lake fund projects to benefit the community. In this capacity, the SLCF strives to be a community resource and catalyst for innovative approaches to improving the quality of life in Seeley Lake. The SLCF awards small grants of up to $2,500 once per year, due at the end of January and...
OVANDO - A reliable source reported that they spotted and even spoke with the elusive Cowboy Claus last week. This source reports that Cowboy Claus is indeed on his way to the Blackfoot Valley hamlet of Ovando. Meteorologists along with astrophysicists have gotten together with area outfitters to determine that the arrival time for Cowboy Claus is predicted to be precisely at 12 p.m. To celebrate the arrival of Cowboy Claus, one day a year, the town of Ovando steps back 150 years to the Old...
SEELEY LAKE – For Sam Olinger and Janet Price no job is too small if it helps out their neighbor. Owners of Seeley Residential Services, LLC, based out of Seeley Lake, say their goal is to offer a quality service with reasonable rates that provides assistance with everyday needs and helps whittle down the honey-do list. Olinger and Price moved to Seeley Lake from Missoula in 2016. They loved recreating in the area and decided to move closer to what they call "a little paradise in the woods." "...
SWAN VALLEY – The Swan Valley School Board approved the Swan Valley Elementary School Strategic Plan and reviewed their evaluations at their monthly meeting Nov. 20. They also unanimously approved increasing Principal Ralph King’s position from one day a week to two days a week for the rest of the school year. The board has been conducting annual evaluations since they adopted the Strategic Plan in February of 2015. The Strategic Plan is one of three documents that the School board uses to provide direction and governance for the school. The...
MISSOULA – On Nov. 21, the Bureau of Land Management's Missoula Field Office preserved public access by acquiring 7,268 acres of land in the Blackfoot River Corridor. Using Sportsman's Access funds from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), the acquisition from The Nature Conservancy is helping stitch together what had been a patchwork of interspersed public and private land. The Belmont Creek acquisition, located 25 miles northeast of Missoula, was part of 117,000 acres purchased by T...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Elementary School board plans to undertake the creation of a strategic plan for the school in the coming months. They voted at their Nov. 19 meeting to hire Dr. Daniel Farr to help with the process. Farr came highly recommended by SLE Superintendent Daniel Schrock who worked with Farr on a strategic plan at his last school. Farr is an educational consultant with 34 years of experience in public education in Montana. He had a wide range of positions including counselor, science teacher, coach, curriculum d...
SEELEY LAKE - A frequent complaint to Fish, Wildlife and Parks this time of year centers on carcasses dumped after someone has removed the meat. Not only does the carcass look unappealing and stink, dumping carcasses has been known to spread chronic wasting disease (CWD) and attract predators including bears and mountain lions. Further, it is illegal to dump animal remains on state and federal land. Region 2 Wildlife Program Manager Mike Thompson wrote in an email that moving carcasses from...
POTOMAC - Around the school block and past the horse and cattle pastures Potomac School students rode skateboards, bikes, rollerblades, scooters, a pogo stick, walked, ran and hopped their way through the annual Bike-a-thon fundraiser Oct. 16. For more than five years, Free Cycles of Missoula once again made their way to Potomac for the annual Bike-a-thon. Director Bob Giordano brought staff with him to assist and cheer on the student bikers. His professional work area is usually busy during the...
First annual SLE Pajama/Book Drive SEELEY LAKE - Seeley Lake Elementary staff and students are collecting new pajamas, new or gently used books or monetary donations to help children in need. Donations can be dropped off at the SLE Office or with kindergarten through third grade teachers. Donations will be accepted through Dec. 16. They will be delivered to Sparrow’s Vine, Watsons Children’s Shelter, Mountain Home and the Ronald McDonald House. Santa comes to Seeley Lake, Dec. 3 SEELEY LAKE - Santa Claus is stopping in Seeley Lake Tuesday, Dec....
SEELEY LAKE - Developers of a proposed 72-unit RV Park held their neighborhood meeting at the Seeley Lake Community Council's Nov. 11 meeting. Owner Brandon Grosvenor and Paul Forsting of Territorial Landworks, the company hired to design the project, presented the proposed park. A little over a year ago the pair had presented a similar proposal but it was never turned into Missoula County. They needed to redo their neighborhood meeting to start the "clock ticking" again. Forsting said the...
SEELEY LAKE – Thursday, Oct. 31 wasn't the first time Patti Bartlett had seen a mountain lion on her property. She and her dog Chinook were out checking her pasture fence off north Boy Scout Road before 5 p.m. They saw a mountain lion track but it wasn't fresh so Bartlett didn't think much about it. "I remember looking down the fence line...I didn't even hear or see....Chinook was right by my side, a foot away maybe, and he made a funny noise. I whipped around and I saw the mountain lion with C...
SWAN VALLEY – This November, the Swan Valley Community Library celebrates 40 years of serving the Swan Valley. While the building has been updated and faces have changed, it remains a hub of information and resources while serving as a meeting place for residents and visitors. The community is invited to stop in and celebrate the 40-year milestone with refreshments and door prizes Nov. 20 and 22 during regular hours. The Swan Valley Chapter of the American Association of Retired Persons (...
SEELEY LAKE - It’s that time of year again when our community helps some of our Seeley Lake area children to have a happier Christmas. The Giving Tree will be set up in Cory’s Valley Market on Monday, Nov. 25. Please visit the “Giving Tree” if you would like to help less fortunate children in this area this Christmas. The Mountain Lakes Presbyterian Church sponsors the annual “Giving Tree.” Parents or guardians have indicated clothing items and toys that are needed and/or wanted by the children. There are two cards for each child (one for cl...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley Lake Rural Fire District is excited to announce the second annual Angel Tree. Last year they provided gifts to 19 boys and girls through the generosity of the community. This year the department hopes to be able to help more children in need. Parents or legal guardians need to come to the Fire Department, 200 Firehouse Lane, to sign up their children. They can fill out a form with information including: Child’s name, age, gender, clothing sizes, likes and the physical address so the Fire Department can deliver the gifts. T...
HELENA – Snowmobilers and other groomed trail users in Montana will see changes to trail passes for the 2019/2020 riding season. Last spring, the 2019 Montana Legislature passed HB 355 which adjusted fees on the Montana Snowmobile Trail Pass and Non-resident Snowmobile Temporary Use Permit and designated a new Non-resident Groomed Trail Pass. Montana residents will now pay $20 for the Snowmobile Trail Pass which is valid for two seasons (July 1st through June 30). This pass is required for r...
The holiday season is fast approaching and National Forest Christmas tree permits are now available for a cost of $5 at all Lolo and Flathead National Forest offices with a limit of three permits per household. On the Lolo, cash and personal check payments will be accepted at all office locations; however, credit cards are only accepted at Missoula and Ninemile Ranger Stations. Permits may also be purchased with cash or check at these three Missoula locations: Murdoch’s, 2801 W Broadway; Cabela’s, 3650 Brooks St and Bob Ward’s, 3015 Paxso...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley-Swan Hospital District Board learned more about the new doctor that will be starting at the Seeley-Swan Medical Center next month and discussed the proposed RV Park with adjacent landowner Dave Stewart at their Nov. 12 meeting. Partnership Health Center hired Dr. Stephen Humpal to fill the vacant doctor position at the Seeley-Swan Medical Center. He will start with PHC Dec. 16 in Missoula. There will be a community Open House Meet & Greet with Humpal at the Medical Center from 4 – 5 p.m. Jan. 7. He will also be at the...
SWAN VALLEY - An appreciative audience gave a standing ovation to the Chinook Winds Quintet at the conclusion of their Nov. 11 concert at Swan Valley School. But the quintet's mission was only half fulfilled. They spent the next two days giving performances and instructions to the children in the Seeley, Swan and Potomac schools. For the Quintet, bringing music to students in Montana's rural schools is equally as important as performing for the adult communities. All five members of the Chinook...
SLE Quilting Class seeking donations SEELEY LAKE - Seeley Lake Elementary School is starting a quilting class Nov. 19 and will also be offering a sewing elective. They are in search of new clean cotton fabric (1/4 yard cut minimum), thread, batting and any good tools (rulers, rotary cutters, cutting mats, sewing machine needles, scissors, etc). The class runs through Jan. 19. Fabric and supplies may be dropped off at SLE or Deer Country Quilts. SSHS Leos Club Turkey Drive, Nov. 22 SEELEY LAKE – Help support the Seeley-Swan Community Food Bank b...
MISSOULA – Seeley-Swan High School trombone player Jayla Kauffman returned for her fourth year with the University of Montana High School All-Star Band Nov. 8-10. While this experience was very similar to her past experiences, it confirmed her desire to play in a marching band and concert band in college. Each year, the University of Montana hosts the All-Star Silver and Maroon Wind Ensemble, a musical experience for high school students participating in band and orchestra. High school s...
MISSOULA – District Court Judge Leslie Halligan ruled on a pair of motions from Missoula County and the Seeley Lake Sewer District seeking to dismiss the lawsuit originally filed by Don Larson. The Court Orders granted the County’s request to be dismissed and granted parts of the District’s motion but denied dismissing the entire case against the District. Larson filed the original complaint in June of 2018 and was joined by more than 50 landowners and residents as Plaintiffs in an amended complaint filed on Aug. 31, 2018. The lawsuit makes...
SEELEY LAKE – "Well it is not cancer but it is diabetes," the doctor told Bekah and David Cahoon after their six-year-old son Chase was rushed to the emergency room June 18, 2018. "This is something he will have for the rest of his life. There is no cure. They are working on one and they might have one in his lifetime." Chase's blood sugar was 618 (normal is 100) and he was in diabetic keto acidosis (DKA). He spent three days in the Pediatric ICU getting out of DKA while he and his parents l...
SEELEY LAKE – A random incident propelled Seeley Lake resident Lynne Jungers into the Women's Army Corps (WAC). She was still in high school in Eastern Kentucky when she happened to see a WAC walk by. Jungers stopped her to tell her how much she admired seeing her in uniform. Jungers said, "I didn't even know her name. I just knew she was from my hometown." And the woman said, "You know, you could do the same thing." Jungers decided that was exactly what she was going to do as soon as she got o...
HELENA, MONTANA — Growing old may not be for the faint of heart but, as anyone over 40 will tell you, it sure beats the alternative. Montana is in the process of putting that truism to the test. The state’s median age, according to U.S. Census data, is 39.8 years, making Montana the 10th oldest state in the nation and the oldest in the western U.S. The state’s population of residents in their 50s, 60s, and 70s outpaces the national average and its population of 20- and 30-somethings lags behind. The economic, cultural and personal impac...
SEELEY LAKE - The Forest Service released the Decision Memo for the Liberty II Fire Salvage project, located on the Seeley Lake Ranger District approximately 10 miles southwest of Seeley Lake within the 2017 Liberty Fire burned area. The objectives of the Liberty II Fire Salvage project are to improve the recovery, health and resiliency of forest vegetation and support the economic vitality of local communities. In 2017, the Liberty Fire burned 28,686 acres across multiple jurisdictions including 9,440 acres of National Forest System Lands....
SEELEY LAKE – Clearwater Resource Council hired Caryn Miske as their new executive director this past October. Miske is looking forward to working with the CRC board to support the mission of CRC to engage the community and facilitate efforts that will enhance, conserve, sustain and protect the natural resources and rural lifestyle of the Clearwater Watershed for present and future generations while leading the organization to the next level. Miske has a wide range of education. She received a...
A chinook wind is defined in the dictionary as "a warm dry wind which blows down the east side of the Rocky Mountains at the end of winter." While, in our case, winter is just beginning, and the winds are anything but dry and warm, a change is indeed coming. At 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 17, at the Swan Valley School, Alpine Artisans' 2 Valleys Stage is bringing the incredible talent of the Chinook Winds Quintet to our very doorstep. Their programs include classic wind quintet literature, works...
DEER LODGE - The Powell County Commissioners and representative of the Deer Lodge Medical Center have taken another step toward finalizing a contract for the Powell County Ambulance Service, which will now be known as Powell Emergency Medical Services, LLC. Although the discussion was not listed on the commissioners’ agenda and took place during one of the items entitled “usual and regular business,” the group reviewed a draft contract between the government and the privately owned hospital which would provide the latter with appro...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Elementary Junior High Art Elective is hosting its first Bear Aware school-wide art show through November. The intent of the art show is to provide a prevention and safety lesson for the community and make everyone more aware of how to secure attractants from bears. The public is invited to view the display in the breezeway by the junior high and in front of the kindergarten classroom. Several of the pieces were chosen for display at local businesses and area w...
SEELEY LAKE – Hand shakes, hugs and thank yous were abundant at the Veterans Day Ceremony in Seeley Lake Nov. 11. Veterans and Families of Seeley Lake President Barbara Knopp thanked all the service men and women, past and present, and honored them for the sacrifices they made and the courage it takes to defend honor, duty and country for others to live in freedom. "We are here today to honor our heroes. To remember their achievements, their courage and their dedication and to say thank you f...
Free Developmental and Preschool Screening, Nov. 15 and Nov. 22 SEELEY LAKE – A free development screening for children ages 0 to 5 for Seeley Lake and Swan Valley School Districts will be held on Friday, Nov. 15 from 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. at the Seeley Lake Elementary School. The same screening will be held for those in the Potomac School District Nov. 22 from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. This free screening will include gross motor, fine motor, language concepts, communication concepts, communication skills, hearing and vision screening. For the SLE screening...
SEELEY LAKE – Mike Dellwo pulled back his bow and lined up on the target. After nearly 40 years of regularly finishing in the top five at archery tournaments around the country, a shoulder injury in 2017 had doctors telling him he would probably never shoot again. However, this last season he won two of the three archery tournaments he participated in and was runner up in the third. "Bill [Lemke, physical therapist at Rejuvenate] would always tell me, 'You'll never be what you were. But y...
SEELEY LAKE – Pyramid Mountain Lumber, Inc. made great strides this week towards automating the finishing side of the mill. This was the first of two updates to increase efficiency, provide more, higher grade lumber to their customers and address the manpower shortage that has reached a critical juncture. Pyramid recently purchased the Comact GradExpertTM for $1.75 million to automate their grade line and increase grade recovery. The entire first phase update will cost around $2.5 million. "...
MISSOULA – On Oct. 24 Seeley Lake’s Micah Nicholas was sentenced to 20 years with 15 years suspended and $230 in fines after entering into a plea agreement. Nicholas was charged with one felony account of vehicular homicide while under the influence following a single vehicle rollover May 5 that killed Michael Haley, 48, of Seeley Lake. According to investigating Highway Patrol Trooper Wes Whitlatch, an Audi sedan was northbound on Golf View Drive just after 8 p.m. May 5. Nicholas, 21, failed to negotiate a left curve and ran off the roa...
SWAN VALLEY - On Nov. 1, the Swan Valley Elementary School junior high class and Parent Teacher Association hosted a taco bar fundraiser and Halloween Harvest party at SVES. Every other year, the SVES junior high class goes on a Montana trip, where they explore the wonders of their home state. To help fund the trip they host fundraisers throughout the year. The Halloween Harvest party activities included a cake walk, face painting and mini-golf. The attendants reported having a fun...
Everyone is invited to join the Veterans & Families of Seeley Lake at the Veterans Memorial Garden north of Seeley Lake and the American Legion Post 63 at the Swan Valley Community Hall in Condon at 11 a.m. Monday, Nov. 11 to celebrate and thank local veterans. Veterans Day originated as “Armistice Day” on Nov. 11, 1919, the first anniversary of the end of World War I. Congress passed a resolution for an annual observance so Nov. 11 became a national holiday beginning in 1938. Observing Veterans Day on Nov. 11, regardless of what day of the...
SEELEY LAKE - Bryce Andrews' book, "Down from the Mountain: The Life and Death of a Grizzly Bear," is a story of a grizzly bear named Millie and her cubs that found sustenance in the Mission Valley cornfields and the author's attempt to save them and other bears drawn to the rich food source. Millie's plight brings to mind the recent demise of the mother grizzly nicknamed Windfall and her three cubs that met their demise this year after losing their fear of humans and finding food around homes...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake seniors held their annual costume contest Oct. 31. The judges said while some were pretty grotesque, everyone who dressed up worked really hard and looked great. Many of the costumes were handmade or came from Loving Hearts. Following lunch, the Seeley Lake Elementary second and third graders visited the Center....
POTOMAC - Potomac children celebrated fall and Halloween by dressing up and attending the second annual Fall Carnival and the annual Parade of Costumes. The Fall Carnival Friday, Oct. 25 was held at the Potomac/Greenough Community Center (PGCC). Volunteers said it was well-attended by children and adults alike. Potomac resident and teacher Christie Taillefer spearheaded the event which raised $480. Proceeds go towards the Explorers Program. "We had a lot of people, a lot more than last year," sh...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley Lake's Kristy Pohlman drew the winning raffle ticket Nov. 3 at Deer Country Quilts for the 55 X 61 inch quilt made by Laree Morris. Morris donated the quilt to be raffled off to provide an opportunity for people to give and support Pohlman, Shawn Ellinghouse and their identical triplets born Sept. 19. Barb Jackson won the quilt. When she was told she won the quilt, Jackson immediately said, "I want Kristy to have it for the girls." The quilt raffle sold 277 tickets. The...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley-Swan Medical Center won the PHC Cares Food Drive after collecting the most food through the month of October. The clinic, with the help of the community, collected 530 pounds of food that will be donated to the Seeley-Swan Community Food Bank. This was over half of the 930 pounds of food collected at all of the participating Partnership Health Center clinics in Missoula County. The Medical Center staff won a bagel party from PHC for collecting the most food. However, r...
SEELEY LAKE - Next Monday’s meeting of the Seeley Lake Community Council promises some lively discussion. The meeting will start with Chris Migliaccio, research professor at UM, who is seeking a grant from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences to extend his study of the health effects of the Rice Ridge fire. He is asking the Community Council for a letter of support. Next will be a presentation on the proposed RV Park. Brandon Grosvenor, the developer and Paul Forsting of Territorial Landworks (TL), agent for the developer, wi...
SEELEY LAKE – Goblins and goons, princesses and unicorns flooded to Seeley Lake Elementary on Halloween night. SLE hosted the sixth annual Trunk-or-Treat with an added haunted entryway and carnival inside. Children filled up on candy and homemade goodies as well as played different games for prizes – if they could get past the creepy clown in the entryway. "We had a blast setting up the Haunted House for the Halloween event this year," wrote Lisa Hayhurst, executive director of the Seeley Lak...
SEELEY LAKE - Fire Chief Dave Lane and the volunteers hosted the preschoolers, transitional kindergarten and kindergarten classes Oct. 31 at the Fire Hall. They taught the students about fire safety, the purpose of smoke alarms and what to do if they hear one, how to escape a burning building and reminded them that firefighters are there to help them if they are ever in an emergency. Students were given a tour of the Fire Hall and invited to get in the back of the ambulance and sit in the...
Annual Harvest Dinner and Auction, Nov. 9 OVANDO – Join the community of Ovando for their Annual Harvest Dinner and Auction Friday, Nov. 9 at the Ovando School gymnasium. The event starts at 5:30 p.m. with a potluck dinner at 6 p.m. Attendees are asked to bring a favorite dish to share for the potluck. There will be a live auction that will begin at 7 p.m. followed by the conclusion of the silent auction at 7:30 p.m. Everyone is invited to bring baked goods, crafted items or other gift-like items for the silent auction. All proceeds support O...
SEELEY LAKE – Around 30 Seeley Lake Historical Society members gathered for a 1920s-themed celebration and ribbon cutting for the Maloney Cabin. The Seeley Lake Historical Society looks forward to using the cabin to foster knowledge and a better understanding of the history in the Seeley Lake. The 100-year old Maloney Cabin was donated to the Seeley Lake Historical Society in 2016 by Lee Dick. The cabin was originally located along Seeley Creek, east of Highway 83 in the Maloney complex. S...
SEELEY LAKE – Based on photos received Oct. 18, the Department of Environmental Quality confirmed blue-green algae was present along the east shore on the north end of Seeley Lake. While not all blue-green algae blooms are harmful, the public is asked to use caution when recreating in Seeley Lake because conditions can change rapidly and are unpredictable. Algae are a group of photosynthetic organisms which have a number of beneficial uses. However, algae may cause a great deal of damage if p...
SEELEY LAKE – As one of the high school teachers drove to school the morning of Oct. 24, a large black bear strolled down Locust Lane. Throughout town, garbage cans were tipped over and trash littered the streets. The past couple of weeks it has been nearly impossible to get on social media sites without seeing photos of bears in Seeley Lake, reports of bear sightings, or hearing about garbage littering the community because a bear got into uncontained trash cans. The bears are back in town tryi...
SEELEY LAKE – The northern one mile section of Dunham Creek Road #4388 on the Seeley Lake Ranger District will be closed beginning Oct. 29 for repairs following a summer debris flow. In late July, the Spruce Creek drainage which typically flows under the Dunham Creek Road by way of a culvert, experienced a large, natural debris flow event that temporarily closed the road. Although emergency repairs were quickly made after the debris flow in July, follow-up assessments by engineers and h...
SEELEY LAKE – Being a historic timber town with one of the few operational lumber mills in the state, Seeley Lake Elementary junior high students had the opportunity during Montana Forest Products Week to learn more about healthy forests and wood products. They saw how logs are locally sourced at an active timber sale and toured Pyramid Mountain Lumber Company, Inc., one of the largest economic drivers in the area. Montana Department of Natural Resource and Conservation Service Forester Brad F...
During opening weekend of the general big game hunting season, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) reported checking 2,325 hunters and 179 harvested animals at its three permanent check stations in west-central Montana, on par with average first weekend totals. Region-wide, hunter harvest and participation was comparable to last year's opening weekend, with a few hot spots. At the hunter check station near Darby, FWP saw 1,012 hunters, the highest total since 2015, and 73 elk--the highest...
SEELEY LAKE - "What is freedom? Freedom is not to live in fear. Good has always prevailed over evil – this has always been the history...I think education is a liberation of any problems that you will have in your future. Be influential in what is right and what is correct. Be righteous, be someone who can influence. And if you think as an individual you cannot influence, then think again." These words from Leon Malmed, a hidden child in France and Holocaust survivor, closed the animated documen...
SEELEY LAKE – Everyone is invited to the Seeley Swan Valley Creation Conference “Genesis Sunday,” Nov. 10 at Mission Bible Fellowship Church. This is a family opportunity to learn about the evidence and science that supports the truth of the Bible. Speakers at the conference include Dr. Kevin Horton, Institute for Biblical Authority, and Michael Oard, creation researcher and author of books including “Ice Age,” “Evidence of Noah’s Flood,” “Wholly Mammoths” and “Lake Missoula Flood.” They will share the latest information for Christ...
Local Food Bag Drive started at Cory’s Valley Market SEELEY LAKE - The Veterans and Families of Seeley Lake (VFSL) started their annual food drive at Cory’s Valley Market to support the Seeley Swan Community Food Bank through the holiday season. Needed items are pre-packaged into bags that are available to purchase for $10. After purchase, the bag is dropped off in the box near the exit of the store. The bags are delivered to the Food Bank to help keep the shelves stocked. This program runs through Dec. 15. VFSL appreciates the com...
SEELEY LAKE - An algae bloom was reported at the north end of Seeley Lake and observed at Big Larch as well. According to Seeley Lake District Ranger Quinn Carver, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks confirmed an algae bloom however it is still unclear if the algae was toxic. The DEQ warning sign was posted by the Seeley Lake District. It cautions the public that toxic algae may be present and the water may be unsafe for people and pets. If blue-green algae is present: Do not swim or recreate in the...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Sewer District Board discussed their by-laws update, Rules and Regulations and alternatives at their Oct. 17 meeting. By-Laws update Director Beth Hutchinson said she was still frustrated with the edits made by the board’s attorney to the proposed by-laws. She served on a committee with Director Walt Hill and a District resident Rachelle Harman to draft the amendments to the by-laws. She felt that the committee was very careful on how they worded the parts on the purpose of the District, the duties of the boa...
SEELEY LAKE – With the hunting season opening this weekend, Seeley Lake District Ranger Quinn Carver is asking for everyone's diligence and cooperation with gate closures and decommissioned roads. Not only are the gates fulfilling a legal obligation of the Forest based on other management decisions they are also important for maintaining the Forest's infrastructure investment and are costly to replace. Violating road closures may also have a much larger impact to public access depending how a r...
SEELEY LAKE – As Seeley Lake's Glen Morin rolls up for his race at the Lost Creek Raceway in Anaconda, Bob Carpino Jr.'s three-year-old runs to the fence. He puts his thumb up and yells, "Good luck!" After more than 50 years of drag racing, Glen appreciates the adoration of one of his biggest fans. However, it is more than luck that landed him a second place finish in the 2019 Super Pro Class. The need for speed and challenge of racing has kept him in the game. The camaraderie and f...
SEELEY LAKE – The goblins and witches will be out at Seeley Lake Elementary Oct. 31 from 6 – 8 p.m. The community is invited to decorate their trunks and bring candy to hand out at the Trunk-or-Treat event in the parking lot. There will be games and a haunted house inside the school. Costumes are encouraged and the event is free to attend. This is the sixth annual Trunk-or-Treat in Seeley Lake. Trunk decorations can be simple or complex but the main idea is to get together as a community and celebrate the youngsters. They can tri...
SEELEY LAKE - Road decommissioning work associated with the Rice Ridge post-fire response is underway on the Seeley Lake Ranger District in the Black Canyon, Little Shanley, Dunham Creek, and Morrell Creek areas. These roads were previously closed to public motorized use and were historically used for administrative use and vegetation management. However, portions of these roads are no longer needed and will be decommissioned for sediment reduction, slope stabilization, cost reduction and...
SEELEY LAKE - Many of us have been introduced to author Pete Fromm by reading his humorous books about life in the wilderness, such as "Indian Creek Chronicles or The Names of the Stars: A Life in the Wilds." Yet, many of Fromm's novels explore interior life as well. Novels like "If Not for This" might begin on the Snake River in Idaho, but rapidly evolve into the challenges of marriage, family and tragedy. This is vividly true of his newest novel, "A Job You Mostly Won't Know How to Do."...
This weekend marks the beginning of the general big game hunting season in Montana. The general deer and elk season is Oct. 26-Dec. 1. If you have information about a possible wildlife or state lands crime, please call our toll-free TIP-MONT Hotline at 1-800-TIP-MONT (1-800-847-6668). Here are a few reminders for hunters in northwest Montana (Region 1) during the 2019 season: • There is a change in the antlerless hunts in hunting districts 122 and 130 this year. General hunters can no longer harvest antlerless white-tailed deer the first w...
SEELEY LAKE – Workers in orange vests with the letters “BID” on them picking up litter in downtown Missoula prompted Missoula County Commissioner Josh Slotnick to learn a little about Business Improvement Districts (BID). It also led him to ask the question, could a BID be used to benefit Seeley Lake? Slotnick reached out to Seeley Lake Community Council Chair Klaus von Sutterheim who invited him to present the idea at the Oct. 14 Council meeting. While the idea came from a commissioner, forming a BID is entirely a decision of the local prope...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Elementary School board approved Seeley Lake ROCKS installing a permanent light and temporary storage unit for the Ice Skating Rink this winter. The board also discussed an estimated $51,456 reduction in next year’s budget based on declining enrollment and the lack of funding for preschool next year. Seeley Lake ROCKS board members Garry Swain, Scott Eggeman and Mike Lindemer presented on the Ice Skating Rink. They were all encouraged by the use that the rink received last year from the students at the school and...
POTOMAC - Jessica Van Kerkhove is a new junior high social studies and intervention teacher for Potomac School. She looks forward to working with all the students and staff and getting to know the families and the Potomac community. She completed her schooling from the University of Montana in 2014 with a BA in PSCI/HSTR (Political Science and History), and a Secondary Education teaching certification in Broadfield Social Studies. Van Kerkhove is currently taking classes through MSU-Billings for...
SEELEY LAKE – Zoe Mohesky is the new third grade teacher at Seeley Lake Elementary. She is co-teaching with Kristy Pohlman for the year and is looking forward to getting to know her students, the staff and becoming more involved in the community. Mohesky's parents were both teachers. Even though education had always intrigued her, it wasn't until an eight-month trip to Fiji in the early 1990s that she really thought about going back into education. "The kids were so excited, it just made me f...
SWAN VALLEY - US Forest Service and Missoula County Projects Department representatives presented on the Mid-Swan Restoration Project and the new county tool for building permits at the Swan Valley Community Council meeting Oct. 15. Chair Ken Donovan also provided information regarding the Holland Lake Day Use agreement that is being negotiated between the US Forest Service and Swan Valley Community Foundation. Team leader of the US Forest Service Mid-Swan Restoration and Wildland Urban Interface Project Rachel Feigley presented a brief...
KALISPELL - Chip Weber, the Forest Supervisor for the Flathead National Forest, has announced his plans to retire Jan. 1, 2020 after a 33-year career that has taken him to four different regions of the Forest Service and seven different National Forests. He has served the Flathead National Forest for nine years during which time the Forest has been successful in meeting the multiple-use mission through an integrated program of work, community partnerships and the dedication of employees across the forest. “The Forest Service’s motto is ‘ca...
Information sought on moose poached near Clinton CLINTON - Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) is seeking information on a bull moose that was poached this week near Clinton in western Montana. The moose was found in the Swartz Creek area southwest of Clinton. FWP Game Wardens say that wildlife crimes like this one are often solved because of leads provided by the public. Anyone with information regarding the poaching is encouraged to contact FWP at 1-800-TIP-MONT (1-800-847-6668). Callers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a...
SEELEY LAKE – While Seeley Lake couple Shawn Ellinghouse and Kristy Pohlman had known they were pregnant for over a month, nothing prepared them for the news they received at their first ultrasound May 10. "When the lady said we were having twins I thought no way. Then when she said it was triplets I was completely stunned," wrote Kristy in an email. "We were not even trying to get pregnant and now we were having not one but three." Shawn added, "My thoughts to triplets was, WOW! Okay, it is w...
SEELEY LAKE – "When it first started, I thought it would be just a little Seeley Lake and Condon thing," Chris Jewett said about Alpine Artisans' Tour of the Arts, which took place Oct. 12-13. "I never thought it would grow as big as it has. Every year more and more people come. It's an exciting thing." Jewett said the idea of having a fundraiser that consisted of visiting artist Open Houses was conceived 16 years ago by then AAI president Joyce Bissell. Bissell promptly delegated Jewett to t...
ELBOW LAKE – Residents on Elbow Lake are facing what they feel is an inevitable decision by the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks and Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation to remove and remediate the Elbow Lake dam. While some property owners and lessees feel this will negatively impact the ecosystem, recreation opportunities and property values for years to come, the Draft Environmental Assessment released Sept. 30 proposes the project is necessary to remove the unauthorized, ar...
SEELEY LAKE – The Department of Environmental Quality notified Deer Creek Excavating, LLC’s that their revised application submitted Aug. 9 for an Opencut Mining Permit at the Cottonwood Pit Site in Powell County still contains deficiencies that must be corrected prior to approving the application. The revised application was in response to DEQ’s Nov. 28, 2018 Deficiency Notice. If Deer Creek Excavating still wants to pursue the application, they can appeal DEQ’s decision within 30 days or submit a revised application that resolves all deficien...
SWAN VALLEY –Swan Valley School Board covered a lot of ground making several decisions at their Oct. 9 meeting. The doors and windows have arrived and the Matthew Brothers just received the required permits to remodel the front portal entry to the school. Construction will get underway soon. Board Chair John Mercer presented the board with a Draft Board Action Plan for 2019-2020. He is still missing a couple of the board evaluation forms so he is waiting to incorporate them. Mercer said this is the first time the school has had a c...
DEER LODGE - Representatives of the northern areas of Powell County said they would like a board to govern the ambulance service. This would provide them representation and the return of some of their tax money from the new ambulance levy to the fire districts through which the three quick response units (QRUs) of the county operate. They would also like to see some of the tax money go to the Lincoln Ambulance Service which responds to many calls in northern Powell County. But Powell County Commissioner Rem Mannix said he didn’t think all of t...
SEELEY LAKE – After offering in-home care in Seeley Lake for the past two years, owner of Seeley Home Health Dawn Butler has taken the business in a new direction. She now offers assistance for people in the area to be able to obtain a medical marijuana card and complete the required state registration to become a legal cardholder. Butler has been offering home health services since she was 16 years old. When elderly or disabled people needed help, she assisted them as needed. "In this area, f...
SEELEY LAKE – With the sun shining through the western larch trees at Tamaracks Resort, locals and visitors alike enjoyed the Seeley Lake Area Chamber of Commerce's Tamaracks Festival, Oct. 12. "It was perfect weather with beautiful fall colors, blues skies and clean mountain air! We had a great turnout overall," wrote the Chamber's Executive Director Lisa Hayhurst in an email. "It was great to see everyone enjoying the music, beer, Made in Montana vendors and great views of Seeley Lake from t...
RV Park meeting rescheduled for Nov. 11 SEELEY LAKE - The Oct. 18 neighborhood meeting with Territorial-Landworks, Inc regarding the proposed RV Park has been canceled. A representative from Territorial-Landworks, Inc. will be speaking at the Nov. 11 Seeley Lake Community Council meeting at 6 p.m. at the Seeley Lake Historical Museum and Visitors Center. Those who would like more information or have questions are invited to attend. PHC Cares Food Drive through Oct. 30 SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley-Swan Medical Center is running a PHC Cares Food D...
HELMVILLE - There were more questions than answers at the second meeting held regarding the Powell County Ambulance Service levy and northern Powell County on Sept. 30 in Helmville. Many of the questions regarding the legality of the levy still have yet to be determined and it is possible that residents of the northern portion of the county may seek an injunction against the collection of the levy money or the allocation of the funds until the matter is resolved. The levy which was voted into...
OVANDO – Since Labor Day there has been an uptick of thefts and vandalism in the Ovando area. Powell County Sheriff Gavin Roselles reminds residents to be vigilant, watch out for their neighbors and report suspicious activity to the Sheriff’s Office. Roselles said there was a vehicle that went missing from a ranch in the Ovando area over Labor Day weekend. It was reported stolen Sept. 12. The vehicle was recovered Sept. 23 on the Cottonwood Lakes Road on the Powell/Missoula county line. It was shot multiple times with a gun and destroyed. The i...
SEELEY LAKE – Because his wife Terry could no longer drive, Jim Johnson begrudgingly drove his wife and three sons to Clearview Baptist Church each Sunday. Every Sunday he would wait in the car. However when the weather got too warm, he was forced to join them. "I heard a message that I had heard before in a way that I hadn't heard before," said Jim. "The Lord really worked on my heart. It took me eight months of really reading the Bible to make sure. Then one Sunday I just went I'm yours and I...
Alpine Artisans’ popular Tour of the Arts returns for its 16th year with one new studio joining the dazzling mix of over 20 artists at work in their studios, galleries and museums scattered throughout the Seeley Swan and Blackfoot Valleys. Held Oct. 12-13 to capture the height of the colorful golden Western Larch, the Tour also offers a free screening of the Oscar-winning documentary Free Solo Saturday, Oct. 12, at 7 p.m. at the Seeley Lake Community Hall. This free, self-guided tour leads you either east of Highway 200 to sites in Ovando a...
SEELEY LAKE – Stageline Pizza is partnering with the Seeley Lake Fire Department Saturday, Oct. 12 as part of Fire Preparedness Week. Fire Chief Dave Lane and Department volunteers will be delivering pizzas from 12-5 p.m. as a fundraiser for the Fire Foundation*. They will have free smoke detectors and batteries to hand out and will be available to answer questions and provide information about volunteering. Stageline Pizza owner Pat Sheridan approached Seeley Lake Fire Chief Dave Lane with t...
SEELEY LAKE - The next meeting of the Seeley Lake Community Council may be a bit shorter than usual. It will start with Ben Schmidt, Air Quality Specialist from the Missoula Health Department talking about new proposed rules for wood stoves. He will be followed by County Commissioner Josh Slotnick, who will outline the possibility for a Business Improvement District in Seeley Lake, assuming the businesses in town are interested in pursuing the idea. The size of such a District would be decided by the property owners in the proposed district,...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Lions Club is producing their 2020-2021 local telephone directory. They are looking for photographers to submit a photo for the front page, encouraging businesses to submit their ads for the yellow pages and asking for those who want their cell phone number listed to submit by Nov. 15. This project allows the Lions Club to raise funds for community projects. The Seeley Lake Lions Club Phone Book is published every two years and is a highly used phone book throughout the community and surrounding areas. This y...
On July 15, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks received a report of an injured black bear dragging its lower body in the foothills of Kila. The following morning, the bear was euthanized because of its injuries. Veterinarians at Central Valley Animal Hospital X-rayed the animal and discovered it was shot with birdshot and likely a pistol. The trash contents in the bear's stomach indicated that it had visited a residential garbage can. The birdshot pellets broke several vertebrae in front of the...
SWAN VALLEY – This fall the public will encounter Forest Service employees conducting interviews in developed and dispersed recreation sites and along Forest Service roads. They will be out in all types of weather conditions, wearing bright orange vests and be near a sign that says “Traffic Survey Ahead.” The National Visitor Use Monitoring (NVUM) survey is being conducted on the Flathead National Forest from October 2019 through Sept. 30, 2020. The information gathered is useful for forest planning as well as local community tourism plann...
SEELEY LAKE – The community is invited to “The Promise, A Hidden Child story from the Holocaust,” Oct. 24 at Seeley-Swan High School at 10:45 a.m. Holocaust survivor Leon Malmed presents his story from the Holocaust as documented in a film produced by a group of advanced animation students at College of the Canyons. The students spent the entire Spring 2017 semester bringing to life the memories of Malmed, resulting in the animated documentary, “The Promise.” The Nazis occupied Northern France between the years of 1940 and 1945. Malmed’s...
SEELEY LAKE – More than 50 people rose to their feet singing, "I Love You Lord." The sing-along continued as nationally acclaimed Christian music artist Jason Gray left the stage. The evening highlighted the struggle, anxiety and grief everyone experiences in their life and how God can use the circumstances and weaknesses in each of us for His glory. Gray's concert and meet and greet Oct. 3 was part of Sparrow's Vine Pregnancy Resource Center's annual fundraiser. The money raised will support t...
HELENA - Like rural school administrators across Montana, Terry Public Schools Superintendent Joe Krause keeps a close eye on his enrollment numbers. The Terry District, which serves Prairie County, population 1,100, has 134 students this school year, said Krause, who's new to the superintendent job this year. Only 31 are high schoolers. Last year, Terry's high school was forced to team up with neighboring Glendive to field a football team through a co-op arrangement. Excluding foreign exchange...
SWAN VALLEY – Along with the traditional reading, writing and math, Swan Valley kindergarten, first and second grade students can expect to start their creative juices during the Imagination Station every morning, have a daily dance party and enjoy laughter as part of their learning. Their new teacher Chris Mauldin, who will also be working with students in special education, looks forward to connecting with each of his students so they feel valued, respected and safe and can excel inside and o...
SEELEY LAKE - Climbing Yosemite's formidable El Capitan, 3,000 vertical feet of granite (without a rope), is one of the greatest athletic achievements of all time. This is the story told in the Oscar winning documentary "FREE SOLO." Alpine Artisans is presenting "FREE SOLO" on Saturday, Oct. 12 at 7 p.m. at the Seeley Lake Community Hall. The event is free and everyone is welcome. In fulfilling his life-long dream, climber Alex Honnold set an impossible standard – perfection or death. Filmed b...
Start planning your trunks for the annual Seeley Lake Trunk-or-Treat, Oct. 31 SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake Trunk-or-Treat is back for the sixth year this Halloween. The fun will start at 6 p.m. at the Seeley Lake Elementary School. The community is invited to decorate their cars and trucks and participate in the annual event. It is a great way to allow young Seeley Lakers to trick-or-treat in a centralized, safe location. For more information or to get involved contact Alex Kues, 210-1755. Volunteers needed for Driftriders work day, Oct. 13 S...
SEELEY LAKE – For Seeley Lake couple Steve and Cheri Thompson, it was a normal day at Big Sky Resort with their Stanford Ski Group. When their friend Dave Utzinger had a bad crash that broke his neck, the Thompsons immediately started CPR and saved their friend's life. After being nominated by the SnowBowl Volunteer Ski Patrol Director Joe Lustik, the Thompsons both received a Purple Merit Star for their life-saving actions Sept. 21. With 113 years of combined service volunteering with the Natio...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake resident Norman Sindelar joined the U.S. Navy in 1962. Though he never actually served aboard a naval vessel, he sees his four years of service as a series of great opportunities. When Sindelar reported to the Military Entrance Processing Station in Butte on Jan. 2, the temperature was minus 42 degrees, without factoring in windchill. During the next two days he passed beyond the Montana state line for the first time, took his first train ride and reported for boot c...
Electric bicycles (e-bikes) have grown in popularity for both recreational use and hunting on public lands and are currently welcome on more than 52,000 miles of roads and 7,700 miles of trails throughout the Northern Region’s nine National Forests and Dakota Prairie Grasslands where motorized vehicle travel is authorized. The USDA Forest Service considers e-bikes as motorized vehicles and therefore does not allow their use on non-motorized National Forest System (NFS) roads and trails. According to the Forest Service’s Travel Management Rule (...
SEELEY LAKE - Each of the classes competed again this year for the best float. The theme for the 2019 Homecoming parade floats was "Decades." The freshman class won with the 1980s rendition of "Thriller." Juniors took second with the 1950's Diner. The sophomores took third place for their 1960's float with hippies, protesters and Neil Armstrong in uniform. Finally the seniors came in fourth with their 1970's rendition of "Seeley Night Fever" and "Rocky."...
Help keep neighborhood bear conflicts to a minimum this fall by removing or securing backyard bear attractants such as fruit, birdseed, pet food, compost piles and garbage. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) Bear Management Specialist, Jamie Jonkel said that there have been a lot of bears in neighborhoods lately and many have been drawn in by apples and other fruit trees. "It's the time of year where bears are out looking to stock up before winter and many are finding food near our homes,...
For many people, the church, generally speaking, has been a difficult place - a place of woundedness, a place of hostility or rigid authoritarianism, an unfriendly place where not all have been welcome. Church people know this is true - but we don’t always know what to do about it. The Mountain Lakes Presbyterian Church is earnestly trying to wrestle with these realities. We have designated the whole month of October as “Diversity Month.” Each Sunday during worship we will be exploring a particular aspect of human diversity. While there are a...
"New viewers often ask us what to expect from an RDT performance. We tell them grace and athleticism, beauty and power. Beyond that, we tell them to embrace the unexpected." ~ Repertory Dance Theatre. Alpine Artisans' 2 Valleys Stage is excited to bring you an extra-ordinary presentation of the body in motion: the Repertory Dance Theatre of Salt Lake City, Utah. It is not often that we have the opportunity to see such dedicated and accomplished dancers up close in such an intimate setting....
Remember your first glimpse of Glacier National Park or your initial trip to Yellowstone National Park? Livingston author John Taliaferro's encompassing biography of George Bird Grinnell enables the reader to relive those moments as he thoroughly documents the life of one of our country's greatest conservationists, George Bird Grinnell titled "Grinnell: America's Environmental Pioneer and His Restless Drive to Save the West." Taliaferro will be reading and signing his book at the Open Book Club...
SEELEY LAKE – After 24 years of putting in for a moose tag, Austin Dillree finally got his chance. Less than two weeks into the two and half month moose season, he filled his tag with a 40-inch bull that he dropped with one shot in the Boles Meadow area. Dillree's first memory of hunting was riding on his Dad's shoulders when he was four-years-old. He started hunting himself when he was 12 and has made it a lifetime sport hunting elk, deer and antelope. "I love the solitude," said Dillree. "I li...
Today’s home fires burn faster than ever, making escape planning all the more critical to home fire safety. Studies show that in the past, people had approximately 17 minutes to escape a typical home fire from the time the smoke alarm sounds. Now they may have as little as two minutes to get out safely. With these concerns in mind, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has announced “Not Every Hero Wears a Cape. Plan and Practice Your Escape™!” as the theme for this year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign, Oct. 6-12. Working to better...
Governor Steve Bullock announced Monday, Sept. 30 Montanans earning minimum wage will see the rate increase to $8.65 per hour beginning Jan. 1, 2020. “This increase ensures Montanans earning the minimum wage don’t fall further behind, but we still have work to do to make a living wage a reality for all Montanans,” Governor Bullock said. “Montana has the sixth fastest wage growth in the nation over the past decade, and we must build on this trend by continuing to create good-paying jobs, supporting Montana businesses, standing up for employe...
SEELEY LAKE – After 14 years of teaching at Seeley Lake Elementary School, Michele Holmes is now the business teacher, librarian, instructional coach and Title 1 support at Seeley-Swan High School. While there is a lot to learn with all of these new roles, Holmes welcomes the challenge and looks forward to helping the SSHS students succeed. Holmes is a Montana native. However it was while working in Michigan in the I.T. department for a manufacturing company that she found a love for t...
TNC Beeskove Fire closure lifted POTOMAC - The Nature Conservancy’s western Montana forest land that had been closed due to the Beeskove fire reopened to the public Thursday, Sept. 26. Users are asked to follow TNC’s Open Lands Policy that can be found at https://www.nature.org/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/documents/OpenLandsPolicy_022118.pdf Missoula County Sheriff’s Office Call Activity Sept. 22 – Sept. 29 • 9/22, 1:27pm, 31XX Highway 83, Seeley Lake: Accident – No Injury • 9/23, 9:13am, mile marker 1 Highway 83, Clearwater Junction: Acc...
OVANDO – More than 50 people attended a citizen-initiated meeting at the Ovando School Sept. 16 to discuss the Powell County Ambulance Service levy that the voters approved last November. Ovando and Helmville residents expressed their concern that they would be paying taxes for a service they do not receive. While Powell County Commissioners and the Deer Lodge Medical Center CEO addressed some concerns, many questions were left unanswered. Another meeting is scheduled Sept. 30 at 7 p.m. at t...
SEELEY LAKE – Hung on every wall of Rick Butler's living room are mounts from hunting expeditions from years past and photographs he has taken. There is a story behind each of the animals and images that Butler proudly displays in his home. But few compare to his most recent hunt where he, now legally blind, brought down a 1,200-1,400 pound buffalo with an air gun. Butler grew up in Montana and attended Seeley-Swan High School in the late 1970s. He moved to Alaska in 1984 where he worked on t...
SEELEY LAKE –Seeley Lake Sewer District Board received public comment on their attorney’s denial of a citizens petition, discussed their proposed Rules and Regulations (R&R), worked through a final draft of the by-laws and approved an interlocal agreement with Missoula County at their Sept. 19 board meeting. In public comment, District resident Franny Trexler read a letter to the board regarding her frustration with the way District Attorney Jon Beal handled a petition for a referendum she turned in to the Missoula County Elections Office. The...
SEELEY LAKE – Saturday morning, Sept. 21, when his older brother wouldn't answer the door, Timothy Pratt allegedly drove his truck into his brother's car, parked in front of the Wolf Ridge Apartments, and pushed it into his brother's apartment. While the brother and his girlfriend were inside at the time, no one was injured. Pratt faces several charges including two counts of felony endangerment and criminal mischief. According to court documents, around 10:15 a.m. Sept. 21, Pratt showed up a...
SEELEY LAKE – The Lolo National Forest is asking for public feedback on a proposal to harvest trees impacted by insect infestation and disease within the 2017 Liberty Fire burned area on the Seeley Lake Ranger District. This effort has been collaboratively developed with the Southwest Crown Collaborative and the Blackfoot Challenge. The Liberty Fire was ignited by lightning on July 15, 2017 and burned through the summer and into early fall, impacting approximately 28,694 acres over multiple jurisdictions, 9,452 acres of which are National Fores...
SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Lake Ranger District of the Flathead National Forest will recondition existing Cold Lakes Road (FS No. 9599) by installing metal pipe and placing aggregate surfacing on the road. Work will continue the week of Sept. 23 and will impact access to the Cold Lakes Trailhead. The work is located west of the Condon Post Office. The length of road affected by the work of installing crushed aggregate is 1.5 miles on the Cold Lakes Road (FS Road No. 9599). Gravel for the project will be hauled from the Forest Service gravel pits...
SEELEY LAKE – Trail crews spent much of last week conducting repair work on Monture Trail #27, located on the Seeley Lake Ranger District, to address a trail washout caused by storms two weeks ago. Monture Trail is a popular route into the Bob Marshall Wilderness and is frequently used by hunters with stock. The crews were successful in moving rock and conducting some drilling to regrade the trail tread and make it passable to stock animals. The Forest Service encourages anyone heading into t...
HELENA – Montana State Parks is seeking public comment on the Montana Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP). Comments will be accepted through Thursday, Oct.17 at 5 p.m. The new SCORP, titled “Sustaining Montana’s Outdoor Recreation Legacy 2020-2024”, is a planning document which offers a five-year strategic framework to identify trends, issues and challenges facing the state’s outdoor recreation and natural resources and provides recommendations for outdoor recreation priorities across the state. The 2020-2024 SCORP identifie...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Fire District Board approved a $8,500 salary increase for Fire Chief Dave Lane at their Sept. 10 meeting. This was around half of what the Chief requested on the basis of the state average for fire chiefs, what he has accomplished since becoming the chief mid-April 2018 and his qualifications. Lane’s annual salary was $55,000. In Montana, the average entry chief position is paid $50,000 and a senior chief is $88,000. Fire department paramedics make between $70,000-$110,000. Lane was given a $5,000 raise at six mon...
HELENA - Montana is, in fact, a country for old men, and women too, according to demographic statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau, which indicate that based on median age, Montana holds the distinction of grayest state in the west. And certain stretches of the state - including many but not all rural counties - have considerably older residents than Montana as a whole. That state of demographic affairs has wide-ranging implications for regional economies, education systems, and health-care...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley-Swan High School creative writing students released "Backroads of the Mind" literary magazine at the "In the Footsteps of Norman Maclean" Festival Sept. 14. Backroads Volume four is 64-pages filled with SSHS student poetry and images expressing courage in vulnerability as they give the readers a glimpse into their minds. Amanda Thomas's artwork was selected for the cover winning the Hawks Eye Visual Art Award. Aspen Derry, Trista Higgins and Nicole Williams were all r...
SEELEY LAKE – The community of Seeley Lake came out Sept. 21 for the first annual Seeley Lake Huckleberry Festival in the BBQ Pit and Fat Hippie parking lots. Children enjoyed games and face painting the first Seeley Lake Huckleberry King and Queen were crowned. Steve Wilson Construction grilled up hot dogs for the event. Juli Wilson said they served 62 hot dogs, just three short of what they brought. "It was a lot of fun," said Wilson. The huckleberry cooking/baking contest had 10 entries. E...
As of Sept. 20, Missoula County has 174 confirmed pertussis cases, according to Cindy Farr, Health Promotion Director at the Missoula City-County Health Department. While new pertussis cases slowed down during the summer, it did not go away. Confirmed cases continued to be reported at an average of two cases per week throughout the summer. Cases have been reported across all ages, from infant to adults and in both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals. There have not been any confirmed cases reported at the Seeley-Swan Medical Center this...
DNRC to burn piles in the area The Montana Department of Natural Resources & Conservation Clearwater Unit is proposing to burn slash piles from timber harvest and other treatments in several areas including: the Seeley Lake area, Placid Lake area, Salmon Lake, Kozy Korner, the Game Range, Greenough and the Blanchard Creek / Lost Prairie Creek area. Pile burning will occur after receiving approval from the Montana Department of Environmental Quality and Missoula County. If conditions are acceptable and the smoke columns are transported in...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Rural Fire District received a nearly $73,000 Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) that will be used to install a new exhaust system in the bays of Station 1. Seeley Lake Fire Chief Dave Lane said this new system will help capture the diesel smoke from the apparatuses and protect the firefighters. Without the grant, this upgrade at the department would not have been possible. The primary goal of the AFG Program of the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency is to enhance the safety o...
SEELEY LAKE - Wednesday morning, Sept. 11 Seeley Lake Rural Fire Department personnel stood in front of the Post Office in Seeley Lake to remember those who served and lost their lives during the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001. Casualties of the deadliest terrorist act in world history included 2,977 people and 19 hijackers. Most of those who perished were civilians except for 343 firefighters, 72 law enforcement officers and 55 military personnel that were killed in and around the World Trade Center...
SWAN VALLEY – Kathy Kinzfogl, better known as Littlebird, thinks of it as eco-homesteading. Her partner Brian Parks thinks more in terms of permaculture. By whatever name, it means a style of living which endeavors not to dominate its surroundings but rather to let the area itself guide the way. Meeting as many of their needs as possible by utilizing the resources available close to their home in the Swan Valley is a lifestyle Littlebird and Parks choose to follow. Parks said, "We're h...
SWAN VALLEY - An adult female grizzly bear was euthanized Sept. 10 after the bear and three cubs became food conditioned and broke into structures to obtain grain. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks captured the bears in the Seeley-Swan Valley. In accordance with Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee guidelines, the adult female was euthanized due to food conditioning, which occurs when wildlife lose natural foraging habits. Two of the cubs are being sent to the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center in West Yellowstone. FWP was unable to capture the...
MISSOULA - Recent widespread rain, interagency wildland fire officials with the Missoula County Fire Protection Association (MCFPA) are reporting lower fire danger indices within Missoula County. The fire danger rating was lowered to MODERATE last week. Indices dipped into the LOW range briefly this week, but with a return to seasonal temperatures today and through the weekend, fire danger remains MODERATE at this time. The move does not indicate an end to fire season. Grass and other fine...
SEELEY LAKE – Heavy rains at the beginning of the week resulted in increased runoff and a trail washout in the Monture Drainage on the Seeley Lake Ranger District. Monture Trail #27 is currently impassable to stock at approximately 4.3 miles up the trail at the Yellowjacket drainage due to increased flows and debris movement caused by recent storms. It is recommended that day-riders use the flat trail section before Bill Creek as a turn-around point prior to reaching the blind corner and Y...
SWAN VALLEY – Tom Parker was the final speaker at the Aug. 3 Upper Swan Valley Historical Society (USVHS) program Guides and Outfitters of the Swan Valley. His talk was punctuated by comments from old-time outfitter Leonard Moore. Parker said he was 21 years old when he decided he wanted to be an outfitter. He was living in the Bitterroot area at the time. A hunting trip into the Bob Marshall Wilderness with his own horses and mules confirmed his career decision. He moved to the Swan Valley t...
SEELEY LAKE – More than 20 people toured the Maclean family's neighborhood Friday, Sept. 13 as part of the third "In the Footsteps of Norman Maclean Festival: Writing the West: A Way Forward." Seeley Lake Historical Society historian Ron Cox led the tour around Boy Scout Road on the west side of Seeley Lake. The tour started at the Seeley Lake Historical Museum with the display featuring the Maclean family. Cox shared that the Maclean family came to Seeley Lake in 1921. Their family received one...
SEELEY LAKE – After setting up camp, students dotted the shores of Rainy Lake in their quest to catch lunch. This was just one of the four opportunities offered for Seeley-Swan High School Discovery Day Sept. 12. Developed by last year's Ecology class, students had the opportunity to have some fun while connecting with their fellow students, learn something about their natural world and give back to the community through a service project. For the first time since Discovery Day started in 2012,...
MANHATTAN, N.Y. – It was a beautiful September day as Tom Browder walked the final leg of his daily commute across the World Trade Center Plaza. As he stood at the foot of the North Tower, he heard what he thought was a bomb go off near the top of the tower. Even though the concussion from the explosion knocked him to the ground, he was able to work his way through the World Trade Center plaza to the northeast corner of the complex. “This is terrible but at least that is it,” thought Browd...
MISSOULA – Annick Smith was the featured speaker for the Alpine Artisans fundraiser dinner that formed part of the 2019 three-day "In the Footsteps of Norman Maclean" festival. In introducing Smith, Michael Cropper referred to her as "the girl next door." For although writer-filmmaker Smith has gained a national reputation and garnered numerous accolades for her various projects and publications, those who live in the wider Missoula area admit to a certain possessiveness toward the woman who l...
SEELEY LAKE – Pattie Crum is quick to say this is her first year of teaching. However, along with being a fresh slate as the new second grade teacher at Seeley lake Elementary School, she also brings with her a breadth of experience. Crum looks forward to supporting her students in learning, building their self esteem and watching them progress socially and academically so they are more than prepared for third grade. Crum has always wanted to be a teacher. She loved teaching her own children t...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake District Ranger Quinn Carver and Lolo National Forest Acting Public Affairs Officer Katelyn Jerman presented the proposed recreation fee increases for the Lolo National Forest at the Seeley Lake Community Council meeting Sept. 9. The fee increase for several developed recreation sites on the Lolo was proposed to try and make the rates comparable to other sites in the region based on the amenities available. Carver emphasized how important it was for the public to engage in the comment period through Sept. 30. He r...
Essential oils for preparedness, Sept. 19 & Sept. 28 SEELEY LAKE – Learn how you can empower your family now and in times of emergencies with essential oils in your emergency kit during National Preparedness Month. Join doTERRA Wellness Advocates Mari Bergeson and Marjorie Pelletier Sept. 19 from 7-8:30 p.m. and Saturday, Sept. 28 from 10-11:30 a.m. at the Seeley Lake Elementary Multi-purpose Room for a free seminar on how to use the power of essential oils for health and wellness. No purchase or enrollment is required to attend. Everyone is i...
Community Medical Center is pleased to announce the birth of identical triplets born to Kristy Pohlman & Shawn Ellinghouse of Seeley Lake on Thursday, Sept. 19 around 7:22 p.m. Mother is in stable condition and the babies are being cared for in the Community Children's NICU with all three babies in stable condition. About Community Medical Center's Women & Newborns Unit More babies are born at Community Medical Center than at any other hospital in Western Montana - over 1,000 per year. The... Full story
MISSOULA – At public hearing Sept. 5, the Missoula County Commissioners unanimously approved Resolution 2019-106 due to insufficient protest. The resolution changed the boundaries of the Rural Special Improvement District 282 around Lindbergh Lake and levied the RSID 282 property owners $73,176.29 to maintain the Lindbergh Lake bridge. The RSID 282 was created Jan. 12, 1978 for the purpose of constructing a bridge across the Swan River at the outlet of Lindbergh Lake. There was no termination date set for RSID 282 and Missoula County owned t...
The Bureau of Land Management Missoula Field Office completed a 660 acre prescribed burn near Chamberlain Mountain in the Wales Creek Wilderness Study Area, nine miles southeast of Clearwater Junction Thursday, Sept. 5. This project has been planned since 2016. BLM Fire Management Specialist Steve Hancock said everything lined up perfectly to complete the stand-replacing burn. The project area was 1,000 acres within a wilderness study area. There were no roads in the area so natural barriers...
OVANDO – For 15 years, the Blackfoot Challenge and its partners have released fledgling trumpeter swans into the Blackfoot Watershed in a program aimed at restoring the swans to their native habitat. Next year could be the last year that happens. The goal was to get seven pairs of released trumpeter swans to return to the area, create a nest, produce eggs, raise their young and repeat the cycle for two consecutive years. According to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Montana State Coordinator G...
SEELEY LAKE – "I realized my daughter [Laurisa] was just like everyone else, a habitual offender of texting and driving," said Jenny Ross, trauma coordinator for Community Medical Center who has told her daughter the dangers of impaired driving and distracted driving ever since she was very young. "It took her experiencing this car to open her eyes and she has never done it since. She feels this will make an impact on young drivers and that every new driver in Drivers Ed should have to e...
SEELEY LAKE – Several projects continue on the Seeley Lake Ranger District, two of which will impact public access. Cottonwood Lakes Road/Dunham Creek Update: A segment of Cottonwood Lakes Road National Forest Service Road (NFSR) 477 at mile marker 19 over Dunham Creek will be closed from Sept. 16 – Oct. 12. for a bridge replacement. Cottonwood Lakes Road will be closed to the southeast from the intersection with Dunham Creek Road NFSR 4388 for approximately a quarter of a mile. Access to Lod...
SWAN VALLEY – Though he is not an outfitter himself (he works for Tom Parker's Buck Creek Guide Service), Rod Boothby was invited to be one of the speakers at the Aug. 3 Upper Swan Valley Historical Society program heralding the Guides and Outfitters of the Swan Valley. Boothby said, "I've been packin' horses and mules for about 35 years. Really, the only reason we do this, we really do it for the fun. We don't do it for the money, that's for sure." Boothby told two stories about mules and, s...
POTOMAC - As summer’s dry heat wanes into cooler damp weather, fire season comes to an end. Some Potomac residents took time this year to openly reflect on past fire seasons and their firefighting experiences. They shared stories of fighting fires on their own; when they would leave the mill, their logging jobs and ranches to fight fires. They used their own equipment and worked through the night to put the fires out. Potomac has a history of the Anaconda and Champion logging companies, the Blackfoot Forest Protective Association (BFPA), f...
MISSOULA – Seeley Lake mask makers Herman and Susie Andersen are displaying their hand-carved masks at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices in Missoula through the end of the month. Both enjoy sharing stories about each mask and the cultural significance behind them. Susie moved to Alaska in 1978 and taught in Makotak, a remote Yupik village near Bristol Bay where she met her husband Herman. Herman is of the Aleut tribe in Alaska and his mother was Yupik. They started seeing all the different s...
Seeley Lake Community Park Work Day, Sept. 14 SEELEY LAKE – Weather permitting, the Seeley Lake Community Parks Committee will be hosting a workday Saturday, Sept. 14 starting at 10 a.m. to do maintenance on the park at Seeley Lake Elementary school. Projects will include painting, staining and sanding the playground equipment and bleachers. Please bring work gloves and wear clothes for painting and staining. Snacks and refreshments will be provided. Please RSVP to Nathan at 677-2155 or email nathan@seeleylake.com. Please indicate the number of...
SEELEY LAKE – Just before 9 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 31 there was a call that there was a boating accident at Lake Alva. Screams for help alerted those on the shore and someone camping at the Lakeside Campground came with a pontoon. A 70-year-old Eureka man received CPR but upon the arrival of Life Flight was confirmed dead. According to Missoula County Sheriff’s Office Sergeant Robert Parcell, the 70-year-old man from Eureka and his 24-year-old grandson from Missoula were out canoeing on Lake Alva in an Old Town Saranac Canoe. They visited the isl...
POTOMAC – Greenough-Potomac Volunteer Fire Department responded to a structure fire just before 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 31. The house on Coloma Way was fully involved. While firefighters were not able to save the structure, they kept it from spreading to nearby outbuildings and wildlands. The homeowner was taken to Missoula via ambulance for burns. No one else was injured. The cause is still under investigation. GPVFD Assistant Chief Justin Iverson arrived on scene three minutes after the page a...
SEELEY LAKE – The power was out. Grizzly Claw Trading Co. Owners Dee and Susan Baker were prepared for a great sales day during the heart of their first summer in business. Now it was so dark in their store that it was nearly impossible to see what was in the display cases. When two visitors from North Carolina walked in they apologetically told them that yes, they were open but they had no power. When the two middle-aged men insisted that they wanted to see what was in the cases, the Bakers o...
HELMVILLE - People came from all over Montana and out of state for this year's Helmville Rodeo, Sept. 1-2. The stands were packed and the competition was good as riders rode for the purse and entertained. Even a handful of locals joined the fun in the Mutton Busting and Wild Cow Milking events....
SEELEY LAKE - The North Fork Cabin bridge replacement project is complete. The trail closure has been lifted ahead of hunting season. The bridge reconstruction began July 22. The bridge provides access over the North Fork of the Blackfoot River near the North Fork Cabin on Trail 32. Trail 32 is a major travel corridor for outfitters, guides and the public to access the Scapegoat Wilderness. The Seeley Lake Ranger District's goal was to complete the project ahead of the majority of the hunting...
SEELEY LAKE - Like so often, the Sept. 9 meeting of the Seeley Lake Community Council promises an ambitious agenda. Linda Howard of the Missoula Aging Services will explain the various options available during the open enrollment period for Social Security and the ACA. Drug addiction and prevention will be the next topic, covered by Shannan Sproull, Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist of the Western Montana Mental Health Center. Then Kellen Palmer, the new Seeley-Swan High School principal, will introduce himself to the community. He will be...
SWAN VALLEY - The Flathead National Forest is planning to conduct fall 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 follow Montana air quality standards a...
SEELEY LAKE – On Aug. 26 the otherwise quiet halls of Seeley Lake Elementary school were filled with the sound of an air horn. More than 30 teachers and staff from Seeley Lake Elementary and Swan Valley Schools hid themselves in the two junior high classrooms in preparation for an active shooter drill where there were told they could do nothing but hide. Swan Valley School teacher Chris Maudlin had 60 seconds to hit as many people as he could with ping pong balls. He methodically moved t...
SEELEY LAKE – There is a new face behind the front desk at Seeley-Swan High School. Aimee Stevenson, of Greenough, is the new SSHS secretary. She looks forward to becoming more proficient in her job and continuing to get to know the students, staff and members the community. Almost four years ago the Stevenson family moved to the area from Syracuse, Utah. Stevenson's husband Brandon and his brother are in business together as general contractors. This allowed them the freedom to relocate. "We we...
SEELEY LAKE – When the Seeley Lake Nordic Club received an email from the Missoula Nordic Club that the U.S. Forest Service was proposing a user fee at the Seeley Creek Nordic area they were totally caught off guard. After further research and conversations with the Forest Service, the Seeley Lake Nordic Club is actively fighting the proposed fee for the Seeley Creek Winter Sports Site and said, "if it isn't broken, don't fix it." The Seeley Lake Driftriders Snowmobile Club, who manages the south trailhead and parking lot included in the p...
After a two year hiatus, the Blackfoot Challenge will again host their annual Trumpeter Swan Release on Thursday, Sept. 5, at the Rolling Stone Ranch in Ovando. This annual event offers the public a rare opportunity to take an up-close look at Trumpeter Swans and learn about their biology, habitat and recovery in the Blackfoot watershed. This year, attendees will also be able to purchase raffle tickets for the opportunity to release a swan themselves the morning-of. Releases were not held in...
SWAN VALLEY - In an effort to boost native westslope cutthroat and bull trout populations, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks will remove non-native trout species in Cooney Creek, a tributary of the upper Swan River in northwest Montana. Following a public comment period, FWP is moving forward with the project to capture and remove all brook and rainbow trout in Cooney Creek’s core westslope cutthroat trout habitat. The project will be in collaboration with the University of Montana and MPG Ranch, a privately-owned conservation ranch. Funding f...
SEELEY LAKE – Ever since Jason Gray's childhood, music has been a vehicle for inner healing, storytelling and conveying what really matters. Now a nationally acclaimed Christian singer and songwriter, Gray hopes that his songs will help someone be transformed and reengage with whatever life happens to be throwing at them. He will bring this message to the Sparrow's Vine Pregnancy Resource Center's 11th Annual Benefit Concert/Silent Auction, Thursday, Oct. 3 at 7:30 p.m. at Mission Bible Fellowsh...
SEELEY LAKE – Lloyd Hahn was not present at the Aug. 3 Upper Swan Valley Historical Society (USVHS) program, Outfitters and Guides in the Swan Valley. Nevertheless, his reputation as a long-time outfitter earned him a place. Ellie Greenough, who had previously conducted an extensive interview with him for USVHS, recounted a few of his stories. Greenough related how Hahn wound up in Montana. She said he was living in Wisconsin but had done some hunting in Idaho. In 1975 he decided he wanted to m...
William Oscar Keiper Death Notice SEELEY LAKE - William Oscar Keiper met Jesus Aug. 29. There will be a graveside service at Sunset Memorial Gardens in Missoula Sept. 7 at 11:30 a.m. Everyone is welcome. Closure lifted on Cottonwood Lakes Road SEELEY LAKE - Cottonwood Lakes Road 477 Swamp Creek Aquatic Organism Passage (AOP) work is mostly complete and the road is now open for public use. While only a section of this road was closed for a portion of time, this project finished ahead of schedule and before the fall hunting season. This type of...
SWAN VALLEY – Swan Valley School's new principal Ralph King loves the educational process and the opportunities it provides to students. He looks forward to bringing his experience and love of education to the Swan Valley School and building relationships – the foundational point of building a good school, a good team with the staff and good partnerships with families and the community. King grew up on a farm/ranch outside of Valier, Mont. Since junior high he has known he wanted to become a tea...
SEELEY LAKE – Jim Goudzwaard was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1969. Though he only served a year-and-a-half, and things never went quite the way he expected, he packed a lot of sights and experiences into that short time. Prior to being drafted, Goudzwaard worked in a hospital, first as an orderly, then in the emergency room. It seemed logical then that after basic training he was sent to Ft. Sam Houston for medical training. He was assigned to the 32nd Surgical unit, one of the last Medical A...
SWAN VALLEY - Swan Lake District Ranger Chris Dowling gave updates on maintenance work completed on the District and led a discussion about the day use fee at Holland Lake at the Swan Valley Community Council meeting Aug. 19. Dowling said that maintenance on Holland Lake Road and Kraft Creek Road was completed July 25. The District shared costs and resources with Missoula County for the project. Council member Lacey McNutt asked how often this maintenance will take place or is it “one and done”? Dowling said there are lots of variables as to...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Ranger District is planning to conduct prescribed burning and pile burning this fall to help restore habitat and better protect nearby communities from future wildfires by reducing hazardous fuels. Frequent, low-intensity fire is essential to restore National Forest lands for the communities who depend on them. Prescribed fires improve habitat conditions for wildlife by promoting nutrient recycling of fire-adapted vegetation and growth of new forage for wildlife bro...
SWAN LAKE - The Swan Lake Ranger District of the Flathead National Forest is planning to conduct a prescribed fire in and adjacent to the Mission Mountains Wilderness west of Lindbergh Lake along Lindy Ridge when weather, fuel conditions and air quality become favorable. Smoke will be visible in the Swan Valley along the Highway 83 corridor as far south as Seeley Lake and as far north as Swan Lake. The objective of the prescribed fire is to treat 1,104 acres in and adjacent to the Mission Mountains Wilderness to reduce crown fire potential,...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Elementary School board approved the budget and made several new hires at their Aug. 19 and Aug. 23 meetings. Superintendent Daniel Schrock continues to look for opportunities to streamline processes and set SLE up for a great year. The school board unanimously adopted the 2019-2020 general budget of just over $1,431,181.06. District Clerk Heather Mincey said the mills went down this year lowering taxes for property owners. She also informed the board that there is about $23,000 uncollected District tax levy r...
SEELEY LAKE – After a year of owning the Tamaracks Resort on Seeley Lake, Jessica and Jeff Kimmel have expanded their business model by not only opening up their property to the public but also intentionally collaborating with other local businesses to offer more services on site. When the Kimmels purchased the resort in May of 2018, one of their goals was to offer more services. Along with hosting various events on the property they opened up the resort to the public offering various options t...
SEELEY LAKE – When students start school at Seeley Lake Elementary this year, there will be a new game in their classrooms. Thanks to the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services and Providence Hospital, SLE is one of more than 30 schools to receive a grant to implement the PAX Good Behavior Game. SLE kindergarten teacher Sheila Devins sees the program as an opportunity to provide continuity in the way SLE’s approaches teaching healthy emotional regulation and social skills and gives students the ability to navigate various soc...
The third "In the Footsteps of Norman Maclean Festival" will be held Sept. 13-15 in Seeley Lake and Missoula. The festival is presented by Alpine Artisans and Clearwater Montana Properties, and will be held at the MCT Center for the Performing Arts and the National Museum of Forest Service History in Missoula, plus tours of Maclean's Seeley Lake life and favorite fishing holes on the Blackfoot River. "This is Clearwater Montana Properties first festival as a presenting sponsor and we're so...
Webb Brown of Trout Creek announced his campaign for the District 4 seat of the Montana Public Service Commission (PSC). The seat is currently held by Bob Lake, who can not run again do to term limits. "I entered the race for Public Service Commission to give back to this great state," said Brown. "A fifth generation Montanan, I love Big Sky Country and the people here. I will be an advocate for consumers like myself to ensure that basic services like electric, gas, phone, water and garbage are...
SWAN VALLEY – At the Aug. 3 Upper Swan Valley Historical Society (USVHS) program "Outfitters and Guides" in the Swan Valley, Pat Tabor told about his outfitting days. He almost got side-tracked on cook stories. Tabor said, "I could write a book just on cooks alone, because cooks are a very special breed of individuals." Rich Nelson, another of the program's speakers, told the cook's side of the story. The 88-year-old Nelson said he used to cook for General Warren Aken. As Nelson tells it, "...
SEELEY LAKE – An attitude of gratitude permeated this year's annual Loving Hearts Fashion Show Saturday, Aug. 24. Gratitude for the constant abundance of donations. Gratitude for the ability of Loving Hearts to fill needs for students at the schools, locals needing a hand up and visitors passing through the area. Thankfulness for the time and resources that volunteers provide to keep the store organized and running smoothly. And an appreciation to everyone for supporting Loving Hearts' m...
Join in the fun at the Huckleberry Festival in Seeley Lake SEELEY LAKE – Michelle Brumfield and Dawn Butler are looking forward to hosting the first Huckleberry Festival in Seeley Lake Sept. 21 starting at 10:30 a.m. in The BBQ Pit and Fat Hippie parking lot on Highway 83. The event will include contests, games and music as an end of the summer celebration with the community. Everyone is invited to get involved with the free event. There will be a cooking contest for both men and women. Chefs are encouraged to make up their best recipe to e...
SEELEY LAKE – In a split vote the Seeley Lake Sewer District Board passed a resolution to mandate connections to the sewer system as it is built at their Aug. 15 meeting. The board also approved the tax assessment method for the District’s annual administrative fee and officially opened public comment on the proposed Rules and Regulations (R&R). Board President Pat Goodover came out firing in his opening comments responding to people who have questioned his independence, ability to look at all sides of the issue and his role as president as...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake Elementary's new Superintendent Daniel Schrock has always loved the excitement of the first day of school and the fresh start it offers. Schrock said this year is no exception at SLE with new leadership and teachers working for the best interest for students. He looks forward to elevating academics, building school pride and fostering relationships within the school and community. Schrock chose not to follow in the footsteps of his father who was a mechanic for Ford M...
SEELEY LAKE – Members of the community and visitors came out for the Seeley-Swan Search and Rescue Open House to check out the facility, meet the volunteers and enjoy lunch. At the dedication, Assistant Chief Joe Miller named the building the "Gerry Connell Search and Rescue Building" in recognition for Connell's more than 30 years of dedicated service, leadership and effective organization that has made SSSAR what it is today. Connell helped establish the SSSAR unit after it separated from Miss...
Calls are being received across the state of Montana by someone pretending to be a Social Security Administration (SSA) employee. The intent of these calls is to steal the victim’s identity and/or money directly from their bank account. Various versions of the scam have been reported throughout Montana: claiming the recipient’s Social Security number has been suspended due to suspicious activity; talking about enrollment in the Medicare prescription drug program; claiming the SSA computers are down; or offering a lower-cost health plan if som...
SEELEY LAKE - The Lolo National Forest is replacing the Swamp Creek stream crossing at milepost 3.7 on the Cottonwood Lakes Road (FS Road #477) starting Aug. 19. The road will be closed on either side of the project (between Blind Canyon Road #4378 and Swamp Creek Road #4379) for up to three weeks. The old culvert will be replaced with a new culvert that will pass all storm and runoff flows and will allow for fish and aquatic organisms to cross under the road. Forest users will still be able to...
MISSOULA - The Missoula County Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) is seeking new members to share in the management of local National Forest lands. Volunteer RAC committee members serve an important role in recommending how funds received by counties under the Secure Rural Schools Act will be spent in the county on projects that are on, or will benefit, nearby National Forest lands. By law, RACs must be comprised of 15 members from Montana with balanced and broad representation of the public. RAC member duties and commitments: • Review and m...
On Tuesday, Aug. 12, Seeley Lake Regional Outdoor Center for Kinetic Sports (ROCKS) kicked off construction of the Hill 16 Lakeview Trail above the north shore of Placid Lake. The Hill 16 Community Trail System was deemed a priority project in the 2018 Seeley Lake Trails Plan – the result of three years of public input and facilitated discussion. "This is a big day and a major undertaking for ROCKS", said Carol Fulton, ROCKS Board member. "It is the culmination of countless hours of work on t...
In this three-part series, Montana Free Press examines how federal land management agencies have approached wildfire in the past and highlights public sector efforts to make communities more resilient through land-use planning, strategic building processes and targeted fuel reduction treatments. In Part 3, we explore a private sector development: the growth of private firefighting companies deployed by insurance companies to protect properties from loss by wildfire. BOZEMAN - Last November,...
SEELEY LAKE – Every year when school starts Seeley Lake Elementary Secretary Suzie Teafoe has a collection of donated school supplies available to help students. This year Teafoe said the generosity has been amazing and well beyond her expectations. She has two cabinets full of donated supplies thanks to local business owner Terry Lucke of Fat Hippie, other generous individuals and local groups. Lucke said he feels that taking care of needs in the community should come from the individuals a...
OVANDO - The Blackfoot Challenge hosted its second annual Block Party fundraiser in downtown Ovando on Wednesday, Aug. 14. Nearly 200 people attended the event that hosted local food trucks such as Lindey's Steak Sandwich Truck and the Montana Farm Girls, live music from the Huckleberry Pickers of Seeley Lake and Helena, as well as a raffle and live auction with Kevin Ertl as the auctioneer. "Really, thanks to all of you, this is a chance for us to say thank you to the communities that do all...
SWAN VALLEY – Pat Tabor called himself "the new kid on the block" when he took his turn to talk at the Outfitters and Guides in Swan Valley program at the Upper Swan Valley Historical Society (USVHS) Aug. 3. Unlike some of the old timers who spoke, Tabor didn't start outfitting until 2004 and then he took over an already existing operation called Lion Creek Outfitters from Cecil Noble. Tabor told the story of how Noble got started in 1973: "Cecil did something no one had ever done before. He w...
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks will host open houses across the state, including northwest Montana, to share information and gather public comment on proposed changes to the statewide fishing regulations. The department will present regulation proposals to the Fish and Wildlife Commission in Missoula on Aug. 15 and will accept public comment on the regulations from Aug. 19 through Sept. 15. The final regulations will be considered at the October commission meeting. Fishing regulations undergo a...
Pets in campgrounds SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Ranger District clarified their regulations for pets in campgrounds after questions and comments were posted on social media. In Big Larch Campground and other developed recreation campgrounds, pets need to be leashed on a six foot tether at all times. No pets are allowed in roped off swimming areas or beaches unless designated like the Seeley Lake Pet Area Swimming Beach, north of the public swimming beach area at the Seeley Lake Campground. SSHS football spaghetti feed and auction f...
SEELEY LAKE - While Tim Love worked with the Forest Service as the Seeley Lake District Ranger, the Region was encouraged to consider concessionaire management to maintain recreation sites. While the District decided against the use of concessionaire management, the Regional Office recently proposed a fee increase to several campgrounds, cabin rentals and day-use sites across the Lolo National Forest. The public has until Sept. 30 to comment on the proposal. Love said when Region 1 was considering concessionaires, two Forest Service employees...
SEELEY LAKE –Seeley-Swan High School's new principal Kellen Palmer is excited for the first day of school when the halls will be filled with students and he can start getting to know everyone. He looks forward to helping SSHS continue the good work already being done and celebrating new successes as the students and faculty strive to become even better. He is also excited to meet the community and invites everyone to meet him at the concession stand before the first home football game, Aug. 3...
MISSOULA – Potomac Valley 4-H Club and the Seeley Lake Trailblazers stood out at this year's Western Montana Country Fair Aug. 7-11. Despite the 90 plus degree days at the start of the fair, many project were chosen at the top of their class while a few placed in the top overall. Again this year the sheep were a stand-out. Four of the top 10 market lambs were from the local clubs: Trailblazers Laciey Auchenbach, Chris Auchenbach and Amanda Thomas and Kyla Nelson with Potomac Valley. This was L...
Seeley Lake Trailblazers 4-H uses the Danish system in the judging process. Top ribbons include grand and reserve champion, followed by a purple group (P – top in their class), blue group (B), red group (R) and white group (W – participation ribbon) according to the placing received. Chris Auchenbach: Market Lamb Interview, B; 9th place overall Market Lamb; Novice Showmanship, P Laciey Auchenbach: Market Lamb Interview, B; 4th place overall Market Lamb; 5th place overall Junior Showmanship Dan...
SEELEY LAKE – After officially moving into their new building in the fall of 2015 at 130 Shop Road near the Seeley Lake Airport, Seeley-Swan Search and Rescue is inviting the community to an Open House Aug. 17 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. The community is invited to tour the facility, meet the volunteers and enjoy free hamburgers and hot dogs. There will be an official "Grand Opening" presentation at 1 p.m. SSSAR was a part of Missoula County Search and Rescue until 2010 when they formed their own uni...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake resident Sam Arroyo has been chosen as the new 2 Valleys Stage (2VS) Director after Kirsten McGlynn accepted a position with the Missoula Symphony Orchestra. Arroyo looks forward to continuing the 2VS tradition of bringing quality performers to the area communities and schools. The daughter of Cheryl and Gary Lewis, Arroyo grew up in Seeley Lake. She learned community commitment from her parents who have been actively involved in Lion's Club and other Seeley Lake o...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Community Foundation presented 14 organizations with more than $74,000 raised from this year's Change Your Pace Challenge at their annual banquet Aug. 11. Foundation Executive Director Claire Muller recognized that many people give time and energy to local organizations that provide important services to the area, "it's wonderful to help be a part of encouraging essential financial support for these causes." The Foundation is a locally driven and locally supported 5...
SEELEY LAKE - After making one-too-many trips into Missoula for outdoor gear, Ryan Dunster decided it was time for a change. "There wasn't anything here, so we saw the need for it," said Ryan. "Sometimes where you might need something and there's nothing here so you have to make a plan or do without it." Now, locals and visitors will have a one-stop-shop to fill their outdoor needs. The shelves at Heritage Outdoors are packed with odds and ends for backpacking and camping, such as cookware,...
SWAN VALLEY – The Swan Valley School Board approved budgets for the upcoming year, as well as contracts for educators and facility maintenance projects at their meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 6. The board approved the school’s adopted General Fund budget for the 2020 fiscal year at nearly $375,000. According to District Clerk Heather Mincey the budget last year was approximately $388,000. The budget reserves are currently at $35,000, however this is lower than it should be. “We have quite a bit of taxes that haven’t been paid yet,” said Mincey. ...
SWAN VALLEY – Ninety-three-year-old Leonard Moore was the first speaker at the Aug. 3 Upper Swan Valley Historical Society (USVHS) program entitled Outfitting and Guiding in the Swan Valley and Surrounding Areas. Moore said, according to his mother's notes, his first packing trip into the Bob Marshall Wilderness was in September of 1926 - the year he was born. According to the USVHS website, Moore "rode in the saddle with his mother or in a pannier on the pack string's lead horse." When he w...
MISSOULA - The 4H year is a journey for all members, especially when something happens to the project animal. Owning livestock provides opportunity for responsibility but sometimes things happen that are out of the owner's control. For some Potomac 4H members this year brought some sadness along with triumphs. Potomac horse member Emma Richardson is in her eighth year in the horse project. Her horse Calypso was diagnosed with Equine Osteoarthritis in 2013 which has gotten progressively worse....
SWAN LAKE - The 38th Annual Swan Lake Huckleberry Festival featured an assortment of huckleberry products, nearly 50 vendors selling hand-made items including jewelry, furniture and art work, game area hosted by Swan Lake Chapel and music by the Ashley Creek Ramblers. Proceeds from the Festival will be used for the Swan Lake community and the upkeep of the Swan Lake Community Center....
Road work to begin on Cottonwood Lake Road #477 SEELEY LAKE – According to Seeley Lake District Ranger Quinn Carver, the contractor is planning to start the Cottonwood Road 477 Aquatic Organism Passage at Swamp Creek as soon as this Thursday, Aug. 15. Their contract allows for the road to be closed for up to three weeks and two weekends. While the exact closure period has not been set as of press time, the District asks people to plan accordingly since the road could be closed as early as this weekend. For the most up-to-date information c...
SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley Elementary School Board filled two vacant positions for the upcoming academic year. At a special meeting July 18, the board hired Chris Mauldin for the vacant kindergarten through second grade teaching position. At their special meeting July 30, they unanimously agreed to hire Ralph King as principal at a .2 Full Time Equivalent (FTE). Seeley Lake Elementary had already hired Mauldin for the 2019-2020 school year as a 0.2 FTE special education paraeducator before he took the K-2 position at Swan Valley School. He...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Elementary School District Board of Trustees hired Dan Schrock July 31 at a special board meeting. In other business Bridget Laird will fill the open junior high teaching position. The Board interviewed three candidates including Schrock, Leland Stocker and Jody Welter July 29. A fourth candidate, Kevin St. John, was scheduled to be interviewed however he dropped out due to taking a job in Philipsburg. The board took public comment before discussing and deciding w...
SWAN VALLEY – On July 30 Seeley-Swan Search and Rescue was called just after 5 a.m. for a 50-year-old man that had reportedly eaten mushrooms on the trail to Upper Holland Lake and was violently ill. The 50-year-old had also sustained a head injury and was rescued by Two Bear Air just before 7:30 a.m. He was airlifted to Kalispell via Kalispell A.L.E.R.T. He condition is unknown. Incident Commander Missoula County Sheriff’s Deputy Ryan Dunster said SSSAR got the call at 5:10 a.m. Tuesday. The ma...
SEELEY LAKE - Quick work by Forest Service personnel and contractors from Bull Creek Forestry cleared the Dunham Creek Road from recent debris flows caused by a surge of precipitation the last week in July. The road, although bumpy in some areas, is now passable. The Dunham Creek Road passes through the 2017 Rice Ridge burned area and is a popular access route to the Lodgepole Creek Trailhead and Bob Marshall Wilderness. Friday, July 26, after a microburst of precipitation, the road was...
SWAN LAKE - Thirty-eight years ago the members of the Swan Lake Community Club decided to raise funds with a festival celebrating all things huckleberry. On Aug. 10, the Swan Lake Chamber and Community Club will carry on that tradition by presenting the valley's original Huckleberry Festival at the Swan Lake Day Park, near mile marker 72 on Montana Highway 83. The event will start with a huckleberry pancake breakfast starting at 8 a.m. The Arts and Crafts Fair will feature more than 50 vendors...
SWAN VALLEY – Outfitting is not easy, and it certainly won't make a person rich, but the memories and experience of breathing in the wilderness will reward and sustain the outfitter for the rest of his or her life. That's the bare bones of what the speakers had to say Saturday, Aug. 3 at the Upper Swan Valley Historical Society (USVHS) program entitled Outfitting and Guiding in the Swan Valley and Surrounding Areas. The yarns and anecdotes that filled out those bare bones, that is what made t...
SEELEY LAKE - As the Seeley Lake Community Foundation prepares for its annual banquet, Executive Director Claire Muller reflects on a year of growth. Last August, Loren and Pam Rose announced that they would donate nearly half of the appraised value for the property that formerly housed Deer Country Quilts to the Foundation. The Foundation began fundraising the additional finances for the building at its annual banquet last year. The crowd donated nearly $40,000 to cover the down payment of the building within nearly 10 minutes. “Part of why my...
SEELEY LAKE - Each year, 100 boys are selected to represent their home state at Boys Nation in Washington D.C. This year, Seeley-Swan High School student Sam Weisenburger represented Montana. Weisenburger was chosen to represent his home state after his performance at Boys State this past spring. He was accompanied at Boys Nation by Thomas Henley of Helena. Boys and Girls State offers high school juniors a hands-on opportunity to learn how the government operates by attending a six-day session...
Douglas-fir trees throughout western Montana are being damaged by an outbreak of Douglas-fir tussock moth (DFTM). It is localized to the historic outbreak regions including Missoula. Caterpillars and the egg masses of the Douglas-fir tussock moth can cause "tussockosis." The Montana Department of Natural Resources and the USDA Forest Service are currently monitoring the scope and extent of damage. For the previous one to two years, DFTM have damaged the tops of ornamental Colorado blue spruce, w...
EDITOR'S NOTE: In this three-part series, Montana Free Press examines how federal land management agencies have approached wildfire in the past and highlights key public and private sector developments that could change how we engage with it in the future. Previously: Part 1 – The evolution of wildfire suppression. BOZEMAN - Ray Rasker, who has researched wildfire for more than a decade as the executive director of Bozeman-based nonprofit Headwaters Economics, makes a bold claim about w...
SEELEY LAKE – Lively hit tunes from the 1960s and a bright pink stage greeted the large audience that assembled their chairs and blankets on the Double Arrow Lodge grounds Aug. 1 for the 2019 Montana Shakespeare in the Parks' (MSIP) presentation of "The Merry Wives of Windsor." The music and colors were the first hints that this production of the play would not be set in Renaissance times. It has become an accepted practice to set Shakespearean plays in more modern time periods. In a phone i...
SEELEY LAKE - Families took to the Youth for Christ Seeley Lake Challenge Triathlon/Duathlon at the River Point Day Use area on Saturday, Aug 3. Nissa Lucero of Missoula competed in the solo short swim for her first ever triathlon. Following her race, she took to the sidelines to cheer on her daughters Soel and Seri that competed in the youth triathlon. "It was such an amazing day," said Nissa, who finished seventh in the 35-39 age group with a time of 1:25:31 for the short swim. "It was so grea...
Van Lake Dispersed Area closure SWAN VALLEY - A portion of the Van Lake Road (Road #558) on the Swan Lake Ranger District will be closed for public safety from Aug. 5 – Sept. 30 for the Van Lake Improvements Project. Road #558 will be closed at Mile 1.28, restricting access to the Van Lake Dispersed Area and Road #1076. The project includes improvements to campsites, the boat launch and dispersed recreation, road management actions and hazard tree removal. As always, please be safe and cautious when traveling near closed areas and obey all s...
SWAN VALLEY - Permit agreements between the Forest Service and concessionaires at the Holland Lake Recreation Site outline expectations of site management, maintenance and contract extensions. This past May, community members attended a Swan Valley Community Council meeting after receiving news of the concessionaire’s plans to phase out community day-use passes to the Holland Lake Recreation Complex by 2020. The decision to provide the Swan Valley Community Foundation with 200 passes this summer and none in 2020 was made in a private meeting b...
SEELEY LAKE - As Randi de Santa Anna looked through the photographs her husband Juan took of their journey through breast cancer, the story was clear. She coupled her daily journal entries with his images creating an intimate and candid photo memoir of their experience, fears and the raw reality of the situation. "Cancer's Eddy" brings the reader alongside the de Santa Annas as they weathered the storm of breast cancer. It is their hope that the book offers courage to men and women to help them...
SEELEY LAKE - Every night since October, freshman Dani Sexton spends nearly two-hours caring for her prime angus steer Shaquille O'Neal. She feeds him, walks him around the pen, bathes him and leads him into a chute to blow-dry him. When she first got "Shaq" in October, he weighed nearly 660-pounds. This month he weighed nearly 1,290-pounds, just before the Western Montana Fair, Aug. 5-10. She hopes to have Shaq place in the most competitive weight class, which ranges from 1,300-1,375 pounds,...
Recently there has been some discussion at formal meetings and social media surrounding the recent resolution passed by the Seeley Lake Fire Department (SLFD). Our intention is not to do anything other than explain how standard home and auto insurance companies would respond to the adopted resolution. We have worked together and spent hours personally, as well as staff hours, reading policies, talking directly with claims representatives and managers, and calling carriers and asking the right questions. Here is what we have found. We will...
SWAN VALLEY - The Kraft Creek Road (Forest Road 561) on the Swan Lake Ranger District will be closed from Aug. 1-Aug. 30 for bridge replacement work. A new concrete bridge will replace the existing wooden bridge across Glacier Creek. Closure of Kraft Creek Road located in section 35 T20N, R17W at the bridge crossing Glacier Creek will impact public vehicle access to several Mission Mountains Wilderness trails leading to Hemlock, Turquoise and Glacier Lakes. The point of closure on road 561 is approximately 0.4 miles from three Hemlock Lake...
I have received several calls about plants that have either just shown up or have increased in density and distribution with the additional precipitation we have received in many parts of Powell County this summer. Two such plants are poison hemlock and Western water hemlock. Ingestion of either by humans or livestock can result in illness or death. Poison hemlock, the most toxic of the two, was used to create the potion Socrates was forced to drink in 329 B.C. Some Native American tribes have...
SEELEY LAKE – With the Seeley Lake Fire Department cadet program officially reinstated Aug. 1, 2018, it wasn't until recently that the program has gotten off the ground. With one new cadet in the program, Fire Chief Dave Lane looks forward to the opportunity for high school youth ages 16-17 to learn and engage in emergency services with the goal of turning them into a full-time volunteer once they turn 18. While the Department has had the program in the past, Lane said there were i...
MISSOULA - Interagency wildland fire officials with the Missoula County Fire Protection Association (MCFPA) are reporting fire danger indices within Missoula County to be VERY HIGH. Outdoor debris burning by permit has been closed in Missoula County since July 2. Future forecasts call for hot and dry conditions without moisture. After a wet spring, fuels have dried to the point that fires will quickly spread out of the control of initial attack resources. Fine dead fuels are the primary carrier of fire in the wildland. When fires get...
SWAN VALLEY – At a meeting held July 10, the Missoula Board of County Commissioners adopted Resolution No. 2019-106 to assess the Rural Special Improvement District No. 282 for the cost of maintaining the Lindbergh Lake bridge across the Swan River at the outlet of Lindbergh Lake and change the boundaries of RSID 282. Any property owner within RSID 282 can protest the proposed bridge maintenance cost and/or against the extension of RSID 282 in writing by Aug. 20 or speak against the resolution at the Commission’s regular meeting Sept. 5 at 2 p...
MISSOULA – The Missoula County Elections Office received a sample petition July 19 for a citizen’s initiative that would repeal a Seeley Lake Sewer District resolution approving special assessments and require the District to go through an election before assessing levies for repaying bonded indebtedness. The Elections Office had 21 days to approve or disapprove the form of the petition before it could be circulated for signatures. They responded in a little over a week. Based on advice from the Office of Missoula County Attorney, Elections Adm...
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Jon Tester submitted a letter to Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chair Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Ranking Member Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) Thursday, July 25 requesting a bill mark-up for the Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Act. Tester reintroduced the bill at a rally in June. “For more than a decade, Montanans have worked hand-in-hand to create a long-term solution for public lands in the Blackfoot River watershed in the Lolo National Forest,” Tester wrote in a press release. “Now is the time to move fo...
SEELEY LAKE - Contractors with the Big Blackfoot Chapter of Trout Unlimited are working on the North Fork Cottonwood Reroute project that is tied to fisheries and preserving bull trout populations. The project on the #477 Cottonwood Lakes Road, approximately a quarter-mile east of the North Fork Cottonwood Creek, intends to move a segment of road from the banks of the creek and replace an existing culvert. This project is not expected to impact traffic. “The whole idea for the reroute, for instance, is to get the road away from the stream and k...
MONTANA – Governor Steve Bullock announced Friday, July 26 that he has appointed 18 Montana citizens to the Grizzly Bear Advisory Council to facilitate a statewide discussion on long-term grizzly bear management and conservation. This includes education director for Swan Valley Connections. “I’m grateful for the incredibly strong interest from Montanans across the state who offered to serve on this council, speaking both to the timeliness of this discussion and the passion for grizzly bears that Montanans share,” Governor Bullock said. “I look...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Foundation is proud to announce two $500 scholarship awards to Gabrielle "Gabby" Sexton and Elizabeth "Ibby" Lorentz. Gabby has lived in Seeley Lake all her life, graduating from Seeley-Swan High School in 2018. She participated in 4-H, Student Council, Missoula Education Foundation, poetry slams, Leos Club, volleyball, basketball, track and managed football. She achieved Honor Roll all four years of high school, as well as Academic All State, top English...
SEELEY LAKE - Recent thunderstorms camped on Spruce Creek last week which caused a substantial mud/debris slide to cover the Dunham Creek Road (Forest Road #4388) in three places. There were several people stuck at the Lodgepole trailhead, located at the end of the road. No one was injured during the slides. Bull Creek Forestry started opening the road Thursday, July 25. The crew opened the road enough to allow the stuck vehicle to get out. However, at the Spruce Creek crossing, water was...
Editor's Note: As the West enters another fire season, where, how and why federal land management agencies decide to suppress wildfires and implement fuel reduction projects will be hotly debated as residents, environmentalists, agency heads and politicians tangle with how much, if any, thinning, logging and prescribed burning is appropriate to mitigate fire risk. Three trends play an important role in the discussion: hotter and drier conditions wrought by climate change, which have led to an...
MISSOULA – The 4-H and Future Farmers of America livestock and exhibit buildings are open to the public Aug. 5 – 11 during the Western Montana County Fair. The 4-H/FFA Fair is an opportunity for 4-H members to show off their projects and hard work. Livestock and other projects are highlighted in shows and on display for fair attendees to enjoy. Saturday, Aug. 11 is the Western Montana 4-H and FFA Livestock Auction where projects are sold to the top bidder. In Missoula County, more than 400 youth are enrolled in the 4-H program. Every 4-H mem...
Vacation Bible School in Condon Aug. 5-9 SWAN VALLEY – Venture to Athens and experience Paul’s journey to share the TRUTH with others at this year’s Vacation Bible School at Condon Community Church. The event runs every day the week of Aug. 5 from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. with a closing program Friday, Aug. 9 from 12-12:30pm. Each day will include Bible lessons, snacks, games and music. VBS is free for all pre-school aged children through sixth grade. For more information contact Condon Community Church at 406-754-2499. Seeley-Swan High School pre-seas...
SEELEY LAKE –The Seeley Lake Sewer District unveiled a resolution to mandate properties within the District to connect to the sewer as it is built at its July 18 board meeting. Board President Pat Goodover read the resolution at the meeting stating that the District’s attorney Jon Beal made edits to the version Goodover received just a half hour ahead of the meeting. The printed copies were already outdated. It took Goodover more than 13 minutes to read it in its entirety with the bulk of it explaining the reasons why the Board needed to mov...
SEELEY LAKE - Two years after Trenton Johnson was killed while fighting the 2017 Florence Fire, an eight-mile section of Highway 83 through Seeley Lake was named in his honor on Friday, July 19. Several Montana firefighting crews were in attendance, as well as community members. The dedication event hosted guest speakers from the Forest Service and others, including Vicki Minor, executive director and founder of the Wildland Firefighter Foundation, Adam Babbitt with Grayback Forestry, Trenton's...
SWAN VALLEY – Even though he was recently promoted to U.S. Army Colonel, former Swan Valley resident Matt Cooper returned to his hometown to march in the Fourth of July parade. Cooper said since there is no active military presence in Condon, youngsters don't have a role model nor an understanding of all the opportunities available to them in the military. He marched, as he has done for the past 20 years, to show Condon children that a kid from a two-room schoolhouse can work his way up w...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Elementary School District Board of Trustees is pleased to announce the following finalists for the position of SLE District Superintendent. Daniel Schrock has been the Superintendent and K-12 Principal of Ekalaka, Mont. since 2016. He previously served as the Dean of Students and Activities Director in Dillingham, Alaska. Schrock holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Secondary Education from Northern Michigan University and a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership from Montana State University. Leland Stocker was most r...
SEELEY LAKE – Alpine Artisans, Inc. presented the Seeley-Swan Community Food Bank with a donation of $1,084 raised from their Soup Bowl fundraiser at the Loon and Fish Festival over Memorial Day weekend. Local potter and owner of Obsession Pottery Carrie Darrah donated 50 clay soup bowls. They were sold along with soup donated by local restaurants: Blue River Station, Hungry Bear, Pop's Place, Season's Restaurant, Seeley Lake 1-Stop, Seeley Lake Chicken Coop, The Filling Station and The L...
SEELEY LAKE - Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) euthanized a sub-adult male grizzly bear named Stevi Thursday, July 18 following a history of breaking into outbuildings and dumpsters and pursuing other attractants around homes and recreation areas, most recently in the Seeley Lake and Woodworth areas. A second young male grizzly bear was euthanized July 19 for food conditioning and sheep predation along the Marias River near the inlet of Tiber Dam. FWP bear management specialist Jamie Jonkel...
SEELEY LAKE - Donate by July 26th to the Change Your Pace Challenge to grow your contribution to Seeley Lake! The Change Your Pace (CYP) Challenge runs through 5pm on July 26, leaving just a few days to increase the power of a donation to your favorite local cause(s), with the help of the CYP Match Fund. The Seeley Lake Community Foundation's fourth-annual Change Your Pace Challenge is a campaign for community-wide giving, celebrating the people and organizations that make our community great....
SEELEY LAKE - The North Fork Cabin bridge that provides access over the North Fork of the Blackfoot River, near the North Fork Cabin on Trail 32 in the Scapegoat Wilderness, will be replaced beginning July 22. Due to the new bridge reconstruction, a trail closure will be in effect July 22 - Sept. 15. To avoid the closure during this time frame, please utilize a flagged reroute on Trail 364, which includes a river ford, to bypass the closure. This reroute will take visitors around the bridge...
SEELEY LAKE - Nearly 100 people attended the free choir concert at Seeley-Swan High School Auditorium on Tuesday, July 16. The concert kicked off the four-day International Choral Festival in Missoula that is held once every three years. The performance brought Dagilėlis, a Lithuian boys choir, and the Batavia Madrigal Singers from Indonesia to Seeley Lake. The event was sponsored by the festival as part of its Outreach program. The Outreach Program is devoted to bringing culture into Montana...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Fire Board adopted a resolution establishing and implementing a program to charge mitigation rates for fire and rescue emergency and non-emergency services. This is an effort to provide the service that Fire Chief Dave Lane feels the community deserves. Medical and ambulance services billing is established and there will be no change. Lane presented the board with the resolution for fire billing in preparation to transition to a different billing company. He said this is just the first step in making the transition...
SEELEY LAKE - Tamaracks Resort hosted the first annual Ultimate Wedding Giveaway Event at its new wooded wedding venue Saturday, July 20. The event was created to bring local vendors together to make Seeley Lake a spot for destination weddings. According to Kimmel, the plan to make Seeley Lake a spot for destination weddings came after she noticed the rising popularity in lakefront and open-ranch weddings in Montana. "Nobody was in the forest," explained Kimmel. "I really wanted to bring in...
SEELEY LAKE – A couples themed golf night at Double Arrow has brought a whole new attire to the course Thursday nights. Spurred by a golfer wearing Hawaiian golf shorts, pro shop employees Chelsea Cahoon and Lauren Selleck started the event July 11 and it continues to gain popularity. When Cahoon's friend walked into the Double Arrow Golf Course Pro Shop in a colorful pair of Hawaiian golf shorts Cahoon said to Selleck, "Wouldn't it be fun to do a theme night?" They brainstormed theme ideas a...
Dog Park looking for involvement SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake resident Laura Wood is looking for people interested in creating a Dog Park in Seeley Lake. Anyone who has ideas or wants to get involved in the process is invited to contact Wood at seeleylakedogpark@gmail.com. Calming emotions with essential oils class, July 27 SEELEY LAKE – Feeling down and need a boost? Join Mari Bergeson and Marjorie Pelletier Saturday, July 27 from 10-11:30 a.m. in the Seeley Lake Elementary Multi-purpose Room to learn how essential oils can reduce anxious fee...
SWAN VALLEY – The Swan Valley School Board approved a contract amendment with Seeley Lake Elementary to continue several necessary services at their regular meeting July 9. They also tabled a contract for principal submitted by Chris Stout, recently resigned superintendent from SLE who also served as the administrator for Swan Valley Elementary for the past several years. The Board was presented with an amended contract from the SLE School Board that removed the administrator services but continued to provide special education, counseling, d...
SEELEY LAKE – Miss Montana flew into the Seeley Lake Airport Sunday, July 14 as part of the Seeley Lake Fly-in. Seeley Lake Aviation Foundation President Scott Newpower said that this was one way for the Foundation to include the community and get them to come out for the annual event. Newpower said they had the Fly-in scheduled for the weekend of July 13-14 for the past nine months. On the Monday before the event, the Foundation thought it would be fun to see if Miss Montana would be able to a...
SEELEY LAKE – Thunderstorms rolled through the Clearwater and Blackfoot valleys starting Saturday afternoon that dropped up to golf ball-sized hail, three-quarters of an inch of precipitation in some areas and putting down lightning strikes until sunrise Sunday morning. In Seeley Lake some roads were blocked due to downed trees and vehicle damage was reported in the Ovando area. Saturday, July 13 just after 4 p.m. parts of Seeley Lake saw quarter-sized hail. Just after 10:30 p.m. Blackfoot V...
SEELEY LAKE - In March 2019, Governor Bullock signed SB 260 into law establishing an eight-mile stretch of Highway 83 through Seeley Lake as the Trenton Johnson Memorial Highway, honoring Trenton Johnson, the Grayback Wildland Firefighter, who passed away defending the community of Seeley Lake from the 2017 Florence Fire. Family, friends, community members and partners are invited to gather at 10 a.m. Friday, July 19 morning on the grass lawn at Lindey's Prime Steak House for words of...
MISSOULA - Interagency wildland fire officials with the Missoula County Fire Protection Association (MCFPA) moved fire danger signs to HIGH within Missoula County Monday, July 15. The extended forecast calls for temperatures in the high 80s and in many areas of the county, vegetation is beginning to cure. This type of fine, dead fuel is the primary carrier of fire in the wildland and when fires get established in this fuel type they can quickly spread out of control. Outdoor debris burning by permit has been closed since July 2 but firefighters...
SEELEY LAKE - A loaded logging truck bound for Seeley Lake rolled into the ditch along the northbound lane on Montana Highway 83 on Friday, July 12 around 2:15 p.m. The logging truck driver was wearing a seat belt. There were no injuries. According to Montana Highway Patrol Trooper TJ Templeton, the investigating officer, the vehicles in front of the logging truck stopped suddenly on the roadway to apparently make a left hand turn. The truck moved into the shoulder to avoid a collision and...
Alpine Artisans' 2 Valleys Stage can't wait to start its 2019-2020 season. On the first day of August, we're kicking the season off with Montana Shakespeare in the Parks' presentation of "Merry Wives of Windsor." In this comedy, disreputable Sir John Falstaff pursues housewives Mistress Ford and Mistress Page, hoping to gain access to their husbands' wealth. But the women are more clever than he is, and the play is full of laughs as they outwit and humiliate him. And that's just the main plot...
SEELEY LAKE – The “Welcome to Seeley Lake” sign that the Seeley Lake Community Foundation planned to install south of town has been put on hold. Foundation Executive Director Claire Muller broke the news at the Seeley Lake Community Council’s July 8 meeting. “It was not feasible to put it where it was planned in the time frame that we had for that grant funding,” said Muller. Muller explained that the design and the location ended up being the hold up coupled with the deadline to install the sign. The design was permitted for the location. T...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake resident Laura Wood presented an idea to create a dog park at the Council’s July 8 meeting. Wood was hoping to receive some community feedback and support from the council before she developed the idea any further. Wood felt there is a growing need for an area to take dogs to play. Most of the lake areas have either stopped allowing dogs on the beaches or have strict leash laws. Wood’s dog has been attacked several times by loose dogs in town and a dog park would provide a safe place to be off leash. It could also...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Elementary School Board hired three new teachers, appointed a new board trustee and approved a parent request for a student to enter kindergarten at a special meeting July 10. Since SLE has not hired a new superintendent, Missoula County Superintendent of Schools Erin Lipkind worked with a hiring committee to offer the board hiring recommendations. The committee recommended candidates for four different positions at SLE. The board only approved three of the four recommendations. The board approved Susan Bracha to...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Sewer District Board held a special meeting July 15 to set District’s administrative fee assessment method, set the assessment method hearing date and sign an engineering contract to change the location of the force main. Last week, Missoula County held a hearing July 11 on the Pine Street easement petition. Missoula County Public Works Seeley Lake Projects and Operations Coordinator Kim Myre said the presented assessment methodology is the same as last year. It charges a flat rate to property with dwelling uni...
SEELEY LAKE – Approximately 70 people volunteered to help create new trails on the Hill 16 Community Trail System during The Nature Conservancy's fifth annual Revive and Thrive event on Sunday, July 14. "I couldn't be happier with the turnout today, I believe we have more volunteers than usual," said Chris Bryant, the Western Montana Land Protection Director for TNC. "The goal is obviously to build trails, but also to bring people together and build relationships." Volunteers split themselves b...
Lion Neil Ruttenbur Memorial Celebration, July 20 SEELEY LAKE – The community is invited to a memorial potluck for Neil Ruttenbur Saturday, July 20 at the Seeley Lake Community Hall starting at 1 p.m. The Seeley Lake Lions Club will provide the main course of meat prepared by Pop’s Place and the Seeley Lake Senior Center is providing the refreshments. The public is invited and encouraged to bring a side dish to share. Anyone wishing to contribute is welcome to donate money to the Seeley Lak...
Montana State Parks is seeking public comment on 25 grant applications for Snowmobile Trail Grooming funds for the 2019-2020 winter season. This includes more than $17,300 for the Seeley Lake Driftriders. Public comment will be accepted through Saturday, Aug. 3 at 5 p.m. The Montana Snowmobile Program, as administered by Montana State Parks, was established in the early 1970’s.Montana’s groomed trails provide important access and recreational opportunities for users such as snowmobiles, cross-country skiers, snowboarders, dogsleds, fat...
SEELEY LAKE – The number of presidential candidates apparently has stabilized, but for a while it seemed like every newscast announced someone new had thrown his or her hat into the ring – even though no candidate actually wore a hat and most spoke from podiums rather than from rings. Before the phrase "throw your hat into the ring" became an idiom, it was an actual occurrence in the world of boxing. An 1804 London newspaper, "The Morning Chronicle," reported; "The champions arrived at Wil...
SEELEY LAKE - The Outdoor Adventure Club began another season of fun this past week. Program leaders are eager to teach participants how to explore and enjoy the outdoors. The program is available for children in grades three - eight and runs every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. through Aug. 15. There is no cost to attend. “I really like providing an opportunity for a lot of these kids who otherwise wouldn’t be getting [outside] this summer,” said Program Leader Ella Batchelder. “I just think that’s really special....
Nonresident travelers spent $3.58 billion throughout Montana in 2018, according to an annual report published by the University of Montana's Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research. This is a 10.4 percent increase from the previous year's estimate. "We see this as a big plus for Montana since our numbers indicate that visitation was relatively flat in 2018, but spending was up," said ITRR Director Norma Nickerson. Analysis of each of Montana's six travel regions and 14 of the counties...
Recent storms have caused an uptick in initial attack and suppression operations on the Lolo National Forest and Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation protection areas. Since July 1, firefighters have responded to several lightning wildfires and at least one human-caused wildfire within the Lolo National Forest and DNRC protection areas. While activity has increased, fuels are still fairly ‘green’ and holding moisture enabling firefighters to quickly catch, contain and control these small incidents. The majority of these wil...
MISSOULA – Six "Potomac Warriors" walked and ran strong during the Missoula Half Marathon June 29. The 13.1-mile race began at The Peak off Highway 93 and finished on Higgins Street in Missoula in front of the Wilma Theater. Potomac residents Katy France, Launa Henry, Jessie Salter, Jen Nordberg, Allyson Nelson and Tammie Dry and her mother Mary Watson of California trained together for the event. They affectionately refer to themselves as the Potomac Warriors. "I guess you could say the m...
SEELEY LAKE – A lone trumpet playing the Star Spangled Banner echoed across Seeley Lake just moments before the main fireworks display lit up the sky. This was the grand finale to a full day of Fourth of July festivities in Seeley Lake celebrating our country's independence and freedom. For the early risers, a hot pancake breakfast was waiting for them at the Seeley Lake Fire Hall starting at 7 a.m. The Seeley Lake Volunteer Fire Foundation served around 600 people and raised about $4,000 for th...
SEELEY LAKE – A lone trumpet playing the Star Spangled Banner echoed across Seeley Lake just moments before the main fireworks display lit up the sky. This was the grand finale to a full day of Fourth of July festivities in Seeley Lake celebrating our country's independence and freedom. For the early risers, a hot pancake breakfast was waiting for them at the Seeley Lake Fire Hall starting at 7 a.m. The Seeley Lake Volunteer Fire Foundation served around 600 people and raised about $4,000 for th...
SEELEY LAKE – This year's 22nd Annual Duck Race was no contest! Marcus Wehr's duck "Wade" took an early lead and never looked back. While the rest of the 399 ducks were close behind, many got hung up around logs upstream or stuck in slow moving eddies at the end. While the ducks sold out, Organizer Cristine Matheny was short on duck wranglers ahead of the race. Several family and friends agreed to enjoy the cool water of the Clearwater River with net in hand to ensure no duck went unaccounted f...
SEELEY LAKE – Bicycles, wagons and scooters decorated in red, white and blue were seen and heard around Seeley Lake this Fourth of July. Faith Chapel sponsored the decorating event before the parade in the Seeley Lake Community Foundation parking lot. Organizer Margot Wilcox loved giving the children an opportunity to participate in the Fourth of July Celebration by decorating their ride. For Wilcox, the Fourth of July was one of her fondest memories as a child. She remembers corn on the cob and...
SEELEY LAKE - Members of the Seeley Lake Volunteer Fire Foundation served a pancake, egg and sausage breakfast to around 600 people the morning of the Fourth. Starting at 11 a.m., Mission Bible Fellowship hosted their ninth annual free community barbecue....
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake community will have an opportunity to hear the accomplished Boys' Choir Dagilėlis (pronounced Dah-ghi-ley-lis) from Lithuania and the Batavia Madrigal Singers from Indonesia Tuesday, July 16 at 7 p.m. at the Seeley-Swan High School Auditorium. These choirs are traveling to the United States to participate in the International Choral Festival in Missoula July 17-20 (held once every three years). The choir's performance in Seeley Lake is being sponsored by...
MISSOULA – The Cinnabar Foundation is designed to give life and strength to Montana’s conservation traditions and the people who will carry them into the future. The Foundation continued this mission by awarding 68 organizations with grants ranging from $1,000-$15,000. Local organizations that received grants this year included the Blackfoot Challenge, Clearwater Resource Council and Swan Valley Connections. The Cinnabar Foundation, established in 1983, by philanthropists Len and Sandy Sargent annually awards grants to environmental and con...
SEELEY LAKE - "I find that a Ginger's blend of Tibetan techniques, Indian postures and down home American values is always a tonic for what ails me!" said Matt George following Yoga on the Lake Saturday, June 29 led by Yoga Instructor Ginger Williams. Williams enjoys the opportunity to volunteer for the community event and share her love of yoga while in an outdoor setting. Williams first led a free outdoor yoga class following a hike to Lake Dinah in 2016 in conjunction with the Wild 50 Fest....
North Fork Cottonwood Reroute Project Begins SEELEY LAKE - Big Blackfoot Chapter of Trout Unlimited contractors started the north Fork Cottonwood Reroute project Monday, July 8. This project is on the #477, Cottonwood Lakes Road, 0.25-0.5 miles east of the North Fork Cottonwood Creek. The project intends to move a segment of road off the banks of the North Fork Cottonwood Creek and replace an existing culvert/fish barrier into a location of the stream that is more stable. This will require less maintenance while enhancing aquatic habitat and ac...
OVANDO – Parade participants rode and walked from Trixi's through downtown Ovando for the annual Fourth of July celebration. Main street was lined with bystanders for arguably the largest turnout in recent years. This year it was apparent that while the parade theme is "Everyone participates, no one watches" there were more spectators than parade participants. Candy and other goodies were passed out and any thoughts of getting too warm under the sun were drenched by the Ovando Volunteer Fire D...
SWAN VALLEY - Hundreds of people flocked to Condon, Mont. for the annual Fourth of July festivities. Locals raved about the annual parade, which many mentioned seemed longer than usual. The Swan Valley American Legion Post 63 hosted the parade. It hosted a variety of floats from local emergency vehicles, a string of classic and vintage cars, and horses. The Grand Marshal for the 2019 parade was Ronda Feucht. Throughout her lifetime she has lived and worked around California, Swan Valley and...
SWAN VALLEY - In the afternoon on the Fourth of July, the Swan Valley Saddle Club hosted the Fourth of July O-Mok-See. Traditional events included pole bending, key hole and western jump. Organizer Kellie Auchenbach introduced the event "Let's Get Dressed" to the festivities, where participants raced down the arena, got off their horse, put on extra clothing, then raced back. O-Mok-See High Point Winners: 7 and Under: Ryder Lund 8-11: Lilly Boyd 12-15: Kyla Conley Adults: Jennie Webb Overall...
POTOMAC - The second annual Blackfoot Rendezvous was a screaming success according to the Explorers Parent Group that hosted the event. "We made more than $4,000 this year, thanks to our generous cash donors and food donations we received," said Explorers parents Michelle Dunn and Jenny Clark. The event was created to raise funds for the Potomac School Explorers Program. Explorers takes place Fridays during the school year since Potomac School has a four-day school week. More than 450 people att...
POTOMAC - Potomac School is ready for 2019-2020 school year with rearranged staff positions, new staff coming on and updates to the school facilities. Security measures remain in place with security cameras and door buzzers to control who enters the school buildings. The school board continually looks through and updates safety policies including scheduling armed intruder drills. Staff receive appropriate training to create a safety zone for the students. Several staff changed positions for next year. The teacher for fourth/ fifth combined...
SEELEY LAKE – "Things were a lot different then," Ruth Stebleton said, thinking back on the years from 1968 to 1970 when she served as a nurse in the U.S. Army. White shoes, white socks, white Army cap in place of her traditional white cap – that was the required attire for women nurses in that era. Basic training was also different for Stebleton, though some of that was fortuitous. When she reported to Camp Bullis in San Antonio, Texas, the barracks were already filled to capacity, so she and s...
SEELEY LAKE - The Bob Marshall Music Festival celebrated its fourth year in Seeley Lake by bringing people from all across Montana to the event in the name of music. This year, the event was organized by Lewis & Clark Brewing Company of Helena, Mont. Event organizers with Lewis & Clark Brewing Company estimated that between 700-800 people attended the event this year. Beth and Mark Mogensen traveled from Victor, Mont in the Bitterroot Valley to attend the festival for a second time. The couple...
SEELEY LAKE – "There is a lot going on during the parade and I've eye-witnessed several close calls," said Steve Felix, Missoula area maintenance chief with the Montana Department of Transportation. "MDT fully supports the parade, we know it is a tradition and we aren't out to end the event. But we have to make sure it is done with safety in mind." MDT and the Seeley Lake Area Chamber of Commerce are asking for everyone's help to make this year's parade safer for everyone. Parade participants ar...
SEELEY LAKE - Like every month except August and December, the Seeley Lake Community Council meeting Monday, July 8 will be filled with a number of interesting and pertinent presentations. Cheri Thompson, president of the Historical Society, will start the agenda with a report on plans for the extension of the Seeley Lake Museum. She will be followed by Laura Wood, who will present her idea for a dog run in town. Next will be Claire Muller, executive director of the Seeley Lake Community Foundation, who will talk about recent events at the...
LINCOLN - Two and a half months after local fisherman James Savstrom, 70, was found dead on the Blackfoot River west of Lincoln, the state crime has lab released its findings in his cause of death. Information provided by Lewis and Clark County Sheriff/Coroner Leo Dutton listed Savstrom's primary cause of death was Atherlosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease, also known as hardening of the arteries. Hypothermia was listed as the secondary cause of death. According to Dutton, Savstrom's heart disease...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake resident Don Larson sat patiently on the barge as Seeley-Swan Search and Rescue Chief Gerry Connell towed him out into the bay to ignite the 1995 fireworks display over Seeley Lake. Larson worked to position the barge so that he would light the fireworks down wind from the barrels that contained the rest of the evening’s ammunition. From shore, Mike Baker, a college student in Great Falls, could see Larson positioning the barge. He could see multiple boxes with rockets that would patriotically paint the sky. “We watch...
The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation and firefighters across Montana encourage you to celebrate the Fourth of July with wildfire safety in mind. For many Montanans, Fourth of July festivities include celebrating with family and friends by enjoying campfires, barbecues and fireworks displays. While these summertime activities are sure to ignite good times, one stray spark has the potential to cause substantial damage. During these celebrations, take care to not start an...
SEELEY LAKE - A bronze statue was rehomed and erected in front of the Seeley Lake Community Foundation building this past week. The 17-foot bronze statue depicts a mountain man on horseback and was created by artist Alan Derber. The statue was previously located in Big Fork, Mont. "My wife had seen the statue in Big Fork and always liked it," said Kirk Gladwin, avid Seeley Lake Community Foundation philanthropist. "We have great respect for the frontiersmen." Together, Gladwin and his wife...
Anyone driving north of Seeley Lake has been greeted with a sea of beargrass blooms covering the forest floor. Resident Jenny Rohrer, who lives at the Summit between Seeley Lake and Condon, said, "This is the most sensational year of flowers since 2003 when I arrived. Up here on the Summit they are tall and everywhere." While Seeley Lake resident Jeff Harrits agrees that this year is a spectacular year for the blooms especially starting just south of Lake Inez and extending north to Lindbergh...
SEELEY LAKE - Sam Weisenburger, 17, joined the ranks of his piloting heritage by obtaining his private pilot's license this May. By doing so, he moves a step closer to his goal of attending the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) in Colorado Springs, Colo. Becoming a pilot wasn't always one of Sam's goals. Sam would tag along while his older brother Adam was training to become a pilot and he would often become nauseous. The more time he spent around pilots, the more the career began to...
Fourth of July Bike Decorating SEELEY LAKE – Anyone with a bicycle, tricycle, wagon or scooter are encouraged to stop by the Seeley Lake Community Foundation building on Highway 83 from 10 a.m. until the parade to decorate their ride. All ages are welcome. Decorations and supplies will be provided. This is a free event sponsored by Faith Chapel. Volunteers will be available to help. Assistance will be provided for those who want to participate in the parade. The Kramers return to the Seeley-Swan July 4-6 The Kramers are returning to Seeley L...
Fire officials with the Missoula County Fire Protection Association (MCFPA) have restricted debris burning (outdoor burning) starting Tuesday, July 2. People who burned this spring should go check on their piles to make sure they are fully extinguished. While there are no restrictions at this time, we urge people to be careful with campfires and check for restrictions before recreating in Montana. Visit http://www.firerestrictions.us for more information. REMEMBER- Fireworks are prohibited on all state and federal classified forest lands....
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Elementary School Board accepted Superintendent Chris Stout’s resignation at a special meeting June 25. Stout emailed the board his resignation June 18, “Hey guys. I just wanted to let you know that I will not be returning next year. I know everything is open to speculation but honestly it’s time. It’s time for everyone. I appreciate all your support and will always look back on my time and smile. Life changes. People change. Places change. I think this is a win-win for everyone. My last day will be June 30. You ca...
SEELEY LAKE - Nearly seven years after Seeley Lake resident Gayle Gordon was diagnosed with breast cancer she has found a sisterhood to help her navigate survivorship. Gordon first heard about the group of women through a friend and fellow breast cancer survivor in Missoula, Mont. Gordon's friend Stacey Vetter encouraged her to become involved in the Silver Lining Foundation. "I have found a lot of people who aren't just down in the dumps. They are positive, they are supportive, they are so...
SEELEY LAKE –The Seeley Lake Sewer District Board had a packed agenda for the June 20 regular meeting with topics ranging from bidding schedule and changing the force main route to Rules and Regulations (R&Rs) and cost estimates for Phase 3 and 4. The meeting ran nearly four hours with some agenda items being tabled. Bidding Timeline District Manager Jean Curtiss asked that the board to consider changing the bid dates from late this summer or early fall to January. Curtiss explained that a small sewer job in Missoula that went to bid in A...
SWAN VALLEY – The Swan Valley School board prioritized the list for facility security, safety and maintenance at their June 19 meeting. Topping the list was school safety and security closely followed by a water cooler and bottle filler for the main school and building insulation. The board voted to start getting estimates to address the recommendations from staff to create a main portal for the school. Board Chair John Mercer told the board they have a maintenance fund pool of $50,000 and he wanted to set priorities. He went back through t...
SEELEY LAKE - The Bob Marshall Music Festival is coming June 27-28. For some people it is ironic that this festival name conjures feeling of the wilderness next door. The festive genre and activities experienced by the participants exhibit few of the solitude and primitive attributes of wild lands. The Seeley Lake area is adjacent to the “Crown of the Continent” recognized as one of the wildest, most diverse and intact ecosystems in the temperate zones of the world. The “Crown” boundary extends from the Jasper-Banff area of British Columbi...
SWAN VALLEY – Area horseback riders are invited to participate in the Swan Valley Fourth of July O-Mok-See. This is an annual event held at the Swan Valley Community Arena starting at 1 p.m. Bring your horse and your friends. This year all ages can participate in the Pole Bending, Key Hole, Western Jump, Let's Get Dressed and Barrel Races. There were will be Pair Sack Races for the 7 and under and 8-11 age groups and a Ribbon Pair Race for the 12-15 and adult age groups. Riders pay $2.50 per e...
SEELEY LAKE - Four members of the Seeley-Swan Search and Rescue were formally honored by the Missoula County Sheriff's Office for their rescue efforts in early February 2018. Deputy Heath Hanson presented SSSAR Chief Tim Hoag, Jon Haufler, Auguste Lockwood and John Anders with individual awards at a SSSAR meeting on June 18. SSSAR responded to a report of four missing snowmobilers on Feb. 7. All snowmobilers were found near Lake Elsina and were successfully rescued. Photo Skylar Rispens,...
SEELEY LAKE - There are two raffles going on in Seeley Lake to support the Seeley Lake Fireworks Show July 4. Good Times and All Decked Out have a basket available (right) valuing at $150 including $50 gift certificates for Good Times and All Decked Out. Tickets can be purchased at both businesses for $5 each or 5 for $20. The drawing will be held June 28. All proceeds go to support the Seeley Lake Fireworks Show....
SEELEY LAKE – As the boats floated towards Big Larch boat launch for the Seeley Lake Kids' Fishing Tournament weigh-in Saturday, June 22, the smiles could be seen from the dock. "We've got a monster," pronounced Bob Mytty as he grabbed the dock. "I had the winner in my boat last year too. I think Kieu has it this year." Seeley Lake third grader Kieu Snow was confident that she beat her older sister Isis who caught a 1.59 pound northern pike last year. Kieu was right. She took the biggest fish c...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Rural Fire District Board approved their insurance policy and passed a preliminary budget at their June 18 meeting. Marketing Coordinator - Montana Chris Hindoien with Volunteer Firemen’s Insurance Services, Inc (VFIS) presented this year’s insurance plan to the board. The policy increased $476 from last year to cover the buildings, 13 vehicles and the volunteers on and off work. He said that the Department is adequately insured to cover liability concerns and to meet state law including the accident and sickn...
SEELEY LAKE - For the past three years, the Bob Marshall Music Festival has brought world-class musicians to perform in Seeley Lake, and its fourth year is no exception. This year, the Flatland Cavalry of Texas is eager to bring its unique sound to the festival. The band includes Cleto Cordero on vocals and guitar, Reid Dillon on electric guitar, Wesley Hall on the fiddle, Jonathan Saenz on the bass and Jason Albers on percussion. Together, the five of them blend into an energetic mix of...
SEELEY LAKE - Since 2008, the Tour Divide bike race has brought hundreds of bikers from around the world into Seeley Lake's backyard. The Tour Divide is considered the most difficult mountain bike race in the world that covers over 2,700 miles, beginning in Banff, Alberta and ending at the Mexican border. Racers left with the Grand Depart on June 14, and have been trickling through the Seeley, Swan and Blackfoot valleys throughout the week. Seeley Lake is not directly on the course for the Tour...
SEELEY LAKE - The Mountain Trail Series ultramarathon trail race stopped in Seeley Lake and brought a variety of runners to explore the wilderness in the East Morrell Complex on Saturday, June 22. Each race in the series consists of a 10K, 25K and 50K option for competitors. In the Seeley Lake race, the 10K stuck to the Seeley Creek Nordic Trails, while the 25K and 50K explored the East Morrell Complex through a variety of Forest Service roads, single track trails and primitive areas through...
Forest Service vehicle parked at Liquor Store SEELEY LAKE – A photo of a US Forest Service vehicle parked in front of the Seeley Lake Liquor Store caused quite the discussion Wednesday, June 19 on the Seeley Lake Neighborhood Watch Facebook page. While the post has since been taken down, the post posed the question, “Isn’t this misuse of government property?” The Seeley Lake District Ranger Quinn Carver said that it is an inappropriate use of a vehicle for any Forest Service employee. Carver wrote in an email to the Pathfinder, “The driver/car...
SALMON PRAIRIE – When John Yajko graduated from college, he got a job as a football coach at Franklin and Marshall College in Pennsylvania. It looked like the beginning of a promising sports career – until he received a draft notice. Not wanting to go into the Army, Yajko immediately went down to the Air Force recruiting agency and signed up. Hoping to become a pilot, he added his name to a long list of others who hoped for the same thing. In the meantime, he went first to Officers Training Sch...
GREENOUGH – Relaxed on her front porch, the newest Missoula County Commissioner Juanita Vero watches intently as two wranglers head out to break in two horses. A fourth-generation partner of the E Bar L Ranch in Greenough, Vero is responsible for one of Montana's oldest family-owned and operated guest ranches. After her appointment June 13 to fill the remainder of Commissioner Nicole Rowley's term, Vero is excited to be part of the team leading the forward momentum of Missoula County. With t...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Foundation celebrated the grand opening of its new community space and non-profit center on Saturday, June 15. "This began with great ambition and great goals," said Foundation Board President Kevin Wetherell before the ribbon cutting ceremony. "We didn't know if we could pull it off or not, we didn't know if people would be interested in supporting this (building) in a big way." Nearly 50 people attended the event and ribbon cutting ceremony at the...
SEELEY LAKE – Property owners in Missoula County recently received their 2019 Classification and Appraisal Notice indicating the taxable value of their property. Assessments in Missoula County as a whole showed an average increase of 12 percent for residential values and 18 percent for commercial values. Landowners have until July 18 to appeal their assessment with the Montana Department of Revenue. The classification and appraisal notice sent by the Montana Department of Revenue Property Assessment Division informs landowners how their p...
MISSOULA – The Missoula County Commissioners briefly discussed a letter from the Seeley Lake Sewer District Board requesting county assistance and resources at their June 12 administrative meeting. The letter from the District requests several things the county previously provided the District through an interlocal agreement including use of office space in the County’s Seeley Lake satellite office and administrative assistance from Missoula County Public Works Seeley Lake Projects and Operations Coordinator Kim Myre. That agreement exp...
SEELEY LAKE – Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation Clearwater Unit Supervisor Kristen Baker-Dickinson and US Forest Service Seeley Lake District Ranger Quinn Carver presented about the local applications of the Good Neighbor Authority at the Seeley Lake Community Council meeting June 10. They are both excited about this opportunity to increase the pace and scale of forest restoration and resiliency work in the area. The Good Neighbor Authority was put into law in the 2014 Farm Bill and the authority expanded in the 2018 O...
POTOMAC - Memories and laughter partnered with smiles the evening of Potomac School's kindergarten and eighth grade graduation June 12 at the Potomac Greenough Community Center. More than 120 people including great grandparents sat amongst friends and family for the event which began with a motivational speech by principal John Rouse. Accompanied by their eighth grade buddies, the five kindergartners passed out flowers to their parents and then were escorted to the stage. The eighth grade class...
SEELEY LAKE – Missoula County has launched a new website hoping to address some of the issues raised at the Seeley Lake Community Council’s Building Forum in January. Missoula County Project Manager Gayl Hann announced the new website at the Council meeting June 10. Hann said the county learned at the building forum that people were having trouble finding all the things they needed to navigate the building permit system. The County had already started using software that would send the applications out to all the necessary departments wit...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Elementary School Board discussed employment vacancies within the district as well as a General Fund budget amendment at its regular meeting Wednesday, June 12. According to Superintendent Chris Stout the district is advertising openings for second and third grade educators, as well as a hybrid position for a junior high library media and social language arts educator. The third grade position isn’t vacant but Stout anticipates current third grade teacher Kristy Pohlman will take maternity leave in the fall. ...
OVANDO - Bike packers have begun to trickle through the area on the 2019 Tour Divide bike race. As of Tuesday, June 18, there are still 146 racers (originally 159) that left with the Grand Depart from Banff, Canada June 14. The winners are on pace to reach Antelope Wells, New Mexico in just more than two weeks. The Tour Divide, billed as the hardest bike race in the world, is a single-stage, self supported 2,745-mile mountain bike race on the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route. Riders left en...
SEELEY LAKE – When Kathleen Pecora, PhD started as principal at Seeley-Swan High School in 2010 she believed in teaching a rigorous curriculum, demonstrating relevance to the students' lives and futures, and building the best possible relationships with the adults in their lives. Now, after nine years as principal, Pecora feels she has done that with the help of the staff, students and community and set SSHS on a path for continued success following her retirement. Pecora has more than a decade...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley-Swan High School graduate Kyle Peltier received a $1,500 scholarship from Grizzly Claw Trading Company in Seeley Lake. Peltier is the co-editor of the SSHS Literary Journal "Back Roads of the Mind" and will be attending the University of Montana. This year's award goes over the $7,000 mark in scholarships given. The Grizzly Claw scholarships are funded from the sale of used books. Grizzly Claw owners Susan and Dee Baker wish to thank everyone in this community and s...
In the Wild Vacation Bible School, June 24-27 SEELEY LAKE – Children ages four through the sixth grade are invited to attend “In the Wild: Vacation Bible School” at Mission Bible Fellowship. The fun starts Monday, June 24 from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. and includes games, music, crafts, Bible lessons and snacks. The Vacation Bible School runs through Thursday. The event is free and open to the public. To register, text Erika @ 499-2903. Swan Valley Community Library Highlights SWAN VALLEY - Story Time is held each Friday at the Swan Valley Library at 11...
BONNER, MONT. – Standing on the banks of the Blackfoot River, U.S. Senator Jon Tester announced Friday, June 7 that he is reintroducing his Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Act. The Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Project was developed through more than a decade of local discussions among conservation, recreation and timber groups in the Seeley Lake area. The project provides for forest restoration activities to support local timber jobs, the development of additional recreational trails and th...
SEELEY LAKE – Residents attending the Seeley Lake Sewer District Board’s special meeting to discuss the draft User Agreements (UA) June 6 had a lot of concerns and asked many questions. Most circled back to the landowners’ pocketbook and the million-dollar question: How many million dollars is this project going to cost? District Manager Jean Curtiss explained that the UA were sent to just landowners in Subdistrict/Phase 1 and it was mistakenly sent without the word “draft” across it. Curtiss said that the UA references the Rules and Regulatio...
SALMON PRAIRIE - Friends and family of Salmon Prairie School gathered to celebrate the graduates June 3. All three students at the school graduated, Levi Webb and Kase Anderson from eighth grade and Stetson Hulett from kindergarten. Each graduate and their teacher Holl Hubbard spoke to those in attendance about their experiences at Salmon Prairie. The graduates' grandmothers presented them their diplomas. Anderson said he was glad and lucky that he has spent nine years at Salmon Prairie...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake ROCKS received a $30,000 grant from the Recreational Trails Program (RTP) administered by Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks for use on Phase 1 of the Hill 16 Community Trail System (CTS). They look forward to continued work on the Lake View Trail within Phase 1 of the project this summer. The Hill 16 Recreation Area lies between the community of Seeley Lake and Placid Lake including Placid Lake State Park. Hill-16 CTS was deemed a priority project in the Seeley Lake Trails Plan. This plan was the result of three y...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Foundation's Change Your Pace Challenge is a campaign for community-wide giving, celebrating the people and organizations that make our community great. During this six-week fundraising period, June 14-July 26, the Change Your Pace Challenge motivates community members to give to their favorite participating local nonprofits, knowing the impact of their gift will grow thanks to the CYP Match Fund. Fourteen local organizations are participating this year,...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Market, formerly the Seeley Lake Farmers' & Crafters' Market, will open for the season Sunday, June 16 from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. The Seeley Lake Community Foundation is excited to reshape the market to promote local businesses alongside local produce and artisans. According to Foundation President Carla Schade, they were approached by Vicki Voegelin to sponsor the market after she ran it for 10 years. Voegelin said her decision to ask the Foundation to continue the...
BIG SKY, MONT. – The Seeley Swan Pathfinder won 10 awards in the 2019 Better Newspaper Awards Division at the 134th Annual Convention of the Montana Newspaper Association, June 8. Seven of the awards including articles, photography and advertising were first place finishers. The Pathfinder's first place awards included: Best Continuing News Coverage: The continuous coverage of Addy 'Boo' and the Trevino family's fight with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG) by Andi Bourne spanned from J...
SEELEY LAKE - Three Seeley-Swan High School students were nominated for the 2019 Father Jim Hogan Search for Peace Award through the Jeannette Rankin Peace Center in Missoula due to their efforts in the classroom. SSHS educator Crissina Quinn nominated juniors Emma Stevenson, Kara Good and Blake Lindemer for their work in her American Studies course, a hybrid between U.S. History and English. Quinn nominated the three students based on their assignments for journalistic writing as well as...
SWAN VALLEY - On June 4, four eighth graders and a single kindergartner graduated at the Swan Valley Elementary School. Students reflected on memories they had created together, and celebrated a new chapter in their lives. The ceremony included speeches made by the eighth graders that was directed toward their fellow classmates. They wished this year's sixth and seventh graders good luck in the future and spoke of their appreciation for them. Relief bus driver Dan Maloughney and secretary Katie...
SWAN VALLEY – An important migration corridor for elk, grizzly bears, Canada lynx and other wildlife is now permanently protected and open to public access in Montana's scenic Swan Valley. The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and the Lolo National Forest worked with a landowner to purchase and convey the 638 acres to the U.S. National Forest (USFS). It is now under the management of the Lolo National Forest. "This property sits in a wildlife movement corridor between the Bob Marshall Wilderness C...
SEELEY LAKE - Faculty and staff at Seeley Lake Elementary celebrated the accomplishments of its 26 eighth grade graduates Wednesday, June 5. Keeping with Seeley Lake tradition, the eighth graders presented loved ones with flowers at their graduation ceremony. "I would like to point out a teacher, for being like a second mother to us, pushing us and encouraging us to be better, thank you Mrs. Bartlett for being such a great teacher to us all," said Tyler Neher and Dakota Gonzalez. The 2019...
Boats and boat operators still needed for Kid’s Fishing Tournament SEELEY LAKE – The Kid’s Fishing Tournament is still looking for volunteers to take kids ages 7-13 out fishing Saturday, June 22 on Seeley Lake. The tournament starts at 7 a.m. from Big Larch Boat Ramp. Weigh-in will be around 11 a.m. followed by a barbecue. Tournament applications for children who would like to participate are available at Rovero’s, Cory’s Valley Market and Pop’s Place Restaurant. Deadline for applications is June 15. For more information and/or to volunteer c...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley-Swan High School celebrated the achievements of its 28 seniors at the graduation ceremony on Sunday, June 2. Dr. Kathleen Pecora, principal of SSHS, greeted the graduates and guests at the event and shared some parting words with the graduating class. "Seniors, this year I feel like you and I have one major thing in common, it's a universal truth that all good things must eventually come to an end," said Pecora who will retire at the end of this school year. While packing...
MISSOULA - The rebuilt C-47 plane known as "Miss Montana" is headed to Normandy, France to honor the 75th anniversary of D-Day June 6. Seeley Lake resident Cheri Thompson purchased a seat in the plane to honor her father's memory. According to the Miss Montana to Normandy website, the reconstruction efforts were made to honor the Montanans who served in the military during World War II by making the trip to Normandy with over 40 other C-47 planes from the United States. Miss Montana began the...
SWAN VALLEY – Nearly 50 veterans, families and community members gathered on the Cold Creek Bridge with the Swan Valley American Legion Post 63 May 30 to remember those who paid the ultimate sacrifice protecting the freedoms enjoyed in the United States. This Memorial Day tradition included the hand-made flower wreath dropped from the bridge to remember the fallen Condon Community Church Pastor Bruce Rippy read from John 15:13, "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for o...
SEELEY LAKE - Like every month, the Seeley Lake Community Council meeting will feature a number of interesting topics Monday, June 10. It will kick off with our State Rep, Mike Hopkins giving an overview of this year’s legislative session. Next will be an update on the county’s efforts to rationalize the building permit process. The Community Council held a forum in January on that topic, with builders, an inspector and several county representatives attending. The main conclusion from the forum was that the permit process included bot...
SEELEY LAKE - Alpine Artisans' Open Book Club presents Richard Fifield reading from his novel, "The Flood Girls," Saturday, June 8 at 7 p.m. at the Grizzly Claw Trading Co. The event is free and everyone is welcome. Fifield's novel is a hilarious, fast read, set in the fictitious town of Quinn, Mont. population 956. A town where nearly all of the volunteer firemen are named Jim, where The Dirty Shame-the only bar in town-refuses to serve mixed drinks (too much work), where the locals hate the ne...
SEELEY LAKE –Acting District Ranger Quinn Carver will officially be Seeley Lake's new District Ranger June 9. Carver is excited to watch the projects he has started the past six months be completed as well as looks forward to continuing to build strong relationships with the community and surrounding agencies. Carver started working permanently for the Forest Service as a wildlife biologist on the Helena National Forest, Townsend Ranger District in 1994. From there he worked as an I...
WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt announced the next steps in a collaborative effort with The Nature Conservancy (TNC) aimed at acquiring 13,000 acres of private lands within the Lower Blackfoot River watershed, in the Belmont Creek area. The U.S. Department of the Interior’s (DOI) Bureau of Land Management (BLM), which has been working with TNC and other public and private partners to maintain and improve public access to the area for a wide variety of outdoor recreationists, released an Environmental Assessment of...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Foundation would like to invite the community to the grand opening of our new community space on Saturday, June 15th. There will be an open house from 12 - 3 p.m., with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 1 p.m. The new Seeley Lake Community Foundation building is located in the former Deer Country Quilts building, at 3150 Highway 83. SLCF mailed out a Save the Date for the grand opening to all Seeley Lake property owners last week. View the announcement, and...
SEELEY LAKE - With funding from Montana Department of Natural Resources, Seeley Lake's Clearwater Resource Council recently partnered with the DNRC, the Missoula County Weed District and MT Fish, Wildlife and Parks to create a series of six 30-second Public Service Announcements to bring awareness statewide to the threat of Aquatic Invasive Mussels for our waters. These PSAs are currently being broadcast on numerous TV stations, websites and social media. Look for these spots during the...
GREENOUGH - Sunset School highlighted another year full of growth, adventure and kindness at its end-of-the-year celebration on Tuesday, May 28. This year, students at Sunset School participated in a number of hands-on field trip experiences such as touring the spectrUM Discovery Area, attending the International Wildlife Film Festival, and learning about forest fire ecology. According to supervising teacher Toni Hatten, enrollment at Sunset School regularly fluctuates throughout the school...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley-Swan High School seniors and their parents gathered for the annual senior awards ceremony May 31. While many awards and scholarships had already been awarded, some students continued to add to their list of recognitions with class awards and local scholarships. Of the 28 SSHS graduates, 17 maintained a cumulative grade point average of a 3.0 or higher throughout their high school career. Brian Atwell, Lily Mercer, Hunter Shelmerdine and Jory Towe scored higher than a 27 o...
SEELEY LAKE – Seniors in the U.S. Government class at Seeley-Swan High School recently traveled to Helena to see the legislature and to Missoula to watch the judicial processes in action. While touring the Capitol, students observed floor action in the Montana Senate, and met with Representative Mike Hopkins, R-House District 92 and Senator Sue Malek, D- Senate District 46 to better understand the legislative process. Students also met with Gov. Steve Bullock. A week later, students traveled t...
SEELEY LAKE – John, reading a financial magazine, might say to his wife Mary, "Honey, it says here as a rule of thumb, we should have an emergency fund set aside equal to six months' worth of household expenses. We don't even have an emergency fund, but we probably should be putting some money aside." If that was perceived by Mary as a prelude to an unwelcome conversation targeting those expensive new shoes she just bought, she might deflect by saying, "Well, a rule of thumb certainly isn't a...
David Alt, author and a retired professor of geology at the University of Montana, explains why gold was found in Grasshopper Creek and the surrounding gulches. "At Bannack, as in many gold mining districts, much of the production came fast and early from bonanza deposits in stream placers. Early miners working the gravels in the streambed skimmed the cream off the district, leaving the hardest work and leanest pickings for those who came later. That happens because streams concentrate gold as...
Registration open through June 15 for Kid’s Fishing Tournament SEELEY LAKE – Children ages seven – 13 are invited to participate in this year’s Kid’s Fishing Tournament June 22 on Seeley Lake. Tournament organizer Bobby Maddox hopes it is a fun day on the water that gets kids hooked on fishing. Deadline to register is June 15. This year’s tournament starts at 7 a.m. at Big Larch Boat Ramp. Community members have volunteered their boats and time to take youth out. Weigh-in will be around 11 a.m. Hot dogs and hamburgers will be served at t...
SWAN VALLEY - Nearly 60 community members attended a Swan Valley Community Council meeting Tuesday, May 21 to express their indignation about the concessionaire's plans to phase out community day-use passes to Holland Lake entirely by 2020. The decision to provide the Swan Valley Community Foundation with 200 community passes this season and none in 2020 was made during a private meeting between the Holland Lake concessionaire, Parting Waters Adventure Inc. and the United States Forest Service...
SEELEY LAKE – More than 50 veterans, their families and visitors attended this year's Memorial Day Ceremony at the Seeley Lake Memorial Garden May 27. While veterans in attendance were thanked and honored with applause, the focus was on those who answered the call to service and paid the ultimate price. Barbara Knopp, president of Seeley Lake Veterans & Families, shared the story of "The Table of the missing soldier." The table honors the men and women who died serving in the US Armed Forces. T...
SEELEY LAKE - The Loon and Fish Festival returned after a six year hiatus and restored its roots at the Seeley Lake Community Hall Memorial Day weekend. "I love the fact that we have so many artists that have such a diversity of their work," said Jenny Rohrer, Alpine Artists Inc. program manager. "This is the one time where you can see all the work from the artists." But the festival wasn't always like this. The last few renditions of the Loon and Fish festival were hosted at the Seeley Lake...
SEELEY LAKE – The annual antler hunt on the Blackfoot-Clearwater Wildlife Management Area, known locally as the Game Range, opened May 15 and has become increasingly popular. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Wildlife Biologist Scott Eggeman said there were no incidents this year, however, he has heard concerns about the congestion and safety along Highway 83. Eggeman said they estimated more than 500 people and more than 200 vehicles came out for the opening day on the Game Range. There were m...
MISSOULA – The University of Montana honored 50 high school juniors from across western Montana for their outstanding math skills during a banquet April 11 at the University Center. Seeley-Swan High School junior Kara Good was among those recognized. This was the first year UM offered this award. High School math teachers were asked to nominate one junior who demonstrated five qualities in mathematics: Curiosity, creativity, persistence, understanding and joy. While high-achieving students c...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake Elementary School is shuffling staff for next year. The school board received two resignations and Superintendent Chris Stout shared about internal transfers and the need to hire a new second grade teacher at their May 20 board meeting. The board accepted resignation letters from second grade teacher Erin Lynch and kindergarten teacher Robin Beckett. With the kindergarten position open, Stout approved first grade teacher Sheila Devins’ request to transfer back to kindergarten. Second grade teacher Rachel Bemis wil...
Last year, 12.4 million out-of-state visitors contributed over $3.7 billion in travel spending to Montana’s economy, according to a recent report from the Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research at the University of Montana. The latest report finalizes preliminary estimates from January with new fourth-quarter tourism data. The new data showed that Montana tourism in the summer months generated more than half of the year’s tourism dollars. Forty-six percent, or 5.7 million visitors, traveled to Montana in the third quarter of the year, Ju...
SEELEY LAKE – Everyone is invited to join the Seeley Lake Historical Society for the movie "Timberjack" at the Seeley Lake Historical Museum and Visitor's Center June 1 at 7 p.m. This is another in the Historical Society's series of movies filmed in Montana. "Timberjack" is a story of two competing logging operators in love with the same woman. Thrill to the performances of Sterling Hayden, Vera Ralston and David Brian, ably supported by Adolphe Menjou, Chill Wills and Hoagy Carmichael. The s...
SEELEY LAKE – In the past month, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks euthanized a black bear and grizzly bear in the Seeley Lake area. There is another collared young male grizzly, named Stevi, in the area that has been in trouble in the past. Bear managers ask the public to lock up all attractants to keep the bears out of trouble. Koppen captured, tagged and relocated the black bear in the Mission Mountains last fall. He said when he released it last fall it was healthy. It returned to the area t...
MISSOULA - After 46 years in the logging business and 35 years as owner of Salmon River Wood, Inc. out of Missoula, Joe Fraser had a few parting words at Pyramid Mountain Lumber's contract logger/landowner/log seller meeting May 3 in Seeley Lake. When Fraser started logging, he equated it to a rite of passage from a boy to a man. "It was a man's job. Young guys then wanted to be men. If you took it up and you were reasonably good at it, it gave you a chance to excel in an environment that you th...
SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley Elementary School Board discussed issues of school safety, facility maintenance and the road sign at their board meeting Wednesday, May 22. In terms of school safety, the board considered possible renovations to the school to create a single portal entrance near the school’s office. According to Board Chair John Mercer, the board has discussed a single portal entrance for a few years but nothing has materialized. The board motioned to create a committee of board members and elementary staff to begin c...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley-Swan High School students and area community members performed at the SSHS spring music concert May 10. The SSHS choir performed songs including "Pacem, Dona Nobis Pacem," originally written by Mary Lynn Lightfoot, and "Homeward Bound," originally written by Marta Keen. Audience members were also treated to "Memory" from the Broadway show, CATS, performed by Lane Mackie-Wendel and Korinne Treser. Songs were accompanied by pianist Shauna Anders. The band, which consisted of...
Swan Valley Bear Fair, June 1 SWAN VALLEY – Join Swan Valley Bear Resources for their annual Bear Fair Saturday, June 1, from 12 – 4 p.m. at the Swan Valley Community Hall (Hwy 83, MM 42.5) in Condon. Come learn about living in bear country from bear management experts, professionals and organizations! Enjoy children’s activities and presentations, including one by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks grizzly bear management specialist Tim Manley. The event is free and open to all! Enjoy free snacks & beer until gone. For more info, visit www.s...
SEELEY LAKE - After serving the community for half a decade, Dr. Todd Fife will leave Partnership Health Center's Seeley Swan Medical Center next month. Since joining the clinic in 2014, Dr. Fife has helped hundreds of area patients as a family medicine practitioner. He and his wife, Michelle, plan to move to Florida to be closer to their grandchildren. His last day at the clinic will be Wednesday, June 5. Community members are invited to attend a going-away celebration from 3 to 5 p.m. that...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Sewer District Board was presented with a budget for the next fiscal year that doubles last year’s budget and discussed the User Agreement (UA) and District Rules and Regulations (R&R) at their May 16 meeting. The proposed 2019 District Administrative Budget has doubled from $47,620 to $95,625. The main increase in the budget is to pay for the part time District Manager at $38,400 per year. The manager was previously donated by Missoula County through an inter-local agreement. This winter the county determined it...
SWAN VALLEY – Imprinted on the tree slab segments above the door of the Swan Valley Community Hall are the words "Lest We Forget." Beneath them, another slab shows five saddled but riderless horses, the military symbol for fallen soldiers who will ride no more. To the right and left of the slabs are more than 100 wooden plaques containing the names and death-dates of military veterans who once lived in Swan Valley. According to American Legion Post 63 Post Adjutant Ray Opp, the Veterans Memorial...
SEELEY LAKE – "[Kathy Teague] you have touched so many people's lives and made such a positive difference," said Julie Haines, Seeley Lake Elementary Special Education Coordinator, at Teague's retirement party May 17. "You have always brought personal relevance and reality to the relationships with students. I don't know how much more meaningful you can get than that." At the end of the school year, Kathy Teague will retire after 33 years of working at SLE. She started out as the district c...
SEELEY LAKE – "We are considered one of the worst bear problems in the region," said Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Game Warden Bill Koppen. "There is just no reason for it." After a black bear and a grizzly bear had to be euthanized in the Seeley Lake and Woodworth areas in the past two weeks, Koppen is asking the community to clean up, secure all attractants and help keep the bears out of trouble. "When the bears are good, people love them," said Koppen. "When they get into trouble then they b...
More people suffering from lung and heart disease due to prolonged periods of wildfire smoke. More frequent fishing restrictions because of reduced summer streamflows and higher water temperatures. Increased costs to protect homes from larger, more frequent wildfires. These are just a few of the dozens of local climate change vulnerabilities identified in the draft Vulnerability Assessment, which Missoula County, Climate Smart Missoula and the City of Missoula released today. It’s available online at www.missoulaclimate.org/...
SEELEY LAKE – Missoula County Air Quality Specialist Ben Schmidt presented on a proposal to require automatic wood stoves in the Seeley Lake Area at the Seeley Lake Community Council May 13. Violations of the PM 2.5 standards over the last several winters in Seeley Lake have been highly variable. However, the Health Department still feels the trend is that of too many violations. The last two winters were exceptionally good air with just two days over in 2017-18 and no days over in 2018-19 while the winter of 2016-17 was exceptionally bad a...
SEELEY LAKE - Pyramid Mountain Lumber gave a brief update on the market and plant improvements at Pyramid’s Contract logger/Landowner/Log seller meeting May 3 in Seeley Lake. Pyramid’s Chief Operations Officer Loren Rose provided some comparisons of the random length framing lumber composite prices. In 2009 the yearly average was $222, the lowest since 1996. He said the prices have increased nearly 60 percent in the last 10 years with 2019’s average currently at $356. While some would think the mill is doing very well with such an incre...
SEELEY LAKE – More than 30 US Forest Service employees and four volunteers from the community worked May 15 cleaning campsites, piling and chipping brush and getting Big Larch Campground ready to open Memorial Day weekend. Big Larch boat launch is expected to be open with the campground May 24 at 9 a.m. as well as all the other gated campgrounds in the Seeley Lake Ranger District. Prior to the clean up day, Seeley Lake's Acting District Ranger Quinn Carver estimated nearly 200 cords of wood w...
SEELEY LAKE - Over the 19 years of the Loon and Fish Festival, Bob Korn of Swan Valley's Kornutopia created and donated at least 100 bowls annually for the Food Bank Soup Bowl fundraiser. This raised more than $30,000 since its inception for the Seeley-Swan Community Food Bank. After a six-year hiatus, Korn teamed up with Seeley Lake potter Carrie Darrah's Obsession Pottery for the fundraiser. Each donated more than 50 decorated ceramic bowls that will be sold Saturday, May 25 starting at 11:30...
This counterfeit $50 bill was received by a Seeley Lake resident this past week. While at first glance it looks legitimate, closer inspection reveals several discrepancies with the main one being "Motion Picture Use Only" on the front and back. This isn't the first time this "funny money" has shown up at businesses in Montana - there were reports from Butte and Kalispell of $20 bills circulating. The incident was reported to law enforcement. This is the only one reported as of Monday....
SEELEY LAKE – What do 54 bells, an accordion, a barbershop quartet and the Feigley's have in common? The sixth annual Music Galore sponsored by the Seeley-Swan Mountain Bells hosted music from all of the above and more local talent May 14. The Seeley-Swan Mountain Bells started in 2012. For six years, they have performed their spring concert and included local musicians to join in the fun. This year's theme was "A Salute to America." With many traditional patriotic songs as well as American F...
OVANDO - Despite the busyness that comes with the end of the school year, Ovando School's supervising teacher Leigh Ann Valiton found time to prepare and host the school's annual May Day Tea on May 15. With choreographed dances and a poetry recitation students showcased major cultural themes throughout American history, decade-by-decade, beginning with the 1920s. Valiton prepared a series of monologues in order to set the scene for the different performances. The monologues highlighted major...
SEELEY LAKE – Sparrow's Vine Parenting and Pregnancy Resource Center welcomed new Executive Director Greta Treser this past February. Treser hopes that, with Sparrow's Vine, she will be able to help families grow stronger and enjoy being together through fostering healthy relationships. Treser has been a stay-at-home mom for the past 20 years. Treser's husband James pastored a church in Whitehall for 13 years. As a pastor's wife, Treser helped with Sunday School, Vacation Bible School and y...
SWAN VALLEY - For the first time in the 29 year history of the American Legion Post No. 63 Annual Condon Chili Cook-Off May 18, there was a three way tie for first place. Ronda Feucht, Tony Quadros and Rick "Yogi" Johnson were each awarded $100 for their champion chilies. Though recipes were not shared, the champions provided a little insight into what secret ingredients set their chilies apart from the other seven competitors. "There are two actually but the primary one is chicken apple sausage...
Memorial Day ceremonies Residents and visitors to the area are invited to attend Memorial Day ceremonies in Seeley Lake and Condon this Memorial Day. A ceremony in Seeley Lake will be held Monday, May 27 at 11 a.m. at the Seeley Lake Memorial Garden on Highway 83 just north of Seeley Lake. The event is hosted by Veterans & Families of Seeley Lake and will honor service members that have passed. Arrive early as parking is limited. In Condon, a Memorial Day Ceremony will be held Thursday, May 30 at 11 a.m. at the Cold Creek Bridge. The...
SEELEY LAKE – Missoula County has 103 confirmed pertussis cases as of Tuesday, May 14. Cases have been reported across all ages, from infants to adults. There are 16 schools involved in this community-wide outbreak including Seeley-Swan High School. The duration of the outbreak means it is possible for people who were exposed earlier in the outbreak to be re-exposed. Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is a highly contagious respiratory disease caused by a type of bacteria. Pertussis can affect people of all ages, but can be very s...
OVANDO – A single-vehicle roll over on Highway 200 May 7 claimed the life of 19-year-old man from Browning. Montana Highway Patrol Trooper Brian Inman said alcohol, speed and not wearing seatbelts were the major factors in the crash. No citations were issued. According to Inman, early Tuesday morning a 2000 Pontiac Sunfire was westbound on Highway 200. It came to the curve in the road just west of Ovando at mile marker 41.9. The driver Uriel Tatsey, 19 from Browning, overcorrected and went o...
MISSOULA – Seeley Lake resident Sam Weisenburger, 17, is the Montana State Champion after winning the Smallbore Indoor Rifle State Championship this past April. In addition to the highest score posted across all ages, he also won the High Junior State Champion title, the Buddy Match with his father Trace and was part of the winning four-person team. The Montana State Indoor Conventional and Metric Position Smallbore Rifle Championships were conducted in Missoula the weekend of April 13 and in L...
HELENA – Of the seven individuals and groups from Seeley-Swan High School that went to the State Music Festival in Helena May 3 and 4, four received the highest superior rating while the other three received an excellent. At the State Music Festival the students performed in one-hour blocks of five different performances ranging from solos, duets to small ensembles, all vocal and instrumental. Instead of playing their piece and leaving like at Districts, the students are expected to stay for t...
When I was growing up, I wanted to go to school forever. I wanted to continue learning new things every day. Luckily, my education led me to journalism where I get to learn something new with every assignment. Through my undergraduate experience at the University of Montana School of Journalism I have found a love for community-focused storytelling on a variety of platforms. I'm excited to kick-off my professional career in your community as a reporter for the Seeley Swan Pathfinder. I was born...
OVANDO - Students in the W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation at the University of Montana have the unique opportunity to step outside the classroom and into the forest to develop actionable land management plans through a variety of courses. One of these classes is Forest Planning, where forestry students work together in teams to prepare a forest plan for a landowner. Course instructor Tim Love is a former district ranger for the U.S. Forest Service, Seeley Lake Ranger District...
SEELEY LAKE – While their classmates were participating in the Cooper League qualifying track meet, around 25 Seeley Lake Elementary sixth, seventh and eighth graders spent their Friday afternoon moving brush and sweeping dirt at the tennis courts in the Seeley Lake Community Park. This was part of a summer-long project to do some much needed maintenance to the facilities at the Park. The Seeley Lake Parks Committee received a $1,500 grant from Missoula County Parks and Trails Advisory board thi...
After a six-year hiatus, the Loon and Fish Festival is returning to Seeley Lake and 2 Valleys Stage Performing Arts Series will have their 2019-2020 season tickets for sale at “early bird” or you might say, “Early Loon” prices! “Something Old, Something New” No, we’re not sponsoring a wedding, but along with two new performance groups the 2019-2020 2VS season is bringing back three guest artist groups from previous seasons – ones we enjoyed so much, we wanted them to perform for us again. For those of you who missed their previous perfor...
SEELEY LAKE - It’s been six long years since the Loon and Fish Festival was on the Memorial Day Weekend schedule in Seeley Lake, and nine years since the festival was held at the Seeley Lake Community Hall, where the Festival was first held in 1993! Alpine Artisans, Inc. has returned to the original formula for this popular event – a celebration of art and nature. The festival is anchored by an elegant art show and sale featuring over 30 artists from the Blackfoot, Seeley and Swan Valleys – including wood work, jewelry, watercolor, oils, embro...
SEELEY LAKE – For Steven Wilson, it all started with Tog'l blocks and an erector set. Now after more than 30 years building from the ground up, Wilson and his wife Juli opened Steve Wilson Construction in Seeley Lake. Their goal is to establish lasting relationships with their customers by exceeding expectations and gaining trust through exceptional performance by every member of their construction team. "I didn't know what I wanted to do in life. I just started building stuff as a kid – mod...
SEELEY LAKE – Sunset School students were out scouting for woodpeckers Friday, May 10 with Missoula author Sneed B. Collard III. Along with woodpeckers they observed many other birds and studied structures and adaptations that help them survive. Last September, Sunset School was part of the Blackfoot Challenge's excursion to the Monture Guard Station to learn about forest fires, fire behavior and the effects of a burn on the forest and habitat. This experience coincided with their exploration an...
Scientists return to continue studying wildfire smoke impacts SEELEY LAKE - The University of Montana, in conjunction with the Missoula County-City Health Department, is returning June 5 and June 26 to continue the smoke impact study they started in October 2017 following the Rice Ridge fire in Seeley Lake. Seeley Lake residents are encouraged to participate whether they have in the past or not. The study will take place Wednesday, June 5 and Wednesday, June 26 at the Seeley Lake Community Hall (3248 Highway 83) from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Those i...
SEELEY LAKE – Three men were involved in a single-vehicle rollover car accident May 5 around 8:15 p.m. on Golf View Drive near Double Arrow Golf Course. Passenger Michael Haley, 48 of Seeley Lake, was ejected. He was transported to Missoula but later died from his injuries. The other two in the vehicle sustained non-life threatening injuries. The accident is still under investigation. According to investigating Highway Patrol Trooper Wes Whitlatch, an Audi sedan was northbound on Golf View D...
SEELEY LAKE – "Once [Cheri Thompson] mentioned the idea to me, it was like, yeah, this is what we need to do for our congregation and for our community to help them heal," said Reverend Carrie Benton, pastor of Mountain Lakes Presbyterian Church. "[The banners] will remind them that there is hope, this devastation is not the end of the things and through God's power we can get through devastating times." Thompson felt led by God to make a visual art piece to bring healing to her congregation f...
OVANDO – Dave Miller joined the U.S. Army for altruistic reasons. As he explained, "I was reading and watching the news and stuff and I just thought Vietnam needed some help in their independence." Miller was pretty sure he knew what war would be like. He had watched the TV segments. He was ready to face the hardships, and even possible death, for the sake of helping another country gain its independence as the U.S. had fought and gained its own independence. Instead he found his sense of right...
SEELEY LAKE - Big Larch Campground opened May 3 to firewooders with a $20 firewood permit. The public is invited to cut anything on the ground. It will remain open until May 12....
Monday’s Seeley Lake Community Council promises a full agenda for their May 13 meeting. It will start out with Donny Pfeifer, Montana Department of Transportation Missoula District Preconstruction Engineer, who will talk about plans for Highway 83 and other projects that might be of interest to the Seeley Lake Community. Karen Hughes of the County’s Community Planning and Services will follow Pfeifer. She will introduce Climate Ready Communities, which is a county-wide resiliency planning process led jointly by Missoula County, the City of Mis...
SEELEY LAKE – Pop's Place opened their doors after their month long spring break for the annual Cakes for Canines donation pancake breakfast May 1. The free breakfast included pancakes, bacon and eggs, great conversation and an opportunity to support the Paws Up Safe Home Animal Shelter in Potomac. Paws Up Operator Hazel Tyler said it was the best turnout they have ever had for the event. There are currently 26 dogs, a feral cat colony and five cats at the shelter. They adopted out two horses l...
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) is seeking public input on its proposal to renew a biennial rule that provides recreational access on The Nature Conservancy (TNC) lands in Missoula and Powell Counties. This biennial rule, which provides public recreational access on 163,883 acres of TNC (including former Plum Creek Timber Company) lands, was first established by the Fish and Wildlife Commission in 2015 and renewed in 2017. The rule establishes public use regulations and allows for yearround access. The current proposed renewal of this...
SEELEY LAKE – Around a dozen property owners participated in this year's Community Wildfire Preparedness Day, May 4. Local fire agency experts assessed properties for defensible space and structures for wildfire risk. They offered landowners suggestions on how they could improve the structures' chances of surviving the flaming front and ember shower produced by a wildfire. Volunteers with the Clearwater Resource Council also provided information regarding fuel mitigation grant opportunities thro...
SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley chapter of AARP sponsored its biennial speech contest for fifth through eighth grade students at Swan Valley Elementary on May 2. Participants presented speeches in one of three categories: a demonstration, an original speech or a memorized work of someone else. In the seventh and eighth grade demonstrations category, Trista Alexander placed first with the speech How to Make a Fighter Jet; Nakira Morgan placed second with Animal Care and Christopher Auchenbach...
SEELEY LAKE – The Fourth of July is known to many as the biggest event in Seeley Lake drawing thousands of visitors who come to enjoy the lakes, the mountains and the annual parade and community-sponsored fireworks display. The Seeley Lake Area Chamber of Commerce looks forward to continuing these traditions again this year. They are looking for a parade manager and other volunteers to help the celebration run smoothly. A little history… The first time the Seeley Lake parade was ever covered was in the first year of the Valley Times. They repor...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley-Swan High School drama class took to the stage May 2 where they presented "12 Angry Men," a play written in three acts by Sherman L. Sergel, adapted from the television show by Reginald Rose. The play was staged in a jury room following the trial of a 19-year-old for allegedly fatally stabbing his father. The 12 jurors were tasked with the decision to acquit or condemn. However the question of guilt quickly turned to reasonable doubt about the young man's guilt as J...
MISSOULA - The 11th annual Missoula Public Library's annual writing contest - known as Missoula Writes - announced their winners April 28. There were 36 finalists - from children and teens, to adults -in the areas of fiction, non-fiction and poetry writing. Among the top writers was Seeley Lake Elementary seventh grader Clara Kyrouac who placed first in the ages 11-14 non-fiction division for her essay "Take Action." In 2014 as a second grader, Clara placed third in the Missoula Writes...
Music Galore VI – A Salute to America, May 14 SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley-Swan Mountain Bells, a local community handbell choir, invites you to enjoy an evening concert of Americana music performed by a variety of local talents Tuesday, May 14 at 7 p.m. in the Seeley-Swan High School Auditorium. The selections include patriotic songs, beloved American folk tunes, Barbershop and Bluegrass. The songs will be performed by local friends and neighbors. You’ll enjoy Bluegrass with banjo and guitar, a Barbershop ensemble, accordion, cello and per...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Sewer District Board learned at their April 24 meeting that Missoula County’s inability to perform the construction engineering for the collection system is adding $759,400 to the project’s estimated cost. The board also discussed agency review of the collection system design, User Agreements, water test results and other business. The District’s former manager, Missoula County Public Works Director Greg Robertson, committed the county to performing the construction engineering in order to cut costs of the project...
SEELEY LAKE – "There is a [National Forest] crisis right now because of increased wildfire and increased diseases and more people moving in to the Wildland Urban Interface," said Daniel Hottle, US Forest Service press officer with the northern region. "[The Forest Service] has not been operating on the scale that we need to." With the 2015 Farm Bill, 2018 Omnibus Bill and the 2018 Executive Order 13855 from President Donald Trump, the Forest Service has expanded authorities to prioritize f...
SEELEY LAKE - On April 24, the students of Seeley-Swan High School presented their pieces of art and performed for community members at the annual Celebration of the Arts. The drama class, school band, creative writing class, choir and juniors who wrote persuasive speeches entertained parents and community members. The students from the art class displayed their artwork across tables, allowing viewers to examine their hard work with decorations. The audience enjoyed a variety of treats...
SEELEY LAKE - Local fire agency experts will be available to conduct free wildfire home risk assessments during the Seeley Lake Community Wildfire Preparedness Day May 4. This is an educational opportunity for homeowners to speak with fire professionals and discuss ways to reduce their wildfire risk. In Montana, May is designated as Wildfire Awareness Month. The Seeley Lake Community Wildfire Preparedness Day will help kick off Wildfire Awareness Month. It is designed to build community...
HELENA — On the final day of the 66th Montana Legislature, lawmakers completed their only state constitutionally mandated task by passing the bill that sets the budget for state agencies. House Bill 2, which spends about $10 billion of state and federal money over the next two years, passed its final vote in House of Representatives 73-25. The bill had moved through the session relatively quickly, passing the House 54-45 for the first time in late March and then passing the Senate 28-21 in early April. The final vote in the House was to a...
MISSOULA – The Missoula County Office of Emergency Management is offering more resources to help surrounding communities become more fire adapted. As the new Wildfire Preparedness Coordinator, Max Rebholz’s goal is to create more fire adapted communities, create a picture for what that looks like to mitigate wildfire risks and be prepared before the fire, during the fire and following the fire. Rebholz said there is a nationwide push to implement the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy. The Fire Strategy is a strategic push to...
SEELEY LAKE – Bonnie Johnson, EMBA, CPA learned accounting from her father as a child and made a career out of it. After retiring to Seeley Lake, she has opened The Johnson Management Group, LLC to provide businesses and individuals the resources to better manage their finances and free them up to do what they love. She believes financial information provides a story that is very powerful and an important component to all other aspects of a business. Johnson was born and raised in California. H...
SEELEY LAKE - Since its founding in 1993, Clearwater Montana Properties has emphasized community-building as a key component of its company culture. Through its Charitable Giving Program, the company's agents give back a portion of all real estate proceeds to the communities in which they were earned. To date, the program has produced over $510,257 in charitable donations to causes throughout Montana, Idaho, Washington and Wyoming. "Being a positive force locally is at the core of what we do,"...
SEELEY LAKE – Nearly 45 firefighters ignited more than 300 acres in the Horseshoe Hills area April 24-25. The objectives of the prescribed burns included reducing fuels and mitigating wildfire risk south of Double Arrow Ranch and west of Big Sky Lake while also improving winter and transitional range for deer and elk. The Horseshoe Hills area used to be owned by Plum Creek. When Plum Creek put it on the market, many thought it would become the next big subdivision in the valley. According to S...
KALISPELL - Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks has published three new annual reports for grizzly bear, black bear and mountain lion management in Region 1 (northwest Montana). The reports, prepared by FWP bear and lion specialists, provide an overview of management work, conflict response and prevention, monitoring, mortalities, public outreach and more in 2018. Tim Manley, a wildlife management specialist with FWP in Region 1, prepared the 2018 Grizzly Bear Management Progress Report for the...
MISSOULA - The Missoula City-County Health Department is currently investigating six case of pertussis (whooping cough) in the Missoula area and has identified more than 300 close contacts who may have been exposed to the disease. Ages for the confirmed cases range from preschool through teenager, with one case requiring hospitalization. Additional suspected cases are pending laboratory results. There is a mix of unvaccinated and vaccinated children among the cases. The health department is...
When the Corps of Discovery returned to St. Louis in September 1806, fur trappers already were on their way to the new country. In North Dakota, after meeting a group of trappers heading upriver, the Corps' John Colter left the expedition and returned to the country he fondly recalled. In 1808, Colter and John Potts were trapping at the three forks when they encountered Blackfeet hunters and warriors. Potts was killed, and Colter was given a chance to escape. The Blackfeet took his clothes and a...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Foundation is creating a community space in the former Deer Country Quilts building, along Highway 83. We're working to make this beautiful log building, in the heart of downtown Seeley Lake, into a hub for community activities and a centralized location for residents and visitors to access important services. Work is underway to remodel the interior, transitioning the building into beautiful workspaces. There will be six comfortable office spaces downstai...
KALISPELL - Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is undergoing a public scoping process to review fishing regulations and identify potential issues with fisheries. FWP fisheries staff is meeting with local and statewide groups, organizations and individual anglers for discussions on a broad range of topics, including season and possession limits and terminal tackle regulations. The public is encouraged to provide input to area biologists and managers during this initial scoping phase, which formally began in April and runs through May 31. Following...
Grizzly bear euthanized after cattle depredations in Helmville Valley HELMVILLE - Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks euthanized a sub-adult male grizzly bear on Tuesday, April 23 in the Helmville Valley in response to its involvement with livestock depredations. USDA Wildlife Services captured the grizzly after it killed a calf on April 20. The bear killed two calves prior to its capture on April 23 and was suspected to be involved in three depredations last year near that same site. Due to the bear’s history of livestock depredations, FWP made t...
SWAN VALLEY – With the help of multiple law enforcement agencies and a Swan Valley resident, two individuals were arrested following an high-speed chase on Highway 83 April 17. No one was injured in the pursuit. At approximately 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Missoula County Sheriff’s Detective Mike Sunderland was dispatched to a report of a burglary on Scenic Drive off Guest Ranch Road in Condon. According to court documents, resident Sharon Gressle pulled into her driveway and noticed a dark colored pickup in her driveway. The man was loading the...
SEELEY LAKE – It has been widely reported that nationwide there is a shortage of volunteer emergency medical technicians (EMT) and firefighters. While Seeley Lake Fire Department does have a paid chief, district administrator and facilities manager, it relies heavily on volunteer responders to cover calls. Social media posts sharing information, raising concerns and asking questions about the Seeley Lake Fire Department response are becoming more common. The Beery family attempted to engage the...
SEELEY LAKE – There have been numerous reports of bear tracks and sightings in the area this spring. Last week Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Bear Biologist James Jonkel received reports of two black bears checking out residences on the Double Arrow, a grizzly checking out a residence at Clearwater Junction and another that got into garbage on Boy Scout Road. Jonkel reminds residents to properly store all attractants to keep the bears from becoming problem bears that need to be removed. J...
SWAN VALLEY – Children and adults gathered with anticipation for the first Condon community Easter Egg Hunt at the Condon Ball Field April 20. Swan Valley residents Edward and Heidi Klassen spearheaded the event with the help of many local businesses and residents. The Klassen family sees a lot of value in offering fun activities for children and members of the community since there isn't a lot to do in Condon. They joined the American Legion Post #63 and helped with many community events, m...
Some watercraft inspection stations are opening across the state for the 2019 boating season, and boaters transporting motorized or non-motorized watercraft are required to stop at stations they pass, as directed by signs. Additionally, western Montana boaters should review specific watercraft inspection requirements and local station information. In west-central Montana, boaters must stop at any station they pass and also seek out an inspection (even if they don’t pass a station) if they are bringing a boat over the Continental Divide into wes...
As Montanans look to enjoy the great outdoors this spring and summer, Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) and local public health officials urge everyone to follow a few simple steps to prevent tick bites and their illnesses: Limit, repel and inspect. On average, state public health officials receive an average of eight tick-borne illness reports every year, including Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Tularemia, Colorado Tick Fever and Tickborne Relapsing Fever. Other repo...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Ranger District is planning to conduct spring prescribed fire projects, when weather, fuel conditions, and air quality become favorable. Smoke will be visible from various places on the District depending on the location of the burn units and weather conditions. Burns could start as early as later this week. 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 and escape as a wildland fire. These...
SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley Community Council heard presentations from Swan Valley resident Donn Ware about possible threats from Smart Electric Meters in the valley and from Missoula County employees about a climate resiliency planning process called Climate Ready Communities: Building Resiliency in Missoula County at their monthly meeting April 16. Ware said that beginning in August 2016, Missoula Electric Coop changed out Swan Valley residents’ meters to level two Smart Meters. Ware claimed these meters are a “huge invasion of our pri...
SEELEY LAKE – The family of Nick Beery addressed the Seeley Lake Fire District board regarding their concerns with the response they received to their home April 6. While the Beery family was grateful for the three volunteers who responded, they asked why the response time, qualifications and training of the volunteers and number of volunteers was so different from when they had called 9-1-1 in the past. Barbara Beery read a letter to the Fire Board at their April 16 meeting during public c...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Fire Board approved increasing the hours for the facilities manager at their April 16 meeting. Fire Chief Dave Lane also promoted training officer Michael Richards to captain. Lane asked the board to increase facility manager Kody Kelley's hours from 25 to 32 hours. This would allow larger projects to be completed and maintain the part-time status, eliminating the need for the Fire District to pay benefits. "I think with a few extra hours I can get him into a better...
Potomac School eighth grader Connor Bush and seventh grader Lauren Nordberg recently competed in the Missoula County Orthography Bee and state Geography Bee. Both received a certificate of participation....
HELENA -- Gov. Steve Bullock has signed into law the Firefighter Protection Act, which requires workers’ compensation insurance to cover presumptive occupational diseases, like cancer, for the state’s firefighters. Senate Bill 160 was carried by Sen. Nate McConnell, D-Missoula, who said at the bill signing that his brother is a firefighter, so the issue is personal. The bill has been a goal for the governor for several sessions. “Every firefighter should know Montana has their back. And it’s about damn time,” Bullock said at a bill signing cere...
SEELEY LAKE – Students in the Seeley-Swan valleys were immersed in Balinese music and culture during the final 2 Valleys Stage informances April 15 and 16. Dorothy Morrison, musical director of Gamelan Manik Harum and music teacher at Lewis and Clark Elementary School, introduced students to the culture of Bali and taught the students the various instruments in the gamelan, a traditional percussion orchestra from the Indonesian islands Java and Bali. Gamelan was first developed between 1...
SEELEY LAKE – In less than 15 minutes all 3,000 eggs that covered the Seeley Lake Elementary fields were collected. Families sat huddled under umbrellas and in the dugouts sorting their candy and looking for one of the 21 numbered tickets for a toy prize. Despite the intermittent rain, the Seeley Lake Lions Club Easter Egg Hunt and Treasure Hunt were a huge success Saturday, April 20. The Seeley-Swan High School Leos Club helped with the set up and the Easter bunny greeted everyone. Thirty y...
SEELEY LAKE - Nine seniors participated in the Easter Bonnet contest at the Seeley Lake Senior Center April 19. Each participant received a basket of goodies....
State Golf volunteers needed SEELEY LAKE – Seeley-Swan High School will be hosting the State Golf meet at the Double Arrow Golf course May 14-15. Athletic Director Shawn Holmes is looking for individuals to help score one or both days. To volunteer, call the Double Arrow Lodge at 677-2777 and leave a message for the Club House with your name and number. Summer fun with Essential Oils, May 1 SEELEY LAKE – Join DoTerra Consultants Mari Bergeson and Marjorie Pelletier May 1 from 6:30-8 p.m. in the Seeley Lake Elementary Multi-purpose Room to lea...
MISSOULA –A Washington couple's trip to Glacier National Park came to a violent end almost three decades ago near Lake Alva. The unsolved homicides of Iva LaRue and Kenneth Cheetham are being revisited by the Missoula County Sheriff's Office in hopes that new technology and a fresh set of eyes can bring closure. At a press conference April 11, Sheriff T.J. McDermott introduced retired federal agents Diana Parker and Susan Lane. The pair has volunteered to investigate unsolved cases under the s... Full story
SEELEY LAKE – With around 20 projects scheduled across the Seeley Lake Ranger District this summer, Acting District Ranger Quinn Carver said he understands everyone wants their forest back after three years of exclusion for fires, timber sales and roadwork. While some of the projects will impact access, the District is working hard to inform the public so they can plan ahead for the disruptions. Big Larch Campground will open for firewood cutting May 3-12. District sawyers will put dead tress on...
SEELEY LAKE – After the last couple walked across the stage for Grand March April 13, the DJ started off the 1950's Diner themed 2019 Seeley-Swan High School prom with the soundtrack from "Grease." Bow ties, suspenders and suit coats were common for the gentleman as they smiled escorting their dates in stunning gowns and lit corsages. The 50's Diner would not have been complete without cheeseburger sliders, mini corn dogs, French fries, popcorn and a sundae bar....
HELENA -- After a lengthy debate, the bill to continue Medicaid Expansion in Montana failed to pass the Senate on a 25-25 vote last week and several attempts to revive it Friday and Saturday also failed, leaving it stalled. House Bill 658 would have continued the program passed in 2015 that provides healthcare coverage to about 96,000 Montanans. The new bill, which would add work requirements forcing eligible enrollees to record 80 hours per month, is carried in the Senate by Republican Sen. Jason Small from Busby. “There’s never a one...
Colby Johnson was celebrating his 30th birthday in Las Vegas when he noticed the neon advertisements for cannabidiol (CBD). The letters were everywhere. The hemp-derived tincture cannabidiol is said to relieve pain, anxiety and other health issues, though science hasn’t yet corroborated such claims. Regardless. “When I see those signs, I think to myself, the best CBD can be grown here in Montana,” said Johnson, who farms north of Conrad. He isn’t alone. A wealth of Treasure State growers believe hemp can supplement thinning profit margins on tr...
HELENA – This past March, Seeley Lake Elementary junior high math and science teacher Patti Bartlett was among four other Montana educators that received the 2019 Teresa Veltkamp Advocacy Award for Excellence in Indian Education for All. She was recognized for her leadership, enthusiasm and scope of influence for the Indian Education for All program. While Barlett was honored by the award, she quickly pointed to others who help her incorporate native American education in her classroom. There ar...
SWAN VALLEY – The Swan Valley Elementary School Board continued their discussion regarding the new school sign. They also reviewed a list of facility maintenance projects and discussed how they could move forward. Trustee Jimmy Boyd presented the board with a different sign design than the four by eight foot sign on a four-foot pedestal that was discussed at the March meeting. He found a design for a 66-inch by 16-inch wooden sign with a three-foot wide stone base on an 18-inch concrete footer that would utilize the LED display. The LED p...
A labyrinth of channels, willow bottoms, islands and a general mix of wetlands interact to piece together the headwaters of the Missouri River. The point where the three forks – the Jefferson, Gallatin and Madison rivers – join as one, the great Missouri River begins an odyssey, heading out as having had the starring role in the creation of a state. As a route of western expansion, the Missouri River had few equals. Missouri Headwaters State Park, at the three forks, documents the river's ill...
HELENA – As part of an effort to encourage more young women to choose careers in technology, the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT), NorthWestern Energy and Carroll College recognized 20 Montana high school women from 12 high schools for their accomplishments and aspirations in computing and technology April 6 at Carroll College. Seeley-Swan High School senior Nicole Williams was among those recognized for the second year in a row. The NCWIT Award for Aspirations in C...
How did the Easter bunny hop his way into a religious holiday? And why does a bunny lay eggs? Well, there's the spring proliferation theory, the ground-nesting bird explanation, the pagan goddess version and the adult joke-on-the-kids story. The spring proliferation theory points to the rebirth of plants and animals in the springtime. Christian religions connect that rebirth to the resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday. The springing up of grasses and flowers, buds bursting on trees, birds layi...
Condon Easter Egg Hunt, April 20 SWAN VALLEY – Everyone is invited to attend the first Easter Egg Hunt in Condon Saturday, April 20 at 9:30 a.m. at the Condon Baseball Field on the north end of the airstrip along Highway 83. Age groups include 0-5, 6-9, 10-14, 15-20 and adults only. Prizes include baskets and brownies for the youth and beer, wine, massage and drink tickets for the adults. Grand prize is $50. Bring your baskets and come find one of the golden tickets! First Friday, Stories of Wildfire in Swan Valley, May 3 SWAN VALLEY - Hear and...
OVANDO – Three thefts in the Ovando area were reported this last week. All thefts are still under investigation. Powell County Sheriff Gavin Roselles said currently there is no indication that the thefts are connected. On Tuesday, April 2 a stolen snowmobile was recovered in the Ovando area. A Lewis and Clark County resident reported the late 1990's blue Skidoo stolen earlier this year. The owner resumed possession of it April 3. Roselles said this is an ongoing case. Anyone with information a...
MISSOULA – Despite having only five choir members and four members in the band, Seeley-Swan High School musicians performed the most solos, duets and ensembles in the past several years at the District Music Festival April 5 and April 6. The band, five soloists, the brass duet and the brass/woodwind ensemble received a Superior rating. All the individuals and groups except the band will perform at the State Music Festival May 3 and May 4 in Helena. The District Music Festival is an o...
SEELEY LAKE – For a second year, Clearwater Resource Council's Clearwater Partners Workshop hosted author, newspaper columnist and Master Gardener Molly Hackett. As she had the previous year, Hackett drew a large crowd to the Seeley Lake Community Hall April 6. She talked for 20 minutes about planting season extenders and then answered questions for another hour and a half on a whole range of gardening questions. Rightly, assuming audience members would be interested in ways to get plants s...
SEELEY LAKE - After a six-year hiatus, Alpine Artisans is reviving one of our most popular events – the unique Loon and Fish Festival. Held once again on Memorial Day weekend May 25 and May 26, the focus of this two-day festival is a group art display featuring the artwork of over 25 local artists of the Seeley, Swan and Blackfoot Valleys. These valleys are home to dozens of exceptional artists and the Loon and Fish Festival is an opportunity to view and buy their work in this fabulous group show. The artwork includes pottery, watercolors, w...
SEELEY LAKE - Applications for local organizations to participate in the 2019 Change Your Pace Challenge are due April 30. The Change Your Pace Challenge is a campaign for community-wide giving, celebrating the people and organizations that make our community great. During this four-week giving period, June 28 - July 26, community members give to their favorite participating local nonprofits, while the Seeley Lake Community Foundation solicits contributions to the Match Fund from generous businesses and individuals, to grow the impact of the...
MISSOULA – Missoula County Public Schools Trustees approved a secondary school levy to appear on the May 7 ballot to support the high school operations budget. This will be a mail-in election with ballots being mailed out April 17. The operations levy is for $118,986 and will cost taxpayers $1.55 on a $200,000 home. Due to the restoration of state funding that was reduced in the 2017 special session, this is a$1.02 increase on a $200,000 home. Schools are required to raise a portion of their budgets through a voter-approved levy. When the n...
Following the March 28 deadline to file for open school trustee positions, the local boards either had the same number of applicants for positions up for reelection or seats went unfilled. Incumbent Cliff Vann was the only applicant for the two, three-year positions on the Potomac School Board. Kendra Fredricks filled the one, two-year term and Laura Russell-Nygard filled the one, three-year term open on the Sunset School board Incumbent Todd McNutt will remain on the Swan Valley School board since he ran unopposed. Finally incumbent Gary...
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is proposing to re-establish self-sustainable sharp-tailed grouse populations west of the Continental Divide. FWP would achieve this objective through reintroductions of sharp-tailed grouse in core areas with the most suitable habitat including the Blackfoot Valley, the northern Bitterroot Valley and the Drummond Area. FWP would capture a total of 75-180 grouse each year for five years across Regions 4, 5, 6 and 7. Capture locations would be dispersed in a way...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley-Swan High School English students are embarking on a new project entitled the Empathy Project. With the help of the University of Montana School of Journalism and guided by the classic “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee, the students will be capturing the stories of community members to share through podcasts and photographs. “To Kill a Mockingbird” was written by Harper Lee and published in 1960. One of the main themes in the book is compassion. In the book Father Atticus Finch spoke to his six-year-old daughter...
OVANDO –Powell County Planning Board hosted two separate open houses in Ovando and Helmville April 1 and April 4 to discuss the zoning requirement for Powell County Zoning District 3. According to Powell County Planner Carl Hamming, the Open Houses were an effort to gather what people liked, disliked and what they saw as a future vision for zoning for Ovando, Helmville and the northern Powell County region. Hamming said within Montana state code, counties are required to have a growth policy. While the growth policy itself doesn’t have any regu...
LINCOLN – A Lincoln man was found dead along the Blackfoot River last Wednesday after failing to return from a fishing trip the day before. A friend of James Savstrom called the Lewis and Clark County Sheriff’s Department Tuesday night, April 2 after seeing Savstrom’s truck parked along Highway 200 near the Powell County line that night, Deputy Robert Rivera told the Blackfoot Valley Dispatch. Rivera, who is based in Lincoln, responded to the report when it came in just before midnight. He searched the river area near Savstrom’s vehicle...
SEELEY LAKE – Representatives from the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation informed state leaseholders about changes to their eligibility to participate in the cabin and home site sales program at a meeting April 4 at the Seeley Lake Community Hall. Recently resolved road easement issues opened the door for leaseholders in three area neighborhoods to participate in the lease site sales program. The neighborhoods, as labeled by the DNRC, include Clearwater River East Shore (Dogtown, accessed via Grizzly Drive), Clearwater River W...
SWAN VALLEY - The Flathead National Forest 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 and escape as a wildland fire. These projects will be in compliance with Montana air...
HELENA – The Seeley Lake Historical Society was among 33 organizations across Montana that received grant funding from the Montana History Foundation. They were awarded a $5,000 grant for the Maloney Cabin Reconstruction Project. Since 2012, the Montana History Foundation (MHF) has awarded annual grants to projects and organizations that work to preserve and protect the historic legacy of Montana. This year, the Foundation reached a new record, giving away the largest amount ever at $134,451 a...
SEELEY LAKE – "The only thing I won't pick up [and clean around] is a dead mouse," said Darlene Muex reeling at the thought of it. Muex is the sole proprietor for Loving Hands cleaning and in-home care service in Seeley Lake. She hopes to work with as many clients as her schedule allows, "and make them happy and provide for any needs they have [except rodent removal]." Muex grew up in Detroit, Mich. Her mother Helen Hester, a professional cleaner for nearly 40 years, took her on cleaning jobs e...
HELENA - Governor Steve Bullock recognized April 8th – 12th as “National Work Zone Awareness Week” in Montana in remembrance of Jeffrey Dyekman, Billings District Project Engineer, who was tragically hit and killed in a work zone on I-90 South in Billings. The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT), Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and public safety organizations statewide are joining forces to urge motorists to take the pledge and “Drive Like You Work Here” to prevent crashes and injuries in construction work zones across Montana....
Sewers and crafters invited to share space, April 16 and April 17 SEELEY LAKE - The Tamarack Quilt Guild welcomes area sewers and crafters, who need working space, to join the group from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 16 and 17 at the Seeley Lake Community Hall. This is a great opportunity to work on their projects, to spread out and meet other sewers, quilters and crafters in the area at no cost. For more information and/or to RSVP, please call Kris Gullikson at 406-241-1209. The RSVP is helpful because sometimes the hosts cook lunch for everyone...
OVANDO – Bob Sheppard is a native Montanan but that doesn't mean he spent all his time in the same Montana town. Born in Conrad, Sheppard spent his early years in the western Hi-Line country – Cutbank, Shelby, Browning – and then high school in Helena. After that he spent a lot of time hunting, trapping and doing some outfitting in the wilderness parts of western Montana where there are no towns. In 1970 the Army broadened his horizons. With a draft lottery number of 60, Sheppard figured a sti...
GREENOUGH - While many are calling fowl, the change is official. The 15-foot rubber duck replaced the age-old steer, affectionately known to the locals as "The Cow" at Clearwater Junction April 1. When Seeley Lake resident Mike Marshall first saw the duck he said it "quacked me up." After pondering a bit more, he decided he liked the rubber duck, "Ducks and rubber, they don't go together but I like contrast." He continued, "Rubber ducks are friendly and they have no political persuasion."...
SEELEY LAKE – Steve Thompson carried five gallon buckets of snow into his home in Dog Town March 18. He and his wife Cheri had the service line to their house freeze ten days earlier and are still without water. The Thompsons aren’t the only ones in Seeley Lake with frozen water lines. Seeley Lake joins the list of other communities including Helena, Red Lodge, Big Timber, Cut Bank, Great Falls and Missoula that are dealing with frozen water lines due to frost. Seeley Lake Water District Manager Vince Chappell estimated they have received rep...
HELENA – Senate Bill 260 was transmitted to Governor Steve Bullock for signature March 26. Sponsored by Senator Sue Malek (D) - SD46, SB 260 it establishes an eight-mile stretch of Highway 83 through Seeley Lake as the Trenton Johnson Memorial Highway. Johnson was a 2016 graduate of Hellgate High School, scholar, member of Hellgate’s four-time state champion lacrosse team, sophomore at Montana State University and first year firefighter with Grayback Forestry. He lost his life July 19, 2017 when he was working with the initial attack crew fig...
SEELEY LAKE - The next Seeley Lake Community Council meeting promises an interesting agenda. Chet Crowser, Pat O’Herren’s successor as head of Missoula County Community and Planning Services (CAPS), will introduce himself and speak about his plans for CAPS. Next, Jean Curtiss, the new Title District Manager of the Seeley Lake Sewer District and former County Commissioner, will give an update on the current status and projected future of the sewer system. Following Curtiss will be Tom Browder, council member and treasurer of the Double Arr...
SWAN VALLEY - 2 Valleys Stage Performing Arts Series will conclude its 2018-19 season with a performance at Swan Valley School featuring Gamelan Manik Harum on Sunday, April 14. It will be a thrilling immersion into another culture, so let's start by defining a few unfamiliar terms. Gamelan is the name for the traditional ensemble music of the Indonesian islands, Java and Bali. The music is predominantly composed of percussion instruments, most commonly metallophones struck by mallets. Hand...
With the weather starting to warm up, south slopes are baring off and outdoor enthusiasts can be found searching for newly dropped antlers. Shed hunting for these treasures is growing in popularity. Montana ungulates include caribou, deer, elk and moose. They are from the family Cervidae because they are even-toed and grow and shed their antlers each year. Antlers are made of bone and grow from the tips. Antelope are also even-toed ungulates but belong to the family Bovidae. They have permanent...
Springtime is here. For a lot of forest landowners it means getting back into the woods on their property for cleanup and upkeep. It also means that forest insects start to show themselves again. Forest insects are found throughout Montana, with some being more of a problem than others depending on conditions. Below are a few facts that may help forest landowners address concerns. Douglas-fir beetles typically infest damaged, sickly or recently broken Douglas-fir trees. With last year's...
KALISPELL - June Ash recently celebrated her 90th birthday at The Heritage Place in Kalispell surrounded by family and friends. Born on March 19, 1929 in San Jose, Calif., June attended schools in California and graduated from UC Berkeley in 1951 with a degree in Social Welfare. June and her husband Rod first came to Montana in 1952 when Rod took a job with the Forest Service as a fire lookout on Big Swede Mountain near Libby. They spent many subsequent summer vacations with their young family...
SEELEY LAKE – "I just have to ask Norm a quick question," said a Rovero's customer on Norm Sindelar's last official day of work. "He always knows the answer." Anyone who frequents Rovero's knows Norm. After 17 years working the floor of the hardware department and in ordering, Sindelar retired at the end of March. While customers will still see him in and out helping with different projects and helping train his replacement Carmen Contreras, he is looking forward to more time to work on u...
First Friday features Northern Lights, April 5 SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Area Chamber of Commerce invites the community to come out for an evening of entertainment on the First Friday, April 5 at The Lodges on Seeley Lake. Enjoy live music by Northern Lights from 6 – 8 p.m. Cocktails and appetizers will be available for purchase from 4 – 9 p.m. Commissioners seek applicants for Cemetery District Board SEELEY LAKE - Missoula County Commissioners are looking to fill a one, three-year term on the county Seeley Lake Cemetery Board. The new thre...
OVANDO - To the surprise of many Ovando residents, Montana's 2018 Community of the Year found itself highlighted in a new commercial promoting tourism in the state. A new 30-second commercial called "Montana: Discover the Moment" features shots of the town and local businesses as a cars pulls into town and stops at the Blackfoot Commercial Company, before a couple heads out to do some exploring on their bikes. Word of the commercial reached Ovando by way of Couer D'alene, where it was spotted...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Sewer District Board discussed a wide range of topics at their March 21 board meeting including hiring a Project Manager, obtaining easements, User Agreements and attorney bills. In other business, representatives from Midwest Assistance Program (MAP) presented on ways they can provide assistance to the District. At last month’s meeting the board expressed concerns about having Great West Engineering (GW) being the only ones overseeing the construction of the collection system. Missoula County was originally goi...
OVANDO – Jon Krutar's story begins and ends in Ovando with a 28-year military career in the middle. Growing up in Ovando, Krutar attended a one-room schoolhouse with a fluctuating attendance of between five and nine students for all eight grades. He went to Powell County High School in Deer Lodge where he was a four-year letterman in football, basketball and track. His athletic abilities earned him a track scholarship to the University of Montana where he was one of the university's top h...
SEELEY LAKE – Tuesday, March 19 the Seeley Lake Elementary drama class treated the community to dessert and the murder mystery "And Then There Was One, A Spoof," that left everyone a suspect and no one guilty. Drama teacher Sharon Teague said she loves watching the magic happen on the day of the performance and seeing the students come together and support one another. The third quarter drama elective is an opportunity for sixth through eighth grade students to learn all aspects of putting on a...
The Social Security Act prohibits suppliers of durable medical equipment from making unsolicited telephone calls to people on Medicare, yet Montana Senior Medicare Patrol has received multiple reports across Montana of scam calls making the rounds. Not only have folks been receiving calls selling durable medical equipment, or DME, but several people have received unordered supplies including back braces. One case alone involves receiving 20 different items from five different companies. People on Medicare should be aware that DME sent by a...
SEELEY LAKE - The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) would like to notify the public and seek comments on a proposal to repair and stabilize a roadside slope on Montana Highway 83 (MT-83) near Lake Alva. The project is located about 10 miles north of the town of Seeley Lake on MT-83 at reference post 24.9. Proposed work includes the construction of a retaining wall behind the existing guardrail, slope flattening below the proposed wall and repair or replacement of drainage features. The purpose of the project is to stabilize the...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Elementary School (SLE) board approved permissive levies for the tuition fund and for the building reserve at their March 19 meeting. The tuition fund is used to offset the cost to educate students if they require one-on-one instruction. It is called a tuition fund because in larger towns the money would be used to pay tuition at another school capable of providing the students the extra education. The school is required by law to provide this instruction. In SLE’s case, the fund can be used to pay for extra sta...
MONTANA – Governor Steve Bullock today announced that he will establish a Grizzly Bear Advisory Council to help initiate a statewide discussion on grizzly bear management, conservation and recovery. The Council will be selected through an application process that ends April 12th. “The recovery of grizzly bears in the Northern Continental Divide and Greater Yellowstone ecosystems is a great conservation success. Still, official federal delisting has yet to come to fruition,” Bullock wrote in a memo to Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Director Mart...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Fire Board discussed pursuing a franchise agreement and voted to increase rates for service at their March 19 meeting. Seeley Lake Fire Chief Dave Lane brought up the franchise agreement to start the discussion of whether it was needed or not for the Seeley Lake Fire District. Currently Missoula Emergency Services Incorporated (MESI) has a franchise agreement with Missoula County to provide county-wide ambulance service. Lane thinks that because the District is a political subdivision within Missoula County with it...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Elementary second graders wowed audience members with their memorized lines and acting ability as they performed "Twelfth Night" by William Shakespeare Wednesday, March 20. Second grade teacher Erin Lynch said it allowed her students to overcome a fear of public speaking and learned how to work as a team. "Twelfth Night" has been one of Lynch's favorite Shakespeare plays because of the cases of mistaken identity and humor. "Once I got to know the kids in this c...
Potomac 3-in-3 Tournament, March 31 POTOMAC – Join the Potomac eighth graders for a half court 3 on 3 tournament March 31 from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. at the Potomac Greenough Community Center. All proceeds will support the eighth grade class for their capstone trip to Texas A&M this year. Each team can have three to four players. Divisions include middle school, high school and adult for males, females and coed. Final division will be based on teams entered. Standard rules apply. The cost is $40 per team. Waivers will need to be signed and turned in a...
In the first article, Louis Woodrow "Louie" Vero of Greenough, Mont. told of his early years riding and roping. With the nickname "cowboy" given to him by his mother at age two, he had a lot to live up to. Vero served in the U.S. Air Force and graduated with a degree in animal science and agriculture from Cal-Poly. He worked for the E Bar L Ranch in Greenough during his summers in college. GREEOUGH - Not only was Vero smitten with Montana, he also fell in love with E Bar L ranch owner Bill...
ALASKA – After crossing under the burled arch in Nome at the end of the 2019 Iditarod sled dog race, musher Jessie Royer dropped her snow hook and worked her way to the front of her 11-dog team loving and thanking her dogs. When asked why, she replied, "I'm here because the dogs got me here. They deserve the credit." Placid Lake area part time resident Royer, 42, and her 14-dog team took third place in the 1,000-mile sled dog race from Anchorage to Nome, Alaska. This success came on the heels o...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Senior Center hosted their annual St. Patrick's Day Dinner March 17. Senior Center President Boyd Gossard said the event went very well and all the proceeds will support the general operating budget for the Senior Center. The Seeley-Swan High School Leos Club helped with the event for the second year. They had six students that helped Saturday night and Sunday during the main event. "They were a tremendous help. I just can't say enough about those kids and all t...
SEELEY LAKE –Seeley Lake residents have been the target of a phone scam with the caller and number posing as DISH network. DISH Network advises customers to not give out their account number, last name, pin number or credit card number over the phone. Instead, hang up, block the number and call DISH directly and report the call to their fraud department. Seeley Lake resident Rick Derry said three different times during the week of March 10 he received fraudulent calls from someone posing as a representative from DISH. His caller ID showed t...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Council hosted short presentations from County Commissioner Josh Slotnick, Seeley Lake Fire Chief Dave Lane, Seeley Lake Ranger District Recreation Staff Officer Matt Walter and Seeley-Swan High School Principal Dr. Kathleen Pecora at the March 11 council meeting. Newly elected Slotnick spoke about what it was like to be a new commissioner and then posed the question: Why doesn’t Seeley Lake incorporate? Slotnick said that as a new commissioner he feels like he has had to learn a dozen different languages...
SEELEY LAKE – Missoula County Sheriff’s Office Crime Prevention Coordinator Rob Scheben introduced himself at the Seeley Lake Community Council meeting, March 11. The crime prevention coordinator is a new position with the Sheriff’s Office. Scheben hopes to share his knowledge and expertise in regards to crime prevention with residents and business owners in Missoula County through small and large group presentations. While Scheben has lived in Montana for 29 years, he grew up on the outskirts of New York City. He remembers hearing peopl...
SWAN VALLEY - On March 5, the Swan Valley American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) were treated to a visit from Swan Valley Elementary School's third through fifth graders. The main purpose of their visit was to share information about their water quality monitoring work. Last fall, with financial assistance from AARP, these students worked with Watershed Education Network and Swan Valley Connections to gather water quality data from a site on Glacier Creek, a project pursued by various...
SEELEY LAKE – When 20th Century-Fox chose Missoula as the location for its January 1952 world premier opening of the motion picture "Red Skies of Montana," it was a momentous occasion for the city. The premier was a whole day event which included a police-guard parade with film stars waving from a Cadillac, planes flying overhead and a 135-guest reception and dinner at the Florence Hotel. Then came the showing followed by an after-program at the Fox Theater featuring a group of smokejumpers i...
SWAN VALLEY – The Swan Valley Elementary School Board continued their discussion about the new school sign at their March 12 board meeting. In other business the board approved a 2.5 percent retroactive raise for the hourly and salary employees as well as a 1.5 percent step increase. Swan Valley resident Sue Cushman started the discussion on the proposed digital sign. After reading the school board article in the Feb. 14 issue of the Pathfinder, she was concerned about the aesthetics of the sign and the cost. “I was scratching my head and [as...
SEELEY LAKE - The weather is warming and it’s time to start being bear aware. Please bring in bird feeders by April 1 and start securing attractants, such as garbage and pet food. If you have chickens or small livestock, an electric fence can be an effective solution at preventing bear conflicts. FWP Region 2 confirmed that a collared grizzly bear emerged from the den on the east side of the Missions, west of Seeley Lake. Clearwater Resource Council is hosting a Pure Montana Tales event March 21 from 7-8:30 p.m. entitled, “Living with Bea...
Be ready for it! Flood prevention in your home and yard is your responsibility. If the snow melts quickly, your home may be at risk of flooding even if it’s never been flooded before. Tips to help reduce your risk of a snowmelt flood in your home (Some tips involve snow shoveling which is heavy work. Consider doing a bit at a time and please use care and caution. Get help if you have health concerns): • Remove snow from around your foundation. Pay particular attention to the areas around window wells. • Most lots drain along the outside edges...
POTOMAC - For the last 24 years Potomac ladies have been getting together and creating quilts. Some of the quilts are donated to hospice, raffles, families in need, Potomac Bingo night, the Greenough/Potomac Volunteer Fire Department for people displaced by fire and to veterans. In 1995 Barb Sheehy was part of the Potomac Home Extension Group, now called the Blackfoot Home and Community Club. Sheehy, who has a quilting background offered to give some quilting lessons. The group took quilting...
There are a lot of young people with new ideas, enthusiasm and passion without the financial means to change their dreams into reality. The Hunter Watson Memorial Fund is now offering grants to help support these young innovators and their projects. Founded in memory of Hunter Brooks Watson, a college sophomore who died as a passenger in a distracted driving accident, the Memorial Fund offers grants from $500 to $5,000 to provide individuals between the ages of 16 and 25 with the financial means to take their ideas and dreams to the next step....
Community musicians wanted SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley-Swan High School band invites community members to join the high school band for their concert May 21 at 7 p.m. in the SSHS auditorium. For more information contact Music Director Sandy Abbott at SSHS, 677-2224. Seeley Lake Ranger District roads update SEELEY LAKE – While salvage logging still continues on the Seeley Lake Ranger District, many of the projects have been completed. There are only two snowmobile trail closures still in effect: • Rice Ridge Road (Forest Service Road 720) from...
HELENA--A prolific alien organism is closing in on Montana’s ecosystem and could have dire consequences for food production, outdoor recreation and the economy if it crosses the state’s borders. Aquatic invasive species have widely infected the Midwest and are continuing to spread. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks and state lawmakers are racing to protect the state from all invasive species but aquatic species like quagga and zebra mussels in particular. Proposals include allowing counties to implement new taxes, creating a new fee for boat owner...
GREENOUGH – With the nickname "cowboy" coined by his mother at age two, Louis Woodrow "Louie" Vero of Greenough had a lot to live up to. Throughout his childhood, Vero learned to rope and ride. His love affair with horses continued when he worked at the E Bar L Ranch in Greenough, Mont. while attending college at Cal-Poly. After a short stint in Idaho and Oregon, he returned to Montana and has spent most of his adult life fostering the western lifestyle and traditions. Vero was inducted into t...
SWAN VALLEY - The Condon Community Church sponsored an appreciation meal on March 9 for the Swan Valley Emergency Service volunteers. According to Pastor Bruce Rippy they "make life easier for us in the Swan Valley." "We are very thankful for the wonderful folks who protect and care for us in this valley," wrote Food Event Committee Member Patricia Busby in an email, "Too often we take that for granted - thus the dinner." Nearly 70 Emergency Service volunteers, their families and Condon Communit...
SEELEY LAKE – Proud parents, friends and siblings, some carrying flowers, entered the Seeley Lake Elementary gym Friday, March 8. The flowers were in anticipation of congratulating a favorite budding actor or actress on his or her acting debut. With the help of scripts, props, costumes and lots of guidance and direction from Chance Carter and Staci Weider from Missoula Children's Theater, SLE students presented a stage adaptation of Frances Hodson Burnett's childhood classic, "The Secret G...
The students I teach at the University of Montana often show up with a powerful assumption: If there is some piece of information out there, Google can find it. It's an understandable belief for 19-year-olds who have grown up in a world where ubiquitous connection to the Internet and easy access to vast reams of webpages is expected. But for all those Wikipedia pages and Wayback Machines, there are countless documents that you, as a Montanan, have a constitutional right to see and you won't...
SEELEY LAKE - Numerous Seeley Lake residents, as well as residents in the neighboring towns, have experienced frozen water lines this winter. The Seeley Lake Water District is asking residents to be aware of the temperature of your water and take any necessary precautions. Even if you have never experienced a frozen line in the past, but especially if you have, or if someone in your neighborhood has a frozen service line, the best prevention is to trickle your water. February had extended periods of subzero temperatures causing the frost to...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Foundation is pleased to announce its 2019 small grant awards, helping six local organizations fund important community projects. The Seeley Lake Community Foundation (SLCF) board of directors awards annual grants through a competitive application and review process, with the aim of supporting projects with broad community benefits. This small grant program supports local projects in the areas of: art and culture, community and economic development, basic human needs, education and natural resources and...
SWAN VALLEY - Love to spend time on lakes? Interested in water quality? The Northwest Montana Lakes Volunteer Monitoring Network (NWMTLVMN) is looking for people who are interested in lakes to become volunteer monitors. There are currently 41 lakes in the program and many are in need of a volunteer including: • Big Therriault Lake, Lincoln County • Dollar Lake, Flathead County • Fish Lake, Flathead County • Foys Lake, Flathead County • Holland Lake, Missoula County • Skyles Lake, Flathead County • Smith Lake, Flathead County • Spencer Lake, F...
SEELEY LAKE – On the evening of March 9 a crowd of more than 40 people packed into the Grizzly Claw Trading Company for Alpine Artisans' Open Book Club hosting of author Jeremy Smith. The presentation, Smith's third for OBC, featured his latest book, "Breaking and Entering: The Extraordinary Story of a Hacker Called Alien." Smith's book traces "white-hat" (i.e., good) hacker Alien from her MIT college days to her present position as CEO of a 30-person "penetration testing agency" hired by b...
While it was technically transmittal break, the legislature was still chugging along. Members of Appropriations met and held hearings on all of the sections of the state budget (HB2). The Legislature gets updates on the state’s revenue estimate every month. We organize the schedule for the state budget so that as it reaches each step of the process, we get another revenue update and gain a clearer picture of what the revenue is going to look like as we put the budget together. It’s easier to build a budget up than it is to cut a budget dow...
HELENA — The transmittal deadline for general bills has passed, meaning most legislation that remains is one step closer to becoming law. It also means work is piling up for lawmakers at the Montana Capitol. They will hear more than 150 bills in committees over the next six days. Medicaid expansion, “real meat,” warrants for wildlife wardens, invasive species, and cell phone tower radiation are among the hot topics for Week 10 of the 2019 Montana Legislative Session. All committee hearings are open to the public, and anyone can comment in fa...
HELENA – Montana’s spring/summer burning season began March 1. Montana Department of Environmental Quality reminds Montanans that only clean, untreated wood and plant material can be burned. Materials prohibited from open burning include: • Food waste • Plastic • Wood that has been coated, painted, stained or treated • Dead animals or animal droppings • Rubber materials • Chemicals • Asphalt shingles and tar paper • Pathogenic or hazardous wastes • Standing or demolished structures containing prohibited materials listed in Administrative Rules...
Movie Night at the Barn, March 15 SEELEY LAKE - The 1950’s classic film “Red Skies of Montana” will be shown in the Seeley Lake Historical Museum and Visitor Center Friday evening, March 15 starting at 7 p.m. Everyone is welcome to the free event. The movie was made in Montana, based on events of the famous Mann Gulch Fire that occurred in 1949 where 13 firefighters perished. Movie props along the Wagon Mountain Road near Lolo Hot Springs southwest of Missoula were visible for many years. Norman Maclean visited the site as a younger man and w...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Sewer District Board was informed at their Feb. 27 meeting that Missoula County will most likely not be able to fulfill construction engineering as promised by the former District manager. In other business the board discussed required easements and voted to create a committee to write an annexation policy but would deny annexation requests until the system is running. In order to cut costs for the District, past District Manager and Missoula County Public Works Director Greg Robertson committed the county to d...
SEELEY LAKE – On Feb. 28, Judge Gregory Pinski sentenced Seeley Lake resident Justin Cahoon, 22, to 20 years with 15 years suspended after he plead guilty to sexual intercourse without consent with a 14-year-old child on or about Sept. 13, 2017. On Sept. 14, 2017 Missoula County Sheriff’s Deputy Sergeant Robert Parcell received a report from a female in Seeley Lake. The female said she viewed a video of sexual nature on Snapchat including 20-year-old Cahoon and a 14-year-old girl. When Parcell questioned Cahoon, he denied the allegations and...
SWAN VALLEY - On March 1, Leon Kauffman took members of the Swan Valley community on a journey through his camera lens. At the Swan Valley Community Hall, Kauffman presented a wide variety of his photography. He talked about the origins of his hobby, as well as where he would like to take it. Kauffman's photography started early in his life. At a young age, he realized he didn't particularly enjoy being the focus of attention in a picture. Instead, he liked being the one capturing the moment.... Full story
SEELEY LAKE - Missoula County Public schools announced Kellen Palmer, current Instructional Coach at Douglas High School in Douglas, Wyo., will fill the principal position at Seeley-Swan starting with the 2019-20 school year. Palmer was among three candidates that were interviewed the last week of February and was the only one that was not current MCPS faculty. Palmer grew up in Fairfield, Mont. He served as the Assistant Coach of the University of Montana-Western men’s basketball team in 2009-2010 in Dillon, Mont. After moving to Wyoming, he w...
SEELEY LAKE – Sub-zero temperatures didn't keep locals from coming out for the Seeley Lake Area Chamber of Commerce's First Friday event at The Lodges on Seeley Lake, March 1. Missoula's Good Old Fashioned played to a crowd of more than 50 people who enjoyed drinks and various appetizers served by the featured business, The Lodges. The Lodges finished the new lodge last summer and opened it to host conferences and other events. Starting Presidents' Day weekend, they opened the lodge to the p...
SEELEY LAKE - Monday, March 4 the Seeley Lake Ranger District reported a low of -34. This is the lowest temperature recorded for March at the Ranger District since they started keeping records in 1967. Local schools ran two hours late. By 3 p.m. spring seemed a little closer with temperatures reaching the mid-20s....
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley-Swan Search and Rescue responded to two calls for “lost” snowmobilers this past weekend. Both were found before they had to spend the night in the sub-zero temperatures. Missoula County Sheriff’s Deputy Sergeant Bob Parcell said both were separated from their group, so when they got stuck, they were unable to get themselves out. On Friday, March 1 around 3 p.m. a snowmobiler from Spokane, Wash. called 9-1-1 reporting he was lost. He had been snowmobiling with a large group in the north fork of the Placid Creek area and got...
SEELEY LAKE - The next Seeley Lake Community Council meeting March 11 will have a full agenda again. It will start with Josh Slotnick, who was newly elected to the County Board of Commissioners last year. Slotnick will talk about his experience in his first two months in office, how he sees the future of the BCC and his role in it. Next will be Dr. Kathleen Pecora, the retiring principal of the Seeley-Swan High School. Dr. Pecora will give a retrospective of her nine years running the school and talk about the achievements and challenges of...
Jump out of your La-Z-Boy® and into your jet propelled roller blades for this amazing biography of a late 20th century naughty girl, flying on her wits and outstanding skill, to top corporate woman, completely at home in the walls of extra-normality, in her well deserved 21st century space in downtown IT land. From beginning to end of this biographic thriller, "Breaking and Entering: The Extraordinary Story of a Hacker Called "Alien", the pages turn like stadium turnstiles for the super bowl...
SEELEY LAKE – If Joe bought a fancy new computer, he might boast to Cindy, "It has all the bells and whistles." Nevertheless, if Cindy were to take apart his computer, she would find neither a bell nor a whistle among the pieces of hardware. So how did this phrase, meaning fancy additions beyond those essential to the use of the item itself, come into being? No one knows for sure, but that does not keep anyone from speculating. One theory connects the phrase with trains, especially steam l...
HELENA — The 66th Montana Legislature is at its halfway mark and that means that any general bills that did not make it through their first house before the transmittal deadline are effectively killed. About sixty bills have passed both houses and have reached the governor’s desk. Gov. Steve Bullock said one of the most impactful laws he’s signed is House Bill 159, which will add about $77 million in funding for K-12 education. “I’m glad that the education committee got that to me early on,” Bullock said. Speaker of the House Greg Hertz, R-Po...
MISSOULA – Carolyn Upton has been named Forest Supervisor for the Lolo National Forest and is expected to begin work in Missoula at the end of March. Upton is currently the deputy Forest Supervisor on the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest and Thunder Basin National Grasslands in Colorado. “I am very excited to announce Carolyn Upton as the new Forest Supervisor for the Lolo National Forest,” said Regional Forester Leanne Marten. “Carolyn has a wealth of experience and a strong passion for working collaboratively with community members...
HELENA - AARP is now accepting applications for the 2019 Community Challenge grant program to fund “quick-action” projects that spark change in local communities. The grant program, which is now in its third year, is part of AARP’s nationwide Livable Communities initiative, which aims to make communities great places to live for everyone. The Community Challenge is open to 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4) and 501(c)(6) nonprofits and government entities. Other types of organizations will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Grants can range from sever...
MISSOULA - Missoula County Community and Planning Services is now accepting nominations for the annual Land Stewardship Award. The award recognizes landowners and residents who are taking stewardship of land and water seriously and embarking on projects and practices that make a difference for land, water, forests, wildlife and communities. Community members and organizations are invited to nominate landowners and residents who are restoring, protecting or enhancing land and natural resources to ensure natural systems are maintained and...
Community invited to join MCPS superintendent search SEELEY LAKE - Missoula County Public Schools Superintendent Mark Thane is also retiring at the end of the school year. MCPS Board of Trustees with the support of Ray and Associates, Inc. is conducting a search for the new superintendent. The consultant group is gathering critical information for the selection of the new leader for MCPS. The community is invited to share their thoughts, ideas and opinions about what they want in the next MCPS superintendent during a Parent and Community Focus...
HELENA - The Senate Highways and Transportation Committee unanimously passed Senate Bill 260 at their Feb. 21 hearing. If signed into law, the bill would establish the Trenton Johnson Memorial Highway on Highway 83 between mile marker 14, just south of Seeley Lake, north to Lake Inez at mile marker 22, signage will mark the section of Highway 83 and state highway maps must be updated to include the name Trenton Johnson Memorial Highway. “My goal was to honor our amazing firefighters, particularly Trenton Johnson who risked and lost his life a...
POTOMAC - The partnership between the Greenough/Potomac Volunteer Fire Department (GPVFD) and the Potomac Valley 4-H Club was a continued success Feb. 23 at the annual Pancakes and Permits event in Potomac at the Potomac Greenough Community Center. The focus of the community event was for residents to prepare for burning season by obtaining their burn permits and maintaining their fire extinguishers while enjoying a hot breakfast and fellowship with neighbors. The GPVFD and the Montana Departmen...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake Elementary seventh and eighth graders are reaching out to help students on the Blackfeet Reservation. Thanks to the students' efforts, SLE junior high science and math teacher Patti Bartlett Gladstone will be bringing 400 pounds of pinto and black beans to Browning to support the growing need due to the 33-day government furlough. Last November the eighth graders brought items to school for a bake sale. The seventh graders followed with another bake sale in December. T...
SEELEY LAKE – With the sun peaking out and temperatures reaching the low 20s, more than 550 runners were eager to get on the course Saturday morning, Feb. 23. Under new management, the annual Snow Joke Half Marathon started with the traditional shotgun blast at 11 a.m. at Seeley Lake Elementary. The runners, hailing from across Montana and 13 other states, were off on the 13.1 mile snow-packed course around Seeley Lake for the 40th year in a row. First place female finisher Nicole Murray, 48 o...
HELENA – Montana State Parks is seeking public comment on proposed Recreational Trails Program (RTP) grant awards for the current grant cycle which closed Jan. 31. Public comment on the proposed RTP grant awards is open through Saturday, March 9 at 5 p.m. Seeley Lake Driftriders, Seeley Lake ROCKS and Swan Valley Connections were among the 76 organizations that applied this cycle. RTP is a federally funded program administered by Montana State Parks. It provides funding for trail and trail related projects across the state. Eligible projects i...
SEELEY LAKE - Please join us to listen to John Fraley, historian and storyteller of infamous characters who shaped the history of wild country in the forks of the Flathead River. He will be sharing some of these colorful and true tales at Alpine Artisan's Open Book Club Saturday, March 2, at 7 p.m. at The Grizzly Claw Trading Company. Seeley-Swan High School sophomore Cory Wilkey will be reading her poetry before the speaker. The event is free and everyone is welcome. Fraley has done exhaustive...
The snow is flying and the Seeley Lake Community Foundation is hard at work on our biggest new project, creating a community space in the former Deer Country Quilts building, along Highway 83. We're working to make this beautiful log building, in the heart of downtown Seeley Lake, into a hub for community activities and a centralized location for residents and visitors to access important services. SLCF exists to support local nonprofit organizations, and connect and grow resources for the...
We are coming up on transmittal week. Any general bill that has not had a hearing, passed through a committee and whichever chamber it originated in by the end of this week will be dead. Committees will be in overdrive and every House Floor Session will have 20 or so bills on it. Things will be moving fast and we should see some interesting bills being put in at the last minute. We also announced our new plan for infrastructure this week and the first bill of the new plan had its hearing in House Appropriations. The new program places a strict...
House Endorses Legislation To Prohibit Local Gun Ordinances The Montana House of Representatives last week passed a bill that would prohibit local governments from implementing gun ordinances. About 50 volunteers for the Moms Demand Action group gathered in the Montana Capitol Monday to lobby against the bill, House Bill 325. The national Moms Demand Action group aims to fight for stricter gun laws and was formed after the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School. Head of the Montana chapter Kiely Lammers of Billings said the bill is a...
SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Lake Ranger District of the Flathead National Forest is requesting public scoping comments on the Van Lake Project in the Swan Valley. Comments received by March 15 are the most helpful in project development. The proposed project seeks to improve the existing dispersed camping and recreation area adjacent to Van Lake. The popularity of dispersed recreation around Van Lake has increased, leading to increased effects to the surrounding area including soil compaction, vegetation damage, riparian degradation and associated...
SWAN VALLEY – Winter is typically a quiet time of year, but come February, the phone at Swan Valley Connections (SVC) starts ringing. "Yes, the date is still April 15," I hear Leanna Grubaugh say down the hall. Leanna may be our longtime Office Manager but everyone in earshot knows she's not talking about tax day. She's talking about another kind of deadline, determined by the time when Douglas-fir beetles take flight. Douglas-fir beetles, along with the mountain pine beetles, are creatures w...
Help set the stage for the 2019-2020 2 Valleys Stage season SEELEY LAKE - It’s already time to start making plans for next season’s 2 Valleys Stage performances! Everyone in the community is invited to participate and provide input on which performers will be invited for the 2019-2020 season. Join 2VS Friday, March 1, 4 p.m. at The Hub in the Bison & Bear Mall in downtown Seeley Lake. They will listen to CDs and/or watch videos of prospective guest artists and discuss their suitability as performers for the community and for area schools. First...
SEELEY LAKE – Just before 5 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 13 a semi truck loaded with milled lumber lost control and took out 350 feet of guardrail along the north end of Salmon Lake. The vehicle rolled, scattering lumber down the hill. No other vehicles were involved and the driver was transported to Missoula with minor injuries. According to Montana Highway Patrol Trooper Billy Muñoz, the truck driver from Utah was traveling south from Columbia Falls, Mont. headed to Idaho. Around mile marker 8 on Hi...
Part I of "Answering the call" discussed how Parcell's early career in the Marine Corps was interwoven with his law enforcement career with the Missoula County Sheriff's Office. After two years in Hawaii, Parcell was again deactivated and in 2003 he moved his family back to Condon while he resumed his civilian law enforcement career as Deputy Sheriff in the Seeley Lake and Swan Valleys. However, in just under a year he was once again activated, this time in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom....
SEELEY LAKE – Despite several plungers unable to take a dip due to illness, 17 hardy folks made a splash in Seeley Lake at Tamaracks Resort for the second annual Chamber Chill Plunge Feb. 16. Proceeds from the event benefited the Veterans & Families of Seeley Lake and Seeley Lake Area Chamber of Commerce. This year the event added a stage for plungers, decorated the plunge area and tents with an American theme and used propane heaters to heat the warm-up tents. "This allowed for a warmer, m...
SEELEY LAKE - The Snow Joke Half Marathon celebrates its 40th anniversary this year under new ownership. Run Wild Missoula and the Missoulian are teaming up to produce the event where hundreds of runners take a lap around Seeley Lake Feb. 23. “It’s an iconic event, in Montana and certainly in western Montana,” said Tony Banovich, executive director of Run Wild Missoula. “We wanted to make sure it continues … as a successful event, so we’re happy to come and provide our operational know-how.” Formed in 2006, Run Wild Missoula has received wide...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Council hosted presentations on a local wildfire smoke study, wildfire preparedness and the Seeley Lake Water District at their Feb. 11 meeting. In other business, Acting Seeley Lake District Ranger Quinn Carver introduced himself to those in attendance. The Council is still waiting for a reply from the Montana Department of Transportation about their request for lit speed signs. University of Montana researcher Chris Migliaccio presented data from the wildfire smoke study that looked into the impacts on...
SEELEY LAKE – Twenty-five people, most on snowshoes, showed up at the River Point Campground to learn about Seeley Lake's "West Side Story." The Feb. 16 excursion was sponsored by the Seeley Lake Historical Society and led by long-time resident Ron Cox. Cox's first story referred to the snowmobile races that used to take place on Seeley Lake. Cox said one year Bruce Copenhaver drove a bulldozer onto the ice to scrape a course for the race. According to Cox, "[the bulldozer] went into the d...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Hospital District approved purchasing Directors and Officer insurance and discussed the children’s area in the lobby at their Feb. 12 meeting. During public comment, they discussed the resolution they passed at their January meeting that denied the request to change the covenants that would allow the proposed RV Park development in the Deer Creek Subdivision. District Clerk Marty Kux presented the board with information regarding Directors and Officers insurance. D&O insurance is designed to protect the board membe...
SEELEY LAKE – The annual snow sculpture tradition in Seeley Lake was kept alive by two entries from ReMarkable Floral and Stageline Pizza. Both entries secured a first place with ReMarkable Floral winning the business category and $100 and Stageline Pizza winning the snowman category and $25. The Seeley Lake Area Chamber of Commerce and Alpine Artisans, Inc. sponsored this year's contest. Due to the lack of snow in January, the Chamber postponed the event until Feb. 17. Even though the snow e...
Public invited to meet SSHS Principal candidates, join MCPS superintendent search SEELEY LAKE – The community is invited to meet the three Seeley-Swan High School principal candidates and offer their feedback Thursday, Feb. 21 from 8:15 – 9 a.m. at SSHS. Dr. Kathleen Pecora, SSHS principal, will be retiring in June. The three candidates include Wendy Hansmann from Missoula County Public Schools, Kellen Palmer from Douglas, Wyo. and current SSHS Science teacher Tonya Smith. Missoula County Public Schools Superintendent Mark Thane is also retirin...
As Montana lawmakers consider overhauling the state’s DUI laws, the Montana Highway Patrol wants to dispel myths about blood alcohol levels. Last week, the Highway Patrol hosted a demonstration for lawmakers to show just how much alcohol it actually takes to be beyond legal limits. The event included four volunteers from Highway Patrol who drank a substantial amount within two hours, and then were given a field sobriety test, including a walk-and-turn test. It proved to be tricky for some. Participant Terie Moseman says she volunteered b...
SEELEY LAKE – With temperatures below zero and wind chills estimated at -47 degrees, it was a frigid start to the 34th annual Race to the Sky in Lincoln, Mont. where the 300-mile and the 100-mile races started Saturday, Feb. 9. However, the cold did not seem to bother the dogs and there was a warmth in the community of mushers, volunteers and veterinarians who came together not only to see whose team was the best on the course but also to honor and remember one of the original race organizers J...
SEELEY LAKE – Though residents in the Seeley Lake and Swan Valley area know Robert "Bob" Parcell as the local Deputy Sheriff, woven through his award-filled law enforcement career is an equally distinguished and impressive military career. Backed by a Forestry Degree from Northern Arizona University, smokejumper certification and several summers of firefighting, in 1974 Parcell enrolled in U.S. Marine Corps Officer Candidate School. He said he had brothers in each of the other services and t...
SEELEY LAKE – Former Missoula County Commissioner Jean Curtiss was hired at a Feb. 6 special meeting by the Seeley Lake Sewer District Board to be an interim district manager. The county had been providing Missoula County Public Works Director Greg Robertson as district manager through an interlocal agreement since 2011. Robertson left the county for a new job in January and the commissioners didn’t believe that anyone else on staff could fill in behind Robertson. At the last board meeting, the District received a letter from Missoula County st...
SWAN VALLEY - This past week hosted viciously cold temperatures which hovered at zero or below but that didn't stop the Swan Valley School Parent Teacher Association from hosting an ice skating party at the recently established ice rink in the Condon arena. On Feb. 10, local skaters of all ages enjoyed chili and hot cocoa and were able to participate in a game of hockey. Most skaters were students from the Swan Valley Elementary School, but experienced skaters such as school board member Jimmy...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Historical Society will be presenting a “West Side Story” walk in the snow Saturday, Feb. 16. The trek will begin at the River Point Campground beach, 3600 Boy Scout Road, about 2.6 miles from Highway 83, at 1 p.m. Friendly dogs are welcome on the two mile walk. Everyone is welcome to the free event. The walk n’ talk will include discussion about the historic development and notable people of the west side of Seeley Lake. A packed snow trail will traverse from River Point beach, to Camp Paxson, to Seeley Lake Ca...
SEELEY LAKE – As luck would have it, the audience was in for a treat Sunday afternoon, Feb. 10 as Donnie MacDonald and James Keigher of Men of Worth took the stage as part of this year's 2 Valleys Stage concert series. Their Scottish and Irish wit and musical talent kept feet tapping, hands clapping and laughter abundant throughout the afternoon. MacDonald and Keigher chose their name "Men of Worth" after a song written by singer/song writer Archie Fisher. Fisher has been at the forefront of S...
SWAN VALLEY – Alpine Artisans, Inc Board Members Sue Cushman and Gene Schade presented a $300 check to Swan Valley Elementary School to allow teachers to purchase art supplies. The money was donated as part of the Giving Tree started by local artist Kris Gullikson this past December. Gullikson hopes to make the Giving Tree an annual event. "I know some of the teachers buy supplies out of their own pockets," said Gullikson. "I feel it's very important to put supplies in the hands of the kids f...
Bill Would Use Coal Money for Affordable Housing Projects The Montana House of Representatives has passed a bill that would use money from the coal severance tax trust fund to pay for low- and moderate-income housing projects. House Bill 16, carried by Rep. Dave Fern, D-Whitefish, passed the House on a 71-29 vote and will now move on to the Senate. The bill would allow a loan to be taken from the coal trust fund’s investment pool to fund the development of housing originally financed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development a...
SWAN VALLEY – The Swan Valley School Board looked at more affordable prices for the proposed reader board on Highway 83 and discussed different options for bringing the current salary schedule up to date at their Feb. 6 meeting. The school board has been discussing the potential for a reader board to be located on Highway 83 for the past several months. Mercer said the idea came about as a way to promote school pride, one of the elements in the strategic plan for this year. “Part of our goal in the strategic plan is for the school to rea...
SWAN VALLEY - Eighth grader Trista Alexander won the Swan Valley School Spelling bee this past week after spelling the work "paramedic." This was the second year in a row Alexander has won the spelling bee. She will compete in the Missoula County Spelling Bee Thursday, Feb. 21 at Big Sky High School starting at 3:30 p.m....
Meet and Greet new Seeley Lake Ranger District staff, Feb. 15 SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake community is invited to meet the new Acting District Ranger Quinn Carver and new recreation staff Matthew Walter Friday, Feb. 15 from 5 – 7 p.m. in the multi-purpose room at Seeley Lake Elementary School. Carver hopes this will be an opportunity to introduce himself and Walter to individuals in the community and have an informal venue to get to know each other. Coffee and cookies will be served. Free Movie Night at MBF, Feb. 17 SEELEY LAKE – Join Missi...
SEELEY LAKE – Nearly 65 racers combined the aerobic rigors of cross-country skiing with the steady hands and sharp eyes of marksmanship at the Seeley Lake Biathlon Feb. 2 at the Seeley Lake Nordic Trails. Race organizer Dave Batchelder was pleased with the event and looks forward to making it an attraction for Seeley Lake next year. The Seeley Lake Challenge Biathlon started in Seeley Lake in 2008. The Seeley Lake Area Chamber of Commerce sponsored the event with support from the Montana N...
SEELEY LAKE – When professional painter T.J. Sorkness saw the photos of the graffiti on the exterior of the Seeley Lake Ranger District online, he volunteered to remove it. "I just wanted to do what was right," said Sorkness who owns Professional Paint & Finish LLC in Kalispell and has been a painting professionally for the last 12 years. "I wanted to donate my time to compensate for the trouble that was caused. [The District] shouldn't have to pay for something that was going to cost money t...
POTOMAC - The eighth-grade class at Potomac Elementary spent Saturday, Feb. 19 dodging balls and raising money for their upcoming class trip to Galveston, Texas. The class held the Dodgeball Tournament at the Potomac Greenough Community Center where teams squared off against each other in best of three game matches. The final teams standing were the Fire Fighters (Greenough Potomac Volunteer Fire Department) and the Eighth Graders. The Eighth Graders took the first game of the championship...
SEELEY LAKE – When Lindsey and Scott Eggeman learned that their first child had a congenital heart defect, they were terrified about what the future would bring for their son Angus. However after getting a second opinion and finding support from other families, they found comfort and reassurance. Now Angus is an active, six-year-old and they are reaching out to other families in need of the support. At 22 weeks pregnant, the Eggemans met with a pediatric cardiologist in Missoula after seeing t...
SEELEY LAKE – What better way to shake off the winter blahs than with a plunge into Seeley Lake. Join the Seeley Lake Area Chamber of Commerce Saturday, Feb. 16 for the second annual Chamber Chill and Plunge at the Tamaracks Resort at 1 p.m. The Chamber's Executive Director Lisa Hayhurst guarantees that this will be a "lifetime event that you'll never forget." The Hayhurst family came up with the idea for the plunge last year. Twenty-three hardy souls braved the cold in the first annual S...
The next meeting of the Seeley Lake Community Council promises a full agenda. The first half of the meeting will be devoted to wildfire smoke and its consequences. Christopher T. Migliaccio, Research Assistant Professor at UM, has been studying the health effects of smoke on a group in Seeley Lake following the Rice Ridge fire of 2017. His team collected data in the fall of 2017 and then twice in 2018 for follow-up assessments. They studied local residents for lung function, blood pressure, heart rate, behavioral/depression and respiratory...
The Race to the Sky will celebrate its 34th year starting Feb. 8. The 300 and 100 mile racers are lining up to see how their teams stack up with the rest of the dog mushers at the start of the race Saturday, Feb. 9 at High Country Snack Foods near Lincoln. This year’s Race to the Sky is dedicated to Jack Beckstrom for his lifetime commitment to the sport of mushing and bringing distance mushing to Montana. He was an original organizer of the race in 1986 and has been part of every single race until his death last year. He competed in the 500 a...
HELENA - Housing costs have risen across Montana in recent decades, to the point where residents are feeling the pinch between wages and their rent or mortgage payments, say economists with the Montana Bureau of Business and Economic Research. The unanswered question is: why? "Housing the people is one of the most basic services, one of the most basic things we can expect our economy to provide," BBER Director Patrick Barkey told a crowd in Helena in a Jan. 29 presentation delivered as part of...
SEELEY LAKE – Despite a delayed start due to the furlough, Seeley Lake District Acting Ranger Quinn Carver started his four-month assignment Jan. 28. During his detail, Carver's emphasis for the District is health and safety first, internal and external relationships and keeping the lights on and business moving forward. This includes proposing three fuels projects within the wildland urban interface near Kozy Korner and West Side Bypass and around the Liberty fire. Carver secured his first p...
POTOMAC - Potomac School hosted their annual geography bee Jan. 23 and spelling bees Jan. 28 and 30. The bees have been part of Potomac School tradition for more than 15 years. The geography bee is for fourth through eighth graders and is organized and administered by teacher Damian Gaglia. The fourth through eighth grade teachers hold classroom geography bees to determine who will compete in the school geography bee. Goals surrounding the geography bee are hopes that students will be motivated...
After years of talks, designs, permits and coordination, the Seeley Lake Community Foundation is excited to help bring a new "Welcome to Seeley Lake" sign to town! The sign will be installed this spring at 'the Barn' at the southern end of the community. Over the past several years, there have been several efforts to enhance our downtown area. The Seeley Lake Community Council decreased the speed limit through town, SLCF spearheaded a beautification and branding effort adorning lampposts with...
KALISPELL – After four years of collaborative effort and public input, the Flathead National Forest has released a Record of Decision (ROD) for the Forest’s Land Management Plan (Forest Plan) and associated final environmental impact statement (FEIS). A separate ROD was signed and released for the amendments to the Helena, Lewis and Clark, Kootenai and Lolo National Forests’ land management plans that incorporate the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem grizzly bear habitat management direction as forest plan direction (NCDE amend...
Swan Valley Community Ice Skating Party, Feb. 10 SWAN VALLEY – Join the Swan Valley Parent Teacher Association for a Community Skating Party Sunday, Feb. 10 from 1-3 p.m. at the Condon Arena skating rink. Chili, snacks and hot drinks will be provided by the 21st Century Community Learning Center. All ages are welcome. A limited number of skates will be available to use. FWP Seeking Tips on Vandalism at Beavertail Pond Access Site Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) is seeking information on a vandalism at Beavertail Pond Fishing Access Site,...
Firefighter Protection Act Would Offer Workers’ Comp Coverage for Cancer, PTSD Firefighters with conditions like cancer, heart disease and post-traumatic stress disorder could have their treatment covered by worker’s compensation insurance under a new bill in the Montana Legislature. President of the Montana Fire Chiefs’ Association Rich Cowger said during a public hearing on the bill Tuesday that firefighters face many hazards and should be covered for illnesses that might come with the job. “‘Workers’ comp’ is designed to fight against catas...
SEATTLE, WASH. – After their daughter Addy was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor called Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG) in June 2017, Addy's parents Jen and Treay Trevino of Seeley Lake agreed to donate cells from Addy's initial tumor biopsy. Addy's cells were the first treatment naïve, cells that have not been altered by radiation or chemotherapy, to grow in the lab at the Fred Hutchinson Research Center in Seattle, Wash. Now Addy's cells are being used to study immunotherapy tr...
SEELEY LAKE – After winner of the OSCR 50K Orion Berryman crossed the finish line and caught his breath Saturday, Jan. 26, a conversation with race organizer Lynn Carey ensued about the difficulty of the two 25K loop course. Both agreed that the elevation change of 5,000 feet in the two-loop courses versus the 3,400 foot change in the one-loop course and the technical skiing required met the challenge racers have come to expect over the last 37 years of the OSCR. "The only thing constant a...
HELENA – Among the winners of the Montana Wilderness Association 2018 Picture Wild Montana photo contest was second place winner Seeley Lake photographer Carol Fowler. Photography is an artistic outlet for Fowler. She has routinely entered photo contests since getting her first DSLR camera less than 12 years ago. "I love to enter contests because for me, contests set artistic goals and deadlines," wrote Fowler in an email. "They also help to expand my expertise in that I study winning entries t...
SEELEY LAKE – With temperatures in the sun reaching close to 50 degrees, children and adults quickly shed the extra layers as they took to the ice on skates or enjoyed sledding around the Lions Club Pond at the annual Lions Club ice skating party Sunday, Jan. 27. With nearly 70 in attendance, there was never a dull moment with impromptu skate races and sledding fun. When attendees needed to refuel, hot dogs, chili and cookies hit the spot. To add to the fun, Lion and park manager Bobby Maddox t...
SEELEY LAKE – Saturday, Feb. 2 the Seeley Lake Nordic Ski Club in partnership with the Wilderness Sportsman’s Club will be hosting the Seeley Lake Biathlon at the Seeley Creek Ski Trails. This is the only “Citizens Biathlon” in Montana – no prior biathlon experience is required. Race Director Dave Batchelder said the Nordic Club acquired the shooting targets from the past organizers last summer and the club is excited to host the event. Next year the club will have more targets and “hopes to establish Seeley Lake as a destination biathlon ev...
SEELEY LAKE – Trail closures continue on the Seeley Lake Ranger District to assist with the salvage logging operations on the Rice Ridge and Liberty Fires. Travelers on all of these routes should be mindful of truck traffic and use caution. Questions or for the most up-to-date information please contact the District, 677-2233. • East side of Rice/Richmond Ridge Loop (FS road 4353): Closure from 12 a.m. Monday to Friday at 12 p.m. for snowmobiles. The road is plowed to the junction with the Pyramid Pass Road from the Cottonwood Lakes Road. Thi...
SEELEY LAKE – For the second year in a row, three Seeley-Swan High School choir students were chosen for the University of Montana All-Star Honor Choir. Seniors Lane Mackie-Wendel and Olivia Reinitz along with junior Jordan Johnson agreed that they learned a lot, had a lot of fun and the experience helped them grow musically. SSHS Choir Director Shauna Anders said she nominated the three students because "they sing so well and they are pretty much leaders in the choir." They were chosen to p...
POTOMAC - Terri Klein, the first grade teacher at Potomac School, was awarded the Gold Star Award for December 2018. KECI has sponsored the award for 27 years. It recognizes excellence in education. Klein said she has never wanted to be anything but a first grade teacher. She grew up and went to school in Drummond. Her first grade teacher was Julie Enman. Klein stayed in touch with her through the years. "It was so fun to be able to visit her and talk education." Klein's high school teacher...
SEELEY LAKE – Alpine Artisans' 2 Valleys Stage is bringing Men of Worth back to the Seeley Lake community for the first time since 2013. They will perform a community concert on Feb. 10 at the Seeley-Swan High School auditorium. The folk-music duo, Men of Worth, was formed in 1986 by Irishman James Keigher and Scotsman Donnie Macdonald. It was through the Celtic music scene in Southern California that James and Donnie first met and formed a musical partnership. Geographical changes now find J...
It is that time of the year when many motorists wonder if they need to let their vehicle “warm up” or idle before driving. In fact, today’s modern cars are ready to drive in cold temperatures without excessive idling. Unless trying to defrost the windshield or warm the interior of the car, idling longer than 30 seconds is unnecessary, even on the coldest days. The idea of idling before driving dates back to when cars were built with carburetors. With new fuel-injection technology, complex computer systems and thinner synthetic oils, drive...
SEELEY LAKE – Seven years ago when Carrie Darrah took a pottery class, "I fell in love with it. One class and I was hooked." She opened Obsession Pottery five years ago and opened her studio in Seeley Lake this past November. Through offering classes and selling her work, Darrah hopes to share her love of pottery and help others enjoy it as much as she does. When Darrah's daughter started college she needed to find something to do. She talked to a local potter in Helena and asked if he taught c...
Swan Valley AARP Meeting, Feb. 5 SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley AARP will meet Tuesday, Feb. 5 at 12 p.m. at the Swan Valley Community Hall. A potluck lunch hosted by Nathalie Caulliez and John Addis will begin at 12:30 p.m. At 1:30 p.m., there will be a brief business meeting after which Nathalie will talk about their trip hiking in Bavaria and biking along the Danube. The public is invited. Fire History presentation at Community Potluck, Feb. 6 SWAN VALLEY - Swan Valley Connections’ February Community Potluck Dinner will be held Wednesday, Feb...
SEELEY LAKE – Representatives from Great West Engineering (GW) gave the Seeley Lake Sewer District Board a new timeline for having the project ready to bid at their Jan. 17 board meeting. The new schedule pushes the ready-to-bid date from early this winter to late summer. At the meeting, GW blamed the delay in their work on former District Manager Greg Robertson and Director Beth Hutchinson however, there are also several tasks required of the District that have not been completed. Some of the tasks the District must complete before going to b...
SEELEY LAKE - During the government partial shutdown, the Seeley Lake Ranger District was vandalized. Vandal(s) used white spray paint to deface the front of the Ranger District Office and the Stop sign on Highway 83. The incident was reported on Monday, Jan. 14. Federal Officer Tyler Robinson said it didn't appear that anything else was damaged. Law enforcement is continuing to work through the investigation. Once the furlough ends and District employees return to work, the District will...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Driftriders snowmobile club hosted a sold out banquet Saturday night that many called "the best Snow Ball ever." The weekend wrapped up with the 49-mile annual Fun Run on Sunday. The bumper fundraising weekend will help pay off the second groomer and support the grooming operation for area trails. While tickets to the Snow Ball Banquet are typically available at the door, this year it was sold out by Friday night. Attendees enjoyed a prime rib dinner served by l...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake Fire Department and Seeley-Swan Search and Rescue responded to a call early Saturday afternoon about a 58-year-old woman who was injured riding the trail to the Lake Elsina Warming Hut. After volunteers transported her part of the way out in the rescue toboggan behind a snowmobile, Lifeflight was able to land and flew her to Missoula where she was treated for head and chest injuries. According to Missoula County Sheriff's Office Sergeant Robert Parcell, the woman f...
SEELEY LAKE – Early Saturday morning Jan. 19, a pickup ran into the side of a home at the end of C Street off of Boy Scout Road. Montana Highway Patrol Trooper Nick Navarro said the incident is still under investigation. As of Monday, no citations had been issued. No injuries were reported from the accident. According to Navarro, the driver said the incident occurred around 1 a.m. Saturday. It was reported just before 8 a.m. that same morning. The driver attempted to make a right hand turn i...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Council hosted a forum to discuss the building code program in Missoula County Jan. 14 in hopes of learning about the county inspection program and identifying places it could be made better. The panelists included former Missoula County Commissioner Jean Curtiss, Jamie Erbacher with Missoula County Community & Planning Services (CAPS), Shannon Therriault with Missoula County Environmental Health, Missoula County Public Works Building Official Steve Hutchings, realtor Scott Kennedy, local builder Mark...
SEELEY LAKE & SWAN VALLEY – The art supplies Giving Tree started by local artist Kris Gullikson raised $1,246 to purchase art supplies at Seeley Lake Elementary and Swan Valley Elementary Schools. Gullikson thought the event was so successful, she hopes to make it an annual opportunity to support the schools. For the month of December, the community had the opportunity to donate towards a wish list of supplies that Gullikson compiled from SLE teachers. Instead of organizing the purchases e...
POTOMAC - Dinkelman, a 16-year-old gelding quarter horse, got lost around Thanksgiving during hunting season on the north side of Potomac. Local snowmobiler and hunter Jeff Hahn found him on Jan. 11 after more than six weeks in the woods. Lifelong Potomac resident Chad Thurston owns Dinkelman. He has hunted the Potomac area for 15 years, using his horses for riding and packing. Thurston has used Dinkelman for the last three years. When Thurston hunts, he sometimes has horses at his camp. That...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake Fire Chief Dave Lane informed the Seeley Lake Fire District Board about new membership incentives including identification cards and gym memberships at their Jan. 15 meeting. He also updated board members on his involvement with proposed legislation that would make Montana a part of the federal Heart and Lung Bill and the progress the Department has taken towards fulfilling their requirements should the legislation pass during the 2019 session. Lane reported to the board that they currently have 22 active members. T...
HELENA – The Montana State Historical Society invited all museums in the state to come to the Capital Rotunda Jan. 16 to meet and greet with legislators and their staff. The Seeley Lake Historical Society was among 20 other organizations that participated The purpose of the event was to showcase the range of museums and other historical organizations in the state and how they contribute to the Montana tourist experience and in turn the economy. The Seeley Lake Historical Society was the only g...
Taxes, Rainy Day Fund On Tap for Budget Talks While budget projections appear more secure than they were in the 2017 legislative session, long-standing rifts, particularly concerning taxes, still make the state’s two-year budget a hot topic this session. Unlike the previous session, the Legislative Fiscal Division and the Governor’s Office have fairly close revenue estimates -- about $10 billion over two years. Gov. Steve Bullock called a special session two years ago when a historic fire season and inaccurate revenue projections led to dee...
MISSOULA – County commissioners voted to not extend the interlocal agreement between Missoula County and the Seeley Lake Sewer District at their Jan. 17 administrative meeting. The agreement expired last November and the District had requested an extension in December. The interlocal agreement has provided county resources to the District since 2011 including a District Manager, a $110,000 loan, storage space and an office among other things. Only the terms of the loan will continue as laid out in the agreement. In a letter to the District, t...
SEELEY LAKE - Members of the community gathered in the Filling Station parking lot Friday, Jan. 18 for the 22nd annual Christmas tree bonfire. Thanks to the fresh snow, the snow mountain proved to be great entertainment for the children while the adults enjoyed hanging out by the fire under the nearly full moon....
SEELEY LAKE - On Jan. 17, students from Seeley-Swan High School Creative Writing Class performed a public reading of their literary works at the Grizzly Claw Trading Co. Ten students, in all grades, participated in the event. SSHS Creative Writing Teacher Lori Messenger organized the event. Messenger has been teaching the Creative Writing class for five years. She has held public readings for the class at the end of the first semester every year in different locations including Missoula. This wa...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Elementary School board approved setting up a tuition fund at their Jan. 15 meeting. They also accepted junior high teacher Duane Schlabach’s resignation effective Feb. 22 after he accepted a position with the Office of Public Instruction (OPI) as their Chief Data Analyst. SLE Superintendent Chris Stout explained the tuition fund allows a school to pay another school, with the facilities or staffing, to educate the student if they require instruction beyond which OPI and the state law considers within the sco...
SEELEY LAKE – The eight annual Skiesta race was in question due to lack of snow until Monday, Jan. 14. However, with more than six inches of new snow to work with, the trails were in great shape for the race Saturday, Jan. 19. The race drew more than 60 skiers from the local area as well as teams from Whitefish, Mont. and Sandpoint, Idaho. Many families participated with ages ranging from four-years-old to 60. Racers reported having a great time enjoying the beautiful trails, fast snow and good...
Movie Night at the Fire Hall, Jan. 26 SEELEY LAKE – Everyone is welcome to come to the Seeley Lake Fire Station Saturday, Jan. 26 for a big adventure with small feet. This month’s showing on the big screen is “Small Foot” following a spaghetti dinner starting at 5:30 p.m. In the movie “Small Foot,” Migo is a friendly Yeti whose world gets turned upside down when he discovers something that he didn’t know existed -- a human. He soon faces banishment from his snowy home when the rest of the villagers refuse to believe his fantastic tale. Hoping t...
HELENA, Mont. – Seeley Lake was among 26 Montana towns that received grants from the Department of Commerce to help them attract visitors to their communities. Funds totaling $829,644 will be awarded through the Tourism Grant Program at the Department of Commerce, Office of Tourism and Business Development. In 2017, visitors from out of state added $3.4 billion to Montana’s economy. While the University of Montana Tourism and Recreation Research reported that the number of 2018 visitors decreased by two percent, spending was up on average per...
SEELEY LAKE – The Loesch family was sad to read the Christmas wish list for children at the Watson Children's Shelter in Missoula. "They weren't asking for toys," said mother Jean Loesch. "They were asking for simple things that we take for granted." The family decided they wanted to help. They raised $750 and will be delivering diapers, wipes, pull-ups, diaper rash cream, fruit snacks and goldfish next week to the shelter. Jean and Gordon Loesch became foster parents in 2013. Since then, they h...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley-Swan Search and Rescue took their training down to Salmon Lake for the earliest cold water training they have ever had Jan. 12. While they have yet to use the annual training during an incident, the volunteers agree that it is a good refresher. Missoula County Sheriff's Office Sergeant Bob Parcell said SSSAR has around 10 volunteers certified in cold water rescue. This is the earliest they have ever held the training since it is the earliest they have ever had access to the...
SWAN VALLEY – "I just want to say I am not a hero," Swan Valley resident Marc White stated in an interview to discuss his military service, which included participation in Desert Storm. "I'm just a guy who did my job. That's it. I'm not anything special." Three military coins which carry the words "excellence" and "outstanding performance" would seem to contradict White's statement. White, whose father served in Vietnam, grandfather in World War II and great-grandfather in World War I, said e...
SEELEY LAKE – With the salvage logging activity on the Rice Ridge fire scar on the east side of Highway 83, the two main snowmobile trails from the Seeley Creek trailhead, Seeley - Monture and West Morrell – Rice Ridge Loop are plowed. Even though the roads are being plowed for logging operations, they remain closed to public travel using wheeled vehicles. Closures to snowmobiles were also implemented Thursday, Jan. 10 restricting snowmobile use on Cottonwood Lake Road, Blind Canyon loop, and ne...
SEELEY LAKE - Bozeman author Allen Morris Jones will read from his book "A Bloom of Bones" Saturday, Jan. 19 at 7 p.m. at the Grizzly Claw Trading Co. His visit launches the 2019 Open Book Club series which is sponsored by Alpine Artisans. The Open Book Club is free and everyone is welcome. "A Bloom of Bones" is a murder mystery set in eastern Montana's windswept Garfield County. The story's focus is Eli Singer, a solitary rancher and poet. The discovery on his ranch of the long-buried corpse...
POTOMAC - A double elimination Dodgeball Tournament will be held at the Potomac/Greenough Community Center Feb. 2 starting at 10 a.m. This event is a fundraiser to help the Potomac eighth grade class go to Texas for their annual eighth grade trip, now called the Capstone Trip. A team of parents, teachers and community members are working together to make the trip a reality. There are 10 eighth graders going to Texas A&M University. One goal is for the students to learn about marine biology....
SEELEY LAKE – Despite the salvage logging activities on the Seeley-Monture and West Morrell trails and significantly less snow than last year, the Seeley Lake Driftriders have been out keeping the trails groomed and ready for recreationists. Driftriders Groomer Chair Bruce Friede said they are focusing their efforts on the high use areas on the west side of Highway 83. They are actively grooming Deer Creek and Lake Elsina Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays and the Lake Marshall Loop and Mount H...
SEELEY LAKE – From Duke Ellington and Miles Davis to original arrangements, University of Montana Jazz combos "Boyd A" and "Boyd B" dazzled the audience with their improvisation Sunday, Jan. 13 as part of the 2 Valleys Stage 2018-2019 concert series. The small groups are just a couple of examples of how much the jazz program at UM has grown since the combos' namesake Lance Boyd started it in 1970. Boyd started as the UM Professor of Trombone & Director of Jazz Studies in 1968. He said when he s...
HELENA – Radon is a colorless, odorless, tasteless radioactive gas that comes from the natural breakdown of uranium, a natural element in rocks, soil and water. Radon can enter and accumulate in your home, posing a hazard to your health by damaging your lungs. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer behind smoking and secondhand smoke. Testing for radon and acting to reduce radon levels in your home could save your life and the lives of your family. There are many radon testing d...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley-Swan High School rises to the top in the recent report released by the Montana Office of Public Instruction. Of the four Missoula County Public High Schools, SSHS’s graduation rate for 2017-2018 was the highest and 10 percent higher than the Montana average. The Montana Office of Public Instruction’s Growth and Enhancement of Montana Students data reporting system provides access to multiple years of data and interactive reports on student achievement, graduation rates...
Handbell Choir asks for table and pad return SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley-Swan Mountain Bells handbell choir had a table, a table pad and a bell go missing last spring from the Seeley Lake Elementary music room. The choir was very grateful to whomever returned the bell, however, they are still hoping the table and table pad will be returned. Choir director Joann Wallenburn said, “We are growing and we need to add a table and pad to our set-up. It would be so very wonderful if we didn’t have to buy another table and pad to replace those that went...
MISSOULA – County Commissioners took up discussion of the interlocal agreement between Missoula County and the Seeley Lake Sewer District at their Jan. 3 administrative meeting. The commissioners expressed concerns about the county’s ability to continue parts of the agreement with the departure of the county’s Chief Public Works Officer Greg Robertson. The Sewer District board voted in November to request the agreement that expired in mid November be extended while details of a new agreement could be worked out. The departure of Rober...
SEELEY LAKE – As the partial government shutdown runs into its third week, local salvage operations on the Liberty and Rice Ridge fires continue as well as green timber sales on U.S. Forest Service throughout Region 1. While current operations continue, Pyramid Mountain Lumber, Inc. and the Federal Forest Resource Coalition expressed concerns about the long-term impact of the shutdown on future projects should it continue. Pyramid was awarded the Liberty fire salvage sale and three of the four salvage sales on the Rice Ridge Fire. P...
SEELEY LAKE – With players saying this was the best ice in the last nine years, the USA Hockey sanctioned Seeley Lake Pond Hockey Tournament happened without a hitch this past weekend Jan. 4-6. Although the number of teams was around 10 teams less than usual, the tournament still drew players from across the country and Canada. One of the tournament founders and owner of Lindey's Prime Steak House Mike Lindemer started maintaining the ice on Seeley Lake in mid- December. He put 140 hours on h...
Team YMV from Helena was back to defend their two-year title in the most competitive league, called Cup this year. After being undefeated in the pool play, the Brown Stars from Portland, Ore. proved to be a challenge in the championship game. At the half, Team YMV was down by one point. Following a two-minute overtime, Team YMV came out with the win 27-25. Last year's B League was split creating the Competitive and Intermediate Leagues. First year team, the Mighty Merkins from Spokane swept the...
Snow sculpture deadline extended until Feb. 9 A Seeley Lake Winterfest tradition throughout January is snow sculptures. However, due to the current lack of snow, the Seeley Lake Area Chamber of Commerce extended the snow sculpture competition into February. Forms will be available at Grizzly Claw Trading Company starting Feb. 5 and the deadline to register is Feb. 9. Take a photo of the completed sculpture and leave it with the sculpture in a plastic bag. Sculpture maps will be available at area businesses starting Feb. 15. Sculptures will be...
Residents throughout Missoula County will enjoy much needed upgrades and maintenance to parks, playgrounds and trails – and even a new open-air skating rink – thanks to nearly $39,000 in matching grants awarded by the Parks and Trails Advisory Board. The Seeley Lake Regional Outdoor Center for Kinetic Sports (ROCKS) used $10,000 in matching grant funds to put the finishing touches on a new open-air ice rink located at the elementary school’s athletic fields. The rink enjoyed its grand opening last Saturday, Dec. 29 with more than 200 peopl...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Council will hold a forum on the building code and permitting process next Monday, Jan. 14 at the Seeley Lake Community Hall. Klaus von Stutterheim, Council Chair, explained, “over the years we have heard many comments from constituents on this topic. We thought it would be helpful to bring together the officials who issue permits, other experts who are affected by the process and the community. We expect a large audience with plenty of questions and suggestions, so that county officials can hear where t...
SEELEY LAKE – St. Patrick Hospital now has a CuddleCot™ thanks to Seeley Lake residents Kendra and Jurian Coombes. They have raised more than $6,000 to purchase CuddleCots for both St. Patrick Hospital and Community Medical Center maternity wards in memory of their daughter Huntley. While the Coombes were unsure of their next steps, an unexpected invite from Mended Hearts Missoula to participate in their annual heart bash in February has given them a boost towards their ultimate goal of starting...
MISSOULA - Missoula County and the City of Missoula recently distributed their annual online Community Needs Assessment Survey. The purpose of the survey was to examine community perceptions of municipal and county needs pertaining to housing, infrastructure, public facilities, public services and economic development. The results of the survey will help inform funding priorities related to U.S. Housing and Urban Development Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) grants. The survey was open from...
Montana is home to more than 60 one-room schools, the most of any state. One, the single-room Hi-Line elementary school in Galata, relies on Shelby's police department for protection – but Shelby is 23 miles away. That's why Rep. Casey Knudsen, R-Malta, said he plans to support legislation this session that would allow school officials to carry concealed firearms. "I really see it as a benefit for our rural schools to have some kind of protection for students," Knudsen said. "That way they w...
MISSOULA – At the University of Montana, six of the 2,520 students that made the fall semester 2018 Dean’s List or President’s 4.0 List were from Potomac and Seeley Lake. To qualify, students must be undergraduates, earn a semester GPA of 3.5 or higher and receive grades of A or B in at least nine credits. Students who receive any grade of C+ or below or no credit (NC/NCR) in a course are not eligible. Double asterisks after a name indicate the student earned a 4.0 GPA. A single asterisk indicates a GPA greater than 3.5 but less than 4.0....
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley-Swan Search & Rescue volunteers and local experts rescued a lost snowmobiler Sunday, Dec. 30. After he spent the night in the Lake Marshall drainage, the 32-year-old Billings man was reunited with his group nearly 24 hours after he was separated. A group of around eight riders were riding the Little Africa area on Saturday. One of the members of the group, that Incident Commander and Missoula County Sheriff's Sergeant Bob Parcell said was not as experienced of a rider as o...
HELENA – A complaint accusing House District 92 candidate Mike Hopkins of campaign ethics and finance reporting violations has been dismissed by Montana’s Commissioner of Political Practices Jeffrey Mangan. The complaint filed by Lee Bridges’ Campaign Manager Bridget Johnson stems from an ad placed by Mike Davis of Turah Mont. in the Pathfinder Nov. 1 attacking Bridges. Hopkins was accused of conspiring with Davis to place the ad, failing to provide Bridges’ campaign with the content of the ad as required by the Clean Campaign Act and failing...
SEELEY LAKE –Children and adults gathered Dec. 29 for the official opening of Seeley Lake ROCKS' new ice skating rink at the Seeley Lake Elementary School field. The Seeley Lake Lions Club supported the event with tables full of cookies and other treats, coffee, hot chocolate, a warming fire and a warm welcome for everyone. They also had a table of donated skates for use for free. Like many of the younger children, six-year-old Virginia Arroyo found her first attempt at skating unsettling and sh...
SEELEY LAKE – The four rinks on Seeley Lake in front of Lindey's Prime Steak House are ready to welcome 34 teams for this year's Seeley Lake Pond Hockey tournament, Jan. 4-6. The community is invited down to the lake to enjoy the tournament. With the cold temperatures and very little snow, Tournament Organizer Megan Lindemer said the ice looks great this year. "We just hope it stays that way," said Lindemer. This year Lindemer said they split the B Division in two – Competitive and Intermediate....
SEELEY LAKE – The phone rang and on the other end was 16-year-old Swan Valley resident Ashly Alexander. She said she had a story that she really needed to get published to help warn other people her age about the dangers of the Internet. Typically all students work with a Junior Journal coach but because she wanted it published that week, I agreed to work with her. By that evening I had the story which required very few edits. Her willingness to call, self-motivation and drive to produce a s...
SEELEY LAKE – Alpine Artisans' 2 Valleys Stage Performing Arts Series will be ringing in the new year with The University of Montana's Jazz Ensemble! They will present a community concert at Seeley-Swan High School auditorium on Sunday, Jan. 13 at 3 p.m. The University of Montana has an outstanding jazz program, which includes three Jazz Bands and smaller Jazz combos. Students are selected through an audition process. This particular UM Jazz Ensemble is broken down into two smaller ensembles, B...
SEELEY LAKE - "From the moment we finally met [musher Jessie Royer] through our first two days of sledding with her, it was everything and then some - from the quality of her equipment, to the quality of the instruction, to her professionalism" said Colburn McClelland when speaking about his family's tours with Royer and the J Team. "More importantly than all that, is her character and true love and passion for what she does with this sport." Royer moved to Shining Shirt Road near Placid Lake th...
MISSOULA - The Missoula Area Land Use Map and Land Use Element is available for public and agency comment. It is proposed as an amendment to the Missoula County Growth Policy following three rounds of public outreach and a year of gathering feedback from local neighborhoods and stakeholders. A draft of the proposed land use map and land use element is available online at: www.MissoulaAreaMapping.com. This amendment includes recent population projections, 15 new land use designations, implementation strategies and an updated land use map for...
SEELEY LAKE – Stageline Pizza, "your pizza delivery people," is now open for business in Seeley Lake across from Seeley Lake Elementary School. Branch owners Patrick and Cheryl Sheridan look forward to supplying a consistently superior product that tastes the same every time. They also hope it brings more businesses into town by sparking interest in franchise businesses. The Sheridans are from Wisconsin. Patrick worked as a stainless steel welder in food and dairy plants for years and then b...
POTOMAC - Potomac School is offering a preschool program this year. Jodi Hausmann teaches the Potomac Early Learning Program in the Potomac School Library and History Center. The preschool program is part of Potomac School and funded by the Montana Comprehensive Literacy Project Grant. Potomac School was one of 21 Montana schools awarded the grant. There have been preschool and nursery programs throughout the years in Potomac including Little Lambs Preschool, Bear Creek Daycare and other...
Swan Valley AARP meeting, Jan. 8 SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley AARP will meet Tuesday, Jan. 8 at 12 p.m. at the Swan Valley Community Hall. A potluck lunch hosted by Mike Childs and Diann Ericson will begin at 12:30 p.m. At 1:30 p.m., there will be a brief business meeting after which Mike will read from “Teacher of the Year,” the book he is working on. The public is invited. FWP Seeks Input on Proposed Mountain Lion Management Strategy Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) is seeking public review through Jan. 15 of a draft Montana Mou...
SEELEY LAKE – At their Dec. 20 meeting, the Seeley Lake Sewer District Board continued discussing the expired interlocal agreement it has with Missoula County and it was revealed that the current District Manager provided through that agreement will be leaving. The board also received a request from developers of a proposed RV Park for engineering data in order to make a proposal to include the Park in Phase 1 of the collection system. In other business the board discussed User Agreements, District by-laws and received word that the district i...
MISSOULA – Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Game Warden Bill Koppen received FWP's Officer of the Year award at the Missoula County Exchange Club's 46th Annual Officer of the Year Banquet. Koppen was among nine other officers from other city, county, state and federal agencies in Missoula County who received the award. Banquet Committee chair Larry Anderson said the purpose of the banquet is to honor area law enforcement officers. It has also become a major fundraiser for the Exchange Club a...
SEELEY LAKE - Lights adorning Highway 83 and last minute visits from Santa Claus made Christmas in Seeley Lake merry and bright....
KALISPELL — Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is hosting four upcoming public meetings to discuss deer populations and potential future management strategies for hunting seasons in northwest Montana. FWP Region 1 staff are hoping to engage the public in an open discussion about the future direction for deer hunting after back-to-back harsh winters impacted fawn recruitment and a low hunter harvest this fall. The meetings are not formal public hearings and will feature informational presentations on historical and current white-tailed and mule d...
OVANDO & SEELEY LAKE – Margaret Bauer said her family likes to make gingersnaps. She said, “We like the smell; it fills the house. Everybody likes to eat them for snacks and we give them as gifts.” Shawna Jarrell said her grandma’s punch always makes Christmas Day special. It’s a concoction of Hawaiian punch, Kool-Aid, 7-Up and orange juice. For Ovando’s Fly family, Christmas dinner is always surf and turf – some kind of seafood and steak. For Sharon Jacobs it’s apple pie that makes the Christmas meal special. She added proudly, “I mak...
SWAN VALLEY - Dozens of volunteers gathered Dec. 22 to help install the new Swan Valley Community Ice Skating Rink in the arena north of the Swan Valley Community Hall on Highway 83. The Swan Valley Emergency Services Volunteer Fire Department flooded the 60 x 100 foot rink, a joint project spearheaded by the Swan Valley Community Foundation and Swan Valley Elementary School Parent Teacher Association. Foundation member Ken Donovan said nearly enough money has been raised to cover the...
SEELEY LAKE – With Christmas music filling the air and lights flashing on the fire trucks, the Seeley Lake Fire Department volunteers and auxiliary members took to the streets of Seeley Lake the evening of Dec. 22 delivering gifts to the 19 girls and boys that were listed on their Angel Tree. Additionally, the annual Giving Tree, organized by the women of Mountain Lakes Presbyterian Church, blessed 55 children. This year some of the givers were recipients when they were children. This was the f...
SEELEY LAKE – With no music teacher or program this fall at Seeley Lake Elementary, the junior high drama class promised a Christmas play before the winter break. However, thanks to the staff, parents and students, the SLE Christmas Play expanded to a school-wide performance on Dec. 20 beginning with the junior high play, "Lights...Camera...Action" followed by the rest of the students singing. In the play "Lights...Camera...Action" by Sally Carpenter, Director J.D. (Cadence Mauldin) had no p...
The carol "O Holy Night" is a favorite at Christmas time, especially when sung by someone who can, as Huffington Post puts it, "raise the rafters on the '-vine' of 'Oh night di-.'" The song itself has a controversial history of highs and lows, ecclesiastical machinations, popular support and even, as the story goes, the ability to stop a war. The song originated in 1847 in the small French town of Roquemaure when a priest asked town poet Placide Cappeau to create a poem for Christmas. Cappeau ag...
GREENOUGH – It's been several years since Sunset School had enough students to host their own Holiday play. This year with 10 students from kindergarten through sixth grade, supervising teacher Toni Hatten said she was excited to bring back the tradition with "What Could Go Wrong the Night Before Christmas?" by Kim Kao Hines. For the past several years, Sunset School joined Ovando School for their holiday production. However this year, Hatten said Sunset "brought it home to Greenough." P...
OVANDO – Parents, relatives, visitors and a number of younger siblings dressed in holiday attire packed the Ovando School gym to see the student production of "The Rented Christmas" Dec. 20. The play's story revolves around rich, but lonely, bachelor John Dale (Aiden McNally) who decides he wants the kind of warm family Christmas his business partner has each year. So Dale goes to the rental store and orders a very specific Christmas, one that includes a decorated house and tree, a full Christma...
SALMON PRAIRIE - The three Salmon Prairie Elementary School students, two eighth graders and one in kindergarten, produced and starred in their version of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol." They entitled their play "Scrooge" which was performed Dec. 20 for family and friends. Their teacher Holl Hubbard said that the three Salmon Prairie students wrote their own script after reading the original story. Hubbard said this gives them more of an idea what the whole story is about instead of just...
On the list of ideas for tackling the twin challenges that plague Montana workers - scarce rural jobs and low wages even in cities - telework is close to the top. As better internet access connects even far-flung rural communities with the rest of the world, it seems to promise Montanans a way to have their cake and eat it too: a fulfilling career at a city wage without having to leave the Last Best Place. The notion has been embraced by business leaders and officeholders across the state, most...
SEELEY LAKE – Retired Seeley-Swan High School music teacher Bob Green used the phrase “an awkward situation” to express the condition SSHS found itself in at the beginning of the school year. A small group of students wanted to enroll in choral singing. An even smaller group wanted to enroll in band, but the school had no instructor available to teach either one. The possibility of the traditional winter concert taking place was not even a consideration. Yet on Dec. 18, an audience filled the a...
POTOMAC - The 2018 Potomac School Holiday Program Dec. 19 brought more than 200 people to the Potomac Greenough Community Center including students, their families, community members, teachers and friends. The evening began with fifth grader Kaycee Salter playing a Christmas medley on the piano while the guests were being seated. For the second year Lauren Nordberg emceed the program...
Winter break activities at Seeley Lake Elementary SEELEY LAKE - Seeley Lake Elementary will offer special 21st Century Winter Break activities for SLE students of all ages from Dec. 26-28 and Jan. 2-4 from 12 - 3 p.m. Activities include arts and crafts, outdoor adventure, games and sports. Meet in the SLE lobby/gym. SLE will provide a snack. Children should bring a water bottle and appropriate gear for playing outside for part of the time. Big Larch main closure lifted - Small area remains closed SEELEY LAKE – As of Friday, Dec. 21, most of Big...
SEELEY LAKE – Alysa Loesch sat relaxed on the gurney at the Seeley-Swan High School gym. Blood dripped from a tube in her arm to a collection bag below. Loesch was one of the estimated 15-25 students and community members who donated blood at the Dec. 4 Red Cross blood drive. Loesch is a junior at the high school, but this is already the second time she has given blood. Asked why she chooses to donate, she said, "Because I know I may be saving someone's life somewhere." In an email, Red Cross C...
SEELEY LAKE – Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks deployed 19 GPS collars on adult female elk on the Blackfoot Clearwater Wildlife Management Area, also known as the Game Range, Dec. 6. This is part of a new long-term elk research project that hopes to help land managers understand elk distribution and use following wildfire. Researchers Mark Hurley and Ross Baty studied elk distribution on the Game Range in the late 1980s and early 1990s using VHF radio collars. Their work identified migration r...
SEELEY LAKE – The Rich Ranch welcomed the community to their annual Community Appreciation Day, Dec. 16. Rich Ranch owner Belinda Rich said that this year was one of the largest gatherings they have had for the event and it was very rewarding to watch the fellowship and feel the sense of community. C.B. and Helen Rich started the Community Appreciation Day back in the 1950's and 1960's when they owned the Double Arrow Ranch. C.B. was Seeley Lake's Santa for more than 30 years. "They strongly b...
11 was a big year for Montana Fish Wildlife & Parks and its aquatic invasive species program with a record number of watercrafts inspected, record number of water samples analyzed and no mussel larvae or adult mussels detected. “Our AIS staff and partners have done fantastic work to increase our watercraft inspection and monitoring efforts,” said Tom Woolf, AIS bureau chief for FWP. “And we are doing a better job informing boaters, anglers, irrigators and others about what they can do to help stop AIS.” Some highlights from this boating...
MISSOULA – Membership recruiting is underway for the Missoula County Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) and Forest Service officials are soliciting applications from individuals interested in serving in one of the available 15 positions on the RAC. The RAC positions are unpaid but members provide a valuable service by making recommendations on projects that benefit Forest Service land within Missoula County. The membership terms for the original membership have expired and appointments beyond eight years (two, four year terms) are not c...
In a continuation of the informal survey on what foods mean Christmas: Debbie Dillree said "Potato sausage has always been our big thing on Christmas Eve. My grandparents used to make it and after they passed away, my parents were able to buy it from a meat market in Missoula for many, many years but it shut down last year. So I'm trying to find another source so I can surprise my family this year." Christine Migneault said prime rib is the food she thinks of at Christmas. She said she grew up o...
SEELEY LAKE – Clearwater Resource Council hosted an Avalanche Awareness program Dec. 6. Missoula Avalanche Center's Todd Glew gave a presentation to help winter recreationists recognize snow instability, avalanche terrain and avalanche triggers as well as establishing safe travel protocols. Glew has been mountain guiding and giving avalanche education for the past 15 years. He has skied all over the world and started working for the Missoula Avalanche Center two months ago. He said he has b...
“Deck the Halls” originated from the 16th century Welsh New Year’s Eve dancing song, “Nos Galan.” Cardiff University Professor in the School of Welsh, E. Wyn James, an authority on Welsh hymns and ballads, said “Nos Galan” belongs to a class of competition songs. According to James, neighbors would gather around a fire, have a few drinks and take turns composing four-line verses to a particular song. The competitor would sing a line of verse and then a harp or other instrument would play the refrain. In lieu of an instrument, the whole group wo...
SWAN VALLEY - The entirety of the Swan Valley Elementary school performed traditional Christmas carols in the school gym, Dec. 13. Led by Junior High Teacher Colleen Harrington and PE/Preschool Teacher Danni Parcell, the students sang and shared their cheer through their instruments and voices. This year was a bit different from past winter performances. In the previous years, the students were directed by a music teacher and were able to have an instrumental band followed by a holiday themed...
Seeley Lake Community Ice Rink Grand Opening, Dec. 29 SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake ROCKS will be hosting an Open House Dec. 29 from 1-4 p.m. at the new Seeley Lake Community Ice Rink in the field near Seeley Lake Elementary School. Everyone is welcome to come check out the new rink, skate and enjoy drinks and treats. A limited number of skates will be available. The event is free. Seeley Lake Library News SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Library Book Club will discuss Jeanette Winterson’s “The Gap of Time” Wednesday, Jan. 16 at 11 a.m. This novel is...
SWAN VALLEY - The last piece of The Nature Conservancy’s Montana Legacy Project is now conserved for nature and people in the Swan Valley. TNC donated the last quarter section of Section 31, to Swan Valley Connections, who granted a conservation easement on the property to the Montana Land Reliance. SVC Executive Director Rebecca Ramsey said the organization is grateful for the opportunity the land presents for the future growth of the organization and enhanced benefits to the community. The 160-acres was part of more than 310,000 acres of i...
SEELEY LAKE – "What are you going to be when you grow up?" asked University of Montana President Seth Bodnar of Seeley-Swan High School juniors and seniors Dec. 3. While Bodnar promoted higher education at UM and Montana College answering specific questions and talking individually to each student, he also left them with three important messages that he hoped would help them wherever life takes them. After asking the students what they wanted to do after graduation, some were quick to share a...
POTOMAC - Potomac hosted its second annual Craft Show Dec. 8 at the Potomac Greenough Community Center. Crafts at the event included wreaths, fudge, scarves and hats, wine holders, knives, canned jams, quilts, potholders and more. Potomac youth resident Hilde Hamilton played the violin as people shopped. Potomac eighth graders also helped with the effort. Hazel and Owen Tyler offered wild rice soup at their Paws Up Safe Home and home made knife booth. Each vendor kept their profits. The fee for...
SEELEY LAKE – The community ice rink at Seeley Lake Elementary is nearly operational. With the cold weather, Seeley Lake ROCKS is hoping to host the first skating party over the holidays. The Ice Rink Committee under ROCKS started meeting over a year ago. After approval from the SLE School Board to put the rink on school property for three years, they started leveling the area for the temporary rink this fall. ROCKS provided $7,000 in seed money for the project. They also applied for a $...
SEELEY LAKE - As part of its mission, the Seeley Lake Community Foundation (SLCF) endeavors to help charitable groups in Seeley Lake fund projects to benefit the community. In this capacity, the SLCF strives to be a community resource and catalyst for innovative approaches to improve the quality of life in Seeley Lake. Qualifying non-profit and public organizations are invited to submit proposals for 2019 projects. Applications that address one or more of the five areas of interest – Education, Arts & Culture, Community/ Economic D...
SEELEY LAKE – The Department of Environmental Quality notified Deer Creek Excavating, LLC’s that their revised application submitted Oct. 5 for an Opencut Mining Permit at the Cottonwood Pit Site in Powell County still contains deficiencies that must be corrected prior to approving the application. The revised application was in response to DEQ’s Feb. 9 Deficiency Notice. If Deer Creek still wants to pursue the application, they can appeal DEQ’s decision within 30 days or submit a revised application that resolves all deficiencies within...
SEELEY LAKE – An informal survey unsurprisingly discovered that while turkey may conjure up Thanksgiving to most folks, Christmas is evoked by a wide variety of foods. A contingent of people boasting Norwegian descent – including Kelli Wold, Laurel Deniger, Deb Brewer, and the Capp Johnson family – continue to serve the traditional lutefisk dinner. Capp added lefse, rice pudding and boiled potatoes to the meal. Daniel Woods said his favorite Christmas food is a nice roast beef with gravy. Eric Samuli and son Nathan said ham is the tradi...
MISSOULA – The Holy Cross Lutheran and Seeley-Swan High School choirs and Seeley-Swan Mountain Bells will all be contestants in the 93.3 Eagle Country "The Last Best Noel" contest starting Dec. 15 through Christmas Day. The community is invited to listen and vote online. Pepsi-Cola of Missoula will award $500 cash to the first place winner and $250 cash to the second place winner. The winners will be announced the week of Dec. 31. SSHS music director Bob Green passed along the contest i...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley-Swan Mountain Bells rang in the holiday season with a concert at Double Arrow Lodge Dec. 6. The Lodge was packed as the 11 bell ringers, led by Director Joann Wallenburn, played traditional religious carols followed by a specially arranged medley of familiar and treasured Christmas tunes. The performance ended with an audience sing-along of six favorite tunes accompanied by the bells....
SWAN VALLEY - Swan Valley Connections Board Chair Barb Raible announced to the Swan Valley Community Council that Swan Valley Connections is the recipient of 160 acres within Section 31 in Condon at the Council meeting Dec. 4. SVCC Chair Ken Donovan also gave a report on the plans for the ice skating rink to be located in the arena area next to the Swan Valley Community Hall. Finally, the council is finishing up the final edits to the Swan Valley Regional Plan and preparing to send it to Missoula County for approval. Raible said that The Nature...
SWAN VALLEY - For the past two years, the Swan Valley community has been able to enjoy ice skating at the local arena turned ice rink during the winter. A group of individuals will bring an ice rink back to the inhabitants of the Valley however, this rink is different than the ones in the previous years. The Swan Valley Community Foundation is spearheading the project along with the Parent Teacher Association. The Foundation has funded several different outdoor activities, such as the Holland...
SEELEY LAKE – Lindey's Steak House opened their dining rooms for the second annual Christmas Bazaar, Dec. 8. Shoppers browsed more than a dozen booths filled with creations from local crafters and artists and products from direct sales consultants. Seeley Lake's Alicia Kues organized the event again this year and felt it was a great event again this year. "Thank you to Mike and Jenny [Lindemer], for all the help and welcoming us into the steak house," said Kues. "Thank you to all vendors for b...
SEELEY LAKE – Mission Bible Fellowship's fellowship hall was filled with new and gently used toys and gifts for this year's annual Loving Hearts Toy Sale. While the turn out was less than in previous years, the volunteers were happy for the opportunity to help provide Christmas gifts to local families who may have otherwise had a hard time purchasing presents for their loved ones. Every year, Loving Hearts sets aside new and gently used toys that are donated. They also purchase new toys for the...
High speed chase ends in two arrests Saturday, Dec. 8 at approximately 3:51 p.m. a Missoula County Sheriff Office Deputy attempted to make a traffic stop near West Riverside. The vehicle did not stop and a pursuit began, continuing on Highway 200. The suspect vehicle was eventually spiked near mile marker one on Highway 83 where it came to a stop. Five occupants were in the vehicle, two were taken into custody (driver and passenger). Speeds reached up to approximately 95 mph and some vehicles...
SEELEY LAKE – "It was a calling. I had to do it," said Seeley Lake part-time resident Barbara Jackson about the first time she saw the embroidered tapestry of The Last Supper. "I just fell in love instantly and there was no doubt in my mind it was meant for our church." Jackson completed the three by five foot Last Supper embroidered piece at the end of September after seeing it for the first time just four months earlier. It was dedicated at Mountain Lakes Presbyterian Church on All Saints S...
SEELEY LAKE - After reading the article "A glimpse into the life of William A. Clark," Legendary Lodge's Caretaker Ron Burnett contacted the Pathfinder with more information regarding the Mowitza Lodge and William A. Clark Jr. Burnett taught science at Hellgate High School for nearly 30 years. He started as the caretaker for Legendary Lodge in 2008. Because of his interest in history and ample free time his first winter, Burnett started researching the history of the Mowitza Lodge. "There is so...
SEELEY LAKE – The installation of the new boat ramp at Big Larch Campground is nearly complete. Despite the late start, Thompson Contracting, Inc. has been working diligently to complete the work before freeze-up. "They got started a little late but they are staying committed to working. They are out here rain or shine," said Will Shoutis who is detailed into Katie Knotek's position on the Seeley Lake Ranger District until Matthew Walter starts in January. The crew pumped three bladders full o...
Due to existing weather conditions (limited low elevation snow) the Seeley Lake Ranger District is notifying the public of some exceptions to the 2015 Lolo National Forest Visitor Use Map. These exceptions are to provide the public some wheeled vehicle motorized access until snow conditions change and are favorable for over-the-snow use and associated trail grooming. The following roads will be open to wheeled motorized use until Dec. 15 unless snow conditions change: • Cottonwood Lakes Road (FSR 477) – Open to just past the gun range on the...
Seeley Lake ROCKS [Regional Outdoor Center for Kinetic Sports] recently honored Rachel Feigley, US Forest Service Seeley Lake District Ranger, for her outstanding contributions to outdoor recreation in the Clearwater and Blackfoot valleys. To commemorate the official recognition by ROCKS, Feigley was presented with a plaque during a recent gathering. ROCKS' mission is "To build healthy children, strong families, and vibrant communities through outdoor recreation." ROCKS has worked with Feigley...
MISSOULA - Seeley-Swan High School Principal Dr. Kathleen Pecora and Missoula County Public Schools Superintendent Mark Thane will both retire June 30, 2019. Pecora retires after a nine-year career as the SSHS principal. She joined the MCPS team after working as an Assistant Superintendent in Marysville, Mich. "I identify with our seniors who are now worrying about what they’re going to do next year," wrote Pecora in an email. "I guess I feel that I’m graduating, rather than retiring. It's an ending of one part of my life but it is also a new...
SEELEY LAKE –District Ranger Rachel Feigley announced that Matthew Walter has been selected as the recreation staff on the Seeley Lake Ranger District. This position is responsible for developed and dispersed recreation, trails, Wilderness, recreation events, and outfitter/guides on the District. Walter will begin his new position Jan. 7, 2019 replacing Katie Knotek who took a position in Missoula this fall. Walter began working for the Forest Service in 2000 in Leadville, Colorado on the P...
SEELEY LAKE – "The art supplies they have were plenty but very well used," said Seeley Lake artist Kris Gullikson speaking about Seeley Lake Elementary. "They don't have the resources to get new things every year for these kids to try. I feel that if students aren't trying art every year, that is the first thing that is going to go by the wayside when they have to make a choice between electives." Out of her love of art and desire to instill that love in children, Gullikson set up a Giving T...
SEELEY LAKE – The last sentence of an article first run in the Oct. 15, 1877 in Deer Lodge's New Northwest News and reprinted in "Cabin Fever" aggravated Seeley Lake resident and author Douglas Waldron, "The death of [George] Monture is not a matter of regret. Much of the apprehension on the frontier was in consequence of his supplying the Indians with whiskey and ammunition and it is hoped he died like Brigham Young, without a successor." "Why did she write that? She probably never even knew hi...
'Tis the season to go a-caroling. The custom of going door-to-door singing to one's neighbors harkens back at least as far as the Medieval Period, though no doubt a medieval person transported to our era would have trouble recognizing the tradition. Leaving aside the detail that few people in our modern era actually go singing door-to-door and much prefer to have carolers come to them via TV, radio, CD or iTunes, a medieval person would have called our caroling activity "wassailing." The origina...
SWAN VALLEY – The annual Upper Swan Valley Historical Society Frostbite Festival Holiday Bazaar and Bake Sale welcomed all ages and offered something for everyone at this year's event, Saturday, Dec. 1. With more than 20 vendors, a bake sale to satisfy every taste and hands-on projects for children and adults, everyone left with a smile and treasures to bring home. The Swan Valley School gymnasium was filled with crafters and artisans from the Swan Valley, Seeley Lake and Lincoln leaving w...
For many Montanans who are experiencing feelings of self-harm, their friends, family members, coworkers, neighbors, favorite baristas or even the stranger they just met on the street corner may be their first and only line of defense against suicide. Yet while the man or woman on the street may not have the formal education of a therapist, there are tools they can use to help prevent the next suicide – and organizations like Pintler Suicide Awareness and Prevention (PSAP) exist to help people l...
Free gun locks available at Medical Center SEELEY LAKE – Free gun locks are available at the nurses station at the Seeley-Swan Medical Center. Partnership Health Center received 100 loop locks from the Missoula County Sheriff’s Office and 60 trigger locks from the Missoula County City Health Department to distribute. PHC Director of Innovation Mary Jane Nealon said that because PHC screens 86 percent of their patients for depression, they are able to identify individuals or their family members that may be at risk. “It is one more way to work...
SEELEY LAKE – Parents, children and teachers at Seeley Lake Elementary gathered before school Nov. 20 for the second Pastries for Parents. The intent of the program is to engage parents and build relationships between parents, the school and the teachers. Pastries for Parents is an established event held across the country as an effort to engage family members with the children and the school. Other variations include Muffins for Moms, Donuts for Dads and Goodies for Grandparents. Following t...
OVANDO - Ovando's Old West Christmas Fest returned to the Friday after Thanksgiving drawing many families from all over the western part of the state. Signs leading up to and throughout town exclaimed "Fun." The smiles and laughter were contagious as everyone participated in all the different activities offered. There were three entries this year in the Breakfast Casserole Cook Off. Despite voters saying how hard it was to choose, Margaret Bauer's Breakfast Casserole, labeled #1 for taste...
Montana's general big game hunting season closed Sunday, Nov. 25. Montana Fish, Wildfire & Parks reported deer and elk harvest totals were down in northwest Montana while hunter check stations in west-central Montana remained similar to recent years. The five regional check stations in northwest Montana, tallied a combined total of 950 white-tailed deer, including 676 bucks, this season. That is down from 1,275 total white-tailed deer and 925 bucks harvested in 2017. There were 100 mule deer...
"You may hunt the world over for trophies, far and wide you may go; but you'll always come back to follow the track of the whitetail deer in the snow." A favorite quote of Dale Terrillion from a hunter he guided....
SWAN VALLEY - The 2018 Frostbite Festival Holiday Bazaar and Bake Sale is Saturday, Dec. 1, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Swan Valley School in Condon. The event is hosted by the Upper Swan Valley Historical Society. Artisans and crafters from the Swan Valley and northwest Montana will display and sell their handiwork. This is a wonderful opportunity for shoppers to find unique locally made holiday gifts. It's a great time to get together with friends and family, meet new people and support our...
Ever Been There? No job. Severe injury. Hospitalization. Worried about where your kids’ next meal is going to come from. Mid-life career change gone bad. Major vehicle breakdown. Laid off suddenly after 25 years with the same company. Elderly couple and one dies. These situations, any combination thereof and almost anything you can imagine, are what participants in the Energy Share program have gone or are going through. Energy Share of Montana is a statewide private nonprofit that helps your neighbors who are facing loss of heat or lights in t...
Christmas tree permits are now available on the Lolo and Flathead National Forests. Permits are $5 per tree with a three tree limit per household. Permits on the Lolo are available at all District offices. Permits may also be purchased at Murdoch’s in Missoula, Bronc’s Grocery in Frenchtown, the Clinton Market east of Missoula, Conoco Feed and Fuel in Thompson Falls and the Bureau of Land Management Missoula Field Office, located at 3255 Fort Missoula Road. The Lolo National Forest Supervisor’s Office and Missoula Ranger District, located at 24...
SEELEY LAKE - It’s getting to be that time of year again as Christmas fast approaches. Each year Seeley Lake Lions Club distributes Holiday Food Baskets to area families in need of help, providing a holiday meal for Christmas. The Lions perform various fundraisers throughout the year to raise money to purchase turkey dinners, with all the trimmings for those in need. Besides fundraisers by the Club, personal donations have been made in the past from community residents. All groceries are purchased locally at Cory’s Valley Market. Cory’s employe...
Ladybugs are not 'bugs' but actually beetles in the order Coleoptera and swarm on or around mountain peaks. Common species in the Blackfoot Watershed include the convergent lady beetle, Hippodamia convergens. This lady beetle gathering can be a regular occurrence. For many years this phenomenon has been seen worldwide as well as in Montana. Called 'summit ladybugs', the different lady beetle species can be found in different alpine locations by the hundreds, thousands or even ten thousands....
SEELEY LAKE – Thanksgiving was once a full, laid-back day of families gathering to visit and feast at a giant potluck. Today, Thanksgiving has to share time with football games and pre-mature Black Friday shopping. But how did the day after Thanksgiving get such a black name? It is not called black because it encroaches on the Thursday holiday. Nor is it true the name refers to windfall merchandise sales which supposedly marked when stores stopped operating at a loss ("in the red") and f...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Fire Board discussed continued improvements for the department at their regular board meeting Nov. 20. Fire Chief Dave Lane also told the board about a large donation of surplus equipment that they received from the Bozeman Fire Department. Lane reported that the Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) upgrade for the department is 98 percent complete. The project to date has cost around $7,500 and is estimated that it will be completed with an additional $2,300. The original project was budgeted for $30,000, “Th...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Elementary School Board was given a proposal to assume ownership of the Seeley Lake Farmers’ and Crafters’ Market at its Nov. 20 board meeting. The board is also working on policy changes and was informed that the school’s Park Committee was successful in obtaining a maintenance grant. Vicki Voegelin presented a proposal for the school to assume ownership of the Farmers Market as a way to raise funds. She said that running the Market is not as convenient for her as it used to be and it is time for her to give it...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley-Swan High School Leo's Club has been busy serving the community this holiday season and hope to pay forward the kindness Seeley Lake received during the Rice Ridge fire. The Leos held a turkey drive to support the Seeley-Swan Community Food Bank again this year on Nov. 16. They collected donations and turkeys at Cory's Valley Market and Rovero's. Their efforts raised $743.56 and six turkeys to support families in need in the area. "These kids are doing their part," s...
CORRECTION SEELEY LAKE – Last week in the story “SSHS recognizes fall athletes” it was omitted that freshman Walker McDonald earned Academic All-State in addition to his letter and pin for football. Congratulations Walker in your success not only on the field but in academics as well! FWP listening session on replacing Automated License System, Nov. 29 MISSOULA - Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) is hosting a series of public meetings to gather input on replacing its current Automated License System (ALS) that administers hunting and fishi...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Sewer District Board not only appointed two new directors but it elected the new directors, president and vice president at its Nov. 15 meeting. The board then voted to work with the county to extend the expired interlocal agreement until a new agreement can be signed. Three days ahead of the meeting, Director Troy Spence sent in a resignation letter. In the letter he states that he felt that he and the community had received false information from the previous board and that he had done his duties to try and get t...
SEELEY LAKE – Copper King, risk taker, western Midas, corrupt, personality of last year's bird's nest, and shame to the American nation were all words used to describe William A. Clark, one of the wealthiest men in Montana. Montana State University-Billings Associate Professor and Chair of the History Department Keith Edgerton, PhD spoke of Clark's life, corruption and his marks on Montana history, including building the Mowitza Lodge on Salmon Lake, Friday, Nov. 16 during a presentation h...
SEELEY LAKE – This winter Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is starting the Elk Basin Restoration Project on the westside of the Blackfoot-Clearwater Wildlife Management Area also known as the Game Range. The focus of the 3,000 acre project is grassland restoration and dealing with the conifer encroachment. Historically in the region, the valley bottoms were expansive grasslands dominated primarily by rough fescue, Idaho fescue and bluebunch wheatgrass. Rough fescue has very high winter forage v...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Community Council voted to seek radar operated speed signs for downtown Seeley Lake at its Nov. 12 meeting. Also at the meeting: Tom Browder was sworn into the vacant council seat; US Forest Service District Ranger Rachel Feigley gave a District update; presentations were given on an environmental cleanup assessment and planning grant for which the county is applying and the proposed RV park in Seeley Lake. Council member Bruce Friede led the discussion of radar operated speed signs for Highway 83 in Seeley L...
SEELEY LAKE – Prompted by the success of its August screening of "Walking Bear Comes Home," the Clearwater Resource Council presented a follow-up Clearwater Partners Workshop Nov. 17. Entitled "Montana to Manitoba: The Polar Bear Connection," the slide show was presented by retired Salish Kootenai College professor and current Great Bear Foundation President Frank Tyro. In addition to his other projects and duties, Tyro is an instructor, co-leader, bear monitor and bus driver for the Arctic F...
KALISPELL - A public information meeting on the conservation and management of mountain lion populations in Montana is scheduled for Nov. 29 in Kalispell. The meeting will start at 7 p.m. at the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Region 1 headquarters, 490 N. Meridian, Kalispell, MT. FWP Biologist Jay Kolbe will present information from the new draft Montana Mountain Lion Monitoring and Management Strategy, which is open for public comment until Jan. 11. Kolbe and other FWP staff will be available to answer questions, but the meeting is...
This week thousands of Americans will roast turkeys for their traditional Thanksgiving dinner. Here are some fun facts about turkeys and some Thanksgiving trivia to wow family and friends at the dinner table. • The first Thanksgiving was held in the autumn of 1621 and included 50 pilgrims and 90 Wampanoag Indians. The celebration lasted three days. Many historians believe that only five women were present at that first Thanksgiving, since many women settlers didn't survive that difficult first y...
MISSOULA - Each year, the University of Montana hosts the All-Star Silver and Maroon Wind Ensemble, a musical experience for high school students participating in band and orchestra. This year, Music Directory Bob Green nominated Seeley-Swan High School junior Jayla Kauffman and senior Jared Townsend. High school students from the western side of the country and parts of Canada are chosen to attend the ensemble each year. Green nominated Kauffman and Townsend because he said they are both...
Seeley Swan Pharmacy offers medication disposal receptacle SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Swan Pharmacy is now a collection site for unused medications. The MedSafe Collection Receptacle allows residents a safe collection site in the Valley where medications will be properly destroyed. When dropping off medications, please leave it in the original packaging/containers when possible. Liquid containers of more than four ounces will not be accepted. All liquid medication must be placed in a plastic bag before depositing. The MedSafe Collection Receptacle i...
SEELEY LAKE – Traumatic events like the Rice Ridge fire affect everyone differently. According to licensed, clinical social worker Stacy York, a person's response and feelings are what make it traumatic. "The way that we heal is through relationship. That is the only way," said York during her presentation on how trauma affects children, Nov. 15 at Seeley Lake Elementary. "If we are not in relationship, we can't heal." York's presentation intertwined her personal stories and audience q...
SEELEY LAKE – Just one year after Montana's record-breaking 2017 fire season, the majority of the timber salvage sales in the region have been bid. Although one of the purposes for the US Forest Service salvage projects was to recover the economic value of forest products, design criteria and resource protections limited the scope of salvage opportunities. As megafires continue to take out suitable timber volume as a viable operation into the future, Pyramid Mountain Lumber, Inc. said the s...
BOZEMAN – Swan Valley's Helene Michael was among the first 125 "Extraordinary Ordinary Women" selected by Montana State University for their leadership, problem solving and innovation throughout the university's history. This recognition fell on the heels of Michael also being named the Bobcat Mentor of the Year earlier this summer. Michael earned her bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering technology from MSU in 1985 from which she launched a successful career at Boeing. After serving in v...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley Lake veterans, their families and members of the community gathered Sunday, Nov. 11 at 11 a.m. with the Veterans & Families of Seeley Lake to celebrate and honor all those who faithful have served and continue to serve our country....
Big game harvest in west-central Montana maintained a steady pace through the fourth weekend of the general hunting season, bringing totals in line with average. At the hunter check station near Bonner, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) biologists and University of Montana student volunteers have checked 61 elk, 31 mule deer and 202 white-tailed deer so far this hunting season. Bonner’s elk total is lower than last year’s 76, but higher than the five-year average for this point in the hunting season. The white-tailed deer total at Bon...
SEELEY LAKE – Dr. Frank Tyro, the director of the film "Walking Bear Comes Home" about the life of Chuck Jonkel, is returning to Seeley Lake to present more detail about the Great Bear Foundation's Arctic Field Course in Churchill, Manitoba, the Polar Bear Capitol of the world. Presented by Clearwater Resource Council, Tyro's presentation, titled Montana to Manitoba: The Polar Bear Connection, is on Saturday, Nov. 17, 1 p.m. at the Seeley Lake Historical Museum and Visitors' Center. Tyro is j...
SEELEY LAKE - Gwen Florio will be presenting her new book “Silent Hearts” Saturday, Nov. 17 at 7 p.m. at the Grizzly Claw Trading Company. Alpine Artisans Open Book Club is sponsoring the event. There is no charge for this event and all are welcome. Primarily set in Afghanistan, this is a story of an American aid worker and an educated Pakistani woman, working as an interpreter, who is still adjusting to her arranged marriage to the son of an Afghani strongman and smuggler. These two women form a friendship despite their utterly different life...
SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley Community Council met Nov. 6 to review the remaining elements in the Swan Valley Regional Draft Plan entitled Transportation, Public Facilities and Services and Implementation and addressed comments about the four appendices. The draft plan was approved and will be sent to Missoula County Community and Planning Services for further review and adaptation. In the section entitled Road Maintenance, the comment objected to the arbitrary number of roads in the planning area. The Council agreed to remove the number which...
The political divide between the rural and urban parts of Missoula County could be seen in the election results of several countywide and statewide races this year. Two countywide races in particular saw such high support from urban voters that it would be numerically impossible for rural voters to have changed the outcome. The county has 52 precincts. There are 33 urban precincts within Missoula City's limits and the remaining 19 are outside the city. In the Missoula County Sheriff/Coroner...
SWAN VALLEY - Flathead National Forest staff met and shared with the residents of the Swan Valley the concepts of the Mid-Swan Landscape Restoration and Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) Project at a meeting held Nov. 8. Following the presentation, attendees asked questions of the various disciplines, viewed interactive maps of the project and submitted comments. The deadline to comment is Nov. 23 so they can be included in the review and analysis process. The Mid-Swan Project comprises nearly 70,000 acres located between the Swan Mountains on the...
SWAN VALLEY - Attendees gathered on the Swan Valley Community Hall porch with the temperature in the low 30s to pay tribute to all veterans at 11 a.m. Nov. 11. Attendees then went inside and enjoyed stories, singing and a lunch provided by the Swan Valley American Legion Post #63 Auxiliary....
POTOMAC - Bikers, walkers, runners and scooters bundled up for Potomac School's annual Bike-a-Thon Oct. 17. More than 90 students, teachers and parents and siblings participated in the all-day event. Students gathered pledges prior to the event. Three laps around the school was a mile. The students rode 1,361 total miles. They raised $6326.05 that will go towards educational programs including art and theater. Sixth grader Corbin Weltzien rode the farthest tallying 46 miles and raised...
Learn about Copper King: The life and times of William A. Clark, Nov. 16 SEELEY LAKE - Professor Keith Edgerton from MSU-Billings and Chairman of the History Department will be delivering a talk entitled “Copper King: The Life and Times of W.A. Clark” Friday, Nov. 16 at 5 p.m. at the Seeley Lake Historical Museum. Edgerton is one of the experts on Clark’s life. William A. Clark (1839-1925) was a Montana Butte Copper King and politician who said, “I never bought a man who wasn’t for sale.” He was one of the richest men of his time and spent s...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake, Greenough/Potomac and Swan Valley volunteer firefighters responded to a house fire Oct. 31 around 4 p.m. on Gull Port in Seeley Lake. No one was home when the fire started. While the homeowner had many pets, they all are safe and accounted for. The cause is still under investigation but foul play is not suspected. Seeley Lake Fire Chief Dave Lane said the fire started in the carport furthest from the house. It spread to the adjacent carport and then extended into t...
SEELEY LAKE – After being closed for the summer, the Big Larch Campground vegetation treatment is complete and the log decks are in the process of being sold. Around 90 log truck loads of Douglas-fir, many of which were 20 inches in diameter or larger, were removed as well as incidental amounts of subalpine fir and spruce in the nearly 40 acres that were treated. The Seeley Lake Ranger District has been cutting down between 80 and 100 hazardous trees in Big Larch Campground for the last three y...
MISSOULA – The Missoula County Commissioners briefly discussed the future of the interlocal agreement between the county and the Seeley Lake Sewer District at an administrative meeting Oct. 31. The agreement that provides county resources, including a District Manager, is set to expire Nov. 14. At the October Sewer Board meeting, Commissioner Jean Curtiss informed the board that they needed to reach out to the county commissioners if the board wanted to continue the interlocal agreement. The board appointed a committee of two board members t...
In Part 1, Rick Ferguson joined the Army and became an Airborne Ranger. He was sent for his first tour to Vietnam with the 101st Airborne Division December 1967. SWAN VALLEY - In December of 1968, Richard "Rick" Ferguson came home for a month. When he returned to Vietnam in January in 1969, he was assigned the position of post liaison officer at Long Binh. For six months he gave the daily briefings to the Post Commander and inspected bunkers. Ferguson still had dreams of flying. Encouraged by...
SEELEY LAKE - The next meeting of the Seeley Lake Community Council Monday, Nov. 12 again promises an ambitious agenda. The meeting will start with County Commissioner Jean Curtiss swearing-in the new Council member Tom Browder who is filling the vacancy left by Lee Bowman’s move to Missoula. This will be Curtiss’ last official visit to the Council. She will also give a brief retrospective covering the highpoints of her 18-year service as a Commissioner. Next on the agenda are Claire Muller, Executive Director of the Community Foundation, and...
Everyone is invited to join the Veterans & Families of Seeley Lake at the Veterans Memorial Garden north of Seeley Lake and the American Legion Post 63 at the Swan Valley Community Hall in Condon at 11 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 11 to celebrate and thank local veterans. Veterans Day originated as “Armistice Day” on Nov. 11, 1919, the first anniversary of the end of World War I. Congress passed a resolution for an annual observance, and Nov. 11 became a national holiday beginning in 1938. Observing Veterans Day on Nov. 11, regardless of what day of the...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Historical Society turned 20 years old Oct. 20. If corporations have personhood it must be a birthday or is it an organizational anniversary? The Seeley Lake Historical Society is a non-profit corporation of volunteers who are “Fostering knowledge and understanding of history in the Seeley Lake area.” The Historical Society collects, preserves and interprets stories, objects and materials related to the land, the natural resources, the people and the events that touched the Seeley Lake area. The group conti...
The Acting Inspector General of Social Security Gale Stallworth Stone is warning citizens about an ongoing caller-ID “spoofing” scheme misusing the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) national customer service phone number. SSA has received numerous reports of questionable phone calls displaying SSA’s 1-800 number on a caller-ID screen. This is a scam. Citizens should not engage with those calls or provide any personal information. These reports indicate the calls display the 1-800-772-1213, SSA’s national customer service number, as the inc...
The Lolo National Forest is proposing the Morrell Stream Restoration Project located approximately seven miles northeast of Seeley Lake. The project area is situated within the upper reaches of the Morrell Creek watershed and is located entirely on National Forest System lands. Morrell Creek is an important tributary to the Clearwater River and is designated as Bull Trout Critical Habitat by the USDI Fish and Wildlife Service. The purpose and need for this project is the result of past riparian and valley bottom timber harvest practices....
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake District Ranger Rachel Feigley accepted a new position with the US Forest Service as the Blackfoot Swan Landscape Restoration team leader. While she and her husband Pete plan to continue living in Seeley Lake, her last day as the Seeley Lake District Ranger is Dec. 1. Feigley started as the Seeley Lake District Ranger in March, 2015. "I'm proud of the work my employees and our partners have completed during my tenure," wrote Feigley in an email. "It's been a good three...
OVANDO - The Blackfoot Challenge announced the selection of Charles Curtin as their new executive director in February but just seven months later, the organization and Curtin have parted ways. The Blackfoot Challenge has been tightlipped about why they parted ways with Curtin in September. In response to an inquiry form from the Blackfoot Valley Dispatch, Challenge Communications Manager Sara Schmidt said the details are an internal matter and “it just didn’t work out.” Curtin likewise had little to say on the subject, but acknowledged there...
MONTANA – Governor Steve Bullock unveiled a new forestry stewardship partnership to address pressing needs in forest management across ownership boundaries. A new strategic, planning strategy Forests in Focus 2.0: A Cross-Boundary Collaborative Approach builds on the momentum of Bullock’s original Forests in Focus Initiative with the intent to increase the pace and scale of forest restoration and management across ownership boundaries. One of the key components is state leadership through launching a Good Neighbor Authority Program. Bul...
While hunter activity and harvest picked up in the third weekend of the general big game season in west-central Montana, mild weather conditions continued to hamper hunter success across the northwest. West-central Montana Update Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks reports that after a slow start to the season, the Bonner check station is now showing 2,625 hunter trips and the Darby station is reporting 2,144, inching within 10 percent and four percent of hunter activity reported at this time last year. Elk harvests of 50 checked at Bonner and 95...
MISSOULA–– Several Montana-based organizations and citizens have sent a petition to the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks requesting the initiation of rulemaking that would require Montana hunters to carry bear spray on their person while hunting in grizzly bear habitat. The rule would apply in Montana generally west of Billings and Fort Belknap. The petitioners are Mike Bader; Western Watersheds Project; WildWest Institute; Friends of the Wild Swan; Montana Chapter of the Sierra Club; Great Bear Foundation; Friends of the Rat...
SEELEY LAKE - Lunch at the Seeley Lake Senior Center Oct. 31 provided a lot of laughs and smiles as a new cast of characters showed up for the fun. Prizes were awarded for the best costume and the eats and treats were boo-licious. The saying, "Playing dress-up begins at age five and never truly ends" couldn't be more true for these Seeley Lake residents....
SEELEY LAKE – When taking group portraits, a photographer often gets everyone to smile at the same time by prompting them: "Say cheese!" But what does cheese have to do with pictures or smiles? There is no connection between photography and compressed milk curds but pronouncing the double long "e" of "cheese" requires drawing back the lips and turning the corners of the mouth upward. In other words, smiling. Just who decided the word should be "cheese" instead of "bees" or "trees" or "peas" i...
Swan Valley AARP meeting, Nov. 13 SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley AARP will meet Tuesday, Nov. 13 at 12 p.m. at the Swan Valley Community Hall. A potluck lunch hosted by Barb and Joe Raible will begin at 12:30 p.m. At 1:30 p.m. there will be a brief business meeting followed by Barb talking about their recent trip to Ireland. The public is invited. Seeley Lake Caregiver Support Group Whether you are a family member or professional provider, caring for someone with a chronic disease or disability can be challenging. However, there are steps you...
SEELEY LAKE – The fifth annual Trunk-or-Treat at the Wilderness Gateway Motel had another year of success. The 190 children that attended enjoyed nearly a dozen decorated trunks complete with candy. Other highlights this year included a unicorn ring toss game and free apple cider and hot cocoa to keep everyone warm during the rainy weather. New this year, owner of Wilderness Gateway Motel June Blotz set up a photo booth where she took Polaroid photos to capture the costumes. "It was a great e...
SWAN VALLEY – Army grunt turned helicopter pilot, Swan Valley resident Richard "Rick" Ferguson said his three tours in Vietnam were "just doing his duty." While the loss of 58,000 soldiers in Vietnam, especially those he fought alongside, still haunts him to this day, he said he wouldn't change anything about his life. Ferguson was 14 years old in 1958 when his father, a pilot in the United States Air Force, was killed while training a South Korean pilot. Despite that, and despite his mother's p...
SEELEY LAKE - Students, teachers and parents gathered with the Trevino family on the Seeley Lake Elementary football field Thursday morning, Oct. 25 and blew bubbles for Addy Trevino. Nothing was said only a countdown and then thousands of bubbles drifting into the sky in memory of four-year-old Addy who lost her life to brain cancer Oct. 18. Addy's preschool teacher Jama Mauldin and her class hosted the bubbles for Addy event. "Addy loved bubbles and she loved school," said Mauldin. "I know...
SWAN VALLEY - Member from Condon Community Church and the community gathered Sunday, Oct. 28 for an evening of fun and fellowship at the church's annual Harvest Party. After a meal of chili, everyone voted on their favorite pie. Carolyn Westra's cherry pie earned the bragging rights for the best. The rest of the evening was filled with games for all ages organized by Barbara Smith. Smith said the event was a huge success. She thought holding the party on Sunday instead of Oct. 31 was a positive...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Foundation is proud to announce a $1,000 scholarship award to Shane Lindemer. Lindemer was born and raised in Seeley Lake. He participated in school sports and community activities. While attending Seeley-Swan High School, Lindemer excelled in football, basketball, golf and the Nordic Ski Team. Maintaining a 3.5 GPA, he was inducted into the National Honor Society as well as received an Outstanding Academic Achievement Award. Lindemer is currently attendin...
SEELEY LAKE - Did you know that kids’ brain development can be impacted directly by natural disasters such as the Rice Ridge Fire? Trauma care expert and Licensed Clinical Social Worker Stacy York will give a free seminar Nov. 8 at 6 p.m. at Seeley Lake Elementary school to help the Seeley Lake community understand brain development in children and help promote healthy development, minimize the impact of trauma from natural disasters and implement real-life, evidence-based strategies to promote healing. The 160,187-acre Rice Ridge fire forced t...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Community Council hosted a forum Sept. 10 on the Open Space Bond. Missoula County voters will decide the fate of the $15 million bond in the Nov. 6 election. Executive Director of Five Valleys Land Trust and a representative of Yes for Open Space, Rivers and Farmland Amber Sherrill made the argument in favor of the bond while House District 92 Representative and candidate Mike Hopkins made the opposing argument. Sherrill explained that the bond is a continuation of a $10 million bond that was voted for in 2006 and...
MISSOULA – Seeley Lake resident Rob Green is the second in his family to be inducted into the Sons of the American Revolution. Green was drawn to the connectedness he felt within the group and looks forward to contributing and being fed by the other enthusiasts in his constant quest to learn more about history and people. Green descended from patriot Adam Oberlin. Oberlin was a German-speaking Alsatians who was forced to leave when France took over, or convert. He came to the United States to a...
SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Lake Ranger District of the Flathead National Forest is requesting input on the proposed Mid Swan Landscape Restoration & Wildland Urban Fuels Reduction Project. The project is located in the Swan Valley, south of Swan Lake stretching down to the community of Condon and proposes treating approximately 70,000 acres within this 246,000 acre landscape. The Mid-Swan Project assessment was developed in collaboration with the Southwestern Crown Collaborative (SWCC) in response to a desire to manage terrestrial and aquatic patte...
SEELEY LAKE – Jeannie Paxton, a fixture at the Filling Station since 1987, poured her last drink as a full time employee Oct. 19. What she enjoyed the most throughout her career in customer service is the people and being able to efficiently take care of her customers. While she officially calls herself "retired," she will still be working part time until she leaves for Arizona this winter and looks forward to helping out again next summer. When Paxton moved to Seeley Lake in her early 20s, s...
SEELEY LAKE - After learning in social studies about the impact six-year-old Jane Addams had on the poor, Seeley Lake Elementary first graders decided they wanted to help people too. With their teacher Sheila Devin's assistance, the first graders sewed potholders from recycled materials which will be sold to raise money to cure childhood cancer. Devins said the students were inspired by a social studies lesson on being a good neighbor. They learned that their community and the world are their...
OVANDO – Ovando teacher Andrea Tougas received the KECI Gold Star Teaching Award this past September. Tougas is thankful to the Ovando School and the community for allowing her to do what she loves to do in such a wonderful place. Tougas's lifelong dream was to become a teacher. Her mother was a teacher and she loved working with children. She taught preschool for a while and then attended the University of Montana to get her teaching degree. She taught third grade in Missoula for three years p...
SWAN VALLEY - The festive laughter of all ages having a spooky fun time echoed throughout the Swan Valley Elementary School's gym on the evening of Oct 26. The annual Harvest Festival, hosted by the joined efforts of the PTA and the junior high class, brought students and their families dressed up as anything from a Disney Princess to Spooky Skeletons for a spaghetti dinner followed by the carnival. It has become a bit of an unofficial tradition for the junior high class to hold a fundraiser...
SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley Community Council met for a special meeting Oct. 23 to review and discuss public comments to the third and fourth elements entitled Land Use and Housing of the Swan Valley Regional Draft Plan. The members paid particular attention to wording that sounded regulatory and either amended or deleted it. In the section Non Residential Land Use, a comment suggested that the wording identifying where businesses could be located sounded too regulatory. Members of the Council voted to remove the sentence stating that...
POTOMAC - More than 40 people attended the first annual Potomac Fall Carnival presented by the staff and students of the Explorers Program. The event took place Friday, Oct. 26 at the Potomac/Greenough Community Center. The focus of the event was to help raise funds for the Eighth Grade Capstone Trip. They raised $150....
Local Food Bank Drive started at Cory’s Valley Market SEELEY LAKE - The Veterans and Families of Seeley Lake (VFSL) started their annual food drive at Cory’s Valley Market to support the Seeley Swan Community Food Bank through the holiday season. Needed items are pre-packaged into bags that are available to purchase for $10. After purchase, the bag is dropped off in the box near the exit of the store. The bags are delivered to the Food Bank to help keep the shelves stocked. This program runs through the middle of December. VFSL appreciates the...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Sewer District Board discussed counter suing Don Larson and the people who joined Larson’s lawsuit against the District at their Oct. 18 meeting. The board also received a manager’s report, discussed the inter-local agreement with the county, sewer service contracts and interviewed candidates for the open board position. Director Davy Good said he felt the District should consider a countersuit against Larson and approximately 50 other plaintiffs who sued the District. The countersuit would be to recover the money...
SEELEY LAKE – "I Ride has been really good not only for him but for the family," said RC Frazier's sister and caregiver Linda Graham of Seeley Lake. Frazier has been taking the I Ride van to Missoula for dialysis once a week for almost a year. He is one of the many local residents that have taken more than 370 rides given since the I Ride Seeley Lake Van Service started in the spring of 2017. The intent of I Ride Seeley Lake is to provide affordable, reliable transportation to medical appointmen...
SEELEY LAKE – The community is invited to a Celebration of Life for Addy Trevino, Saturday, Oct. 27 at 2 p.m. at the Seeley Lake Elementary School. If Addy touched your life in any way, you are welcome to attend. In lieu of flowers the Trevino family requests that donations go to DIPG research to help find a cure. One organization where 100 percent of the funds go directly to research is Run of Hope Seattle One, https://www.runofhopeseattle.org/ If you would like to give to the family, donate i...
SEELEY LAKE – “Are you available to complete a task?” was a simple question emailed to a local organization’s office manager this past week. The email appeared to be from the organization’s leader. Without thinking twice about the email, the manager responded to the first hook of a scammer’s request. Scam artists defraud millions of people each year by using the internet to trick victims into sending money or giving out personal information. In this case the organization was asked to provide information for Google Play gift cards that they p...
MISSOULA – The Lolo National Forest is asking the public to help update its mailing list for those who wish to receive forest information about project planning and other activities. Those who are currently on LNF’s mailing list will be notified with instructions on how to remain on the list or update their mailing information. Data maintained by the Forest includes: name, address, telephone, email and interests. Those who wish to receive information will be able to select a geographic area (entire Forest or by Ranger District) and type(s) of...
Last week: Part 1 discussed the closure of Western Montana Mental Health Center in Libby, how the behavior health network was built and how mental health crises were averted. Assessing the early results Overall, Lincoln County's behavioral health network Manager Amy Fantozzi said there have been fewer roadblocks and obstacles than expected in responding to Western Montana Mental Health Center's closure. "Things are going well for the most part," she said. From the start of March to the end of...
SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley Community Council reviewed public comments on the final draft of the Swan Valley Regional Plan at their regular monthly meeting Oct.16. Missoula County Community and Planning Services presented the opportunity for the valley to help identify sites containing potentially hazardous materials. The Council also discussed a possible shooting range and were informed that free smoke alarms are available through Swan Valley Emergency Services. Council members agreed to make no changes after reviewing public comments...
Montana's 2018 big game hunting season opened Oct. 20 with a light harvest under sunny skies and unseasonably warm temperatures in western Montana. Hunters are encouraged to check the Montana hunting regulations for the district they plan to hunt before hitting the field. Hunters must stop at all check stations that they pass, even if they have not harvested any animals. The general rifle season for deer and elk runs through Sunday, Nov. 25. Hunters are reminded to "Be Bear Aware" and properly s...
SEELEY LAKE – From the first piece they played at the Oct. 21 concert sponsored by Alpine Artisans' 2 Valleys Stage, the Awea Duo made it known theirs was not going to be a typical classical music concert. Jennifer Brimson Cooper played the flute and Masahito Sugihara played the saxophone – not a typical duo combination to begin with. In addition, they played Bach's "Toccata and Fugue in D minor," one of the most famous works composed for – pipe organ! Think Bela Lugosi, Dracula, and the organ...
Montana smokers could be on the hook for an additional $2 per pack if ballot initiative Initiative 185 passes. The tobacco industry is shelling out big bucks in hopes it won’t happen. It’s a big reason your mailbox is stuffed this election season with flyers arguing its pros and cons. The initiative’s backers see its passage as a “win-win.” Higher taxes for tobacco products could discourage their use and perhaps reduce medical problems they cause. The extra money raised would help expand Medicaid, the state-federal program that provides...
While debate swirls over the cost of an initiative to expand Medicaid by raising taxes on Montana tobacco products, questions over the measure’s constitutionality are drawing attention too. Initiative 185 has the support of the American Heart Association, the Montana Hospital Association and Gov. Steve Bullock, who hope raising the tax on tobacco would help fund an expansion of Medicaid. Opponents include major national tobacco producers and the Montana Republican Party. I-185 asks voters to increase the taxes on a pack of cigarettes by $2. A...
POTOMAC - Christianna Taillefer co-teaches in the mornings in first through third grades for Math, Geometry and Algebra at Potomac School. During the afternoon she is a Paraprofessional. She also helped coach girl’s volleyball and helps teach Explorers. “Teaching is my passion,” she said. “I love sharing my knowledge with others.” Taillefer was born in Oregon but spent the majority of her life in Tennessee. She graduated from Montana State University Billings in 2014 and holds degrees in Kinder...
SEELEY LAKE - Member of the Sons of the American Revolution Francis Weigand gave a presentation on the 1787 Constitutional Convention to Seeley Lake Elementary sixth, seventh and eighth graders Oct. 12. Junior high civics teacher chose the topic from a list of educational topics offered by Missoula's SAR Liberty Tree chapter. SAR member and Seeley Lake resident Bob Green coordinates SAR's educational outreach. He said he hopes to continue to bring presentations like this to the area, targeting...
The controversy over ballot Initiative 186 seems to be about two competing visions for Montana’s future economy, and water quality underlies them both. The ballot measure, if passed, would amend the state’s 1971 Metal Mine Reclamation Act to provide for an additional $115,000 to $118,000 in annual revenue for Montana’s Department of Environmental Quality. The money would be used to analyze pollution cleanup plans in new mining permits. The initiative supported by the Yes for Responsible Mining coalition is backed by Montana Trout Unlim...
Community musicians wanted SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley-Swan High School band invites community members to join the high school band for their concert Dec. 18 at 7 p.m. in the SSHS auditorium. For more information contact Music Director Bob Green at SSHS, 677-2224. Harvest Festival, Oct. 26 SWAN VALLEY – Join Swan Valley Elementary School for a Harvest Festival Friday, Oct. 26. Enjoy a delicious spaghetti dinner from 5-6:30 p.m. The cost is $5 per person or $20 per family of four or more. Carnival games will run from 6-8 p.m. Games are $0.25-$0.50...
HELENA – The Montana Trails Coalition (MTC) highlights the current public land trail infrastructure needs and lack of current funding in their newly released Montana Trails in Crisis report. Along with identifying the shortfalls, the report provides recommendations for sustainable funding for public trails that will continue to maintain access, preserve Montanan’s outdoor way of life and the $7.1 billion outdoor recreation economy. MTC is a coalition of diverse user groups that support trail and outdoor recreation opportunities for all Mon...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley Lake Sewer District attorney Jon Beal filed a motion Oct. 12 asking the court to dismiss the lawsuit against the District and Missoula County initiated by Don Larson. The motion to dismiss also asks the court to award attorney’s fees to the District. Larson and approximately 50 landowners and residents have sued claiming the District mishandled the protest process, failed to provide reliable financial information about the project including estimates for future phases, disenfranchised renters, failed to answer questions fro...
From Lincoln through Ovando, Seeley Lake and up the Swan Valley, Montana artisans displayed a wide variety of art works during Alpine Artisans' Tour of the Arts Oct. 13-14. Well over 100 visitors came from all over Montana and as far away as Tennessee, Minnesota and California. The tour entailed a lot of driving for those who chose to visit every location but nature itself became part of the artistry as trees displayed their fall yellows and golds while mountains, trees and hills added a...
SEELEY LAKE - Although temperatures barely reached 40 degrees Saturday, Oct. 13 for the Seeley Lake Chamber of Commerce Tamarack BrewFest, it didn't stop attendees from enjoying the brews, campfires and dancing to the live music by The Double Down Band and Beat Deaf on the shores of Seeley Lake at the Tamaracks Resort....
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Historical Society sponsored their first historical walking tour of downtown Seeley Lake Oct. 13. Attendees learned about the history of the area and many of the historical businesses that made Seeley Lake's downtown what it is today. Many stories were shared by tour guide Ron Cox and others who have been coming to Seeley Lake since the 1930s. Look for these stories in the upcoming weeks as a historical spotlight....
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Ranger District has announced a Nov. 30 deadline for submitting 2018/2019 winter/spring Recreation Event Special Use Permit applications. Applications received past this deadline will not be accepted for review. A Recreation Event Special Use Permit is required for organizing any use or activity on National Forest System lands that meets either of the following criteria, regardless of whether the use or activity is intended to produce a profit: • Where an entry or participation fee is charged. Donations are c...
SEELEY LAKE - Appearing at Alpine Artisan's Open Book Club Saturday, Oct.19 at 7 p.m. at the Grizzly Claw Trading Company is Montana mystery writer Christine Carbo. She will be reading from and discussing "A Sharp Solitude" her fourth book in her Glacier Mystery Series. There is no charge for this event and all are welcome. "A Sharp Solitude" is set in the magnificent and brutal terrain of Glacier National Park and its environs. A journalist has been murdered and FBI investigator Ali Paige,...
SWAN VALLEY - The public is invited to the annual meeting of the Upper Swan Valley Historical Society at the Swan Valley Community Hall, Friday, Oct. 19 at 1 p.m. President Steve Lamar will reflect on 2018 activities, mentioning the “Oral History Review” and “Wildlife Encounters” First Friday events held earlier in the year, the Fourth of July Celebration at the Swan Valley Museum and Swan Valley Community Hall, and the “100 Years of Swan Valley Schools” event and school tours. Lamar will highlight the Hollopeter Family Tree, painted by...
SEELEY LAKE – When a fighter dropped the fight against Mozi Gerber last minute, Hard Knocks Fight Promoter Jesse Uhde decided to give Seeley Lake's Michael Whitman the chance to box in the ring. Whitman threw on wraps and gloves, borrowed a cup and a mouthpiece said took to the ring for the first time May 6, 2017. Gerber was 26 years old, weighed 165 pounds and had 14 fights under his belt. Whitman was nine years his junior and weighed 125 pounds, although he told the fight organizers he was 1...
When someone suffering a mental health crisis arrived in the emergency room at Cabinet Peaks Medical Center in Libby, staff there often called Western Montana Mental Health Center, which would send a mental health professional to evaluate the case and determine a course of action. But that practice ended at the start of 2018, following the Missoula-based center's announcement that it would close its offices in Libby and Dillon. The reason: steep budget cuts made in Montana's special legislative...
POTOMAC - Jen Vogel is Potomac School's new special education teacher. Her dedication for teaching and working with students with special needs stems from a love of her students and their families. Vogel is originally from Florida and moved to Ohio to attend college. Vogel attended The University of Dayton and graduated in 2002 with a Masters in Theology and Bachelors in Religion. She then met her future husband Chris while working for a defense contractor. She and Chris married and then began t...
MISSOULA - The Montana Budget and Policy Center (MBPC) unveiled county-level rental housing affordability data through an innovative online interactive map. Research shows that there is no county in Montana where a minimum wage worker can afford a rental home at fair market rent. In Montana, 46 percent of all renters are cost burdened – paying more than 30 percent of their household income toward housing costs. “Affordability is a major obstacle to housing security and quality of life, and a growing number of Montanans are paying levels of ren...
Supporters of LR-129 claim their proposal will ensure that mail-in ballots are secure and that the state’s elections are free of potential fraud, but opponents argue the entire effort may cause unnecessary gridlock at the polls and distract from any actual security issue. The initiative would prohibit the collection of another individual’s ballot, although family members and caregivers could deliver another person’s ballot but would need to sign a registry at the polling place. People not authorized to deliver the ballot to a polling place...
Blackfoot Community Conservation Area Council looking for applicants OVANDO – The Blackfoot Community Conservation Area Council is accepting new applicants through Nov. 30. Visit www.blackfootchallenge.org for more info and to apply. Swan Valley Community Library highlights SWAN VALLEY - Swan Valley Library has a large collection of DVDs and books on CDs. There are also books and DVDs for all ages of children from toddlers to young adults. Come in and browse through them. Our Book Chat will be held Wednesday, Oct. 24 at 1 p.m. at the Swan V...
SEELEY LAKE - District Court Judge Karen Townsend denied a motion by Don Larson for a preliminary injunction against the Seeley Lake Sewer District Oct. 1. Larson is suing the Sewer District and Missoula County to prevent the district from moving the planned sewer project forward and seeking legal fees and damages. The motion for a preliminary injunction was filed in July and a hearing was held Aug. 14. At the hearing, Larson and his attorney Colleen Dowdall made the argument that if the District continues to work toward constructing the...
SEELEY LAKE - Developers of a proposed 82-unit RV park held a public meeting Oct. 1 to present their preliminary plans and gather public comment. The proposed park owner Brandon Grosvenor was accompanied by Paul Forsting of Territorial Landworks, the surveying and engineering company hired to design the project. The RV Park is proposed on the east side of Highway 83 on a 10-acre parcel directly south of the Seeley Lake 1-Stop Convenience Store. Grosvenor is a long time resident of Missoula and...
SEELEY LAKE – Everything from the table décor and the auction items, to the meal and desserts exemplified the theme “Wonderfully Made.” But it isn’t the ‘stuff’ that Sparrow’s Vine Pregnancy Resource Center highlighted at their 10th annual banquet Thursday, Oct. 4, it was the heart and love of God to change families lives when they welcome the most wonderfully made of all, their new child. Prior to enjoying the meal catered by Moose River and keynote speaker Dan Kulp, Sparrow’s Vine honored Hel...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley-Swan High School senior Jared Townsend has been playing the trumpet since fourth grade. He had no idea that his senior year, SSHS may not be able to find someone to teach music. Thanks to past music director Robert Green coming out of retirement and other teachers stepping in, band and choir are offered the first semester. However second semester is still questionable. While this is the first year Missoula County Public Schools has faced this teacher shortage, there are n...
The 2018 Alpine Artisans’ annual Tour of the Arts invites you to take a tour of local artists at work Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 13 and 14 from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. This popular self-guided tour has expanded to feature the work of over 30 artists in seven artist studios, three galleries and two historical museums in Seeley Lake, Condon, Lincoln and Ovando. The tour is held annually in mid-October to feature the natural beauty of the Western Tamaracks as they turn a bright yellow and orange, highlighting the incredible natural beauty of the See...
The 2 Valleys Stage Performing Arts Series is preparing for their next guest artist residency, a flute and saxophone duo called The Awea Duo. They will present a community concert in the Seeley-Swan High School auditorium Oct. 21 at 3 p.m. Jennifer Cooper and Masahito Sugihara share a passion for chamber music and enjoy a productive and exciting musical partnership. The Awea Duo is committed to promoting music for the flute and saxophone. They will perform some classical works as well as pieces...
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) started mailing new Medicare cards to people with Medicare who live in Montana. This will continue through mid-October. It is important to know you do not have to do anything to get your new Medicare card. There is no charge for new cards and Medicare will never ask you to give out personal or private information to get your new Medicare number and card. Once you get your new card, destroy your old card and start using your new card right away. Though Medicare is removing Social Security number...
SEELEY LAKE – The Tamaracks Resort north of Seeley Lake will be buzzing this Saturday with activities for all ages. The Seeley Lake Area Chamber of Commerce is hosting the Tamarack Brewfest on the north shore of Seeley Lake, Oct. 13 from 2 – 10 p.m. Everyone is invited rain or shine to enjoy local brews, activities for all ages and live music. The day starts at the Morrell Falls trailhead with a guided hike leaving promptly at 9 a.m. Then from 11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. canoe races on Seeley Lake will take place from the beach rental shack at the T...
SEELEY LAKE – New Seeley Lake Elementary third-grade teacher Kristy Pohlman is engaging in quite a juggling act. In addition to teaching, she is also the volleyball coach, is working on a master's degree, and partners with her husband in their business. In an email interview, Pohlman wrote she feels teaching is a career that suits her personality well. Long-term substitute teaching positions in Bonner and Seeley Lake helped confirmed that. Pohlman did her student teaching in the first-grade c...
Bears are not the only large predators that come in close to homes. Mountain lions are strong predators who live a secluded existence, following their prey and hunting day to day far and wide throughout Montana. Felis concolor is a large American feline and means cougar, catamount or panther, more commonly known as the mountain lion. They range from Canada to South America and are common predators throughout the Swan, Clearwater and Blackfoot watersheds. According to the Montana Chapter of Wildl...
Beautifully filmed in Montana's Paradise Valley, the Sundance Film Festival hit "Walking Out" will provide a thrilling evening to hunters and back country enthusiasts alike. The powerfully-acted plot revolves around a hunting trip in a remote, snow-filled valley taken by a father and his 14-year old son, who have been estranged. The son, David (Josh Wiggins), lives with his mother in Texas but comes to Montana once a year to spend time with his roughneck father Cal (Matt Bomer). David would rath...
DNRC to burn slash piles SEELEY LAKE - The Montana DNRC, Clearwater Unit, is proposing to burn slash piles from timber harvest and other treatments in several areas such as: the Seeley Lake area, Placid Lake area, Salmon Lake, Rice Ridge, Kozy Korner, the Game Range, and the Blanchard Creek / Lost Prairie Creek area. This pile burning will occur after approval from the Montana Department of Environmental Quality and Missoula County. If conditions are acceptable and the smoke columns are transported in acceptable directions, burns will be...
SEELEY LAKE – "Not only do I get to witness better condition of things but people who come here for tourist seasons get to experience it," said Seeley-Swan High School senior Madison Hinchey. "I know that I helped make it better for them." Hinchey's sentiments were echoed by many of the SSHS students and staff as they connected to the wider community through eight service projects with the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, Seeley Lake Ranger District, Seeley Lake Nordic Club and Camp Paxson during...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Sewer District Board gave Great West Engineering the go-ahead to work toward completing the final design of Phase 1 of the collections system and the wastewater treatment plant during an engineering work session Sept. 24. The board also kept the force main route going up Cedar Lane, discussed the required user agreements, RV dump stations and voted to obtain updated construction cost estimates for Phase 3 and 4 of the collection system. Great West Engineering's A...
MISSOULA - Wildland fire officials with the Missoula County Fire Protection Association (MCFPA) have dropped fire danger within Missoula County from high to moderate. Fall burning is now open for those with a permit. Recent days have seen lower temperatures, higher relative humidity and widespread precipitation is forecasted for this coming week. Because of this, MCFPA officials have decided to open Fall Burning Oct. 1 – Nov. 30. Fall Burning is available only to those with Essential Agricultural and Prescribed Wildland Permits. In the fall, b...
SEELEY LAKE – Paintings, photographs, prints and quilted images of wildland fire hung on display in the Seeley Lake Community Hall Saturday, Sept. 29. Every image told a story and each piece invoked different reactions and conversations from those who engaged. The art was meshed with a presentation on the newest fire science to foster conversations about how to deal with wildfire in the environment. University of Idaho Department of Forest, Rangeland and Fire Science Professor Penny Morgan a...
SEELEY LAKE - The next meeting of the Seeley Lake Community Council promises a full agenda. The Council will hear proponents and opposing views on all four Ballot Propositions: LR-128, the proposed levy to support the University system, will be supported by State Senator Tom Facey. At press time the Council is still looking for somebody to take the opposing viewpoint. LR-129, the prohibition for people to collect other people’s ballots, will be supported by State Representative Mike Hopkins and opposed by Facey. I-185, the proposed tobacco t...
OVANDO — Bear activities continue in Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Region 1. A young male grizzly was relocated from the Ovando to the Flathead National Forest after getting into unsecured garbage. Montana is bear country. Black bears and grizzly bears are actively seeking food sources before winter. FWP personnel captured the young male grizzly bear near Ovando Sept. 19 and moved it to a remote section of Flathead National Forest land near Marias Pass. The 190-pound subadult male was eating unsecured garbage on residential property in the O...
SEELEY LAKE - Some of the youngest students at Seeley Lake Elementary have been some of the most successful gardeners. For the past four years Seeley Lake kindergartners have planted vegetables in planters in the courtyard of the school, then harvested them as first graders. The first year they actually started as pre-kindergartners, working with teacher Sheila Devins moving rock and soil from outside into courtyard planters that maintenance man John Devins built. Then they planted carrots that...
POTOMAC - Ashley Olsen is the new second and third grade teacher at Potomac School. Olsen looks forward to learning and growing in the classroom, deepening her teaching knowledge and meaningfully shaping her students' lives through poetry, reading and song. Hailing from Minnesota, Olsen began her schooling at Saint Olaf College in Northfield, Minn. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Religion in 2011. She moved from Minnesota to Montana in 2012 and has lived in Western Mo...
Retired Browning educator Larry Woolf spent 11 years as a teacher and 15 as a guidance counselor in public schools on the Blackfeet Reservation. He has seen, again and again, the devastating pain of teenage suicide. "Working in the schools, I'd gone to enough funerals for kids," he said in an interview this spring. The pain of losing those young people motivated Woolf to become a trainer in a new mental health program for teenagers - a program he hopes will sharply reduce the rate of teenage...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley-Swan High School celebrated Homecoming Saturday, Sept. 29. Students participated in the annual parade through downtown Seeley Lake and football and volleyball home games. The Cross Country team raced in Missoula at the Mountain West Classic and rushed home to join the festivities. For those that were dual athletes, they had a busy day. The juniors won the float competition with sophomores selected for second place. Seniors Chance Johnson and Madison Hinchey were named the...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Elementary School Board approved the temporary ice rink on the SLE fields for three years. Superintendent Chris Stout also provided several updates on the new school year. The Board received no more comments on the proposed ice rink. Ice Rink Committee member Gary Swain had no new information about the ice rink to present to the board. He confirmed that all the group was asking for this year was a location that would require a little leveling, sand and temporary boards installed as forms for the rink. Board C...
SEELEY LAKE – At the Sept. 20 meeting, Seeley Lake Sewer District Board President Beth Hutchinson announced the District doesn’t have insurance to cover the lawsuit spearheaded by Don Larson against the District. The board also discussed the uses for a recently received grant, the inter-local agreement with the county and filling the vacancy on the board. The District’s attorney informed the directors that the 17-year-old insurance policy would not be covering the lawsuit. The District has approximately $179,000 in reserves but several thing...
SEELEY LAKE – At the inception of the Seeley Lake Community Park in 1983, there were plans for many recreational facilities including tennis courts, a fitness trail, covered pavilion/ice skating rink, softball fields, basketball court and horseshoe pits on the 10-acres owned by Seeley Lake Elementary District #34. While many of these projects have been completed over the past 35 years on the property, minimal maintenance has been done to maintain the existing infrastructure. While the SLE s... Full story
SEELEY LAKE - Law enforcement from all over the county joined in a procession Sept. 22 to recognize former Missoula County Sheriff's Deputy Lloyd Hallgren. The procession ran from his home in Dog Town to the Seeley-Swan High School....
SEELEY LAKE – At times all parents feel lost or without a clue about what their children might need. Imagine if you could make sense of what your child was really asking from you. Stephen Marten, COS-P facilitator and LCPC candidate and Bekah Cahoon, BIS, graduate student in counseling will be presenting an eight-week Circle of Security® Parenting™ program at Seeley Lake Elementary starting the first week of October. While the program is directed mainly at caregivers of children up to 12 years old, the principles apply to all ages and anyone ca...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Ranger District is wrapping up their summer activities and turning attention to fall projects. Many fall projects are in the works and are dynamic. For the most current information contact the Ranger District at 406-677-2233. Road Work Morrell Bridge, the road to Morrell Falls trailhead, will be fixed this fall and the old bridge removed. The Henry Mountain road #5407 within the Marshall Creek Wildlife Management Area is now open. The District is currently working o...
SWAN VALLEY - Chip Weber, Flathead National Forest Supervisor, signed the final decision for the Glacier Loon Fuels Reduction and Forest Health Project. The project area is located on the Swan Lake Ranger District, in the Swan River Valley, south and west of Condon on the west side of Montana Highway 83 to the south end of Lindbergh Lake. All management activities included in the decision occur on National Forest System lands within Missoula County. A summary of the actions in the decision include the following: • Vegetation treatments (...
SEELEY LAKE – This past summer, Missoula City-County Animal Control installed two new dogs kennels at the Missoula County Satellite office north of Seeley Lake. The intent for the temporary, holding facility is to provide a place for local law enforcement officers to bring stray dogs and keep them secure, sheltered and watered until an Animal Control officer is able to come up from Missoula. Animal Control Officer Sonney White started with Missoula County Animal Control five years ago. He s...
SWAN VALLEY – Rebecca Folsom and Mark Oblinger filled the Swan Valley Community Hall with their beautiful harmonies, talented wit and honest emotions Sunday, Sept. 23. Folsom's performance opened the 2018-2019 2 Valleys Stage concert series. This was not Folsom's first appearance in the Seeley-Swan valley, having performed before with Celeste Krenz as the "Rhythm Angels." Splitting her time between Colorado, Nashville, Tenn. and touring nationally, Folsom shared parts of her artistic journey a...
John "Ike" Wallace is known to his new students at Potomac School as a teacher of multiple strengths who feels humbled each time he walks into the classroom. He said he enjoys the challenges that come with teaching. Wallace graduated from Missoula's Hellgate High School in 2009. He proceeded to graduate from Montana State University in 2014 with a B.S. in Elementary Education and a Minor in K-12 Reading. At Potomac School, Wallace teaches English language arts to sixth grade, math to seventh...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Fire District discussed issues with the billing company and vendors at their Sept. 18 meeting. They also approved a $5,000 raise for Fire Chief Dave Lane. Lane said the District is down 60 calls from last year. This is good because it cuts down on the wear and tear on the vehicles and cuts expenses, however it is a loss of revenue for the District. Lane said he is working on increasing the revenue. He added there are things coming to light with the billing company that need to be addressed to improve the billing ou...
Two months ago, the boys played like children do, clambering around a ruined building just down the lush green hillside from their home. Now their mom, Moslene, cooks only for her husband, a mechanical act that brings her no joy. Only sadness and a remembrance of the innocent laughter she will never hear again. Her boys - her only children - are dead. A wall of that ruined building fell on them, killing them instantly. Moslene's house, a one-story, two-room concrete structure with a wrap-around...
SEELEY LAKE – Sunday, Sept. 23 the Missoula Hellgate Classic Car Club drove through the area. They met at the Seeley Lake Historical Museum with many local classic car owners. The group then proceeded to Seeley Lake beach for lunch. Member of the club and Ovando resident Steve Kloetzel organized the tour around the lake on Boy Scout Road, the only loop option on pavement....
Swan Valley AARP meeting, Oct. 2 SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley AARP will meet Tuesday, Oct. 2 at 12 p.m. at the Swan Valley Community Hall. A potluck lunch hosted by Joyce and Garry Wegner will begin at 12:30 p.m. At 1:30 p.m., there will be a brief business meeting, after which Joyce will talk about the history of the Salmon Prairie School. The public is invited. Swan Valley Connections community potluck, Oct. 3 SWAN VALLEY - Swan Valley Connections’ October Community Potluck Dinner will be held Wednesday, Oct. 3 at 6 p.m. at the Swan V...
SWAN VALLEY – Condon Community Church broke ground for their new expansion project Sunday, Sept. 16. They hope the expansion will allow them to share the Gospel and love of Christ with more people in the Swan valley and continue to be an outreach to the community. Elder Buzz Busby said the reason for the expansion was simple, "We are full." Pastor Bruce Rippy said that the congregation started praying about the expansion project around four years ago. Watching the congregation grow, sometimes to...
SEELEY LAKE – After more than three years of gathering feedback about priorities and vision for the Clearwater-Blackfoot Project (CBP) area, The Nature Conservancy has identified two main themes for the land as they continue work through the transitions to new ownership. Along with seeking permanent conservation on the ground, recreational development and a community-governed ownership outcome are the two new focus areas that will further TNC's mission to connect people to the land. Ownership t...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Council voted to form a committee to study the future of the Council’s trails committee at the Sept. 10 Council meeting. In June the Council voted to disband the trails committee and hand over responsibility to trail maintenance and improvements to Seeley Lake Regional Outdoor Center for Kinetic Sports (ROCKS) but there is still confusion over what that actually looks like in practice. “Right now there are far more questions than answers,” said ROCKS board president Jim McLean. McLean said one of the b...
SEELEY LAKE - Pathfinder owners Nathan and Andi Bourne revisited photo points they took along the Morrell Falls trail again this fall to help visually capture the change one year post fire. Photos were taken Oct. 19, 2017 and again Sept. 9, 2018. The amount of regrowth depended on the fire severity in the photo point....
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Area Chamber of Commerce is no longer located in the Seeley Lake Historical Museum and Visitors’ Center, locally known as “the Barn.” The Chamber is moving to a location more fitting for their seasonal needs and be closer to the downtown area, primarily due to the higher additional traffic volume. The Chamber’s Executive Director Lisa Hayhurst said that while visitation at the Visitors’ Center was up over last year, overall visitation has decreased somewhat. She attributes that to the Chamber’s new website and...
SEELEY LAKE - Please join us as Bernice Ende, Lady Long Rider, makes her second appearance at Alpine Artisan's Open Book, Thursday, Sept. 27 at 7 p.m. at the Grizzly Claw Trading Company. She will be presenting a slide show and discussing her recent book "Lady Long Rider" which chronicles her 28,000 miles on horseback crisscrossing the continent. There is no charge for this event and all are welcome. As a fearless young girl on her parents' dairy farm in Minnesota, Ende loved to gallop bareback...
SEELEY LAKE - Tuesday, Sept. 11 Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Game Warden Bill Koppen captured, collared and relocated the black bear sow and her two cubs that were getting into animal feed on the Double Arrow Ranch. He reminds everyone to pay attention and not have any bear attractants available for the next two months. "Pick up," said Koppen. "It's really, really simple or the bears don't stand a chance."...
SWAN VALLEY - Fire managers on the Flathead National Forest are planning to conduct fall prescribed fire projects when weather, fuel conditions and air quality are favorable. Smoke will be visible from various places in the Flathead and Swan Valleys 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, designed and controlled to reduce the potential for adverse effects. These projects will be in compliance with Montana air quality...
HELENA - Montana State Parks is seeking public comment on 25 grant applications for Snowmobile Trail Grooming funds for the 2018-2019 winter season. The Seeley Lake Driftriders is among the 25 with an award of $17,343.32. Public comment will be accepted through Sunday, Sept. 30 at 5 p.m. The Montana Snowmobile Program, as administered by Montana State Parks, was established in the early 1970’s and is an essential component of both motorized and non-motorized winter recreational activities in the state. Montana’s groomed trails provide imp...
KALISPELL - Archery hunters have new hunting opportunities in the Swan Valley. The Swan River National Wildlife Refuge, located off Montana Highway 83 at the south end of Swan Lake, has a new archery-only weapons restriction area. The Swan River National Wildlife Refuge spans 1,961 acres and was established in 1973. At the refuge, bow hunters can only harvest deer and elk and must follow the hunting regulations outlined for Hunting District 130. Portions of the refuge remain open to waterfowl...
SEELEY LAKE -- The community is invited to attend a traveling University of Idaho exhibit of art and open community discussion about wildfire and our shared future. The creative voices of artists and fire practitioners are connected with people in communities highly affected by recent fires in the Northern Rockies. The art exhibit will be on display from 2-8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 29, at the Seeley Lake Community Center. A discussion of what fire science tells us will be led by University of Idaho...
SEELEY LAKE – Primarily inspired by the modeling of her then teacher Mrs. Roach, Rachel Bemis decided in second grade that she wanted to be a teacher when she grew up. She never wavered from that career decision. She received her teaching certificate, taught for four years in Missoula, and has now taken the position of second-grade teacher at Seeley Lake Elementary. Because Bemis did her student teaching in the second grade, she said returning to that level "felt like a really good fit. Kind o...
SEELEY LAKE – Robin Beckett (formerly Robin Gaither) brings 14 years of teaching to her Seeley Lake Elementary kindergarten classroom. Starting in a Montessori school in Indiana, Beckett went on to teach multi-grade classes in Alaska and Hawaii. During the last three years, she taught in Bonner, Mont. Beckett said her decision to enter the education field was largely influenced by her fifth-grade teacher. "I was very shy," she said. "I didn't like to talk. I wanted to be invisible. He took t...
SEELEY LAKE – "His story had me on an emotional roller coaster. One minute you're laughing and the next crying," recalled Sparrow's Vine Executive Director Tera Wold after listening to Dan Kulp at a Care Net Missoula event in March of 2017. "It left me feeling that the world is beautiful and there are beautiful people out there who were put directly on this earth to help others. After the show, I just KNEW I needed to get him to my audience in Seeley." With the financial support of Seeley Lake r...
The Partners In Health, known in Haitian Creole as Zanmi Lasante(ZL/PIH), headquarters resides in a huge state-of-the-art hospital in Mirebalais, about a half-hour drive southwest of Cange. On what has become a typical morning there, hundreds of Haitians crowd onto wooden benches inside. More spill out of the entryways into the tropical sun. Some sleep on blankets or cardboard in the shade of bushes planted along the hospital's white walls. A young woman strolls toward the exit, a newborn in...
MISSOULA – The number and size of large wildfires has increased dramatically in the western United States during the past three decades. New research shows that significant declines in summer precipitation and lengthening dry spells during summer are major drivers of the increase in fire activity. This is contrary to previous understanding that the increase is attributable only to warming temperatures and earlier snowmelt. The research was conducted by a team of scientists from the USDA Forest Service and the University of Montana, funded by N...
Fire Danger remains High in Missoula County - Outdoor burning remains closed MISSOULA - Wildland fire officials with the Missoula County Fire Protection Association (MCFPA) determined to keep fire danger within Missoula County at high. Recent days have seen lower temperatures and higher relative humidity but sunny and breezy conditions persist. Large fuels remain dry, so fire danger indices continue to run in the HIGH range. Because the threat of wildfire spreading on sunny, windy days, MCFPA member agencies have decided to keep outdoor...
SEELEY LAKE - In an amended complaint filed with the court Aug. 31, approximately 50 additional plaintiffs have joined Don Larson’s lawsuit against the Seeley Lake Sewer District and Missoula County. The complaint states that the plaintiffs own approximately 60 of the properties in the Sewer District and span all four phases of the proposed sewer project. There are approximately 500 lots in the district. In addition to the landowners there are a couple of residents that are renters in the list of plaintiffs. The lawsuit still includes a...
Bear activity continues in Seeley Lake and Swan Valley. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Game Warden Bill Koppen asks residents to "start using their head" and put all attractants away for the next two months. There are at least eight black bears roaming Seeley Lake, the young collared female grizzly bear was relocated and another grizzly was euthanized south of Condon this September. The bears have moved down into the valley floors in search of food before denning season. Koppen said all...
SWAN VALLEY – Anyone driving by the Swan Valley School can't help but notice the newly installed 55 mile-per-hour school zone and flashing lights during school day drop off and pick up times. The speed zone and signs will hopefully not only promote safer access to the school from Highway 83, it also taught the community a few lessons in persistence and working together towards a common goal. In response to several complaints from bus drivers and parents picking up and dropping their children o...
SEELEY LAKE - The Lolo National Forest has approved harvest of approximately 3,494 acres of the Rice Ridge Fire that burned over 160,000 acres last summer near Seeley Lake. Nearly 106,500 acres were on the Lolo National Forest, The project is located in an area allocated to timber management in the Lolo Forest Plan. Habitat for the threatened Canada lynx was avoided and streams were buffered to ensure protection of water quality and habitat for fish. The limited scope and scale of project activities are not expected to disrupt grizzly bear...
SEELEY LAKE - Tuesday morning, Sept. 11 Seeley Lake Rural Fire District volunteers Jaycee McGraves, Shelley McGraves and Lieutenant Kody Kelley, District Administrator Lynn Richards and Fire Chief Dave Lane stood to remember those who served and lost their lives during the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001. They stood for 102 minutes, the amount of time it took for the first of the two Twin Towers to fall. This was the 10th year for the tribute....
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Ranger District opened areas east and west of Boy Scout Road from Sept. 15 – Oct. 15 for personal use firewood cutting. Firewood cutting is subject to all terms and conditions of the firewood permit. The areas of special consideration are located in T17N, R16W Section 20 on the east of Boy Scout Roadd, west of Boy Scout Road to Westside Bypass Road in Section 18, 19, 20 and 29. While the area is scheduled to be open for the next month, it may be closed sooner if...
SEELEY LAKE – The 2 Valleys Stage Performing Arts Series will welcome singer-songwriter Rebecca Folsom to the Seeley-Swan area Sunday, Sept. 23. She will be giving a community concert at Swan Valley Community Hall at 3 p.m., followed by a two-day residency in the Seeley, Swan and Potomac schools. Some will remember Folsom from several seasons ago when 2 Valleys Stage brought her and Celeste Krenz to the valley as the "Rhythm Angels." This time Folsom will be performing with guitarist Mark Obling...
KALISPELL — The Fish and Wildlife Commission has approved language for a proposed administrative rule that would codify population objectives for grizzly bears in the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem (NCDE). The decision Aug. 9 sets into motion a public comment period that will run from Aug. 24 through Oct. 26. Public hearings will be held in Kalispell, Missoula, Great Falls and Conrad. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks staff will explain and answer questions about the proposed population objectives at the hearings and take public comment. T...
As a child, Presandieu Charles suffered severe headaches and stomach pains. One day he beat his mother on the foot and thigh with a stick and later cried when he saw what he had done. In October 2017, Charles began to hammer at the timber walls of his family's dirt-floored home with his fists. He would not stop. Neighbors bound his ankles and wrists with leather straps and metal chains. They called his affliction "the madness." He still has the scars: dark star-shaped marks on the skin on his ri...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Sewer District Board held a public hearing on updating the Preliminary Engineering Report (PER) and Environmental Assessment (EA) for Phase 2 of the collection system Sept. 6. The district is in the process of applying for funding for Phase 2. The hearing was a repeat of a May 3 hearing because one of the funding agencies did not accept how the May hearing was publically noticed. Great West Engineering submitted an application this spring for funds from the Treasure State Endowment Project (TSEP) through...
SEELEY LAKE – Members of the community are invited to get involved in a new school volunteer resource program. “Community Volunteers Helping Students” is an opportunity for local professionals and individuals to share their professional skills and knowledge with students at Seeley-Swan High School and Seeley Lake Elementary. The intent for the program is to engage the community by recruiting individuals with specific areas of expertise whose goal is to support the faculty and staff on a demand basis. CVHS Organizers Steve Bowen and Tom Browder...
SEELEY LAKE - Beth Layman was the winner of the 2018 quilt raffle for Paws Up Safe Home. The quilt was made by Teresa Friede and constructed by Louise Cameron. Thanks to the generosity of the community members and business community, the raffle raised $870 for the animal shelter in Potomac....
Mountain lion on the prowl by the Clearwater River....
POTOMAC - Along with new and returning coaches, staff and students, Potomac School has hit the ground running with improvements and ideas both inside and out. New custodian Greg Stevens completed building repairs and paint touch up as well as bleacher repair and landscaping. In the athletic field the bases are set and ready for action. Security measures include entrance and playground cameras. This year the school’s front entrance is locked at all times. Access is by a buzzer system to provide a more secure entry to the main building, said P...
SEELEY LAKE – After the Blackhawks finished their race at the 2017 State Cross Country meet in Helena, they came back to find the wind had destroyed their tent beyond repair. Parent Dena Turner along with the athletes, Cross County and Track and Field Coach Zelda Haines, and the Seeley-Swan High School Boosters raised the funds to purchase a new tent that can be used for all SSHS athletic events. Turner recalled what the boys found after returning to the tent after their race. "When they came ba...
MBF Kids Club starts Sept. 17 SEELEY LAKE – Mission Bible Fellowship’s Kids Club starts again for the year Monday, Sept. 17. Kindergarten through sixth graders are invited every Monday for games, snacks, music, crafts and Bible stories. Students will be picked up at Seeley Lake Elementary at 3 p.m. and will walk over to MBF. Pick up is 4:30 p.m. at MBF. The event is free to all students. See Suzie Teafoe in the SLE office for the permission slip or call Erika Wilson, 499-2903, for more information. BLM to conduct prescribed burns in the Bla...
SEELEY LAKE – The bears have moved back into the valleys in search of food. There have been numerous bear sightings in the area this past week. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Bear Biologist Jamie Jonkle asks that people be conscious of bears and help keep them out of trouble. An unmarked large adult male grizzly attempted to get into a bear-resistant garbage Monday, Aug. 27 along the North Placid Lake Road. This may be the same grizzly or a separate incident for a grizzly that got into a freez...
SEELEY LAKE – The lawn at Littlebird's Marketplace came alive for the final Farmers' and Crafters' Market of the season Sept. 2. The End of the Season Celebration closed out the tenth year with food, vendors, music and an opportunity to get together. Attendees were all smiles in the sunshine as they picked out their produce, browsed the many displays and visited with neighbors and vendors. Many of the vendors shared how much they love the atmosphere at the Seeley Lake Market. While it is a s...
HELMVILLE - Locals and visitors packed the stands again in Helmville over labor day weekend for the 54th annual Helmville Rodeo....
SEELEY LAKE – At the Seeley Lake Community Council meeting Monday, Sept. 10, Sheriff T.J. McDermott will introduce Seeley Lake’s new local deputy Ryan Dunster. Deputy Dunster is looking for a place to live in Seeley Lake with his wife and three children. Next will be a presentation by Amber Sherrill of Five Valleys Land Trust who will speak in favor of the proposed Open Space Bond. Following Sherrill, Republican candidate for re-election to MT House District 92 Mike Hopkins will speak in opposition to the bond. After that USFS District Ranger R...
SEELEY LAKE - Please join the Open Book Club as journalist and renowned author John Maclean reads from and discusses his recently released book, "River of Fire," Saturday, Sept. 8 at 7 p.m. at the Grizzly Claw Trading Company. There is no charge for this event and all are welcome. This book builds on the piece about the Rattlesnake Fire (California, 1953) that was included in his earlier book "Fire and Ashes." Maclean adds more details and includes information from and sections by firefighters...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Ranger District is planning to conduct prescribed burning this fall if weather, fuel and air quality conditions allow for safe and effective operations. The project areas with planned burning are located in four locations, two of which are directly adjacent to Seeley Lake. One is located just south of Seeley Lake within the Horeshoe Hills area, while the other is just north of Seeley Lake at the Auggie project area. The other two areas are near the Colt Summit and Swan Face project areas. All project areas have mul...
SEELEY LAKE – More than 100 people crowded into the Seeley Lake Community Hall Thursday, Aug. 30, to view a film celebrating a man acclaimed as the father of bear biology. The documentary "Walking Bear Comes Home, the Life and Work of Chuck Jonkel" was part of the educational Pure Montana Tales series sponsored by Clearwater Resource Council and Blackfoot Challenge. Jonkel's interaction with bears began in 1959 after he graduated with a Master Degree in Wildlife Biology from the University of Mo...
SEELEY LAKE – Local law enforcement is looking for the owner of a pair of Nike Max Air running shoes that were stolen from a residence around Seeley-Swan High School in July. According to Missoula County Sheriff's Office Sergeant Robert Parcell, one of the juveniles involved in the vandalism at SSHS July 9 was barefoot when he/she left his/her home. The shoes were taken from a residence in the area and worn when the snow blower was pushed off the roof of the high school. The juvenile's p...
SEELEY LAKE - Mountain Lakes Presbyterian Church will be participating in the National Weekend of Prayer for Faith, Hope, & Life (Sept. 7-9, 2018). The entire community is invited to join the congregation during their Sunday service, Sept. 9 at 10:30 a.m. to offer prayer with and for those who struggle with mental health conditions, to be present with those who have been impacted by a completed suicide and to celebrate the gift of life - including the gift of life in this community. According...
There's a problem and we all have the solution. According to The Center for the Developing Child at Harvard University, "When adults have opportunities to build the core skills that are needed to be productive participants in the workforce and to provide stable, responsive environments for the children in their care, our economy will be stronger and the next generation of citizens, workers and parents will thrive." Individuals, communities and the nation have within their grasp information that...
LINCOLN - The fifth anniversary of Blackfoot Pathways: Sculpture in the Wild this September promises to elevate further the surprising art park in this small mountain community. In addition to playing host to renowned sculptors Cornelia Konrads and Kate Hunt who will be working on new installations in the 26-acre sculpture park on the eastern edge of town, visitors and residents will be treated to an eclectic range of musical concerts curated by Composer-in-Residence Adele O'Dwyer. Visitors are...
Fire restrictions rescinded across northwest Montana KALISPELL — Cooperating interagency fire managers across northwest Montana followed suit with the Missoula area and rescinded Stage 2 Fire Restrictions Aug. 31. Recent rain and cooler temperatures have substantially slowed growth of all area fires, but fire managers encourage people to recognize that, while evenings are cool, forest vegetation remains dry. Historically, many of the wildfires in the Flathead area have grown substantially with weather systems and high winds common in late Augus...
SEELEY LAKE – All volunteers who serve on public boards in Missoula County are invited to attend the Missoula County Board Training in Seeley Lake, Sept. 25 from 6-8:30 p.m. at the Seeley Lake Historic Museum and Visitor's Center. This training is provided by the Missoula County Commissioners and will feature guest speaker Dan Clark with the MSU Extension Local Government Center. "Whether you're new to serving on a public board or have served on a board for many years, the Montana State University Local Government Center board training is a g...
MISSOULA – Widespread precipitation and cool temperatures have lessened the fire danger in the Missoula Area to the extent that fire managers are able to lift Stage II fire restrictions Wednesday, Aug. 29 at 12:01 a.m. Stage I restrictions were not implemented this year, so Stage I restrictions will not be in effect on Wednesday. The public is reminded that county bans on open burning persist across most of western Montana. Agencies rescinding Stage II Restrictions Aug. 29 • MT-DNRC Northwestern Land Office Plains Unit (State Land & Pri...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake's newest deputy Ryan Dunster took to the streets of Seeley Lake for the first time Sunday, Aug. 26. Dunster is looking forward to becoming a part of the community with his wife and three children as well as enjoying all of the recreation opportunities the area offers. While Dunster was a counselor with the Yellowstone County Youth Detention Center in 2005, he visited with an officer about a career in law enforcement. "He thought that I would be a good fit so I applied,"...
"I took off and rode up the main line trail and into the Lander's Fork trail. That's where I hit the [Canyon Creek] fire. It was roaring pretty good then," said Jerry Burns recalling Sept. 6, 1988. "Some logs were burning in the trail and so I knew I had to keep going." Burns was working as a mule packer for the Forest Service in Lincoln, Mont. during the summer of 1988. His actions saved two trail crew members from being overrun by the Canyon Creek fire that burned more than 200 square miles...
SEELEY LAKE – Alpine Artisans' 2 Valleys Stage introduced its 2018-19 performance season Aug. 23 with Montana Shakespeare in the Parks' production of "The Tragedy of Othello: The Moor of Venice." Affiliated with Montana State University, MSIP has traveled for 46 years throughout Montana, as well as into border communities in Idaho, North Dakota, Wyoming and Washington to bring free professional performances of Shakespeare and other plays. This marked the first year they have produced "...
SEELEY LAKE - A recent statement that residents are drinking water contaminated with raw sewage made by the Seeley Lake Sewer District Board attorney Jon Beal has raised a few eyebrows in town. Seeley Lake Water District Manager Vince Chappell contested these statements saying that there are no contaminants related to sewage in the potable drinking water for the town of Seeley Lake. In an email to the Pathfinder, Missoula City/County Health Department Sanitarian Jim Erven agreed with Chappell. Erven said he reviewed the last two years of Water...
SEELEY LAKE - Pure Montana Tales presents the film, “Walking Bear Comes Home: The Life and Work of Chuck Jonkel” Thursday, Aug. 30 at 7 p.m. at the Seeley Lake Community Hall. This film premiered at the 40th International Wildlife Film Festival in 2017, a festival which Jonkel founded in 1977. Jonkel was widely known as Montana’s “bear expert”, a role now filled by his son Jamie Jonkel, the current bear manager for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Region 2. Barring any bear emergencies, Jamie will attend this screening along with Frank Tyr...
SEELEY LAKE - Missoula County Commissioners are looking to fill Lee Boman’s position on the Seeley Lake Community Council. Boman resigned effective Sept. 30. The application deadline is 3 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 25. The SLCC is comprised of seven members who are registered voters within the boundaries of the Seeley Lake School District. Members are elected to advance and promote the interests and welfare of the citizens of the Seeley Lake community by providing useful, beneficial and helpful information for Missoula County Commissioners to c...
SEELEY LAKE – The discussion at the Seeley Lake Elementary School Board meeting focused on the proposed ice skating rink and staff changes at their Aug. 21 meeting. The Board will vote on whether to allow a temporary ice rink for this winter at their September meeting. The board received eight letters in favor of the proposed ice rink. Chair Todd Johnson said the only negative comments the board has received is from SLE staff. Organizers for the proposed rink Scott Eggeman and Gary Swain offered more information and answered questions. Swain s...
OVANDO - Ovando School welcomed nine students this year for the start of school Aug. 27. While many things will remain the same as last year, there are a few changes that will shake things up. Supervising Teacher Leigh Ann Valiton will be teaching the older students in the big room and teacher Andrea Tougas will teach the younger students in the little room. The schedule will be the same as last year going five days per week the first semester and four days per week the second semester. “It worked really well. We get a good start on e...
SWAN VALLEY - "This is where the water lily was last year," sighed Fish Biologist Beth Gardner, pointing to a small cove in Holland Lake's south shore. The water lily. Singular. Today, water lilies abound there, in a growing patch the size of a Chevrolet Suburban. And there are other patches around the lake's edge, wherever the water is shallow and still. Granted, Beth may have missed a plant or two last year, or mistaken it pre-flower for our native yellow pond lily. But this year, in shock at...
SWAN VALLEY - Flathead National Forest, Swan Lake District Ranger Chris Dowling was introduced at the Swan Valley Council monthly meeting Aug. 21. Dowling recently replaced newly retired Ranger Rich Kehr. He named ongoing projects in the Swan Valley and answered questions from those in attendance. Dowling discussed four main projects in the Swan: Cold-Jim, Glacier Loon, Beaver Creek and Mid Swan. Based on the objectives for different projects, activities include restoration for forest health, fuel reductions, precommercial thinning and tree...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Fire Board approved the 2018-2019 budget and a pay raise for District Administrator Lynn Richards at their Aug. 21 meeting. Seeley Lake Fire Chief Dave Lane presented the board with next year’s budget. Last year’s budget was $45,000 over in total expenses. They had a surplus of $128,000 and used $45,669 to make up the difference. Lane explained that the District overspent two-thirds of the line items. He eliminated that problem for this year but couldn’t tell the board why it was overspent last year since he was...
SEELEY LAKE – “Last summer I was bringing in some donations when two soot-stained forest firefighters knocked on the door. They were from Arizona and no one had told them nights get cold in Montana,” said Loving Hearts volunteer Margaret Sandor laughing as she added she sent them off with a bunch of jackets to share with their crew. “We keep sweatshirts and long underwear out on the sales floor year round for campers that make that realization too.” This is just one of the many blessings from th...
This grizzly was moving along the west side of Salmon Lake Aug. 22. The bear traveled more than a mile before heading up hill looking for food....
Swan Valley AARP Meeting, Sept. 4 SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley AARP will meet Tuesday, Sept. 4 at noon at the Swan Valley Community Hall. A potluck lunch hosted by George and Emily Beck will begin at 12:30 p.m. There will be a brief business meeting at 1:30 p.m. after which George and Emily will talk about their trip to Budapest. The public is invited. SVC Community Potluck presents “Bears and Berries” Sept. 5 SWAN VALLEY - Swan Valley Connections’ September Community Potluck Dinner will be held on Wed., Sept. 5th, at 6 p.m. at the Swan Valle...
SEELEY LAKE – A recent petition available at several businesses in downtown Seeley Lake asks the Lolo National Forest “to remove and replace the current ranger of the Seeley Lake Ranger District.” According to the petition’s author Seeley Lake resident Curtis Friede, the intent of the petition is twofold. First, it is to give members of the community a voice that he feels has been stifled. Second, it is to ask for change in leadership because the decisions made, including the management of the Rice Ridge fire and current closure of Big Larch Ca...
SEELEY LAKE - Beginning Aug. 17 the Seeley Lake Ranger District will not charge a fee at the Seeley Lake and River Point Campgrounds. The free camping at these locations will be in place for the remainder of the season. Fees will be charged again at the beginning of next season. The District will also keep these two campgrounds open past the normal Labor Day closing. They will remain open pending fall weather conditions. The decision to not charge fees and keep the campgrounds open is meant to encourage use of these recreation sites during the...
SWAN VALLEY – "I will never forget the first time I saw those two," said Swan Valley resident Colleen Kesterson recalling the first time she met Hung Tu Tran and his younger brother Thê at Salmon Prairie School. "It was January 1980 and they were standing in front of the stove at the school and they had their flip flops on and their lunch sacks in their hand." The climate was just one of the many adjustments the brothers faced after becoming Vietnamese refugees in 1978. After leaving their im...
This summer marks the 30th anniversary of the Canyon Creek fire, which began early in the summer of 1988 but made it's lasting impact when it burned over 200 square miles in one night on Sept. 6. The summer of 1988 was significant. After a hot and dry summer, fires that had previously been left alone as part of the "let it burn" policy burned out of control. The Forest Service adopted the policy in 1972, which allowed some fires started by lightning strikes in wilderness areas to continue to...
Animal Wonders Inc. of Potomac packed the group camp site at Placid Lake State Park Saturday, Aug. 18 for the final Montana State Parks Campfire Program of the season. Of their 89 animals that they currently have at their facility, founders Jessi and Augusto Castañeda brought eight to the program to discuss their adaptations for survival. For more information visit animalwonders.org....
The Powell County Community Foundation is accepting grant applications from non-profits throughout Powell County. The PCF awards grants, usually ranging from $500 to $1,200 for charitable purposes in the following focus areas: basic human needs, arts and culture, recreation and economic development. The application deadline is Friday, Sept. 7. The short application form is available by writing to the PCF at P.O. Box 834, Deer Lodge, 59722, or by contacting board members Kirk Sandquist, Steve Owens, Mary Ann Fraley, Claudia Dippold, Cheryl...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Sewer District board passed the annual levy of assessments at the Aug. 16 regular board meeting and assessment hearing. In other business, they set a public hearing to correct an issue with a Phase 2 grant application, discussed the resolution the board has been told requires the sewer be constructed and discussed “holes in essential information.” Public comment centered on the project’s schedule and the perception that the board is holding the project up as well as questioning what the voters and landowners had p...
After graduating from Harvard Medical School in 1986, Bill Thomas started working as the medical director of a small nursing home in central New York. It was a run-of-the-mill institution, "depressing and dispiriting," he says. He was attending to an elderly resident's rash one day when she looked up at him and whispered, "I'm so lonely, doctor." Thomas says he had an epiphany. He realized the residents he was caring for seemed plagued less by medical issues than by boredom, loneliness and...
Summer is drawing to a close and area schools will be beginning classes soon. Seeley Lake Elementary, Sunset School and Seeley-Swan High School are all adding new programs, teachers or learning tools in the upcoming year. Get the scoop on what’s new in school below. Seeley Lake Elementary This year Seeley Lake Elementary school starts Sept. 4. The school is welcoming three new teachers and rebooting some activities that were put on hold last fall during the Rice Ridge Fire. Kristy Pohlman will be teaching third grade, Robin Gaither will be t...
Correction - Foundation purchase amount of Deer Country Quilts building higher than $50,000 SEELEY LAKE - The Pathfinder erroneously reported that the Seeley Lake Community Foundation will purchase the building that previously housed Deer Country Quilts from Pam and Loren Rose for $50,000. According to SLCF Vice President Kevin Wetherell, the Foundation will be purchasing the building with a combination of $215,000 and a charitable contribution of equity from the Roses equivalent to $200,000. The $50,000 dollar fundraising goal set last Sunday...
SEELEY LAKE – At a special meeting Aug. 13, the Seeley Lake Sewer District board elected new officers. They also voted to retain Beal Law Firm to defend the district from a lawsuit filed by Seeley Lake resident Don Larson. Beth Hutchinson was elected President and Troy Spence was elected Vice President. The vote on the officers was split with Davy Good going against the nominations while Hutchinson, Spence and Juli Cole voted for the nominations. Director Mike Boltz was not in attendance. Attorney Jon Beal explained the predicament the d...
SEELEY LAKE- The Seeley Lake Community Foundation celebrated another year of finding community needs and finding funds to fill them Sunday, Aug. 12 at their annual fundraiser. This year it included a significant announcement, fundraising auction and the distribution of Change Your Pace donations. At the fundraiser, Loren and Pam Rose announced the sale of the building that houses Pam's business Deer Country Quilts to the Foundation for $215,000. According to Kevin Wetherell, a Foundation board...
Fire danger has been increased to EXTREME across most of northwest Montana and many areas went into Stage I or Stage II Restrictions. It is the public’s responsibility to “Know before you go” by visiting www.firerestrictions.us/mt for the most current information. This week was the hottest of the summer so far with temperatures hovering around 100° and high winds accompanying the cooler air last weekend. Scarce precipitation in the past month means that grasses and forest vegetation is continuing to dry and this trend is expected to contin...
SEELEY LAKE- Three Seeley Lake students returned this week from a 27-day trip filled with work and growth, as they did volunteer work in the Superior and Plains Ranger Districts with the Montana Conservation Corps high school youth program. Erik Lorentz, 15, Cody Stevenson, 15, and Madison Hinchey, 17, were recruited by MCC youth program leader Nick Ehlers at Seeley-Swan High School. Ehlers attended the Career Fair to reach out to youth in Seeley Lake to join MCC programs. "Hopefully we give...
SWAN LAKE - The 37th annual Swan Lake Huckleberry Festival brought new vendors and surprises as well as returning attendees and vendors Saturday, Aug. 11. As goes the tradition, the festival began with a huckleberry pancake breakfast put on by the Swan Lake Community Club. The festival is the club's annual fundraiser and volunteers do everything from cooking and serving pancakes to judging the baking contest. Joyce Sedivy, a resident of Swan Lake since 1985, has been helping with the festival... Full story
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Ranger District continues to be busy with post-fire recovery work and recreation management. Fire danger is Extreme and the District outside of the wildernesses is in Stage II restrictions. Project status, restrictions and exemptions change regularly so the public is asked to call the District office, 406-677-2233, for the most up-to-date information. Road Work The District is completing infrastructure repair and maintenance work on a daily basis. Several roads are now re-opened for the remainder of the season but...
SEELEY LAKE - The Lolo National Forest has approved harvest of approximately 250 acres of the Liberty Fire that burned approximately 28,694 acres last summer. Of this, about 9,452 acres burned on National Forest System land on the Seeley Lake Ranger District. “My decision allows salvage of approximately 2.5 million board feet of burned timber and planting of seedlings on 6,600 acres where the existing seed source is limited due to tree mortality,” said Tim Garcia, Forest Supervisor for the LNF. The LNF expects to advertise one timber sale to...
GREENOUGH – Tuesday, Aug. 7 a 20-year-old Greenough man was found after missing since Sunday. Except being hungry and tired, he was not injured. He was cited for driving behind a locked gate with his motorcycle and driving with a suspended drivers license. According to Missoula County Sheriff’s Office Sergeant Bob Parcell, the 20-year-old went out for a ride Sunday night on his large dirt bike on Nine-mile Prairie Road. His parents realized he hadn’t returned on Monday and starting looking for him. They found where he went around a gate and t...
By now, it's a story Ralph Demicco has told a thousand times: Over a period of six days in 2009, three people bought firearms from his gun shop in New Hampshire and shot and killed themselves in a matter of hours. When he heard the news, there was only one emotion. "I was shocked," he said. Demicco owned Riley's Gun Shop for over 40 years at the time. It was one of the largest, if not the largest in the state, for many years. He prided himself on his store policy: If a salesperson felt...
The first part of this two-part series reported on the individual one-room schoolhouses in the Swan Valley from 1918 to the present. SWAN VALLEY - In addition to the self-guided tour of the old school buildings, Upper Swan Valley Historical Society held a finale program on the museum grounds. Sharon MacQuarrie, who had attended both the Smith Flats School and the Wineglass School, provided some insights into the role of the schools in the culture of the Swan Valley and the unique value of the...
MISSOULA - Potomac Valley 4-H Club had 17 members for the 2017-2018 4-H year. Members brought awards and many ribbons home from the Western Montana Fair as well as top awards including Luke Wilson Grand Champion Poultry, Gavin Kelly Top Leathercraft Award, Haley Helena Top Novice Dairy Goat Showman, Kyla Nelson Judge's Choice Award for Vet Science and Outstanding Sheep Herdsman, Emmett Zander Horse Packing Award and Sydney McDaniel was awarded a $1,500 scholarship from Missoula Southside Lions....
MISSOULA - The Seeley Lake Trailblazers 4-H Club may have a small number of members, but in the Missoula County fair last week, the club took home a number of ribbons. Amanda Thomas, Dani Sexton, Laciey Auchenbach and James Webb were all awarded purple ribbons for their work and all club members placed with blue or red ribbons in every category. 4-H uses the Danish system in the judging process. Top ribbons include grand and reserve champion, followed by a purple group (P – top in their c...
SEELEY LAKE – While some racers' goal were to win or better their previous time, Rachel Homen's goal was to finish. After starting her training in January and finally getting medical clearance to run in April, she met her goal along with many other racers at this year's Youth for Christ (YFC) Challenge Duathlon/Triathlon Aug. 11. "All the praise goes to my Savior," said Homen who loved that the race supports Youth for Christ. This year more than 75 solo racers, one three-person team and 18 y...
Montana State Parks presents “LIVE ANIMALS with Animal Wonders,” Aug. 18 PLACID LAKE - You don’t have to go far to find some of the most spectacular animals in the world—Animal Wonders is located right in Missoula and they are coming to Seeley Lake! Join founders Jessi and Augusto Castañeda at Placid Lake State Park’s group use picnic area (behind site 22) at 7 p.m. Aug. 18 for an educational presentation about exotic and native animals, many of which will be at the presentation. The Castañedas founded Animal Wonders in August 2008 to fulfill...
MISSOULA – District Court Judge Karen Townsend stopped short of denying Don Larson’s motion for a preliminary injunction at a hearing Aug. 14. However, Townsend’s comments of “I didn’t get much out of this,” referring to Larson’s testimony and her refusal to allow Larson’s attorney Colleen Dowdall to call two additional witnesses to the stand doesn’t look favorable for Larson’s motion. The Seeley Lake Sewer District Board’s Attorney Jon Beal made an initial motion to delay the hearing, arguing that he had been retained at 9:30 p.m. the previou...
Local 4-H clubs are preparing for the 2018 Western Montana Fair Aug. 6-11 at the Missoula County Fairgrounds. This is the opportunity for 4-H members to share their projects that they have been working on for the past 4-H year. Potomac Valley 4-H Club members Gavin Kelly and Haley Helena are taking projects including leather craft, vet science and food preservation. For more than 500 years these skills have been important to daily life. This was Kelly's second year taking leather craft and food...
When Rep. Greg Gianforte voted in committee in favor of HB 1349, a bill that would allow mountain biking in some wilderness areas, it drew a response from mountain bikers who supported the new bill as well as strong dissent from groups like the International Mountain Biking Association. After hearing from mountain biking and conservation groups in Montana, Gianforte later backpedaled, saying he no longer supported the bill and would vote against it in the unlikely scenario it reached the House...
SWAN VALLEY – In 1918, Swan Valley residents built three one-room schoolhouses to accommodate their growing families and the influx of new pioneers. On Aug. 4, 100 years later, the Upper Swan Valley Historical Society invited residents and visitors to tour the valley and see what became of those and subsequent early school buildings. Some were destroyed, some repurposed and some are part of the valleys continuing education story. Those first three schoolhouses were built near Swan River t...
SEELEY LAKE - Alpine Artisans' 2 Valleys Stage Performing Arts Series opens their 2018-19 season with the annual performance by Montana Shakespeare in the Parks at The Double Arrow Lodge Grounds Aug. 23 at 6 p.m. This company hails from Bozeman, Mont. and their mission is to bring professional productions of Shakespeare to both rural and underserved communities through education outreach. Their goal is to inspire creative expression and appreciation of the arts in their audiences. For the first...
LINCOLN - The Lincoln Arts Festival is a two-day open-air event showcasing area artists and live music in the beautiful Blackfoot Valley. Artists showcase their wares from 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 11 in the open-air of Lincoln’s Downtown Hooper Park. You can browse artists booths to your delight before heading to the beer tent to try some of Montana’s finest Micro-Brews provided by Jeremiah Johnson Brewing Co. Live music from some of Montana’s most talented blues, rock, jazz, and blue-grass musicians can be heard from 12 – 10 p.m. Fo...
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is proposing an administrative rule to codify the population objectives detailed in the conservation strategy for grizzly bears in the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem. The Fish and Wildlife Commission will vote on the proposed rule during their Aug. 9 meeting. If the proposed rule is approved by the commission, it will move into a public comment period by late August and ultimately go back to the commission for final approval in December. “By proposing this administrative rule, we are committing to k...
HELENA – As we move full blown into summer, the public is urged to keep an eye out for Harmful Algal Blooms. HABs are a seasonal phenomenon on Montana’s lakes, reservoirs and ponds that can make people sick and even kill pets and livestock. The Montana Department of Public Health & Human Services and the Montana Department of Environmental Quality are enlisting the public’s help with identifying suspected HAB sites. The agencies remind the public of the HAB reporting website – www.hab.mt.gov – as well as a 24-hour hotline at 1-888-849...
MISSOULA – The MADE Fair Marketplace, a fine art show Aug. 7 – 12, is new to the Western Montana Fair this year. Seeley Lake photographer Juan de Santa Anna is one of the artists and will feature his rodeo photos along with other works. The MADE fair is a competitive juried show. The MADE Fair's mission is to increase awareness of handmade goods as an alternative to mass-produced items and support local and regional small craft business by providing a place to sell their goods. The new MADE fai...
MISSOULA – The 4-H and Future Farmers of America livestock and exhibit buildings are open to the public Aug. 7 – 11 during the Western Montana County Fair. The Country Fair is an opportunity for 4-H members to show off their projects and hard work. Livestock and other projects are highlighted in shows and on display for fair attendees to enjoy. Saturday, Aug. 11 is the Western Montana 4-H and FFA Livestock Auction where projects are sold to the top bidder. In Missoula County, more than 400 youth are enrolled in the 4-H program. Every 4-H mem...
When the Olson family's dog Balto started acting sick in the mountains, they had no idea what could be affecting him - they just knew they needed to get him down right away. Even when he was brought into the vet, the mystery of what was causing Balto to vomit and have extremely high blood sugar remained. "When he got here he was still not able to stand and had some really unusual lab work," Dr. Shoni Card, Balto's veterinarian said. "His blood sugar was super high, his kidney values were...
SWAN VALLEY - Iriey Anderson of Condon signed with the rodeo team and the University of Montana Western where she will study business and equine science. She was awarded a full-ride tuition scholarship and half housing scholarship. "It meant so much to me the day University of Montana Western's rodeo coach told me they wanted me," she said. "It felt great, but it even felt better knowing that I earned and deserved it." For as long as Anderson can remember, she has always wanted to be a barrel...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Elementary School Board hired Robin Gaither as the new kindergarten teacher and Rachael Bemis as the new second grade teacher to teach the split class for the 2018-2019 school year at a special meeting Aug. 2. Last year’s kindergarten teacher Sheila Devins moved into the open first grade position. “This was probably one of the strongest candidate pools that we have had in the [nearly 11] years I’ve been doing it,” said SLE Superintendent Chris Stout. “I think the interview committee can attest to the fact that w...
Fran Sadowski has seen firsthand the dangers of limited options. During a study on services for "dually diagnosed" individuals with both developmental disabilities and mental illness, the CEO of Missoula Developmental Services Corporation shared the story of a 28-year-old client. The client was living in a community-based facility when he became seriously self-injurious. Because the state legislature had ordered the closure of the Montana Developmental Center in Boulder, there was no place for h...
SEELEY LAKE - At a recent sewer board meeting Missoula County Commissioner Jean Curtiss delivered a warning that has been echoing throughout the county for decades: "Look what happened to Linda Vista when they turned down funding offers." These warnings have come with all sorts of figures and statements attached about Linda Vista residents such as "They had to pay $20,000 to $30,000 each," "They could have had 90 percent paid by grants" and "They had to pay for it all with no grants." Residents...
Temporary Closure in the Wild Bill Area SWAN VALLEY – Forest roads 9888 and 9891, which are part of the 920 Truman Creek Trail, will be closed to off-highway vehicle use, Monday-Friday from Aug. 2 – Sept. 7. This road restriction is in place for public safety during logging and hauling operations associated with the Swan Lake District, Dewey Stewardship Sale. While recreating on the Flathead National Forest, users are advised to use caution on roads and not to block gates on haul routes. Additionally, please report any road damage, or road iss...
SWAN VALLEY - Liquid Louie's, Condon's oldest bar, celebrated 71 years full of rich history, warm memories and shenanigans with a party on Saturday, July 28. The bar had humble beginnings. It was started by Louis and Marian "Mame" Krause in 1947, in a small shack built onto the side of the Krause's log home, according to the Upper Swan Valley Historical society and archived interviews with Mary Lou Krause Wilhelm, one of the Krause's daughters. In the small "beer parlor," benches lined the... Full story
SEELEY LAKE - Sewer district landowner and resident Don Larson filed a complaint and request for an injunction with the Montana Fourth Judicial District Court against the Seeley Lake Sewer District and Missoula County. The requested injunction would prevent the district from moving forward with the proposed sewer project. In the documents filed with the court, Larson makes several allegations including mishandling the protest process and protest letters, failing to provide reliable financial information about the project including estimates...
On Aug. 2, 2017, aerial operations on the Rice Ridge fire near Seeley Lake were shut down due to a drone incursion. Several scooper planes, a couple of helicopters, retardant planes, air attack and lead planes for the retardant were all grounded until the drone was secured. This was one of three drone incursions on the more than 160,000-acre wildfire that threatened Seeley Lake last summer. "It was significant," said U.S. Forest Service Federal Law Enforcement Officer Tyler Robinson who...
SEELEY LAKE – With the smoke haze growing from large fires outside of the area, fire managers asks the community and visitors to continue to be diligent with fire. Fire danger remains Very High and outdoor burning is closed for the season. There are currently no restrictions in place. Several fires have been reported this past week. • The Elbow Lake Fire was reported around 12:30 p.m. Monday, July 23. The fire burned 0.7 of an acre in heavy dead and down fuels before being caught. The fire was caused by an abandoned and improperly ext...
SEELEY LAKE – "It's been a blast and I love working with all the artists, but it's time to pass the torch to someone else," said 2 Valleys Stage Director Carol Evans. Citing travel plans and other responsibilities that would interfere with her 2VS obligations, Evans notified the Alpine Artisans' Board of Directors of her decision to step down at the end of the 2017-18 season. Accordingly, the board advertised the position opening. The following qualifications were desired of applicants: 1) i...
POTOMAC – Low spring temperatures combined with above average moisture had both positive and negative impacts on local crop growth. Missoula County crops were slow to start growing from lack of sunshine and it's warmth for germination and growth. However, area livestock producers saw native grasses flourish in summer pastures with the June moisture which is good for grazing. In June, Potomac received more than four inches of rainfall. The moisture was above normal according to unofficial data f...
When Mary Hutton first moved from Kansas to Eastern Montana over 10 years ago, she was at a loss. Living in Baker, a town of 2,000 about 12 miles from the North Dakota border, she had almost no access to mental health resources, not for her own post-traumatic stress disorder and not for her son's autism. "I moved up here and there's nothing," she said. "We had everything in Kansas." The closest services were in Miles City, an 80-mile trip that takes over an hour to drive. She said she made the...
ARLEE – Lane Johnson, 17, dribbled a basketball down a concrete court in his hometown with the skill of a state champion and easily dropped the ball through the hoop. His skill developed after hours of practice and years of playing the game, and in that time, he never thought he would become a role model, but he welcomed the title. Johnson is a member of the Arlee Warrior basketball team who won the Montana Class C State Championship this year. As the top athletes in the state, the team r...
Self-guided tour celebrates 100 years of Swan Valley schools, Aug. 4 SWAN VALLEY – Join the Upper Swan Valley Historical Society for a 100-year celebration of Swan Valley Schools. Attendees can enjoy a self-guided tour of Swan Valley Schools Aug. 4 from 12-3 p.m. followed by Open MIC storytelling from 3-5 p.m. at Swan Valley Museum, Highway 83, mile marker 42. For tickets, call 406-754-2745, 754-2538. There will be a lunch special for purchase at Hungry Bear Steak House mile marker 38. “Blackfoot Challenge: Trumpeter swans great return to the...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Sewer District’s regular board meeting July 19 plunged in and out of chaos as Board President Mike Boltz duked it out with the three newly elected Directors Beth Hutchinson, Troy Spence and Juli Cole. The three accused Boltz of abusing his power as president and attempted to adjourn the meeting. Boltz hurled threats of legal action to remove them from the board and refused to allow them to add items to the agenda. After 25 minutes of public comment Spence moved to adjourn the meeting. Cole seconded the motion a...
SEELEY LAKE – The individuals that were involved in trespassing and damaging the tracked snowmobile at Seeley-Swan High School have been cited. Five Seeley Lake juveniles, ages 15-17, were cited for two separate incidents and are set to appear in juvenile court. According to Missoula County Sheriff's Office Sergeant Bob Parcell on July 1 around 3 a.m., three individuals climbed on top of Seeley-Swan High School with a bicycle and proceeded to ride around on the roof. July 9 three more r...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake resident James Sackett joined the U.S. Marine Corps straight out of high school. Why the Marines? "Because I thought they had the coolest uniforms," he said. By the time he mustered out 27 years later, that uniform was filled with medals. In a more serious vein, Sackett said he joined the military because he hoped that would keep his brother safe. Though brother Jerry was two years younger and twice Sackett's size, he was not a fighter. Sackett said he had fought J...
Emergency personnel from Potomac and Seeley Lake were called to the scene of a head-on collision at the intersection of Highway 200 and Russell Gates Fishing Access road, near mile marker 35 at about 3:55 p.m. on Saturday, July 21. One driver was taken by air to Missoula and the other driver sustained no serious injuries. According to Montana Highway Patrol Officer Wes Whitlatch, a Chevy Silverado pickup attempted a left turn into the fishing access road from the west-bound lane of 200. The...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Ranger District continues to work on post-fire recovery related projects. Across the District there is over $2.3 million planned in road maintenance and contract work. Approximately 66 culverts are planned to be installed or replaced to protect roadways and ensure public access to National Forest lands. “Post-fire recovery is a long process. There are over 180 miles of National Forest System Roads and 205 miles of National Forest System trails within the burned area,” said Acting Deputy District Ranger Sara Alb...
DEER LODGE – At their public hearing July 12, the Powell County Planning Board denied Deer Creek Excavating, LLC’s request to revise Condition #3 in the Conditional Use Permit to allow the use of Evergreen Drive as a haul route for Double Arrow Ranch projects. The haul route for the Cottonwood Gravel Pit remains limited to Cottonwood Lakes Road and Evergreen Drive can only be used for emergency access. Powell County Planner Carl Hamming said most of the same points were made. The Double Arrow Landowners Association Board voted 6-1 to enter int...
SEELEY LAKE - Big Larch Campground remains closed. Why hasn't it reopened? Why hasn't work started? Why was it even closed in the first place? Sheryl Gunn, a Forest Service silviculturist, worked on the removal of lodgepole pines from Big Larch in 2009 and recently completed another plan on how to handle the current situation. She and Seeley Lake District Ranger Rachel Feigley answered some of the most pressing questions about the campground and the work being done. Why can't anybody camp in... Full story
SWAN VALLEY - At their regular meeting July 17, the Swan Valley Community Council heard discussion about where and how to go about securing a suitable location for a local shooting range. The council also considered public comments on the final draft plan. They finished with Element One entitled Natural Resources and Environment and nearly all of Element Two entitled Economic Opportunity. Chair Ken Donovan told those present that he heard complaints from those living near Cold Creek Road that people were firing guns close to their living...
SEELEY LAKE - Donate by Aug. 3 to the Change Your Pace Challenge to grow your contribution to Seeley Lake! The Change Your Pace (CYP) Challenge runs through 5 p.m. leaving only one more week to increase the power of a donation to your favorite local cause(s), with the help of the CYP Match Fund. The Seeley Lake Community Foundation’s third-annual Change Your Pace Challenge is a campaign for community-wide giving, celebrating the people and organizations that make our community great. 17 local organizations are participating this year, r...
SEELEY LAKE – The Staffing for Adequate Fire & Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant and hiring of interim maintenance position were the main topics of discussion at the Seeley Lake Fire Board meeting July 17. Chief Dave Lane informed the board that President Trump did not approve the SAFER Grant for this year. The grant was created to provide funding directly to fire departments and volunteer firefighter interest organizations to help them increase or maintain the number of trained, “front line” firefighters available in their communities. The g...
SEELEY LAKE - Members of the Seeley Lake Lions Club spread sealant on the walkway around the pond at Lion's Park Saturday, July 21. The club was unable to do their usual maintenance last year because of the Rice Ridge Fire, which began on July 23, 2017. This spring, the runoff and high ground water caused the pond to flood as well so that the lower benches and tables near the water were completely submerged. Lions Club president Jon Kimble said that in preparation for putting on the sealant he...
There's some hope around a folding table here, inside this smallish Main Street storefront in Ronan, the Never Alone Recovery Center. Outside, it's a sunny Tuesday evening in this 2,000-person, majority-white town on the Flathead Indian Reservation. Inside, a mixed-race group of men and women, passing around a bowl of candy, shoot the breeze for a few minutes before settling down to business. "I'm an addict," each says in turn. "I'm an addict," echoes the group's leader, Don Roberts - and, he...
Previously: In Part 1, the story of a mentally ill Livingston woman, "Sarah," underscored the challenges Montana's mental health system faces as community-level providers are rocked by political battles over public spending. In Part 2, we looked at how two of Montana's most recent budget fights have swung the state toward more health spending - and away from it again. Now: Given budget realities, does Montana have a plan for getting mentally ill citizens the care they need? Montana Department of...
Fire Danger VERY HIGH in Missoula County MISSOULA - Interagency wildland fire officials with the Missoula County Fire Protection Association (MCFPA) are reporting nearly 20 human-caused fires last week alone while fire danger indices have reached VERY HIGH. After a wet spring, fuels have dried to the point that fires will spread quickly. Last week, unattended campfires, illegal debris burning, operating internal combustion engines around cured grasses and tow chains dragging on highway surfaces ignited wildfires. Here how we can all prevent...
OVANDO - This week, retired smokejumpers returned to Seeley Lake, an area that many of them have a deep connection with, to continue to do work that protects and maintains public lands by volunteering for the Forest Service. The retired jumpers who volunteer their time on trail maintenance are called TRAMPS, Trail Restoration and Maintenance Program Specialists. This week they updated important infrastructural elements at the North Fork Trailhead. According to Barry Hicks, the squad's leader,...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Council considered revisiting the speed limits on Highway 83 as it passes through town and voted to endorse the proposed Seeley Lake sewer project at its July 9 meeting. Council member Bruce Friede made a motion for the council to consider requesting the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) to reinstate the previous speed limits through Seeley Lake and instead take different measures to deal with speed and pedestrian issues. The speed limits were lowered based on the council’s recommendations in t...
bWOODWORTH – "Clear prop," said Rob Henrekin as he pulled his Kawasaki 440 engine to life on his powered parachute. The morning was cool July 12 as the sun rose above the mountains. Henrekin put on his helmet, strapped himself in and in less than 15 seconds was air borne. "This country is just fascinating to me. The part that is the most fun is flying over this country during a beautiful morning like this," said Henrekin who has lived on Woodworth Road since 1985. "Even though it is a motor, i...
SEELEY LAKE - There are consequences to inaction as well as action. In Seeley Lake we know we have a problem. Chemicals harmful to our health are just under our feet, in the groundwater under our town. Our wells are there too. A lake is next door. So far, it’s been left up to us to do something about it. People who work for us, mostly county employees, have helped us understand the size and scope of the problem and reviewed options. To slow the growth of the problem, those hired to protect us, in this case the County Health Department, have s...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake Volunteer firefighters responded to the Wilderness Sportsman’s Gun Range on Cottonwood Lakes Road July 12 around 12:15 p.m. for a tire fire. The fire was confined to the tires in the pistol range and one engine was able to extinguish the burn. Fire Chief Dave Lane said there was potentially a tracer round used in the pistol range. “We don’t know for sure but that would make sense,” said Lane after receiving conflicting witness statements. In the pistol range, the tires are behind the target. Lane said something...
MISSOULA - Fire officials with the Missoula County Fire Protection Association (MCFPA) have moved the fire danger rating to HIGH starting Monday, July 16. Hot and dry conditions remain in the forecast consecutively throughout the week and weekend with no relief in sight. Grasses and vegetation are rapidly drying out. Fire agencies responded to numerous debris burns this past week, one that burned almost two acres. Again, fire officials want to remind the public that open burning has been closed as of July 4th and will remain closed for the...
SWAN VALLEY - Please join us as Alpine Artisans Open Book Club presents "The Gathering Place, Swan Valley's Gordon Ranch" Saturday, July 21, at 7 p.m. on the lawn of the Swan Valley Historical Society Museum. The authors will read from the book and tell other stories about life at the ranch. Long before it was called the Gordon Ranch, this natural prairie in the Swan River Valley of western Montana has always been a gathering place. From the Pend d'Oreille people gathering to dig camas, to the...
SWAN LAKE – The 37th annual Swan Lake Huckleberry Festival is looking for bakers of all ages to enter this year's Huckleberry Baking Contest. The contest features an adult category along with a separate category for children age 10 and under. The valley's original Huckleberry Festival is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 11 at the Swan Lake Day Park near mile marker 72 on Montana Highway 83. According to baking contest chair Sylvia Eliason, the rules for both children and adults are the same. B...
SEELEY LAKE - The Clearwater Resource Council held their annual Celebrate the Clearwater community event Sunday, July 15. The celebration included a presentation of awards, the naming of a new executive director and a presentation by Kate Davis of Raptors of the Rockies. "We do enjoy getting together every year with everybody, having time to mingle and have some food and some interesting programs," said CRC president Jon Haufler. In his opening announcements, Haufler told the crowd the CRC had...
SEELEY LAKE - When Seppa Francis was six years old, her father suffered a traumatic brain injury from a motorcycle accident. Francis and her younger brother blamed themselves for years and Francis's anger grew. Along with the emotional stress, the family experienced significant financial loss after the accident. Francis felt bullied in school and her younger brother watched as a classmate repeatedly bullied others with no lasting repercussions. While the family reached out for help through...
Even though it would be impossible for every citizen to attend every meeting of every local, county and state government body, believe it or not, it is every citizen's right to access and participate in these meetings, under almost every circumstance. Each Montana citizen is guaranteed the right to attend all meetings of public bodies or agencies of the local, county and state government by sections eight and nine of Article II of the Montana Constitution. Under this law, all meetings must be...
SEELEY LAKE- Last Sunday, community members and Montanans from all over the state gathered to work in Lost Horse Meadow in order to prepare it for a prescribed burn in the fall. The Nature Conservancy, Blackfoot Challenge and Five Valleys Land Trust worked together for the sixth annual Revive and Thrive work party and celebration Sunday, July 15. Volunteers pulled noxious weeds and cut down trees in order to help restore a native plant, blue camas, to the meadow. "This is a really exciting...
Previously: The story of a mentally ill Livingston woman, "Sarah," underscored the challenges Montana's mental health system faces as community-level providers are rocked by political battles over public spending. Now: How two of Montana's most recent budget fights have swung the state toward more health spending - and away from it again. A pair of sweeping changes have rocked Montana's healthcare system, including mental health services, over the past two-and-a-half years - first state-level...
SEELEY LAKE – Having conclusively traced his ancestry back to the Revolutionary War, part-time Missoula, part-time Seeley Lake resident Warren Little became an official member of the Sons of the American Revolution July 4. Little said he had relatives who were members of the Daughters of the American Revolution and therefore was aware of his probable eligibility in SAR, but he only recently completed the necessary genealogical research. He said he had always been interested in the o...
SEELEY LAKE - The 14th annual Montana Bandmasters Seeley Lake Rendezvous was held at Camp Paxson June 18-21. The MBA Rendezvous is a professional development conference with graduate credit available through Montana State University or Office of Public Instruction Renewal Units required for teachers to renew their certification. The event, developed and coordinated by Bob Green, hosted 48 instrumental music teachers from three states, and for the first time, An American Department of Defense...
Wildlife Awareness Campfire Talk, July 20 SWAN VALLEY - Swan Valley Connections will host a Campfire Talk on Wildlife Awareness on Friday, July 20 at 8 p.m. at Holland Lake Day Use Area in Condon. Learn about recreating with bears, lions, wolves, moose and other wildlife and birds - what to do in an encounter and how to tread lightly in their habitat. The presentation will be given by the Swan Lake Ranger District. Campfire Talk presentations are free. Everyone is welcome. Attendees are...
SWAN VALLEY - Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks captured a male grizzly bear south of Condon and euthanized it because it was food conditioned and had a history of approaching residences. FWP personnel captured the bear on the night of July 2 with a culvert trap at Grace's Greenhouse. The bear was estimated to be three years old and weighed 299 pounds. The bear was originally captured incidentally in the summer of 2017 on the Flathead Indian Reservation near Arlee after a different grizzly bear...
SEELEY LAKE – "How many people can say they still own their first vehicle?" asked Seeley Lake resident and car enthusiast Bob Stine. "Well the Seeley Lake Fire Department still owns its first fire engine." The 1929 GMC fire engine, known in Seeley as the 1929 Buick, was purchased from the city of Kalispell in the spring of 1967. The Seeley Lake Volunteer Firefighter Foundation still owns the engine - a mainstay at the Fire Department events and during the Seeley Lake's Fourth of July parade. A...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Volunteer Firefighter Foundation hosted their annual pancake, sausage and egg breakfast July 4th. They served 675 people. There were many raffle items donated by local businesses. Seeley Lake resident Robert Kelley won the 30-60 rifle. "The pancake breakfast went great!" wrote Lizza Kelley, head of the Seeley Lake Auxiliary. "We want to say thank you to all the volunteers who helped make this event a success and thank you to the local business who donated to our...
SEELEY LAKE – Over the weekend more than $2,600 worth of damages was reported to Seeley-Swan High School property. Law enforcement officials are seeking additional information regarding who was involved in the destruction of a snow blower that was pushed off SSHS’s roof. Missoula County Sheriff’s Office Sergeant Bob Parcell said sometime between Friday, July 6 afternoon and Monday morning a group of individuals climbed on the top of SSHS. They brought bicycles up and rode all over the roof. Stored on the roof was a tarped $2,600 tracked snow...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley Lake was abuzz with activity on the Fourth of July. Activities included the Fire Foundation's pancake breakfast, Mission Bible Fellowship barbecue, the duck race and the Seeley Lake Area Chamber of Commerce's annual parade and fireworks. Winners of this year's parade: Group/Float: 1st: Veterans and Families of Seeley Lake- $150 2nd: Seeley Lake Chicken Coop - $75 3rd: Citizens Alliance Bank - $40 Vehicle: 1st; Blackfoot - $150 2nd: Rathbun's Mac. - $75 3rd: Jim Rogers and...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley Lake was abuzz with activity on the Fourth of July. Activities included the Fire Foundation's pancake breakfast, Mission Bible Fellowship barbecue, the duck race and the Seeley Lake Area Chamber of Commerce's annual parade and fireworks....
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley Lake was abuzz with activity on the Fourth of July. Activities included the Fire Foundation's pancake breakfast, Mission Bible Fellowship barbecue, the duck race and the Seeley Lake Area Chamber of Commerce's annual parade and fireworks....
SEELEY LAKE - Mission Bible Fellowship hosted their seventh annual free barbecue lunch before the parade in Seeley Lake. It was a great success with no one leaving hungry and children decorated with tatoos and red, white and blue bracelets....
SEELEY LAKE - Spectators gathered at the Wagon Wheel Bridge across the Clearwater River the afternoon July Fourth to see whose rubber duck was the fastest. Due to the high water, the first ducks crossed the finish line in less than 10 minutes, half the time of the average race. The first ten ducks won either a cash prize or a free chicken dinner from the Seeley Lake Chicken Coop. This years winners were: 1. Lynette Ogilvie “Tank” 2. Ron Holiday “Monty” 3. David Daves “Carla” 4. Deanna Fowler “Karen” 5. MaryJo Barrett “Alva” 6. Cody Swigert “Ge...
SEELEY LAKE - The Pathfinder has been counting the crowd at the Seeley Lake Parade since 2013. This year's crowd was the biggest yet. We counted 4172 people lining the route from the Filling Station parking lot on B Street to the end of the parade on Redwood Lane. That's nearly 700 more spectators than last year. We asked our Facebook followers to take their best guess and as of press time the closest was Hunter Shelmerdine, guessing 4115....
SEELEY LAKE – Commercial morel harvest season ended on the Rice Ridge Fire July 7. Seeley Lake District Ranger Rachel Feigley said the season went well with significantly more personal and incidental pickers than commercial pickers in the area. Feigley said the area designated for commercial picking was based on input received from the community. It was limited to the area of the fire that burned west of Richmond Ridge Road, Forest Road #4353. “Community members were interested in a post-fire economic recovery based on recreation tourism and...
In late 2017, Montana legislators voted to substantially cut funding for mental health care, in response to a budget shortfall. Some of the effects on the state's mental health system were immediate: Mental health centers in Livingston, Libby and elsewhere closed or contracted, leaving many, especially in rural Montana, stranded without care. Other services may be lost or weakened over time. In the rural U.S., around 60 percent of residents already live in areas with a dearth of mental health pr...
Sarah sat in her Livingston home with the front door locked and her eyes closed, picturing the path to Gallatin Mental Health Center in Bozeman for day treatment. It's 26 miles, across a pass, with strangers at the end of the trip - too far, for someone who struggled to imagine walking around the block. Her dark hair faded with grey lines, Sarah has dissociative disorder. That means she lives with episodes that steal reality, creating people who aren't there and stalling her sense of time. "I'm...
SEELEY LAKE - Strings, anchors, balloons, the colors of the rainbow: To hear students and teachers talk about the Kaleidoscope Connect program's lessons sounds like listening to attendees of a New Age carnival. But to the seventh and eighth graders at Seeley Lake Elementary, each color and code word represents a concrete aspect of what each student needs in order to be resilient and healthy. Kaleidoscope Connect is a program Seeley Lake Elementary uses to help middle school-aged students build...
SEELEY LAKE - The sixth annual Seeley Lake Car Show on Saturday, July 6 gave old friends a chance to gather and community members the chance to show off their cars. The show's founder Ken Keith and his wife BeAnne began the car show five years ago. It wasn't intended to be a big event but just a group of friends hanging out. The Keiths, of Great Falls, have a cabin in the area and the car show started while they had other friends visiting them. "The first year we did the car show, it was just a...
SEELEY LAKE – On June 15, Betty and Adrian Vanderwielen celebrated 50 years of working together while encouraging one another to be independent in their marriage. The Vanderwielens met when they were in the same speech class at junior college in California. "Betty got up and talked about a poem by E.E. Cummings and I thought I've gotta go out with this girl," Adrian said. It took Adrian several weeks to convince Betty to give him a shot, but eventually she said yes to a date. Six months l...
Rammel Wins Lions Firewood Raffle SEELEY LAKE - Seeley Lake's Carlin Rammel won the Seeley Lake Lions Club Firewood Raffle held during the Fourth of July festivities. Rammel donated the load of wood to his mother-in-law. Holland-Gordon Trail #35 Closed for Public Safety SWAN VALLEY - An unfortunate incident occurred on the Holland-Gordon trail #35 where a mule, owned by a private outfitter, had to be put down due to a broken leg. The mule was able to be moved 15-20 feet off of the trail but may pose a safety threat by attracting bear or mountai...
OVANDO - Ovando hosted their annual parade on the Fourth of July. True to tradition, "Everyone participates. No one watches." Following the parade, attendees enjoyed the beer garden at The Stray Bullet and a hamburger and hot dog barbecue hosted by the Ovando Volunteer Fire Department....
OVANDO - Ovando hosted their annual parade on the Fourth of July. True to tradition, "Everyone participates. No one watches." Following the parade, attendees enjoyed the beer garden at The Stray Bullet and a hamburger and hot dog barbecue hosted by the Ovando Volunteer Fire Department....
SWAN VALLEY - It was a full day of activities on the Fourth of July in Condon starting with the continental breakfast served by Condon Community Church and then the parade. In the afternoon, everyone enjoyed the O-Mok-See horse races followed by fireworks at dusk. Between the main events, people enjoyed huckleberry ice cream served by the Upper Swan Valley Historical Society as they stopped by the Swan Valley Community Hall, Swan Valley Museum and the Swan Valley Library used book sale. Free bur...
SWAN VALLEY - Games on horseback where great fun again this year in Condon during the Fourth of July festivities. Val Styler with the Swan Valley Saddle Club has been organizing the O-Mok-See since the late 1980s....
SEELEY LAKE - Dagny Krigbaum has been responsible for taking care of her family's cabin in Seeley Lake for more than 20 years. In the past, she enlisted property management companies to rent out the cabin and assist her in taking care of it while she lived in Missoula. The companies never had much success and the few renters the cabin did have never stayed for very long and always seemed to leave a mess in the wake of their stay. About three years ago, Krigbaum decided to advertise her family's...
SEELEY LAKE - For the third year, the Bob Marshall Music Festival took place in Seeley Lake June 28-30. Along with three days of music and 19 bands, attendees participated in races and yoga on the lawn at Lindey's Prime Steak House. "I thought the festival went great - 99 percent of my feedback was good," said festival organizer Chris Stout. "Turnout was what I expected with the weather but it turned out fine and I'm going to do it again next year."...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley50K sported the largest field with more than 60 runners in the 50K and more than 100 racers including the 25K and 10K races. With a late start due to a course reroute, race organizer Chris Stout said everyone was out of the woods by 6 p.m. The Bad Bob's 5K Fun Run drew more than 30 racers. No official places were awarded but everyone who ran it got a goodie bag. Results for the 50K, 25K and 10K were not available at press time. They will be posted at w...
SWAN VALLEY –During his six years in the United States Air Force, Condon resident Dennis Hawver gained recognition for his speaking ability and manner of presentation. He even, on occasion, briefed the Joint Chiefs of Staff. To help pay his was through college, Hawver entered the ROTC program at Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas. Once commissioned, he began graduate work at the WU Law School. Then the 1966 Topeka tornado struck, causing massive damage to the city and the university and l...
SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley Emergency Services responded to a collision Monday, July 2 shortly after 6 p.m. A loaded semi with pup trailer attempted to pass a Winnebago near the intersection of Salmon Prairie Road and Highway 83. In what Montana Highway Patrol Officer Jason Fredenburg called a "bad pass," the truck broke off every mailbox located on the north side of Salmon Prairie Road. They were launched several feet to the north. No one was injured in the accident that is still under...
SEELEY LAKE - At the request of one of the Council members, the Seeley Lake Community Council will discuss the current speed limits in Seeley Lake. Those speed limits were lowered two years ago. The project was initiated by the Council, took two years to complete and culminated in an order from the Montana Transportation Commission for lower speed limits in Seeley Lake. The Council will also consider sending a letter of support of the Forest Service’s Rice Ridge Salvage Sale. At the request of one of the Council members, the Council will discus...
DEER LODGE – The Powell County Planning Board will hold a public hearing to discuss a potential revision to the haul route of the Cottonwood Gravel Pit as proposed by Deer Creek Excavating, LLC. The hearing will be held July 12 at 1 p.m. at the Meeting Room at William K. Kohrs Memorial Library in Deer Lodge. The Planning Board approved the request to use Evergreen Drive as a haul route for Double Arrow Ranch projects in January 2018 with the stipulation that Missoula County, Double Arrow Land Owners Association and Deer Creek Excavating e...
As summertime temperatures heat up and the chance to cool down in the water arrives, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is reminding people that building dams in creeks and streams can have negative consequences for fish. This is especially true for species such as bull trout, which ascend small tributaries in late summer to spawn. In recent years, FWP has noticed an increasing number of dams being built in small streams. These harmful features are often built near campgrounds, most likely to pool...
SWAN VALLEY - The students in the Swan Valley Connections' Wildlife in the West course spent six weeks learning to identify flora and fauna. They also learned valuable skills about community interaction with conservation. The course offers alternative educational opportunities to college students that come from all over the country to learn about a variety of topics that may not be covered in their own college programs. Wildlife in the West is focused on wildlife biology and management with...
SEELEY LAKE – The Rice Ridge Fire Salvage Project team presented the Rice Ridge Fire Salvage Environmental Assessment and alternatives at a public meeting June 27. Public comments will be accepted through July 11. Seeley Lake District Ranger Rachel Feigley said they are on schedule and look forward to implementation by the end of August. During the 2017 fire season, 720,700 acres burned on Federal land in Montana and 227,442 acres were on the Lolo National Forest. The post-fire work was m...
SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley Emergency Services Quick Response Unit had the opportunity to practice caring for a patient in a very realistic way last Monday, June 25. Through a grant from the Helmsley Charitable Trust, the Montana Department of Health and Human Services received $4.6 million to do outreach to rural and remote fire departments, quick response units and critical access hospitals in the state. The grant paid for three simulation trucks and for the cost of taking them to different...
Missoula County Fire Danger Elevated to MODERATE - Outdoor Permit Burning CLOSED Wildland fire officials with the Missoula County Fire Protection Association (MCFPA) have elevated fire danger within Missoula County to MODERATE. Weather forecasters predict hot and dry conditions by the end of the week with temperatures ranging into the 90s throughout the region. Due to increasing fire danger and changing conditions, the last day for debris burning was July 3 in Missoula County. Produce one less spark by making sure campfires are cold to the...
MISSOULA - A new report by Better Business Bureau (BBB) says sweepstakes, lottery and prize schemes are devastating victims financially and emotionally with ever-evolving methods. These frauds concentrate on seniors, targeting them by direct mail, cold calling, social media, even text messages and smartphone pop-ups. BBB warns consumers to be on guard against these serious and pervasive frauds and their perpetrators. The report – “Sweepstakes, Lottery and Prize Scams: A Better Business Bureau Study of How ‘Winners’ Lose Millions Through...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Sewer District held its regular board meeting June 21 where three newly elected Directors started laying out their vision for the district's direction. They received a manager's report, took care of regular monthly business of approving minutes and paying the bills and learned of a new $500,000 grant the district has received. The meeting began with a short-lived power struggle. Board President Mike Boltz was absent and the vice president position was left vacant after the May election. Director Beth Hutchinson...
SEELEY LAKE- The Bob Marshall Music Festival is returning for a third year as Seeley Lake's own music festival but this year several big changes are afoot. Festival organizer Chris Stout is managing and funding the festival himself this year. This is a change from last year when he received financial support from the Seeley Lake Community Foundation. "Last year the foundation was very generous in putting it forward," Stout said. "But I think in the end they kind of felt that it wasn't...
SEELEY LAKE- Students from Seeley Lake recently returned from a trip to Washington D.C. as part of an ongoing effort in the community to help students engage with their government and be more civically minded. The trip, which was only five days long, packed in visits to national monuments, memorials and museums. Sawyer Shelmerdine and his mom, Megan who went on the trip as a chaperone, said that the most impactful sights they visited were the various memorials around Washington D.C. Sawyer said...
SEELEY LAKE- "You're a real fisherman because real fishermen don't let the rain keep them from going out and having fun," Kids' Fishing Tournament organizer Bobby Maddox told the participants at the post-tournament barbecue, June 23. Despite rainy conditions on Saturday morning, 25 of the 40 youth ages 7-13 attended the annual tournament. Maddox said he was originally concerned that the rain would keep kids away but the actual turnout was better than he expected. Declan Bell, of Missoula wasn't...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Area Chamber of Commerce is nearing their $8,000 fundraising goal for the Fourth of July festivities. As of June 25, $7,000 has been raised. The largest expense is the fireworks show over Seeley Lake. Any other funds will be used to support costs associated with the parade and publicity. The community and visitors can still donate to the celebration through the Change Your Pace Challenge in collaboration with the Seeley Lake Community Foundation and through various...
SEELEY LAKE – Someone nervous about flying in an airplane would no doubt derive comfort from knowing a pilot of Sully Sullenberger or Tammie Jo Shults' caliber was in the cockpit. But what are pilots doing in a cockpit? Isn't that a place where rooster fights take place? Cock fighting (as well as bear-baiting) was a popular form of entertainment in Elizabethan England. The cock pit was a round enclosure with walls too high for the roosters to escape. To allow spectators a better view of the a...
MISSOULA - After conducting the official canvass of the primary election yesterday, the County’s Canvass Board called for a recount of the ballots cast in House District 92. Incumbent Mike Hopkins won by two votes after the recount June 20. As provided in MCA 13-15-403 (4): If during a canvass the board finds an error in a precinct or precincts affecting the accuracy of vote totals, the board immediately may petition for a recount of the votes cast in the precinct or precincts, as provided in 13-16-201, or for an inspection of ballots, as p...
SEELEY LAKE – Many roads across the Seeley Lake Ranger District have been impacted by flood waters and erosion this spring and some remain closed for public safety. There are also roads – mostly within the Rice Ridge Fire burned area – that are undergoing maintenance and repair work to recover from fire impacts. “Essentially every road within the Rice Ridge burned area will be subject to some type of road maintenance, improvement or road repair this spring and summer – including culvert removal or replacement – and so there will be either dela...
LINCOLN – To celebrate the 100-year history of folks coming together at the Lincoln Community Hall, Lincoln is hosting a free community-wide event July 7-8 with something for everyone. Attendees can learn about the history of the area, participate in contests including watermelon eating, pie bake-off, beard/mustache contest and enjoy live music at the Hall. There will also be games and activities throughout town on Saturday. Way back in 1918 when the Hall was constructed, having a place to c...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Sewer District received an ultimatum June 21 from Rural Development (RD): Update the district’s construction schedule within 30 days or RD will “very pointedly assign a schedule.” The meeting was the first regular meeting where three newly elected directors were seated. The district received a letter from RD outlining a couple of concerns including change to the overall budget and scheduling of the proposed sewer and collection system. RD Area Specialist Dan Johnson was in attendance to help answer questions regard...
SEELEY LAKE – U.S. Senator Jon Tester delivered a $2.5 million investment to protect clean water in Big Sky Country including $500,000 to Seeley Lake for the sewer project. As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Tester secured the grants from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to help rural communities generate clean drinking water and manage wastewater systems. “Access to safe and clean drinking water is a necessity whether you’re running a business, farming or raising kids,” Tester said. “These investments in Montana’s water syste...
SEELEY LAKE- The Seeley Lake Elementary School Board met Thursday, June 21 to discuss the proposed ice skating rink location as well as changes being made over the summer to make the school a safer place during emergencies. Gary Swain, member of the ice rink committee, and Jim McLean, president of the Seeley Lake Regional Outdoor Center for Kinetic Sports (ROCKS), asked the board to make a decision regarding their proposal for an ice rink on the grounds of Seeley Lake Elementary school. The first phase of the project would be to construct a sma...
SEELEY LAKE – After three weeks of Sprague Fire burning around Glacier National Park, it reached the Sperry Chalet complex Aug. 31, 2017. In the final report issued by the National Park Service June 21, it was determined that despite the best efforts of firefighters to protect all the structures at Sperry Chalet, an ember entered the dormitory near a second story window and ignited the wooden portion of the structure. In a press release, Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke applauded the f...
SEELEY LAKE – This year’s Grand Marshal for the Seeley Lake Fourth of July parade “Celebrate Freedom” is the Veterans & Families of Seeley Lake, a local 501(c)3. The group maintains the Seeley Lake Memorial Park, serves local veterans, sends care packages to service members, donates to local charitable organizations and others related to veterans. Their mission is to promote patriotism. VFSL started in 2013 and is not affiliated with the Veterans of Foreign Wars. This allows them more flexibility with membership requirements and service...
SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley Community Council considered public comments and voted to accept minor changes to the Swan Valley Draft Plan at their regular meeting June 19. In attendance was Missoula County Commissioner Dave Strohmaier who offered suggestions and assistance to the SVCC. SVCC members voted to keep the original wording in several sections of the first element, Natural Resources and Environment, after considering public comments. However, they voted to eliminate section 1.13 entitled Noise from the draft plan and retained only...
SEELEY LAKE - A special meeting for the Seeley Lake Sewer District, June 19, was thrown into disarray with a mistake made in the agenda and further confusion created by the district’s outdated bylaws. The first item on the agenda was “District Election.” Newly elected Director Beth Hutchinson explained that the purpose of that item was to elect the board’s president and vice president. District Secretary Felicity Derry apologized, saying that she thought the agenda item was to swear in the new directors and therefore labeled it “Distri...
As the patriotic holiday approaches, many rural families are preparing for traditional Fourth of July affairs. Picnics, fishing, camping, rodeos and of course, fireworks. While some animals tolerate the noise and lights well, others can become afraid or hurt. Animals' ears are more sensitive than humans. Because animals don't understand where the noise is coming from, they can exhibit frantic behavior and run off. Nationwide, Animal Control reports a 30 percent increase in lost pets from July...
Each spring, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks receives several calls from people who have picked up deer fawns or other wildlife. FWP no longer accepts, holds or rehabilitates ungulates like deer, moose and elk because the animals often die from the stress of captivity, and because of concerns with the spread of disease. There are many cases in which good intentions lead to dire consequences. One spring in Miles City, a person saw a fledgling bald eagle hopping around on the ground, which is...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Fire Board learned about the new Type 6 Fire Engine purchase and others by the District at their June 19 meeting. They also approved full payment for employees' health insurance premium and considered a new insurance agent. Fire Chief Dave Lane purchased a new Type 6 fire engine for $48,995. It is a 2007 Ford F-550 two-ton, six-speed manual transmission with four doors. The truck has 98,000 miles. It also has a 225-gallon water tank with foam capability. Lane d...
An interagency team of biologists, researchers and managers from State, Tribal and Federal agencies completed a Conservation Strategy for grizzly bears in the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem in northwest Montana. The Conservation Strategy is a comprehensive document that seeks to maintain a recovered, genetically diverse grizzly bear population into the future. The NCDE Subcommittee, as part of the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee, crafted the document as a way for the respective...
SEELEY LAKE - Missoula-based band Good Old Fashioned is returning to the Bob Marshall Music Festival this year with the goal of using their music to help people connect with one another. The band, which consists of husband and wife, Chris and Callie Woodman, Jeff McLain, Brody Klemer, a Seeley Lake native, and Adin Kloetzel, originally of Ovando, met on Wednesday, June 20 at the Woodman's home in Missoula to rehearse and talk about their history, influences and goals. The group said their sound...
Reminder - Use Common Sense, Be Safe this Fourth Local emergency officials are asking everyone to use common sense this Fourth of July. Fireworks are prohibited on state and federal lands. According to Greenough-Potomac Volunteer Fire Chief Ryan Hall, shooting off fireworks is also not allowed in designated forested lands, land within one air mile of forest as defined by the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation. This leaves very few places were fireworks are allowed in the Blackfoot, Clearwater and Swan Valleys. While the...
SWAN VALLEY – "It's a matter of respect," said 20-year retired Navy veteran Edward Klassen as he carefully folded a faded, worn American flag. Klassen and his wife Heidi, also a 20-year retired veteran with the Navy, joined fellow members of the Swan Valley American Legion Post 63 on Flag Day, June 14, to dispose of more than 30 flags. Post member Dale Aldrich started the Flag Day tradition in the Swan Valley "many, many years ago," said Post Member Ray Opp. "Sometimes he was even down here b...
SEELEY LAKE- Big Larch Campground, which has been closed for overnight use this season, could be open by mid-July, according to the Forest Service. At the Seeley Lake Community Council meeting on Monday, June 11, Seeley Lake District Ranger Rachel Feigley stated the campground needed to be cleared of hazardous trees, which are mostly fir trees, before the area is safe for overnight camping outside of the two large group campsites. "With the snow load this year, and now we're getting root rot...
SEELEY LAKE - Over the weekend, the Recreational Aviation Foundation hosted a fly-in event at the Seeley Lake Airport to show its support for small, backcountry airstrips in rural communities. Attendees included local pilots from Seeley Lake and other towns in Montana as well as pilots from Canada and as far away as Atlanta, Ga. Many attended the Airplane Owners and Pilots Association Fly-in which was held in Missoula in the days before. "Instead of everyone flying in and only seeing Missoula,...
POTOMAC - The Blackfoot Rendezvous made more than $2,500 from the day-long event. It will help fund the Potomac School Explorers Program. Supporters were pleased to see such a great turnout of hardy folk in the rain. Parent Tom Brown said, "I would like to personally say thank you to everyone that was able to come and enjoy the day. You made our first Blackfoot Rendezvous a huge success."...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Council moved on June 11 to award the responsibility of trail maintenance and improvements to Seeley Lake Regional Outdoor Center for Kinetic Sports (ROCKS) and disband the council’s trail committee. Council member Lee Boman was asked to see if any local organizations had an interest in taking over the work of the trails committee. Boman said that of the three organizations with whom he communicated, all expressed support for the project but only ROCKS expressed interest in taking a leadership role. ...
SEELEY LAKE- Seeley Lake's annual Kids' Fishing Tournament is passing into new hands this year as Bobby Maddox takes over as the event's organizer from Gary Ikerd who began the event in 2002. Maddox and his wife moved to Seeley Lake two years ago after he retired from the military. Last year he volunteered at the tournament. He decided he was willing to take on the work to continue putting on the tournament after Ikerd began to lose his eyesight. "[Ikerd] approached me last year and asked me if...
SEELEY LAKE - Public comment is now being accepted on the Rice Ridge Fire Salvage Environmental Assessment (EA). A meeting June 27 will be held to share findings of the recently completed analysis. “Public response, along with the analysis of effects, will inform my decision on how to proceed forward with the project,” said Sara Mayben, acting Forest Supervisor for the Lolo National Forest. The Forest Service is requesting an Emergency Situation Determination (ESD) pursuant to 36 CFR 218.21 to facilitate timely implementation of the project. If...
I thought I'd write an info-piece about what happened in 2017 and what's happening in 2018 regarding the invasive mussels in Tiber and Canyon Ferry (maybe!) and what we're doing locally to Protect Our Waters. But before I get into all that, I'd just like to throw out this caution to everyone, especially visitors who are not very familiar with our area. While the water levels are receding in our lakes and streams, they are still higher than normal, and many are very dangerous. Many streams are...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Fire Board approved $50,000 for the purchase of a used Type 6 Wildland Fire Engine at a special meeting June 13. Fire Chief Dave Lane took the Department’s Type 6 engine 716 out of service earlier this spring after noticing it had several fractures in the frame. One of the fractures was at the rear shackle. “That is a huge safety issue,” said Lane. He said the frame would need to be replaced, making it not cost effective to fix. Vice Chair Gary Lewis said that the frame can be welded but then it will not meet th...
MISSOULA - Seeley Lake artist Juan de Santa Anna has a month-long gallery show at Interim Healthcare in Missoula. The show opened at June's First Friday event and is based on the experiences of de Santa Anna and his wife Randi as they cared for her mother Mary who had dementia. Interim Healthcare provides in-home care for seniors, respite care, dementia and hospice care, which influenced Juan's choices about what to display when the business first asked him to do a show. "One of the directors...
OVANDO - Ovandoans were treated to a free concert Friday, June 15 in honor of their community and the hospitality they show to bikers along the Great Divide long-distance biking route. Ben Weaver, a traveling musician and poet who is also riding the Great Divide trail and providing free concerts at various locations along the way, headlined the event. The concert was set up by Missoula non-profit Adventure Cycling as a way to highlight all the community has done for riders of the Great Divide....
POTOMAC - Resignations, the contract with the Potomac Greenough Community Center (PGCC) and Explorers funding were the main topics of discussion at the Potomac School Board meeting June 11. With five resignations at the end of this school year, Potomac School administration is filling staff positions. Custodian Randy Ruff, Explorers Coordinator and Supervisor Crissina Quinn and teachers Raynee Pace, Starla Dugger and Kristy Pohlman resigned. Pace accepted a teaching position near Bozeman and Pohlman and Quinn accepted teaching positions in Seel...
SEELEY LAKE – Owner of The Lodges on Seeley Lake Kerry and Brian Bertsch always dreamed of having a main lodge. Now after owning the resort for 22 years, their dream is a reality. They have assembled their perfect team of employees and look forward to using the new lodge to enhance the experience for their guests lodging at the resort. The colorful history of The Lodges on Seeley Lake is closing in on a century of time. The McLeod family of Missoula built the majority of its cabins in the e...
BILLINGS - The Seeley Swan Pathfinder won 12 awards in the 2018 Better Newspaper Awards Division 1 at the 133rd Annual Convention of the Montana Newspaper Association. Lincoln's Blackfoot Valley Dispatch also came home with six awards. The Oregon Newspaper Association judged this year's contest. The Pathfinder staff received several writing awards this year. Topping the list was Micah Drew's feature entitled "Ovando World Renowned" which took first place for Best Feature Story about Ovando's...
Some Seeley District Roads Remain Closed Due to Flooding SEELEY LAKE - Roads on the Seeley Lake Ranger District are still experiencing impacts from flooding. Several roads continue to have closure orders in place. The following roads remain closed: • Upper Beaver Finley Road #9974 near Boles meadow due to standing water on the road. • Morrell Mountain Road #4365 due to culvert washout. • Grouse Creek Road #4342 due to culvert washout. • Rice Ridge Road #720 between Camp Creek road #685 and Richmond Ridge road #667 due to washout. • Camp Road...
WAN LAKE- Swan Chapel of Swan Lake will celebrate its 50th anniversary this weekend in an event that focused on the past, present and future of the church. The first pastor of the church, Ron Pierce and the church's current pastor, Chuck Cushman discussed the history of the church and all that God has provided for their congregation since the church's founding. The church had humble beginnings, Pierce said. The first events he and his wife Carol put on were an after school bible study and a Sund...
SEELEY LAKE – The U.S. Forest Service released the Facilitated Learning Analysis for 19-year-old firefighter Trenton Johnson who lost his life when hit by a falling snag on the Florence Fire near Seeley Lake July 19, 2017. Johnson was a first-year firefighter with the 10-person module from the Missoula-based Grayback Forestry, Inc.'s 20-person Type 2 Initial Attack crew. The report spells out in detail the events leading up to and following the accident. Based on training records provided f...
SEELEY LAKE – Fishermen and women took to Seeley Lake and Salmon Lake to land the biggest and most pike for this year's Mr. Pike Tournament June 9 and 10. This year's entrants drew 40 fishermen from around western Montana. Rookie fishermen Robert Hopp and Tristan Persico from Missoula, Mont. swept the tournament by more than 11 pounds with their six fish over the two-day tournament weighing in at nearly 45 pounds. Many fishermen reported that it was tough fishing on the first day. The only f...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake summer resident Elizabeth Moody's birthday was a pretty big deal this year – on May 21st she turned 100 years old. Elizabeth is far from the stereotypical grey-haired, feeble, little old lady in a wheelchair struggling through a fog of dementia to grasp what's going on around her. The use of a walker and a daily afternoon nap are concessions to her body's ageing, but her mind is still sharp and so is her memory -- and her hair has retained its natural che...
OVANDO - Blackfoot Angler Fly Shop owner Kathy Schoendoerfer visits with Tour Divide leader Richard Dunnett at 10:40 p.m. June 10 in this screenshot of the Blackfoot Angler's webcam. Dunnett took about two and a half days to ride the 542 miles from Banff, Canada to Ovando. More than 160 riders headed out June 8 on the 2,735 mile Tour Divide Race from Banff to Antelope Wells, N.M. on the Mexican border. Riders carry Spot Trackers during the race and their progress can be tracked at:...
OVANDO - This Friday, June 15, Ovando will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Great Divide Trail as well as its 2018 award for Montana Community of the Year for Tourism and Recreation with a concert and party. Ben Weaver, a songwriter, performer and bicycle advocate will be riding in to town with his guitar and banjo to “highlight, celebrate and give back to all the people and communities that have supported riders on the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route,” according to the Ovando newsletter about the event. After Weaver’s performance, Adin...
SWAN VALLEY - The Flathead National Forest crews are getting out and about to check trails and start clearing. Heavy blowdown and washed out segments of trails and roads are the main obstacles, putting crews about three weeks behind their normal schedule. Heavy snowfall remains on roadbeds at higher elevations. SPOTTED BEAR RANGER DISTRICT REPORT: • Trail #80, East Side Trail – The trail leading down to the ford at Mid Creek was washed out due to high water. Temporary patch is in place, use caution when travelling with stock. This segment of...
Due to the closeness of the House District 92 Republican primary with Mike Hopkins just six votes ahead of Derek Smith there may be a recount. In an email to the Pathfinder, Missoula County Elections Administrator Dayna Causby wrote, "We are waiting on guidance from the Secretary of State's Office and/or the Missoula County Attorney regarding recounts."...
SEELEY LAKE – "This is our Home Place, our sweet spot," said 15-year-old Kayden Kimmel whose parents Jessica and Jeff now own Tamaracks Resort, two miles north of Seeley Lake. After managing the Tamaracks for the past four years, the Kimmels purchased it May 30 from Jeff's parents Sue and Jeff Heagy, owners for the past 27 years. They look forward to preserving the history, experience and relationships the Heagys have maintained for nearly three decades. They also look forward to adding to t...
SEELEY LAKE - This upcoming Sunday, the Seeley Lake Farmers' Market will have its first market of the summer from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 110 Larch Lane, across from Seeley Lake Elementary. It will continue every Sunday through the rest of the summer. The market is in its 10th year of business. Organizers Vicki Voegelin and Karen Pratt said this year will include a food truck, the same great stands Seeley Lake residents are used to as well as new vendors and vendors who are returning after several...
SEELEY LAKE – "Life is completely filled with coincidences," Valerie Hemingway, author of "Running with the Bulls: My Life with the Hemingways," told the crowd packed into the Grizzly Claw Trading Company for the June 9 Open Book Club event. Coincidences certainly filled her own life. She met Pulitzer Prize-winning author Ernest Hemingway, became his personal secretary, was hired by his wife after his suicide to sort through and organize all his papers and correspondence and ended up marrying an...
SEELEY LAKE - "Your home can survive a wildfire," is the message from Dr. Jack Cohen, retired research physical scientist from the Missoula Fire Sciences Laboratory. Cohen will share in full detail the results of his years of research at Clearwater Resource Council's Clearwater Partners Workshop Thursday, June 21, 7 p.m. at the Seeley Lake Community Hall. The event is free and everyone is welcome. Cohen demonstrates through video segments and years of fire lab research that it's not the wall of...
POTOMAC - Parents and teachers at Potomac Elementary School are holding a fundraising event, the Blackfoot Rendezvous Saturday, June 16 from 10 a.m. - 9 p.m. at the Potomac Greenough Community Center, 29827 Potomac Road. Funds raised will help fund the school’s Friday Explorers program after the grant that funded the program was not renewed for the 2018-2019 school year. The Friday Explorers is a supplemental program that students can attend on Fridays because the Potomac School has a four-day school week. It was previously funded by a 21st Cen...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Summer Adventure Club will be returning this summer for a third year of outdoor activities and adventure for kids. Bridget Laird, the program's coordinator, began an informal version of the program years ago when she and several other parents began taking their kids on hikes and to other outdoor activities together. Now Laird is using the official, sponsored program to expose as many kids from the community as possible to different forms of outdoor recreation and...
South of Swan Peak, Lion Creek Pass offers another important route into the Bob Marshall Wilderness by way of Palisades and Little Salmon creeks. The route up the Swan-face side travels through beautiful stands of giant cedars. Farther down range, Smith Creek Pass is another course to the Swan summits and eventually into the South Fork country. The two trails join up with one coming over Lions Creek Pass to Little Salmon Creek. Just east of Condon, the second highest pinnacle in the Bob...
POTOMAC - Graduating kindergarten and eighth grade students were "champions of the night" according to Potomac Principal John Rouse June 6 where more than 90 people attended the annual event to celebrate the milestones. Teacher Karry Betson taught the Kindergarten class. The students sang the 'Addams Family' song after receiving their diplomas, then made their way off the stage through the doorway of streamers. The eighth graders walked calmly into the crowd and then shifted gears into...
SEELEY LAKE – Twenty eighth grade students graduated from Seeley Lake Elementary June 5. Amid all of the thanks and gratitude to teachers, family and friends that have supported the students a long the way, eighth grade Crystal Lopez highlighted some of the things that makes SLE so special, that many take for granted. Speakers Sariah Maughan, Sara Stevenson and Tara Cahoon thanked their teachers for their patience, for dealing with them and for teaching throughout their elementary school c...
Grizzly Bear Killed in the Swan Valley SWAN VALLEY - A black bear hunter shot and killed a grizzly bear in the Swan Valley. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks personnel responded to the incident that occurred May 20 in the Piper Creek drainage in the Swan Valley on U.S. Forest Service land. The hunter, an adult male from Pennsylvania, reported the incident to FWP. The adult male grizzly bear weighed 500 pounds and was approximately 18 years old. The hunter told FWP game wardens that he mistakenly identified the animal as a black bear. The incident...
SEELEY LAKE - Last Sunday, June 10, Tim and Dee Dennison renewed their vows and celebrated 50 years of marriage together with their friends and family at the Mission Bible Fellowship in Seeley Lake. They credit their long and successful marriage to the example set by both of their parents, their strong faith in God and the three "rules" they agreed on when they first got married. The Dennisons' journey getting together was complicated. After participating in many of the same activities in high s...
Owner of the Grizzly Claw Trading Company Sue Baker presenting 2018 Seeley-Swan High School graduate Jasen Sokoloski The Grizzly Claw Scholarship Award for $667. Sokoloski will be attending Flathead Community College in Kalispell, Mont. this fall....
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley-Swan Search & Rescue coordinated with the Flathead County Dive team to recover the second snowmobile that went through Seeley Lake this past winter. The first snowmobile was removed Feb. 25, the day after it fell through. The evening of Feb. 24, two snowmobilers went through the ice on the north end of Seeley Lake. Both drivers were able to get out of the water and sustained no injuries. One snowmobile was completely submerged while the other remained partially exposed. SSSAR recovered the partially exposed snowmobile t...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley-Swan High School graduated 28 seniors on June 3, in a ceremony that celebrated their achievements and carried important lessons about the meaning of happiness and success. Dr. Kathleen Pecora, Seeley-Swan's principle welcomed the students and families, the school board members and administrators who were present on that day. Keaton Johnson gave the Salutatorian address. He reminded his fellow classmates of important lessons they could take with them as they moved on from...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley-Swan High School seniors and their parents gathered for the annual senior awards ceremony May 31. While many awards and scholarships had already been awarded, some students continued to add to their list of recognitions with class awards and local scholarships. Six students received their honor chords for National Honor Society. Their membership is based on academic excellence, citizenship, leadership and service. "These students are exemplary examples of those s...
SWAN VALLEY - "So long Sarge," said Swan Valley American Legion Post 63 Commander Rick Ferguson after sharing the story about his platoon sergeant William Washington Hence who was killed in Vietnam June 2, 1968, "Gone but never forgotten." The Swan Valley remembered and honored all men and women who gave their lives in service to the Nation on the traditional Memorial Day May 30 at the Cold Creek Bridge. Ferguson also recognized WWII Naval Gunner Dick Wilhelm and Vietnam Specialist Four Richard...
SWAN VALLEY – As Swan Valley resident Chuck Pyle headed out to go black bear hunting a few weeks ago he flippantly told his wife he would be home later that evening, “if I don’t get eaten.” Later that day, his close encounter with a grizzly bear could have made his comment a reality. Pyle drove as far as he could up Cold Creek Road in his Jeep Wrangler. Once the snow made it impassible with his vehicle, he parked and started walk. He walked for about a mile and a half before the snow was too deep to continue without snowshoes. Having seen no...
SEELEY LAKE – When Glen Knopp died June 9, 2017, his obituary included the message, "In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Veterans and Families of Seeley Lake." It was a fitting recommendation, one everyone who knew him understood. After Knopp's move to Seeley Lake following his 2001 retirement from Smurfit-Stone, much of his life centered around serving the veterans of Seeley Lake. Knopp came from a background of service. His father was a Colonel and his mother a Major in the C...
Floodwaters have receded enough that Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) reopened all west-central Montana fishing access sites (FASs), Council Grove State Park and the Blackfoot River, from Weigh Station to the confluence with the Clark Fork Monday, June 4. However, the Clark Fork River, from Reserve Street Bridge to the upstream boundary of Kelly Island FAS, remains closed to all floating, swimming, angling and other recreation, due to dangers caused by downed power lines in the river. In addition, some river access sites are not yet open...
SEELEY LAKE - The future of the Seeley Lake Community Council’s Trail Committee will be the topic at the next Council meeting. Committee Chair Ron Cox and the Council have been contemplating transferring its Trails Committee projects and funds to another organization in Seeley Lake, yet to be identified, that also is active with trails. The Council has also invited Montana Department of Transportation to attend the meeting and speak about the planned repairs to Highway 83, what the new bridge across Morrell Creek will look like and when this p...
SEELEY LAKE - Alpine Artisans’ Open Book Club presents Valerie Hemingway who will be reading from and discussing her memoir, “Running With the Bulls: My Years With the Hemingways” 7 p.m., Saturday, June 9 at the Grizzly Claw Trading Company. There is no charge to attend and all are welcome As a young Irish reporter, newly arrived in Spain, Valerie Danby-Smith met with Ernest Hemingway in his hotel room for an interview. The interview was awkward and brief but before it ended something had clicked into place. Thus began Valerie’s life as his...
Montana families and visitors are invited to participate in an outdoor contest this summer intended to connect more people with Montana's State Park system. The Montana State Parks Adventure Challenge is a new partnership between the Montana State Parks Foundation and Montana State Parks intended to encourage the public to explore Montana's state parks and share their positive experiences through photography. The public is invited to participate by completing one or more of eight unique photo-ba...
POTOMAC - Like clockwork from May to June, small brownish birds with long legs and long beaks are seen on fence posts and in wet grasses near water around Potomac. The 'snipe hunt' has been told as a fool's errand by pranking people. It has also been spoken of in Native American legends and portrayed as a colorful bird in the movie 'Up' as well as mentioned in an autobiographical children's novel. The local Wilson's Snipe is a type of sandpiper bird in the family Scolopacidae. It is a species...
State and local public health officials are reminding Montanans to be aware of the risk for exposure to rabies as summer approaches. Encounters between humans and wild animals often increase in spring and summer months because of the time spent hiking and engaging in other outdoor activities. Rabies is a fatal disease. The rabies virus is carried in the saliva of infected warm-blooded mammals and is usually transmitted to people and other animals through a bite. Bats are a great concern in Montana because a bite may not be noticeable, and they...
It may seem like there's something fishy going on in the region's lakes, something involving net fences and two scientists in a boat, but the goings on are only fishy in the literal sense of the word. While Fish, Wildlife and Parks biologists Ladd Knotek and Caleb Verling were preparing their boat to check nets in Lake Alva for fish on the morning of Wednesday, May 30, a man camping nearby came up to inquire about what the nets were doing in the lake. "We get that a lot," Knotek said. "People...
MISSOULA – Nearly three-fourths of all Montanans participate in outdoor water recreation activities, and this year 87 percent of those residents are aware of the invasive aquatic mussel issue in Montana. The numbers indicate an overall increase of 20 percent from a similar 2017 awareness study, according to figures released by the Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research at the University of Montana. Larvae of aquatic invasive mussels were found in Tiber and Canyon Ferry reservoirs in N...
Although Ovando was recently recognized for the community's welcoming attitude and hospitality toward cyclists, one of the major cycling events that used the town as its base fell victim to last year's fire season and the realities of declining fundraising. Last fall, as the enormous Rice Ridge Fire burned through the hills north of Ovando, the Missoula Symphony made the call to cancel their annual early-September Ovando Gran Fondo mountain bike ride. "I think the decision at the time was a...
According to the 2017 Montana Gray Wolf Program Annual Report, population estimates suggest there are approximately 900 wolves in Montana. This marks the 13th consecutive year that Montana has far exceeded wolf recovery goals. FWP now estimates wolf numbers using a method called POM, or Patch Occupancy Modeling. The old way of trying to count wolves from an airplane became a less and less accurate picture of wolf numbers as the wolf population grew beyond anyone’s ability to count it. Additionally, the old method was expensive and took up a l...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Fire Department welcomed a new chief and promoted several members of their company in a ceremony June 2 that was then followed by food and games for the community. Interim Fire Chief Michael Greer gave a speech about the importance of leadership as he awarded several members of the company with honors as well as promoting new officers. Greer then announced James Sackett's promotion to the department's official safety officer, which had previously been a rotating...
Good neighbors deserve recognition. The Montana Neighbor Awards wants to celebrate good neighbors and is soliciting nominations for its annual awards. Deadline for nominations has been moved to June 14. The Montana Neighbor Awards is a working group made up of conservation organizations from around the state including Montana Fish Wildlife & Parks, Montana Association of Land Trusts, Montana Farm Bureau, Artemis Common Ground, The Nature Conservancy of Montana and Montana Council of Trout Unlimited. Awards are based on four criteria: cooperatio...
SEELEY LAKE - Students from Seeley-Swan High School launched their literary magazine "Backroads of the Mind: Volume 3" on Saturday, June 2. The magazine is the culmination of a year in Creative Writing class. This year, the project had nine students working on it. At the launch Saturday, June 2, several students gave speeches, read their work aloud and signed magazines for attendees. Chief Editor Elizabeth Done said this year has been different from previous years because the funding the class...
GREENOUGH - Sunset School celebrated its students' academic achievements and all they had learned at their year-end celebration Friday, June 1. Toni Hatten, the school's supervising teacher, thanked school board members, the school's staff, the caretaker and the bus company before summing up the school year for the gathered parents by talking about the science experiments, field trips and other activities the students had done. This included reading "Wonder," a novel by R. J. Palacio. The...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Elementary multipurpose room was standing room only for the annual kindergarten completion ceremony June 1. The kindergartners demonstrated that they learned how to read, write, add, subtract, write number sentences and work well with others. The students sang the Montana State Ballad and then read a letter from their puppet, puppy friend Copper who joined the graduation. Parents watched a slide show of their children doing various activities in the classroom t...
SEELEY LAKE – If Millie Mae is gazing into the distance instead of engaging in the group’s conversation, her friend Joan might say, “A penny for your thoughts.” But why only a penny? Does Joan assume Millie’s thoughts aren’t worth any more than that? And will Joan really pay Millie a penny if Millie reveals all? Probably not. The phrase is simply a way of pulling someone back into the conversation, or at least inviting them to share what seems more important to them at the moment. As for the worth of their thoughts, that involves a little histo...
Volunteers Sought to Staff Museum SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Historical Society has run into a snag for being able to staff the museum. The museum will be closed until further notice while a solution for the staffing situation is sought. Volunteers are needed to tend the museum while it is open to visitors. A typical day can be meeting anywhere from two to twenty groups. During a typical day there can be extended periods of undisturbed quiet time for reading, dusting, writing, etc. One needn’t be an expert about area history. Displays are...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Sewer District Board held a special meeting May 24 where board President Mike Boltz threatened to file for an injunction to keep newly elected board members from derailing the sewer project. In other business, the board passed a resolution to accept an Environmental Assessment instead of having to go through a full Environmental Impact Statement. The assessment was required for the district to apply for funding from the Treasure State Endowment Program (TSEP) for Phase 2 of the collection system. In the May 8...
SEELEY LAKE – The Grizzly Bear north of Seeley Lake continues to find trash and trouble in the past week reported Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Bear Biologist Jamie Jonkel. There was also another unrelated incident where a pig was killed by a grizzly bear in the lower Clearwater drainage. Residents are asked to be diligent and secure all attractants, for their safety and to avoid training the bears. The collared grizzly bear continues to hang around north of town around Boy Scout Road. J...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley Lake honored its veterans this Memorial Day at a ceremony that included prayers and a demonstration of the 13 folds of the U.S. flag was accompanied by an explanation for each fold. Barbara Knopp, who lead the ceremony, gave a brief history of Memorial Day's origins. "The observance of this day was born in 1863 when Confederate women were cleaning their soldiers graves and noticed how badly the Union soldiers graves were overgrown with weeds and mud," she told the crowd....
SEELEY LAKE - Sixteen-year-old Bailey Boyles shouted "Hip hip!" and the boat she was trailing behind accelerated, allowing her to sit upright on her hydrofoil. The group of people in the boat cheered as she rode, they were all members of her family or other hydrofoilers that her family had known for years. The 10th annual Seeley Lake Invitational hydrofoiling event took place over this Memorial Day weekend, hosted by Missoula residents Keith Gyles, his wife Robin and Seeley Lake resident Woody...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Swan Pathfinder welcomed reporter, photographer and designer Zoie Koostra May 21. Koostra is looking forward to spending more time in nature and working on her dreams of writing stories and using design to deliver more complete stories to readers. Koostra grew up in Great Falls with her parents, younger sister and three cats. She was active in her church growing up and loved being in plays. She played trombone in the band and piano as a hobby. Koostra wanted to be a writ...
SWAN VALLEY - Swan Valley Elementary has its own resident artist now that fifth grader Rilyn Richardson won second place in the Montana Department of Transportation Aeronautics Division annual aviation art contest for students in kindergarten through fifth grade. More than 250 artists entered the contest in three categories from kindergarten through seniors in high school. On May 25, as soon as the graduation ceremony ended, it was announced that Richardson won the prize for her drawing of a...
SEELEY LAKE – The proposal of the community ice rink on the Seeley Lake Elementary fields has generated discussion and a few common concerns in the community. Committee members Scott Eggeman and Gary Swain feel the main goal for the rink would be to provide an opportunity for local youth to learn how to skate and become a community asset during the longest season of the year. They also don’t feel that it excludes any other uses of the SLE fields. The SLE School board has yet to make a decision on the request. The community is encouraged to sub...
SWAN VALLEY - It was a big day for the Richardson family at Swan Valley Elementary. Seth Richardson, an eighth grader, was presented with his diploma by his father and honored in a graduation ceremony alongside two other students who were graduating from kindergarten. Richardson's father Nathan presented him with his diploma and gave his son a big hug. "It was pretty overwhelming," Nathan said. "It's a little silly to have a ceremony for graduating eighth grade, but it's still a milestone....
SWAN VALLEY - At the Swan Valley Elementary spring concert, students from kindergarten to middle school sang, played instruments and even acted in a musical play about ancient history. "She'll be Comin' Round the Mountain" was one of the songs performed by kindergartners, first and second graders with accompanying actions. The third and fourth grade group sang several tunes, one of which included percussion instruments such as drums and maracas. The fifth grade band performed "Frère Jacques"...
SEELEY LAKE - When Kyle Zumwalt was a manager at Noodle Express in Missoula, the company required that he read a book called "Good to Great." It detailed how companies can go above and beyond when serving their customers. Zumwalt, 30, hasn't stopped thinking about what he read since, especially when it comes to his new sandwich shop, It's Ah Wrap. "Since I've been a kid, I wanted to open a restaurant," he said. "The food industry has always fascinated me and I love being in the kitchen." Zumwalt...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake resident Amy Vernarsky already owned four dogs and five cats. When she rescued 20 abandoned kittens and adult cats she had to clear out a spare bedroom to house them all. "When my daughter saw the Facebook post [about the abandoned cats in the Morrell area], she wanted us to go get them," Vernarsky said. "And I was like 'Of course!'" In total, there were three mother cats and 17 kittens of varying ages. The two youngest of the kittens, which Vernarsky estimated to be o...
SEELEY LAKE – Jaycee McGraves, Shelley McGraves along with teammate Diane Jones are riding for a second year as Team Seeley in the Great Cycle Challenge. This year they are riding for local cancer warrior three-year-old Addy Trevino, raising money for childhood cancer research. The Great Cycle Challenge started in 2015 and has grown to become one of the biggest cycling events in the United States. This year it includes 40,447 riders from across the country and 227 riders from Montana. People of...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley-Swan High School Music Department hosted their spring concert and awards ceremony May 23. Students performed selections from their District Music festival and several others they worked on throughout the spring semester. Musicians also received awards recognizing their accomplishments at the District and State Music Festivals, various achievement awards including Outstanding Musician, Outstanding Band or Choir Member, Director's Award and Most Improved selected by D...
SEELEY LAKE – When Seeley-Swan High School senior Elizabeth Done was called in to the principal's office she was relieved to learn it was because the staff wanted to nominate her for the Missoula Exchange Club's Accepting the Challenge of Excellence (A.C.E.) Award. After overcoming many emotional, mental and physical challenges in her life, Done has found an identity for success. She wants to be a positive influence in those around her and appreciates the recognition given by the SSHS staff f...
OVANDO - Ovando Elementary School graduated three eighth graders Wednesday, May 23. Opening remarks were made by the school's supervising teacher, Leigh Ann Valiton, affectionately known as "Ms. Valley." She said she had always been thankful her own children were boys, until the girls of this year's eighth grade class came along and changed her mind. Iris Swanberg, Sadie Smith and Macy Williams each participated in school graduation traditions like the reading of their "wills" or what they wish...
Everyone is invited to the Seeley Lake Elementary School Eighth Grade Graduation June 5 at 6 p.m. in the Seeley Lake Elementary gymnasium....
Everyone is invited to the Seeley Lake Elementary School Kindergarten Graduation June 1 at 1 p.m. in the Seeley Lake Elementary gymnasium....
Seeley Lake eighth grader Grace Wilson graduated this spring from the Wilson Christian Academy. She will continue homeschooling in high school....
Christen Wins Fourth of July Poster Contest SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake resident Andy Christen was the winner of the Seeley Lake Area Chamber of Commerce’s Fourth of July poster contest. He won $25 from the Chamber. The theme for the Seeley Lake Fourth of July festivities is “Celebrate Freedom.” Look for his design on the posters coming soon. Fire Department Open House June 2 SEELEY LAKE – The community is invited to the Seeley Lake Fire Hall June 2 at 12 p.m. for an Open House and pinning ceremony to officially welcome the new Fire Chief Dav...
SEELEY LAKE – After more than 1,350 hours over the past two and a half years, Seeley Lake residents Erik Gullikson and Bob Thorne's two-seater S-20 Raven experimental airplane lifted off for the first time Monday, May 14. Both are excited to be in the air again after selling their other plane in April 2015. Thorne and Gullikson have both been flying since the mid-1970s. Thorne started flying as a jet pilot in the Marine Corps. He retired from Delta as a commercial airline pilot. Gullikson s...
CONDON – The Air Force career of current Condon resident Arthur E. Busby III (aka Buzz) got off to a hesitant start. After spending five years trying to figure out where he fit, he was offered a career in nuclear weapons which resulted in several promotions and eventually took him to seven states and six foreign countries Busby's career began in 1956 at Texas A&M, which was a military school when Busby got his bachelor's degree there in Chemical Engineering. Along with the degree came a t...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake Elementary was abuzz during Wildfire Awareness Week, May 14-18 where students took field trips to explore the Rice Ridge fire, engaged in various activities and learned more about living with fire from the FireWorks curriculum developed by fire scientists at Missoula's Fire Lab. Spearheading the week was SLE Junior High Science and Math teacher Patti Bartlett Gladstone. She felt due to the events of last fall, this discussion about wildfire will help empower students o...
SEELEY LAKE - – The seasonal opening of campgrounds on the Seeley Lake Ranger District will take place May 25 for Memorial Day weekend. All campgrounds except Big Larch Campgrounds will be available for public use. However, Big Larch’s boat ramp, reservable group campsites and the day use area will be open for public use. The District received an unusually high amount of snowfall this winter and some campgrounds were heavily impacted by downed trees. Recreation crews on the Seeley Lake Ranger District have worked hard to get the cam...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Community Foundation is holding the Change Your Pace Challenge for the third year from May 24-Aug. 3. A percentage of the donations to 16 local non-profits will be matched by the Foundation with the intent to increase the fundraising power in the community. The biggest change this year is the CYP Challenge will not be associated with the Bob Marshall Music Festival. "The festival is more of a tourist draw and brings in a lot of people from out of town," said the F...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Area Chamber of Commerce has begun their annual Fourth of July fundraising efforts. The largest expense is the fireworks show over Seeley Lake. This year's goal is $8,000. Progress thermometers are on Highway 83 south of Cory's Valley Market and at Parts Plus and in Citizens Alliance Bank's lobby. The community can donate to the celebration in several ways. The Chamber is a part of the Change Your Pace Challenge in collaboration with the Seeley Lake Community Founda...
SEELEY LAKE - Health Science Academy freshmen students came from Big Sky High School Wednesday, May 16 to help with the sandbagging efforts in Seeley Lake. They filled sandbags at the Seeley Lake 1-Stop and the Missoula County Satellite Office north of town from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Big Sky Assistant Principal and past Seeley-Swan High School teacher Jennifer Courtney in collaboration with the Seeley Lake Fire Department organized the effort. Forty students were chosen from the 70 in the program. "...
SWAN VALLEY - The members of the Swan Valley Community Council voted to follow SVCC member Henry Westra’s matrix in which he compiled public comments suggesting changes or recommendations to the second Swan Valley Regional Plan Draft. The comments, due on April 10, were then perused by the Council. They discussed and voted for some changes or to keep the original writing to the second draft plan at their meeting May 15. Westra wrote the specific comments on the matrix in the order of the plan, specifying location and by whom the comments w...
SWAN VALLEY – From chicken to beef, sweet to spicy, the range of tastes in the 15 chilies in the America Legion Post 63 28th Annual Condon Chili Cook-off made choosing the best quite the challenge. With a three-way tie for third, first and second were a clean sweep. The 2018 Chili Champ Patricia Maurer claimed this year's coveted trophy and $150. Maurer is from Harrisburg, Pa. and is building a home in the Swan Valley. She loves to cook chili for her family and placed second last year in the coo...
Everyone is invited to the Swan Valley Elementary School Graduation May 25 at 2 p.m. at the Swan Valley School...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Sewer District Board discussed the future of the sewer district at its May 17 meeting after voters elected three new board members. In other business the board questioned legal fees due to a public information request and got an update on water testing. The board also continued moving the project forward by approving an update to the Preliminary Engineering Report (PER) and a resolution to apply for grants to begin acquiring funding for Phase 2 of the collection system. The resolution to levy current annual assessm...
SEELEY LAKE – The proposed ice rink and SLE's behavior health program dominated the discussion at the Seeley Lake Elementary School board meeting May 16. Contract negotiations are also complete and the board voted unanimously to retain the current staff. Trustee Ryen Neudecker said after talking with Scott Eggeman, the ice rink committee is asking for approval for a temporary ice rink on one of the ball fields. They would level the area with sand and bring in boards to form the rink. They w...
SEELEY LAKE - To be or not to be? Should the Seeley Lake Community Council (SLCC) be in the business of building and maintaining trails through its Trails Committee was the topic of much discussion at the council's May 14 meeting. The council also welcomed two new members and elected officers. The SLCC Trails Committee has been in existence for around 20 years and has been responsible in some way or another for many of the existing trails in and around Seeley Lake. The committee has worked on...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Elementary students performed various pieces they learned throughout the second semester at their Spring Concert May 16. Music Director Kristen Cottom said it was a pleasure working with the students throughout the year and watching all of the students improve. All of the musicians in the Fifth Grade and Middle School Bands received various awards recognizing their willingness to learn, help others and musicianship. The low Brass section including trombone p...
SEELEY LAKE – The Alpine Revue Art Auction and Talent Show Saturday, May 19 offered something for every palette. Attendees were able to enjoy and bid on local artists' work while munching on treats and listening to local musicians and poets. All proceeds for the event went to support the Alpine Artisan's Inc. student grants, scholarships and outreach activities. AAI board member Bob Green presented the AAI Youth Art Grants to five local students. Seeley Lake seventh-grader Kaden Thornsberry w...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Fire Board discussed late rent payment, OSHA compliance and the new operations manual Fire Chief Dave Lane is compiling at the monthly meeting May 15. Interim Chief Michael Greer also addressed a letter to the board regarding a complaint alleging a misuse of taxpayer funds while using the district command vehicle in a pilot car operation May 12. Lane noticed in studying the Fire Department’s financials that they have not received a rent payment for Station 2 for the fiscal year. The facility is rented to Missoula C...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Council hosted two candidate forums, April 9 and 11, covering eight races with 31 candidates in attendance. All candidates on the May 8 Special District Mail-in ballot and June 5 primary were invited. Absentee ballots for the June 5 election were mailed May 11. The U.S. House of Representatives race is the final from the Candidate Forum. Previous coverage of the Missoula County Sheriff, Justice of the Peace, House District 92, Missoula County...
OVANDO – Ovando School shared about what they have learned this year about the United States Holidays and Explorers at their annual May Day Tea, May 17. Through song and dance, the students took the audience on a journey across Europe visiting the Vikings, the Ottoman Empire, met King Charlemagne, saw the affects of the black plague and the changes the Renaissance period brought. Head Teacher Leigh Ann Valiton said it has been a great year and appreciates all the students hard work, the c...
Everyone is invited to their graduation May 23 at 7 p.m. at the Ovando School....
Help Addy Trevino Celebrate Her Birthday SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake resident Emily Rindal wants to present Addy Trevino with a big birthday card from the community. The card will be circulating for the next week at Cory’s Valley Market and the Post Office. Everyone is encouraged to write her a quick message. Community Potluck Dinner, June 6 SWAN VALLEY - Swan Valley Connections’ June Community Potluck Dinner will feature a presentation by Daughters of the Son Backcountry Rangers on Recreational Trails in the Swan. Swan Valley Connections month...
MISSOULA – The Missoula County Commissioners discussed the road use agreement required by the Powell County Planning Board to add Evergreen Drive as a secondary haul route for the proposed Cottonwood Gravel Pit at their public hearing May 10. The commissioners unanimously declined the request for the tri-party agreement between Missoula County, Double Arrow Ranch Landowners Association and Deer Creek Excavating and will submit their decision to Powell County. Evergreen Drive is a dedicated r...
HELENA – Seeley-Swan High School junior Jared Townsend earned the top score for his trumpet solo "Aria" by Georg Goltermann played at the State Music Festival in Helena May 5. Townsend played with accompanist Sandy Abbott for Dr. Kevin Griggs at District Music in April. Griggs is the Associate Director Bands/Director of Athletic Bands at the University of Montana. Griggs suggested Townsend add a bit of vibrato to his piece to add more character along with working on some more dynamics to make t...
MISSOULA - With the recent election of three new directors to the Seeley Lake Sewer District Board, Missoula County’s Chief Public Works Officer Greg Robertson suggested the county commissioners consider terminating the inter-local agreement between the county and the district at a county administrative public meeting May 10. The inter-local agreement has been in place for about seven years and provides county resources to the sewer district. Through the agreement, Robertson has been the contracted District Manager. He worked to secure f...
Due to extremely high water, flood conditions and associated public safety concerns, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) closed many fishing access sites (FASs) around west-central Montana May 10 under the direction of the Incident Command for the Missoula flood. FWP also closed the gates or created temporary barriers at many other FASs around the region, along the Bitterroot and Blackfoot Rivers. FASs with limited access remain open to walk-in use but people are urged to avoid these areas and...
Flooding Update SEELEY LAKE – The American Red Cross shelter located at Mission Bible Fellowship is on standby and ready to assist if needed. Residents seeking shelter should call 1-800-272-6668. Sandbags and water testing kits can be obtained at the Seeley Lake Volunteer Fire Department. For information from Missoula County Flood Information and daily updates visit https://www.missoulacounty.us/government/public-safety/office-of-emergency-management/des/flood-safety or Inciweb at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5787/. Residents can also c...
Challengers won positions on the Seeley Lake Sewer District board while incumbents kept their spots on the Seeley Lake Fire District board and Potomac School board as a result of the May 8 election. The Missoula County Public Schools high school bond passed with a little more than 56 percent of voters supporting it. Countywide, only 34 percent of registered voters participated while the hotly contested sewer district and fire district races in Seeley Lake drew 62 percent and 53 percent...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Council hosted two candidate forums, April 9 and 11, covering eight races with 31 candidates in attendance. All candidates on the May 8 Special District Mail-in ballot and June 5 primary were invited. Absentee ballots for the June 5 election were mailed May 11. For the next two weeks, the Pathfinder will feature two of the races from the Candidate Forum. This week the Pathfinder features the candidates for U.S. Senate that will appear on the ballot during...
SEELEY LAKE – A few bears have been reported around Seeley Lake getting into garbage, bird feeders and a freezer on a porch. FWP Bear Biologist James Jonkel asks residents to properly store all attractants to keep the bears from becoming problem bears that need to be removed. There is a collared grizzly boar that has been hanging around north of town around Boy Scout Road. It was caught as a non-target bear in a trap on the Flathead Indian Reservation and was collared. Jonkel said this is the f...
SEELEY LAKE – On the brink of suicide, author Mark Sullivan pulled himself back and instead prayed to find a story to write, one that had purpose, one that could consume him and give his own life meaning. That same evening a stranger told him about Pino Lella, an Italian teenager during World War II who not only helped Jews flee across the Alps to safety in Switzerland but fortuitously found himself in a position to spy on one of Hitler's most powerful commanders. And the best part – Lella was s...
SEELEY LAKE - A pair of osprey were spotted working with the nest on top of the new osprey platform installed by Seeley Lake Elementary junior high science teacher Patti Bartlett Gladstone, her students and Missoula Electric Co-op last December on the corner of Riverview Drive and Highway 83. One bird was spotted on the platform and was joined by a second on May 6. They were “messing with the nest” reported photographer Carleen Gonder. “I hope that means they are moving in to their new home....
With the primary election less than a month away it's time to reflect on where we have been and where we are headed. I have been busy knocking on doors and enjoyed visiting with many of you about the important issues and topics across our diverse district. One thing I know to be true; from Clinton to East Missoula to the Swan Valley you are an engaged and passionate group of constituents. While the issues are as diverse as the people in the district, a few key topics rose to the forefront of...
With the snowmelt on warm slopes, certain parasites are hidden amongst growing foliage. Ticks are out and seeking blood to survive. Male and female American Dog and Rocky Mountain ticks can be found within the region. According to MSU Extension, the most common tick in the Blackfoot Watershed is the Rocky Mountain tick, Dermacentor andersoni. The American dog tick, Dermacentor variablis, can also be found. Most ticks go through four life stages: egg, six-legged larva, eight-legged nymph and...
SEELEY LAKE - The Double Arrow Ranch Fire Safety Committee organized a community clean-up day in observance of the National Wildfire Community Preparedness Day May 5th. The committee was awarded a $500 grant from the National Fire Protection Association and State Farm to assist with the project. NFPA and State Farm sponsor the national Firewise Community program. The Double Arrow Ranch is a certified Firewise community and must host outreach events such as this each year as part of the...
SEELEY LAKE - The Maki's home on Cabin Lane was flooded the first week in May. They had around 30 sheets of 4X8X3 inch sheets of THERMAX™ Brand Insulation that were bound together float away. The next week the Makies took out their kayaks in search of the ten foot stack of insulation. They found it a quarter mile down river in a neighbor's yard....
MISSOULA – The University of Montana congratulates the 2,083 students who are degree candidates for spring semester 2018. The students who are UM degree candidates or have been awarded their degrees for spring semester 2018 are listed at http://www.umt.edu/urelations/info/deanslist.php. Official awarding of degrees and official honors designations are not made until degree candidates have completed their final term of enrollment and met all specific requirements. UM’s Commencement ceremonies were held May 12 at the Adams Center. Seeley Lak...
SEELEY LAKE – The Awesome 80's Prom did not disappoint as the Seeley-Swan High School Drama Class took attendees back to their senior prom in 1989, May 10. The audience was a part of the play as they got up and danced, interacted with the characters and cast their vote for Prom King and Queen. The drama of high school life unfolded offering a lot of laughs as the characters milled about the crowd picking dance partners and slipping in one-liners. While main scenes were scripted, the actors a...
HELENA - Montana State Parks is seeking public comment on proposed Recreational Trails Program (RTP) grant awards for the current grant cycle which closed Feb. 1. Public comment on the proposed RTP grant awards is open through Friday, June 8 at 5 p.m. Montana’s RTP awarded approximately $1.57 million in grant funds to 50 trails projects located across Montana. Local recipients include the Seeley Lake Driftriders for trail grooming and maintenance for $45,000 and $20,000 for Swan Valley Connections to fund their Mission Mountains Wilderness a...
MISSOULA - Seeley-Swan High School (SSHS) junior Autumn Morse and senior Keaton Johnson were recognized as two of Missoula County Public Schools (MCPS) Most Inspiring Students. While neither considered themselves inspiring students, they appreciated the recognition. The Most Inspiring Students Banquet has been held for the past seven years. Every year SSHS teachers and staff choose two students who they feel are an inspiration. "Autumn and Keaton were nominated by staff as our two students who...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Invitational Track Meet was renamed the Zelda May Haines (ZMH) Invitational in honor of past junior high track coach Zelda Haines. Seeley Lake Elementary Head Track Coach Brett Haines said it was a way to recognize her more than 30 years of coaching at SLE. Brett presented the idea to change the name to SLE Superintendent Chris Stout. Stout agreed that it was a good idea. "I thought she deserved some recognition for all the hard work she's put into the junior h...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Sewer District Board held a public hearing May 3 regarding applications for grants to fund the construction of Phase 2 of the collection system. Great West Engineering is preparing to submit applications for funds from the Renewable Resource Grant and Loan (RRGL) program administered by the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation and the Treasure State Endowment Project (TSEP) through Montana’s Department of Commerce. Both programs require an updated Preliminary Engineering Report (PER) and an e...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley-Swan High School senior Adam Weisenburger added the power to the 1966 Cessna 172 Skyhawk. He'd been given clearance to taxi for his pre-check ride in Missoula for his private pilot's license. "I was sitting there and not moving. I got to half power and I got to thinking, I'm on flat level tarmac, I should be moving," said Adam. Adam asked the certifier if he had his feet on the brake. When that was not the case, he made sure there was nothing lodged in the foot pedals. "Then...
SEELEY LAKE – As soon as Seeley Lake's New Fire Chief Dave Lane arrived in Seeley Lake for his interview last February, he instantly knew he wanted to be here. While his career goal has never been about becoming a fire chief, it has always been about helping others. By serving in the chief's role, he is excited to bring his more than 30 years of experience in emergency services and information resources to Seeley Lake and looks forward to growing the safe, effective service the community r...
Governor Steve Bullock declared a statewide flooding emergency in Montana and issued an updated executive order to provide state support where needed to local and tribal jurisdictions. "Recent rainfall and rapid snowmelt is causing rivers, streams and tributaries to rise out of their banks across most of Montana," said Governor Bullock. "As Montanans deal with the impacts of flooding, the state stands ready and is in constant communication with local and tribal officials about ways we can...
SEELEY LAKE - The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) would like to notify the public and seek comments on a proposal to resurface about 1.7 miles of Montana Highway 83 through the town of Seeley Lake in Missoula County. The project begins about 0.1 miles south of Seeley Lake at reference post 13.1 and extends northerly for 1.7 miles, ending 0.1 miles north of the junction with Cedar Lane at reference post 14.8. Proposed work includes seal and cover (chip seal), fog seal, upgraded pavement markings and signing and delineation upgrades....
SEELEY LAKE - Marie Anderson, who is running for Justice of the Peace Department #1 as an incumbent against Alex Beal, will give a brief campaign speech at the next Seeley Lake Community Council meeting and answer questions from the audience. Ms. Anderson had to miss the Candidates Forum last month because of a lengthy court case. The meeting will begin with the election of officers. The Council welcomes two new members in May, Bruce Friede and Klaus von Stutterheim. The latter has served before but had to resign last year because of illness....
SWAN VALLEY - The Draft Decision Notice/Finding of No Significant Impact (Draft DN/FONSI) for the Glacier Loon and Cold Jim Fuels Reduction and Forest Health Projects are now available. The Draft DN/FONSI can be found on the web at: http://www.fs.usda.gov/projects/flathead/landmanagement/projects. Hard copies are available by request or can be reviewed at the Flathead National Forest Supervisors Office, 650 Wolfpack Way, Kalispell, Mont. Glacier Loon Project The project area is located in the Swan River Valley, south and west of Condon on the...
SEELEY LAKE - Mark Sullivan will be reading from and discussing his bestselling novel, "Beneath a Scarlet Sky" at the Open Book Club this Saturday, May 12, 7 p.m. at the Grizzly Claw Trading Company. Mark is an acclaimed author of 18 novels. He has a BA in English and worked as a volunteer in Niger, West Africa. He is an avid skier and adventurer. He and his wife live in Bozeman, Montana. Although a work of fiction, this novel is based on a true story with a real hero. At the heart of the story...
OVANDO - Wildlife officials captured a young male grizzly bear incidentally on April 25 in the Ovando-Helmville Valley and later relocated it to Glacier National Park. The bear was captured in a trap that was set in response to a livestock depredation on cattle that occurred earlier in the week. The four-year old male grizzly was not involved the in depredation but because of its proximity to cattle during the calving season, in an area with a recent grizzly-caused livestock injury, the bear was relocated. Deep snow conditions in the...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Council hosted two candidate forums, April 9 and 11, covering eight races with 31 candidates in attendance. All candidates on the May 8 Special District Mail-in ballot and June 5 primary were invited. Ballots for the May 8 election were mailed April 18. Prior to the June 5 primary, the Pathfinder will feature each race from the Candidate Forum. This week the Pathfinder features the candidates for Missoula County Commissioner. Previous coverage of the...
SEELEY LAKE – As the current chair of the Montana’s State Workforce Innovation Board (SWIB), Seeley Lake resident Loren Rose is taking a new approach to help the group set goals, new benchmarks and make these things measurable. In addition to the re-focus, the SWIB has gained national attention and will be a focal point for the National Governors Association meeting in July. The Montana Department of Labor & Industry receives approximately $5.8 million from the federal government to implement Workforce Innovation and Opportunities (WIOA) pro...
Hi, I am Lee Bridges running to represent you in HD92. I share your Montana values and love for our magnificent state. Let's Build Bridges to Common Ground to enact sensible problem-solving legislation in this divisive political environment. As your representative, I will bring my 40 years of experience as a blue-collar tradesperson as well as my lifetime of public service. I am a mobilizer, problem-solver and strong voice in our community. I have the skills and understanding it takes to work wi...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Lions and Seeley-Swan High School Leos Club filled more than 100 sandbags Saturday, May 5. The bags were available at the Missoula County Satellite office for the community to use for flood protection. Team Rubicon's Missoula Chapter, a volunteer disaster relief organization, filled 500 bags at the Fire Hall on Sunday. John Richards Construction and I Know Jack LLC provided the sand to fill the bags provided by Missoula County. Deer Creek Excavating and Nature...
SEELEY LAKE – If the way the nation takes care of its forest is likened to health care what would it look like? Fire Scientist Mark Finney made the comparison. He feels that the way fire is treated on the landscape would be equivalent to removing all doctors except those for emergency care including emergency rooms, paramedics and ambulance services. "Those would be absolutely necessary for health care and those would save lives," said Finney during a presentation to the Missoula County C...
SEELEY LAKE - Claire Muller started as the Seeley Lake Community Foundation's new executive director April 30. She looks forward to bringing her skills in leadership, relationship building and collaboration as well as her experience in non-profit administration to work for the community of Seeley Lake. Muller graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles with a Bachelor of Arts in International Development Studies. She said her degree has a lot of application to her position in...
Although winter conditions were severe this year with a longer period of ice cover on lakes and heavy snow accumulation in western Montana, Fish, Wildlife & Parks fisheries surveys in Region 2 indicate fish mortality was low. According to Region 2 Fisheries Biologists Ladd Knotek, the fisheries of Browns Lake, Harpers Lake and Lake Upsata remain in good condition following spring surveys. “Winter conditions were severe and similar to years past where we experienced fish kills on area lakes,” said Knotek. “Thankfully, it appears that morta...
SEELEY LAKE - Across the Lolo National Forest spring runoff and recent rain has begun to impact some roads. Some roads are also closed due to soft roadbeds. Those traveling on forest roads should check Alerts and Notices on the Lolo National Forest website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/lolo/home/?cid=FSEPRD577941 for current road closure information. Contacting the Seeley Lake Ranger District, 677-2233 for current information. Closures on the Seeley Lake Ranger District • Beaver Finley road #9974. Closed for washed out culvert and soft r...
Seeley Lake Shelter Available SEELEY LAKE - As of 12 p.m. Tuesday, May 8, the American Red Cross opened a shelter in Seeley Lake at Mission Bible Fellowship for those displaced by flooding in or around Seeley Lake. MBF is located on Highway 83 and School Lane. If the shelter is not being used for a 12-hour period, it will not be staffed and put back into standby. If this is the case call the Red Cross directly at 1-800-853-2570 if needing shelter. They have personnel on standby that will be able to open the shelter within four to six hours of r...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley-Swan High School students all dressed up and ready to dance the night away at their 2018 Prom May 4....
Potomac School Board: Gary Long Seeley Lake Fire Board: Gary Lewis and Connie Clark Seeley Lake Sewer District Troy Spence, Beth Hutchinson, Juli Cole Missoula County Public Schools Operations Levy: PASSED **Full results and numbers will be available in next week's issue....
SEELEY LAKE – Highlights from the Missoula County Flood Information meeting held Tuesday, May 8 at Seeley-Swan High School: Evacuations Update • Sheriff's Office is monitoring areas of concern making sure roadways are kept open and people are notified if issues arise. • There will be more officers in the area and they are making face-to-face contact with residents in the affected areas including Boy Scout Road, C Street, Cabin Lane, and Deer Park off of Airport Road, Morrell Creek. They will... Full story
SEELEY LAKE – "10-4" was three-year-old Addy Trevino's response when her number was called over the radio and welcomed by Missoula 9-1-1 Dispatch as the newest member of the Seeley Lake Rural Fire Department. Trevino, known to many as Addy Boo, was made an honorary member #799 during a ceremony April 29. She is officially the youngest member of the Seeley Lake Fire Department and one of two honorary members ever given by the Department. "In June of last year Addy and her family began a battle t...
SEELEY LAKE - Spring is here and everyone is eager to get out into the National Forests. Before you go, please be aware of road conditions and the increased potential to do harm to Forest roads...or get stuck. No roads on the Seeley Lake Ranger District will open May 1 due to the heavy snow load and soft road conditions. Every year, most damage to unpaved roads occurs in the fall and spring when rains and snow-melt cause road surfaces to soften. When vehicles drive on soft roads, they create...
SEELEY LAKE - After last summer's fires and the heavy snowfall this winter, many residents around Seeley Lake are now flooded or threatened with flood waters. The rivers continue to rise as the snowpack in the mountains slowly begins to melt. The flooding is not only affecting homes but also washing out roads, creating mudslides and threatening bridges. The North Fork Jocko (667) SNOTEL Site at 6,330 feet reported a snow depth of 156 inches with a snow water equivalent of 57.8 inches April 2....
The Seeley Lake Ranger District is planning to conduct prescribed burning this spring, if weather, fuel and air quality conditions allow for safe and effective operations. The project areas with planned burning are located in five locations, two of which are directly adjacent to Seeley Lake. One is located just south of Seeley Lake within the Horeshoe Hills area, while the other is just north of Seeley Lake at Auggie. The other three areas are Colt Summit, Swan Face and Monture. All project areas have multiple units planned for prescribed burni...
SEELEY LAKE – The Missoula County Public Schools Board of Trustees met for their April meeting April 25 at Seeley-Swan High School. SSHS Principal Dr. Kathleen Pecora provided an update for SSHS happenings for this spring. The board members also received a budget update on all projects underway as part of the Smart School 2020 bond passed by voters in November 2015. Two SSHS staff members, a paraprofessional and two students attended Stanford University April 20-22 and took part in the Challenge Success program. They did not send anyone in the...
More than 1.3 million acres burned across Montana in 2017 making it one of the most significant wildfire years in history. While wildfires can occur at any time of the year, the majority of wildfires in Montana occur between May and September of each year. May is an ideal time to promote wildfire awareness in Montana so that residents and visitors can begin to reduce wildfire risk to their properties and communities through hazardous fuels reduction, incorporation of fire resistant building materials, and upkeep around their properties to...
POTOMAC - Springtime is a good time of year for property owners to look ahead to fire season. Creating defensible space through fire mitigation can not only protect homes but establishes a healthier forest. "This term [fire mitigation] is often used to refer to work being done to prevent high intensity fire and leave property and values with a fighting chance in the case of a fire being nearby," said Zachary Bashoor, a forester who owns Bashoor Land Management out of Missoula. "The key to fire...
SEELEY LAKE – Pop's Place opened their doors for their annual Cakes for Canines donation pancake breakfast, April 26. The free breakfast included pancakes, bacon and eggs, great conversation and an opportunity to support the Paws Up Safe Home Animal Shelter in Potomac. Paws Up currently has 24 dogs, eight tame cats and two shelter horses available for adoption. Photos of the animals are posted on the Paws Up Safe Home Facebook page. Anyone interested in meeting the animals are encouraged to c...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Council hosted two candidate forums, April 9 and 11, covering eight races with 31 candidates in attendance. All candidates on the May 8 Special District Mail-in ballot and June 5 primary were invited. Ballots for the May 8 election were mailed April 18. For the next two weeks, the Pathfinder will continue to feature races from the Candidate Forum. This week the Pathfinder features the candidates for House District 92 that will appear on the ballot during...
OROSI, COSTA RICA – "It wasn't just a vacation," said Seeley-Swan High School Science Teacher Tonya Smith. "These guys worked [really hard] while they were there and were in really uncomfortable and growth mindset situations." Thirteen students along with chaperones Smith and Bridget Laird participated in the Destinations for Education trip to Costa Rica April 4-14. From having to speak Spanish with their homestay families, to learning how to live in a different culture, students and adults were...
HELENA – As part of an effort to encourage more young women to choose careers in technology, the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT), NorthWestern Energy and Carroll College recognized 15 Montana high school women from 12 high schools for their accomplishments and aspirations in computing and technology. Seeley-Swan High School junior Nicole Williams was among the recipients. She is the first SSHS student to receive this award. The NCWIT Award for Aspirations in C...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley Lake senior Ibby Lorentz signed her national letter of intent to attend University of Nebraska-Lincoln next fall and shoot on their rifle team. After being pursued by five other schools with four offers, Lorentz is excited to be given an athletic scholarship for rifle and a $58,000 four-year academic scholarship from UNL. She sees collegiate shooting as the next step in her goal to someday shoot in the Olympics. While Lorentz always knew she wanted to go to college, she did...
The Hellgate Civilian Shooters are gunning for the National title this June. Head Coach Trace Weisenburger said it has been a good season with continued improvements. Shooters just returned from the National Junior Olympic Shooting Championships held at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. Seeley Lake shooters Ibby Lorentz and Sam Weisenburger and Missoula’s Libby Diller competed in 10m Air Rifle as well as Jonna Warnken, of Superior, in 50m Three Position small bore. Jonna received her invite after being named the small b...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley-Swan High School hosted their third annual Celebration of the Arts April 25. The students' paintings, sculptures, photography, printmaking, drawing and crafts decorated the auditorium. Attendees also enjoyed singing by the SSHS Choir and women's choir ensemble, a trumpet duet and several original poems by SSHS students. The Drama Class closed out the celebration with a teaser for their performance May 10 at 6:30 p.m. entitled "The Awesome 80's Prom."...
MISSOULA – Seeley-Swan High School musicians participated in the District Music Festival April 20 and April 21. The band and soloists Jayla Kauffman and Jared Townsend each received the top rating. Kauffman and Townsend will be performing their solos at the state competition May 4 and 5 in Helena. "I was very proud of our students and they did a great job," wrote SSHS Music Director Kristen Cottom. "They represented our school and themselves very well. It was very successful!" Solo and E...
Opening for Placid and Salmon Lake State Parks Delayed Due to Flooding SEELEY LAKE - Montana State Parks delayed the opening of Placid Lake State Park and Salmon Lake State Park due to spring flooding at both sites. To address public safety concerns and resource damage control, both parks will remain closed until further notice. The parks were expected to open May 1 but high water levels in both lakes have resulted in flooding to park areas and roads. Extended flooding is expected due to weather conditions and excessive amounts of winter...
BIG SKY, MONT. - "This is a story about a community coming together to save their town through tourism," wrote Montana Department of Commerce Industry Services & Outreach Bureau Chief Jan Stoddard regarding Ovando being recognized as Montana Office of Tourism and Business Development's 2018 Community of the Year. "It was clear that Ovando's unique community collaboration, no matter the town's size, can have a lasting impact on supporting the travelers who visit Montana and spend $3.4 billion in...
SEELEY LAKE – Sunday, May 6 is the last day the Seeley Lake Refuse District will accept plastic recycling. This is a result of Pacific Recycling in Missoula no longer accepting plastics due to continuing problems with improper sorting, low market value, increasing freight costs and overall loss of revenue from plastic recycling. China has been a major buyer of lower recovery and mixed grade recyclable materials for many years. Over the past several years they have been phasing in import restrictions on many of these items. The most recently imp...
SEELEY LAKE – The northwest areas of the Seeley Lake Airport will see much needed improvements this summer thanks to nearly $35,000 earned from use during the Rice Ridge Fire. Three new concrete helipads will be constructed as well as clearing the area, improving the vehicle path and access from Cottonwood Lakes Road. The Seeley Lake Airport is state owned. It is not part of the National Airspace System or the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems. "There are no federal dollars [to s...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake Volunteer Fire Department responded to a structure fire on Shoreline Court the evening of April 19. Firefighter contained the fire to one area of the home but there was smoke damage throughout. No one was injured during the incident. While the cause of the fire is still under investigation, no foul play is suspected. According to Seeley Lake's new Fire Chief Dave Lane, a member of the public called in the fire on Thursday around 8:30 p.m. They reported there was s...
Community Invited to Celebrate Seeley Lake Fire Department’s Newest Honorary Member Addy Trevino, April 29 SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Fire Department formally invites the entire Seeley Lake Community to join them in making Seeley Lake’s Addy Boo Trevino an honorary member of the Seeley Lake Rural Fire District. On Sunday, April 29 at 1 p.m. they will be officially welcoming Addy as our newest member and presenting her with her uniform, badge and turnout gear. “We hope you will come join us for the ceremony followed by snacks, cocoa and cof...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE) school board received a request for land to construct an ice rink at their April 17 meeting. They also received updates on a wide range of topics from the school’s new policy for walkout protests and building updates, to teacher contract negotiations. Scott Eggeman presented the idea of developing a community ice rink on SLE property. Eggeman, Jim McLean, Lee Boman, Mike Lindemer, Gary Swain and Scott Newpower have taken on this project and have been working under the non-profit, Seeley Lake ROC...
SWAN VALLEY - Members of the Swan Valley Community Council discussed the next step needed to implement the second draft of the Swan Valley Regional Draft Plan at their meeting April 17. They voted for each SVCC member to prioritize the more than 20 comments they received pertaining to the plan before the next meeting May 15. The comments along with the draft plans can be found by visiting: http://apps.missoulacounty.us/go/svccplan Chair Ken Donovan said that the comments will be discussed at open meetings and then voted upon as to what will be...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Fire Board discussed several personnel items, approved multiple purchases and heard comments from past volunteer Kristy Pohlman at their monthly meeting April 17. Seeley Lake’s new Fire Chief Dave Lane was welcomed by the board and volunteers. He officially started April 16 and will overlap with Interim Chief Michael Greer until early June. Greer said the district has added 10 new volunteer members and six auxiliary members to the roster in the past six months. Volunteer member Kyle Zumwalt said the membership is h...
DEER LODGE & HELMVILLE - The Powell County Weed Board will be holding its annual spring weed management education and outreach get togethers Thursday, May 3, 6 - 8 p.m. at the Deer Lodge Community Center and Friday, May 4, 1 - 3 p.m. at the Helmville Community Center. Topics this year will be “Weed Rap Sheets: A New Tool for Prioritizing Weed Management” presented by Dean Pearson, Research Scientist, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Missoula, and “Using EDDMapS West for Noxious Weed Management” by Jasmine Reimer, Noxious Weed Trust Fund Co...
SWAN LAKE - The Flathead National Forest is pleased to announce the arrival of Chris Dowling, the new district ranger for the Swan Lake Ranger District following the retirement of Ranger Rich Kehr. Bill Mulholland was also hired as the new district ranger for the Tally Lake Ranger District following Ranger Lisa Timchak's promotion to Forest Supervisor in Wyoming. Dowling comes to the Flathead National Forest joined by his wife Tanya and four children. Chris brings over 23 years of forestry and n...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Sewer District continued to discuss the location of the sewer forcemain from town to the treatment plant and received new information on an easement on Pine Drive at their April 19 board meeting. A possible source of funding to help out low-income residents has been identified. The board also discussed the upcoming board election and approved their conflict-of-interest policy and next year’s budget. At last month’s meeting, several board members questioned why the sewer forcemain from the lift station near the int...
Since its founding in 1993, Clearwater Montana Properties has emphasized community building as a key component of its company culture. Through its Charitable Giving Program, the company's agents give back a portion of all real estate proceeds to the communities in which they were earned. To date, the program has produced nearly $500,000 in charitable donations to causes throughout Montana, Idaho, Washington and Wyoming including more than $60,000 in 2017 alone. "Being a positive force locally...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Council hosted two candidate forums, April 9 and 11, covering eight races with 31 candidates in attendance. All candidates on the May 8 Special District Mail-in ballot and June 5 primary were invited. Ballots for the May 8 election were mailed April 18. For the next three weeks, the Pathfinder will feature two of the races from the Candidate Forum. This week the Pathfinder features the candidates for the Missoula County Sheriff’s and Justice of the P...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Council hosted two candidate forums, April 9 and 11, covering eight races with 31 candidates in attendance. All candidates on the May 8 Special District Mail-in ballot and June 5 primary were invited. Ballots for the May 8 election were mailed April 18. For the next three weeks, the Pathfinder will feature two of the races from the Candidate Forum. This week the Pathfinder features the candidates for the Missoula County Sheriff's and Justice of the Peace t...
MISSOULA - Following election by acclamation of numerous candidates, the Board of Missoula County Commissioners canceled several May 8 Special District Elections, which are listed below. While the Missoula County Elections Office received many nominating petitions, several board positions remain unfilled, as indicated in the list. Commissioners are seeking applicants to fill these trustee positions, which will become vacant in May. Applicants must be residents of Missoula County and at least 18 years old. Residency requirements may also apply....
Based on new information received April 20, the Center for Disease Control expanded their consumer advisory to include all types of romaine lettuce including cut, whole head, and hearts of romaine grown in the Yuma, Ariz. area. Since the exact source of the outbreak has not yet been determined, no recall has been issued and the health department urges an abundance of caution. While many retailers and restaurants have pulled product or discontinued using romaine, there may still be products with romaine in them that have not been pulled from sal...
GREENOUGH – The Paws Up Ranch Reception Barn was filled with Sunset and Ovando student's artwork this past Friday. Students shared the work they had done with their parents and other attendees and the different techniques they learned over the course of the year. Twice a month for two hours, Art Teacher Ashley Mitchell visits Sunset and Ovando Schools. She has been with the students at Sunset for four years and Ovando for the past three. "It's kind of cool to see how the students have e...
SEELEY LAKE – Six teams competed in the 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament April 22 to close out the Governor's Fight Childhood Hunger Week. Tournament organizer and Seeley Lake Elementary eighth grader Hannah Ayers said during the week $100 was donated and more than 750 food items were collected for the Seeley-Swan Community Food Bank. Ayers is a member of this year's Governor and First Lady Youth Leadership Council. She was tasked with raising awareness for childhood hunger and organizing the e...
The Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Anaconda watercraft inspection station intercepted a boat carrying zebra mussels Friday. The cabin cruiser was being transported from Ohio to Puget Sound in Washington. The inspection station reported that many mussels were found in the boat’s gimbal area, the trim tabs and several crevices. The boat was wrapped in shrink wrap, and inspectors hot-washed the exterior of the boat to the best of their ability. The inspectors were not able to flush the motors, bilge pump or any other part of the boat. The t...
SEATTLE, WASH. - "I had never, at any point in my medical training, sat in a room where at the same time you tell a patient they have a diagnosis, you also tell them they will definitively die from that diagnosis." This was Dr. Nicholas Vitanza's memory of meeting his first patient with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG), an inoperable brain tumor found in children. As a pediatric neuro-oncologist at Seattle's Children's Hospital, he has since delivered the same message to many more...
SEELEY LAKE - Being a phone man has been in Randy Teague's blood his entire life. After working for Blackfoot for more than 40 years, Teague said he has seen the birth of the Internet, services advance from analog to digital to fiber optic and growth from a rural telephone provider to a regional technology leader. His job has always been more than just a paycheck to him. It has been an opportunity to serve and help his customers who not only rely on the service provided but are also part owners...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Council hosted two candidate forums, April 9 and 11, at the Seeley Lake Community Hall. Candidates for national, state, county and local races answered questions from moderator and Council Press Contact Klaus von Stutterheim and the audience. All candidates that will appear on the May 8 Special District Mail-in ballot and June 5 primary were invited. Ballots for the May 8 election were mailed April 18. For the next four weeks, the Pathfinder will feature...
Seeley Lake Rural Fire District (Non-partisan: 2, 3-year terms): Incumbents Connie Clark and Gary Lewis and candidates Mark Kues, Shawn Ellinghouse and Alyssa McLean are running for two, three-year positions. Clark was not in attendance at the forum but was represented by surrogate Bonnie Connell. Connell did not respond to questions for Clark but did give her opening and closing statements. Mark Kues has lived in Seeley Lake since 2011 with his wife. He has 30+ years of experience in...
Seeley Lake Sewer District (Non-partisan: 3, 4-year terms): Incumbents Mark Butcher, Mike Lindemer and Robert (Bob) Skiles along with candidates Juli Cole, Beth Hutchinson and Troy Spence are running for three positions on the board. Spence was not in attendance at the forum. Mark Butcher said he didn't think about politics when he was originally asked to serve on the Sewer Board. He has been a sewer plant operator for about 30 years and in that time he has seen a lot of companies build a lot...
SEELEY LAKE – "The groomer is out," was Bruce Friede's response this winter when people from Double Arrow Ranch said they saw flashing lights in the darkness on the hillside across the valley. Friede, the Seeley Lake Driftriders' groomer chair, said it was a great season, with a lot of snow and happy visitors. While the grooming season has ended, the snowmobile club is already making plans for next year. One of the goals for the Driftriders' board this year was to get Seeley Lake back into "...
MISSOULA - My name is Josh Clark. I am a Democratic candidate running for Missoula County Sheriff and Coroner. On Monday, April 9th, I participated in a candidate forum at the Seeley Lake Community Center. While waiting for the forum to start, I learned that someone had hung derogatory signs against me and Travis Wafstet, another Sheriff candidate on the exterior of the building. We are both running against Sheriff McDermott. I went outside and took the signs down, knowing the organizer of the...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley-Swan Mountain Bells is a local handbell choir. They have had several pieces of equipment walk away since we resumed practices in late January. First was a six-foot folding Costco type table. They didn't think much of it, expecting it would find its way back to our storeroom at Seeley Lake Elementary. A few weeks later a custom made pad for the table also disappeared. A thorough search came up empty. Most recently, one of our bells went missing. A handbell has a cast...
SWAN VALLEY - The Flathead National Forest 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 air...
This article is going to be lengthy but I believe important and necessary. There has been an exceptional amount of confusion and misinformation concerning happenings within the Seeley Lake Fire Department over the previous months as well as accusations of lack of transparency along with allegations of wrongdoing by both the District Board of Trustees and me, the current Chief. It is difficult to counter allegations when one side is fettered by legal requirements of privacy. The conversation becomes very one sided and unfortunately, as you may h...
Bears are emerging from dens across northwest Montana. Residents are reminded to remove food attractants from their properties to avoid conflicts. Montana is home to grizzly bears and black bears that roam the mountains and valley floors from spring through late fall before denning in wintertime. Starting in mid March, bears begin emerging and move to lower-elevation areas seeking food. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks encourages residents to "Be Bear Aware" and remove attractants every spring by...
SEELEY LAKE - When Kim Grover opened Rejuvenate Day Spa in June of 2004, she thought she could handle all aspects of the business. After six months, she quickly realized she needed someone to handle the front office. Lynn Mitchell was the perfect fit guaranteeing Grover that not only would she help turn her part time position into full time, she would also make it so Grover couldn't live without her. After more than 13 years, Mitchell has done that and more. She is retiring this spring with...
Thomas H. Brown Being born and raised in a small town outside of Eureka, Mont., I have experienced first-hand how smaller schools with high teacher to student ratios can form a child's life, in an incredibly positive way. I moved to the Missoula area to pursue a career at Neptune Aviation almost 13 years ago, at the age of 20, following tech school. A year later I began my life in Potomac where I would soon begin to raise my two children, Levi and Silas. As a volunteer coach for local hockey...
CRC Urgently Needs Volunteer with Snowmobile SEELEY LAKE - Volunteers for the Clearwater Resource Council are actively sampling many creeks in the valley. Due to a sudden onset health issue, their most adventuresome volunteer is forced to stand down. He was snowmobiling out to several sites off the Jocko Road, beyond Placid Lake. CRC is looking for a volunteer with a snowmobile to sample those sites, once a week, until the road is no longer suitable for snowmobiles. The actual sampling is extremely easy and doesn’t take more than five minutes a...
Jimmy Zander of Potomac has been fishing for a "wall hanger" even since he can remember. After his father Charlie got a 24.5 pound northern pike on Lake Upsata in 1996, he's been trying to beat him. The day finally arrived on a solo trip to an area lake after work Monday, March 26. He landed a 47-inch, 33 pound, 8 ounce northern pike. The first fish on was a four-pound northern pike. After landing that one, Zander looked out and his tip-up was up. "It was really zinging," said Zander "I set the... Full story
SEELEY LAKE - "It is such an honor to be recognized by your peers across the state," wrote Seeley Lake Elementary Junior High Teacher Patti Bartlett Gladstone after receiving the 2018 Montana Environmental Education Association Educator's Award. She was the only recipient of the Educator's Award in appreciation of her work in the field of Environmental Education in the state of Montana. Jenélle Dowling, PhD, research specialist with the Montana Natural History Center and faculty affiliate at...
SALMON LAKE - The island log home retreat on Salmon Lake is under new ownership, becoming the property of the Montana Education Benefits Foundation (MEBF) at the Resort at Paws Up. The "Island Lodge" will open for guests Memorial Day Weekend. The island namesake, Sourdough Island, comes from Dave 'Sourdough' Madson who found his way to the island circa 1918 where he was put in charge of netting squawfish for the Fish and Game Department. According to the Seeley Lake Historical Society, Madson's...
SEELEY LAKE – After hearing of the devastation caused by the fires last summer in Seeley Lake, Corvallis business owner Cody Edwards made an appointment with the Seeley Lake Area Chamber of Commerce. After meeting with the Chamber Board, he put his design skills to work free of charge to create a Travel App. His goal was to showcase the beautiful area and entice visitors to make Seeley Lake a destination. In 2013, Cody Edwards, owner and designer for Touch Point Designs, LLC, started creating i...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake Elementary eighth-grader Hannah Ayers is looking for basketball players and enthusiasts who not only love the game of basketball but who will also join the fight against childhood hunger in Montana. She is hosting a three-on-three basketball tournament April 22 at Seeley-Swan High School to collect non-perishable food items and monetary donations to support the Seeley-Swan Community Food Bank during Fight Childhood Hunger Week. Ayers was one of 20 students across the state chosen for the Governor and First Lady Youth L...
MISSOULA - I believe everyone should have a say in their government. I want to write laws that force Commissioners to send important issues to the voting booth for the people to decide, such as all property tax increases, sales taxes, building permits and fees, subdivision regulations and social laws like legalizing at-home use of marijuana. Important changes should be approved by the people, not dictated by three Commissioners as they have been for the last 18 years. Public comment is not the...
SEELEY LAKE – Despite a thick layer of snow still covering the ground in many yards, more than 50 Clearwater Valley residents, whose fingers were itching to get into the soil, gathered at the Seeley Lake Community Hall April 7 to hear newspaper columnist, author and gardening expert Molly Hackett speak. Clearwater Resource Council sponsored the event. Attendees came with a host of questions and Hackett answered them all. Hackett began by naming a few of her favorite gardening implements. A...
MISSOULA - For Lee Bridges, a 35-year homeowner in East Missoula, and board member on the East Missoula Community Council, a big part of the path toward economic sustainability is for her community to come up with its own zoning designations. She'd rather see that happen through the county than find her town "cookie-cutter" zoned by the City of Missoula once East Missoula is likely annexed due to growth over the next decade. She says the cultural values and urban zoning codes of Missoula aren't...
Mark Butcher - Incumbent I am currently a serving board member and up for renewal for my position. I was originally approached to consider serving because of my Operator qualifications for water & waste water treatment plants in Alaska. Our family moved to Seeley Lake in 2012 and we own Blue River Station. My family is foremost, but welding, metal fab, all phases of construction, mechanics, farming, oil field operations, hunting/fishing, camping and exploring are my enjoyment. Experience: I...
Connie Clark - Incumbent Seeley Lake has been my home for 26 plus years. I am a Montana native born and raised in Kalispell. In 1991 we bought Pop's Place which we operate today. We raised four children here. When not busy with day-to-day operations of a restaurant, we enjoy exploring the backroads of Montana on our motorcycle. I also volunteer at Loving Hearts Thrift Shop and currently serve as their treasurer. I am an active member of Veterans and Families of Seeley Lake. In 1994 I began a 20...
SEELEY LAKE – Loving Hearts was given a face-lift this past week. They reopened Saturday, April 7 welcoming shoppers with a new bright, open atmosphere. Customers raved about how open, organized and new it looked. "I felt that it just needed an update," said Mary Newpower, Loving Hearts' new manager. They closed the store for a week. Newpower said they rearranged to optimize some of the space that wasn't being used. Volunteers streamlined the check-out counter. While the old check-out counter w...
SEELEY LAKE - At their special meeting April 4, Seeley Lake Rural Fire District Board of Trustees met to discuss board member possible Article 17 violation/public display towards board members and the chief, unprofessional conduct in public, public concerns, an investigation and member issues. While the majority of the meeting was closed, Board Secretary Rachel Jennings provided a written statement to the board prior to closing the meeting. In Jennings’ written statement it said that she was informed of allegations against her 48 hours prior t...
SEELEY LAKE – Adding handpicked, quality clothing that adds a vintage feel to someone's closet is the goal of the newly opened second hand clothing store La Rosa Vintage. Sole owner and operator Rosa Erck is excited to share her love of thrift stores by offering another shopping option in Seeley Lake. She offers clothing, shoes and jewelry options from the 1970s through early 2000s. Erck used to work in a thrift store and loves shopping at thrift stores. She said she is an excellent organizer a...
SEELEY LAKE – The Missoula Community Concert Band filled the Seeley-Swan Auditorium stage during their outreach concert with Seeley-Swan High School Band April 3. Not only did they bring songs of light to brighten the evening, they incorporated the six SSHS band members and presented junior Jared Townsend with a $250 scholarship to the University of Montana's summer band camp. SSHS Band played three pieces to start the concert followed by five selections from the Missoula Community Concert B...
SWAN VALLEY – Owner of the Mission Mountains Mercantile Len Kobylenski and his partner Grace Siloti hardly stop to take a break as they close in on the opening of the newly built Mission Mountains Mercantile. If everything goes as planned, by the end of April, Swan Valley residents should be able to purchase gas and groceries with the grand opening celebration planned for June 23. While the store has the latest technology and will offer many new products and services, the biggest change is t...
SEELEY LAKE – After holding an intervention between Frosty the Snowman and the Easter Bunny, the Seeley Lake Lions Club reached a resolution. While they were unable to get rid of the snow, the annual Easter Egg Hunt carried on as planned Saturday, March 31. The freezing and snow flurries did not stop the children from racing out into the snow covered field, punching through the hard snow crust and filling their baskets, buckets and bags as quickly as they could. The Lions and Leo Club members f...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake Elementary Junior High Teacher Patti Bartlett Gladstone and her students were busy paying it forward this last month. After hearing about the extreme weather conditions facing residents on the Blackfeet Reservation, the students gathered donations of water, food and other personal necessities. Bartlett Gladstone made two trips with donations, one for the students in Browning and the other to residents in Heart Butte. Bartlett Gladstone first came up with the idea to col...
SEELEY LAKE – “Your files have been encrypted,” were the words on a black screen for the file servers at Pyramid Mountain Lumber March 15. Pyramid’s entire network fell victim to the ransomware attack. Not willing to deal with criminals, they started rebuilding the three network servers and three workstations from scratch. It could take up to three months to get all the systems running like they were before the attack. However, all the historical records are lost. Pyramid’s Network Administrator Mark Meissner is a Microsoft Certified system en...
SEELEY LAKE - Mud and pothole season is in full swing. The snow and cold weather on Easter had some questioning if winter is really over but at the county shop in Seeley Lake, the atmosphere on April 1 was more like Christmas. Road department workers were eagerly unwrapping and assembling the county shop's latest acquisition, the PH-410 system. The PH-410 system allows for snow removal equipment to be utilized into the mud and pothole season by attaching three 10 in blades to existing...
SEELEY LAKE – Through the Safety Award program, Pyramid Mountain Lumber has put $2,500 in the past five months back into the economy of Seeley Lake. While this is not a new program, the approach changed in October to help support the community and the local businesses. Every month Pyramid gives employees who have had perfect attendance an incentive check. If there has not been a lost time accident at the mill, anyone who received the attendance award is also put in a drawing for the safety award. Between 60-70 employees meet the attendance r...
SEELEY LAKE - Have you ever had ground squirrels eat all your freshly sprouted peas? Wondered how to get rid of black spots on potatoes? Asked if row covers will keep bugs off your vegetables? Master gardener and columnist Molly Hackett will soon be in Seeley Lake to answer your gardening questions. Hackett is the guest speaker for the Clearwater Resource Council's spring gardening workshop at the Seeley Lake Community Hall on Saturday, April 7 from 1-2:30 p.m. for our Clearwater Partners...
SEELEY LAKE – When 14-year-old Kya Smith's mother Lauren Callahan signed her up for the Montana Conservation Corps Middle School Expedition as "her summer experience" she was less than thrilled. With her usual summer camp experience no longer financially feasible, Smith joined five other youth and two MCC leaders for a five days backpacking adventure documenting trail conditions outside of Missoula. Callahan said the self confidence, self worth and pride in the work accomplished that her d...
SEELEY LAKE - If you are overwhelmed by the number of candidates who are running for the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House, Fire District, Sewer District, County Commissioner, Sheriff, etc. come to the Seeley Lake Community Council’s Candidates Forums next week. Hear the candidates who are vying for your vote and grill them on the issues that are important to you. Because of the many contested races this year and the sheer number of candidates, we decided to hold two forums. Monday, April 9, 5:15 p.m. at the Community Center: U.S. Senate, Missoula C...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake resident Lizza Kelley has brought the Seeley Lake Rural Fire District Auxiliary back to life. What started as a desire to volunteer her time to support those serving the community has turned into an opportunity for anyone in the community who doesn't want to become a first responder or firefighter to help as well. "Frankly, I was tired of being stuck at home when [my husband] Kody responded to calls," said Kelley. "I wanted to volunteer my time for things that I c...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Fire Board invited EMS and Trauma Systems Section Supervisor for the state of Montana Jim DeTienne to review the current progress of the department and speak about some of the district concerns regarding other professional licensed medical providers that continue to undermine and discredit the department’s efforts moving forward. He spoke at a special board meeting March 29. During public comment, retired Police Chief from New Jersey and past maintenance worker for the Seeley Lake Rural Fire District Doug Waldron s...
CORRECTION SEELEY LAKE - In the coverage of the Seeley Lake Fire Board in the March 29 issue, the Seeley Lake Rural Fire District received a $15,000 grant from the Montana Community Foundation, not the Missoula Community Foundation as stated. Chamber of Commerce July 4th Poster Contest SEELEY LAKE - Be a part of your community and contribute to the Seeley Lake Area Chamber of Commerce’s Fourth of July Parade and Firework Show! “We want you and so does Uncle Sam, to join in the fun! We’re looking for a Proud American to represent our Great...
A teenager who stayed out past curfew and got bombarded with questions upon his return home might tell his friends the next day, "Boy, my dad really put me through the wringer last night." Or perhaps not. The phrase is more likely to be spoken by someone of the older generation who actually remembers doing laundry using an old wringer washing machine. Unlike its modern descendants with their spin cycles that use centrifugal force to pull water out of the clothes in preparation for being spun...
DEER LODGE - The Powell County Board of Adjustment unanimously approved a zoning variance request for a 61-lot subdivision named Swan Mountain Estates near the Seeley Lake Airport at the March 20 public hearing. The variance was the beginning of the official process with the county and the first of many steps for developers to complete before the subdivision can be finalized. Developers Martin Cahoon and Gary Chilcott gave a short presentation on their plans for the subdivision before the board deliberated the variance. The land is currently pa...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley-Swan High School Band and Choir joined with the Seeley Lake Elementary and Swan Valley School Bands Wednesday, March 21 to celebrate Music in Our Schools Month® (MIOSM®). The National Association officially designated March for Music Education for the observance of MIOSM®. The purpose of MIOSM® is to raise awareness of the importance of music education for all children – and to remind citizens that schools is where all children should have access to mus...
SEELEY LAKE – The repair efforts on the Liberty Fire are nearly complete with only a few roads still needing work in the Gold Creek area. The Nature Conservancy Resource Advisor for the Liberty Fire Steve Kloetzel said the number one goal for TNC was collaboration with the Montana Department of Natural Resources and other agencies to get the work done to stabilize the area following the suppression actions. He has been happy to see carnivore use in the burn area has not changed since last s...
The wildfires of 2017 took a direct toll on millions of trees across the Montana landscape. In some cases, trees on the periphery of these fires and in areas of lesser severity were merely scorched. Although these scorched trees may not die outright, they could be poised for attack by a variety of beetles. Partially burned Douglas-fir are particularly susceptible to Douglas-fir beetle. Douglas-fir beetle is not an especially aggressive beetle and generally attacks Douglas-fir trees that are stressed by root disease, windthrow or fire scorch. As...
Survival of the species with rabbits is successful. Every 28 to 31 days, five to 10 blind, pink, slightly velvety and squirmy rabbit kits are kindled, or born. If unregulated breeding occurs, one pair can add 120 rabbits to their habitat in a year. Female rabbits, called does, are able to be bred at five months. Reproduction is ensured by the evolutionary trait of ovulating while pregnant. Usually lactation slows or prevents ovulation in some mammals. According to Eastgate Veterinary in...
SEELEY LAKE – The Missoula Community Concert Band will join Seeley-Swan High School for a joint concert Tuesday, April 3 at 7:30 p.m. in the SSHS Auditorium. SSHS Music Director Kristen Cottom said this is a unique opportunity for her students to get to play more challenging music with better musicians and with a full concert band. The community is invited to this free event. The Missoula Community Concert Band is a non-profit organization devoted to promoting and performing concert band m...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Elementary student walkout, school safety upgrades and required facility maintenance were the main topics of discussion at the March 20 school board meeting. The student-led Walkout at SLE occurred March 14 at 10 a.m. along with the National School Walkout. While fourth through eighth graders could have participated, only 12 fourth, fifth and sixth graders left class. Students met by the flagpole in front of SLE. After a moment of silence for the 17 students and staff killed a month ago at Marjory Stoneman Douglas...
SEELEY LAKE – Part I of the report on the March 7, 2018 public trails meeting gave the results of the resident and visitor survey conducted in 2017 by the Clearwater Resource Council (CRC) Trail Advisory Council. Part II presented the views of local business owners and a discussion on partnerships between land managing organizations and special interest user groups. Part III presents the Trail Advisory Council's recommendations derived from the surveys, as well as suggestions for how to p...
CHOTEAU – "I'm really into formulas," says Choteau Area Port Authority board member Blair Patton. "People who are successful know the formula. You do not have a successful small community accidentally. There is a focused, purposeful action that leads into that." Patton returned to his family's ranch outside of Choteau after living many years in Lewistown. He operated a sports clothing and graphics business here, served on the Choteau City Council and now runs a lawn care service. He and his w...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Fire Board continues through policy updates and was informed of new groups to help support the fire department at their March 20 meeting. Thanks to the Montana Community Foundation $15,000 grant, 13 new turnouts, six new BK radios and accessories, four mobile truck radios and 18 new high visibility jackets were purchased. Board Chair Scott Kennedy said that they are continuing to work through the policy updates. Next on the list is blood borne pathogens and the district’s harassment policy. The volunteer mem...
SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley Community Council answered questions and addressed other concerns pertaining to the second draft of the Swan Valley Regional Growth Plan at their March 20 meeting. Missoula Community and Planning Services (CAPS) planner Andrew Hagemeier also presented the beginning stages of the Missoula County mapping update. He explained the project will be a “visual of the policies and visions” of the future of the county. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the second draft of the regional plan as presented by the pla...
SEELEY LAKE – "Real estate has always been an interest of mine so I thought I would try it. Turns out I like it," said Stephanie Cahoon, a new real estate agent with Keller Williams. Cahoon is offering services from Seeley Lake to Missoula and everything in between. Her goal is to make the buying and selling of a home as stress free as possible Cahoon graduated from the University of Montana with a degree in psychology. She met her husband Tyler while at UM and moved to Seeley Lake. "I've a...
SEELEY LAKE – The music of John Robert y Pan Blanco not only filled the Seeley Lake Community Hall for three hours Sunday, March 25, the rhythms and high notes could be heard in the parking lot. The six-piece ensemble had some audience members up dancing while others enjoyed moving to the blend of funk, African and Latin grooves in their seats. This was the final concert of the 2 Valleys Stage 2017-2018 concert series. It took on a different format with Roberts giving a presentation about the hi...
SEELEY LAKE - Pyramid Mountain Lumber excels again this year in grader performance. The Western Wood Products Association (WWPA) recognized Monie Bergeson, Tim Wood and Justin Simon with the High Quality (Hi-Q) Award for their timber grading accuracy in 2017. To be eligible for the award, graders must be a certified grader in each product. They also must meet the minimum footage requirement per product. For the common one-inch boards, 12,000 board feet must be inspected per grader. For two-inch...
Donations Needed SEELEY LAKE - Loving Hearts is in need of clothing and household items. Consider donating gently used, no longer needed items that are in good shape and in good working condition. Clothing should be clean, no holes or stains, no missing buttons and no broken zippers. Large items, including big TVs and furniture, are not accepted. Donations are accepted at Loving Hearts Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Saturdays from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Please do not leave items on the doorstep as the rain and snow ruins them. Planning...
SEELEY LAKE – "Safer Schools," "Am I Next" and "Never Again" were words chanted by students outside Seeley Lake Elementary during the National School Walkout March 14. Seeley Lake Elementary sixth grader Clara Kyrouac organized the only walkout in Seeley Lake. She along with 11 other students met at the flagpole at 10 a.m. where they held a moment of silence and then marched for the remaining 17 minutes in front of SLE. Her intent was to start the conversation about making schools safer and t...
SEELEY LAKE – Sunday, Nov. 5 Kendra and her husband Jurian Coombes were getting ready for bed when they both felt their daughter kick. The next day they were going to welcome Huntley Blaine Coombes into the world. When they arrived at St. Patrick's Hospital at 7:30 a.m. they were so excited. Kendra was being induced and they would soon meet their little girl. After spending an hour trying to find Huntley's heartbeat, they were given the devastating news. Huntley silently entered the world at 8...
SEELEY LAKE – The March 12 meeting of the Seeley Lake Community Council heard reports on four in-progress projects, proposals related to mushroom harvesting and an update on the efforts of the Trails Committee. Scott Newpower disclosed plans to build a roofed, open air, regulation size hockey rink. Seeley Lake School Superintendent Chris Stout has given permission to construct it in the field along School Lane. The primary goal of the project is to provide youngsters with a no-cost winter a...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Sewer District started working on meeting Rural Development’s conditions including attaining easements and writing district policies at their March 15 meeting. The sewer project can not be let out to bid before the conditions are met. In other business, the board voted to send a letter to Powell County in regard to the proposed 61-lot subdivision and discussed the voter qualifications for the upcoming board election. The district also received one of two grants applied for to start the design of Phase 2’s col...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Foundation continues to encourage local organizations to grow and improve the services in our community. Realizing such action requires resources, they once again awarded funding to several worthy causes. This year’s grant recipients and projects include: • Seeley Lake Elementary School: Providing funds for “Circle of Security” parent training that enhances attachment in parent-child relationships. • Seeley Lake Historical Museum and Visitor Center: Assisting with critical maintenance for the Seeley La...
WASHINGTON, D.C. - A poll of more than 500 Montanans released by the Montana Wildlife Federation showed continued support for U.S Senator Jon Tester’s Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Act and collaborative efforts to protect wildlife habitat, recreational access and timber jobs. Tester as well as other stakeholders discussed the survey results and momentum of the legislation during a press conference March 15. The Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Project was developed through more than a decade of local discussions among conservation, r...
SEELEY LAKE – Part I of the report on the March 7, 2018 public trails meeting gave the results of the resident and visitor survey conducted in 2017 by the CRC Trails Advisory Council. Part II presents the views of local business owners and discussion on partnerships. Part III will present recommendations derived from the surveys, and suggestions for how to proceed in the future. In addition to the survey information submitted by residents and visitors to Seeley Lake, the Seeley Lake Trails A...
POTOMAC - Funding for the Friday Explorers program, school safety and staff changes dominated the Potomac School Board meeting March 12. The parent group striving to maintain the Friday Explorers program presented their second plan to the board regarding finances and resources for the 2018-2019 school year. The board shared their appreciation for the details in the presented parent plan and voiced their support for the program. A discussion followed where strong opinions were shared about the March 8 Pathfinder article entitled “Potomac School...
SEELEY LAKE – For the first time in more than 15 years, the Seeley Lake Senior Center ran out of corned beef at their annual St. Patrick's Day Dinner March 18. Along with corned beef dinner, complete with Irish stew, attendees enjoyed a cake walk, silent auction, 50/50 drawing and bingo. This year the annual fundraiser was held Sunday instead of Saturday. Missoula Electric Cooperative held its annual membership meeting Saturday, March 17 so the seniors decided to see what kind of a turnout t...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Area Chamber of Commerce donated $500 to the Seeley Lake Meals on Wheels program after raising the funds from the Chamber Chill event held Feb. 17 at the Tamaracks Resort. Twenty-three people jumped into Seeley Lake with pledges to support the Chamber and Meals on Wheels program. "It was a lot of fun and we hope to continue the tradition in the next year," said Chamber Board member Eric Hayhurst. "A lot of communities do these plunges and they are very s...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake resident Robert Green received his membership to the Sons of the American Revolution March 8. Green has always had a certain amount of pride that his ancestors played such a significant role in the founding of the country and its form of government. He is now officially a Revolutionary War Patriot. The Montana Society of the Sons of the American Revolution was formed in 1894. The purpose of SAR is to perpetuate the memory of those who, by their services or sacrifices du...
SEELEY LAKE - "Can I get $350?" shouted auctioneer Gene Schade over the heckling. The bidding war ensued over a classic loaded carrot cake filled with cream cheese and drizzled with caramel until Vicki Voeglin, organizer from the first Dessert Night seven years ago, stepped in, "I can solve this. We will pay Laura to make another one and you can each have one for $350...$700 for the kids." Schade yelled, "Sold!" This was the final fundraiser for the Destinations for Education students traveling...
Levy Proposed for MCPS in May 8 Election MISSOULA – The Missoula County Board of Trustees approved an elementary and high school district operations levy to appear on the May 8 ballot at their March 13 meeting. Voters in the Seeley-Swan will only vote on the high school levy. The board voted to levy $169,994 for the high school district. This will cost $2.25 for homes costing $200,000. Due to a Building Reserve levy that is sun setting and additional funding from the state, the total taxpayer cost to fund the high school district will go d...
SEELEY LAKE – In 2014 Clearwater Resource Council (CRC) launched an examination into trail usage in the Seeley Lake area with a view toward developing a comprehensive trails plan. Last year, the CRC Trails Advisory Council designed a survey to better understand the trail-related needs of Seeley Lake residents, visitors and businesses. The results of those surveys were presented March 7 at a public meeting. Part I presents the results of the resident and visitor surveys. Part II, to be p...
SEELEY LAKE – Dressed in ties and skirts, students walked the halls of Seeley-Swan High School Wednesday, March 7. This was a different Discovery Day – it was a Career Fair. Instead of taking students outside the classroom, the community came to them. Students were offered a wide variety of presentations during the morning sessions to learn about different careers options. In the afternoon, they had the opportunity to learn about career readiness and practice job seeking skills. Seeley Lake Ele...
The snowpack across Montana remains in good shape starting the month of March with all basins in the state at near to above normal for the date. In fact, Montana is the only state in the 12 western U.S. states where the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service measures snowpack in which all basins in the state have at least normal snowpack conditions. Precipitation thus far in the water year (beginning October 2017) has been well below normal in much of the West except for northern areas in W...
When we think of floods, we have an image in our heads of cars being swept down the road or boats navigating through neighborhoods rescuing families who are seeking refuge on their rooftops. Because of these images, many people feel like they don't need flood insurance. They think that won't happen in Montana. While you may not have to wait on your roof for a boat to rescue you, floods can affect you and damage your home. Nearly 20 percent of all flood insurance claims come from moderate to low...
SWAN VALLEY – Swan Valley students shared many valuable life lessons as they followed Gulliver's travels through space, March 10. Nearly the entire student body was involved in the Missoula Children's Theatre production of Gulliver's Travels that filled the Swan Valley School gym with applause and laughter. In the opening scene Gulliver, played by Rilyn Richardson and Connor Matthew, crashed in space finding only the Invisible Force, played by tour director Christopher Martin, to guide him. W...
MISSOULA - Following the historic 2017 fire season, the Missoula County Office of Emergency Management has worked with dozens of local, state and federal partners to update its Community Wildfire Protection Plan. The public is invited to provide feedback on it over the next several weeks. The revised plan and related materials are available for the public to view online at http://bit.ly/MissoulaCoCWPP. The plan incorporates several important updates, including: • Refined definition and detailed mapping of the wildland-urban interface for M...
WOODWORTH - The Woodworth schoolhouse located near Kozy Korner, succumbed to the heavy snowloads this winter. The schoolhouse, operational from the late 1920's through the 1950's, was an intricate part of the rural Woodworth Meadows as it transitioned from a viable logging community to more agricultural-based area. Seeley Lake resident Denny Dreyer recalls riding his horse to school here....
SEELEY LAKE - Amy Pearson, writer, teacher, photographer, poet, student of Buddhism and wilderness advocate will be reading from and discussing her recent book of poetry and photographs, "100 Days of Solitude" Saturday, March 17 at 7 p.m. at the Grizzly Claw Trading Company. Pearson will include a power point presentation of her photographs taken from a lookout in the Bob Marshall Wilderness where she spent one summer as a fire lookout. Alpine Artisans Open Book Club sponsors this event. There...
SEELEY LAKE - Please join Alpine Artisans' 2 Valleys Stage at the Seeley Lake Community Hall March 25, 3 p.m. for the rousing rhythms of John Roberts y Pan Blanco. The group is an ensemble of energetic musicians that inspires the audience to dance and enjoy life! You'll hear vocals in Spanish, English and Portuguese as the group melds high-energy Funk, African and Latin grooves with soulful instrumental solos aimed at sharing musical and cultural diversity with the audience. The family-friendly...
The Lolo National Forest is proposing to harvest trees burned by the Liberty fire and plant seedlings within the fire perimeter. The project is located on the Lolo National Forest Seeley Lake and Missoula Ranger Districts, 13 miles southwest of Seeley Lake. The Liberty Fire was ignited by lightning on July 15, 2017. The fire burned approximately 28,694 acres: 9,452 acres was National Forest System (NFS) land, 6,859 acres of private land and 12,378 acres of Flathead Agency land. About 61 percent of the Liberty fire burned areas the LNF...
Shelby Schools Superintendent Elliott Crump knows first-hand about the teacher shortage in Montana. The Montana Office of Public Instruction reported 638 full-time openings in the state's "difficult or hard to fill" teaching positions in 2016-17 and Crump's school district had four of them. When no qualified applicants from Montana–or anywhere else in the United States–applied for those jobs, he started looking outside the United States and ended up hiring four teachers from the Phi...
SEELEY LAKE – Purchasing a home in the Seeley-Swan area just got a little easier. John Homen, co-owner of Homen Hearth of Seeley Lake, recently passed his state and national home inspector certification. Homen's desire is to provide the safest environment for the homeowners and provide the best possible services so the potential home buyer has a good understanding of what they are purchasing. Homen and his wife Rachel started their chimney cleaning service Homen Hearth in June 2013. Homen has a...
SWAN VALLEY – Part-time Swan Valley resident Ryan Reschke has always enjoyed experimenting with abstract drawing, photography and painting techniques. Whether it is behind his camera, on canvas or digitally creating with his iPad, Reschke pulls the extraordinary out of the ordinary letting the art create its self. Reschke became interested in art at a young age. Even though he took an art class in elementary school, it wasn't until he was 16 that he started practicing abstract drawing. "Abstract...
SEELEY LAKE – Of the more than 100 attendees at the Rice Ridge Recap March 7, only nine filled out the US Forest Service’s survey requesting information relative to the management of the Rice Ridge fire. Only four addressed the fire, the others commented on the meeting. The survey consisted of three questions • What went well? • What didn’t go well? • What can we do differently next time? Two responses agreed that keeping residential areas safe and “no homes were lost” was commendable. The other two agreed that information to the public and See...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Elementary eighth grade students were included in the Seeley-Swan High School’s spring Discovery Day. The Career Fair held March 7 was a perfect project for the Jobs for Montana Graduates career development category. SLE Library Media Specialist Michele Holmes has been doing JMG for the past two years with the eighth graders. It falls under the national program Jobs for America Graduates run through the Department of Labor and Industry. SLE is one of eight middle schools in the country that participates in the pro...
Destinations for Education Dessert Night, March 16 SEELEY LAKE – Thirteen Seeley-Swan High School students along with Seeley Lake Elementary Spanish teacher Bridget Laird and SSHS Science teacher Tonya Smith will be traveling to Costa Rica April 4-14 with the Destinations for Education program. The community is invited to participate in their final fundraiser, a Dessert Night at Double Arrow Lodge March 16 at 7 p.m. Destinations for Education is an opportunity for SSHS students every other year. Students are expected to take turns in l...
SEELEY LAKE - Crazy hats, dancing and fun was had by all at The Filling Station March 3....
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley-Swan Search and Rescue volunteers responded to a call near Marshall Lake Thursday evening, March 1. A snowmobiler was reportedly pinned beneath his snowmobile in a small creek. The 60-year-old injured man from Frenchtown, Mont. was extracted by volunteers with the help of Two Bear Air and was taken to St. Patrick's Hospital via Life Flight. Two snowmobilers were riding near Marshall Lake Thursday evening. One of the riders jumped a 12-15 foot boulder and crash-landed in a r...
POTOMAC - The future remains uncertain regarding the Friday Explorers program at Potomac School. Parents feel they have little support from the school in trying to sustain a Friday program while the board chair does not feel it is appropriate to allocate limited funds to a program only used by 20 percent of the students. Parents question where the responsibility lies for figuring out a place for students on Fridays who initially went to Explorers. Principal Rouse and Board Chair Cliff Vann said, while they have the best interest at heart for...
SEELEY LAKE – Discussions of the extraordinary 2017 fire season with a focus on the Rice Ridge fire filled Seeley Lake Elementary Feb. 28. This time 16 panelists from 10 different organizations provided a closer look at the overall fire season and answered questions specific to the Rice Ridge fire. The Lolo National Forest Fire Management Officer Laura Ward said the LNF has a 10 year average of 138 fires per year that burn an average of 44,000 acres per year. This year there were 94 fires. The R...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Water District received Montana Rural Water Systems, Inc.'s 2018 Outstanding System of the Year. This is the biggest award the district has ever received. Montana Rural Water helps small water and wastewater systems that service less than 10,000 people across the state do their job, fix problems and help with funding situations. They are federally funded through sources including the Farm Bill. "We will help anyone but we are designed to help small communities," s...
March 1 marked the opening of outdoor burning by permit in western Montana. All burns require a permit, that can be obtained at the County Burn Permit System online at www.burnpermit.mt.gov, at the Seeley Lake Fire Department (200 Firehouse Lane) or online at www.seeleyfire.org. All permits cost $5. Permits can also be renewed. All of last year’s information is saved and ready to go. Check the mail each spring for a postcard with your permit number, or call the City-County Health Department (258-4755). Burn permit reminder postcards were m...
SEELEY LAKE - The next meeting of the Seeley Lake Community Council will open on a cheerful note. Lee Boman has collected four great ideas for Seeley that will be presented to the public. Boman explained that “our objective is to make the community aware of some new ideas and perhaps trigger more involvement and volunteers.” The first idea is a covered, outdoor ice rink for Seeley Lake, presented by Scott Newpower. Following Newpower, Jessica Kimmel will propose that Highway 83 be renamed “Glacier Parkway.” Next will be Auguste Lockwoo...
For much of rural Montana, brain drain has been a fact of life for decades. Come high school graduation, the pattern goes, small towns see their most ambitious sons and daughters pack their bags, heading off to attend college or otherwise try out life somewhere else. And comparatively few of them ultimately come back. Take Anaconda, population 9,000, a former company town abandoned by its founding industry in the 80s. These days it faces a demographic gap, with only 22 percent of its residents...
SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley Community Council discussed how to distribute the completed second draft of the regional plan to the public at their meeting Feb. 27. The council members agreed that residents can peruse the plan and submit specific comments by the April 10 deadline. Council member Henry Westra asked what the council’s responsibility was in regard to the draft plan. “Do we have to say yes or no [to the draft plan]?” Westra asked. Council member Lacey McNutt said that their responsibility was to get it thoroughly out to the public....
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Fire District Board of Trustees held two special meetings Feb. 27 and March 1 to discuss the new chief candidates, address board concerns and approve revisions to several sections of the District’s Operations Manual. Chief Candidate The board received 32 applicants from the U.S. and internationally for the open chief position. The hiring committee presented the board with their top choice at the Feb. 27 special board meeting. The board agreed to extend the offer to the candidate from Nevada in hopes he would sta...
SEELEY LAKE - At the Feb. 20 Seeley Lake Fire District Board meeting Martin Cahoon presented the Board with a petition from Swan Mountain Estates to be annexed into the Fire District per Montana Code Annotated Section 7-33-2125. Swan Mountain Estates is a proposed 61-lot subdivision north of the Seeley Lake Airport in Powell County. Cahoon requested a decision on annexation prior to his meeting with Powell County in mid-March. Chief Michael Greer said developer Kurt Fredericks met with him and they toured the site. Greer was surprised how...
SEELEY LAKE – When Terry Lucke's first patient asked him to be her provider he wasn't sure if he could provide marijuana to a 70-year-old woman. After she told him she had been smoking weed before he was born, he agreed. He has since watched countless patients lead more normal lives after using medical marijuana while they otherwise would live in pain. "My primary focus is just helping people get through their lives and make life a little easier," said Lucke, sole owner of Fat Hippie A Friend I...
MISSOULA – Seeley-Swan High School junior Kyle Peltier and senior Amber Leetch participated in a Poetry Slam at the Public House in Missoula Feb. 17. The Slam was hosted by Big Sky High School's Creative Writing Class to help raise money for their Literary Journal. There were more than 100 in attendance and 40 people competed. Peltier placed third. Poetry Slams are an opportunity for poets to share their writing in a competitive atmosphere. "Poetry slams are such a good place for students to p...
Date Change for Music in the Schools Concert SEELEY LAKE – Due to scheduling conflicts, the Music in the Schools concert including the Seeley Lake Elementary band and Seeley-Swan High School band and choir has been moved from March 14 to March 21. Everyone is welcome to come for the concert at 7 p.m. in the SSHS Auditorium. Chandler Wins Snowmobile Package SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Area Chamber of Commerce raffled off a half day snowmobile adventure for a two-person snowmobile at the Snow Blind and Bored part Saturday night, March 3 at the...
SEELEY LAKE - Around 6 p.m. Saturday night two snowmobilers went through the ice on the north end of Seeley Lake where the ice is typically thin. Both drivers were able to get out of the water and sustained no injuries. One snowmobile is completely submerged while the other remained partially exposed. The Seeley-Swan Search and Rescue recovered the visible snowmobile Saturday afternoon. The snowmobilers will be responsible for removing the submerged snowmobile this spring. SSSAR Incident...
SEELEY LAKE – Missoula County Deputy Attorney Matt Jennings spoke to the Seeley Lake Rural Fire District Board Feb. 20 and nearly 20 members of the public about the distinction between the Seeley Lake Fire District and the Seeley Lake Fire Company. He made several recommendations on how to better clarify the roles of both entities moving forward. He and Seeley Lake Fire Chief Michael Greer answered questions regarding the recent volunteer terminations. The Seeley Lake Fire District was created in 1983. This is the entity that volunteers apply t...
OVANDO – Owner of Ovando's Blackfoot Angler Kathy Schoendoerfer said she needed to be convinced the phone call wasn't a scam when Kevanne Campbell with the Montana Office of Tourism and Business and Development called to tell her Ovando was in the running for Community of the Year. Of the 130 communities in Montana, Ovando was one of three nominated and chosen to be recognized at the Montana Governor's Conference on Tourism and Recreation. Schoendoerfer said when she and her husband opened t...
SEELEY LAKE – A field of more than 700 runners descended upon Seeley Lake for the 39th Annual Snow Joke Half Marathon. Temperatures were in the low 20s when the race started and the snow packed course made for nicer running conditions than the icy conditions in the past. More than 510 racers and 54 dogs crossed the finish line. While the majority of racers were from Montana, runners from Oregon, Colorado, Maine, Wisconsin, New Jersey, Canada, Washington, Alaska, New York, Idaho, Wyoming, Califor...
HELENA - The Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission convened Feb. 15 and approved hunting season structures and regulations for 2018 and 2019. The five-member Commission is a quasi-judicial citizen board appointed by the Governor from five geographical districts across Montana. Montana’s hunting season structures are reviewed every two years for most game species. Proposals were released for public input in December and public meetings were organized across the state, including northwest Montana. The Commission approved a proposal that creates a...
SEELEY LAKE – The sub-zero temperatures may feel like they’re here to stay, but Montana’s summer festival season will be here before you know it. We’re excited to announce the Bob Marshall Music Festival returns to Seeley Lake for its third year with some exciting new additions. It’s no secret that the town of Seeley Lake was nearly lost to the Rice Ridge Fire that charred more than 150,000 acres of surrounding forest last summer. The air quality devastated the community, both physically and financially. That’s why the Bob organizers set a goal...
MISSOULA - Missoula County Commissioner Jean Curtiss outlined her vision for Missoula County, announcing her intention to seek a fourth term on the commission. With a proven track record of bringing people together to get things done for Missoula County, Curtiss is recognized as one of the region's most effective advocates for economic development, stewardship and conservation, agriculture and health and human services. "By working hard and working together, there's so much we can accomplish to...
SEELEY LAKE – The Valinor Quartet brought a cultural music explosion to the Seeley-Swan High School auditorium Sunday, Feb. 25 as part of the 2 Valleys Stage 2017-2018 Concert Series. The acoustic quartet intertwined their diverse cultural backgrounds hailing from Russia, Spain, Chicago and Czech Republic into a unique hybrid of jazz, classical, blue grass and popular songs. They had the nearly 50 in attendance clapping, chanting and taping their toes. To set the tone of the concert, bass p...
SISTERS, ORE. - The drive from Portland to Bend weaves through a few towns offering a chance to pause for food and gas on your way to somewhere else. Sisters is a good place to stop. Arriving in the small town is a moment that just feels cheesy: Green Oregon forests end to reveal mountains in the distance. Leading to the view is Sisters' pseudo-western downtown with wood-shingle roofs and business names in a font typically seen on Hollywood's version of wanted posters. As more people moved to...
SEELEY LAKE – Access to Seeley Lake Elementary School (SLE) during non-school hours and problems with the intercom system were the main topics discussed at the SLE School Board meeting Feb. 20. Staff changes and leave of absences were also approved. Discussion of the safety issues were prompted by a letter submitted by Bridget Laird and other SLE staff members. The complaint concerning the intercom is that general announcements cannot be heard in classrooms that are noisily engaged in an activity and the junior high school wing cannot hear t...
SEELEY LAKE – In addition to the discussion with Missoula County Deputy County Attorney Matt Jennings, the Seeley Lake Fire District Board approved the installation of two temporary dog kennels at Station #2 to be used by Animal Control and approved hiring Seeley Lake resident Jim Sackett for the maintenance position. Missoula City-County Animal Control obtained a $3,000 grant to build dog kennels to provide space for temporary housing due to disaster type situations. Missoula Animal Control Officer White requested permission from the Fire Dist...
A phone call at 4:30 a.m. on Sunday. Is somebody dead? Nope, they need me at the Seeley Lake Community Hall to help out. Okay, will be there in half hour. Getting my pack ready with some food, water, extra gloves, headlamp, camera, cell, not knowing when I will be back home. Had the awards ceremony for the junior mushers and the 100 milers at the Seeley Lake Community Hall. Hey, do you want to go to the Whitetail Ranch checkpoint? Yeah, sure. Driving through three counties, Missoula, Powell and...
POTOMAC - Sausages, coffee and eggs were hot, pancakes were flipping and conversation was buzzing during the first annual partnered "Pancakes and Permits" event at the Potomac/Greenough Community Center (PGCC) Feb 24. The Greenough/Potomac Volunteer Fire Department (GPVFD) usually hosts a pancake breakfast in late February where attendees can get their burn permits and fire extinguishers filled while eating together and socializing. This year the hosting change occurred due to the GPVFD...
SEELEY LAKE – When Brandy Wyckoff moved to Seeley Lake this past summer many of her clients in Seattle, Wash. did not even realized she moved. Owner of the freelance graphic design business B-design, Wyckoff works primarily online so she is able to provide uninterrupted service to her current clients while enjoying a simpler life in Seeley Lake. She looks forward to getting more involved in the community and putting her 20 years of graphic design experience to work for local individuals, b...
SEELEY LAKE – Three eighth-grade students in the Jobs for Montana Graduates (JMG) Middle School Program gave a presentation to the Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE) School Board Feb. 20 detailing the student-initiated T-shirt business. The JMG program is incorporated into Michele Holmes' eighth-grade technology class, which focuses on integrating tech skills with job, life and career skills. In her role as JMG Career Specialist, Holmes gave a brief overview, explaining JMG requires all p...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake Elementary Junior High teacher Patti Bartlett-Gladstone was completely surprised when Seeley Lake resident and National Avalanche Instructor Steve Thompson recognized her in front of the junior high. Thompson presented Bartlett-Gladstone with an avalanche shovel for all her help ensuring that students are educated in avalanche awareness and safety. Thompson has done all of the avalanche awareness classes at SLE starting in the early 2000s. He is currently with the N...
SSHS Yearbooks Wanted SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Historical Society is digitizing the Seeley-Swan High School yearbooks. They are missing yearbooks for 1968, 1970 and 1984. “High school yearbooks are like a digital time capsule, capturing the hopeful young faces from SSHS in a history preservation project of Seeley Lake Historical Society and the Seeley-Swan High School,” wrote the Historical Society in an email. If you have a copy of one of the missing yearbooks and would be willing to loan it to be scanned please contact the Histo...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Council discussed unanswered questions on the proposed 60-lot subdivision near the airport at their Feb. 12 meeting and voted to host a candidate forum ahead of this spring’s primary and local special district elections. The council also heard an update on the Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Act (BCSA) and received a demonstration of the county’s Property Information System. Developers of the proposed 60-lot subdivision presented and answered questions at the January council meeting. During the meeting,...
SEELEY LAKE – "It was SOOOO cold," were the first words out of plungers mouths as they huddled under blankets, towels and jackets to warm up following their jump into Seeley Lake. Twenty-three hardy souls braved the cold in the first annual Seeley Lake Area Chamber Chill Plunge Feb. 17 in front of Tamaracks Resort. More than 50 friends, family and community members gathered to support the plungers, many donating money instead of jumping themselves. "The actual plunge was awesome," wrote Lisa H...
SEELEY LAKE - Just 10 years after the Jocko Fire threatened Seeley Lake, our community was impacted by two major wildfires: the Liberty Fire west of Placid Lake and the 160,000 acre Ridge Ridge Fire north and east of Seeley Lake. Over the course of the summer, wildland fire fighters fought both fires, staging out of two large fire camps in Seeley Lake. Our community had to adjust to evacuation warnings and orders, smoke levels causing unprecedented hazardous air quality, the presence of the National Guard and a significant hit to our economy....
SEELEY LAKE - Despite all the lovely white stuff falling from the sky right now, the Clearwater Resource Council and the Blackfoot Challenge are gearing up for run-off. We will be running our Adopt-A-Stream program again this year. We are seeking volunteers to help us get out to the streams once each week and collect water samples. If you’re interested in helping out, or just curious, please join us at The Hub (Bison and Bear Mall) Monday, Feb. 26 at 3 p.m. for a program introduction and training session. The in-classroom session will be follow...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Ranger District announced a March 31 deadline for submitting summer/fall Recreation Even Special Use Permit applications. Applications received after this deadline will not be accepted. A Recreation Event Special Use Permit is required for organizing any use or activity events on National Forest System lands that meets either of the following criteria, regardless of whether the use or activity is intended to produce a profit: • Where an entry or participation fee is charged. Donations are considered fees if they e...
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." That's a quote by Margaret Mead that I have embraced all my adult life. Hi, I'm Lee Bridges and I'm running as a Democrat to represent House District 92 in Helena. I've lived in our District since 1984. I recognize that while we may have differences on some issues, our core Montana values are essentially the same. We live in one of the most beautiful areas in...
SWAN VALLEY – Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Game Warden Bill Koppen is looking for more information regarding the killing of two mature bald eagles and a young buck that were dumped in the Beaver Creek area. A monetary award is available if information leads to an arrest and conviction. A Swan Valley resident reported the eagles and young buck carcasses to FWP after finding them Feb. 12. The eagles and head and front legs of the young buck were three quarters of a mile off Highway 83 at m...
Montana Community Health Centers (CHC) were facing a 70 percent funding cliff this May when Congress failed to reauthorize the Community Health Center Fund last September. As of Feb. 9, President Donald Trump signed a bipartisan budget bill that includes two years of continued funding. While the loss of funding threat is less urgent, Partnership Health Center (PHC), that provides services to Seeley Lake, encourages the public to continue to share the impact of the Health Centers with their Monta...
After living here in Seeley Lake for 16 years, I am FINALLY able to volunteer for the Race to the Sky dog sled race! Other years I had been busy volunteering for other things or my knees weren't so good. Now I have new knees and no other commitments and so off I went to volunteer. I had volunteered at the Iditarod dog sled race in Alaska years ago at the Galena checkpoint. I had family living there at the time, so I combined a visit and on a lark offered to help out. No one ever says no to a...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Volunteer Fire Department took advantage of the icy conditions at the Chamber Chill Plunge to train on environmental emergencies, specifically hypothermia. After providing medical support for the plunge, Fire Chief Michael Greer remained in his plunge attire and became the patient for the scenario. He was found shirtless in the snow and the medical volunteers quickly jumped into action. "As fire fighters and Emergency Medical Technicians [EMTs] we often work in e...
Loving Hearts in Need of Donations SEELEY LAKE - Loving Hearts is in need of clothing and household items. Please help by donating gently used, no longer needed items that are in good shape and in good working condition. Clothing should be clean, no holes or stains, no missing buttons and no broken zippers. Large items, such as big TVs or furniture, can not be accepted. Donations are accepted at Loving Hearts on Wednesdays 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. and Saturdays 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. Please do not leave items on the doorstep as the winter weather ruins the...
SEELEY LAKE – Kris Gullikson was completely surprised when she received the Alpine Artisan's 2018 Art Benefactor Award at Alpine Artisan's, Inc. Annual meeting in January. During the presentation, AAI Project Manager Jenny Rohrer called Gullikson a leader, dreamer, communicator, recruiter and collaborator for her years of work with AAI. Gullikson said she has been a member "in heart" since AAI started in 1991. When she moved to Seeley Lake full time in 2008 she officially joined and "jumped i...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley-Swan Search & Rescue responded to a report of missing snowmobilers Wednesday, Feb. 7 around 7:30 p.m. All four snowmobilers were found in the Deer Creek drainage at 1:30 a.m. Thursday morning and were in Seeley Lake by 5 a.m. While they had no injuries, they were soaked from the continual rain and according to Incident Commander Missoula County Sheriff’s Sergeant Robert Parcell, they would have had “a miserable night and would have dealt with hypothermia.” A woman from Bigfork, Mont. reported three snowmobilers missing...
CONDON – Volunteerism is a way of life in rural communities. Perhaps no volunteers deserve more credit than the emergency personnel – the firefighters and members of the Quick Response Unit (QRU). To express their thank to these individuals and also to the local law enforcement personnel, the Condon Community Church (CCC) hosted a special appreciation meal Feb. 10. CCC Pastor Bruce Rippy said their church likes to be involved in Condon community events and are always looking for ways to reach ou...
SEELEY LAKE – With some of the best snow conditions in the past several years, Young Living Race to the Sky 300 mile mushers started showing up at the Seeley Lake Check Point Sunday morning just after 4:30 a.m. The 100 mile finishers started to come in just after 7 a.m. Seven mushers completed the 300 mile race, eight completed the 100 mile race and one of the two juniors finished the 100 mile junior race. Race Director Pam Beckstrom wrote in the Sunday morning press release, "Trails were h...
Special District Elections will be held for the Seeley Lake Rural Fire District and Seeley Lake Sewer District during the May 8 mail-in election. For the rest of the boards, if the number of applicants is equal to or less than the number of seats open, no election will be held. Candidates have until March 29 to file for the four school districts with open trustee positions. Five candidates applied for the two, three-year terms on the Seeley Lake Rural Fire District. Incumbents Gary Lewis and Connie Clark filed to remain on the board. Seeley...
SEELEY LAKE – The Department of Environmental Quality notified Deer Creek Excavating, LLC’s that their application for an Opencut Mining Permit contains deficiencies that must be corrected prior to approving the application. If Deer Creek still wants to pursue the application, they can appeal DEQ’s decision within 30 days or submit a revised application that resolves all deficiencies within a year. If DEQ deems the revised application acceptable, the application will be approved. The proposed Cottonwood Pit is 26.5 acres located appro...
SEELEY LAKE – What better way to shake off the winter blahs than with a plunge into Seeley Lake. Join the Seeley Lake Area Chamber of Commerce Saturday, Feb. 17 for the first annual Chamber Chill and Plunge at the Tamaracks Resort at 1 p.m. The Chamber’s Executive Director Lisa Hayhurst guarantees that this will be a “life time event that you’ll never forget.” The Hayhurst family came up with the idea for the plunge. “Our family has been to many plunges in the past and have always looked forward to them as they tend to have lots of energy and...
SEELEY LAKE - Looking for something special for your special Valentine? Hoping to make Valentine's Day last longer? Bring your Valentine to a performance of the Valinor Quartet Feb. 25, 3 p.m. at the Seeley-Swan High School Auditorium. Included in the ticket price is a dinner reception and a chance to meet the musicians, compliments of Citizens Alliance Bank. The Valinor Quartet is a unique collaboration between Victor Prieto, considered to be the leading jazz accordionist in the U.S., and the...
PHILIPSBURG - As the holiday season gets its start on a clear morning in late November, Main Street here looks like something out of a Hallmark movie. A window washer cleans down storefronts along blocks of historic brick buildings - a candy store, a microbrewery, coffee shops, restaurants, antique stores. Wreaths hang off ornate light posts. The surrounding hills are scattered with snow. Banners hung from windows and balconies celebrate the high school football team the Titans which has won a...
SWAN VALLEY - Seventh grader Trista Alexander who competed against six other spellers won the Swan Valley Elementary School Spelling Bee for the second time Feb. 6. She will be attending the Missoula County Spelling Bee to be held at Sentinel High School Feb. 22 at 3:30 p.m. in Missoula. Another seventh grader Chris Auchenbach was the runner-up who will fill in for Alexander if she can not attend. The contest is open to fifth through eighth graders. The eight spellers volunteered to be in the...
MISSOULA – The butterflies and nerves were more than three students from Seeley-Swan High School had ever experienced before as they took the stage at the University of Montana during the UM High School All-Star Honor Choir. The lights were hot making ovens out of their robes but all three said once they started singing, "It was just amazing." This was the first year Seeley-Swan High School students were chosen for the Honor Choir. Tenor Lane Mackie-Wendel and Alto Amaya Harman sang in the All-S...
FORT BENNING, GA. – The Hellgate Civilian Shooters set new individual personal records and placed sixth and 11th as a team at the Army Junior Nationals in Fort Benning, Ga. the first weekend in February. With three seniors on the team this year, Head Coach Trace Weisenburger said the shooters continue to improve and he looks forward to going to the Civilian Marksmanship Program National Championships again this summer. The Hellgate Civilian Shooters were invited to Fort Benning, Ga. the first we...
POTOMAC - Some county and non-county roads throughout Potomac have recently been flooded out, iced up, washed out, slushed up and snowed in. According to the National Weather Service (NWS) in Missoula, this winter the La Nina weather has brought warm and moist Pacific systems and less arctic air temperatures causing Potomac precipitation to fall as rain instead of snow. NWS forecaster and meteorologist Stefanie Henry said, "Last winter was a much colder and harsh winter while this one has more...
OVANDO - The Blackfoot Challenge is pleased to announce that Charles Curtin has been selected as the organization's next Executive Director. As of Feb. 1, Charles assumed the position full-time and has been touring around the Blackfoot Watershed, visiting with Board members, staff and residents. "Our Hiring Committee set out to find an individual with the vision to build upon the Challenge's success and who could lead this now 25-year-old organization into its next stage," says Jim Stone, Board...
SEELEY LAKE - Thanks to a generous donation from the Hungry Bear in Condon, the Seeley-Swan High School students and staff now enjoy a full salad bar everyday with their lunch. Head Cook Karla Triepke said it is a perfect way to offer the greens and vegetables grown in the greenhouse, students are eating more vegetables and more staff are utilizing the salad bar for their lunch. This fall, Triepke was talking with the other teachers and expressed how she would like to get a salad bar for the...
Blood Drive in Potomac Feb. 19 POTOMAC – The Blackfoot Home and Community Club are sponsoring an American Red Cross Blood Drive at the Potomac Greenough Community Center, 29827 Potomac Road, Feb. 19 from 3 – 7:15 p.m. The schedule an appointment call Janelle at 244-6156. SSHS and SLE Eighth Graders Announce Seeley-Swan 2018 Career Day! SEELEY LAKE - Business owners and managers interested in reaching out to inform and/or hire students for summer employment/internships are cordially invited to the Seeley-Swan 2018 Career Day Wednesday, March 7 a...
HELENA – The Montana Community Foundation (MCF) distributed more than $600,000 in grants to 81 organizations including 64 fire departments across Montana from the Montana Wildfire Relief Fund. Area organizations received $84,000 of the funds including: Seeley Lake Rural Fire District, $15,000; Helmville Volunteer Fire Department, $6,000; Lincoln Rural Fire District, $13,000; Missoula City-County Health Department, $15,000; Seeley Lake Community Foundation, $15,000; Seeley Lake Chamber of C...
POTOMAC – Since his father, uncle and two cousins had served in the U.S. Navy, it seemed only natural to Scott Miller in 1967 that, rather than wait to be drafted into the U.S. Army, he should enlist in the Navy instead. As a corollary to growing up on a ranch in Stevensville, Mont., Miller had learned to handle repairs on farm equipment. It was that mechanical ability the Navy recognized when they headed Miller down a career path as an electrician. Because of his prior experience, Miller was n...
SWAN VALLEY – Representatives of the Flathead National Forest met with area residents at the Swan Valley Community Hall to discuss where the re-writing of the Forest Plan is in the process and the next steps. The Swan Valley Community Council arranged the Jan. 31 meeting. Forest Plan Revision Team Leader Joe Krueger presented on the plan. Rick Connell, Fire Management officer for the Flathead National Forest, and Eric Trimble, Timber Management Office Swan Lake Ranger District, helped address audience questions and concerns. The current F...
SEELEY LAKE – When Kris Gullikson and Belinda Rich started the biannual Painting for a Dream workshop at Rich's Montana Guest Ranch, Gullikson never dreamed she would hosting monthly painting classes in her Seeley Lake studio five years later. Uncorked and Creative gives her the opportunity to offer an activity that is creative and helps locals build personal comfort and skill with painting while also promoting the two-day resident painting workshop. In 2013, Gullikson and Rich were d...
LINCOLN – The 2018 Young Living Race to the Sky, Montana’s premier sled dog race, runs Feb. 9-13. This year there are 20 teams registered as of Feb. 5. This includes teams from Montana, Utah, Idaho, Washington and Minnesota. Seeley Lake’s Roy Etnire will be running in the 100-mile race again this year. Etnire is a 62 year old millwright who runs Alaskan huskies. He operates Mystik North Sleddogs and has been mushing for eight years. He won the 2014 Eagle Cap 100 and the Race to the Sky 100 in 2013 and 2014. He also received the Best Cared...
SEELEY LAKE - Theodore Catton, associate research professor of history at the University of Montana, will be reading from and discussing his recent book "Rainy Lake House, Twilight of Empire on the Northern Frontier," Saturday, Feb. 10 at 7 p.m. at the Grizzly Claw Trading Company sponsored by Alpine Artisans Open Book Club. There is no charge and all are welcome. Seeley-Swan High School senior Jasen Sokoloski will open for Catton reading his poem "Down the Bottle." Rainy Lake House was a fur...
SEELEY LAKE - The 60-home subdivision proposed in Powell County next to the Seeley Lake Airport will continue to be a topic of discussion at Monday’s Community Council meeting, Feb. 12. One of several major issues is the fact that the subdivision would be using Missoula County resources like fire, sheriffs and roads, while paying their taxes to Powell County. Deborah Bell of Missoula County Public Works will present the County’s GIS project, a county software solution which will help the public get easier access to land records, such as sep...
SEELEY LAKE – Kristin Mason never thought when she started her career working with young children that she would end up working with the elderly. After more than 10 years working in geriatrics specializing in memory care, nutrition, diabetes care and medication management, Mason is excited to offer Mason's Direct Care, an in home care service in Seeley Lake. She hopes this will allow residents of the area to not only maintain their independence and remain in their home but also continue to l...
BOULDER, MONT. – When the Montana legislature decided in 2015 that the Montana Developmental Center would close within two years, it was a blow to the community of Boulder. For more than 125 years, the MDC had been a major employer in the southwestern Montana town of about 1,300. The state's residential facility for individuals with developmental disabilities, the MDC employed roughly 250 people at the time of the closure decision. "Not only will the community's economy suffer extensively from t...
During extreme conditions, snow and ice can impact the feet and hair of domestic animals and can cause more than discomfort. When the temperature drops and rises and the snow melts and clings, livestock and pet owners troubleshoot icy foot issues. Cloven hoofed animals like cows, sheep and goats can collect snow, frozen manure pieces and ice in the middle of their hooves. Single-toed hoofed animals like horses and mules can collect snow in and around their frog (on the underneath of their hoof)...
SEELEY LAKE - Duane "Cecil" Schlabach announced his candidacy for House District 92 as a Democrat. He filed Jan. 31, 2018 with Lee Boman as his Treasurer for the campaign. Schlabach decided to run for HD 92 because he's concerned about the future of our great state of Montana. Through his professional and volunteer efforts, he has gained experience in the field of education and public lands. At the same time he also understands the economic challenges we currently face, which was evident in the...
Politics these days can be brutal. On the airwaves people act as if disagreeing on some particular policy is grounds to hate one another but that hasn't been my experience representing the people of House District 92. When I first ran to represent this district, one of the things that I fell in love with was the way that people treat each other. Sure, we have real, stark differences when it comes to our individual political view's but we never let that get in the way of treating one another...
MISSOULA - A local realtor and engaged citizen DJ Smith announced his candidacy for House District 92. He is seeking the Republican nomination. Smith is running to assure protection of Montana values and to make sure the middle class has someone standing up for them back in Helena. Smith's years of experience in real estate and local advocacy for attainable housing has prepared him to address the tough issues facing this upcoming Legislative Session. "Our greatest assets in Montana are our...
DEER LODGE – The Powell County Planning Board voted unanimously to amend the restriction in the Conditional Use Permit for Deer Creek Excavating, LLC to use Evergreen Drive as a haul route for Double Arrow Ranch projects at their meeting Jan. 11. The amendment requires Missoula County, Deer Creek Excavating and the Ranch to sign off on a road use agreement with certain criteria for the condition to be valid. The proposed Cottonwood Gravel Pit is located approximately four miles east of Seeley Lake and would be operated by Deer Creek E...
SEELEY LAKE – Toting a sled to top of the hill was a small price to pay for the thrill of flying down the hill behind the Marxes' home in Seeley Lake. The most adventurous tried to catch the most air off the air-time jump while the younger children stuck to the kiddie hill at the seventh annual Sledapalooza. Shana and Kyle Marx started hosting the Sledapalooza sledding party when their son Finn was three-years-old. "I have wonderful memories of sledding parties when I was a kid," wrote Shana in...
SEELEY LAKE – When Seeley Lake's new Postmaster Laura Brett arrived in Seeley Lake on Dec. 28, she was welcomed with 30 inches of snow. Her wish for "a change in climate" was granted and she looks forward to many more new adventures in her new home. Brett has been with the U.S. Postal Service for the past 17 years. She started in Florida. "I've always worked for the government," said Brett. "I went from working for the military, to working for the state back to working for the government." B...
SEELEY LAKE – After two years of following 50K winner Missoula's Orion Berryman to the finish line, Henry Reich of Missoula finally beat his toughest competitor. Reich finished in 2:33:59 with Berryman nearly five minutes behind him. They were joined by 125 other racers in the 50K, 20K, 10K and 5K 36th annual OSCR Nordic ski races Jan. 27 at the Seeley Lake Nordic Trails. Berryman has been the reigning 50K winner since 2013. His fastest time on the course was in 2015 finishing in 2:10:30. R...
SEELEY LAKE - The 21st annual Winterfest Bonfire was held at The Filling Station Jan. 26. While the adults enjoyed the fire and the Seeley Lake Fire Department Volunteers ensured no sparks went unchecked, the children enjoyed themselves sliding down the big snow pile on the south end of the parking lot....
MISSOULA - My name is Travis Wafstet, and I am a candidate for Missoula County Sheriff/Coroner. I am a Missoula native and I have lived in the Missoula area all of my life. I've been very deeply rooted in the Missoula community through public service for more than 15 years. I believe that my experience in emergency service and my dedication to our Missoula area communities will make me a successful Sheriff if you choose to elect me. As you may know, the Sheriff is the chief law enforcement...
As of Jan. 29 only three people have filed for the 16 open board of trustee positions in Potomac, Seeley Lake and Condon. Of the nine open school board positions at Seeley Lake, Potomac, Swan Valley and Sunset, no one has applied. All positions will be voted on in the May 8th mail-in election. If the number of applicants is equal to or less than the number of seats open, then those that applied will be elected by acclamation. Local boards and number of positions to be elected include: Greenough-Potomac Fire District (2, 3-year terms); Potomac...
BOZEMAN -- Montana State University has announced its undergraduate President's and the Dean's Honor Roll for fall semester 2017. To qualify for the honor rolls, students must complete a minimum of 12 degree-eligible credit hours to be on either list. Students with a perfect 4.0 grade point average for the semester were named to the President's Honor Roll. An asterisk follows the names of the 1,120 students named to the MSU President's Honor Roll in the listing below. The Dean's Honor Roll...
Many small rural communities in north-central Montana — like Dutton, Conrad and Choteau — put on summer festivals that raise funds for a variety of community programs. As the population in these small towns continues to shrink, organizers are coaxing along an evolution in the way these events are run to pump more If there were a way to distill the identity of these small towns into one weekend, the summer festivals along the Rocky Mountain Front would be that manifestation. Imagine rodeos and...
First Friday in Seeley Lake, Feb. 2 SEELEY LAKE – Good Times is the featured business for the First Friday event in Seeley Lake, Feb. 2. Everything in the store is 10 percent off storewide excluding already marked down items and movie rentals and sales. Also, stop in and receive a coupon for $5.00 off with the purchase of $50.00 or more Friday only. Appetizers and refreshments will also be served. Live music will start at The Filling Station at 9 p.m. Swan Valley AARP Meeting, Feb. 6 SWAN V...
SEELEY LAKE – Weather is always a tricky variable when it comes to snow sculptures. Unfavorable snow conditions of the past few Januarys are part of the reason the Seeley Lake Snow Sculpture Contest was discontinued. Nonetheless, the Seeley Lake Chamber of Commerce decided to resurrect the contest for Winterfest 2018. Despite Mother Nature's oscillations between hot, cold, snow and rain, seven plucky groups defied the odds and created what one snow sculpture judge described as "really cool" s...
SEELEY LAKE - At their Jan. 18 meeting, the Seeley Lake Sewer Board voted to restart engineering on the treatment plant and Phase 1 of the collection system. In other business, they signed grant applications for funding to design Phase 2 of the collection system. Engineering had been put on hold until the notice and protest portion of the process was completed. The district didn’t want to spend the money if there was not going to be a project. Now that the landowners have approved the funding the process can resume. In a letter to District M...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Nordic Trails were packed for the sixth annual Skiesta hosted by the Seeley Lake Nordic Ski Team. More than 80 racers participated in five different races for youth and adults. "With great weather, fantastic trail conditions and 83 dedicated racers from all over western Montana, the day was pure racing fun," wrote Bridget Laird, Race coordinator and Head Coach for the Seeley Lake Nordic Team. This was the first year for the 20K race. Laird said the 20K race "...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake Elementary junior high students followed in the footsteps of Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn. In their production of "Huck Finn's High-Tailin' Adventures" adapted by Susan Pargman, students lit up the stage with their antics and, truth be told, got themselves out of many predicaments with a lie. SLE Drama Class taught by Duane Schlabach was an elective. Students auditioned for their parts and practiced for the past two months to put on a matinee for the students and then...
The winds of Montana's Rocky Mountain Front buffet the empty Dupuyer Elementary School. At one time the grasslands around it teemed with family-run ranches and Dupuyer was the heart of its region. In 1966 there were 63 students. In 2015, only one remained, with a lone teacher to instruct him. It shocked no one when the school shuttered last year. Welcome to Dupuyer. Population 86. John Hayne, a jovial man with thickly calloused hands, graduated from Dupuyer Elementary and is now a member of the...
SEELEY LAKE – A major savings in safety gear was a major point of discussion at the Seeley Lake Fire District board met Jan. 16. Michael Lyons from General Fire in Spokane, Wash. told Seeley Lake Fire Chief Michael Greer that all of the department’s firefighting turnouts and Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) are new enough and well within compliance. Rather than look at replacing the gear, he recommended some repairs and five lens will be replaced under warranty. The department needs to replace all 24 of their oxygen tanks this yea...
Area students have been named to the University of Montana and Carroll College Dean’s Lists for the Fall 2017 Semester. At the University of Montana, 2,631 students made the fall semester 2017 Dean’s List and President’s 4.0 List. To qualify for the Dean’s List or President’s 4.0 List, students must be undergraduates, earn a semester GPA of 3.5 or higher and receive grades of A or B in at least nine credits. Double asterisks after a name indicate the student earned a 4.0 GPA. A single asterisk indicates a GPA greater than 3.5 but less than...
MISSOULA - TJ McDermott, Missoula County's Sheriff, is announcing his candidacy for re-election in 2018. He filed Jan. 11 as a Democratic Candidate in the 2018 Missoula County Sheriff's Election, the first day candidates could file for office. "Sheriff McDermott is a people-caring person," said former Missoula County Sheriff Doug Chase. "TJ makes sure his people are well trained, well equipped and dedicated to the safety of the general public. My wife and I fully support his decision to run for...
RONAN - About 12 miles south of Flathead Lake, the town of Ronan is a community based largely on agriculture. With several schools, banks, a golf course and an active business community, Ronan is home to an estimated 1,871 people (according to 2010 U.S. Census information.) But while it boasts a variety of businesses, including a telephone company, a movie theatre, a café, a thrift store, a bowling alley, hospital and others, many Main Street storefronts remain empty or rundown. Roughly a...
DENVER, COLO. – When Damon Loconte stepped out on the ice to skate with the Colorado Avalanche, a professional NHL team at their Jan. 15 home game at the Pepsi Center in Denver, not only was he up on the big screen, it was also his first live National Hockey League game. Loconte started skating in Missoula in 2014/2015 while his family lived in Seeley Lake. Now he is playing up an age level in Colorado Youth Hockey and earned the recognition after being nominated by Mike Kolepp, family friend a...
SEELEY LAKE – At nearly 84 years old, Doug Richards was the only professional artist to enter the Montana Winterfest in Seeley Lake Snow Sculpture competition this year. He participated from 2008-2012 trading wins with artist Donna Love and "loved the competition." He was back again this year after the competition was opened up to include any location in town and hopes to return again next year. A trained commercial artist, Richards never thought snow sculptures would be as challenging as t...
Handbell Choir Invites New Members SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley-Swan Handbell Choir will resume its regular practice sessions Jan. 30 at 3:15 p.m. in the music room of Seeley Lake Elementary. The choir regularly practices from 3:30 – 5 p.m. on Tuesdays in the music room. We are seeking new members to come join in the fun. If you’ve ever thought you might like to try ringing handbells, this is your chance. Come, give it try and see how you like it. No commitment is required. Some ability to read music, even if just a little and incredibly rusty is...
POTOMAC - This spring when school is out, the Potomac School Explorers program, as it currently exists, will end due to loss of funding from the 21st Century Grant. A core group of impacted families are working together to find solutions to continue a Friday enrichment program. Potomac School has utilized 21st Century Grant funds since 2013. They dedicated the funds to programs outside of the classroom including paid staff, training, materials, programming needs, etc. Explorers teacher Crissina Quinn and school para-professionals are running...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Council packed the parking lot and filled the barn with residents wishing to learn more about a proposed subdivision at their Jan. 8 meeting. In other business, the council’s newest member, Lee Boman was sworn in. The council also discussed its trails fund, had an air quality update and accepted public comment, including a petition to roll back Seeley Lake’s reduced speed limits. The 60-lot subdivision is called Swan Mountain Estates and is located east of the north end of the Seeley Lake Airport in Powel...
GREENOUGH – Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation Clearwater Unit firefighters received two statewide awards for their efforts during 2017's unprecedented fire season. Senior Engine Boss Beau Maciag was named the statewide DNRC Firefighter of the Year and Clearwater Unit Fire Management Officer Cory Calnan received a special Leadership Award. In early July, Maciag accepted a temporary detail as the Clearwater Unit Fire Management Officer when Calnan detailed to the Central L...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Driftriders Snowmobile Club hosted their annual Snow Ball Weekend Jan. 13-14. Following the banquet Saturday night, 232 hands were sold for the Fun Run Sunday. Men's High Hand Winners: Bob Riba of Missoula - Five of a kind, 8s; Parker Pitman of Seeley Lake - Four of a kind, Aces; Bob Riba of Missoula - Four of a kind, Kings. Men's Low Hand Winner: David Pitman of Seeley Lake - 6 high Women's High Hand Winners: Pam Pitman of Seeley Lake - Four of a kind, Aces;...
SEELEY LAKE – Alpine Artisans, Inc and the Seeley Lake Chamber of Commerce present Montana Winterfest Movie Night featuring “T-Rex: Her Fight for Gold.” The movie will begin at 7 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 20 at the Seeley Lake Community Hall with winners of the Winterfest Snow Sculpture competition announced at intermission. This award winning documentary is certainly not about dinosaurs: it’s a much more modern story. Rated PG, “T-Rex” is an intimate coming-of-age story about a new kind of American heroine. For the first time ever, women’s box...
SEELEY LAKE – A handful of interested community members gathered Jan. 10 to learn more about the less than 5,000 acres proposed for timber salvage on the 160,000-acre Rice Ridge Fire that burned last summer. Seeley Lake District Ranger Rachel Feigley and nearly 20 U.S. Forest Service employees on the Interdisciplinary (ID) Team explained how they determined what areas could be cut and what areas they plan to plant. Comments will be accepted until Jan. 22 at 5 p.m. Remote Sensing Coordinator S...
Story & photos by Jan Anderson Editor, Boulder Monitor BOULDER, MONT – When fire destroyed two mobile homes in a Boulder trailer court and damaged two others in June 2016, it underscored what the community had known for years: affordable housing was at a premium. Calling the blocks of closely placed pre-1976 mobile homes "a ticking time bomb," Boulder Fire Chief Shane Maichel said the entire area could easily have gone up in flames, jeopardizing lives. It took five area fire departments to k...
POTOMAC - Potomac School board continued discussion on armed staff, the ending of the Friday Explorers program and adult education at their Jan. 8 meeting. They encourage the community to get involved in the discussions that will continue at their next board meeting. Weapons in School/Armed Staff A motion to discuss policy 1705 (Weapons in School) and the continuing safety at Potomac School prompted further discussion. At the invitation of Chair Cliff Vann, a Potomac resident with firearm experience presented some thoughts. That presentation...
SEELEY LAKE – Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is proposing changes to the 2018-2019 hunting regulations that, due to increasing numbers, will allow more elk and deer to be harvested in Region 2. Region 2 Wildlife Manager Mike Thompson and Blackfoot-Clearwater Wildlife Biologist Scott Eggeman met with the public Jan. 10 and discussed the proposed changes to the 2018 and 2019 hunting regulations. Some of the statewide changes that affect this area include increasing the youth-only deer season fro...
HELENA - Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is launching a new program to improve wildlife habitat through noxious weed management on both public and private lands. The 2017 Montana Legislature passed the Montana Wildlife Habitat Improvement Act. It authorizes FWP to allocate $2 million of federal funding annually toward the Wildlife Habitat Improvement Program to fund grants for herbicide, biocontrol or mechanical weed treatments to restore priority wildlife habitats. Funds can also be used for seedings and improvements to livestock grazing as...
SEELEY LAKE – After depositing his two royalty checks for less than 50 cents each, Seeley Lake author Douglas Waldron questioned why he continues to write and publish his books since all he ever does is give them away. With his two latest releases "Child's Play in a Race for Life" and "Between Two Worlds – The Legend of Spotted Owl" he has found a new purpose for his books. The books will be sold at Rovero's and Heritage Office Stop for $15 each and all the money will go to help Addy Tre...
SEELEY LAKE – Each year, the Art Mobile of Montana (AMM) hires a qualified art instructor to load approximately 30 fine art pieces into a van. The instructor then drives all over Montana displaying the pieces and giving art lessons at schools and other venues. While the job has many rewards, 2017-18 instructor Tess Fahlgren said it also has a lonely side. Asked what was the best part of her AMM experience, Fahlgren replied without hesitation, "The kids. Definitely the kids." She added that it i...
SEELEY LAKE – Around 12:40 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 7, Seeley Lake volunteers and Montana Highway Patrol Trooper Jacob Parks responded to a vehicle/pedestrian collision on Highway 83. The pedestrian was transported to Missoula and released later in the day. There were no injuries to the driver and passenger in the vehicle. Alcohol was not suspected as a factor for the driver but was for the pedestrian. The vehicle was heading north on Highway 83 when a pedestrian tried to cross from west to east just north of Seeley Lake. The area was unlit and there...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake's Susan Bracha landed this 42 inch, 24 pound, 2 ounce northern pike Saturday, Jan. 6 ice fishing on a local lake. This is her third season ice fishing and by far her most successful. Bracha was fishing with her friend Chris Neibauer. She set the hook when the tip-up tripped. "I knew it was pretty good sized as soon as I felt it on the line," said Bracha. Bracha broke the line off the tip-up and Neibauer coached her on how to work it up to the hole. "It was super fun w...
SEELEY LAKE – For the eighth year, hockey players took to the "ponds" in the south bay of Seeley Lake Jan. 5-7. The Seeley Lake Pond Hockey tournament was filled with 44 teams. Despite the poor ice conditions, organizers reaped nothing but praise from the players as the tournament came to a close. Organizer Mike Lindemer said the ice was "buff" at the end of December thanks to many hours by himself and Mark Kues, dubbed "Ice Dawg." When 30+ inches of snow fell between Christmas and New Years t...
OVANDO – Sheri Ritchlin is many things – author, lecturer, essayist, blogger and amateur videographer. During the winter she is the Hermit of the Stray Bullet Café. Ritchlin said, "I have a strange kind of schedule. The birds look oddly at me. When they pass me they're going south and I'm going north." Her nomadic schedule has her "mansion sitting" for friends in South Carolina in the heart of the summer and living in a field in California in a camper, appropriately named Mr. Fields, during the...
The snowpack across most of the western U.S. isn’t looking good in most states but it’s a different story in the state of Montana, according to snowpack data collected by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). After a hot and dry summer, snowfall began at the end of September in the Treasure State, helping to alleviate fire concerns and beginning the seasonal snowpack at high elevations. Many basins began the new 2018 water year (starting Oct. 1) with at least some snow on the ground at the higher elevations, and most bas...
Look at statewide numbers and Montana's economy seems to be doing well. Between 2000 and 2015, the number of jobs in the state of Montana grew 20 percent, according to a report released last year by Headwaters Economics. Personal income grew, as did statewide employment. But if you live outside a city, though, there's a good change you won't see much evidence of that growth. Just five counties - Gallatin, Lewis and Clark, Flathead, Missoula, and Yellowstone - account for three-quarters of it....
SEELEY LAKE - Caroline Patterson, executive director of the Missoula Writing Cooperative, will be reading from and discussing her recent collection of short stories, "Ballet at the Moose Lodge" Saturday, Jan. 13 at 7 p.m. at the Grizzly Claw Trading Company. This event is sponsored by Alpine Artisans Open Book Club. There is no charge and all are welcome. In this series of short stories, Patterson chronicles the lives of ordinary people. Her sixteen stories touch on the seemingly simple...
This January, National Blood Donor Month, the American Red Cross has an urgent need for blood and platelet donors of all blood types to help address a winter blood donation shortage. The next opportunity to donate in Seeley Lake is Jan. 16 from 12 - 5:30 p.m. at Seeley-Swan High School. Severe winter weather has had a tremendous impact on blood donations already this year, with more than 150 blood drives forced to cancel causing over 5,500 blood and platelet donations to go uncollected. This is in addition to seasonal illnesses, such as the...
SEELEY LAKE - As part of its mission, the Seeley Lake Community Foundation endeavors to help charitable groups in Seeley Lake fund projects to benefit the community. Their Small Grants Program supports the ever-changing needs of a community that is diverse and growing. The deadline for the upcoming grant cycle is Jan. 31. Qualifying non-profit and public organizations are afforded the opportunity to receive assistance from the Foundation, provided the specified needs meet the scope and provisions as outlined in the grant application guidelines...
KALISPELL, MT – The Flathead Community of Resource Educators (CORE), a network of individuals and organizations working together to increase awareness and understanding about the natural, historical and cultural resources of the Flathead Region, is celebrating Winter Trails Day Saturday, Jan. 20 with several free outdoor activities. These free activities are a great way to enjoy the outdoors in winter and discover the fitness and social benefits of snowshoeing and winter hiking in Northwest Montana. All activities are suitable for beginners a...
CHALLIS, IDAHO – Mining and ranching is the main economy of Challis, Idaho. When the Thompson Creek Mining Company, a molybdenum mine west of Challis, ended their mining operations in 2014 the bust in the economy rattled the community. At its peak, the molybdenum mine employed around 400 employees accounting for more than half of Custer Counties' tax roll. Today, around 50 remain. "They were the largest employer but now they are probably the second largest," said Greg Webster, owner of The B...
SEELEY LAKE - U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced Sept. 14 that wildland fire suppression costs for the fiscal year exceeded $2 billion, making 2017 the most expensive year on record. The price tag for Montana's fires was nearly $400 million by the end of September. This included $62 million of state funding. The Rice Ridge and Lolo Peak fires traded places for the most expensive fire in Montana for the year. As of Oct. 3, when command of the Rice Ridge Fire was returned to the...
Montana lost up to 800,000 visitors due to the fires and smoke this past summer, according to a report produced by the Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research at the University of Montana. “The reduction in visitation resulted in a loss of $240.5 million in visitor spending, translating to a 6.8 percent loss in expected annual spending,” said ITRR Economist Jeremy Sage. Nonresidents who visited Montana in July, August and September also indicated impacts from the smoke. While nearly one-third of those who visited said the smoke was...
Missoula County Recruiting For 2018 Election Judges MISSOULA - Missoula County is recruiting 800 civically engaged community members to serve as election judges to support the democratic process for the 2018 election year. It takes a community-wide effort to conduct fair, balanced and organized elections. Election judges are champions of the election process, playing a crucial role in ensuring the strength and integrity of the voting process, providing friendly customer service and in upholding election law. There are several positions...
SEELEY LAKE - The Lolo National Forest is proposing to harvest trees burned by the Rice Ridge Fire. A public meeting will be held Jan. 10 from 5 - 7 p.m. at the Seeley Lake Chamber of Commerce, 2920 MT Highway 83 to provide information and answer questions related to the Rice Ridge Fire Salvage Project. Members of the planning team will be in attendance and Seeley Lake District Ranger Rachel Feigley encourages all those who are interested and/or affected by the project to attend. The deadline for comment is Jan. 22. During the 2017 fire...
SEELEY LAKE – While driving up Richmond Ridge during the first weekend of hunting season, Ed Callaway stopped to enjoy the changing colors and the bright yellow leaves drifting down. He snapped a photo with his phone. It quickly became a favorite of his and will be the featured photo on the cover of the Seeley Lake Lions Club 2018-2019 Phone Book. Callaway currently lives in Great Falls. He lived in Seeley Lake and worked for Pyramid Mountain Lumber, Inc. in the mid-80s and now returns to visit...
SEELEY LAKE – Winterfest and snow sculptures are back again in Seeley Lake this winter thanks to the Seeley Lake Chamber of Commerce. The event, now officially called Montana Winterfest in Seeley Lake, has expanded from the last two weeks in January to include and promote all of the events through January and February. The chamber's goal is to bring Seeley Lake into the spotlight, take advantage of all the gorgeous snow, and get the word out that Seeley Lake is the place to be in the winter. T...
This past week the northern Rockies was hit by a major snow storm dumping reports of more than three feet of snow in the area and leaving many without power for days. We asked our Facebook followers to share their snow photos with us. We were overwhelmed with the response! While we wished we could have printed them all, these were our favorites and ones we thought would print well. The Seeley Lake Ranger District recorded 15 inches of new snow Thursday, Dec. 28 and 13 inches by 11 a.m. Friday,...
This past week the northern Rockies was hit by a major snow storm dumping reports of more than three feet of snow in the area and leaving many without power for days. We asked our Facebook followers to share their snow photos with us. We were overwhelmed with the response! While we wished we could have printed them all, these were our favorites and ones we thought would print well. The Seeley Lake Ranger District recorded 15 inches of new snow Thursday, Dec. 28 and 13 inches by 11 a.m. Friday,...
This past week the northern Rockies was hit by a major snow storm dumping reports of more than three feet of snow in the area and leaving many without power for days. We asked our Facebook followers to share their snow photos with us. We were overwhelmed with the response! While we wished we could have printed them all, these were our favorites and ones we thought would print well. The Seeley Lake Ranger District recorded 15 inches of new snow Thursday, Dec. 28 and 13 inches by 11 a.m. Friday,...
This past week the northern Rockies was hit by a major snow storm dumping reports of more than three feet of snow in the area and leaving many without power for days. We asked our Facebook followers to share their snow photos with us. We were overwhelmed with the response! While we wished we could have printed them all, these were our favorites and ones we thought would print well. The Seeley Lake Ranger District recorded 15 inches of new snow Thursday, Dec. 28 and 13 inches by 11 a.m. Friday,...
Local and state public health officials across the state are seeing an increase in outbreaks of gastrointestinal illnesses- investigating eight norovirus outbreaks in the last six weeks. Outbreaks of norovirus often increase in winter months and this year’s activity is similar to outbreaks seen in 2016. This year’s outbreaks have occurred in the counties of Cascade, Fergus, Flathead, Gallatin, Meagher, Missoula, Silver Bow and Yellowstone. Norovirus, a very contagious virus that can affect anyone, is the most common cause of gas...
SEELEY LAKE - A proposed 60-home subdivision will head the agenda at next Monday’s Seeley Lake Community Council. Kurt Fredericks, a lifelong builder who is a consultant to the project, explained that they envision 60 high-end homes in a private community with lot sizes from one and a half to three acres. It would take between five and 10 years to complete. Fredericks said that he started coming to Seeley Lake 30 years ago, fell in love with it and will move into the subdivision. He now lives on his ranch in Helena. Fredericks’ two sons and Mar...
MISSOULA - Longtime resident of Missoula County Josh Slotnick announces his intention to run as a Democratic candidate in the 2018 race for Missoula County Commissioner. He will be running for the seat currently held by Jean Curtiss. After more than 30 years living, working and raising a family in Missoula County, Slotnick is ready and prepared to 'give back' to county citizens. "Running a small family-owned business growing local food for county folks and teaching at the University of Montana...
Camping indoors when the power is out has the potential for creativity when it comes to eating healthy and staying hydrated. Woodstoves are a great resource not only for keeping warm and drying snow clothes but also for cooking. Clean snow collected and set by woodstoves can be used for cooking, handwashing and toilet flushing. Line the bottom outside of pans with tinfoil for tidiness and do not use pans that have plastic handles. Cast iron or all metal pots and pans are best but must be used wi...
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) will hold public meetings throughout the state in January to provide information, answer questions and gather input on the tentative 2018-2019 hunting regulation proposals adopted by the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission earlier this month. In west-central Montana’s Region 2, FWP will host 12 meetings. The meeting in Missoula is at the Doubletree Hotel, 100 Madison St, at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 4. The meeting in Seeley Lake is Jan. 10 at 6:30 p.m. at the Seeley Lake Community Hall. Hunting regulations are a...
KALISPELL – Flathead National Forest Supervisor Chip Weber released the draft record of decision and final environmental impact statement for the Flathead National Forest revised land and resource management plan (referred to as the “forest plan”) for a 60-day objection period. The existing forest plan is more than 30 years old, dramatically exceeding the 10-15 year duration of plans directed by the National Forest Management Act. Since the 1986 forest plan was completed, there have been changes in ecological, social and economic condi...
Harassment is a problem in the Missoula county bar-scene. Earlier this year, Make Your Move! released the results of a community-wide survey which found that 84 percent of bar-goers in Missoula experienced verbal harassment or a physical altercation at least once in 2016. The most common experience of aggressive behaviors were unwanted sexual touch (65 percent), sexist comments (69 percent) and being followed to the next destination (37 percent). To combat this issue, Make Your Move!, a Missoula-based coalition that promotes the prevention of...
Puck Drops Friday for Annual Seeley Lake Pond Hockey Tournament SEELEY LAKE - Despite the three feet of snow that fell last week, Seeley Lake Pond Hockey organizers worked over time to get the rinks on Seeley Lake ready for this weekend. The first puck drops at 4:50 p.m. Friday, Jan. 5 with the first co-rec game of the tournament. The championship games are scheduled between 12:30 - 1:30 p.m. Sunday afternoon depending on the division. There are 44 teams participating this year. Everyone is invited to come down and watch the action. Please...
Leigh Ann Valiton watched a customer meander the aisles of the Blackfoot Commercial Co. in Ovando, Mont. Valiton's store, and attached Inn, is open until seven every evening, but it was 10 p.m. and she showed no sign of leaving. The customer, Faye Cunningham from New Zealand, filled her basket with frozen burritos, energy bars, chips and a Mountain Dew. Cunningham was competing in the Tour Divide Race, a 2,735-mile long mountain bike race that stretches from Banff, Canada to the Mexican border....
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Driftriders Snowmobile Club will have a better edge this winter adding a second club-owned groomer to their fleet and a new groomer shed at the Westside Bypass Trailhead. After 10 years of planning, the 2012 Park 400 Pistonbully arrived Dec. 4 and is set to hit the trails. The Driftriders' grooming program is grant-funded. The gas tax, trail stickers and out-of-state stickers go into a state-controlled fund from which the club receives approximately $16,000 to f...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Sewer Board voted to levy special assessment after receiving protest letters from less than 50 percent of landowners at their Dec. 21 meeting. Three board directors are up for election in May of 2018. The special assessments will raise $5.79 million to fund construction of the district's wastewater treatment plant and Phase 1 of the collection system. The rest of the funding for the $15.7 million project has already been secured from various granting federal and...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake Elementary junior high gathered in the snow and sleet Dec. 19 as Missoula Electric Cooperative installed a new 45-foot pole and osprey nesting platform on the corner of Riverview Drive and Highway 83. The effort was a partnership between SLE junior high science teacher Patti Bartlett Gladstone and her students, who have been taking an in-depth look at ospreys and businesses Missoula Electric Cooperative and Pyramid Mountain Lumber. Bartlett Gladstone was one of five t...
POTOMAC - Wintertime woods with birds, deer, Christmas trees, snowflakes and a snowman framed the stage while hats and tropical leis flew through the air for the annual Holiday Program at Potomac/Greenough Community Center Dec. 20. From third grade's "Winter Walk" skit, the eighth grade's "Let it Snow" and the fifth-graders' movie "Run, Run Rudolph," the audience was entertained. They used the intermission to refresh on Christmas treats and drinks and peruse the auction items. The students...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake native Heather Layman has joined the Pathfinder staff. Layman, already affectionately nicknamed Scoop for her role at the Rich Ranch and now news reporter, is looking forward to reconnecting with the communities and getting to know the new people in the area while reconnecting with old faces and continuing to improve her photography skills. Layman was born and raised in Seeley Lake. She graduated from Seeley-Swan High School in 1995 and always loved reading and w...
SEELEY LAKE - During the Rice Ridge Fire, the Missoula County Office of Emergency Management saw fairly low usage of shelters for evacuated people from the Seeley Lake area. Residents are asked to fill out a two-page survey to help them improve disaster planning and services by understanding more about where evacuated families went and why they made the choices they did. OEM Projects Coordinator Nick Holloway said the use of the shelter in Missoula was very low during the Rice Ridge Fire evacuations. Once OEM realized that the shelter at Camp...
SEELEY LAKE – After a successful Flu Shot Clinic Dec. 11 and the Tree Lighting Ceremony Dec. 16, the Seeley Lake Rural Fire District is gearing up for more training and events this winter. The board also approved a three percent raise for District Administrator Lynn Richards and opened the maintenance position. Fire Chief Michael Greer said that 25 people took advantage of the flu shots offered by the Missoula County Health Department. They also did four lead screenings at the clinic. Greer said they were interested in offering the service a...
SEELEY LAKE – From Michigan to Montana, Seeley Lake resident Angelo Pecora continues to pursue his dream of making saddles. Clearwater River Saddle Company is a custom saddle and repair shop offering quality leather goods including saddles, holsters, sheaths, belts and wallets made in Pecora's one man shop. Even though his name has changed over the years, his goal is still the same, to build a saddle that will "fit you like a glove." Pecora has always been interested in old time skills and c...
Kindergarten: Dear Santa, I want a big Santa sleigh. I want a toy reindeer. Love, Rabecca Klassen Dear Santa, Hao er u? I want a bicycle. Lav, Kaleesi Phillips First Grade: Dear Santa - How are you dowig and yoru Elfs? I wood like a toy car. Ethan Kennedy Dear Santa, How are you doing? Are your reindeer good? Wood you get me som nerf gun bullets? You are the best and can you get me a beanbag please and tank you. You are the best. Love, Camden Gleason Second Grade: Dear Santa, If You exist what...
Kathy Koors of Condon said, "I think I was in first grade and I got a puppy. I've been turned on to dogs ever since." Koors couldn't help adding another wonderful memory, "I went skiing with a friend way up by the Cold Lake trailhead under a full moon during Christmas. The moon was brilliant, a lovely ski." * * * * * Diann Ericson of Condon said she and her husband Mike Childs had a very memorable Christmas when they were teaching up in the Northwest Arctic. They had not been residents long...
Part 1 of this series on holiday gift-givers talked about Saints and Santas, Part 2 about The Three Kings. Part 3 about Baby Jesus or Christkind. Part 4 will discuss Non-Christian Gift-Givers Though the December holiday season is generally thought of in terms of Christmas and its surrounding Christian-oriented celebrations, for some groups and predominantly non-Christian countries, other traditions are sometimes connected with gift-givers. Many of these countries draw their traditions from pre-C...
SEELEY LAKE – Rovero's Store Manager Pat Mitchell is retiring after 50 years in the retail business. Mitchell felt he created a laid back atmosphere for the customers and employees at Rovero's while bringing in a diversity of products. He is looking forward to travelling in his retirement. After moving to Seeley Lake in 1999 Mitchell worked as the manager for Wold's Valley Market. Mitchell knew owner Bruce Wold from when he worked in Chinook, Washington as a retail merchandiser for Buttrey Food...
SEELEY LAKE – From kindergarten through Middle School Band, music teacher Kristen Cottom directed Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE) students through a concert of winter-themed music Dec. 19. At the same time, she gave parents an overview of the music exposure their children will be introduced to as they progress through SLE. The kindergartners were shy as they fidgeted on the risers and gazed at the bleachers crowded with a few familiar faces and a whole bunch of strange ones. Some were so absorbed w...
SALMON PRAIRIE - The Salmon Prairie students did their interpretation of the film "Home Alone" on Dec. 19 at the Salmon Prairie School. Holl Hubbard teaches all eight grades at the one-room Salmon Prairie School. Hubbard's wife Stayce said that because the enrollment has gone up to seven students this year there were more family and friends at the performance. "It was standing room only," Stayce said. The students wrote their script and created their scenery and props beginning in...
OVANDO - Sunset and Ovando Elementary Schools collaborated again this holiday season performing the story of "The Enchanted Bookshop: A Likely Story" Dec. 21. Characters of familiar childhood books and novels came to life at night inside the used bookstore. Six of those characters longed to help Margie, the bookstore owner, save her business. When trouble appeared for Margie in the form of thieves looking for a necklace hidden in one of her books, the characters worked together to help Margie....
SEELEY LAKE – More than a dozen Seeley Lake Lions Club members delivered holiday baskets to 28 families in the area, Dec. 20. Cory's Valley Market employees packed the boxes with all the ingredients for a full turkey dinner including a turkey, milk, potatoes, vegetables, cranberries, rolls and pumpkin pie....
Local and state public health officials are seeing an increase in influenza activity across the state, with nearly 200 new cases, 40 hospitalizations and several outbreaks reported over the past two weeks. Reported cases are slightly higher than this time last year; however, influenza activity typically does increase in December. Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) officials are encouraging all Montanans to take some precautions when traveling this holiday season. Influenza is a respiratory illness with symptoms that may...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake landowners John and Lizzi Rice won the 53-inch bear, pedal car and bag of toys in the raffle for Addy Trevino. Doug Richards organized the raffle that raised $1,435 for the Trevino family. Tickets were sold at Rovero's and at the Tree Lighting Celebration Dec. 16. The Trevinos really enjoyed the Tree Lighting Celebration held by the Seeley Lake Fire Department and loved seeing the community come together. "There are dark moments in this illness and these events come a...
Snowmobile Grooming and Avalanche Advisories Underway The Seeley Lake Driftriders Snowmobile Club started grooming the snowmobile trail system around Seeley Lake this past week. The grooming of the trail system by the Driftriders is permitted by the Lolo National Forest and supported by the Montana Department of Fish Wildlife and Parks. Under the Special Use permit administered by the Forest Service, the Seeley Lake Driftriders may begin grooming any time after Dec. 1. Driftriders Grooming Chairman Shawn Ellinghouse said to start off the...
HELENA - A live Christmas tree from Potomac made its way to Helena and adorns Governor Steve Bullock's reception room. After deciding to use a live tree this year, the capital reached out to the Montana Logging Association (MLA). "Then the MLA reached out to me," said Potomac forester Zack Bashoor of Bashoor Land Management. The search was on. "It took days of walking around all of our (MLA) properties across the state to find the 'perfect' tree that needed to come out," said Bashoor. Bashoor...
SEELEY LAKE – The U.S. Small Business Administration is offering low-interest federal disaster loans for working capital to small businesses economically impacted by the Rice Ridge Fire that occurred this past summer. SBA acted under its own authority to declare a disaster following a request received from Gov. Steve Bullock Dec. 7. Following a meeting Oct. 3 with the Department of Labor and Office of Tourism & Business Development, Gary Miller of Citizens Alliance Bank was troubled. “At the meeting, members of the two agencies identified sourc...
SEELEY LAKE – A chorus of "Here comes Santa," echoes at the Seeley Lake Fire Hall as Santa, Mrs. Claus, Rudolph and Mickey Mouse along with Seeley Lake sisters Miya and Addy Trevino arrived in the antique fire engine Dec. 16. The excitement was contagious as Santa and Miya lit the Christmas tree and Santa was lifted in Missoula Electric Co-op's bucket to place the star during the Seeley Lake Fire Department's first annual Christmas Tree Lighting Celebration. Seeley Lake Fire Chief Michael G...
SEELEY LAKE - People from near and far enjoyed the annual Rich Ranch Community Appreciation Day Dec. 17....
Strumpfer Graduates from AIT Private First Class Cera Strumpfer graduated from Advanced Individual Training (AIT) with the 832nd Ordnance Battalion in Fort Lee, Va. Dec. 13. She graduated with three Army achievement medals: The Distinguished Honor Grad of her class; Iron Soldier for maxing out the Army physical fitness test; and Soldier of the Month. Strumpfer will be serving one weekend a month and two weeks in the summer with the Montana National Guard. She will be starting college in January...
In the wake of a wildfire season that impacted tourist-dependent areas in Western Montana, Glacier Country Tourism and Southwest Montana Tourism are partnering in a snowmobile campaign to aide the communities of Ovando, Seeley Lake and Lincoln. "Sled the Burn" aims to attract snowmobilers to the thousands of acres of forested land burned by wildfires now wide open for winter play. "We're making lemonade out of lemons here," said Glacier Country Tourism Executive Director Racene Friede. "Much of...
MISSOULA – Detective Mike Sunderland received the Officer of the Year Award with the Missoula County Sheriff's Office at the 45th Annual Missoula Exchange Club Law Enforcement Banquet Dec. 6 in Missoula. Missoula County Undersheriff Richard Maricelli said that Sunderland was nominated for his involvement and investigation of a major burglary ring in the Seeley Lake area while working as Seeley Lake resident deputy. After being reassigned as a detective in Missoula this past September, he was als...
SEELEY LAKE - Residents of Dogtown received an update on the issue of county road maintenance, or lack there of, at the Seeley Lake Community Council meeting Dec. 11. Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation Clearwater Unit Manager Kristen Baker-Dickinson gave the update. The issue came to light in the summer of 2015 when Missoula County informed Dogtown residents who access their state lease properties via Grizzly Drive and Cub Lane that the county could no longer maintain those roads. The county stated that it could not use ro...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley-Swan High School seniors took to the stage Dec. 13 to debate the resolution "The Forest Service should manage fires by letting them burn." While both sides presented convincing arguments with supporting evidence and facts, the team opposing the resolution won the debate. Everyone in the audience had the opportunity to comment and choose which side they felt won. This was the fourth annual debate in Dr. Kathleen Pecora's senior English class. The students chose the r...
SEELEY LAKE - The annual "Giving Tree," sponsored by the Mountain Lakes Presbyterian Church women, brought Christmas joy to 15 families in the Valley. This year 92 gifts were given to 48 youth in the area. Parents or guardians indicated a clothing item and one toy that were needed and/or wanted by their children or youth under the age of 18. For each child there was a card on the Giving Tree at Cory's Valley Market. The card listed age, gender and a gift to purchase. Community members selected...
SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley Elementary School entertained with songs, dancing and the production of "An Island Christmas" at their annual Winter Program Dec. 14....
GREENOUGH – This fall, Sunset School students embarked on a journey of learning how to be more kind to others. Using the book "Wonder" by R. J. Palacio as the catalyst, the students first through fifth grade learned about bullying and focused on the theme from the book stated by Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, "When given the choice between being right or being kind, choose kind." "Wonder" is a book about a young boy who was born with a severe facial abnormality, and the challenges he faces when he a...
Part 1 of this series on holiday gift-givers talked about Saints and Santas, Part 2 about The Three Kings. Part 3 will discuss The Baby Jesus or Christkind as Gift-Giver In European countries such as Austria, Germany, Slovakia and some South American countries such as Columbia, Christmas presents are brought by the Baby Jesus or the Christkind. In Hungry he is called Jezuska, or Little Jesus. Though the Christ Child is generally pictured as a young, blond child with angel wings, he is never...
Colleen Kesterson of Condon remembers the smell of Christmas. She said, "Always the fragrance of pine and fir bring back memories of the sweet smell filling our house after a day's trudge through the woods to find and cut our Christmas tree. Also, I remember the evergreen boughs were placed near the heaters and their fragrance filled the church on Christmas Eve. All through the winters in the 70s, when I moved to the Swan Valley, I could smell the trees every time I stepped outside – Christmas c...
SEELEY LAKE - This past summer, the U.S. Forest Service's Northern Region experienced one of the hottest and driest fire seasons on record, with 36 fires that burned ~710,000 acres on National Forests in Montana and Northern Idaho, heavily impacting local communities and landscapes. As a result, recognizing the scope of the fires this year, Regional Forester Leanne Marten saw the need for an expedited approach focused on safety and formed a Regional Post-Fire Response Incident Management Team (I...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley-Swan's new high school auditorium stage was almost too small to hold the 80 singers and musicians who came from Missoula on Dec. 17 as part of the 2017-2018 concert season presented by Alpine Artisans' 2 Valleys Stage (2VS). The performers, Missoula Community Chorus (MCC), is a non-audition chorus open to all who love to sing. Their mission is to "Inspire Community Through Music." The concert program took its name from the first song the group performed, "Glow" by Eric W...
SEELEY LAKE – Voices were heard in the darkness as the Seeley-Swan High School Choir entered the auditorium singing Medieval Gloria to start their Winter Concert Dec. 12. This was Music Director Kristen Cottom's first concert with the SSHS musicians. The Mixed Chorale Ensemble included eighteen students. They sang four selections ending with Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah. Lane Mackie-Wendel, Chloe Robbins, Chance Johnson and Amaya Harman all soloed during the piece. The eight-piece Concert Band f...
Paws Up Safe Home Animal Shelter Remains Open POTOMAC – There has been confusion about the status of the Paws Up Safe Home Animal Shelter located near Potomac. While the shelter is not currently taking in animals, it is still caring for and housing 25 dogs and several cats and horses. Operator Hazel Tyler said she posted on the Paws Up Safe Home Facebook page in early November that they would not be accepting animals at this time because her husband is dealing with some serious health issues. “The shelter is not closed, nor is it clo...
The Seeley Lake Sewer cleared another hurdle this week as the protest period came to a close Dec. 18. Landowners had until the close of the business day to file their written protest against the proposed Levy of Special Assessment. Approximately 42 percent of landowners attempted to protest. The district rejected about two percent of those protests. The rejected protests didn’t change the outcome of the protest. The failure of the protest means the district is now authorized to sell $5.79 million in bonds to match their existing grants for t...
SEELEY LAKE – “After this summer, I was exhausted. I needed help,” said Mountain Lakes Presbyterian Church Reverend Carrie Benton who talked to many others who felt the same way. “Then it dawned on me that we all need help. It has become so clear to me how much we need each other.” This was the impetus behind the Seeley Lake Community Exchange and Giftaway set for Dec. 16 from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. at the Seeley Lake Community Hall. Organizers encourage everyone to come with a skill, ability or non-monetary goods that they can offer in exchange fo...
SWAN VALLEY – "How awesome was that?! We did it," said Boyd as the students gathered all their belongings and loaded on the hay wagon for the Holiday card photo. Swan Valley School students and staff spent the afternoon Dec. 6 packing down letters and designs in the snow in a field near Condon. They painted their 640 X 457 foot holiday card with dye and posed for a drone photo. While all agreed it was a lot of fun, they also learned a lot of practical tools and lessons throughout the project. E...
SWAN VALLEY – Though scarcely one year old, Swan Valley Connections (SVC) hosted a grand 20-year celebration Dec. 6 at the Swan Valley Community Hall. In January 2016, Swan Ecosystem Center (SEC) and Northwest Connections (NWC) merged into SVC, hence the one-year status. Those parent organizations have roots reaching back two decades, hence the cause for celebration. The evening consisted of an on-going slide show, short films highlighting SEC and NWC and a number of people sharing memories a...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Fire Department invites the community for the First Annual Christmas Tree Lighting Celebration at the Fire Hall Saturday, Dec. 16. from 4:30-8 p.m. It's a great opportunity to visit Santa, support the Trevino family and enjoy some Christmas cheer with the community. After learning about a similar event hosted by the Seeley Lake Volunteers several years ago at Deer Country Quilts, Fire Chief Michael Greer thought it would be a great thing to bring back. "I decided t...
SEELEY LAKE – It’s that time of year to make sure your chimney is cleaned and ready for winter. The Seeley Lake Volunteer Fire Department responded to a chimney fire on Double Arrow Saturday afternoon. While there was no structure damage to the home, it is a good reminder for everyone who burns wood to inspect and clean their chimneys. According to Fire Chief Michael Greer, the fire had died down by their arrival. “It took little involvement on our part,” said Greer. “We just put out the fire in the firebox to make sure it had died completel...
SEELEY LAKE - It’s that time of year as Christmas fast approaches. Each year Seeley Lake Lions Club distributes Holiday Food Baskets to area families in need of help, providing a holiday meal for Christmas. The Lions perform various fundraisers throughout the year to raise money to purchase turkey dinners with all the trimmings for those in need. Besides fundraisers by the club, personal donations have been made in the past from community residents. All groceries are purchased locally at Cory’s Valley Market. Cory’s employees assemble the f...
SEELEY LAKE – With a burger in one hand and their wallet in the other, shoppers enjoyed the Christmas Bazaar at Lindey's Prime Steak House Saturday, Dec. 9. It was an opportunity for local vendors to display their products and buyers to purchase from local consultants and craftsmen. The idea for the bazaar came through conversations between Alicia Kues, her husband Mark and Lindey's owners Jenny and Mike Lindemer. "We felt like Seeley Lake needed a place for vendors to get out," said Alicia. "...
Part 1 of this series on holiday gift-givers talked about Saints and Santas. Part 2 will discuss The Three Kings as Gift-Givers One of the most obvious Christian connections between the giving of presents and the Christmas holidays is that it commemorates the arrival of the Three Kings, sometimes called Magi or Wise Men, who brought gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to the baby Jesus. In fact, in some countries, children receive presents not on Dec. 25, but on Jan. 6, the Feast of the Three...
Susan Stone from Condon said, "I think my most memorable Christmas was the gathering of family shortly before my mother was diagnosed with lung cancer. We spent a Christmas in Portland with almost all of the family under one roof." * * * * * Connie Rose from Cour d'Alene, Idaho, was in Seeley Lake visiting Boyd and Helen Gossard. Rose said her most memorable Christmas was when she was about nine years old. She had gone with her family to visit her grandfather, whose birthday was on Christmas...
SWAN VALLEY – Swan Valley resident Colleen Harrington was offered her dream job this past fall when she was hired as the junior high teacher for Swan Valley School. After teaching at the Mission Mountain School for 18 years and spending the past seven years volunteering in various capacities at Swan Valley School, Harrington completed her teaching license and Masters of Education in May 2017. She looks forward to not only teaching her students the academics they need to succeed but also being t...
SWAN VALLEY – The Montana Department of Environmental Quality has announced that Jim Creek in the Swan River Valley will no longer be considered “impaired” for water quality. DEQ will submit an impairment de-listing to the Environmental Protection Agency in 2018. Jim Creek was listed in 1996 due to sediment and siltation. However, a new DEQ assessment has found Jim Creek to meet water quality standards. Improved forest practices and road management on both private and public lands in the watershed were significant factors in the delis...
SWAN VALLEY - Entourage Yearbooks announced their seventh Annual National Yearbook Competition awards, recognizing Swan Valley Elementary School with the distinctive First Place for Page Design. The nationally sponsored contest conducted by Entourage Yearbooks judged school yearbooks in many facets including creativity, originality and journalistic relevance. Hundreds of schools entered across all fifty states at the Elementary, Middle School, and High School level. "I'd like to offer my...
POTOMAC - More than 80 community members turned out for the Annual Christmas Comes Home event in Potomac Dec. 9. Young and old enjoyed indoor fellowship including Santa and his sleigh, the Christmas Train, Christmas cookies, carols and hymns, barbecue, a scavenger hunt and quilts. Outdoor festivities were a live Nativity scene, bonfire and wagon rides provided by Ray Woodside and his mule team and Brad Hall with his draft team....
SEELEY LAKE – JuBELLation five-octave Handbell Choir from Missoula filled the Double Arrow Lodge with traditional holiday and Christmas Carols Thursday evening, Dec. 7. Attendees enjoyed sipping a beverage of their choice, with a crackling fire while the handbells entertained playing nine selections. Attendees joined the bells, singing "Let it Snow" and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" to close out the concert. For the past several years, the concert has been performed by the S...
SEELEY LAKE – Loving Hearts hosted their annual Toy Sale Dec. 5 at Mission Bible Fellowship. When the doors opened at 5 p.m. there was a line out the back door. The sale was wrapped up by 5:45 p.m. with more than 50 shoppers leaving with gifts for their children and stockings filled with goodies. All year Loving Hearts volunteers save the best toys, stuffed animals and books for their Christmas Toy Sale. Volunteers helped mend, fix and clean the best used items to make them ready for the s...
December Swan Valley Council Meeting Cancelled SWAN VALLEY – The Swan Valley Community Council meeting scheduled for Dec. 19 has been cancelled. The next council meeting will be Jan. 18 at 7 p.m. at the Swan Valley Community Hall. Additional Seeley Lake Snowmobile Trail Closures for Log Haul Traffic SEELEY LAKE – For public safety while log hauling is ongoing for a Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) timber sale, the Seeley Lake Ranger District has closed snowmobile Trail Number SNO-63.31 to snowmobile use. This trail is...
SEELEY LAKE – Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks fined Montana Department of Transportation for five of the six perennial stream crossings that were impacted by the 17-mile Montana Highway 83 resurfacing project this past summer. Jonathan Ferree, FWP Stream Protection Act Program Manager, said Best Management Practices used were "minimal or non-existent" allowing deconstruction and construction material to be swept into the stream channel. This is the first major violation MDT has received from F...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Rural Fire District welcomed their Interim Fire Chief Michael Greer Nov. 20. In the next six months, Greer will focus on organizing, streamlining and making things more efficient as well as bringing people back together. Since he was seven years old, Greer has always said he wanted to become a doctor. "Medicine has always fascinated me. I don't know if it was the science of it or the human side of it. It was just something I always wanted to do," said Greer. F...
OVANDO – "Santa is coming, Santa is coming," yelled a young girl running down Main Street in Ovando Saturday, Dec. 2. Escorted by Powell County Sheriff's Deputy playing "Here Comes Santa Claus," Cowboy Claus rode into Ovando on his trusty steed St. Nick for his 16th annual visit. Cowboy Claus was just one of the attractions again this year at Ovando Old West Christmas Fest. Prior to Cowboy Claus' visit, visitors put their taste buds to the test at the annual cookoff sponsored by the Blackfoot Va...
OVANDO - Prior to Cowboy Claus’ visit at the Old West Christmas Fest in Ovando Dec. 2, visitors put their taste buds to the test at the annual cookoff sponsored by the Blackfoot Valley Cattlewomen. Five beef casseroles were on the plate and they all drew four votes each for the best. “This is the first time this has ever happened,” said Barb McNally, president of the Blackfoot Valley Cattlewomen. Eloise McNally’s name was drawn out of a hat and she received the grand prize, a $25 gift certifi...
HELENA - Montana will remain the “406” for a while longer thanks in part to the Montana Public Service Commission’s efforts to ensure phone numbers are allocated more efficiently across the state. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) officials informed the Commission Monday that the state’s single area code is expected to last into the 2030s. “The 406 area code is a unique part of our heritage in Montana,” said Bob Lake, R-Hamilton. “It’s become such an integral part of our state’s identity that some businesses have built their entire bran...
SEELEY LAKE - Alpine Artisans and 2 Valleys Stage will be bringing the 80 member Chorus, under the direction of Dr. Ron Wilcott, to Seeley-Swan High School auditorium Dec. 17 at 3 p.m. for beautiful selections from chorale favorites. The Community Chorus is based on "inspiring community through music." To accomplish that goal they see the group empowering individuals through a pursuit of excellence in great choral music, as a community where persons of all ages, cultural heritages, financial...
SEELEY LAKE – After more than 20 years working in mental health and special education services, Elliott Dugger knew he needed to get his law degree in order to fully advocate for justice for his clients. Dugger graduated from the University of Montana Law School in May 2017. With his practice, Dugger Law Firm PLLC in Seeley Lake, he plans to provide affordable legal access in rural Missoula and surrounding counties. His personal mission is to bring dignity to his clients and put them in a b...
POTOMAC - Expertise in art and crafts, baking, knitting, concrete molding and knife making filled the Potomac/Greenough Community Center Dec. 2 for the Potomac Craft Fair. The event brought a steady flow of shoppers and lookers throughout the day. Local crafting friends had talked about putting on a craft fair and together made it a reality. Organizer and Potomac resident Sarah Russell said fellow crafter Lori Coppock crafts with local girls every weekend and one day said they should have a...
SEELEY LAKE – As every child in the United States knows, on Christmas Eve a jolly old man named Santa Claus, dressed in red coat and hat, hops in his toy-filled sleigh and is magically pulled through the air by Rudolph and his reindeer cohorts. Throughout the night the chubby man slides down chimneys, or accesses other ports of entry into people's homes, and leaves presents under the tree for good little girls and boys. At least that is how the story goes in the United States. But where did t...
Sharon Lamar from Condon recalls when she was five years old and Santa Claus asked what she wanted for Christmas. She told him, 'A little sister." Lamar added, "And sure enough, on Christmas Eve my sister Angela was born. She was named after the angels at Christmas time." * * * * * Sue Cushman from Condon said the best Christmas present she ever got was a $200 check from her parents. At that time she had eight children, seven boys and one girl. She spent the money on a trampoline. She said, "My...
SWAN VALLEY - The Upper Swan Valley Historical Society hosted their annual Frostbite Festival Dec. 2 at the Swan Valley School. Attendees enjoyed an assortment of crafts and artwork from a gymnasium full of vendors along with the "best bake sale around" and crafts for the young at heart....
Swan Valley AARP Meeting, Dec. 11 SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley AARP will meet Monday, Dec. 11 at noon in the Swan Valley Community Hall. A potluck lunch hosted by Joyce and Garry Wegner will begin at 12:30 p.m. Bob Korn will lead a program of Christmas carols and stories starting at 1:30 p.m. The public is invited. Seeley Lake Flu Shot Clinic and Health and Safety Fair, Dec. 11 SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Fire Department along with Missoula City-County Health Department And Blue Cross Blue Shield of Montana Care Van have teamed up to offer...
Our thanks to Seeley Lake Historical Society member Jean Lafriniere for sharing the following information. On Aug. 28, 1917 a Seeley Lake related article appeared in the Spokesman-Review newspaper: • About 100 fires were burning in western Montana, and in some cases, people were fleeing from remote mountain areas. • "Driving their small herds before the farm wagons and prairie schooners, on which their household goods had been loaded, homesteaders...tramped into Corlett, a small town," near Seel...
Scams are big business across the nation and all too often hit home in the small communities of Montana. Seniors, age 60 and older, are frequently the target. Many seniors have lost their life savings to strangers, caregivers or family. Project Coordinator Richard Heitstuman with Montana Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) Legal Services of Helena shared information about some of the common scams, ways to avoid them and services available at little or no cost to seniors to help if they have fallen victim to a scammer. Montana AAA Legal Services is a s...
HELENA – Seeley Lake Elementary eighth-grader Hannah Ayers never dreamed she would have the opportunity to discuss childhood hunger around the table where the Montana Constitution was signed and have lunch with the governor, lieutenant governor and the first lady. This became a reality when she was one of 20 students chosen for the Governor and First Lady Youth Leadership Council that met Nov. 17 in Helena. The intent of the council is to empower students from seventh grade through senior y...
Montana's general big game hunting season closed on Sunday with west-central Montana check stations reporting the highest harvest in four years and the highest hunter success rate since 2007. The 607 white-tailed deer inspected through the Anaconda, Bonner and Darby hunter check stations is three percent higher than last year's total, and the highest since 2008. With 507 whitetails checked, the Bonner Check Station accounted for 84 percent of the harvest, which was the highest at Bonner since...
Thank you readers for sharing your 2017 hunting success stories!...
Thank you readers for sharing your 2017 hunting success stories!...
Thank you to our readers for sharing their 2017 hunting success!...
GREENOUGH – Glenn Truett chose the U.S. Army over cotton farming. Looking back at age 86, he said he couldn't have made a better choice. Truett was raised in the mountains of North Carolina and said he was very happy there. He was no longer happy, however, when his dad moved the family to South Carolina and started raising cotton. Truett said, "That was no life for me. So when I turned 17, I joined the Army – to get away from there, to be honest with you." After Infantry Basic Training, Truett e...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Ranger District will close two snowmobile routes near the Rice Ridge Fire burned area beginning Dec. 1 so that trucks can safely haul logs that were removed during fireline construction on the Rice Ridge Fire. The log decks were staged on roadsides during fireline construction, which was built to protect the local community from the 160,187 acre Rice Ridge Fire. The closures will start Dec. 1 and include: SNO-63.01 (Cottonwood Lakes) from junction with SNO-63.13 (Kozy Korner) to junction with SNO-63.37 (Dunham Cree...
SWAN VALLEY - After lengthy discussion at its Nov. 21 meeting, the Swan Valley Community Council voted to table any decisions and the logistics concerning the Swan Valley Regional Planning Committee’s draft plan. Due to the holidays, council members and planning committee members’ absences and unanswered questions, the SVCC will wait until their next meeting Dec. 19 for further discussion. The timeline and the order for getting the draft plan to the community were addressed. Council member Henry Westra suggested that the SVRPC work on the cle...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake Elementary School Board discussed the income SLE received from the Rice Ridge Fire. SLE received $120,770 for the facility rental and food income for the school’s use during the Rice Ridge Fire. After expenses, $48,685 was profit. SLE spent $2,856 on HEPA filters for the classrooms, $14,375 on the $500 employee stipend and $4,200 on a new walk-in cooler. The remaining $27,254 is available. The board verbally agreed to reserve these funds for preschool if needed. Superintendent Chris Stout said the Ortenberg Fou...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Rural Fire District listened to public comments and provided updates at their meeting Nov. 21. Interim Chief Michael Greer started Nov. 20. The District earned $44,952 on the Rice Ridge Fire. The District has received half of the payments. The Seeley Lake Fire Company applied for the Montana Community Foundation grant for $15,000 during the first grant cycle. If they get the grant, the funds will be used for radios. A special meeting to go through the budget and job descriptions will be held. The date will be d...
SEELEY LAKE – Art has always been a stress reliever and creative place for Constance Zollo. She looks forward to offering a quiet place of escape in Seeley Lake at Aravensvoice Art Studio, in the Filling Station mall. By offering a place and the materials, Zollo hopes to leave a legacy in the community by training others artistically. Zollo fell in love with art when she was nine years old. "I was able to use my imagination. It is a great escape and you get something physical out of it too," s...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Swan Pathfinder ran an online survey during the month of October asking readers about the impacts of the Rice Ridge Fire. The goal was to quantify some of those impacts and gauge public perception of the fire. The Pathfinder received 168 responses to the survey. Full-time residents made up 60% of the responders, 30% were part-time residents or visitors and 10% were resident business owners. Survey highlights: • More than 50% of respondents were ordered to evacuate w...
Leo’s Break $1,000 for Food Bank SEELEY LAKE –The Seeley-Swan High School Leo’s Club’s recent Turkey Drive raised a grand total of $1,033 and 11 turkeys for the Seeley-Swan Community Food Bank. The club presented Food Bank Volunteer Coordinator Sheree Hill with a check and the turkeys Tuesday, Nov. 21. This is up from the initial report of 10 turkeys and $753 following the two-hour drive Friday, Nov. 17. First Friday, Dec. 1 Features Blue River Station and Barn Storm SEELEY LAKE - Dec. 1 is the First Friday event in Seeley Lake. Stop in at the...
SEELEY LAKE - The last of the sewer district's public information meetings on the proposed $15.7 million sewer project was held Nov. 13. It is now up to the district landowners if the project can move forward. Joe Nickell from the public relations firm PartnersCreative ran the meeting. Presenters Dr. Walt Hill, Professional Engineer from Great West Engineering Amy Deitchler and District Manager Greg Robertson provided information on the project background and the process ahead. The presenters...
FRIENDSWOOD, TEXAS – With the Rice Ridge Fire bearing down on Seeley Lake and no moisture in sight, Houston, Texas was hit with Hurricane Harvey, flooding 350,000 homes and dumping 53 inches of rain in three days in late August. After weathering 11 tropical storms in his lifetime, part-time Seeley Lake resident Conrad Jones never expected he would be the one needing help with number 12. Hurricane Harvey forced he, his wife Leslie and son Jack to evacuate their primary residence in Friendswood, T...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Leos Club collected 10 turkeys and more than $750 for the Seeley-Swan Community Food Bank during their Turkey Drive Nov. 17. The event was a huge success. Leos Club President Ibby Lorentz said the club chose this as a service project because there is no longer a community Thanksgiving dinner in Seeley Lake. "The Seeley Lake Lions Club does a food drive for Christmas," said Lorentz. "We thought Thanksgiving would be a good time to give back." The Leos collected froze...
SEELEY LAKE – The Department of Environmental Quality subjected Deer Creek Excavating, LLC’s application for Opencut Mining Permit to extended review. They felt public comments received at the Nov. 2 public meeting indicated that substantial issues regarding groundwater and hours of operation were not adequately satisfied by the proposed Plan of Operation. The proposed Cottonwood Pit is 26.5 acres located approximately four miles east of Seeley Lake in Powell County. Owner of Deer Creek Excavating Gary Lewis will be operating the pit. DEQ...
MISSOULA COUNTY - The Missoula County Clerk of Court’s office has been made aware of a scam where a caller posing as a deputy with the Sheriff’s Office will call a citizen and state that they have failed to appear for duty and will be picked up by law enforcement if a fine is not paid. The caller will go on to provide a badge number and seek credit card information. This is not the Sheriff’s Office, nor is this derived from the Clerk of Court. This type of scam has occurred in the past. It is important to note that potential juror infor...
Christmas tree permits are available for $5 cash at each of the Flathead National Forest offices in Kalispell, Hungry Horse and Bigfork as well as the Lolo National Forest District Offices. Additionally, permits can be purchased from a variety of retail vendors in the area. Each permit is good for the harvest of one tree from National Forest Land, with a maximum of three permits per household. As part of the national Every Kid in a Park initiative, all fourth graders are eligible for one free Christmas tree permit. For students to receive a...
HELENA – Montana State Parks (stateparks.mt.gov) opened the application cycle for the Recreational Trails Program (RTP) and the Off-Highway Vehicle Program (OHV) Nov. 9 through the online system at fundingmt.org. The application deadline for both grants will be Feb. 1, 2018 at 5 p.m. Recreational Trails Program training sessions will be offered throughout Montana for all prospective applicants on the following dates: • Nov. 29, 10 a.m.–1 p.m.: Bozeman – FWP Region 3 Conference Room • Dec. 1, 10:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m.: Helena—FWP Annex Building Conf...
MISSOULA - Seeley-Swan High School students Jayla Kauffman and Jared Townsend participated in the University of Montana Silver All-Star Wind Ensemble Nov. 10-12. They both enjoyed the opportunity to play with a larger group and be challenged musically. SSHS Music Director Kristen Cottom nominated Kauffman and Townsend for the All-Star Band. Having graduated from UM's Music Department, she helped run the festival in the past and thought it was a great playing opportunity. Cottom chose Kauffman...
As the voice for our nation’s entrepreneurs, the U.S. Small Business Administration supports small businesses and business owners every day. When our small businesses do well, our communities do, too. Therefore, as part of our annual tradition, I encourage you to join millions of Americans during the traditional start of the holiday shopping season and “shop small” on Small Business Saturday, Nov. 25. On the heels of “Black Friday,” shopping small is a concrete way to support small retailers – the same businesses that generate two of every thre...
SEELEY LAKE – Lisa Hayhurst is all about having fun and building relationships. As the new executive director of the Seeley Lake Chamber of Commerce, she looks forward to bringing a lot more fun to chamber events and activities and is excited to serve the community and businesses of Seeley Lake. Lisa grew up in a large Italian community outside of San Francisco, Calif. She has planned events and parties since she was young, learning from her mother Kathleen. "[In my culture] You always had f...
POTOMAC – This time of year Potomac residents share thankfulness and celebrate Thanksgiving in multiple ways. Longtime Potomac resident Janelle Shiller is thankful for her family. "I am very thankful for my health and having my daughter, son in law and two grandsons so close to me." She is also thankful for her son who frequently visits and her many friends in the valley. * * * * Judy DeNoyer continues the trend of being grateful for family. "My two children and their families, my sisters and t...
The future seemed especially promising – so much so, in fact, that most Montana homesteaders readily heeded the calls by government officials and bankers to "do their patriotic duty" and reinvest their profits in more land and machinery. "Food will Win the War!" the era's propaganda posters proclaimed, and with readily available credit, Montana's homesteaders mortgaged virtually everything in hopes of cashing in on the soaring economy. By Armistice Day in 1918, the state's population had c...
The Missoula County Weed District, working with Seeley Lake's Clearwater Resource Council, was recently awarded two grants totaling $20,800 from the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation for work on the statewide campaign to prevent the spread of invasive mussels in the state. The Weed District will work with CRC to: 1. Create a media campaign consisting of a short film and four short public service announcements to educate the public on the steps they can take to stop the...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Fire Board offered Michael Greer an interim chief position for the Seeley Lake Rural Fire District pending finalizing the pay rate and job description. They also agreed to start advertising for a new fire chief and agreed to make preliminary comment on the 61-unit subdivision proposed in Powell County. Greer has been involved in emergency services his entire life and brings upper level management and leadership roles from his other work experiences. He graduated from paramedic school in 1996. He currently is a c...
HELENA – Resource Manager Gordy Sanders of Pyramid Mountain Lumber received the 2017 Governor's Award for Excellence in the Use and Promotion of Montana Wood. While Sanders was surprised by the recognition and appreciates that the Governor and others that recognized the work he has been involved with, he said the greatest success has been the various groups accomplishing their objectives while ensuring that the forest products industry remains fully integrated with outlets for all Pyramid p...
SWAN VALLEY - Swan Valley American Legion Post #63 Commander Rick Ferguson spoke to those gathered at the Veterans Day ceremony Nov. 11 held at the Swan Valley Community Hall. He urged those present to remember and honor those who served and who presently serve their country and those who gave the ultimate sacrifice. Ferguson said, "It seems the United States never runs out of wars. "We step up to keep our freedom and preserve what we have." Those in attendance spoke of those who fought in past...
SEELEY LAKE – Veterans and members of the public joined together Nov. 11 at 11 p.m. to honor and thank the veterans in the Seeley Lake community. The Veterans and Families of Seeley Lake hosted the ceremony at the Veterans Memorial Park. VFSL President Barbara Knopp led the ceremony. "Today there is and perhaps there always will be conflict in the world," said Knopp. "But the United States fortunately enjoys peace and freedom. Like other things of great value this security did not come c...
SEELEY LAKE - We are delighted to announce our new interim Fire Chief, Michael Greer. This is in response to our current community needs and the department in an effort to be expeditious and proactive in moving forward in protecting and servicing our community. Greer is also a Critical Care Paramedic/MD pursuing residency. He brings extensive skills in management, supervisory qualities and proven relationship building. Greer previously provided oversight under a Department of Defense contract with 120 + medics, doctors and mid-level providers...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Sewer Board adopted a resolution at its Nov. 8 meeting to levy special assessments on property in the district to pay for construction of the proposed wastewater treatment plant and Phase 1 of the collection system. In other business, the board signed the inter-local agreement with the county. They also discussed a letter from landowners with wells near the proposed wastewater treatment plant that are concerned about their wells becoming contaminated. District Manager Greg Robertson explained that the resolution...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley-Swan High School senior Gabby Sexton has teamed up with KYSSMAS For Kids for her senior project. Her goal is to help the Missoula radio station 94.9 KYSS FM approach all the Seeley Lake businesses asking for donated auction items to raise more money to support children at Christmas and help promote Seeley Lake. KYSSMAS for Kids is a 13-hour, on-air auction Dec. 1. The live, call-in event features items from hotel packages to car detailing to memorabilia with all of the p...
SEELEY LAKE - Alpine Artisans Open Book Club presents poet Mark Gibbons who will be reading and discussing his poetry Saturday, Nov. 18 at 7 p.m., at the Grizzly Claw Trading Company. There is no charge to attend and all are welcome. Gibbons’ poems have appeared in numerous journals and anthologies. He was the winner of the Montana Arts Council Innovation Award in 2013. He lives in Missoula, where he raised his family, and works as a delivery driver and teaches poetry. As an introduction to the subject of poetry at this Open Book Club, S...
With snow coming early this year, the 2017 aquatic invasive species sampling wrapped up at the end of October. Clearwater Resource Council AIS Specialist Joann Wallenburn, field technician Swan Valley Connections' Caitlin Mitchell and Blackfoot Challenge project leader Jennifer Schonnen led the sampling efforts this year with the help of volunteers from the Blackfoot, Clearwater and Swan Valleys. To date, there has been no evidence of zebra mussels, Eurasian milfoil or Curly Leaf Pond Weed in...
SWAN VALLEY - The final seventh element entitled Implementation was discussed, edited and accepted by the Swan Valley Regional Planning Committee at their meeting Nov. 8. The appendices, taken from text of three elements contained in the growth plan draft, were also accepted by the committee. The committee debated about accepting committee member Diann Ericson’s submission as to how to integrate the appropriate Implementation sections into each element of the draft plan. The committee eventually agreed with committee member Sara Halm to keep t...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake resident Patrick Constantinides knows some interesting inside information about the final stages of the Iran Hostage Crisis of 1979. Constantinides was the Assistant General Manager of one of the American banks in London during the time the hostage negotiations took place. A quick and vastly oversimplified background to the situation goes something like this: On Nov. 4, 1979, supporters of the Iranian Revolution overwhelmed the American Embassy in Tehran and captured 52 American diplomats and citizens. In retaliation,...
SEELEY LAKE – Ski-Doo® riders in Seeley Lake will not be left in the cold this winter. Seeley Lake residents Karl and Shannon ZurMuehlen opened Kra-Z's Service and Repair Nov. 1 in Seeley Lake in the building connected to Parts Plus. Through a partnership with Gull Boats, they offer Ski-Doo snowmobiles in the winter and watercraft in the summer. They also have Ski-Doo parts and services to keep riders on the snow in the winter and custom built stand-up watercraft, boat parts and services in...
MISSOULA – The Missoula Exchange Club is reaching out to Seeley Lake and encouraging the community to get more involved. Exchange Club member since 2002 and part-time Seeley Lake resident Larry Anderson said The Exchange Club serves all of Missoula County with their programs, "We want the area and the community to be aware of them so they will take advantage of them." Chartered in 1957, the Missoula Exchange Club is a group of men and women working to make the community a better place to live t...
Several short-term trends helped trigger Montana's remarkable homestead boom. The most significant was the Enlarged Homestead Act of 1909, which doubled the free land available to settlers to 320 acres. In 1912, Congress went even further, lowering the required waiting period for land acquisition from five to three years, while also permitting homesteaders to be absent from their lands five months of each year. Together, these laws generated an eager response, ensuring that nearly 32 million...
Seeley-Swan High School Leos Club Turkey Drive, Nov. 17 SEELEY LAKE – In the spirit of giving, the Seeley-Swan High School Leos Club will be collecting turkeys Friday, Nov. 17 from 4-6 p.m. at various locations in Seeley Lake. All donations collected will be distributed through the Seeley-Swan Community Food Bank. Leo Club members will be at Rovero’s, Cory’s Valley Market and the Seeley Lake Post Office on Friday to collect donated turkeys. Their goal is to collect 25 turkeys. The club asks that the turkeys are frozen. Money will also be accep...
SEELEY LAKE – More than 70 concerned citizens attended the Department of Environmental Quality public meeting Nov. 2 to voice their support, concern or find out more information regarding the opencut mining permit submitted by Deer Creek Excavating, LLC. The meeting goal was to help inform the public of what is known about the Cottonwood Pit and to listen to public comments on the local perspective and conditions that may not be in the application that will help aid DEQ in their review process. The proposed Cottonwood Gravel Pit is located a...
OVANDO – When Ovando resident Jerry Swanson talks about his years serving in the United States Army, he starts with flunking out of college and ends with a career as a college professor. As Swanson tells the story, he spent two years at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) serving in the Reserve Officers Training Program (ROTC) while pursuing a degree in commerce. Finding the course work less and less interesting, he stopped going to classes, with the inevitable result he flunked o...
Thousands of snow geese flew through the area Nov. 3 stopping for the afternoon on Seeley Lake. Lakefront property owners Dick and Cindy Lewis said they have never seen this many snow geese on the lake in the past 24 years they have lived here....
POTOMAC - From the ghastly to the hysterical with glamorous in-between, Potomac School went all out for the Halloween Parade of Costumes Oct. 31. Headless horsemen, clowns and spooky students set the mood in the Potomac/Greenough Community Center (PGCC) that went on a scale from scary and sweet, to funny and realistic. Teachers and students, parents, grandparents and preschool siblings turned out for the costumed affair. No matter the ability or age, students won the afternoon with their attire...
SEELEY LAKE - More than 170 kids came dressed in their favorite costume for the fourth-annual Trunk-or-Treat at the Wilderness Gateway Inn in Seeley Lake.Organizers Alex and Mark Kues were thankful to the 12 trunk-owners who participated and appreciated the Boltzes for hosting the event....
OVANDO - Worms on a bun, slithering pizza, tater vomit, frozen eyeballs and baby pumpkins were some of the delicacies served to costumed Ovando kids and their families on Halloween night. And after that the fun began. From tossing bean bags into pumpkin mouths, pennies into a witch cauldron, rings onto witch hats and reaching into monster mouths for surprise treats, the games progressed to mummy wrapping and balloon tether pop. Climaxing the fun was a trip down the Haunted Pirate Ship...
MISSOULA - Blackfoot announced a total pledge of up to $50,000 to support local communities affected by Montana's unprecedented wildfire season and to help offset the extensive damage. Nearly $30,000 is set aside for service credits business customers in severely impacted areas including Seeley Lake. "Blackfoot is concerned for all those affected by the fires that hit the heart of our communities and we're committed to helping our member-owners, customers, neighbors and employees recover," said...
GREENOUGH - The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) would like to notify the public and seek comments on a proposal to install centerline rumble strips on about 30 miles of Montana Highway 200 east of Bonner in Missoula County. The project begins at reference post 1.8 east of Bonner and extends east for 30 miles, ending near the Clearwater Junction at reference post 31.8. Proposed work includes installing centerline rumble strips and pavement markings. The purpose of the project is to enhance the safety of this corridor through...
Recent grizzly bear attacks involving hunters reinforces the importance of being bear aware in Montana, even with a thick layer of snow on the ground in most parts of the state. During the past weekend, hunters were attacked by bears in separate incidents. In one incident, in southwest Montana in Tom Miner Basin, a hunter was hiking in to retrieve an elk. He encountered a bear and deployed bear spray. He sustained minor injuries in the attack. In another incident near Pendroy, north of Choteau on the Rocky Mountain Front, a pheasant hunter and...
by Andi Bourne Pathfinder SEELEY LAKE – The Rice Ridge 20-person Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) team finished their assessment of the Rice Ridge Fire Oct. 20. In 11 days they were able to create a plan to mitigate threats to the public, forest infrastructure and native plants and animals. Implementation has already begun in critical areas of the fire and will continue through next October. The BAER team addresses the effects of the fires including the potential for flooding and e...
SWAN VALLEY - The students in the Landscapes & Livelihoods course at Swan Valley Connections wrapped up their semester by giving presentations on their research projects to the Condon community on Tuesday, October 31 at the community hall. Refreshments were served, but the real treat was hearing from these enthusiastic young people from around the country, and what they focused on during their time in Condon. Each student chose a topic and researched a question through experiences with community...
SEELEY LAKE – Fundraising for Seeley Lake's Trevino family continues after their three-year-old daughter Addy was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor this past summer. The "Grizzlies of the Rockies" photograph, taken by Sharrell Perry of Kalispell, raised $2,003 and gives parents Jen and Treay the gift of time with their daughter. Perry took the "Grizzlies on the Rockies" photo at Many Glacier last spring. She entered the photo in the 2017 Northwest Montana Fair and won Reserve Grand C...
SEELEY LAKE - Claire Muller puts in some of the first tracks of the season at the Seeley Creek Nordic Ski Trails Nov. 2. The official grooming of the ski trails won't start until Dec. 1. However Seeley Lake Elementary students started using the yurt and trails for field trips this week. The yurt will be open regularly when grooming begins. Thank you Jeremy Watkins for sending the photo!...
November Council Meeting Canceled, Postponed to December SEELEY LAKE - The November Seeley Lake Community Council meeting was scheduled to take place at the same time as an important public sewer meeting scheduled for next Monday, Nov. 13, at the Community Hall at 6 p.m. Given the urgency of the sewer meeting and the time frame for protest submissions, the Council decided to recommend that Seeley Lake residents attend the sewer meeting. The next Community Council meeting will be Monday, Dec. 11 at 5:30 p.m. at the Seeley Lake Historical Museum...
MISSOULA - The Missoula County Commissioners approved a grant to help lower the initial operating and maintenance (O&M) of the proposed Seeley Lake sewer at their Oct. 25 administrative meeting. The commissioners also approved an edited version of the inter-local agreement between the county and Seeley Lake Sewer District. District Manager Greg Robertson explained the need for subsidies. The District has been split into four phases for constructing the collection system and only Phase 1 will be connected to start with. With no subsidies, the...
SEELEY LAKE - "Love the people," was the message Pastors Gary and Heatherann Wayne received when accepting the call to serve Faith Chapel in Seeley Lake in 1987. While the implementation of that vision has shifted with the needs of the community, everything they have done in the past 30 years has been built on that foundation. Gary grew up visiting his great-aunt in Seeley Lake. He also attended youth rallies at Faith Chapel, a Pentecostal Church of God, where Ralph Cahoon was the first pastor...
Hunter traffic and harvest slowed during the second weekend of big game hunting in west-central Montana but cumulative harvest totals at the region’s three hunter check stations are still up from the past three seasons. White-tailed deer harvest totals are the highest since 2008. The Bonner hunter check station sees most of the region’s white-tailed deer harvest and was last operated daily in 2008, accounting for the higher historic (pre 2008) harvests of white-tailed deer checked. Elk harvest reported so far this season is the highest sin...
GREENOUGH – Just after 3 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 24 Greenough Potomac Volunteer Fire Department responded to a possible structure fire just west of Clearwater Junction. While volunteer firefighters saved the trailer located near the entrance of Camp Utmost, everything in it was lost either to smoke, heat or water damage. Culligan Water employees traveling Highway 200 called in the fire. "Luckily they realized that this wasn't just wood chimney smoke, that it was smoke coming out of the eves," said G...
by Andi Bourne Pathfinder MISSOULA - A panel of eight experts discussed the challenges and lessons of the 2017 fire season to help address the question How Do We Live with Fire? The forum, moderated by former environmental editor of the Wall Street Journal Frank Allen, was presented at the University of Montana Tuesday, Oct. 17. Farmers Insurance Agent Emily Rindal spoke on the effects of the 160,000-acre Rice Ridge Fire and 29,000-acre Liberty Fire. She highlighted the stress and fear felt by...
SEELEY LAKE - In the wake of the news surrounding the water situations reported in Flint, Michigan and Portland, Ore. Missoula County Public Schools Superintendent Mark Thane requested that the MCPS Operations Department arrange for water testing in each of our schools. The first set of results completed during the 2016-2017 school year was reported to the board in the spring of 2016 and all schools tested were found to fall within normal ranges. “The second and final round of schools have been tested in the current school year and we l...
SEELEY LAKE – The Double Arrow Land Owners’ Association (DARLOA) Board of Directors requested an amendment to the Conditional Use Permit (CUP) approved by Powell County for the Cottonwood Gravel Pit proposed by Deer Creek Excavating, LLC. The amendment asks the restrictions be amended to allow Evergreen Drive to be utilized as a haul route for gravel projects within the Double Arrow Ranch. In the original CUP approved for Deer Creek Excavating, LCC by Powell County in August, 2017, one of the conditions restricted use of Evergreen Drive. It...
SWAN VALLEY – "There is so much more to education than what is in a lesson plan," said first-year teacher Jamie Matthew. Matthew joined the Swan Valley School teaching staff this year after working as a paraprofessional at SVS since 2013. She hopes that her third, fourth and fifth-grade students will get a well-rounded education that helps them become better people and contributing members of the community. Matthew grew up in Seeley Lake. She married her husband Jonathan in 2004 and moved to t...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Lions Club was filled with food, fire and fun Thursday, Oct. 19 for the Seeley-Swan High School Destination for Education's Fall Fest. Attendees enjoyed a variety of soups and pies around the bonfire while listening to live music by local musicians Trace Stone and Mark Williams. The students made scarecrows and fall wreaths that were available through silent auction. Trip leader Tonya Smith was thankful to everyone who came out to support the students who will be t...
POTOMAC - The seasonal search for copper above Potomac has ended for the year leaving the ground resting and reclaimed. According to Kennecott Exploration Company (KEC) Principal Geoscientist Clinton Roberts, the drill holes were completed east of Copper Cliff in the main exploration area. The drill sites were on private land and BLM land where Kennecott has exploration rights. TonaTec, the drilling company, drilled two pilot holes and two wedges at the Copper Cliff site. Pilot holes are smaller holes drilled initially before the larger drill...
A total of 1451.3 miles were ridden in the Potomac Bike-a-Thon Oct. 12. Five students rode more than 33 miles with two students riding 36.6 miles. This year was a new fundraising record. Students raised $7,317.83. The funds will support the Poet in Residence program, Missoula Children's Theater and other educational opportunities....
SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley Regional Planning Committee edited the Public Facilities and Services, the sixth element, and reviewed the final Implementation element of the draft growth plan at their Oct. 18 and Oct. 25 meetings. At the Oct. 25 meeting, the committee accepted edits to the remaining sections of the sixth elements except for the section entitled Parks and Recreation, pending edits from appropriate sources in Missoula County. They also addressed the goals, policies and actions of the sixth element. The Public Facilities and Servic...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley-Swan High School started incorporating the SPARK! Arts Ignite Learning program this year in Dr. Kathleen Pecora's senior English Class. The two-hour photography lesson was incorporated with a personal essay and artifact that the students brought in that pertained to the story that was shared. While the students wished they'd had more time to practice the photography concepts they were taught, they each learned something new. In 2013, Missoula was chosen as one of 14 c...
SEELEY LAKE – A Verizon antenna was installed on the 150-foot cell tower on Redwood Lane in Seeley Lake this past week. J.R. Reger, a member of the tower owner Andesite Properties LLC, said it should be operational very soon. Even though the Federal Aviation Administration did not require Andesite Properties to have a light on the top, Reger decided to add a solid red light for safety. The light is only on at night because of the proximity to the helipad located at the Seeley-Swan Medical C...
Loving Hearts Not Accepting Donations in November SEELEY LAKE – Loving Hearts is out of room! They are unable to accept donations in November. Thank you. Veterans and Spouses Invited to Christmas Dinner, Dec. 7 SEELEY LAKE – The Veterans and Families of Seeley Lake will be hosting a Christmas dinner for all Veterans and their spouses Thursday, Dec. 7 at the Seeley Lake Community Hall. Light hors d’oeuvres will be served starting at 5 p.m. followed by dinner at 6 p.m. Pop’s Restaurant will be the caterer. The event is free for veterans and the...
SEELEY LAKE - University of Montana mascot Monte made a special appearance at Haunted Scapes Saturday, Oct. 28. He was up for trying all the activities and while he hung out mostly with the children, there were a few Griz fans that he had too hang out with too....
SEELEY LAKE – After the Seeley Lake Fire District Board heard accolades from those that worked with Seeley Lake Fire Chief Bob Vanden Heuvel and district volunteers during the Rice Ridge Fire, Vanden Heuvel resigned effective immediately at the board meeting Oct. 17. The board will meet with the county attorney and human resources staff to determine the next steps since several questions on the agenda were left unanswered. During public comment, Missoula County Commissioner Jean Curtiss, District Board Member Rita Rossi and Greenough/Potomac V...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Sewer District Board was informed at their Oct. 19 board meeting that the assessment methodology was changed to using equal assessments. The timeline for the notice and protest period has been set. In other business the board accepted a new inter-local agreement with the county and was updated on water testing results. District Manager Greg Robertson said he reevaluated the assessment methodology after the last meeting. Previously he had been instructed to come up with a method that would charge businesses a...
SEELEY LAKE – The world of Disney infiltrated the Double Arrow Lodge Thursday, Oct. 19, at the annual fundraiser for Sparrow's Vine Parenting and Pregnancy Resource Center. Tables were elegantly set for the "Be Our Guest" banquet, each table identified by a Disney movie name including the Cinderella Table, The Lion King Table and the Mulan Table. Several items in the live and silent auctions carried Disney movie themes. Even attendees, encouraged to dress as princes or princesses, got in the s...
HELENA – The Department of Environmental Quality is seeking public comment on an Opencut mining permit application for a 26.5-acre site known as Cottonwood Pit located approximately four miles East of Seeley Lake in Powell County. Deer Creek Excavating, LLC submitted the Permit application. DEQ will hold a public meeting Thursday, Nov. 2 at 6 p.m. at the Seeley Lake Elementary School located at 200 School Lane in Seeley Lake. DEQ specialists will provide information during the open house portion of the meeting (6 – 6:30 p.m.). During the que...
KALISPELL – The Flathead National Forest is interested in receiving comments on a proposal to add a new fee at Lindbergh Lake Campground and bring 12 additional existing cabin and lookout rentals and one additional campground into alignment with other sites offering similar benefits and services. As part of a Region-wide effort, these fee changes are being proposed to support the Forest’s ability to continue providing high levels of service to visitors at popular recreation sites. The Forest has invested in items such as new furniture and app...
SEELEY LAKE – Developers of a 160-acre lot northeast of the Seeley Lake Airport have applied for a variance through the Powell County Board of Adjustments. If granted, they can begin the approval process for a major subdivision currently named Swan Mountain Estates. S.G. Montana, LLC currently owns the southwest quarter of Section 31 of Township 17N, Range 14W. The variance application states they will transfer development to JDC Development, LLC which is comprised of Gary Chilcott, Martin Cahoon of Seeley Lake, and Jarrett and Colton F...
Montana's general big game hunting season opened on Saturday. In the west-central part of the state, hunter check stations reports show the highest number of big game animals harvested on opening weekend since 2010. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) reported 117 elk, 111 white-tailed deer, 15 mule deer and five black bears at its Darby, Anaconda and Bonner check stations combined, where the tradition of inspecting harvested animals goes back as far as the 1940s. "The check stations only sam...
Several hundred hunters, hikers and landowners will receive a can of free bear spray this fall, thanks to local partnerships aimed at reducing bear conflicts in the Blackfoot and Upper Clark Fork Valleys. During hunting season, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks and Blackfoot Challenge employees are distributing cans and offering on-the-spot training in areas known for frequent bear activity. Along with a can of spray, wardens, block management employees, wildlife biologists and others are also offering tips on hunting and camping safely in bear...
SEELEY LAKE – David and Sherri Heppner are the proud new owners of a log playhouse raffled off by the Seeley Lake Elementary students going to Washington D.C. this summer. They feel very fortunate to have won the playhouse and know that their 10 grandchildren will enjoy it. Bo Hinchey built the six by eight-foot playhouse this spring. He put in about 40 hours on the project and donated it to the group going on the trip as a fundraiser. Those going on the trip could sell tickets individually a...
Halloween is creeping up on us. The rush is on to find the perfect pumpkin, the spookiest costume, and the best candy for trick-or-treaters. However, along with all this excitement comes potential fire hazards related to seasonal decor and costumes. Fortunately, fire risks can be avoided by following the National Fire Protection Association's (NFPA) Halloween safety precautions. From 2011-2015, U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated average of 840 home structure fires per year that...
Seeley Lake Truck-or-Treat Returns Oct. 31 at Wilderness Gateway Inn SEELEY LAKE – Wilderness Gateway Inn, south of Cory’s Valley Market, will be hosting the fourth annual Seeley Lake Truck-or-Treat from 6-8 p.m. Oct. 31. Everyone is encouraged to decorate a trunk and come out for an evening of fun. There are a lot of ideas online and on the Seeley Lake Truck-or-Treat Facebook page. Organizers ask that the trunks can be as simple or elaborate as the owner chooses, “just keep it friendly for the youngsters.” Set up will begin for trunks at 5 p....
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Historical Society sends a special thank you to the Double Arrow Ranch "Trolls" for covering the wagons at the Seeley Lake Historical Museum and Visitor Center. The "Trolls" are an ad hoc group of men who voluntarily do good where needed. The old gravel-dump wagon that they covered for winter was used on the original tote road that served pioneers in the valley from Lion Creek to Ovando during the late 1890s through the early 1900. The museum/visitor center remains...
SEELEY LAKE – Shoppers filled Deer Country Quilts Saturday morning, Oct. 14 when 29 quilters from Helena chose to take a road trip to Seeley Lake. The quilt store was the group's first stop before going for lunch, checking out other stores and then returning home. The goal was simple: Help support local businesses following a summer with huge economic loss due to the Rice Ridge Fire. The road trip was the brainchild of Connie Roope, owner of Prickly Pear Quilts in Helena. She understands how m...
SEELEY LAKE – “No” was the response most Seeley Lake residents received from the Missoula County Sheriff’s Office in the first days of the Evacuation Order issued the evening of Aug. 28. With the task of establishing control and managing people’s safety there was little more they could say. Many suffered in silence or shared their frustrations on social media. As the evacuation drug on, conversations shifted and deputies started to discuss reasonable accommodations with those who presented issues. Looking back on the historic fire season th...
SWAN VALLEY – Fifth through eighth-grade students from Swan Valley School, Salmon Prairie School, and area home schools came together at the Upper Swan Valley Historical Society (USVHS) Museum Monday, Oct. 9 to help create footage for the Next Exit History app. The free app, begun as a graduate student project at the University of West Florida, Pensacola, now lists more than 60,000 sites worldwide. The goal of the app is to acquaint people with historical sites. Footage such as that supplied b...
SEELEY LAKE – The stress, chaos and loss that surrounds wildfire is still fresh on the minds of Seeley Lake residents. The Seeley Lake Community Foundation is organizing an effort to offer temporary refuge to those who have lost their homes or been evacuated due to the Sonoma County fires as a way to pay it forward. More than half of the residents of Seeley Lake are seasonal. This makes some furnished homes available for use by those affected. The Foundation’s goal is to get many of these homes donated for the temporary use by the Sonoma County...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Ranger District has announced a Nov. 30 deadline for submitting 2017/2018 Winter/Spring Recreation Event Special Use Permit applications. Applications received past this deadline will not be accepted for review. A Recreation Event Special Use Permit is required for organizing any use or activity on National Forest System lands that meets either of the following criteria, regardless of whether the use or activity is intended to produce a profit: • Where an entry or participation fee is charged. Donations are c...
SEELEY LAKE - Brian D'Ambrosio will be discussing his book on the history of Big Sky Cinema, "Shot in Montana," Saturday, Oct. 21, at 7 p.m. at the Grizzly Claw Trading Company. Alpine Artisans Open Book Club sponsors the event. D'Ambrosio lives in Helena where he writes for a variety of publications. His favorite subjects are history, biography, architecture, boxing, NFL tough guys, photography, forgotten inventors and obscure American poets and authors. For more than 100 years, film...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Council got back on schedule with their meeting Oct. 9. It was the first meeting since the spring after all of the summer meetings were canceled due to lack of quorum or the Rice Ridge Fire. The council was given an update on county activities from Missoula County Commissioner Jean Curtiss. Sheriff T.J. McDermott discussed the departure of Deputy Mike Sunderland from Seeley Lake and the search for his replacement. Two new members were sworn onto the council and the council reorganized its leadership....
POTOMAC - Potomac School kindergartners through eighth-graders participated in the annual Bike-a-Thon Oct. 12. The Bike-a-Thon is a fundraiser to raise money for educational activities. The number of miles ridden and amount raised was unavailable at press time....
"As I looked across the rolling expanse of prairie, filled with the beauty of a Montana sunset, I sent up a little prayer of thanksgiving from my heart for this our very first home. Only a rectangle of prairie sod, raw and untouched by the hands of man, but to us it was a kingdom ... "... We have no regrets; life is fuller and sweeter through lessons learned in privation, and around our homestead days some of life's fondest memories still cling. We are of Montana, now and always ... I feel that...
POTOMAC – The Potomac School Board heard public concerns and addressed regular items including reports and the principal’s plan at their Oct. 9 meeting. During public comment a letter from a community member was read raising concerns about volunteer positions at the school and sport policies. In some sports, volunteer coaches have been told they are not to coach anymore because staff will be used as coaches. Other concerns included the new bus policy where parents and siblings are not to ride to or from games anymore on the busses due to liabil...
Not so long ago we had a President that declared, “We are not a Christian nation.” A statement which would likely have surprised and upset our founding fathers. And though today’s headlines might lead one to discouragement and despair, this present darkness should hold no surprise for the Christian. While reflecting on the state of the world in general, and our nation in particular, I was reminded of two things that point to a future hope: The first, a theory by Scottish historian, Alexander Tytler who observed in the early 1800’s a pattern...
SWAN VALLEY – In keeping with Fire Prevention Week Oct. 8-14 Swan Valley Emergency Services opened their doors and hosted their annual open house Saturday, Oct. 14. Attendees enjoyed drinks and goodies while being given a tour of the Fire Hall and equipment demonstrations including the heart monitor and thermal imaging camera. Attendees also practiced with their fire extinguishers. Those interested were able to get their blood glucose, blood pressure and blood oxygen level checked. New this y...
SWAN VALLEY - Potter Dodie Wood's Rustic Pots Studio was new to the tour this year. While she has displayed her pottery at Russ and Larrine Abolt's studio in the past, this was the first year she had the time to open her own studio for tours. Wood has been doing pottery on and off since the late 1990s as a hobby. Most of her pieces she gives to friends and family although she has sold some of her work at the Mission Mountains Mercantile and Holland Lake Lodge in the past. Wood came up with the n...
Fall colors and snow-capped mountains were a sight to behold as art enthusiasts traveled through the Blackfoot, Clearwater and Swan Valleys for Alpine Artisans, Inc.'s annual Tour of the Arts. Artists displayed their work, gave demonstrations and shared stories and trade secrets with those who stopped. This year's tour featured more than 25 artists in five artist studios, three galleries and two historical museums from Lincoln to Ovando, north to Seeley Lake and Condon and in between. Many of...
MISSOULA – DISH recently designated Eagle Satellite as a “Premier Local Retailer,” the company’s highest honor for businesses that demonstrate excellence in performance and customer experience. Following a highly selective process, Eagle Satellite joins the top five percent of authorized DISH retailers in the Premier program. As a result, customers in Missoula have a front-row seat to experience the latest products, announcements and offers available from DISH. “Eagle Satellite is truly tuned in to the needs and preferences of customers...
Town Clean Up SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Rural Fire District encourages residents of Seeley Lake to remove the evacuation warning and order flagging and signs from their property to help clean up the town. Since all the evacuation notices have been lifted, it is no longer needed. Movie Night Returns, Oct. 21 SEELEY LAKE – Movie Night returns to the Seeley Lake Fire Hall Saturday, Oct. 21 at 6:30 p.m. Join the Seeley Lake volunteers for chili and the movie “Captain Underpants” in the fire hall bay. While the event is geared towards element...
SEELEY LAKE – Bull Creek Forestry's reputation of good forest stewardship, and respect for both the land and the people they work with is known in the area. Now Montana Wood Products Association recognized Owner Leelyn Cahoon as the "Logger of the Year." Leelyn was also named "Western Region Outstanding Logger" by the Forest Resources Association's Western Region and Stihl Incorporated. While Leelyn was surprised and honored by the recognition, he quickly pointed to his employees as the r...
MONTANA – The Montana Community Foundation, Inc. (MCF) announces the opening of the grant cycle for the Montana Wildfire Relief Fund, a charitable fund dedicated to supporting wildfire relief efforts following the unprecedented wildfire season in Montana. The fund originated as a partnership between MCF and the Montana Television Network. Launched in early September 2017, the fund has grown to more than $400,000 through the extraordinary generosity of individuals, businesses, private foundations and many others across the country. Applicants m...
POTOMAC – Magnets are used in telephones, compasses and speakers. They can also prevent internal injuries in cattle. Some Potomac cattle producers give magnets to their cattle to prevent bovine traumatic reticuloperitonitis, otherwise known as 'hardware disease.' Cattle are ruminants and grazers. They may pick up small bits of metal like staples, wire, nails or other small pieces in fields and pastures or from processed feed. How cattle are fed and where they are fed can make a difference, s...
SEELEY LAKE – The First Friday inaugural event got people out and about Friday, Oct. 6. Organizers were pleased with how the first event went and look forward to First Fridays through the winter. The first person to visit the Tamaracks Resort, the featured business of the month, received a free greeting card from the Seeley Lake Area Chamber of Commerce. While no attendees took the Resort up on their 50 percent discount on kayak and canoe rentals many enjoyed snacks, drinks and browsed the g...
Knowing that today’s homes burn faster than ever, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) announced “Every Second Counts: Plan Two Ways Out” as the official theme for this year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign, Oct. 8-14. Experts say you may have as little as two minutes (or even less) to safely escape a typical home fire from the time the smoke alarm sounds. “Modern home furnishings, along with the fact that newer homes tend to be built with more open spaces and unprotected lightweight construction, all contribute to an increased...
The 2017 Alpine Artisans' annual Tour of the Arts invites you to take a tour of local artists at work on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 14 and 15 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. This popular self-guided tour has expanded to feature the work of more than 25 artists in five artist studios, three galleries and two historical museums in Seeley Lake, Condon, Lincoln and Ovando. The tour is held annually in mid-October to feature the natural beauty of the western tamaracks as they turn a bright yellow and orange,...
SEELEY LAKE - Movie night during the Tour of the Arts weekend features two free showings of "Charged: The Eduardo Garcia Story" (84 minutes, PG) Friday, Oct. 13 at the Lincoln Community Hall and Saturday, Oct. 14 at the Seeley Lake Community Hall both at 7 p.m. "Charged" was created by the same Bozeman filmmakers that brought us last year's Tour of the Arts film, "Unbranded" director Phillip Baribeau and producer Dennis Aig. The film begins when Eduardo Garcia, a Bozeman outdoorsman and chef,...
SEELEY LAKE – Dennis Stroughmatt and L'Esprit Creole engaged the audience with their fast fingers, traditional stories and introduction to the Illinois French language and culture at their concert Sunday, Oct. 8 at Seeley-Swan High School. While many of the vocals were in Illinois French, they translated the storyline between songs. One of the common themes that guitarist Doug Hawe warned the audience was, "the pretty, beautiful, slow songs is most likely about death and destruction." S...
SWAN VALLEY – In the late 1950s, Swan Valley resident Steve Ellis developed an interest in missiles, especially in the Minuteman Missile program. That interest led him to a 24-year career in the United States Air Force (USAF). Throughout that time, Ellis worked at several bases. He filled a number of different roles but rockets and missiles were always at the center. Ellis entered the Air Force by way of the United States Military Academy at West Point. He said the USAF was just beginning its o...
SWAN VALLEY – From an early fascination with John Wayne, Missouri native Rebecca Ramsey couldn't believe that people really lived that way. Now more than three decades later, Ramsey is quick to call the Swan Valley home after being hired as Swan Valley Connections new executive director. Ramsey is originally from St. Louis, Mo. She first came to Montana in 1984 with her grandparents when she declared "I'm moving to Montana!" Ramsey received her Bachelor of Science in Mass Communications with a...
SEELEY LAKE – Even though the flames and smoke subsided, Diane Hutton's Type 2 Northern Rockies Incident Management Team spent the majority of their time repairing firelines and suppression sites. When they turned the fire management back to the Seeley Lake Range District Oct. 3, 122 miles of lines and 322 sites damaged from suppression activities had been repaired. Each of the five teams that managed the Rice Ridge Fire were briefed on the Lolo National Forest's suppression and repair p...
CORRECTION: Estate Planning Workshop on Thursday, Nov. 2 SEELEY LAKE - The Estate Planning for Everybody workshop at the Double Arrow Lodge is Wednesday, Nov. 1 from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. or Thursday, Nov. 2 from 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Call 728-7682 and ask to register for “Estate Planning for Everybody” in Seeley Lake. Or register online at https://estateplanning4everybody.eventbrite.com The event is free, but registration is required. Death Notice - Linda Leigh Brown SEELEY LAKE - Linda Leigh Brown, 74, of Seeley Lake, passed away peacefully Oct...
SEELEY LAKE – Bears had free reign in Seeley Lake during the evacuations. Now that everyone is back in their home, there is no excuse not to properly secure attractants keeping bears and residents safe. This is also true for residents in the Union Creek area near Potomac where bears are frequenting several garabage cans placed for pick up. During the fire evacuations Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Region 2 Bear Manager Jamie Jonkel said quite a few different black bears and at least one g...
SEELEY LAKE - More than a million acres of Montana burned this fire season. Of the more than 750,000 federal acres that burned, nearly 160,000 acres were on the Rice Ridge Fire near Seeley Lake. Due to the large geographical area and scope of the post-fire recovery efforts, Region 1 of the Forest Service launched a new approach to assessing the burned areas and pursuing salvage logging opportunities. While many people, including Pyramid Mountain Lumber, Inc., want to see the process expedited,...
SEELEY LAKE – It's not every day someone receives a message of thanks or encouragement on a rock. The Seeley Lake Elementary students are expressing their gratitude to the firefighters and others that helped them through the fires this summer with a Kindness Rocks project. SLE art teacher Sharon Teague came up with the idea of painting rocks with her art students after viewing the website kindnessrocks.org. "The premise is you [decorate] the rocks, you hide them and then people find them and i...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Elementary School, Filling Station and Seeley Lake Area Chamber of Commerce have teamed up to launch a family-friendly First Friday in Seeley Lake starting Oct. 6. The intent of the event is to have something fun for the community of Seeley Lake and visitors to enjoy during the winter and help boost the economy. SLE Superintendent Chris Stout came up with the idea to bring a band into the school during lunch. Following lunch, the band will do a workshop/performance for the students starting at 1 p.m. “We do the...
SEELEY LAKE - Law enforcement and Missoula County government will dominate the agenda of the Seeley Lake Community Council’s agenda next Monday. County Commissioner Jean Curtiss will give an update about what is happening in county government. Sheriff T.J. McDermott will talk about what’s going on in local law enforcement. Deputy Mike Sunderland will also attend. He was recently promoted to Detective and has moved to Missoula. The community will have an opportunity to thank Sunderland for his service to our town and also to convey to She...
MONTANA – Businesses or private non-profit organizations that suffer physical damage or sustain economic injury in a declared disaster area may be eligible for long-term, low-interest loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration to repair or replace damaged property. While there were no physical damages caused by the Rice Ridge Fire, small businesses and most private non-profit organizations of all sizes suffering substantial economic injury may be eligible for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan of up to $2 million to meet necessary f...
WASHINGTON – In the wake of the more than 160,000-acre Rice Ridge Fire, U.S. Senator Jon Tester continues to pursue the Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Act. While many of the supporters and those opposed remain unchanged in their opinion of the legislation, all voiced concerns about forest management, policy and funding issues need to be addressed in response to the Rice Ridge Fire. Sen. Tester requested the BCSA be included in a legislative hearing from the Senate Energy and Natural Resources...
MISSOULA – While all fire restrictions on federal, state and tribal lands were lifted Wednesday, Sept. 20, it was still illegal to operate internal combustion engines after 2 p.m., use charcoal or have a campfire on private land and open space lands in Missoula County until Tuesday, Sept. 26. The delay had nothing to do with the threat of wildfire but rather the inability of the Missoula County Commissioners to approve the decision without a public meeting. The public notification requirements and requirements of open meeting law necessitate t...
SEELEY LAKE – Funds are still being distributed to help individuals affected by the Rice Ridge Fire. The Seeley Lake Community Foundation is playing an active role helping to ensure donated funds are getting to those in need. The Missoula County Office of Emergency Management designated the Seeley Lake Community Foundation as a Community Organizations Active in Disaster. Foundation President Carla Schade said when people called to donate she gave them the option to donate through United Way Missoula’s Lolo Peak/Rice Ridge Fire Funds or directly...
SEELEY LAKE – While the volume of timber harvested during the Rice Ridge Fire suppression efforts is still unknown, the Seeley Lake Ranger District is hoping to have the logs on trucks starting the end of this month. Since there is no National Environmental Policy Act process and no opportunity for litigation because it is still within the agencies' ability to act under an emergency situation, Seeley Lake District Ranger Rachel Feigley does not anticipate anything stopping the sale of the l...
SEELEY LAKE – The final tally is in for the fundraising efforts that culminated with the Carnival for Addy Sept. 24. Since the carnival was announced in mid-August, $25,630.04 has been raised for the Trevino family from Seeley Lake. "We continue to be shocked by all the support. The carnival looked amazing and exceeded our expectations tremendously," wrote the Trevinos in an email. While their three-year-old daughter Addy was finished with radiation for her brain tumor, they were not able to r...
SUPERIOR - The Blackhawks added another victory to their season Sept. 29 after battling the Clark Fork Co-op Mountain Cats. The high scoring game had the crowd on the edge of their seats until the end and had defensive coaches shaking their heads. Both the Mountain Cats and the Blackhawks scored eight touchdowns each with two of them in the last minute of play. The Blackhawks struck first, after stopping the Mountain Cats opening drive. A couple of nice runs from Nate Samuli and a catch from...
Seeley Lake Library News SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Library Book Club will meet Wednesday, Oct. 18 at 11 a.m. to discuss Blaine Harden’s “Escape from Camp 14.” In this book, Harden presents the true account of Shin Dong-hyuk, a North Korean born in a political prison camp who eventually escapes. One review states that this is a book all adults should read. The discussion is open to all. Books are available at the checkout desk. For more information call 677-8995. The Seeley Lake Library is a branch of Missoula Public Library located at Se...
SEELEY LAKE - Closures related to fire suppression efforts on the Rice Ridge Fire are still in effect for public lands managed by the Lolo National Forest, Montana Department of Natural Resources and Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. Local agencies and the incident management team ask people to respect these closures for their own safety and the safety of the firefighters still working on the fire. Even though recent precipitation has tampered fire behavior, multiple pieces of heavy equipment engaged in the repair efforts are utilizing the road...
SEELEY LAKE – Sunday afternoon was the best day for a party in months and a party it was. The sun added sparkle to the snow-capped mountains as the Seeley Lake community came out en masse raising thousands of dollars to support the Trevino family and their three-year-old daughter Addy. This past July Addy was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor. After coming through her radiation treatments with the spunk and energy of "the little monster" that her parents Jen and Treay affectionately c...
MONTANA – Governor Steve Bullock announced a collaborative effort across state government to help Montana businesses and communities impacted by wildfires access state resources to help minimize the economic impact. “Montana is strong and resilient,” said Governor Bullock. “The tireless work of firefighters and the generous support of volunteers have protected the safety and livelihood of Montanans across the state. As the work continues, we’re putting our best foot forward to ensure our businesses and communities will fully recover from any...
SEELEY LAKE - As of Tuesday, Sept. 26, the Rice Ridge Fire was 160,181 acres and has cost around $47.1 million. While the fire burned through a majority of the Seeley Lake Ranger District on the east side of Highway 83, the intensity with which it burned is highly variable. All photos were taken Sunday, Sept. 24 while on a tour of the west side....
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Sewer District Board refused to answer questions brought by the public at their Sept. 21 meeting. Also at the meeting the board was updated by their manager on the status of funding and progress toward the next step. The district also voted to retain an attorney and discussed their inter-local agreement with the county and the health department’s refusal to pay for water testing. During “Public Comment,” Don Larson asked who made the decision and what the rational was behind using the Seeley Lake Regional Plan...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Elementary School Board of Trustees discussed how to make up the four days of school missed due to the Rice Ridge Fire, teacher bonuses and enrollment at their Sept. 19 meeting. Superintendent Chris Stout said that most of the people he talked to felt it would be easier to tack the four days on the end of the year rather than trying to make up days throughout the year or adding time to each day. If days were added throughout the year it would most likely cut into teacher training days and/or spring break. Adding...
SEELEY LAKE - Dennis Stroughmatt and L'Esprit Creole (Don't call it Cajun!) will be bringing foot stomping, hand clapping music to our valleys Oct. 8 (note date change!), 3 p.m. at the Seeley-Swan High School Auditorium. Because this visit is as much about history and culture as it is music, we're pretty sure everyone will find it interesting-and lively. The description of the trio includes "fingers and bow flying, Dennis Stroughmatt takes listeners on a musical odyssey not so different from his...
POTOMAC - From a special hunt to perhaps a trophy animal, taxidermy is a way to preserve the memory. Woods N Water in Potomac is the place to get that done. Woods N Water is the new taxidermy shop located between Gold Creek and Twin Creek Roads on the north side of the highway in Potomac. Owner Chris Cotten said he has always been interested and intrigued by taxidermy and is honored to be involved in the taxidermy business. Cotten joined the Marine Corps after high school. Then came college and...
SEELEY LAKE – When Kindergartner Jesse Wink came up with the idea to raise money for Seattle Children's Hospital this summer he started with $22. After three months he raised $460.09 and presented the check to his doctor at his appointment in August. Wink's goal was to help children who are facing Chiari Malformation, a condition where the brain grows into the spine. He was diagnosed with Chiari Malformation before he was two years old. Wink raised money by having a refreshment stand, holding a...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake community response to the wildfire health screening held Sept. 20 was overwhelming. Health officials closed the door three hours early after 95 participants signed up. That was the maximum number of materials that they had brought with them, not knowing the level of interest. About three weeks ago, the Missoula City-County Health Department approached the University of Montana researchers about conducting the study because the levels of particulates and duration w...
Swan Valley AARP Meeting, Oct. 2 SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley AARP will meet at noon Monday, Oct. 2 at the Swan Valley Community Hall. A potluck lunch hosted by Russ and Larrine Abolt will begin at 12:30 p.m. At 1:30 p.m., Joe Pecora, a Cowboy Poet and former Condon resident, will read some poetry and tell some stories. The public is invited. New Date for “Be Our Guest” Event SEELEY LAKE - The date for the Sparrow’s Vine “Be Our Guest” Fundraising Banquet has been changed to Oct. 19 to accommodate the guest speaker. The event begins at 6 p.m....
Blackfoot Pathways: Sculpture in the Wild invites the public to the opening of the Lincoln sculpture park’s latest installation, a woven-willow masterpiece by acclaimed artist Patrick Dougherty. For the past three weeks artist-in-residence Dougherty and his band of volunteers from across the U.S. twisted, weaved and entangled thousands of willow saplings to create a whimsical, house-size sculpture in the park on the east edge of Lincoln along Montana 200. The launch is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Friday. Come a little early (at 4 p.m.) and enjoy a...
SEELEY LAKE – Chinook Winds brought a breath of fresh air to the students and the valleys as they kicked off the official 2 Valleys Stage 2017-2018 season with their concert Sunday, Sept. 17 at Swan Valley School. The resident wind quintet of the Great Falls Symphony related music to all ages with their vast repertoire and explanation of music fundamentals. This is not the first time the Chinook Winds have been a part of the 2VS season lineup. They closed out the 2014-2015 concert series with a...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Sewer District Board voted at a special board meeting Sept. 14 to accept Rural Development’s (RD) new conditions for funding that includes an extra $1 million in grants and $1.3 million in loans. The extra funding to cover the increase in construction estimates for Phase I of the collection system and the treatment plant brings the funding package to a total of $15.6 million. Board member Bob Skiles questioned if Manager Greg Robertson had reviewed the letter. Robertson was not at the meeting but Robertson had s...
SEELEY LAKE – Doug Janison was short just one ingredient he needed to host an ice cream social for the firefighters at the Rice Ridge Fire Camp. Janison, managing partner of Houston's Too Catering, had 30 gallons of ice cream, caramel and chocolate sauce, plain M&Ms, Oreo cookies, Spanish peanuts, rainbow sprinkles, whipped cream and cherries. However, he needed people to serve. After reaching out to Seeley-Swan High School, the Leo Club stepped up to the plate. It's not every day a local s...
SEELEY LAKE - The cooler temperatures and moisture in the form of rain and snow were welcomed sights this past week. With the change in weather, fire managers and law enforcement lifted all evacuation warnings for for the Rice Ridge Fire around 6 p.m. Sept. 18. Effective 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 20, Stage I and Stage II fire restrictions were rescinded on federal, state and tribal lands. Private lands in Missoula and surrounding counties remain in restrictions until County Commissions issue...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake Elementary is looking for adults who are interested in connecting with junior high students on a whole new level. SLE is hosting their third Phlight Club for Seeley Lake and Swan Valley seventh and eighth graders at Camp Paxson Thursday and Friday, Sept. 28-29. They are inviting adults in the community to stop by, check it out and get involved. Phlight Club is an event where adults and student interact through cooperative learning, trust and teamwork activities. The int...
SEELEY LAKE – Though Seeley Lake Elementary School (SLE) got off to a slow start, having canceled the first four days of school due to fire danger, students and teachers are back and plunging into the 2017-2018 season. Superintendent Chris Stout said changes in personnel and activities are minimal this year. The only new teacher is music instructor Kristen Cottom. Cottom will be dividing her time among SLE, Swan Valley School and Seeley-Swan High School. New staff member Heather Mincey replaced...
SEELEY LAKE – Despite concerns from near-by landowners, Greg Poncin's Type 1 Incident Management Team initiated a 7,000 acre burnout north of Cottonwood Lakes Road (Forest Road 477) Sunday, Sept. 10 on the Rice Ridge Fire. By Thursday, Sept. 14, ignition was complete and the objectives were met; bring the main fire 2.5 miles south to the shaded fuel break and Cottonwood Lakes Road while moderating the fire behavior to reduce the tree mortality and minimize spot fires. The majority of the s...
SEELEY LAKE – The Rice Ridge Fire rehabbing process began Thursday. Firefighting crews started wrapping up 135 miles of hose, collecting the 224 pumps and 1094 sprinkler heads and collapsing the large orange portable tanks called pumpkins. Montana National Guard units helped with roadblocks and also were put to work shuttling the equipment to the Incident Command Post south of Seeley Lake and rolling the hose. This season the Missoula Fire Cache has sent out more than 900 miles of hose to f...
SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley Regional Planning Committee worked through the final sections of the Housing Element and completed the Transportation Element of the Growth Plan at their meeting Sept. 13. The SVRPC addressed the goals, policies and actions of the fourth element entitled Housing. The committee voted to change the word “ensure” to “support” having adequate housing now and in the future in the first goal. They voted to accept the edit to the second goal which referred to adding affordable housing in the new development review...
SEELEY LAKE – Kristen Cottom is looking forward to bringing her energy to the music classes of Seeley-Swan High School, Seeley Lake Elementary and Swan Valley School this year. A first-year teacher, she looks forward to encouraging the students to work hard and give them a good music foundation while honing in on the talent that already exists. Cottom was raised in Dillon, Mont. "I just knew as a little kid that I wanted to be a teacher. I loved my teachers so much that I wanted to be a t...
MISSOULA – Twenty-five years ago the movie "A River Runs Through It" was released. The film was based on Norman Maclean's novella of the same name and the river was the Blackfoot. Taking its cue from descriptions in the novella, the movie displayed spectacular scenes of the pristine waters of the Blackfoot River, fly fishing on the Blackfoot River, running the rapids on the Blackfoot River. The irony is that none of those scenes were filmed on the Blackfoot River. Patrick Markey the film's p...
SEELEY LAKE - After the Seeley Lake Sewer Board’s special meeting Sept. 14 where the board voted to accept Rural Development’s new conditions, the Pathfinder compared the new Letter of Conditions with the previous letter. The comparison revealed a handful of changes not discussed at the meeting. RD did not respond to the Pathfinder’s request for additional information and clarification on changes to the Letter of Conditions by the press deadline. Letter of Conditions dated Sept. 11, 2017 versus Letter of Conditions dated Aug. 17, 2016: • The...
MISSOULA – Montana fires have affected many customers and employees of both Blackfoot and Missoula Electric Cooperative (MEC) this summer. The cooperatives share many of the same service areas and wanted to help their neighbors. The respective Board of Trustees from each organization expressed a desire to aid their local communities impacted by the devastating fire season. The CEOs from both companies were quick to collaborate. Jason Williams from Blackfoot and Mark Hayden from MEC issued a joint statement: “We are pleased to pledge $10...
Community Handbell Choir Fall Season Begins SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley-Swan Mountain Bells, a local community handbell choir, will kick-off the fall season Tuesday, Sept. 26. New members are welcome. Anyone who is curious is encouraged to give the group a try and see how you like it. Members are expected to be able to read music. The choir practices Tuesdays in the music room at Seeley Lake Elementary school. Set up begins at 3:15 p.m., practice is from 3:30 – 5 p.m. and then members should allow time to take down. Director Joann Wallenburn d...
Morning Update: The Rice Ridge Fire is 160,181 acres, 71% completed* and has cost $45.9 million. There are currently 366 personnel assigned to the fire. YESTERDAY: Periodic rain showers yesterday brought moisture over the fire area averaging 0.10 inches. Firefighters continued mop up and patrol from the northwest side of the fire south and east to Monture Cabin. Focus areas for mop up remained in Sawyer Creek where heat was still present and sprinklers were still running in the bog area between...
LINCOLN - Rain, snow and colder weather in the Lincoln-area high country provided relief from fires - and the resultant smoke - but caused some schedule changes for this weekend's "Festival in the Wild," a celebration of Blackfoot Pathways: Sculpture in the Wild and the work of artist-in-residence Patrick Dougherty. The park along Montana 200 on the eastern edge of Lincoln has become a focal point for visitors to the area. A unique, walk-in, woven-willow sculpture by the North Carolina-based...
SEELEY LAKE – Camp Paxson is much quieter this week after 50 of the evacuees were able to return home Tuesday, Sept. 5. The camp was home to 64 evacuees, including 20 children from infant to a senior in high school that stayed at least one night. Ten Seeley Lake evacuees remained anxiously awaiting the word that came Sunday morning. They were able to return home as well. Glenn and Jo Warneke are the caretakers for Camp Paxson. All of the contracted groups, including three weddings, scheduled f...
SEELEY LAKE – After two years of planning and organizing, the In the Footsteps of Norman Maclean Festival finally came to fruition Sept. 8-10. Sponsored by Alpine Artisans, Inc. (AAI) and spearheaded by AAI Program Director Jenny Rohrer, the event encompassed literature, fly fishing, pollution, wine tasting, fire, geology, breakfast, the United States Forest Service, a gala dinner, stories and memories. The theme running through it all was the Blackfoot River. In 2015, the Maclean Festival highl...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley Lake Rural Fire District volunteer Shelly Johnson and District Administrator Lynn Richards stood to remember those who served and lost their lives during the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001. They stood for 102 minutes, the amount of time it took for the first of the two Twin Towers to fall. This was their ninth year doing this memorial....
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has authorized the use of federal funds to help with firefighting costs for the Rice Ridge, Alice Creek, West Fork, Highway 200 Complex and Moose Creek Fires. FEMA Acting Regional Administrator Nancy J. Dragani approved the state’s request for a federal Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) after receiving the state’s requests on Saturday, Sept. 9. On Saturday, the Rice Ridge fire was threatening 1,020 homes in and around Seeley Lake....
Despite a snowy winter and wet spring, fire season hit western Montana hard in 2017. Wildfire is inevitable in Montana. Our forests are adapted to fire, and our climate is conducive to it. In this challenging fire season, landowners and homeowners who live in the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) are reminded that we need to take responsibility in preparing our property for wildfire. It is the least we can do to help the firefighters and fire managers who work so hard and often risk their lives to...
SWAN VALLEY - Everyone is ready for a breath of fresh air! Sunday, Sept. 17 Chinook Winds will blow through the Seeley Swan Valleys. The resident wind quintet of the Great Falls Symphony will perform at 3 p.m. in the Swan Valley School. The group will be in our schools September 14-15 working with students in Seeley Lake, Condon and Potomac. Founded in 1992 by the Great Falls Symphony, the Chinook Winds have followed their mission to bring the highest quality chamber music to a wide variety of a...
SEELEY LAKE – When a book begins "In our family, there was no clear line between religion and fly fishing," it is a safe bet the book is going to contain a lot about fly fishing. When that book is converted into a movie, it becomes necessary to show someone casting and catching fish. In addition, the fly fishing needs to look completely authentic. John Bailey is the one who brought that degree of perfection to the film "A River Runs Through It." Baily owns the Dan Baily Fly Fishing shop in L...
OVANDO – Ovando's Brand Bar Museum is filled with stories and items as colorful as its past. Situated in the heart of Ovando, what was a bar for nearly 100 years is now home to historical treasures from the Blackfoot Valley and host to numerous revolving displays that promote interaction with the local history. The building was built in the late 1890s. Henry Dixon and Charlie Young opened the saloon named "Bucket of Blood" in 1897. It was renamed the Double Diamond, Brand Bar Saloon and T...
SEELEY LAKE – "Evacuation Downgraded – Residents can return to their homes," were welcome words to Seeley Lake residents, some who had been displaced for more than two weeks. This week firefighters were able to contain the areas of the Rice Ridge Fire that concerned Greg Poncin's Type 1 Incident Management Team around Seeley Lake to a point where they felt it was safe to let residents return starting Tuesday, Sept. 5. Residents are asked to leave all evacuation order and warning markings on thei...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Baptist Church had no idea what to expect when they were contacted by Amynda Behm from Minot, N.D. Behm wanted to bring donations for people who have been affected by the fires. Monday morning, Sept. 11 it took seven people an hour to unload the trailer full of supplies that she had collected from the Minot community in less than a week. The 2011 flood in Minot destroyed most of city and affected the Behm family directly. There were more than 5,000 people e...
SEELEY LAKE – Due to evacuation orders from the Rice Ridge Fire, Seeley-Swan High School campus was closed. Even though the Rice Ridge Fire evacuation order was lifted Tuesday, Sept. 5 for the SSHS area, the location for classes remains at The Resort at Paws Up until further notice. Busses left every morning from Lindey's Prime Steak House parking lot at 7:40 a.m. Principal Dr. Kathleen Pecora said everyone but one freshman showed up for the first day of class Tuesday, Sept. 5. The morning w...
Red Cross Blood Drive, Sept. 20 SEELEY LAKE – Mission Bible Fellowship will be hosting a Red Cross blood drive on Wednesday Sept. 20 from 11:45 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. People can register at www.redcrossblood.org or download the Red Cross app. Residents Asked to Help with Study on the Smoke Impacts, Sept. 20 SEELEY LAKE - The University of Montana, in conjunction with the Missoula County-City Health Department, is seeking help from Seeley Lake residents in learning how the smoke impacted their health and the barriers for finding clean air that e...
Morning Update: The Rice Ridge Fire grew more than 20,000 acres yesterday. It is now 155,900 acres and 38% contained. There are currently 731 fire personnel assigned to the fire. It has cost $40.1 million. YESTERDAY: Governor Steve Bullock, Montana National Guard Adjutant General Matthew T. Quinn and the new Chief of the USDA Forest Service, Tony Tooke, met with Incident Commander Greg Poncin and stakeholders at the Incident Command Post yesterday for a briefing on the status of the fire. The...
Morning Update: The Waters of Seeley Lake have been reopened for recreation today. There is a tentative meeting planned for Ovando Friday night but may be postponed due to incoming weather. Fire size remains the same as yesterday because cloud cover did not allow an infrared flight over the fire last night. However, fire growth did occur yesterday around the fire area due to winds gusting to 30 MPH. The reported acreage from yesterday was 155,900, it is 40% contained with 778 fire personnel on...
Rice Ridge Fire Morning Update: The Powell County Sheriff will lift the Evacuation Orders for Coopers Lake and the Sheppy Zone near Monture Cabin in Powell County at 11:30 am today. Both areas will be downgraded to Evacuation Warnings, allowing people to return to their homes. Upcoming Community Meeting: Ovando: Friday, September 15th, 6 pm at the Ovando Elementary School Gym, 108 Birch Street. The Rice Ridge Fire acres is still at 155,900 acres due to no IR flight. The containment is 40% with...
Morning Update: Still no IR flight so the acreage remains at 155,900 acres. The fire is now 45% contained and has 608 personnel assigned. The cost is up to $42.3 million. There will be a community meeting in Seeley Lake Monday, Sept. 18 at 6pm at the Mission Bible Fellowship Church, 3158 Highway 83.Tuesday night, Sept. 19, their will be another community meeting at the Ovando Elementary School Gym, 108 Birch Street at 6pm. YESTERDAY: Precipitation over the past two days decreased from east to...
Rice Ridge and Liberty Fires Update: There will be a community meeting in Seeley Lake tonight, Sept. 18 at 6pm at the Mission Bible Fellowship Church, 3158 Highway 83. There will be a meeting Tuesday, Sept. 19th, 6 pm at the Ovando Elementary School Gym, 108 Birch Street. The Rice Ridge Fire remains at 160,181 acres and is 61% completed for the 35% of the fire area that is either full suppression or confinement strategy. The Liberty Fire acreage has not been updated. It is 95% completed based on...
SEELEY LAKE – The crowd dwindled at the last community meeting in Seeley Lake with Greg Poncin's Type 1 Incident Management Team Monday, Sept. 18. Those in attendance filled the Mission Bible Fellowship sanctuary with applause when the deputy Incident Commander announced all Evacuation Warnings have been lifted for the Rice Ridge Fire effective immediately. Seeley Lake Fire Chief Bob Vanden Heuvel addressed those in attendance reminding them of the firefighter that paid the ultimate sacrifice t...
Morning Update for the Rice Ridge and Liberty Fire Updates: There will be a community meeting tonight, Sept. 19, at 6 pm at the Ovando Elementary School Gym. The Rice Ridge Fire is currently 160,170 acres, 61% completed* with 377 personnel assigned to the fire. It has cost $45.4 million and threatened 1719 structures. The Liberty Fire is currently 28,689 acres and 98% completed*. There has been one outbuilding lost and the fire has cost $20.3 million. There are currently 167 personnel assigned...
SEELEY LAKE - Tuesday, Aug. 29 Seeley Lake resident Stuart Stone, 73, was arrested for nearly hitting a National Guard Solider at the roadblock into an evacuated area for the Rice Ridge Fire. He was charged with assault with a weapon (his vehicle), resisting arrest and obstructing a governmental function. Tuesday, Aug. 29 around 4:15 p.m. Stuart Stone stopped at the roadblock on Whitetail Drive. Stuart had been previously evacuated and told officials he needed to get his mail. The National...
ANNOUNCEMENT: Due to extreme fire conditions, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) lands in western Montana are temporarily closed to all public access until conditions improve. TNC joins private timber companies, Weyerhaeuser and Stimson Lumber Company, in closing their western Montana lands to all public recreation, due to extreme fire danger. RICE RIDGE FIRE MORNING UPDATE: The Rice Ridge Fire grew to more than 109,000 acres and has merged with the 10,000 acre Reef Fire to the north east. The new...
SEELEY LAKE – Under Red Flag Conditions, the Rice Ridge Fire exploded this past weekend, adding 12,000 acres on Saturday and doubling the already 50,000 acres burned on Sunday. As of Tuesday, Sept. 5, the fire is more than 108,400 acres and only two percent contained. The only structure lost has been a portable outhouse. Over the past week more than 150 fire personnel have been added to the efforts. The team was spending $1 million per day to suppress the fire. The overall cost is more than $...
BARCELONA – Seeley Lake resident and Seeley Lake Elementary teacher Kelsi Luhnow didn't realize that her simple decision to stop at her hostel before going to the plaza at Las Ramblas in Barcelona, Spain may have saved her life. She was within a couple blocks of the terrorist rampage that reportedly killed 13 people and injured more than 100 Aug. 16. Luhnow, a world traveler, said her experience will not stop her from traveling but it does heighten her awareness. The past few years Luhnow has t...
SEELEY LAKE – There were a few people in Seeley Lake that didn’t receive the Smart911 alert Monday, Aug. 28 when parts of Seeley Lake were evacuated. While the oversight was due to human error, Smart911 is still the preferred method to send emergency alerts to the Missoula County community. According to Office of Emergency Management Director Adriane Beck the evacuation Monday, Aug. 28 was very dynamic. The first area that received the evacuation order that went out just after 5:30 p.m. included: Morrell Creek Drive north of Cougar Court; the...
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) issued a temporary closure Aug. 31 for most of the Blackfoot-Clearwater Wildlife Management Area (WMA), due to extreme fire conditions and the surrounding pre-evacuation notices related to the Rice Ridge Fire. The closure applies to all public entry on the Blackfoot-Clearwater WMA in Missoula and Powell Counties, south and west of Woodworth Road and the portion west of Highway 83, as posted. Ovando Mountain is the only portion of the WMA that remains open....
SWAN VALLEY – Swan Valley School started Tuesday, Sept. 5 with three new teachers and a new secretary. Supervising Teacher Susan Bracha was the only returning faculty this year. The only teacher new to the area is music teacher Kristin Cottom. Cottom is a first-year teacher that will instruct music at Swan Valley School, Seeley Lake Elementary and teaching band, choir and the History of Rock n' Roll at Seeley-Swan High School. The rest of the new faculty and staff are Swan Valley residents. K...
Hunters in western Montana should be aware of local fire restrictions and closures and take safety precautions. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks says hunting seasons will open as planned but some areas have wildfire-related closures that affect hunter access and travel including the Blackfoot-Clearwater Wildlife Management Area and surrounding State Trust Lands. The Northwest Montana Zone of Fire Management Agencies is asking Montana hunters to help prevent additional fires during this extreme fire season. Montana’s upland game bird season o...
SWAN VALLEY - A 640-acre private parcel within a mile of Holland Lake is now federally owned thanks to a collaborative effort between the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, a conservation-minded family and the U.S. Forest Service. The landowner had the acreage on the real estate market. A couple years ago they contacted the RMEF to see if they were interested in purchasing it. "We purchase and protect lands [like the Holland Lake Project] because they are so vital and the impacts from resident devel...
Due to the events of the Rice Ridge Fire, the Norman Maclean Festival is relocating the Seeley Lake events scheduled for the first two days of the Festival to Missoula’s First Presbyterian Church – Reverend Maclean’s historic church. Sunday’s films with the creative team from “A River Runs Through It” remain at the Roxy at 9:30 a.m. and The Wilma at 1 p.m. in Missoula as previously scheduled. The Festival’s Gala Dinner on Sept. 8 at the home of Big Blackfoot Riverkeeper Jerry O’Connell will continue as planned. “This was a painful and tough...
SEELEY LAKE – Have you been evacuated during the Rice Ridge Fire? Owner of Summit Insurance Agent Tom Monaghan said most homeowner policies have coverage that will pay additional living expenses in the event of a mandatory evacuation. The coverage that lends financial assistance to clients in causes such as the Rice Ridge Fire is called Additional Living Expense (ALE). Some companies may brand it with different names but in the industry it's referred to as Coverage D. If anyone affected calls th...
MISSOULA – Missoula County hosted a board member training session on Thursday, July 27. The county brought in Dan Clark of the Local Government Center to lead the training for anyone serving on a public board. Public boards, districts and commissions govern a vast number of public organizations and law-making bodies. Public boards control everything from public schools to county parks to the airport. Clark hosted two sessions, attended by nearly 100 county residents who serve on various boards and commissions of some sort. “What we do in the...
POTOMAC - On the morning of July 15, lightning struck near Liberty Creek, southeast of Arlee, Mont. and caused a wildfire which spread toward Placid Lake, the Rattlesnake Wilderness and the Gold Creek drainage on the north side of Potomac. The fire is west of the Belmont and north of Morrison Peak and Sunflower. As of Sept. 5, the Liberty Fire was 22,360 acres and was 17 percent contained. There were more than 375 personnel working it. On the Liberty Fire, safety and containment are the goals....
It took more than 60 years to create Glacier National Park, which is the foundation of the much larger natural system called the Crown of the Continent that we study and celebrate today. The events that led to the formation of the park and the surrounding ecosystem are regarded today as the bedrock of the conservation movement in America. What follows then is a timeline as we see it: 1849 – George Bird Grinnell born in Brooklyn, N.Y. – Sept. 20, 1849. George Bird Grinnell was the single mos...
HELMVILLE - The new grandstand was packed and it was standing room only at the 53rd annual Helmville Rodeo this past Labor Day Weekend, Sept. 3-4....
Space Available at Clearwater Alliance Church for Evacuees GREENOUGH - Clearwater Alliance Church, just east of Clearwater Junction, has offered space to park RV’s, camper trailers and set up tents for evacuees. Those camping can use the facility including three bathrooms, showers and a kitchen available. There is an RV dump across the road at the Rest Stop. For more information call Pastor Bruce Williams at 499-0345 or 499-0009 or Evelyn Holbrook at 529-3500. Blackfoot Challenge Swan Release Cancelled OVANDO - The Blackfoot Challenge Trumpeter...
OVANDO – The Community meeting started with an announcement that the evacuation order in parts of Seeley Lake was lifted. Greg Poncin's Type 1 Incident Management Team is happy with the progress they have made in the past couple of days due to the cooler temperatures and hope to continue progress through the rest of the week. Meeting Highlights: • Evacuation ORDERS were downgraded to evacuation WARNINGS in Zone 1 which affects approximately 429 homes. Zone 1 extends east from Highway 83 wit...
Rice Ridge Fire Morning Update: Community Meeting tonight, Sept. 7 at 6 pm at the Mission Bible Fellowship Church. There will be a meeting Friday Night, Sept. 8 at 6 pm at the Ovando Elementary School Gym. The Rice Ridge fire only added about 1,000 acres yesterday. It is now up to 120,759 acres, is 5% contained and has 725 fire personnel working the fire. YESTERDAY: The inversion did not lift over the fire area, so no aircraft could be used due to lack of visibility caused by the smoke....
SEELEY LAKE – More than 120 people gathered for the Seeley Lake Community meeting Thursday night at Mission Bible Fellowship. This was Day 46 of the Rice Ridge Fire. Incident Commander Greg Poncin compared the fuel conditions and terrain to that of the Canyon Creek Fire that, on Sept. 6, 1988, burned more than 180,000 acres in a single burning period. He used the comparison because, while they aren't expecting a wind event that drove the Canyon Creek, the same challenges for containment and m...
Morning Update: The Rice Ridge Fire remains 122,843 acres because no infrared flight occurred over the fire last night. The fire is 5% contained and there are 801 fire personnel assigned to the fire. The cost is up to $35 million. Currently there are 1,719 structures threatened based on more accurate data from the Missoula and Powell County Sheriffs' offices. There is a RED FLAG WARNING TODAY FROM 2 pm TO 9 pm FOR WINDS 10-12 MPH, GUSTING OVER 20 MPH. YESTERDAY: A spot fire ½ mile from...
Rice Ridge Fire Morning Update: Evacuation Update: From the Missoula County Sheriff – Effective at 8:00 am this morning, the Evacuation Orders for zones 2 and 3 in Seeley Lake have been downgraded to Evacuation Warnings and residents may return home. Zone 5, which includes approximately 6 residences, is the only zone still under Evacuation Order in the Seeley Lake area. The Rice Ridge Fire grew 10,000 acres in the last two days and is now 132,732 acres. It is 8% contained and has 862 p...
Morning Update: Today we honor the more than 400 firefighters and law enforcement officers killed during the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on America. Never Forget. Community Meetings: Seeley Lake – 6 pm tonight (September 11th) at the Mission Bible Fellowship Church, 3158 Highway 83 in Seeley Lake. Ovando – 6 pm Tuesday night (September 12th) at Ovando Elementary School Gym, 108 Birch Street The Rice Ridge Fire added more than 3,000 acres yesterday and is up to 135,355 acres. It is 8%...
Morning Update: There will be a community meeting in Ovando tonight at 6 pm at the Ovando Elementary School. Evacuation Change: At 8 am this morning, Zone 5 in Seeley Lake was downgraded from an Evacuation Order to an Evacuation Warning, allowing residents to return to their homes. The only area still under an evacuation order for the Rice Ridge Fire is the Coopers Lake area in Powell County The Rice Ridge Fire is now 139,502 acres a change of 4,000 acres since yesterday. The containment,...
SEELEY LAKE – The Rice Ridge Fire gained steam this week nearly doubling the acres burned from 16,117 last Tuesday to 30,661 acres Aug. 29. Several more evacuation orders were given during the week and Monday night evacuations were ordered for a large portion of Seeley Lake east of Highway 83. The fire crossed into the Bob Marshall Wilderness Sunday, Aug. 27 near Devin Peak. It continued to spread north and east through Pyramid Pass and toward Leota Peak on the north and Monture Mountain to t...
SEELEY LAKE - The first of two public meetings aimed at educating property owners in the Seeley Lake Sewer District was held Aug. 23. Presenters Dr. Walt Hill, Craig Pozega, professional engineer from Great West Engineering and District Manager Greg Robertson provided information on the project background, community and environmental impacts, the proposed sewer system, financial impacts and the process ahead. The presenters then took questions from the audience. Joe Nickell from the public relations firm PartnersCreative ran the meeting. Dr....
SEELEY LAKE – Chuckles rippled through the audience gathered on lawn chairs and blankets at the Double Arrow Lodge grounds when the three witches from Shakespeare's "Macbeth" spoke of scattering into "the fog and filthy air." Yet not even the "filthy air" emanating from the Rice Ridge Fire kept an estimated crowd of nearly 150 from venturing out to see Montana Shakespeare in the Parks' (MSIP) production of "Macbeth" Thursday, Aug. 24 on the Double Arrow Lodge grounds. That the play would not b...
SWAN VALLEY – The Swan Valley Library is open for patrons after being renovated this summer. The library has a brand new look. Not only was the roof replaced and logs treated on the structure, there were also several safety improvements. On Sept. 13, 2016 the Montana Department of Labor and Industry conducted a limited service safety and health consultation for the Swan Valley Library. The consultation was requested by Shelly Block, Risk Management Coordinator for Missoula County Risk and B...
OVANDO - Join the Blackfoot Challenge and partners next Thursday, Sept. 7 near Ovando for the 13th Annual Trumpeter Swan Release. This annual event offers the public a rare opportunity to take an up-close look at Trumpeter Swans and learn about their habits, biology, and recovery in the Blackfoot watershed. Since 2004, the Blackfoot Challenge and a host of partners including private landowners, the US Fish & Wildlife Service and Blackfoot watershed schools, among many others, have been working cooperatively to restore native Trumpeter Swans to...
SEELEY LAKE – Fifteen years ago, supporters of the Seeley Lake Community Foundation took their seats at Lindey's Prime Steak House and buckled their safety belts for the first annual fundraising event. Lindey's was packed Sunday evening, Aug. 27 as many more joined the journey at the "Passport to Adventure" fundraising banquet. "Despite what is going on outside, I want you to know that this is the healthiest night in the whole entire community," said Foundation President Carla Schade. "[In t...
GREENOUGH – Sunset School started classes Monday, Aug. 28 with eight students in grades K-8. This year they are starting a new pre-kindergarten program. Supervising teacher Toni Hatten will be teaching fourth- through eighth-graders with teacher Hali Miller returning to teach kindergartners through third-graders. Ashley Mitchell will teach art again this year, Andrea Tougas will teach Special Education and Jo Schapley will be the visiting counselor. Sunset School is looking for substitute teachers, with or without teaching credentials. Miller w...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley-Swan High School is in full swing with students filling the halls Tuesday, Aug. 29. New this year includes new music director Kristen Cottom and Secretary Cathy Novak will be teaching art. Students were also welcomed by four air scrubbers working non-stop to filter out the wildfire particulates in the air and can look forward to continuing Challenge Success and starting Naviance, a college/career readiness program. Cottom is a first-year teacher that will be teaching band, choir and the History of Rock n’ Roll. She was sel...
How’s your Moose IQ? SEELEY LAKE - Learn from Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Moose Expert Nick DeCesare 7 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 31 at the Seeley Lake Historical Museum and Visitor Center. DeCesare is a research biologist with FWP. He is currently leading a study of moose population dynamics in Montana, begun by FWP in 2013. DeCesare will discuss the 10-year moose study, including preliminary results collected during the study’s first four years. He is currently based out of Missoula but has worked on wildlife research projects in various par...
Rice Ridge Fire Morning Update: Today will be the last day the Fire Information board at Rovero's is staffed. The Fire Information Board at Valley Market will continue to be staffed by Rice Ridge Fire information officers along with Missoula County Sheriff's department representatives. A community meeting will be held tomorrow, Aug. 31st at 6pm, location to be determined. The Rice Ridge Fire grew more than 2,000 acres yesterday. It is currently 32,222 acres and 18% contained. There are 658 fire...
Rice Ridge Fire Morning Update: The Fire Information Board at Valley Market will continue to be staffed by Rice Ridge Fire information officers along with Missoula County Sheriff's department representatives. A community meeting will be held tonight at 6 p.m. at the Seeley Lake Community Hall and tomorrow, Sept. 1 at the Ovando Elementary School at 6 p.m. Important: Drones are prohibited in the fire vicinity &have the potential to shut down all air operations. A Temporary Flight Restriction...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Community Hall was filled to capacity Thursday night, Aug. 31 for the 10th Rice Ridge Fire community meeting. Incident Commander John Thompson said the firefighters are holding their own despite the winds and passing cold front. This was a change from his assessment Tuesday night at the Ovando Community Meeting where he told those in attendance they were getting their butts' kicked. There have been eight large fires since mid-July on every district of the Lolo N...
Rice Ridge Morning Update: A community meeting will be held tonight, Sept. 1, at 6 p.m. at the Ovando Elementary School. This event will not be live streamed. The Pathfinder will be covering the meeting. The Rice Ridge Fire grew nearly 4,000 acres yesterday. It is now 37,032 acres and 18% contained. There are 729 fire personnel on the fire. YESTERDAY: Crews held fire growth at critical locations across the perimeter despite yesterday's red flag warning. On the west flank of the fire, ground and...
SEELEY LAKE – Have you been evacuated during the Rice Ridge Fire? Owner of Summit Insurance Agent Tom Monaghan said most homeowner policies have coverage that will pay additional living expenses in the event of a mandatory evacuation. The coverage that lends financial assistance to clients in causes of the Rice Ridge Fire is called Additional Living Expense (ALE). Some companies may brand it with different names but in the industry it’s referred to as Coverage D. If anyone affected calls their agent and asks about Coverage D, the agent wil...
OVANDO – On Day 40 of the Rice Ridge Fire nearly 100 people filled the Ovando School Gym for a community meeting. Incident Commander John Thompson provided fire updates and answered questions from the community. Meeting Highlights: • The Lolo National Forest picked up 17 new fires in the last 48 hours, and five went large. One of the helicopters will be leaving in three days because they have timed out and another will be down for maintenance tomorrow. This is adding strain to already str...
MISSOULA - At 3:30 p.m. on Friday Sept. 1, Missoula County Public Schools alerted staff and students of Seeley-Swan High School that school will be relocated to the new administrative building at The Resort at Paws Up starting Tuesday, Sept. 5. In the event that new information from the Sheriffs Department warrants a change, the District will contact staff and students on Monday, Sept. 4 by 9 a.m. with new information. The following information was distributed to parents directly and can be found on the school’s website: Seeley-Swan High School...
SEELEY LAKE - The Rice Ridge Fire spotted northeast of the Seeley Lake Airport in Section 30. This is a new development overnight and the spot was not on the map last night. Night operations located the spot about a half mile northeast from the Gun Range and began direct line construction early this morning. Crews will continue to hold the spot fire and perform mop up throughout the day. The fuel type is primarily grass and operations seems confident that they will be able to limit growth...
Rice Ridge Morning Update (this is a repost because the original was deleted unintentionally): The next community meeting will be 6pm Monday night in Seeley Lake. Location to be determined. The Sheriff's Office did escorts yesterday for people to access their property in the evacuated area. Sign up at the Sheriff's information trailer in Cory's Valley Market parking lot. The Rice Ridge Fire grew another 3,000 acres yesterday and is up to 40,164 acres. It remains 18% contained. There are...
Morning Update: The next community meeting will be Monday, Sept. 4 at 6 p.m. at a location yet to be determined. The evacuation order is still in place, so those who have chosen not to evacuate will not be allowed back to their homes. Escorts continue into the evacuated area again today. Sign up at the Sheriff's Trailer outside Cory's Valley Market. The Rice Ridge Fire grew more than 12,000 acres yesterday. It is now 52,894 acres and remains 18% contained. There are currently 757 fire personnel...
Morning Update: The Rice Ridge Fire doubled in size yesterday to 101,425 acres. It is 7% contained and has 757 personnel on the fire. The cost to date is $29.6 million. There is a community meeting tonight at 6 p.m. at Mission Bible Fellowship. YESTERDAY: During daylight hours crews worked to strengthen lines along western perimeter of the fire, including Sawyer and Murphy Creeks and south to Cottonwood Lakes Road (477). In the late afternoon, crews aided by helicopters, extinguished spot fires...
SEELEY LAKE - More than 250 people filled Mission Bible Fellowship on Day 44 of the Rice Ridge Fire. The Rice Ridge Fire had again taken the number one seat on the national priority list as of Sunday, Sept. 3. "At the first meeting I told you I was going to have a bunch of containment out there and I lied to you," said Incident Commander John Thompson. "It has been a challenging two weeks for us." Tomorrow the fire transitions to Greg Poncin's Type 1 Incident Management Team. They will also be i...
Morning Fire Update for the Rice Ridge Fire: Greg Poncin's Northern Rockies Type 1 Incident Management Team assumed command of the fire at 6 am this morning. There is a community meeting tonight, Tuesday, Sept. 5 at the Ovando Elementary School Gym at 6 pm. The Rice Ridge Fire grew 7,000 acres yesterday and is now more than 108,000 acres. YESTERDAY: Yesterday the Rice Ridge fire and the Reef fire grew together towards the north within the Bob Marshall Wilderness adding the majority of increased...
SWAN VALLEY – When a Missoula client asked Swan Valley gardener Grace Siloti to plant three acres of lavender she did not realize the new opportunity it could afford for her and hopefully others in the Swan Valley. Now after her second season, she is reaching the top of a steep learning curve and looking forward to offering lavender oil, hydrosol, buds and stems. Siloti was one of the pioneer gardeners in the Swan Valley. When she started in 1991 she tried just about everything to see if she c...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Sewer District Board held their annual assessment hearing after their board meeting Aug. 17. The assessment uses the same methodology as the previous year and charges commercial and vacant property based on square footage of the lots while properties with dwelling units are charged a flat rate of $79.85. Don Larson, representing the Committee for Sensible Wastewater Solutions, presented a petition protesting the annual assessment. Larson said that in just couple of hours he had collected around 50 signatures protes...
SEELEY LAKE – From donating blood to swarms of mosquitoes at Teen Missions International Boot Camp in Florida to sharing her testimony and God's love with orphans in Malawi, Africa, thirteen-year-old Grace Wilson returned to Seeley Lake the end of July a changed person. While she learned many life lessons, Bible verses and met many new friends, her biggest take-home was she needed to have a better relationship with God and show her parents more respect. Wilson was a member of a 21-person p...
SEELEY LAKE – It's been 10 years since the Jocko Lakes Fire threatened Seeley Lake. With the help of rehabilitation efforts following the fire, the landscape has gone from black destruction to green rebirth. Now agencies and landowners have turned their focus to preventing the next fire. At the end of the Jocko Lakes Fire, there were more than 100 miles of dozer lines to be rehabbed. Scott Tomson and Shane Hendrickson, the two resource specialists assigned from the Lolo National Forest, w...
SEELEY LAKE - Whether just to catch a glimpse or camped out for the duration, Seeley Lake residents were out Monday, Aug. 21 to watch the solar eclipse. Everyone thought it was just incredible....
SEELEY LAKE - Clearwater Montana Properties announced that it has been named one of America's Best Brokerages in the Summer 2017 issue of "The Land Report." The Land Report's exclusive America's Best Brokerages award recognizes a select group of best-in-class brokerages that specialize in land, recreational, farm, ranch and investment properties. Clearwater Montana Properties is an exclusive partner to Sports Afield Trophy Properties, a network of top recreational property brokerages. With more...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Sewer District Board was informed at their monthly meeting, Aug. 17 that this fall’s planned notice and protest might be delayed. The Board’s public outreach meetings scheduled for Aug. 23 and Sept. 21 will go on as planned. Residents at the meeting took the opportunity to ask questions during public comment. District Manager Greg Robertson explained that the notice and protest period cannot happen until they receive a status on the district’s most recent application for additional funding. The application to Rural...
POTOMAC - Texan John Rouse is the new principal at Potomac School. Rouse said he brings life lessons to Potomac to support the faculty, staff, board members and community members to provide unsurpassed learning experiences for the students. During the last 26 years, 10 administrators have become part of Potomac School history. Rouse makes 11 and he hopes to remain at Potomac School. Rouse completed his schooling at Texas A&M with bachelors and masters degrees in education, and at the University...
SWAN VALLEY - The Housing Element, the fourth of seven elements of the Swan Valley Growth Plan, was addressed and edited at the Swan Valley Regional Planning Committee meeting Aug. 16. The committee completed six sections of the element. The committee discussed the addition to the opening paragraph of the fourth element. The original wording said that the market price of housing has surpassed the ability of many residents to own or rent. Many communities have established programs to help close the gap which can be important to the economic deve...
SEELEY LAKE- The Seeley Lake Elementary School Board of Trustees hired a teacher and approved the 2017-18 budget at their Aug. 16 meeting. They were also updated on several topics ranging from preschool funding and the SLE Outside store, to firefighters using the school, a new website and resurfacing of the parking lot. Stout said the Rice Ridge Fire incident management team using the school will be moved out around Aug. 23. That should give the school time to get ready for the students to return Sept. 5. The school parking lot resurfacing has...
SEELEY LAKE – There has been a lot of press about evacuation warnings, orders and recommendations to leave the Seeley Lake area. Missoula County Sheriff’s Office Captain Anthony Rio said the only reason the Sheriff’s Office will issue an evacuation order is if a fire is an eminent threat to public safety. Other issues such as air quality, while health officials recommend leaving the area, do not warrant a forced evacuation. An evacuation warning means the fire is in the area. Based on the observed fire behavior and fuel conditions between the f...
SWAN VALLEY – The new Mission Mountains Mercantile had the concrete slab poured at the end of last week. The pre-built walls are supposed to arrive this week as well as the trusses. While it's been a slow process getting to this point, contractor Rollie Matthew said the 7,000 square-foot store will be half way complete once the floor is finished. Owner Len Kobylenski and partner Grace Siloti broke ground for the new Merc May 22. The old store, referred to by many as the "heart beat of the S...
SEELEY LAKE - The winning ticket for the Veterans and Families of Seeley Lake's (VFSL) playhouse was drawn Aug. 17 at the Seeley Lake Senior Citizen's Center. The winner was Shelley Hodne of Seeley Lake and Colorado! The Hodne's sincerely appreciate the VFSL as they are a military family. Shelley retired from the Army and her husband Dave is still on active duty currently deployed in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve. Their children, daughter Taylor (11) and son Matthew (9), were excited to...
Animal Wonders at Placid Lake State Park, Aug. 26 GREENOUGH - Join Montana State Parks for an hour and a half long campfire program on animal adaptations at Placid Lake State Park Aug. 26 at 7 p.m. Animal Wonders will have 10 different animals from all over the world. They will show the different animal species and their adaptations to their different environments. Don’t miss this free, fun-filled presentation. Additional Awards for Potomac Valley 4-H Club MISSOULA – There were a few more awards from the Potomac Valley 4-H Club that were not...
SEELEY LAKE - As of Tuesday, Aug. 22, the Rice Ridge Fire is 16,117 acres, nine percent contained and has 535 firefighters working it....
Rice Ridge Fire Morning Update: A community meeting will be held Thursday (8/24) at 6pm at the Seeley Lake Elementary School. Thompson's Central Montana Type 2 Incident Management Team is now in charge of the fire. The Rice Ridge Fire is still 16,117 acres and 9% contained. There are 535 firefighters assigned to the fire: 8 crews, 31 engines, 4 helicopters, 2 dozers, 16 water tenders and overhead personnel. YESTERDAY: The Eastern Area Incident Management Team transitioned command with...
Rice Ridge Fire Morning Update: A community meeting will be held tonight Thursday Aug. 24 at the Seeley Lake Elementary School at 6 pm. The Rice Ridge Fire grew 1,600 acres and is now 17,794 acres. Containment increased to 16 percent. There are currently 454 personnel on the fire. YESTERDAY: There was an increase in fire behavior as temperatures and winds increased. Helicopters were used to assist firefighting operations on the west and southwest portions of the fire. Crews scouted additional...
SEELEY LAKE – The community met Aug. 24 for the eighth community meeting. The Rice Ridge Fire has been burning for 31 days. New Evacuations Warnings were issued late Thursday afternoon for Kozy Korner area. Eastern boundary starts in the 7500 block of Woodworth Road and runs west to Cottonwood Lakes road, then north through the Rich Ranch. There are 15 homes in the warning area. This also includes the Black Canyon Ranch which is the only property located on the south side of Woodworth Rd in t...
Rice Ridge Fire Morning Update: The next community meeting will be Aug. 28 at 6 p.m. at Seeley Lake Elementary School. The Rice Ridge fire is up 200 acres to 17,991 acres and 16% contained. There are 464 personnel assigned to the fire. The Missoula County Sheriff issued the following on 8/24/2017: An Evacuation ORDER for the area along Forest Service Rd 17507 which runs north into North Cottonwood Canyon was issued due to an immediate fire threat near the Rice Ridge Fire; two cabins have been...
Rice Ridge Fire Morning Update: The next community meeting will be Monday, Aug. 28 at 6 p.m. at Seeley Lake Elementary. The Rice Ridge Fire grew nearly 1,000 acres yesterday. It is now 18,840 acres and is 16% contained. There are currently 486 personnel working on the fire. YESTERDAY: With lower relative humidity and higher temperatures, the fire was more active primarily in the east where it pushed across the North Fork of Cottonwood Creek toward Dunham Point. Water buckets from helicopters...
Rice Ridge Fire Morning Update: There will be a community meeting Monday, Aug. 28 at 6pm at Seeley Lake Elementary School. The Rice Ridge Fire grew more than 3,500 acres yesterday and is now up to 22,240 acres. It remains 16% contained. YESTERDAY: With lower relative humidity and higher temperatures, the fire continued to burn actively in the southeast where it pushed across the North Fork of Cottonwood Creek toward Dunham Point. Crews began to perform strategic burning operations in the area...
Rice Ridge Fire Morning Update: A community meeting will be held tonight, Aug. 28th at 6 pm at the Seeley Lake Elementary. The Rice Ridge Fire grew nearly 5,500 acres yesterday and is now 27,863 acres. It is 22% contained with the increased containment noted by the black line on the map on the west flank. There are currently 535 personnel working the fire. YESTERDAY: Crews completed fire line along the west flank of the fire increasing containment to 22%. Firefighters successfully completed...
SEELEY LAKE – The shortest community meeting on record for the Rice Ridge Fire happened Monday, Aug. 28. With cell phones buzzing and the community anxiously waiting for answers, the operations chief, Seeley Lake District Ranger and Incident Commander offered very few absolutes. Most of the crowd left in less than a half hour when they were told Seeley Lake was being evacuated. The waters of Seeley Lake were closed around just after 4 p.m. Monday. New evacuation orders were given for areas n...
Rice Ridge Fire Morning Update: A community meeting will be held tonight, Aug. 29 at 7 pm at the Ovando Volunteer Fire Department The Rice Ridge Fire grew nearly 3,000 acres yesterday and is now 30,662 acres. The fire remains 22% contained. There are currently 592 fire personnel on the fire. YESTERDAY: The fire was active yesterday along the uncontained fire edge due to hot and dry conditions. An abrupt change in afternoon wind direction caused the fire to spread south in the Seeley Creek area....
SWAN LAKE - Montana does not have a designated state fruit, but if it did, no one would question the nomination of the huckleberry. From border to border, in gift stores and truck stops, restaurants and ice cream shops, huckleberries can be found mixed into just about everything: milkshakes, lip balm, soap and jam. This weekend played host to several festivals celebrating the small tart berries. On the banks of Swan Lake, hundreds of people ignored the smoky air and showed up to the 36th annual...
SEELEY LAKE – Missoula City-County Health Department issued recommendations Aug. 9 to avoid the dangerous wildfire smoke in Seeley Lake. Recent air monitoring readings have shown record levels of PM2.5 concentrations in Seeley Lake due to the Rice Ridge Fire and other wildfires in the west. Health officials recommend Seeley Lake residents and visitors take precautions especially at night when particulate levels climb into the Unhealthy and Hazardous categories. Between Aug. 1-11, air quality i...
MISSOULA – Smoke from wildfires around Western Montana settled in Missoula but that didn't dampen the enthusiasm of fair-goers and exhibitors at the Western Montana Fair. The Seeley Lake Trailblazers and Potomac Valley 4-H Club sent a combined 41 youth to the fair as exhibitors in livestock raising, shooting and everything in between. Condon resident James Webb came away with two purple ribbons for his hogs, while his brother Levi earned four purple for his lambs. Seeley's steer group swept the...
MISSOULA - Potomac Valley 4H members wagon-wheeled right through the 2017 Western Montana Fair with projects ranging from cowboy poetry to leathercraft to English horsemanship, flashlights, hogs, and rabbits in between. The variety of all county and out of county 4-H projects came to a finish during fair week Aug. 8 – 13 while the animals and exhibit projects were judged. The judging for 4-H projects began with archery including primitive, bow hunter and Olympic recurve competitions t...
SEELEY LAKE – The $31.5 million price tag for the 2007 Jocko Lakes Fire made it the costliest fire in Montana history to date. During the height of suppression efforts, Montana spent $1 million per day to keep the fire west of Seeley Lake and north of Placid Lake. While the cost to suppress the fire and direct impacts to timber loss were measurable, the financial toll on the local economy from widespread evacuations and the nearly two-week closure of Highway 83 was harder to quantify. "When y...
SEELEY LAKE – It's been five weeks since the world of Seeley Lake residents Jen and Treay Trevino was turned upside down. From a happy family of four – enjoying the beauty and joys of their small town with thoughts only of what might be for dinner – to the frightening, devastating diagnosis of inoperable brain cancer in their youngest. From blue skies to nurses, doctors, ambulances, sterile rooms, biopsies, radiation, chemo and now worry of their home and precious memories and photographs at ri...
MONTANA – Governor Steve Bullock issued a new Executive Order declaring a fire emergency to exist in the state of Montana. “We will continue to do everything we can to make sure folks on the ground have the resources they need to protect Montanans and their property until every single fire is put out,” said Governor Bullock. “Firefighters, emergency personnel and volunteers are working hard every day. On behalf of all Montanans, we thank them for their efforts.” This declaration allows Governor Bullock to continue to mobilize additiona...
With summer more than half over, more than 23,000 watercraft have been inspected at Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Aquatic Invasive Species inspection stations around the state. “This hot and dry weather has a lot of people looking to cool off in Montana’s lakes and rivers,” said FWP’s AIS Bureau Chief Thomas Woolf. “Get out on the water, have fun and remember to stop at any open watercraft inspection station that you encounter in your travels.” To date, nine boats with invasive mussels have been intercepted in Montana. The most recent one...
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) has received reports of rattlesnakes in the Missoula valley in recent weeks and offers safety reminders to hikers and homeowners. “Rattlesnakes move down into moist river bottoms during hot, dry periods like we’ve been experiencing recently,” FWP Wildlife Biologist Kristi DuBois said. This, according to DuBois, creates a greater risk of human conflicts as snakes spend extra time in yards and gardens in search of cooler temperatures and rodents to eat. Reduce your chances of an encounter by wearing tall...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Veterans Memorial Park has a new silhouette memorializing Iwo Jima. Shawn Knopp made the new image after his father Glen requested it to honor his mother Barbara's Uncle Tom. Tom was killed during World War II. Shawn also made the fallen soldier in the gardens several years ago....
SEELEY LAKE - Montana Shakespeare in the Parks will be performing Macbeth on the Double Arrow Lodge Grounds in Seeley Lake at 6 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 24. The New York Times has said of MSIP, "It is live theater – done Montana style. Not in the round but on top of the world." The ten professional actors that will tour with the company were chosen out of a highly competitive pool of about 500 applicants and auditioners in Bozeman, Chicago and Minneapolis. Montana Shakespeare in the Parks is the p...
SEELEY LAKE - As of Aug. 15, the Rice Ridge Fire continues to burn 1.4 miles northeast of Seeley Lake. It has grown 3,331 acres and remains 10 percent contained. Nearly 100 firefighters have been added to the efforts in the past week. While the Rice Ridge Fire is still the number one priority in the Northern Rockies, the Northwest Area has taken the number one spot on the national priority list. No evacuation orders have been issued....
SEELEY LAKE – When asked why he joined the military, Seeley Lake resident Scott Edwards answered, "I received a letter informing me 'You have been chosen by your friends and neighbors'." Sixty-five years later he still chuckles at the wording of his draft notice. Edwards said he had good timing throughout his four-year military career. Starting as a young man digging ditches for the San Diego Gas & Electric Company, Edwards worked his way up to an electrician apprentice, which allowed him t...
SWAN VALLEY - As the terminus of summer loomed nearer, and my tenure reporting for the Pathfinder approached with equal speed and horror, I knew I needed to get in one last adventure before trading in my lakeside life for one of city streets and lecture halls. For several weeks, I had the idea of bagging Holland Peak, the tallest mountain in the Swan Range, in the back of my head. For those same weeks, I was continuously thwarted in my attempts-first by a lack of adventure buddies, then by the e...
MISSOULA – In celebration of Active Aging Week Sept. 24-30, Missoula Aging Services is offering a Life Reimagined Checkup Sept. 26 from 5:45-8:15 p.m. at the Missoula Public Library. The Life Reimagined Checkup is a free two-and-a-half hour training designed for people age 50 or over. Life Reimagined offers a personalized, authentic and thought-provoking approach to navigate into the next phases in life. The Checkup will help participants: • Reflect on goals and aspirations • Reimagine life in extraordinary ways • Harness personal strengt...
Rice Ridge Fire Morning Update: A community meeting will be held Thursday, Aug. 17 at 6pm at the Seeley Lake Elementary School. The Rice Ridge Fire grew around 300 acres and is now 12,091 acres. It remains at 10% containment with 589 Firefighters assigned to the fire: 11 crews, 35 engines, 7 helicopters, 2 dozers, 20 water tenders and overhead personnel. YESTERDAY: The most active portion of the fire continued to burn in the Swamp Creek and Morrell Mountain areas. Indirect line construction and...
Rice Ridge Morning Update: The community meeting will be held tonight, Aug. 17 at 6pm at the Seeley Lake Elementary School. The Rice Ridge Fire is up to 12,244 acres and is 10% contained. There are 610 firefighters assigned to the fire: 10 crews, 39 engines, 4 helicopters, 2 dozers, 20 water tenders and overhead personnel. YESTERDAY: Crews began strategic firing operations near Morrell Mountain. Conditions were favorable for both aerial and ground based firing operations. The resulting fire acti...
SEELEY LAKE – The community gathered Thursday, Aug. 17 for the sixth community meeting on the Rice Ridge Fire. The fire has dropped to the fourth fire on the national priority list. Suppression costs are currently at $13 million and rising. Firefighting efforts are being concentrated on the southeast corner of the fire. A dozer line tied into the natural fuel break in the rocky cliffs on the top of Morrell Mountain and brought it down to the Cottonwood Lakes Road. There is also a hose lay is p...
Rice Ridge Fire Morning Update: Another community meeting will be held Monday, Aug. 21 at 6pm at the Seeley Lake Elementary School. The Rice Ridge Fire grew 620 acres and is now up to 12, 861 acres and remains 10% contained. There are currently 539 firefighters assigned to the fire including: 7 crews, 31 engines, 4 helicopters, 2 dozers, 19 water tenders and overhead personnel. YESTERDAY: Crews continued strategic firing operations on Morrell Mountain and near the Morrell Lookout. Conditions...
Rice Ridge Fire Morning Update: Another community meeting will be held Monday, Aug. 21 at 6pm at the Seeley Lake Elementary School. The Rice Ridge Fire grew significantly to the east into the Cottonwood Creek drainage, adding 3,000 acres. It is now 14,834 acres and remains 10% contained. There are currently 573 firefighters assigned to the fire including: 7 crews, 32 engines, 4 helicopters, 2 dozers, 18 water tenders and overhead personnel. YESTERDAY: The lake at Seeley Lake, Clearwater Canoe...
Rice Ridge Fire Morning Update: Another community meeting will be held Monday, Aug. 21 at 6pm at the Seeley Lake Elementary School. Burnout operations last night were done around Mount Morrell Lookout to the corner of the dozer line. Thanks for the great photos, Mark Melvin...the lookout is still standing! The Rice Ridge Fire grew about a 500 acres yesterday bringing it up to 15,357. It remains 10% contained. There are 505 Firefighters assigned to the fire: 7 crews, 31 engines, 4 helicopters, 2...
Rice Ridge Fire Morning Update: A community meeting will be held today at 6pm at the Seeley Lake Elementary School. The Rice Ridge Fire grew 600 acres yesterday and is now 15,947 acres. The fire crossed the road to Morrell Falls (Forest Road 4353) circling back on the containment line north of the Seeley Lake Airport dropping the containment to 9%. There are 524 Firefighters assigned to the fire: 8 crews, 31 engines, 4 helicopters, 2 dozers, 17 water tenders and overhead personnel. YESTERDAY:...
SEELEY LAKE – The community gathered at Seeley Lake Elementary for the seventh community meeting discussing the Rice Ridge Fire. The fire is now nearly 16,000 acres. This week is a transition week as the Eastern Area Incident Management Team transitions command Tuesday at 6 p.m. to John Thompson's Northern Rockies Type 2 Team. Seeley Lake Elementary will no longer host the Team, they will be located south of town at the main firefighter camp. Field Operations Chief Rich Schenk said the m...
Rice Ridge Morning Update: A community meeting will be held Thursday, Aug. 24 at 6pm at the Seeley Lake Elementary School. The Rice Ridge Fire grew about 200 acres and is up to 16,117 acres. It is 9% contained. There are 535 firefighters assigned to the fire: 8 crews, 31 engines, 4 helicopters, 2 dozers, 16 water tenders and overhead personnel. YESTERDAY: Due to unfavorable weather conditions, there were no strategic firing operations conducted on the southeast portion of the fire. There was...
SEELEY LAKE - "My thinking is that the next big event will be east of Seeley," wrote retired Plum Creek Forester Roger Marshall in an interview July 6, 2017 about the 2007 Jocko Lakes Fire. "Auggie Creek to Cottonwood Lakes and all that area back to Pyramid has some real potential to make a large fire quickly. If the wind is just right, a serious run into Seeley could be possible, maybe devastating." Marshall's comments were made 18 days prior to the start of the Rice Ridge Fire. As of press tim...
SWAN VALLEY – One of Swan Valley Elementary's longest serving employees will be leaving at the end of the summer. Karen Anderson will be retiring after serving as the school's secretary and business manager for 33 years. "It's kind of bittersweet," said Anderson. "I've had a lot invested in this school." Anderson attended SVE herself but never thought she would return to work in the same schoolhouse. "My mom will call and ask, 'Aren't you out of school yet?'" Anderson said with a laugh. B...
SEELEY LAKE – Governor Steve Bullock (D-MT) and senior Senator Jon Tester (D-MT) visited Seeley Lake to get a firsthand look at the efforts to fight the Rice Ridge Fire. The pair attended a morning briefing at Seeley Lake Elementary Friday, Aug. 4. "The number one fire in the nation is right here in Seeley Lake right now," said Bullock after the briefing. "I feel confidence in the crew doing it but it's heartbreaking for the community." The Rice Ridge Fire has burned more than 8,000 acres as o...
SEELEY LAKE – After burning more than 13,000 acres in two days and forcing evacuations around Seeley Lake, the Jocko Lakes Fire rose to the top priority fire in the nation. The 2007 fire held that spot for nearly two weeks. Glen McNitt's Type 2 Incident Management Team was in place for just four days before Lynn Wilcox's Type 1 Team from Alaska replaced them. A Type 1 Team provides increased capacity to handle complex fires, which the Jocko Lakes Fire quickly proved to be. "I give Glen's team a...
SEELEY LAKE - Around 11 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 2, aerial operations on the Rice Ridge Fire near Seeley Lake were shut down due to a civilian drone flight. A local resident spotted the drone and U.S. Forest Service officers were able to identify and contact the man. He was not arrested at the time but will likely be charged. “At this point it’s an open federal investigation,” said Federal Officer Tyler Robinson. The incident is under shared jurisdiction, and the Forest Service is working with a special agent with the Federal Aviation Administratio...
Tom Skerritt and other members of the creative team from Robert Redford's film, "A River Runs Through It" will highlight the three-day In the Footsteps of Norman Maclean Festival Sept. 8-10 in Seeley Lake and Missoula. Released in 1992, "A River Runs Through It" won an Oscar for cinematography (Philippe Rousselot), Oscar nominations for its direction (Robert Redford), musical score (Mark Isham) and screenplay (Richard Friedenberg), and created an explosion in the popularity of fly fishing in...
SWAN VALLEY – The more than 100 people who enjoyed the Upper Swan Valley Historical Society's (USVHS) Homestead Tour Saturday, Aug. 5 had a variety of reasons for participating. Some people wanted to know more about the valley's pioneer days because they live in the Condon or surrounding area. Some came because they grew up or once lived in the valley. At least one person came because he was interested in the building techniques used by the pioneers. No matter what the reason, people couldn't h...
POTOMAC - Liberty Fire personnel hosted an informational meeting in Potomac Aug. 5 that provided updates and addressed residents' concerns. The Potomac community has also stepped up with resources to help the Seeley Lake community. Fires impacting the area include the Rice Ridge Fire two miles northeast of Seeley Lake and the Liberty Fire, three miles east of Boulder Lake and 12 miles north of Johnsrud Park. Liberty Fire Incident Commander Jerry McGowan explained where the fire is located, area...
SWAN VALLEY - The Land Use Element was completed at the Swan Valley Regional Planning Committee meeting Aug. 2. The committee deleted and reworded text in the Goals, Policies and Actions sections of the third of the seven elements to the draft Swan Valley Regional Growth Plan. The committee began with four through seven statements of the Goals section. They accepted them as originally written. In the Policies section, the SVRPC voted to accept the seven policies with a change in verbiage to number three. The committee wanted the third policy...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake residents have had front row seats to a top notch, and pricy, airshow for the last week. As the Rice Ridge Fire moved up the national priority list to claim the number one spot, the ability for the Incident Management Team to request and receive aerial resources was bolstered. With a single day high of nine aircraft Aug. 4, there has been at least one aircraft flying around the fire every day. The public has seen modified DC-10 jets dumping brilliant red retardant on t...
Seeley Lake Triathlon Cancelled SEELEY LAKE – Due to the recent fire activity and lake closures, the Seeley Lake Triathlon, scheduled for Aug. 12, has been cancelled. The organizers will contact those who have pre-registered about refund options. The triathlon will not be rescheduled for this year. Everyone is encouraged to participate next year in the annual Youth for Christ fundraiser at River Point Campground. Law Enforcement, County Government at Next Council Meeting, Aug. 14 SEELEY LAKE - Law enforcement and Missoula County government w...
Rice Ridge Fire Morning Update: The next public meeting will be held tomorrow, Aug. 10 at 6pm at the Seeley Lake Elementary School. The fire grew about a 1,000 acres yesterday to 9,286 acres. It is still 10% contained. There are 503 Firefighters: 9 crews, 36 engines, 4 helicopters, 3 dozers, 17 water tenders and overhead personnel assigned to the fire. SUMMARY: Tuesday's weather provided for moderate fire activity along the northwest, while the fire experienced growth on the eastern portion....
Rice Ridge Fire Morning Update: A public meeting will be held tonight, at 6pm at the Seeley Lake Elementary School. The Rice Ridge Fire grew near 1,000 acres yesterday, with most of the growth to the east into the Blind Canyon and Swamp Creek Area. It is now 10,194 acres and 10% contained. There are 554 Firefighters: 11 crews, 36 engines, 3 helicopters, 2 dozers, 17 water tenders and overhead personnel assigned to the fire. The night photo was taken last night, Aug. 9 from the Seeley Lake...
SEELEY LAKE – Hundreds of people showed up for the fourth Rice Ridge Fire community meeting at the Seeley Lake Elementary school Thursday, Aug. 10. The country is now in Stage 5, the highest level of preparedness for wildfire and all resources are on maximum alert. The Rice Ridge Fire is still the number one priority fire in the nation. Fire operations are focused on establishing control lines on the north, west and south edges of the fire. The team is not putting resources on the east flank. T...
Rice Ridge Fire Morning Update: As a reminder, the evacuation warning issued within areas of Seeley Lake (including Double Arrow Ranch), remains in effect and residents are urged to be prepared. Residents adjacent to these areas should remain vigilant. Highway 83 is still open and businesses in Seeley Lake are open. Stage II Fire Restrictions are in place. Crews, engines, and heavy equipment use public roads traveling to and from their daily assignments. Residents are urged to slow down and be...
Rice Ridge Fire Morning Update: The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for the Rice Ridge Fire area from 2pm Saturday to 9pm Sunday for hot and dry weather, atmospheric instability, gusty winds and poor overnight humidity recovery. Fire managers expect an increase in fire activity and are preparing to strengthen containment lines with increasing overnight staffing during the Red Flag period, especially in critical areas around the fire perimeter and in Double Arrow Ranch. A...
SEELEY LAKE – Over the past several weeks firefighters from all over the country have come to fight the Rice Ridge Fire. The natural response is to want to help and donations have been flooding in. While the donations of food and drinks have been appreciated, the Type 2 Incident Management Team asks the community to consider the challenges they face when accepting donations and offered some alternative suggestions that can work for everyone. The infrastructure is in place to keep the f...
Rice Ridge Fire Morning Update: The next community meeting will be held Monday, Aug. 14 at 6pm at the Seeley Lake Elementary School. The Rice Ridge Fire only grew a couple hundred acres yesterday. It is currently 11,277 acres with 10% containment. There are 581 Firefighters assigned to the fire: 11 crews, 35 engines, 4 helicopters, 2 dozers, 17 water tenders and overhead personnel. YESTERDAY: Heavy smoke cover shaded the fire throughout the day and slowed activity more than expected, despite a...
Rice Ridge Morning Update: A community meeting will be held tonight, Aug. 14 at 6pm at the Seeley Lake Elementary School. Photos taken Aug. 1 by Chelsea Cahoon. The Rice Ridge Fire showed no increase in acreage due to No IR Flight. Containment is still 10%. There are 548 firefighters assigned to the fire: 10 crews, 31 engines, 6 helicopters, 2 dozers, 15 water tenders and overhead personnel. YESTERDAY: Fire growth was limited across the fire with the exception of the Swamp Creek drainage, where...
SEELEY LAKE – Just over a hundred people showed up for the fifth Rice Ridge Fire community meeting at the Seeley Lake Elementary School Monday, Aug. 14. The Rice Ridge Fire is still the top priority in the Northern Rockies Region, but a surge in fire activity in the Northwest has shifted the national priority to the west. The Rice Ridge Fire showed no growth over the last day. It is contained at 10 percent and is 11,277 acres. There are 581 fire personnel currently working on the fire. The T...
Rice Ridge Fire Morning Update: There will be a community meeting Thursday, Aug. 17 at 6pm at Seeley Lake Elementary. The Rice Ridge Fire grew about 500 acres in the last two days. It is up to 11,754 acres and remains 10% contained. There are 549 Firefighters assigned to the fire: 9 crews, 35 engines, 6 helicopters, 2 dozers, 18 water tenders and overhead personnel. YESTERDAY: Crews continued to use heavy equipment to construct indirect line on the northwest portion of the fire, working to conne...
SEELEY LAKE – On the night of July 18, 2007, firefighters watched as a group of trees burst into flames. The torching trees looked like candles on a birthday cake, at first burning strong only to waver and go out. Two separate fires were identified and pinpointed on the ridge just south of Upper Jocko Lake in steep, rugged ground. Severe thunderstorms that day had put down more than 1,500 lightning strikes on the Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribal lands (CSKT) resulting in eight fires that t...
SEELEY LAKE- Firefighters and support crew have moved into Seeley Lake Elementary. As of Monday, there were 137 personnel working based out of the school. The crews are working on the Rice Ridge Fire that is burning approximately six miles northeast of Seeley Lake. The fire, which started on July 24, is now more than 2,000 acres and has begun to burn up Pyramid Pass. This isn't the first time SLE has opened its doors to host wildland firefighters. "We kind of did it by accident a couple of...
SEELEY LAKE — In the unincorporated communities around Seeley Lake, it is the efforts of many volunteer organizations that provide services and support in the areas of art and culture, education, community development, natural resources and conservation and basic human needs. It has been the goal and mission of the Seeley Lake Community Foundation to support those efforts. This year, the Seeley Lake Community Foundation raised $30,000 in matching funds to support fundraising efforts of 18 area non-profits in the 2017 Change Your Pace C...
SEELEY LAKE – A thick white binder sat on the dining room table inside the Sexton's home down the road from Kozy Korner. The binder detailed four years of 4-H projects that Dani Sexton has worked on. On one page, a set of photos show Sexton, decked out in sunglasses and a fake flower lei, kissing a steer-also wearing a lei and pink sunglasses-on the head. The steer, T-Bone, is her latest 4-H project, one that started back in September when Sexton and her sister Gabby began looking for steers t...
by PartnersCreative On behalf of the Seeley Lake Sewer District SEELEY LAKE - Property owners in Seeley Lake don’t have to sift through thousands of pages of water quality studies and engineering reports in order to learn key points about the community’s proposed sewer system. Last week, the Seeley Lake Sewer District published a new web page that provides concise yet thorough answers to frequently asked questions regarding the proposed, multimillion-dollar project. “This would be the largest-ever infrastructure project in our community — one...
The Missoula County Health Department is adding a section addressing the health of rural communities to their Community Health Assessment revision for 2017. Residents in outlying communities in Missoula County are encouraged to share what health looks like to them and how the Missoula County Health Department can improve health in the rural areas of the county. This is the first time county health officials have expanded beyond Missoula City limits since the first assessment in 2011. In the past they have been unable to devote the time and...
SEELEY LAKE—Anne Beach, executive director for the Seeley Lake Community Foundation, had her last day on the job Aug. 1. “Montana has been really good to us,” said Beach, who, along with her husband Alan is a Montana native. “We likely will be back to Montana sometime.” Beach has served in her position since 2014 and will be moving to southwest Colorado to be closer to her family. Beach lauded the opportunities she has had with the Foundation, including working with many of the non-profits, businesses and service organizations in Seeley La...
SWAN VALLEY - This summer, Swan Valley Connections is partnering with US Geological Survey and a citizen science organization called EarthWatch Institute to begin a three-year huckleberry research project. Tabitha Graves, the lead USGS Scientist, is looking at the correlation between the effects of climate change and huckleberry productivity in the Swan Valley in the context of grizzly bear habitat. Fifteen percent of the grizzly bear diet consists of huckleberries. They are an extremely...
BOZEMAN – Recent Seeley-Swan High School graduate Nino Robinett was among 50 students selected for Montana State University's (MSU) Hilleman Scholars Program. He joins his sister Eliana who was among the inaugural class last year. The program started in 2016 to recognize the effort and potential of Montana students who exemplify the story of Maurice Hilleman. Hilleman, after losing his twin sister and mother within two days of his birth, was raised by an uncle and aunt and helped the family b...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Swan Vacation Rentals is under new ownership. Carrie Sokoloski bought the company from the previous owner, Shelley Alsup, at the end of April. Sokoloski takes on the new company in addition to her property management business Circle S Property Management, which she has run since 2014. "It's funny because I never thought it would get as big as it did," said Sokoloski, who also works full time at Great Bear Properties. Property managers like Sokoloski provide a key service a...
Free Grocery Delivery Available for Seniors on Fixed Income There are still slots available for the Roots Grocery Delivery Program for Seeley-Swan and Potomac residents. Missoula Food Bank and Department of Health and Human Services partnered to deliver a free, 30-pound monthly food package to a participants’ home. Each package contains juice, cereal or oatmeal, boxed and dry milk, peanut butter or dry beans, rice or pasta, chili or stew, cheese, canned fruits and vegetables and a supplement of Ensure and fresh fruit or vegetables. Inventory op...
KALISPELL – The Swan Lake Ranger District on the Flathead National Forest is seeking public comment on the Supplemental Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Glacier Loon Fuels Reduction and Forest Health Project. The project area is located south and west of Condon and on the west side of Montana Highway 83 to the south end of Lindbergh Lake. The original Environmental Assessment (EA) from 2012 has been supplemented with additional analysis relative to the effects of the project on grizzly bears, bull trout and bull trout critical habitat, l...
MISSOULA - The 4-H Country Fair is open to the public Aug. 8 – 13th at the Missoula County Fairgrounds. The Country Fair is an opportunity for 4-H members to show off their projects and hard work. Livestock and other projects are highlighted in shows and on display for fair attendees to enjoy. According to Potomac 4-H Club Organizational Leader Allyson Nelson, the 4-H experience affords its members life-enhancing opportunities. “Lessons learned in 4-H shape young people into leaders and producers who will serve and lead well in their adult liv...
KALISPELL – The Swan Lake Ranger District is requesting comments on the Weed Lake Landscape Restoration Project Proposal. The project is located approximately 14 miles southeast of Bigfork, Mont. adjacent to, and east of Swan Lake. The project contains approximately 2,100 acres of land within the Flathead National Forest in Flathead and Lake Counties. The objectives of the project are to reduce the risk or extent of, or increase the resilience to, insect and disease infestations in the Weed Lake Project area; reduce fuel conditions which w...
SEELEY LAKE – Tuesday morning, following the first community meeting of the Rice Ridge Fire, evacuation warnings were issued for areas north of Seeley Lake, the town and Double Arrow Ranch excluding Phase 1A west of Highway 83. While the public questioned the transparency of those in charge of the fire, the managers want to assure the public that information is not being withheld and their intent at the community meeting was to provide objective information without creating panic. The Type 3 I...
The American Red Cross has opened a shelter for residents heeding the pre-evacuation warnings issued for the Rice Ridge and Liberty fires burning near Seeley Lake in Missoula County. The shelter will be located at the Potomac Community Center, 29827 Potomac Road, in Potomac. All evacuees are welcome. All Red Cross services are free. For those in the area who have not yet received the order to evacuate, here is what you can do to prepare: • Download our free Wildfire app at http://www.redcross.org/prepare/mobile-apps. • Gather your family or...
SEELEY LAKE – For the second time this week, the Seeley Lake Elementary gym was filled for a public meeting about the Rice Ridge Fire. The Thursday meeting updated the community on fire operations for both the Rice Ridge and Liberty fires burning near Seeley Lake. The meeting began with a moment of silence for the two firefighters who have been killed fighting blazes on the Lolo National Forest. Nineteen-year-old Trenton Johnson died on the Florence Fire near Seeley Lake on July 19. and 2...
The fire is currently at 6,946 acres, up 112 acres from yesterday, and 0% contained. There are currently 9 crews, 2 helicopters, 18 engines, 4 water tenders, 3 dozers and 326 personnel assigned to the fire as well as 6-8 aircraft working the fire during the day. The values at risk include: the community of Seeley Lake and properties along the Highway 83 corridor. Over 600 residences are threatened. No structures have been lost on the incident. CURRENT STATUS: Management of the Rice Ridge Fire...
A public meeting will be held on Sunday, Aug. 6 at 6pm at the Seeley Lake Elementary School. A fire information booth will be staffed at the Valley Market on Highway 83 from 10am to 6pm. Photo courtesy of Mark Melvin. The Rice Ridge Fire is 7,740 acres as of this morning at 5am, a growth of nearly 800 acres from yesterday. The fire is 10% contained and has 9 crews, 23 engines, 2 helicopters, 4 dozers, 4 water tenders and overhead personnel totaling 370 firefighters. 2 helicopters are assigned...
Rice Ridge Fire Morning Update: A Public Meeting will be held TONIGHT, Aug. 6 at 6pm at the Seeley Lake Elementary School. The Rice Ridge Fire grew around 240 acres yesterday bringing it up to 7,946 as of 5am this morning. It is still 10% contained and has 9 crews, 22 engines, 2 helicopters, 4 dozers, 7 water tenders and overhead personnel totaling 370 Firefighters assigned to the fire. SUMMARY: Saturday's cooler temps and increased humidity resulted in decreased fire behavior over much of the...
SEELEY LAKE – A now-familiar scene unfolded in Seeley Lake Elementary School Sunday evening. The noticeably smaller crowd gathered for the third public meeting to hear updates on the ongoing fire operations on the Rice Ridge Fire and other fires burning in the area. The most recent fire maps formed the backdrop of the meeting. A daily progression map showed the growth over the last 24 hours-fingers of fire spread west down Rice Ridge towards Highway 83 and a sizable section of fire pushed up t...
Rice Ridge Fire Morning Update: he Rice Ridge Fire is 8,209 acres, 10% contained and has 454 personnel on it. This includes 9 crews, 22 engines, 2 helicopters, 4 dozers, 7 water tenders and overhead personnel. SUMMARY: Last night’s community meeting was attended by approximately 250 people. It can be viewed as a video on the Lolo National Forest Facebook page for those who missed it. The next public meeting will be held on Thursday, Aug. 10 at 6pm at the Seeley Lake Elementary School. The w...
Rice Ridge Fire Morning Update: The Rice Ridge Fire grew around 200 acres yesterday and is now up to 8,423 acres. It is 10% contained. There are 461 Firefighters including 9 crews, 28 engines, 4 helicopters, 2 dozers, 17 water tenders and overhead personnel. Photo by Nathan Bourne of the fire from The Barn Sunday night. SUMMARY: The next public meeting will be held on Thursday, Aug. 10 at 6pm at the Seeley Lake Elementary School. Monday's weather provided for moderate fire activity along the...
SEELEY LAKE - Trenton M. Johnson, 19-year-old firefighter from Missoula, sustained injuries from a falling tree while fighting the Florence Fire on the Seeley Lake Ranger District the afternoon of July 19. Johnson was flown to Missoula but was later pronounced deceased at St. Patrick's Hospital. A small lightning fire was called in Tuesday night five miles northeast of Seeley Lake on Rice Ridge. Wednesday morning, nine firefighters from the Seeley Lake Ranger District began suppression operation...
SEELEY LAKE - Residents bombarded the Seeley Lake Sewer District (SLSD) Board with questions and comments at the board’s July 20 meeting. The “public comment” period dominated the meeting taking up three quarters of the 80-minute meeting. Topics ranged from the pending protest period to goose poop in the lake to McDonald’s coming to town. The meeting got off to a tense start when resident Don Larson asked Board President Mike Boltz when the letter of intent to incur indebtedness would be sent out. District Manager Greg Robertson started...
SEELEY LAKE - During the superintendent's report at the July Seeley Lake Elementary Board meeting, Chris Stout announced that SLE Outside, the retail/rental shop in the Bison and Bear Center will likely vacate their space when the lease ends in September. "I think that's what we're going to do," said Stout. "It really hasn't worked out for our needs and... it's still fairly expensive [to lease]." SLE Outside ended up with a $10,000 deficit from November 2015-November 2016, but Stout said that...
SEELEY LAKE- Girard Grove near the western shore of Seeley Lake is an almost sacred space. A dirt path traces its way around the trunks of larch trees that have an approximate age of 600 years. Typically, the only noise that can be heard is the wind brushing through branches and the occasional car passing by on Boy Scout Road. Last week however, the grove took on a new cacophony of sound. Saws buzzed, drills drilled and the prize of the grove, a 1,000-year-old western larch known locally as...
MONTANA – Citing active wildfires and extreme fire danger across the state, Governor Steve Bullock has issued an executive order declaring a fire emergency in Montana. Prior to signing the executive order, the governor was briefed by the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation and Disaster and Emergency Services at the Department of Military Affairs. He also spoke with Rick Connell, the Incident Commander at the Lodgepole Complex area, which is currently the state’s largest fire. “Montana is facing extreme fire conditions. Our top p...
SEELEY LAKE- A double semi-truck caught fire on Highway 83 just north of Seeley Lake on Tuesday, July 18. The fire burned for about fifteen minutes before the Seeley Lake Volunteer Fire Department put out the flames. Just before 2:30 p.m., the semi-truck was driving south down the highway when one of the brakes froze up. "It doesn't take long for those to over heat and then boom," said Seeley Lake Fire Chief Bob Vanden Heuvel. The volunteer firefighters got the call at 2:28, and were dispatched...
SEELEY LAKE - The Bob Marshall Music Festival ended more than a week ago but the work is still ongoing. Revenue and expenditure checks are still coming in, hard numbers on attendance are still being calculated and feedback is being processed. The Seeley Lake Community Foundation, the organization that put on the music festival, had a board meeting on Monday to go over the results. “We are just so excited to have done it and we’re extremely pleased with the way it seems to have boosted the economy of all the businesses here in Seeley Lak...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Swan Pathfinder asked attendees to "pin their hometown or state" on a map at the Bob Marshall Music Festival. There were 356 pins placed in the map. Half of respondents placed pins in Montana. Helena had the most pins with 24 followed by Missoula with 20. The other half placed pins in other states. All but seven states had at least one pin in them while Washington had the most with 25 followed by Utah, 12 and California with 11. Three pinned Canada and a half dozen...
SEELEY LAKE - More than 60 people came together for a volunteer work day at Fawn Pond on July 23. The Nature Conservancy hosted their sixth annual Revive and Thrive event to celebrate conservation and recreation efforts and create a new trail. Fawn Pond, a few miles west of Seeley Lake, now has a new mile-and-a-half nonmotorized trail around it. The trail includes a new bridge over Fawn Creek, which will replace a culvert downstream that has been impeding fish flow. This combination of...
SWAN VALLEY - Jim Nave, Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation deputy regional manager, provided information about how to file a claim for exempt water rights filed before July 1, 1973 at the July 18 Swan Valley Community Council. Swan Lake District Ranger Rich Kehr also gave an update on the Flathead National Forest Plan and other district activities. According to the DNRC website, House Bill 110, passed in the 2017 session of the 65th Legislature, requires the DNRC to notify all property owners in Montana about their...
SEELEY LAKE- The Seeley Lake Elementary School Board of Trustees received several updates regarding staff changes, SLE Outside, the new scoreboard, parking lot paving and preschool funding at their meeting July 18. One of the first orders of business was a letter of resignation from Andrew Wyatt. Superintendent Chris Stout will make his replacement recommendations at the next meeting. At the next meeting, Stout will also provide an update on the SLE Outside store. Stout stated that it is his tentative plan for the store to vacate its current...
CONDON - The Condon Ball Field was alive with music and dancing during the fourth annual Swan Valley Connections' Shintangle July 20. "Tonight is all about celebrating," said Executive Director Maria Mantas during her welcome comments. "We're really here to celebrate the fantastic place we live, the Swan Valley, and to thank our community." The event, which drew around 100 people, featured live music by the Beet Tops and square dancing all evening, along with barbecue. The event also featured...
SWAN VALLEY - Maria Mantas, the executive director of Swan Valley Connections for the last four years, will be retiring this fall. "A good executive director keeps the family together, keeps the team together," said Mantas. "I call myself the head cook and dishwasher." Before her stint with SVC, she worked for the Nature Conservancy as the Science and Stewardship Director, and was a plant ecologist for the Flathead National Forest prior to that. "I've spent about 30 years doing conservation...
A load of retardant is dropped on the Rice Ridge Fire during initial attack operations July 24. The 15-acre fire is burning on the west side of Florence Lake, six miles north of Seeley Lake. A Type Three Incident Command Team has been ordered and was expected to arrive Tuesday, July 25. For updates on the Rice Ridge Fire and other incidents visit https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/...
Fire Danger EXTREME in Missoula County - Stage 2 Restrictions Start July 27 MISSOULA - Interagency wildland fire officials with the Missoula County Fire Protection Association (MCFPA) have determined fire danger to be EXTREME. Stage 2 restrictions will go into effect Thursday, July 27 at 12:01 a.m. As folks in the Missoula area can see, lightning strikes ignited multiple fires, and in the past few weeks a few have escaped initial attack. While response times have been typically fast, fires...
SEELEY LAKE – Nearly 600 people packing the gym at Seeley Lake Elementary for a fire meeting Monday, July 31. Members of the Forest Service, the Incident Management Team and other local officials addressed the attendees. The meeting served primarily as an update for the Rice Ridge Fire that is burning approximately three miles northeast of Seeley Lake. The fire started on July 24, but in the last 24 hours the fire exploded from 60 acres to 1,994 acres. During the day Monday, the fire grew 300-50...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake emergency personnel responded to a report that downed trees in Lake Alva campground trapped campers around 8 p.m. Friday, July 14. Two trees fell lengthwise on a camper trailer, totaling the trailer but sparing an infant in a bassinet. While another camper was also damaged, no one was injured. Seeley Lake resident Alisia Sunderland witnessed the storm first hand. She was huckleberry picking in the campground when the storm hit. She heard the wind hit the treetops and d...
SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley Regional Planning Committee continued to work through the Land Use element of the draft growth plan. They also agreed to have the document ready to submit to the Missoula County Commissioners by Nov. 1 at their meeting July 12. The SVRPC agreed to review the numbers and charts included in the first two paragraphs of the Land Use Element’s section entitled Vacant, Unencumbered Parcels by Acreage at a later date. The chart refers to the number of vacant lots that vary from less than one acre to more than 80 acres. T...
SEELEY LAKE – Live music was easy to come by in Seeley Lake this past weekend as bands from all over the country came to play at the second annual Bob Marshall Music Festival. While the official attendance numbers were not available at press time, event coordinator Chris Stout said the count started at 200 people-just counting band members and volunteers. "Overall I think it went well," said Stout. "Maybe do what we did this year and perfect that for a couple years before adding anything a...
HELENA – Montana State Parks is seeking public comment on 25 grant applications for snowmobile trail grooming funds for the 2017/2018 winter season. This includes $17,343 for the Seeley Lake Driftriders. Montana’s Snowmobile Program, as administered by Montana State Parks, was established in the early 1970’s and is an essential component of both motorized and non-motorized winter recreational activities in the state. Montana’s groomed trails provide important access and recreation opportunities for snowmobilers and other winter recreat...
OVANDO - The Monahan Fire was reported at approximately 5:30 p.m. Sunday, July 16 on Monahan Mountain. Trails #402 and #27 near Limestone Pass were closed Monday for public and firefighter safety. The fire is approximately 17 miles north of Ovando and is visible from Highway 200. This backcountry fire is located up the East Fork of Monture Creek between Limestone Pass and Monahan Mountain near the Bob Marshall Wilderness. The area is moderately timbered/rocky steep slopes with mostly south/southeast aspect. The fire is burning in primarily suba...
POTOMAC - Multiple species of grasshoppers are throughout Potomac Valley this summer in hayfields, gardens, roadways and lawns. Some residents were concerned enough about crop and other plant damage to request more information and reached out to Missoula County Extension office. In response, a Potomac hopper survey was completed in June. Richard (Joe) Merenz, Gary Adams and Shayne Galford from the USDA presented a grasshopper management workshop July 11 at the Blackfoot Church of Potomac where...
SEELEY LAKE – A silver Toyota Tacoma towing a blue and white striped motor boat pulled up to the check station at Clearwater Junction. Two inspectors circled the watercraft, checking for the presence of zebra mussel of other aquatic invasive species (AIS) that could infest local waters. After a thorough visual check, inspector Denise Richardson asked the boat owner a few questions. Where did you last launch this boat? Where do you plan to launch next? And most importantly, have you taken this c...
BOISE, IDAHO – Federal, state and local wildland fire management agencies and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) urge members of the public not to fly “Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS)” or drones over or near wildfires. Unauthorized drone flights pose serious risks to firefighter and public safety and hinder wildfire suppression operations. This season there have been 17 documented instances of unauthorized drone flights over or near wildfires in nine states (Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Utah and W...
The Montana Grizzlies will soon be under new management. We’re not talking about the UM football team, but rather the grizzly bear population in the state. Specifically, those living in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke announced that the agency plans on removing grizzlies living in the Yellowstone area from Endangered Species Act protection and turning management to the states and tribes. The announcement was made June 22. The rule takes effect 30 days after it is published in the Federal Register. “This ach...
Change Your Pace Challenge SEELEY LAKE - Seventy-two runners braved the late morning heat to run in the Change Your Pace Challenge 10K, 5K and 2K races. Micah Drew from Seeley Lake finished first in the 10K with a time of 33:40.96. Forty-year-old Daisy Zell of Bozeman led the women in the 10K with a time of 51:38.03. In the 5K, Seeley Lake eighth-grader Hannah Ayers finished first for the women, and third overall, with a time of 21:53.33. Chris Boland of Cascade, Mont. won the race with a time o...
SEELEY LAKE - Six miles up Rice Ridge Road, a line of vehicles slowed to a stop. Dirt roads spread out to the left and right until they disappeared in to the trees along the ridge. Race Coordinator Chris Stout emerged from the lead vehicle and began giving instructions. Behind him, several people opened car doors and carried out coolers, water jugs and milk crates filled with various foods. In the crisp not-yet-above-60-degree air, volunteers set up an aid station-the first of four along the...
SEELEY LAKE - Hours before his first performance at the Bob Marshall Music Festival, Matt Strachan was lounging at his cabin in Dogtown. Scattered around the back deck overlooking the Clearwater River sat members of his band, the Hoot Owls, along with his wife and friends, sipping on White Claws and huckleberry-colored mixed drinks. The band members all showed signs of being in the sun-they'd spend part of the day out on the boat-which was a precursor to the hot, summer sets ahead. "Do you want...
Asphalt Millings Pile Continues to Grow – No Current Legal Issues SEELEY LAKE - The millings pile south of Seeley Lake has grown considerably over the course of the Highway 83 construction. There are currently no violations with the site. The contractor is required to find a place for millings. Frank Tabish, project manager for the construction, said that LHC contracted with John Richards Construction to dump the millings on the site. The site is located on private property. The property is located near Morrell Creek which raised some c...
SEELEY LAKE – Trenton M. Johnson,19-year-old firefighter from Missoula, sustained injuries from a falling tree while fighting the Florence Fire on the Seeley Lake Ranger District the afternoon of July 19. Johnson was flown to Missoula but was later pronounced deceased at a local hospital. The call came in just after 5 p.m., Wednesday. Seeley Lake volunteer medical personnel transferred the patient from a helicopter transporting him off the fire to Life Flight at the Seeley Lake Airport. J...
SEELEY LAKE - Summer music festivals in Montana are almost as prevalent as cherries on a tree in the Flathead. They range from the Montana Folk Festival in Butte, to the Big Sky Classical Music Festival, to the new Traveler's Rest in Missoula. The local Bob Marshall Music Festival, on July 13-16, enters its second year as a solid member of the summer music scene in the four-oh-six. Last year's inaugural event hosted more than 2,500 people at the festival during the busiest day-including kids...
SEELEY LAKE – Addy Trevino was a healthy, active, happy two-year-old up until two weeks ago. Now she and her family are facing six weeks of radiation for an inoperable brain tumor. Addy's parents Jen and Treay Trevino both graduated from Seeley-Swan High School. They have been working in Seeley Lake since 2009 and just bought their first house in Seeley Lake last August. Treay currently works at Rovero's and Jen is a sous chef at Double Arrow Lodge. "If you have had breakfast or lunch at the Dou...
LINCOLN - About eight and a half miles below Ken and Sandy Crymble's home in Mead Gulch, something moved. "I thought the cabin exploded. I didn't know," Crymble said. "The cabin was shaking and there just a loud, huge noise." According to the U.S. Geological Survey, a "shallow strike-slip faulting" motion triggered a 5.8 magnitude earthquake almost directly beneath the Crymble home at 12:30 a.m., July 6. As a retired fire chief, Crymble had years of experience. Awaking from a deep sleep by...
SEELEY LAKE - “Frankly, it was about to fold.” That was Cheryl Lewis’s comment on the old Seeley Lake Chamber of Commerce. Lewis, the newly elected chairperson, is one of the members breathing new life into the Chamber this year. Over the years, the Chamber has been involved in community affairs and events such as the Fourth of July and Winterfest. In recent years the enthusiasm and interest in the Chamber dwindled to just a member or two and “people were just tired,” according to Lewis. “We had to decide whether to let it die or bring it ba...
MISSOULA – The Bureau of Land Management wants to hear the public’s opinions on what they think is great about the great outdoors. The BLM Missoula Field Office will hold a series of focus groups, engaging the public in a conversation about recreation management on BLM-administered public lands in Granite, Missoula and Powell counties. The focus groups—scheduled for July 14 and 15 in Seeley Lake, Greenough and Missoula—will be hosted by Colorado Mesa University’s Natural Resource Center and the BLM Missoula Field Office. “The idea behind the...
POTOMAC - Last month Montana U.S. Sen. Steve Daines announced that after a 13-year ban, the U.S. will once again be able to ship beef to China. "Montana beef will now be served on menus, plates and in Chinese households," Daines stated in a press release. "On my next trip to Beijing I look forward to seeing Montana beef on the menu." The measure reopening the markets is set to go into effect this month. Errol Rice, Executive Vice President of the Montana Stockgrowers Association stated, "We are...
SEELEY LAKE – The local churches are leaving their walls and joining together to lead a worship service Sunday morning, July 16 to close out the Bob Marshall Music Festival. Led by Gary Wayne, Pastor of Faith Chapel and a nine-piece worship band comprised of three Seeley Lake churches, the intent is two-fold: to continue to unify the local churches and share the love of Jesus Christ with all the attendees. Several large music festivals around the country include a Sunday morning service as a p...
SEELEY LAKE - Thirteen cars filled the Parts Plus parking lot in Seeley Lake Saturday, July 8 for the fourth annual Seeley Lake Show and Shine Car Show. The event was started by a group of friends from Great Falls that enjoy getting together and driving their vehicles. Three car-owners from the group brought their vehicles, the rest were from the area including Seeley Lake, Dutton and Lincoln. Randy Shaw traveled from Lincoln with his old Pro Stock Centerline built by Willie Rells. In the...
Human-Caused Fires Start Local Fire Season SEELEY LAKE – The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation Clearwater Unit has responded to four human-caused fires since July 1. Fireworks caused three of the fires. None of them grew more than an acre. The Woodworth Fire started July 5 off Woodworth Road. It grew to 1.3 acres before being controlled. The cause is still under investigation. "Things are QUICKLY drying out and fire danger is rapidly increasing," wrote DNRC Fire Unit S...
SEELEY LAKE - When festival organizer Chris Stout thought about what kind of music he wanted to bring to Seeley Lake, he decided that it should be an eclectic mix that would appeal to the widest variety of people. This year, he assembled 17 bands from 12 different states. Here is a look at the range of bands playing at this year's Bob Marshall Music Festival. Deer Tick Deer Tick has been electrifying the music scene for more than a decade. The five-member blues-infused alternative rock band from...
SEELEY LAKE - Bands are coming from as far as the Atlantic Coast to play at the Bob Marshall Music Festival. The Pathfinder reached out to a couple of bands that only have to travel down a highway or two to get here. Matt Strachan and the Hoot Owls Helena-based country rocker. Matt Strachan has been part of the music scene for the last 13 years. He has played solo gigs and as part of various ensembles around Montana and the country. His current ensemble, the Hoot Owls, released their latest album in October. The Pathfinder spoke to Strachan...
CAMP PERRY, OHIO – Squadded next to Texas Hill Country, the number one precision shooting team in the nation, the Hellgate Civilian Junior Shooters stepped up to the line on day one of their two day National competition. The first of their two teams took second to Texas Hill Country at the Western Regional Air Rifle 3 Position Championships last April. Hellgate's first team shooters Ibby Lorentz, Justin Thomas, Sam Weisenburger and Jonna Warnken finished their 60 shots (20 prone, 20 standing a...
SEELEY LAKE - Seven Montana communities, Seeley Lake among them, will receive funding to update water infrastructure. On June 28, Montana Senator Jon Tester announced he had secured more than $2 million for rural water projects, including water supply infrastructure, wastewater treatment facilities, environmental restoration and surface water resource protection. The Seeley Lake Sewer District is set to receive $600,000 of the funds. The funds come from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Water Resources Development Act Section 595...
GREENOUGH- A blown up black and white photograph depicting the Sunset School class in 1956 hung from the railing outside the schoolhouse. An elderly couple approached the picture, the man pushed his wife Mary in a wheelchair. "Mary, that's you," said her husband Dennis Sheron, pointing to the upper right corner. Her younger vision stood in the back row of the photograph, next to the teacher, Mrs. Mary Ann Beard Derrickson. Fifteen students made up the school in 1954. Her younger sister, Eloise...
SEELEY LAKE - Everyone cleaned up their cars, trucks and donned their red, white and blue for the annual parade in Seeley Lake. The event started with a fly over by a C-130 from the 120th AirWing with the Montana National Guard. Seeley-Swan High School junior Chloe Robbins sang the national anthem from the announcer's stand and everyone cheered. The celebration continued with nearly 50 entries in the parade. Everyone enjoyed getting candy and goodies from the parade participants. “Old F...
SEELEY LAKE - Everyone cleaned up their cars, trucks and donned their red, white and blue for the annual parade in Seeley Lake. The event started with a fly over by a C-130 from the 120th AirWing with the Montana National Guard. Seeley-Swan High School junior Chloe Robbins sang the national anthem from the announcer's stand and everyone cheered. The celebration continued with nearly 50 entries in the parade. Everyone enjoyed getting candy and goodies from the parade participants. "Old Fashioned...
SEELEY LAKE – A 31-year-old man from Three Forks, Mont. fell between 40-50 feet while attempting to climb Morrell Falls July 2. He was taken by air to Missoula and considered in serious condition. The call came into 911 Dispatch just before 3:30 p.m. on Sunday. Witnesses told Missoula County Sheriff's Sergeant Bob Parcell that the man was climbing barefoot on the slippery wet rocks of Morrell Falls. He lost his footing and tumbled down head first, hitting his head and feet multiple times b...
SEELEY LAKE - Since 2013 the Pathfinder has been counting the crowd at the parade in Seeley Lake. This year we counted 3,580 lining the streets from the Filling Station parking lot on B Street to the end of the parade on Redwood Lane. That's down more than 500 from the largest crowd we counted in 2016 but still larger than 2013's count of 3,439. We asked our Facebook fans for their best guess. As of press time, Megan Shelmerdine was the closest with a guess of 3,595....
SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley Elementary School board accepted principal Chris Stout and his committee’s recommendation for new hires to fill the open third-fifth grade and junior high teaching positions for the 2017-2018 school year. They also voted to hire a secretary to replace Karen Anderson who retires in August and contract with Seeley Lake Elementary for the district clerk and business manager positions for one year at their meeting June 29. Stout read three letters he received in reference to the hiring committee’s recommendation to...
OVANDO - While Ovando's fire trucks showed off on the parade route, their fire hall was converted into the site of the first annual Ovando Pinewood Derby. Employing the services of Keith Kallstrom of Great Falls, owner of Keith's Racing, the six-track race course sported an electronically timed finish line and big screen viewing. One look at the assembled cars made it evident that while some contestants fashioned their cars for speed, others were in it for fun. Among the trim aerodynamic models...
POTOMAC - A colorful outing the evening of June 28 brought more than 23 sightseers and gardeners to four local gardens. The event was promoted by the Potomac Garden Club. The featured Potomac gardeners have mixtures of vegetable, fruit, berry and flower gardens organized into sunny and hot or shady and cool beds, plots and containers connected by pathways, arbors, bridges and stairs. After the tour, attendees enjoyed refreshments and discussed gardening....
SEELEY LAKE - The ad in the Spokesman-Review was small, just two lines of print. "Resort For Sale," it said. "Seeley Lake, Montana. 13 cabins." Sue Heagy read the ad, picked up the phone to find out more and then went to Montana to see the place for herself. "I really don't remember anything about the resort itself or the cabins," she said about that first visit. What she does remember is the view. "I saw this, and I go 'This is it!'" With that one look at Seeley Lake with the southern edge of...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Fire Company served more than 600 people at this year's pancake breakfast. Organizer Shelly Johnson said that they had a lot more donations from local businesses than last year for the raffles. "Thank you to all our volunteers that help make our annual pancake breakfast a success," she said. "We could not do it without the generosity of our community. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts."...
SEELEY LAKE - The rubber ducks were off to the races again this year down the Clearwater River! The first duck crossed the finish line within 15 minutes of being dropped at the start. 2017 Annual Duck Race Winners 1. Bonnie “Isis” $100 2. Doris Skyles “Doris” $75 3. Foucar Family “Barbra” $50 4. Tom Sanders $25 2 Chicken Dinners from the Coop Gayle & Les Gordon “Men” Clint Rice “B” Kelly Wold “KeKe” Terri Holka “Lexi” Tripp Mincey “Joker” Bill Baier “Elvis” Last Place: Mary “Infidel...
SEELEY LAKE - Mission Bible Fellowship smoked 26 pork roasts for the barbecue this year. An early estimate was more than 350 served but people kept coming up until the parade. "We tell people, bring as much as you can and we stop serving when it runs out," said Coordinator Jason Hood. While the event used to be a fundraiser, now everything is provided by MBF as an outreach to the community....
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Volunteer Fire Department responded to 13 medical calls and one wildland fire over the long Fourth of July weekend. The string of calls started Friday, June 30 and kept the 16 volunteers responding at all hours. Seeley Lake Fire Chief Bob Vanden Heuvel said he was expecting the call volume to increase just because of the number of people in town. The volunteers were on high alert and ready to respond. The department faced three calls within a half an hour Sunday afternoon. While the majority of the resources w...
OVANDO - The community of Ovando started off their Fourth of July celebrations with a parade from Trixi's to downtown Ovando. The theme "Everyone participates, no one watches."...
CONDON - Following a pancake breakfast hosted by Swan Valley Emergency Services, the Fourth of July festivities in Condon kicked off with the parade down Highway 83. Following the parade, everyone converged at the Swan Valley Community Hall for huckleberry ice cream, the used book sale and other fun activities. The Omoksee finished out the afternoon. “Greatest Little Parade in the USA” - Winners Sponsored by the American Legion Post 63 Walkers: Swan Valley Community Library Supporters, Yvo...
Helmville Surpasses Fundraising Goal HELMVILLE- The Helmville Rodeo Club held their last big fundraiser for the grandstand renovation on July 1. More than 500 people showed up for the steak dinner and live auction. “We went way above and beyond anything anyone even expected,” said Camille Coughlin, leader of the fundraising efforts. The original goal of raising $80,00 for construction has now been met and surpassed. Coughlin said that there is talk of phase two of renovation with the extra funds. One option being considered is a form of han...
POTOMAC - Potomac resident and Hellgate High School senior Mallory Philliber made her mark in the world of Fundamental Accounting earning second place in the nation at the Business Professionals of America National Competition. The BPA is part of an education program with the goal of developing competency in business occupations and leadership abilities in the American business system. "The BPA club is about making business fun, teaching students about business ethics, accounting and how...
SEELEY LAKE- Dozens of boats cruised around Seeley Lake on Saturday morning-a common sight for a weekend morning. The unusual sight was the sheer number of kids on board each boat, trolling the waters for the biggest fish they could catch. The 15th annual Seeley Lake Kids Fishing Tournament took place Saturday, June 24. Children ages seven through 13 spent several hours on the lake competing for the heaviest overall catch. Forty-seven kids turned out for this year's tournament-20 more than last...
GREENOUGH- A mere mile from the banks of the Blackfoot River, Sunset School sits tucked away on the property of the Paws Up Resort. For a century, the tiny two-room schoolhouse has educated the children of Greenough. From an enrollment high of 26 students in 1967, to a single student-teacher combo from 2010-2012, Sunset has remained a staple in the educational diet of the Blackfoot Valley. This weekend, students, teachers and supporters of the school from decades past will descend upon the...
OVANDO- On Sunday, June 25, a truck heading eastbound noticed a disabled car and pulled a U-turn to help. An eastbound motorcycle crashed into the driver's side door. The rider of the motorcycle was life-flighted to Missoula but will live according to Montana Highway Patrol Trooper Tom Gill. The driver of the truck did not sustain any injuries. No citations have been issued at this time. The highway was closed near mile marker 46 for more than two hours....
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Rural Fire District has not been just responding to emergencies this past spring. They also secured two grants totaling $6,000 for personal protective gear and children's educational materials. Every year Town Pump recognizes the importance of firefighters and their dedication to helping others. They understand the demand for equipment is enormous. They offered $500,000 in grants to Montana fire departments to help improve the safety of Montana communities. Seeley...
SEELEY LAKE - Tickets are now on sale for the 2017 Maclean Festival in Seeley Lake and Missoula on the festival website: https//www.macleanfootsteps.com. When Alpine Artisans, Inc. founded a literary festival in 2015 to honor our notable home-town author, we chose the title “In the Footsteps of Norman Maclean” for a purpose. We recognized that Maclean’s novella, “A River Runs Through It” put Montana in the consciousness of fans nationally and internationally but it also influenced two generations of outstanding Montana authors. This second Fe...
SEELEY LAKE - South Morrell Trail #30.1 is a popular destination for mountain bikers, trail runners and hikers. It starts from the first switchback of Pyramid Pass Road and runs about five miles down to Woodworth-Seeley Lake Road. Early this summer the trail received maintenance from the Forest Service. According to Katie Knotek, the Seeley District trail manager, a small bridge on the trail was not up to Forest Service standards. Crews went in and replaced the old bridge near the start of the t...
SEELEY LAKE-A line of 10 mules, interspersed with the occasional ranch hand on horseback, wound its way down the trail into the Bob Marshall Wilderness. The mules each carried a large canvas covered pack on either side of their back-enough supplies and food to last four days. The first pack trip of the season was underway. Several hours earlier, at 7:10 a.m. Gail Theard and her family from North Carolina arrived at the Rich Ranch to start their trip into the Bob Marshall Wilderness. Jack Rich,...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake residents and others who experienced the Jocko Lakes Fire of 2007 were asked to step back 10 years and remember the eminent threat to the community, lessons learned and talk about what has changed as a result of the fire. Clearwater Resource Council hosted the Remembering the Jocko Lakes Fire event June 25 to commemorate the 10 year anniversary. The event started with a driving tour of the more than 36,000-acre Jocko Lakes Fire led by CRC board member Jon Haufler and F...
OVANDO- How much fun can you have with a piece of pine, two axles and four wheels? This is what volunteer firefighter Andy Whitehead hopes to find out next week. The Ovando Fire Department is hosting the inaugural Pinewood Derby Classic on the Fourth of July. The race will be a fundraiser for the volunteer fire department but more importantly it is designed to create community participation. “Everyone in the community puts in $10 and comes together for an event,” Whitehead said. “It’s really created some interesting energy and partici...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley-Swan High School football team mixed up their workout routine and ran over to the Seeley Lake Lions Club Park Wednesday night to help with clean up. Eight players, carrying the Blackhawks flag, ran from SSHS to the park nearly a mile away and spent more than an hour clearing the trail and picking up trash. Then they ran back to the high school. SSHS Football Assistant Coach Keith Maughan talked with Lions Club President and Park Manager Chairman Jon Kimble and m...
HELENA - The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) will continue centerline rumble strip installation on several of Montana's rural two-lane highways starting this month. The implementation is part of MDT's Vision Zero initiative to eliminate death and serious injury on Montana roads by preventing roadway departure crashes, which occur when a vehicle drives off the road or into the oncoming lane of traffic. According to MDT, in the decade between 2006 and 2015 roadway departure crashes...
SEELEY LAKE- In the fabled children’s story “Winnie the Pooh,” the characters pass time playing a game called ‘Pooh Sticks.’ Sticks are dropped off a bridge and the first to emerge from the other side is declared the winner. Seeley Lake has its own version of river racing. The annual Fourth of July Duck Races will once again fill the Clearwater River with hundreds of rubber yellow ducks. Gayle Gordon has been organizing the duck races for 20 years. The first year, it began as a fundraiser for the Seeley-Swan High School golf team. The team...
SEELEY LAKE – What all started with hundreds of cookies turned into an opportunity for professional photographer Angie Kimmel and her friend Becky Kyle to document the Jocko Lakes Fire, the largest fire to threaten Seeley Lake. Now 10 years later, her neighbor and friend Randi de Santa Anna and mother Sue Heagy complied her photographs into a book in her honor and made it available to the public. Kimmel and Kyle were both living at the Tamaracks Resort when the Jocko Lakes Fire started in 2007....
At a recent book signing, a gentleman who knew quite a bit about the Judith Basin country explained how Utica, a small town in the basin on the road into the Little Belt Mountains, received its name. He mentioned that one of the early arrivals onto that landscape thought folks would have to be crazy to live there. (We can't figure out why, as it's a beautiful piece of geography, but perhaps he showed up in the winter when strong winds were blowing and piling up drifts of snow). With that notion...
As you plan your Fourth of July festivities, please remember to be “Fire Smart”. Take care not to spark an unwanted wildfire.…even the smallest spark has the potential to cause significant damage. While the grass and vegetation in western Montana looks green and lush the threat of wildfire is still a possibility. Matt Hall, Southwestern Land Office Fire Management Officer for the MT Dept. of Natural Resources and Conservation said, “While the recent moisture has assisted in keeping the wildfire risk at moderate, grasses are getting dryer,...
“Independence Day and fireworks go hand in hand but fireworks shouldn’t go in consumers’ hands.” That’s the message the National Fire Protection Association is reinforcing this Fourth of July. Fireworks annually cause devastating burns, injuries, fires, and even death, making them too dangerous to be used safely by consumers. “Each year, thousands of people are injured from using consumer fireworks,” said Lorraine Carli, NFPA’s vice president of Outreach and Advocacy. “Even sparklers, which are often thought of as harmless enough for childr...
SWAN VALLEY – What started as a conversation about the economy among Swan Valley residents ended with nearly a dozen people focusing on restoration and renovation of the arena grounds. This was one of the three action teams that started taking small steps towards a sustainable economy for the valley. The Swan Valley First, hosted by the Swan Valley Community Foundation, brought more than 50 people from the area together for the meeting. Dan Clark and Blake Christensen from the Local Government Center at Montana State University led the m...
Seeley Lake Fire Board Reorganizes SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Rural Fire District Board reorganized at their June meeting. Scott Kennedy is the new chair, Gary Lewis is the vice chair, Rachel Jennings assumed the secretary position. Rita Rossi and Connie Clark are the two additional trustees. The next board meeting will be July 18 at 6 p.m. at the Seeley Lake Fire Hall. Memorial for Marion Burmeister MISSOULA - There will be a memorial for Marion Burmeister at the Western Montana Veterans Cemetery Pavilion, 1911 Tower St, Missoula, S...
HELMVILLE - Montana Highway 141 is a 32-mile-long road that meanders through western Montana without passing through a single town. Close to the northern end of the highway however, a mere mile long deviation will land you in the collection of buildings that make up Helmville. Less than 250 people call Helmville home. But once a year, nearly 2,000 people descend upon the community for a weekend, swelling the population enough to jump into the top 50 most populous cities in the state. The...
OVANDO - Leigh Ann Valiton paces back and forth down the two aisles of the Blackfoot Commercial Co. Her store, and attached Inn, is open until 7 every evening, but it's currently 10 p.m. and she shows no sign of leaving. Every few minutes she goes to her desk and refreshes the GPS tracker on her phone. She looks up, "It says she's here. Do you see her?" The woman in question is Fay Cunningham from New Zealand. Cunningham is competing in the Tour Divide Race, a 2,735-mile long mountain bike race...
SEELEY LAKE - Nearly 10 years ago, on Friday, August 3, 2007, the Jocko Lakes Fire burst to life on the eastern shore of the Jocko Lakes, ten miles east of Seeley Lake. By Saturday, August 4, the fire took a shocking run, straight towards the homes and businesses of Seeley Lake. Fire departments and fire crews responded from Seeley, Condon, Greenough-Potomac and other nearby communities. As the fire grew, a Type II Incident Management Team arrived, and then the Alaska Interagency Type I Team. The fire burned 36,388 acres, came within a mile of...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Kids Fishing Tournament returns to Seeley Lake Saturday, June 24. Children ages seven through 13 can expect fishing, lunch and prizes. The event is free for all participants. The idea for the event started when Gary Ikerd was teaching a class “Hooked on Fishing” to the Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE) fourth graders. “We decided we needed to do something for the kids,” said Ikerd. He and his wife Martha McManus started the fishing tournament in 2002. Boats will be ready to load at the Big Larch Campground boat ramp st...
The spring bear hunting season closed June 15 in Bear Management Units 290 and 280 in the Blackfoot Watershed. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks reports harvest numbers were lower this year than previous years. The spring bear season began April 15. Hunters are allowed to harvest one bear per year in BMUs 290 and 280. If they did not get their bear during the spring season, they can hunt the fall season Sept. 15 through the end of general rifle season Nov. 26. In the spring, male bears, called...
SEELEY LAKE – After years of deferred maintenance, the Seeley Lake Chamber of Commerce's fireworks barge has a new deck. Thanks to the work of the Seeley-Swan High School shop class and donations from several local businesses the barge is ready for another Fourth of July fireworks show on Seeley Lake. Chamber member Jessica Kimmel thought the SSHS shop class would be a great resource to assist the Chamber with the project. After replacing two flat tires, Chamber representative Eric Hayhurst b...
SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley Regional Planning Committee voted to add appendices to the draft growth plan at their meeting June 14. The committee also discussed and edited three sections of the Land Use Element. Despite Chair Ken Donovan’s objection to including appendices in the draft plan, he and the rest of the committee voted to include appendices. Donovan was concerned it would make the document redundant. Committee member Diann Ericson compiled the additions to the appendices from text the committee eliminated from the draft plan. E...
SEELEY LAKE - Students and teachers from a Washington, D.C. suburb spent the first week of their summer vacation in Montana at the Rich Ranch. The middle school classes at the Bullis School, an independent, private K-12 school in Potomac, Md. takes an annual trip every summer. Last year they visited the Florida Keys. This year 11 students and two teachers spent six days, June 11-16 at the Rich's Montana Guest Ranch to experience small-town America and the Wild West. "For them to choose Montana...
Designing and building a car is hard. Designing and building a car that goes fast? Even harder. Carson Geary loves that challenge. The Drummond High School sophomore from Ovando took part in his school's F1 in Schools competition for the second year. The competition started in Montana three years ago. When Geary's science teacher Darcy Schindler mentioned the program in class, he was hooked. "It was just the excitement of being able to race a car and going different places and getting to meet...
LEWISTOWN, MONT. - The Seeley Swan Pathfinder won four awards in the 2017 Better Newspaper Awards Division 1 at the 132nd Annual Convention of the Montana Newspaper Association. Lincoln's Blackfoot Valley Dispatch also came home with six awards. Nathan Bourne was the award-winning photographer this year for the Pathfinder. Bourne took first place for his news photo of the Mission Mountains Mercantile fire and his fireworks photo. The judges from the North Dakota Newspaper Association said the...
GREENOUGH - Stoney, the iconic cow that guards the intersection of Highway 200 and Highway 83, answers to a new owner. Last month Scott McIntyre and his associates bought Clearwater Junction-the convenience store, gas station, bar and yes, the cow. "I've been going up there since I was a kid and we just thought we'd make an offer," said McIntyre. McIntyre is best known for owning the Badlander Complex, a series of bars in downtown Missoula that includes the Badlander, Golden Rose and the newly...
Highway 83 Construction Update SEELEY LAKE- Last week’s constant rain deterred paving crews resurfacing Highway 83 north of Seeley Lake. Project manager Frank Tabish said that despite the missed days, he doesn’t expect any delays in the project time line which is estimated to be fully completed by mid-October. According to Tabish, the construction is about a third of the way done. There are about three weeks of asphalt milling and paving left, and the plan is to chip seal the 16-mile stretch of road in the middle of July. After that, gua...
SEELEY LAKE – Verizon Wireless customers can expect better service in and around the Seeley Lake region. Andesite Properties LLC installed a new cellular tower on Redwood Lane approximately one block from Highway 83. The tower is 150 feet tall. The tower currently has only one tenant, Verizon, but J.R. Reger, a member of Andesite Properties, said that it can hold up to five. Reger has contacted Sprint, AT&T and T Mobile about utilizing the tower as well. Reger said that Seeley Lake needed a towe...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Lions Club chartered the Seeley-Swan High School Leo Club Wednesday, June 7. Seventeen high school students were inducted into the club with applications for six more members for next fall. This is the fourth Leo Club in the state of Montana. The objective of the Leo Club is to provide youth with the opportunity for development and contribution, individually and collectively, as responsible members of the local, national and international community. The Leo motto i...
SEELEY LAKE-Mountain bikers have begun to trickle past Seeley Lake. The frontrunners of the 2017 Tour Divide bike race passed the Seeley Lake airport enroute to Ovando Sunday, June 11. The Tour Divide, billed as the hardest bike race in the world, is a single-stage, self supported mountain bike race along the Continental Divide. Riders left en masse from Banff, Canada June 9 and the winners hope to reach Antelope Wells, New Mexico in just more than two weeks. Seeley Lake is approximately 523.5...
SEELEY LAKE- Warm weather means it's time to head outside and shop local vendors every Sunday. The Seeley Lake Farmers' and Crafters' Market opened for its ninth season on a sunny morning June 11. Located at Littlebird's Lawn on Larch Lane from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., the market features about 25 vendors each week. "Happy first market of season number nine everybody," exclaimed an excited Vicky Voegelin who has organized the market since its conception almost a decade ago. "It's a great opening...
SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley Community Foundation will be hosting Swan Valley First! June 21 from 3–8:30 p.m. at the Swan Valley Community Hall. The event will be an interactive, facilitated hands-on workshop for Swan Valley residents and business owners and will focus on promoting a “sustainable local economy.” “This is a project the Swan Valley Community Foundation has been interested in for a very a long time,” said John Mercer, the president of SVCF. “The economy in the Swan Valley is something that hasn’t received very much attention in...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Foundation is looking to add a little character to its vanpool fleet. The SLCF is holding a naming contest through the end of the month. The fleet currently has two six-passenger vans—one is wheelchair accessible—and on June 30, each will have its own identity. The van names will be painted on the sides of the vehicles and they will be driven in the Fourth of July Parade. The contest is open to anyone. The winning name for each van will win a free ticket to the Bob Marshall Music Festival. A little more t...
SEELEY LAKE - The Missoula Aging Services (MAS) Seeley-Swan Resource Center now offers a volunteer program for adults age 55 and older who would like to give a helping hand to other area residents and earn a small tax free stipend to help with expenses. “Senior Companions add such a wonderful dimension in terms of respite, friendship, fun outings, fishing trips, mail retrieval, help getting to appointments and more,” said Linda Howard, Seeley-Swan Resource Specialist. “They provide a vital link in helping people remain in their homes as indepen...
MISSOULA - Who will receive your property if you pass away without an estate plan? Do you know when wills or trusts have control over property and when they don’t? What financial and legal steps should be taken before a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s, related dementias or cognitive impairment? To find out the answers to these questions and much more, plan to attend one of two free educational programs given by Dr. Marsha Goetting Monday, June 26 at the Missoula Public Library. Dr. Goetting, MSU Extension Family Economics specialist, enhances her pre...
SEELEY LAKE - For three days a week all summer, local kids will be able to explore the surrounding trails, mountains and waterways on foot, bike and paddleboard. SLE Outside is once again hosting the 21st Century Adventure Club this summer. The program, which began last year, is a three-day a week outdoor camp for youth ages 8-14. "It's this amazing program for very little cost," said Bridget Laird, the programs organizer. Laird said that the goal is to keep kids active and engaged during the...
HELENA – Montana State Parks is seeking diversified trail users to serve on two different citizens advisory committees. The Off-Highway Vehicle Advisory Committee advises the agency on the distribution of approximately $110,000 in annual Off-Highway Vehicle Program funds and other education programs. The committee is made up of five members. They are seeking one new member to begin Sept. 1. The State Trails Advisory Committee advises the agency on the expenditure of about $1.5 million of federal Recreational Trails Program funds annually, a...
The Mr. Pike Fishing Tournament returned to the chain of lakes June 10 and 11 on Seeley Lake. Fishermen and women from the area tried their luck on Salmon and Seeley Lakes. DJ Harris and LeeRoy Walz of Victor, Mont. swept the tournament taking the biggest fish both days and winning by more than 15 pounds for the two-day event. This year's tournament drew 24 entrants from Seeley Lake, Clinton, Victor, Darby, Stevensville, Corvallis and Hamilton. Most fished in pairs having a combined weight for...
POTOMAC - Every few minutes a balloon popped and every few minutes the gym full of people flinched and then laughed. Kindergartners and eighth graders alike grabbed at the maroon and gold balloons that decorated the stage and stomped, poked and popped them in celebration. A few tried to suck out the helium to let out a special high-pitched "Hoorah," adding hilarity to the bittersweet vibe that filled the gym. Eighteen students graduated from Potomac Elementary School Wednesday, June 7. Nine...
Superhost “The Guest” Training June 19 SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake and Ronan Area Chamber of Commerce are hosting the Annual Super Host Training “The Guest” June 19 from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the Seeley Lake Historical Museum and Visitors Center. Pam Gosink with Gosink Communications LLC will facilitate the program helping local businesses and community members learn the best way to offer great service. Through discussions and role-play scenarios, attendees with be able to: • Evaluate guest standards including how guests are welcomed, t...
SEELEY LAKE, MONT. - Thursday evening, June 15 Gary Johnson slowly walked across Highway 83 in Seeley Lake, carrying his wrapped up leftovers from dinner at the Filling Station and shivering. He looked his 64 years of age. Johnson shuffled up to the window of the Ice Cream Place and ordered a large chocolate milk shake. "I'm doing the Tour Divide Ride," he told the girl at the window. "I need all the sugar." Typically Johnson doesn't eat sugar in his diet-he also hasn't had a drop of alcohol in...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake author Tanya Fyfe will be hosting a book signing at the Double Arrow Lodge from 4-6 p.m. on Friday, June 9. Fyfe will be promoting her latest book, "Secrets Abound in Missing Lake," which was released on April 27. This is the third book in her Missing Lake series, which follows the fictional teen Luke Houser as he navigates the challenges of living in a tiny Montana mountain community. "Secrets Abound in Missing Lake," picks up where the last one left off. Luke b...
Got grizzlies? Defenders of Wildlife can help. The Defenders have an electric fencing incentive program to help landowners protect their yards, garden and animals-without endangering bears. The Defenders are offering to reimburse landowners for 50 percent of the cost of bear-resistant electric fencing, up to $500. The incentive is both a technical and financial assistance program. "Humans by and large generate things on the landscape that bears love, like bear snacks basically," said Russ Talmo,...
SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley Community Foundation announces a Swan Valley First convening of the community June 21 from 3 – 8:30 p.m. at the Swan Valley Community Hall. The event will focus on a “sustainable local economy.” This is a hands-on workshop for Swan Valley residents and business owners interested in creating and implementing a sustainable local economy. Participants can expect a highly interactive, facilitated process resulting in an intentional economic strategy for the Swan Valley. It will culminate with an action plan specific fo...
SWAN VALLEY - The Upper Swan Valley Historical Society's recently published book, The Gathering Place: Swan Valley's Gordon Ranch, encapsulates the rich history of the upper Swan Valley. To document the impact of the area's first homestead and ranch, the USVHS publication committee researched numerous records and interviewed key people including the owners, managers, ranch hands and other employees of the ranch. Long before it became known as the Gordon Ranch, this natural prairie in the Swan Ri...
SEELEY LAKE - Desler Lawrence O'Brien was born May 18 to parents Nicole Maloughney and Kiel O'Brien of Seeley Lake. He was 8 pounds and 19.5 inches long. His brother Liam O'Brien and proud grandparents Bill and Kathie O'Brien and Dan and Sherry Maloughney also welcomed Desler into the world....
Missoula County officers arrested a 44-year-old homicide suspect after she stopped for gas at Clearwater Junction. Officers found Pamela Jean Courtnage, and the vehicle she had stolen, over Memorial Day weekend. “Ultimately we got her without a struggle,” said Sheriff’s Deputy Mike Sunderland, one of the officers that found the truck sitting at the gas pump. Courtnage was charged with deliberate homicide and theft and has been returned to Great Falls for trial. An incident at the group campsite west of the Clearwater River off of Highway 200 l...
POTOMAC - This time of year small amphibians can be found around Potomac waterways, yards and in the woods. The Ambystoma macrodactylum krausei, commonly known as the northern long-toed salamander, lives in the Blackfoot Valley. They are plentiful in this area but are not seen except during breeding season, according to Sandy Perrin at Missoula County Extension. The characteristic that is the namesake for this species is the extra long third toe on their hind feet. Males are longer limbed and...
SWAN VALLEY - Condon held its annual bear fair, put on by Swan Valley Bear Resources Saturday, May 4. The afternoon event featured representatives from various Montana outdoor groups and aimed to educate the public on the state of bears in the area and how to safely co-exist with bears. It was standing room only in the Swan Valley Community Hall for the presentation part of the day. Lori Roberts, a bear researcher with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks talked about the ongoing Grizzly Trend...
SEELEY LAKE – While being the first one to cross the finish line in a bicycle race is not a goal of Seeley Lake's Jaycee McGraves, helping others and staying active are. She, along with Shelley McGraves and Diane Jones, started Team Seeley in the Great Cycle Challenge USA. They will ride through the month of June while raising money to fund childhood cancer research. Jaycee learned about the Great Cycle Challenge last year. The Great Cycle Challenge started in 2015 and has grown to become one of...
SEELEY LAKE - During the Seeley Lake Elementary eighth grade graduation ceremony June 1, staff recognized exceptional students with a variety of awards. 2017 Presidential Academic Achievement Award went to students receiving at least an A- grade point average in seventh and eighth grade and achieved at or above the benchmark for science, math and English in MAP testing. Recipients this year were Bethany Hoag and Klaire Kovatch. Emily Howard received the 2017 Technology Award. Howard received...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley Lake Elementary held their kindergarten completion ceremony June 1. Twenty-two students are ready to start as first-graders next year....
Seeley-Swan Community Food Bank Seeks Volunteers SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley-Swan Community Food Bank is looking for volunteers for two hours per month. Duties include stocking shelves, helping clients and staffing the food bank Tuesdays from 12-4 p.m. For more information or to volunteer call Sheree Hill at 402-206-1720. Cottonwood Lakes Road Work Underway SEELEY LAKE – The Cottonwood Lakes Road (#477) on the Seeley Lake Ranger District will be closed between the junction with the Kozy Corner Road (#9976) and Monture Road (#89) beginning Jun...
SWAN VALLEY - Friends and family of Swan Valley Elementary students gathered to celebrate the graduation of three kindergarten and five eighth graders. The ceremony, which took place at the SVE gym on May 31, honored Camden Gleason, Ethan Kennedy and Elijah Nelson who successfully completed kindergarten. "I am 100 percent confident they are ready for first grade," said teacher Susan Bracha. After they were presented with diplomas, the focus shifted to five students who finished their tenure at...
SEELEY LAKE - There is a new monument to history in the entryway of Seeley Lake Elementary. On Tuesday, May 30, Bethany Hoag hung the new track and field record board next to the entrance of the gymnasium. "The final product is the most fun to see," said 14-year-old Hoag. "It's always been a vision of mine and seeing it come true is really cool." Hoag had the idea for a record board since she was in sixth grade. One of her friends had recently broken a school record in the triple jump but there...
The Seeley-Swan area has a critical shortage of caregivers, according to Missoula Aging Services Resource Specialist Linda Howard. She wants to do something about it. “In keeping with our mission to promote the independence, dignity and health of older adults and those who care for them, MAS helps people remain in their homes as independent individuals as long as possible,” Howard says. “This is a challenging endeavor, because aging people need in-home caregiver support to successfully facilitate this life choice.” Howard staffs the MAS See...
SEELEY LAKE - Friends and family members cheered on the Seeley-Swan High School seniors as they crossed the stage during commencement Sunday, June 4. Twenty-one seniors-clad in the traditional black caps and gowns- received diplomas, ending their high school careers on a weekend when 814 other Missoula County Public Schools seniors graduated. The students chose Seeley Lake Elementary teacher Duane Schlabach to give the commencement speech. Schlabach said his personal quest for knowledge led him...
Anglers in Montana are now required to buy an additional pass to fish in the state. The mandatory Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Prevention Pass was part of Senate Bill 363 which was signed by Gov. Steve Bullock Thursday, May 24. The pass must be purchased once a year in addition to a fishing license. Resident passes cost $2, while nonresident passes are $15. “We know this will be an inconvenience to some anglers but protecting the health of our waterways is critical,” said FWP director Martha Williams in a press release. “The AIS progr...
SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley Regional Planning Committee (SVRPC) addressed the remaining paragraphs of the Asset Based Approach to Future Development section of the Land Use Element in the draft growth plan May 24. They tabled the final paragraph of the section until the next meeting which deals with natural resources and residential densities. Residents also shared their thoughts about the process of editing the draft plan. The committee unanimously accepted Colleen Dowdall’s edits to the third paragraph of the section. They agreed to r...
SEELEY LAKE - Veterans and Families of Seeley Lake hosted their annual Memorial Day Service Monday, May 29 at the Memorial Gardens in Seeley Lake....
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Ranger District will be closing portions of the Lake Alva Campground for approximately four weeks beginning June 2 to safely remove dead and dying trees. Many of the trees in the campground have been infected by spruce budworm, a native insect that defoliates some tree species. Defoliation has caused significant tree mortality in the campground. Lake Alva Campground is located approximately 11 miles north of Seeley Lake and situated on the east shore of Lake Alva. The work at the campground will be done in phases,...
SEELEY LAKE-Bozeman businessman Greg Gianforte won the special election for Montana's lone house seat Thursday, May 25. The Associated Press called the race just after 10:30 p.m. Gianforte defeated Democratic nominee Rob Quist by more than 20,000 votes, receiving 50.2 percent compared to Quist's 44.1 percent. Libertarian Mark Wicks received 5.7 percent. "Together, tonight, we won a victory for our Treasure State," Gianforte said in his victory speech. Gianforte was the favorite throughout the...
SEELEY LAKE - It started with a doodle. The doodle was a simple drawing of a bear, standing behind a wooden gate with his front paws hanging over the door. Now almost three months later that doodle has become a teal-trimmed house, just big enough for a few children to fill with their imagination. Seeley Lake resident Doug Richards has constructed 11 playhouses for fundraisers in Washington and Montana over the years. The 12th filled his garage-cum-workshop this spring. The playhouse stands...
SWAN VALLEY – Swan Valley students had the opportunity to explore local occupations at Swan Valley School Career Fair May 17. The Parent Teacher's Association (PTA) organized the event with a grant from the Swan Valley Community Foundation. Students learned about sixteen different occupations from adults in the Swan Valley that wanted to share their careers. This was the first year the PTA hosted the Career Fair. The participants were set up at tables in the gym and the students went around i...
SEELEY LAKE - "We're not in kindergarten, we don't have to stay in the lines." With that statement, Condon artist Merrily Dunham kicked off the Painting for a Dream weekend held at Rich's Montana Guest Ranch. Wine and laughter flowed freely at Friday night's workshop, rightly called Uncorked and Creative. The evening, hosted by Kris Gullikson and Belinda Rich, was focused around the art of watercolor. "Watercolor is my favorite because it's such a challenge," said Dunham. "And I love teaching...
POTOMAC - The Missoula Conservation District (MCD) brought knowledge, expertise and a listening ear to Potomac May 24. The meeting was one of many listening sessions held throughout Missoula County by the MCD to answer questions and clarify concerns by residents as well as help inform residents of MCD’s long range plan. MCD representative Jen McBride explained the basics of conservation and the history of conservation beginning with the ‘Dustbowl’ that brought drought and agricultural issues to areas of the United States. The Federal gover...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake Montana has become the home of a number of retired military personal. Among them is Larry Butterworth, retired colonel in the United States Army. Though Butterworth came from a patriotic family – six uncles served in either the U.S. Army or U.S. Navy – growing up he had no military aspirations for himself. What he did have by his senior year in high school was a four-year scholarship to Virginia Tech and a probable engineering career in his future. A casual trip to hi...
Seeley Lake Fire Department at Cory’s June 3 SEELEY LAKE – Join the Seeley Lake Fire Chief Bob Vanden Heuvel and volunteer firefighters and medical personnel June 3 starting at 12 p.m. at Cory’s Valley Market. Check out the ambulance, fire engine and other equipment and have a chance to talk to local responders. They will also have goodies for the children who visit. Volunteers Needed for National Trails Day LINCOLN - Saturday, June 3 is National Trails Day. The Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation will be holding a volunteer workday event in co...
SEELEY LAKE-The Seeley-Swan High School (SSHS) gave its final music concert of the school year Tuesday, May 23. This was the last performance under the direction of Kaytee Ambrozich. "I was pleased with how it went," said Ambrozich after the concert. "It was a good showcase of the students' abilities." The Spring Concert included performances by the band and choir. The SSHS creative writing class also shared several original works as interludes. The choir started the performance with a duet of...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Elementary students shared a variety of musical selections at their Spring Concert May 24....
OVANDO - Around 60 people attended the Ovando School's annual May Day Tea Wednesday, May 24. The eight students spent their year learning world geography and the event was a way to showcase what they had learned. Ovando teacher Leigh Ann Valiton introduced each act and gave a brief synopsis of what the students learned. "To share this with you, we're going to dance across the world in 45 minutes," Valiton said while students served tea and cookies to the audience. Students performed songs and...
SEELEY LAKE – Kindergartner Jesse Wink is putting others before himself this summer. He is raising funds for the Seattle Children's Hospital to help children who are dealing with Chiari Malformation, a condition where the brain grows into the spine. Jesse himself was diagnosed with Chiari Malformation before he was two years old. He wants to ensure other children have the same care he had during his treatment. When Jesse was a year and a half, he fell off a bunk bed and gave himself a c...
The Sunset School held their year-end celebration and kindergarten graduation Thursday, May 25 at the schoolhouse near Paws Up Resort. The nine students recited poems and sang songs for their gathered family members and watched a slideshow from the year. Supervising teacher Toni Hatten gave a short recap of the year, which included the Sunset School skyping with a smaller, one student school in Wyoming. First year teacher Hali Miller, who joined Sunset School in November, presented the...
SSHS Graduation Ceremony: Sunday, June 4, SSHS, 1 p.m. Speaker: Duane Schlabach Valedictorian: Stevi Meade Salutatorian: Alex Bohlman Senior Awards Night: Thursday, June 1, SSHS, 8 p.m....
SSHS Graduation Ceremony: Sunday, June 4, SSHS, 1 p.m. Speaker: Duane Schlabach Valedictorian: Stevi Meade Salutatorian: Alex Bohlman Senior Awards Night: Thursday, June 1, SSHS, 8 p.m....
SSHS Graduation Ceremony: Sunday, June 4, SSHS, 1 p.m. Speaker: Duane Schlabach Valedictorian: Stevi Meade Salutatorian: Alex Bohlman Senior Awards Night: Thursday, June 1, SSHS, 8 p.m....
SEELEY LAKE – The Cottonwood Lakes Road (#477) on the Seeley Lake Ranger District will be closed between the junction with the Kozy Corner rRoad (#9976) and Monture Road (#89) beginning June 6 for road maintenance and road reconstruction work. The closure will only be in place Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday each week. The closure is expected to last until the end of June. The Seeley Lake Ranger District has initiated the work to improve road driving conditions and also provide some resource protection for local streams. This Best Management Pr...
SWAN VALLEY – A few days after the one-year anniversary of the fire that destroyed the Mission Mountains Mercantile (Merc) and the Swan River Valley Real Estate office, the Swan Valley community gathered May 22 to break ground for the new Merc. Onlookers watched as owner Len Kobylenski moved the first shovel of dirt with a golden shovel. Kobylenski's partner Grace Siloti said it's all about the people and how the nightmare has turned full circle, bringing the community together. In the early m...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Sewer District Board received an updated estimate for the construction of the wastewater treatment plant and Phase I of the collection system. The new estimate of $14 million was briefly discussed at its May 18 board meeting along with this summer’s planned public outreach and the board’s ability to advocate for the project. The United States Department of Agriculture, Rural Development (RD) requested an updated construction estimate to account for the start of construction beginning in 2018 instead of 2017. The...
MISSOULA - Missoula County Sheriff's Office Deputies Heath Hanson and Mike Sunderland received a Meritorious Performance Ribbon at the Law Enforcement Memorial May 18. Held by the Sheriff's Office during Police Week, it is a time to recognize the accomplishments of local law enforcement officers and remember those who have fallen in the line of duty. Deputy Hanson was recognized for his role throwing stop sticks in front of a vehicle involved in a high speed chase. The award read, "Your actions...
I am excited to be working at the Seeley Swan Pathfinder this summer and look forward to covering and being part of your community. I have been involved in journalism since I was young. I wrote and edited for my high school paper, the Patriot Ledger in Boise, Idaho. I came to Montana to attend the School of Journalism in Missoula. I just graduated with my degree in journalism and will be returning in the fall to finish a degree in exercise science and biomechanics. Over the last few years, I...
SEELEY LAKE - Beginning on or about May 30, LHC, Inc. will begin operations on the Montana Department of Transportation Seeley Lake – North Project. The Project is located on Montana Highway 83 beginning at mile marker 14.8 (just north of Seeley Lake) and extending north (approximately 16.5 miles) to mile marker 31.5. Asphalt milling and paving, seal and cover work, signing, guardrail revisions, pavement marking and tree clearing work will be performed as part of the project. Travelers are encouraged to adjust their travel times accordingly a...
SEELEY LAKE – On the opening day of the Blackfoot-Clearwater Game Range May 15, law enforcement had two reports of missing people. The first, a woman who was separated from her partner, was found on Highway 200 headed back to their vehicle. The second, Jacob Prescott, a 13-year-old from Florence, Mont. and his two small dogs, were missing for nearly eight hours. While Jacob only suffered from dehydration and exhaustion, Missoula County Sheriff's Office Deputy Mike Sunderland and Montana Fish, W...
SEELEY LAKE – After starting to work with website development only a few months ago, Seeley-Swan High School sophomore Nicole Williams received a full scholarship to attend the University of Montana (UM) Web Programming Camp this summer. While Williams is not convinced computer science is the career path she will ultimately choose, she is looking forward to learning more and gaining an edge for employment in the future. Williams has known family friend Nora McDougall-Collins for many years. I...
HELENA - One of the final bills the Montana Legislature passed before adjourning created a special state fund for major public school repairs. Senate Bill 307 allows school trustees to adopt a resolution to increase non-voted levies to appropriate funds to four major categories: major maintenance and repair; technology; energy efficiencies and critical infrastructure. Both the Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE) and Swan Valley Elementary School (SVES) boards passed the resolution and will use the additional funds for various infrastructure...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Senior Center was buzzing with Bingo excitement as 16 sixth through eighth grade youth were taught how to play Bingo for the first time. Missoula County Sheriff's Office Deputy Mike Sunderland organized the event with the local seniors as another idea to have something for the local youth to do. "A lot of the kids had never played Bingo before. They just think it is a song," said Sunderland. "I just thought it would be cool to get the youth and the seniors i...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE) students headed west May 19 on a quest to find themselves and the truth in the Missoula Children's Theater (MCT) production of "The Wiz of the West". Nearly 40 SLE students shared the classic story of the Wizard of Oz with a twist taking the audience along with them for a saga of western adventure and personal discovery. Main character Dotty, played by Grace Wilson, and her dog Mooch, played by Bailey Bartlett, landed in the west after a twister took t...
SEELEY LAKE – The north wall in the Seeley Lake Elementary gymnasium now pays tribute to the Eagles athletes. Seeley-Swan High School senior Gavin Mercado put his artistic ability to the test painting an mural nearly the height of the wall as a thank you to all those who have made him who he is and to help inspire others. Mercado has always enjoyed art using pencil, colored pencil and markers. "I first started getting into graffiti around sixth grade and just kept working at it and bettering m...
Everyone is invited to the Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE) for the Kindergarten Completion Ceremony June 1 at 11 p.m. and Eighth Grade Graduation, June 1 at 6 p.m....
Everyone is invited to the Sunset School Kindergarten and End of the Year Celebration 2 p.m., June 1 at Sunset School...
Everyone is invited to the Swan Valley Elementary School Graduation May 31 at 7 p.m. at Swan Valley School...
LINCOLN - Saturday, June 3 is National Trails Day. The Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation will be holding a volunteer workday event in conjunction with the U.S. Forest Service. Volunteers will clear trails around the Indian Meadows trailhead near Lincoln. There will be a tailgate barbeque after the workday. Volunteers must be at least 12 and may be using pulaskis, loppers or cross cut saws to clear trees and do trail maintenance. The event starts at 8 a.m. at the Lincoln Ranger Station. There are limited spots available. To register, please...
SEELEY LAKE – Seldon Reum of Polson, Mont. has been the first in line at the Blackfoot Clearwater Game Range Highway 83 west entrance near mile marker three for four of his six years. This year the nearly $4,000 he earned by selling his eight-year stash of brown elk, mule and white-tailed antlers will fund his adventure on the Great Divide Mountain Bike Trail (GDT) from Ferndale, Mont. to Hachita, N.M. Reum loves everything outdoors. Since he has lived in Polson for the past 30 years, he has f...
As of July 19, 2017, anyone who runs a chain saw or crosscut saw as a US Forest Service (USFS) volunteer or member of a cooperating partner group is required to be certified through the USFS saw program. The intent of the new National Saw Policy is to standardize training, evaluation, certification and safety procedures for sawyers operating on lands managed by the USFS. It will also increase capacity over time as cooperating partners can start their own saw programs with the approval of the USFS and offer training and certification for their m...
POTOMAC - The Potomac School Board discussed school operations, curriculum, safety, staff and technology at their May 8 meeting. John Rouse was hired as the new principal replacing Angie Williams. Starla Dugger will start next year as the special education teacher replacing Kristina Burtch. Eighth grade teacher Damian Gaglia reported on graduation, June 7. The students are planning the majority of the evening, according to Gaglia. “This is their last say on their Potomac legacy,” he said. During the meeting, student Buzzy Bennett reported on...
SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley Regional Planning Committee (SVRPC) made a little progress editing two paragraphs in the Land Use element of the draft document at the May 10 meeting. Committee members also discussed adding an appendix to the document to supply further information and decided on officers for the coming year. The committee finished the section entitled Regulatory Framework with all committee members but one accepting two sentences in the last paragraph of the original draft. It reads “As set forth in the judgment handed down by t...
Kevin Canty will be presenting his new book, "The Underworld" Saturday, May 20 at 7 p.m. at the Grizzly Claw Trading Company The event is sponsored by Alpine Artisans Open Book Club. Professor Canty is in the English Department at the University of Montana and is the author of five previous novels and three short story collections. In "The Underworld," Canty tells a story inspired by the 1973 Sunshine Silver Mine disaster near Kellogg, Idaho, that killed 91 miners. Rather than a detailed...
GREENOUGH – The confluence of the Blackfoot and the Clearwater Rivers off Sunset Hill Road was the classroom for nearly 100 Seeley-Swan High School students May 10 as a part of their annual Discovery Day. Discovery Day was funded through grants from the Seeley Lake Community Foundation and the Montana Environmental Education Association. This year the focus was rivers. "The reason for focusing it on rivers was to prepare some kids to be able to present things at the Norman Maclean Festival in t...
At a recent two-day training session for watercraft inspection and decontamination in Kalispell, Whitefish Lake Institute gave a short presentation on the plan to protect Whitefish Lake. It has to be the Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Gold Standard in Montana. There are two public boat launches: one at Whitefish Lake State Park and one at Whitefish City Beach Park. From May 1 to Sept. 30, both launches will be open 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. The launches will be physically closed during off hours. Onsite inspectors, many of whom were in the training cla...
SEELEY LAKE – Alpine Artisans, Inc. (AAI) announced the recipients of the youth grants and the 2017 Ruth Korn Memorial Scholarship recipient at the Alpine Revue: Art Auction and Talent Show May 12. Lincoln High School Senior Rayna Thompson received the 2017 Ruth Korn Memorial Art Scholarship. Thompson loves her small community and doing art in various forms. She had an AAI youth grant back in 2012 for a sculpture class in Kalispell and displayed many of her paintings at the Alpine Revue. T...
SEELEY LAKE – Local musicians and poets treated attendees to a wide range of talent at the Alpine Artisans, Inc. (AAI) Alpine Revue May 12. Those in attendance also had the opportunity to bid on many pieces of donated artwork and participate in raffles all while enjoying delectable treats made by AAI members. All funds raised support the AAI Youth Grants and Scholarship Program. For more information about Alpine Artisan's upcoming events visit alpineartisans.org...
SEELEY LAKE - During the record challenging winter of 1997, the Double Arrow Ranch barn collapsed. Coincidentally, the community had recently completed an assessment and had identified a need for a permanent home for the Chamber of Commerce and a museum, among other things. So instead of tossing a match to the rubble, the logs were taken apart and reassembled, Lincoln log style, with a tremendous amount of community volunteer efforts. It now serves as the Seeley Lake Historical Museum and...
The Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) and local public health agencies remind Montanans and visitors to the state to be aware of the risk of hantavirus and to take precautions to avoid rodent exposures. “Although hantavirus infection can occur during any month, the risk of exposure is increased in the spring and summer as people clean cabins and sheds and spend more time outside in the vicinity of rodents,” said DPHHS epidemiologist Rachel Hinnenkamp. With 43 cases of hantavirus reported since its recognition in 1993, Monta...
Scholarships for SSHS Graduates SEELEY LAKE — The Seeley Lake Community Foundation is proud to announce scholarships available to Seeley-Swan High School graduates who have finished at least one year of college, university or technical school. The application forms can be obtained through the Foundation’s website or by calling the office. The scholarships are intended to support students in their undergraduate studies. Applications are due June 30. The Foundation has provided Seeley-Swan students $10,000.00 in scholarships since 2006. To lea...
SEELEY LAKE - On April 27 Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) Game Warden Bill Koppen was called to a residence on the Double Arrow Ranch. A bear had been shot after getting into garbage and dog food on the porch of the residence. While the family had a license and tagged the bear, they were still cited, given a $135 fine and the hide and meat were confiscated. Koppen reminds everyone that feeding wildlife is illegal and will cause problems, not only for the wildlife but puts pets and people...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley-Swan High School (SSHS) continued their implementation and training for the Challenge Success program. A team of ten students, faculty, staff and parents attended the second training for SSHS at the end of April at Stanford University. For the students, the training reaffirmed their direction for the program and narrowed their focus for what can be effectively implemented at SSHS. Challenge Success partners with schools and families to provide students with the academic, social and emotional skills needed to succeed. The p...
SWAN VALLEY – Mikkie Gleason claimed the American Legion Post 63 Chili Champ for 2017 at the 27th annual Chili Cook Off May 6 in Condon. She shared the podium with second place Patti Maurer and Andrew Anderson in third place. There were eight entries this year. After five years of bringing chili to the cook off, Gleason took home the $50 third place earnings last year for the first time. This year she finally claimed the Chili Champ trophy and the $150 grand prize. She said her white chili h...
Since its founding in 1994, Clearwater Montana Properties has emphasized community-building as a key component of its company culture. Through its Charitable Giving Program, the company's 80 agents give back a portion of all real estate proceeds to the Montana communities in which they were earned. To date, the program has produced more than $427,000 in charitable donations to causes throughout the state, including more than $77,000 in 2016 alone. "Being a positive force in our local...
SEELEY LAKE & SWAN VALLEY – According to the unofficial results of the May 2 Special District Elections, Nathan Richardson was elected to the three-year position on the Swan Valley Community Council and newcomer Rita Rossi and incumbent Scott Kennedy filled the two, three-year seats on the Seeley Lake Rural Fire District Board in the May 2 special district elections. -Of the 421 registered voters in the Swan Valley, 214 voters, 50.83 percent returned their ballots. Richardson won the Swan Valley Community Council three-year position with 110 o...
MISSOULA - The largest elk ever taken in Montana will go on display for a few weeks at the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) beginning Monday, May 8. Montana resident Steve Felix shot the bull on public land in eastern Montana while on a solo hunt in September 2016. “This bull is a reflection of the importance of quality habitat, wildlife management strategies and hunters who provide funding for conservation efforts through excise taxes on guns, ammunitions and archery equipment, as well as the purchase of tags and licenses,” said Steve Dec...
MISSOULA - The Potomac School Parent Teacher Club (PTC) is hosting the 14th Annual Bingo Night at the Hilton Garden Inn in Missoula May 13. A team effort of more than 10 PTC members guaranteed organization of the event. The venue had to change from the Potomac/Greenough Community Center to the North Reserve street location because attendance had risen to the point of capacity for the Potomac building. Having bingo at the Hilton Garden Inn allows for more than 500 people. According to PTC member Allyson Nelson the event previously exceeded...
HELENA - Montana State Parks announced that 54 trail organizations, communities and various land-managing agencies throughout Montana will receive federal Recreational Trails Program (RTP) federal grant awards for their projects in 2017. This included Swan Valley Connections and the Seeley Lake Nordic Ski Club. Sixty-nine RTP applications were received this year from a variety of eligible applicants, including federal and state agencies, towns, cities, counties, and private trail clubs and organizations. The funds are appropriated to the...
SEELEY LAKE - Alpine Artisans’ second Alpine Review hits the stage Friday, May 12 at 7 p.m. with a full program of music, poetry, art, scholarship awards and laughs. The doors at Seeley Lake Community Hall open at 6:30 p.m. to enable ticket buyers to bid on the silent auction, which will feature several dozen items of unique and valuable local art and homemade items. Raffle tickets will be sold until the drawing at intermission for five items: a Jennifer Dyer basket, a one-hour scenic plane flight for two donated by Scott Newpower, a h...
SWAN VALLEY - Nearly 80 people attended the showing of the movie "Bud's Place" May 5 at the Swan Valley Community Hall. The 60-minute film, sponsored by Alpine Artisans, Swan Valley Connections and the Upper Swan Valley Historical Society, told the story of the late Swan Valley resident William "Bud" Moore, a renowned forester, conservationist, teacher and the author of "The Lochsa Story: Land Ethics in the Bitterroot Mountains." Moore's son Bill introduced the film and spoke about his father...
MISSOULA – Permits for mushroom harvesting will be available at all ranger district offices of the Lolo National Forest starting April 17. Commercial permits are being sold only at the Plains-Thompson Falls Ranger District and will be for use only within the Copper King Fire perimeter on that district. Those interested in harvesting non-commercially and in small amounts may harvest up to five gallons (about two grocery bags) for the season. This is considered Incidental Use and no permit is required but no more than one gallon of mushrooms i...
SEELEY LAKE – With the onset of summer come bugs and other diseases that have been continually affecting trees in area forests for decades. Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) Forest Pathologist Katie McKeever shared some of the trends and treatment options for beetles, budworm and black pineleaf scale at the annual log seller, contract logger and landowner meeting hosted by Pyramid Mountain Lumber, Inc. May 5. Western Spruce Budworm Western spruce budworm was detected in 890,194 acres in 2016. While budworm does n...
BOZEMAN - After low flows in some of Montana’s rivers last summer caused issues for irrigators, anglers and recreationists, the spring and summer runoff this year looks to yield above average streamflows, according to snowpack data released by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Snowpack across the state is above normal for May 1 in all but a few sub-basins. Basins west of the Divide, which typically peak during the month of April, are all above normal with high elevations still gaining as of the end of the month. East of t...
SEELEY LAKE - Heather Mincey is the new District Clerk/Business Manager for Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE). She brings 18 years of experience working in finance and accounting at the University of Montana (UM). She is looking forward to being able to be more a part of the community and help SLE continue to think outside the box when it comes to dealing with the biggest challenge, money. Mincey was born in Missoula and was raised in Potomac. She has lived in Seeley Lake for the past 21 years....
SEELEY LAKE – It's that time of year where local groups and organizations clean the ditches of Highway 83 to help beautify the valley. The Seeley Lake Lions Club is no exception. This year, they had five Leos join them for the Leos' first community project. The objective of the Leo Club is to provide youth with the opportunity for development and contribution, individually and collectively, as responsible members of the local, national and international community. The Leo motto is Leadership, E...
SEELEY LAKE - On May 4, guitar and banjo players, vocalists, pianists and an accordion player joined the Seeley-Swan Mountain Bells in presenting an evening of Music Galore. This is the fifth year the Mountain Bells have hosted the free event that invites local musicians to show off their skills and entertain the community. The 10 members of Seeley-Swan Mountain Bells introduced the wide-ranging scope of the program by playing three distinctively different songs. The first, "Apassionata," an...
HELENA – Montana State Parks announced that it is seeking public comment on the 2017 Biennial Fee Rule, an assemblage of user fees and associated rules for the Montana State Park system. Public comments will be accepted through Wednesday, May 31 at 5 p.m. The proposed user fees include adjustments to premium site and backcountry camping fees and establishes a pet fee for yurt, cabin and tipi rentals. The proposed fee rule also clarifies language regarding peak season dates at individual parks. Specific highlights include: • Modifies pre...
MCT’s The Wiz of the West Audition and Performance SEELEY LAKE - An audition will be held for the Missoula Children’s Theater (MCT) production of “The Wiz of the West” May 15 at 3 p.m. at Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE). The final performance of the play will be presented Friday, May 19 at 7 p.m. at SLE. “The Wiz of the West” has been described as a fairy tale with a twang. A down-home, country telling of every cowpoke’s favorite yarn…Aw, Auntie Em, there’s no place like home on the range. Those auditioning should arrive at 3 p.m. and plan to...
BILLINGS – At her parole hearing April 21, Seeley Lake woman Becky Lynn Richards admitted she shot her husband Jim after 25 years of maintaining her innocence. The Montana Board of Pardons and Parole denied her parole and said she would be eligible for parole again in three years. On March 5, 1992 Richards reported that her husband Jim had committed suicide. Jim died from a gunshot wound to the head. Law enforcement initially ruled it a suicide based on Richards' story. However, seven months aft...
SEELEY LAKE – The reality of wildfires burning more frequently with higher intensity and across larger areas was the hot topic Thursday, April 27 during the Era of Megafires event in Seeley Lake. Guest speaker Dr. Paul Hessburg shared the story about why he feels megafires (fires larger than 100,000 acres) are happening. Instead of fear, his mission was to incite a call to action and a feeling of power to change the way wildfires affect people's homes, neighborhoods, towns and the landscapes tha...
MISSOULA - Seeley-Swan High School (SSHS) senior Gavin Mercado and junior Cameron Haines were recognized as two of Missoula County Public Schools (MCPS) Most Inspiring Students at a banquet April 20. They were a part of a group that teachers and school staff recognized for excelling despite incredible odds. The Most Inspiring Students Banquet has been held for the past six years. Award recipients were nominated because they serve as examples of perseverance, determination and as role models for...
GREENOUGH – It is calving season in the Blackfoot. Sunset School students had the opportunity to learn about the calving and ranch operations at the Paws Up Ranch from Ranch Manager Kyle Kelley and his wife Leigh on April 26. Students took a hay ride through the 'fresh' calving area where the calves are less than one week old, toured the calving barn and bottle fed a calf and lamb. This is the second year Sunset School has visited the Kelleys whose daughter Claire attends Sunset School. Leigh o...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Ranger District is planning to conduct prescribed burning this spring if weather, fuel and air quality conditions allow for safe and effective operations. The project areas include two locations, both adjacent to Seeley Lake. One is located just south of Seeley Lake within the Horseshoe West Project Area. The Horseshoe West Project Area has approximately 1,100 acres of understory prescribed burning that could come into prescription this spring. The prescribed under-burn objectives include: enhance soil...
SEELEY LAKE – The Missoula County Public Schools (MCPS) Board of Trustees recognized trustee Debbie Dupree for her 15 years of service at their April 25 board meeting at Seeley-Swan High School (SSHS). They also took public comment that included a request for drivers’ education in Seeley Lake. MCPS Board Chair Marcia Holland and MCPS Superintendent Mark Thane recognized Dupree for her service on the board on behalf of the board, the community and the students of SSHS. She received a gift from the board and everyone in attendance enjoyed cak...
SWAN VALLEY - All 31 Swan Valley Elementary (SVE) School kindergarten through eighth grade students participated in a Science Fair held April 26. It was the culminating activity resulting from the Swan Valley Community Foundation (SVCF) grant SVE received this school year. The funds enabled the students to visit the Insectarium in Missoula, Mont., the Planetarium at the University of Montana and hosted the Mr. G science show. The students were also able to work with the We Are Montana in the...
SWAN VALLEY – Swan Valley Elementary School's (SVES) third through fifth grade class hosted a Poetry Slam April 28 in honor of National Poetry Month. Each student chose one or two poems to share with the rest of the SVES students and members of the community. During the month of April the students wrote one poem per day. Teacher Erica Carroll said she had been to poetry slams in the past and thought it would be a fun way to showcase the students' work. A poetry slam is a competition at which p...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Trailblazers 4-H Club hosted a dinner and silent auction to celebrate the club's 25 years of service to the community. Sophomore Trailblazer Nicole Williams organized the event as a part of her teen leadership project. The goal was to give back to the community and thank them for their support. Williams decided to host the spaghetti feed and dessert auction fundraiser in conjunction with the 25-year celebration. They set a budget of $250 for the event. "The money t...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake resident Juan de Santa Anna is known in the valley for his photography – portraits, weddings, group events, landscapes. He said he is passionate about photography but he is just as passionate about fly fishing. His wife Randi de Santa Anna includes among her passions hiking, wildflowers and just being out in nature. Together they have found a way to infuse their passions into their employment. The result is Four Season Forays. Four Season Forays offers day and hal...
Goal: Six Point Construction Inc. of Potomac is owned by longtime Potomac residents Bob and Crystal Cheff. The goal of Six Point Construction Inc. is two fold: to provide for family and to build the most affordable and cost effective projects for their customers. History: Bob is a self-proclaimed "hands on" owner who prefers to do as much as possible himself. "Of course there are parts that I sub [contract] out, like concrete, plumbing and electrical," he said. In 2005, Bob and his best friend...
SWAN VALLEY – For more than 20 years the Swan Valley AARP has sponsored the biennial Speech Contest for local students. On April 26, Swan Valley Elementary School (SVES) students gave their speeches for their fellow students, community members and AARP judges. Supervising teacher Susan Bracha felt all of the students did an amazing job and was proud of each one. Thirteen fifth through eighth grade students chose one of three categories for their speech: an original speech, a memorized speech or...
Death Notice – Steven Johnstone SEELEY LAKE – Missoula County Sheriff’s Office Deputies responded to a call Saturday April 22 at the Wolf Ridge Apartments. Steven Johnstone was found dead in his apartment. Deputy Mike Sunderland said, “He died of natural causes. Nothing was deemed suspicious.” Movie Night at the Seeley Lake Fire Hall May 6 SEELEY LAKE – The Missoula County Sheriff’s Office and Seeley Lake Rural Fire District invite youth and families to the Seeley Lake Fire Hall May 6 starting at 6:30 p.m. Tacos will be served before the fe...
BOSTON, MASS – Seeley Lake resident Loren Rose participated in the 121st Boston Marathon April 17. While he finished 12 minutes slower than he had hoped, Rose said nothing compared to the overall experience. He is one of only a few Seeley Lake residents and part-timers who have competed in the marathon. Rose has run six marathons prior to running the Boston: three Missoula Marathons, two Portland Marathons and the Prague Marathon. After running the Prague Marathon in 2014, Rose's wife Pam g...
MISSOULA - Due to serious and potentially hazardous infrastructure conditions resulting from higher than normal levels of snowfall and runoff, as well as heavier rains, Missoula County Public Works, with the approval of Missoula County Commissioners, has decided to cut the dust abatement program this year. In previous years, Missoula County has abated approximately 80 miles of road and offered a shared-use program since 2010. The county has worked to supplement its own program with resident participation wherever possible by allowing residents...
The new intersection (right middle) of Grizzly Drive and Riverview Drive in Seeley Lake. The old access (left middle - now rehabbed) was bisecting private property. The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) negotiated with owner Kevin Wetherell to gain legal access to the state lease lots on Grizzly Drive. DNRC Clearwater Unit Manager Kristen Baker-Dickinson said Wetherell was paid fair market value including the road construction costs for the easement. They are in...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Sewer District (SLSD) Board is moving forward with a public outreach program after receiving a second chance at funding. The funding package from the United States Department of Agriculture, Rural Development (RD) consists of $5.7 million in grants and $4.4 million in loans. Manager Greg Robertson recommended that the board utilize the services of a public outreach and education firm. At its March meeting, the board received a proposal from PartnersCreative to create and run a public outreach program. The public ou...
MISSOULA - The Montana Department of Commerce, through its Community Development Block Grant program, has awarded a grant to Missoula County to provide homeowners with assistance paying for home rehabilitation and repair costs. The program is administered by District XI Human Resource Council, Inc. (HRC) in an effort to address health and safety issues for homeowners, make their home comfortable and adaptable to their needs and help increase the quality of housing available in Missoula County. To be eligible for the Home Rehabilitation...
SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley Regional Planning Committee (SVRPC) members addressed the Wildland-Urban Interface and Regulatory Framework sections of the Land Use Element contained in the draft growth plan at their April 17 meeting. The committee agreed with the wording of the original Wildland-Urban Interface section and voted to accept it. The Regulatory Framework section generated a lengthy discussion about the community’s aversion to regulations and zoning in the growth plan as expressed in the visioning comments and neighborhood m...
SEELEY LAKE – The 2 Valleys Stage (2VS) hosted The Sapphire Trio April 23 on the Seeley-Swan High School's (SSHS) new stage. The Sapphire Trio closed out the 2016-2017 Concert Series. The Trio has played all over the world. They performed standard and newly written compositions for piano, violin and clarinet. They premiered their new arrangement by Montana composer Dennis Alexander entitled "Introduction and Tango." Clarinetist Maxine Ramey commented how wonderful the acoustics are in the new s...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Community Foundation is proud to present the Bob Marshall Music Festival in Seeley Lake July 13-16. The Bob Marshall Music Festival is a celebration of community spirit and support. This year’s lineup includes: Dead Man Winter; Deer Tick; Jeffrey Foucault; Good Old Fashioned; Birds of Chicago; Matt Strachan and the Hoot Owls; Jameson and the Sordid Seeds; National Park Radio; Rebekah Rolland; Alanna Royale; Shovels and Rope; and Meta Lions. The weekend begins with free music at local venues, Thursday, July 13t...
SWAN VALLEY - Newly-elected Missoula County Commissioner Dave Strohmaier introduced himself and visited with those in attendance at the Swan Valley Community Council (SVCC) April 18 meeting. SVCC candidates Nathan Richardson and Diann Ericson introduced themselves and shared why they want to serve on the council. Council member Marcia Tapp told Strohmaier that the Swan Valley is a unique community of highly motivated, hardworking individuals. “We would like you [and the other commissioners] to know us and interact with us. We want to be able t...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE) school board discussed teacher contracts, proposed solutions to the budget shortfall and the 2017-2018 calendar at their April 18 meeting. The proposed budget and calendar are expected to be approved at a special meeting in the next couple of weeks. The teachers’ union and SLE staff agreed to no raises for next year. The contract negotiations included a request for a 25 minute duty-free lunch period which is similar to what is currently in place. The negotiations committee is still waiting on lan...
SEELEY LAKE – In a humorous display of wit, improvisation and talent, the Seeley-Swan High School (SSHS) Drama Class hosted the first production on the new SSHS stage entitled "We'll be Right Back After this Murder" April 20. SSHS Drama teacher Crissina Quinn was very proud of the students for pulling together and giving an excellent performance. The students in Quinn's drama class began practicing second semester at the end of January. They worked an hour per day during their class time and l...
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO – Hellgate Civilian Junior Shooters (HCJS) Justin Thomas, Ibby Lorentz, Alex Weisenburger and Abby Donald went straight from Western Regional Championships in Layton, Utah to the 2017 National Junior Olympic Championship in Colorado Springs, Colo. While Head Coach Trace Weisenburger was extremely pleased with how well each of the shooters did, he emphasized it is not as much the score as the opportunity to compete in high pressure situations against nationally ranked s...
Swan Valley School Hosts Poetry Slam, April 28 SWAN VALLEY – Parents, students and the community are invited to a Poetry Slam hosted by Swan Valley Elementary School (SVES) third, fourth and fifth grade class April 28 at 2 p.m. at the SVES. The students have been studying poetry during the month of April. Their teacher Erica Carroll gave them the option to either memorize their favorite poem or create one of their own. Poems will be shared Friday in Carroll’s classroom or, if the weather is nice, it may be outside. Prescription Drug Take Bac...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Sewer District (SLSD) Board received a second chance at funding the construction of the proposed wastewater treatment plant and Sub-District/Phase I of the collection system. The funding package consists of $5.7 million in grants and $4.4 million in loans. The news came in a letter to the district, dated March 20, from Steve Troendle, United States Department of Agriculture, Rural Development (RD) Community Programs Director. The board had requested a second chance after the bond election failed last December. The...
SEELEY LAKE - The Lolo National Forest has completed the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) and Draft Record of Decision (DROD) for the Center Horse Landscape Restoration project. While the analysis for the document is complete, the decision remains a draft until the final step in the process – a 45-day objection period – is complete. The 61,000 acre Center Horse Project area is on the Seeley Lake Ranger District. It is about 14 miles north of Ovando and includes the North Fork Cottonwood and Spring Creek drainages on the west and the...
LAYTON, UTAH - The Hellgate Civilian Junior Shooters (HCJS) will be bringing two teams to the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) three-position (3P) National Championships in Camp Perry, Ohio in June, a first for the state of Montana. Both teams placed in the top 27 teams nationally at the Western Regional Air Rifle 3P Championships in Layton, Utah April 6-8. The team with Seeley Lake's Ibby Lorentz and Justin Thomas, Alex Weisenburger of Florence, Mont. and Jonna Warnken of Superior, Mont. is...
SEELEY LAKE – Preparation for the April 15 Seeley Lake Lions Easter Egg Hunt took hours, but the egg hunters picked their eggs, received their prizes and enjoyed their candy in less than thirty minutes. While the Lions agree the Easter egg hunt is a lot of work, they also agree the smiles and joy they see on the children's faces is why they do it every year. Lion Ken Kronsperger said 25 volunteers cleaned and filled 3,000 eggs with candy on Friday afternoon. Another 96 eggs contained a ticket w...
SEELEY LAKE - Come one, come all to the Seeley Lake Trailblazers' 25th anniversary dinner! On Saturday, April 29, the 4-H club will be having a spaghetti dinner with salad, bread and a dessert auction, including Kelly Hoag's delicious pies, at the Seeley Lake Community Hall. Doors open at 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. There is no set fee but per-plate donations are very appreciated. This party was made possible by Nichole Hahn, a long-standing member of the 4-H club. Hahn has been in 4-H for six years and s...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Council’s (SLCC) April 10 meeting covered a wide range of topics including the proposed gravel pit on Cottonwood Lakes Road and the Special Management Area (SMA) for septic systems in Seeley Lake. Presentations on housing and economic growth as well as the Seeley Lake Trails Project were also heard. Missoula County’s newest Commissioner Dave Strohmaier shared what he has been working on the last few months and took questions from the public. Cottonwood Gravel Pit Gary Lewis presented on the gravel pit...
SEELEY LAKE - In Montana, the month of May has been designated as “Wildfire Awareness Month.” Residents of area communities are no strangers to wildfire. To help kick off Wildfire Awareness Month, several local organizations are excited to bring a traveling presentation from the Wildfire Project, titled “The Era of Megafires,” to the Seeley Lake Community Hall Thursday, April 27 at 6 p.m. Residents are invited to join local Fire & EMS organizations for a free barbecue dinner followed by a presentation featuring Dr. Paul Hessburg. Dr. Hessbur...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley-Swan Medical Center (SSMC) gains a new dentist in July. At their April meeting, the Seeley-Swan Hospital District Board also approved the installation of two new sinks that will open another exam room for patients and allow for a half time phlebotomist. Dentist Dr. Peggy Walker (formerly Lowney) gave her notice in March of her impending move from Seeley Lake at the end of April. Partnership Health Center (PHC) hired Dentist Alyssa Harris as her replacement. Harris previously applied for the position. “We could have wai...
SWAN VALLEY – The Seeley-Swan Hospital District (SSHD) and ImProving Health Among Rural Montanans (IPHARM) from the University of Montana are offering free health screenings Saturday, April 29 from 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. at the Swan Valley Community Hall. The following week there will also be a Special Mammogram Event at Swan Valley Connections May 4 from 8 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Both events are an outreach to the Swan Valley. However anyone in the area is welcome to attend as long as appointments are avail...
Diann Ericson My name is Diann Ericson. I have lived in Western Montana for 47 years minus the eight years my husband Mike Childs and I taught school in Alaska's northwest arctic. During that time we were able to spend summers in the Swan. We have lived and owned a home in the Swan Valley since the early 1980s. In other words we have deep roots in the valley. Our daughter graduated from Swan Valley Elementary School and Seeley-Swan High School. I am running for Community Council because I have...
Scott Kennedy - Incumbent Incumbent seeking fifth term. Scott is current Vice Chairman of the Board and eight years previously Chairman. Scott has served more than 36 years in fire/medical, with more than 20 years as a Chief Officer. Serving in Seeley Lake since 2000, Scott was Assistant Chief and Deputy Chief for many years, currently registered NREMT, firefighter and a longtime resident of Seeley Lake. Prior goals have been met. We have hired a Chief/Paramedic that has proven worthy and being...
MISSOULA – Seeley-Swan High School musicians took their talents to the stage at Big Sky High School to compete in the annual District Music Festival April 7-8. The band received a one (superior), the top rating. The choir, small vocal ensemble and soloist Cera Strumpfer received twos (excellent). Some of the things that the band has been working on is breathing and connecting the lines. They also have been working to making it more musical and less technical. Music Director Kaytee Ambrozich s...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley-Swan High School (SSHS) treated the community to a Celebration of the Arts April 12 to inaugurate the new stage and to thank the community for its support. A snap shot of the play "We Will Be Right Back After This Murder" was presented; the play will be performed April 20 at 7 p.m. The choir, band and creative writing students along with the Seeley-Swan Mountain Bell Choir also took the new stage, each sharing various selections. When the small gym was built in 1964, p...
SEELEY LAKE – Lions Club member and official treasure hider Ellen McWilliams watched the trees dancing in the wind amid snow flurries at the Lions Club Park the day before Easter and said, "I think this is the coldest it's ever been for the Annual Easter Treasure Hunt." An eager group of 10-12-year-old prospective treasure hunters weren't the least bit deterred. They fidgeted impatiently as Seeley Lake Lion Cheryl Lewis explained the rules and read the list of items to be found. Participants c...
SSHS Drama presents "We'll be Right Back After this Murder," April 20 SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley-Swan High School Drama class invites the community to their performance "We'll be Right Back After this Murder" by Pat Cook April 20 at 7 p.m. in the SSHS auditorium. Tickets are $5 with children under six-years-old free. Families are $15. For more information contact Crissina Quinn at SSHS, 677-2224 Ext. 5760. Leo Club Organizational Meeting, April 24 SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Lions Club, in cooperation with the Seeley-Swan High School (SSHS), i...
POTOMAC - Approximately three weeks ago, Missoula County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) Deputies in Seeley Lake learned of a wanted fugitive by the name of Justin Mooney. Mooney was arrested March 19 in Potomac on a probation violation, a $5,000 warrant out of Lewis and Clark County and a $690 warrant from Great Falls. He was also charged with three accounts of felony theft. Two years ago, Mooney entered into a plea agreement with Lewis and Clark County District Judge James Reynolds after pleading guilty to stealing antlers near Helena. Mooney was giv...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake residents Leland Bartlett and William (Bill) Bartlett pleaded guilty to several counts related to killing a trophy bull elk in the Bob Marshall Wilderness. The hunt took place in 2015 while Leland's hunting privileges were suspended from a previous case. The unlawful possession of game felony charge was deferred for both contingent on compliance with all terms and conditions for the next five years. The Bartlett family faces more than $16,000 in fines and the two l...
SEELEY LAKE – After working 18 years for Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE) as the District Clerk/Business Manager, Sally Johnson is retiring April 30. While she will miss the interactions with people at the school, she is looking forward to focusing more on relationships and less on the day-to-day routine. Prior to moving to Seeley Lake, Johnson worked in Seattle, Wash. for the Seattle Public Library. She started as an administrative secretary, became the budget manager and spent eight months as t...
SEELEY LAKE – Thanks to the generous support of the community, the Seeley Lake March for Meals campaign raised approximately $2,000 this March. The Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE) Student Council, Seeley Lake Senior Center (Sela Senci) and several individuals helped raise the funds towards the annual deficit of near $5,200 a year incurred by Sela Senci for the Meals on Wheels Program. SLE Student Council advisor Duane Schlabach said he invited Missoula Aging Services Resource Specialist Linda Howard to speak to the SLE Student Council after she p...
SEELEY LAKE - Three doctors with musical instruments, spreading music and friendship at home and abroad! Yes, that aptly describes The Sapphire Trio with Maxine Ramey on clarinet, Margaret Nichols-Baldridge on violin and Jody Graves on piano. They will be playing a public concert in Seeley Lake April 23, at 3 p.m. on the NEW STAGE at the Seeley-Swan High School. The last concert of the 2 Valleys Stage (2VS) 2016-2017 season, the performance will be followed by a dinner reception, hosted by...
As Montanans look to enjoy the great outdoors this spring and summer, Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) urges everyone to follow a few simple steps to prevent tick bites and their illnesses: Limit, repel and inspect. On average, state public health officials receive an average of eight tick-borne illness reports every year, including Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Tularemia, Colorado Tick Fever and Tickborne Relapsing Fever. Other reported tick-borne illnesses, believed to be acquired out of state, include Lyme disea...
HELENA – A bill making its way through the Montana Legislature would expand a program that the bill’s sponsor says could incentivize new hunters to take hunter’s safety. Senate Bill 218, introduced by Rep. Mark Blasdel, R-Kalispell, allows anyone between the ages of 10 and 32 to obtain an apprentice hunting license, which requires new hunters to hunt only in the presence of a mentor, age 21 or older. The bill also clarifies provisions of current law that previously could have prohibited 10- and 11-year-old hunters from obtaining appre...
SEELEY LAKE – More than 60 children and adults came out for the second Movie Night at the Fire Hall April 8. Despite the pouring rain outside, everyone was warm and ate inside while propped up to watch "Planes, Fire and Rescue." The Missoula County Sheriff's Office and the Seeley Lake Fire Company hosted the event. There was a spaghetti dinner provided before the movie and popcorn and drinks during the feature. Local businesses including Rovero's; Kurt's Polaris; and the Iverson Ranch in P...
Sunset School Fall Round-Up, April 13 GREENOUGH - Sunset School, District 30, welcomes the community to their Fall Round-Up, April 13 at 3:30 p.m. Families are encouraged to attend if they have a child about to turn five or are looking for a new school for their child this fall. It is an opportunity to tour the school and Supervising Teacher Toni Hatten said, “Learn what makes a small school like Sunset so special.” Sunset School is a K-8 school located at 5024 Sunset Hill Road, Greenough. They currently have eight students and are always hap...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley-Swan High School (SSHS) senior Cora Grube was among eight Missoula County Public School seniors who were recognized by the Missoula County Exchange Club through their Accepting the Challenge of Excellence (A.C.E.) Awards program. SSHS staff nominated Grube and she was recognized at a luncheon at the Double Tree in Missoula. The A.C.E. Awards program recognizes high school seniors who have made a dramatic change in their attitude and performance during their high school y...
SWAN VALLEY – Swan Valley Emergency Services (SVES) just added a 4,000 gallon water tender to their fleet of firefighting equipment. SVES Fire Chief Randy Williams said now that they have the capability to haul 10,000 gallons of water with three tenders, water should not be a significant issue on an incident within their fire service area. SVES started the process to obtain the new truck more than a year ago. They formed a committee to find out what a Type II water tender needed to comply w...
Well our Cakes for Canines event Monday, April 3 at Pop's Place was a howling success! Thanks to Tim and Connie Clark for donating all the food and good service. Special thanks to Doug Richards, his sign and standing out in the cold in a dog suit getting lots of honks and waving people in. Also, thanks to Monty Montgomery for a special lamp which was on a board which was full of names. Monty is a pretty good waiter also. Winners on Elinor's board: Juan's Print- Gary Lewis • Bath Robe- Mary N...
MISSOULA – Recent snowmelt has begun impacting some roads across the Lolo National Forest (LNF) and forest officials are advising the public to use caution where needed and also avoid soft road beds to avoid resource impacts. Avoiding soft road beds also reduces the potential of getting stuck on a forest road. Most damage to unpaved roads occurs in the fall and spring when rains and snow-melt saturate soils, leaving road surfaces soft. When vehicles drive on these soft roads, they create wheel tracks and ruts which can hold and channel water a...
SEELEY LAKE – With snow melting and spring in full swing, many people take the opportunity to do spring cleaning in their home and around their property. The Missoula City-County Health Department Junk Vehicle program and Vehicles for Charity (VFC) are two no-cost options to help get rid of unusable or unwanted vehicles. A "junk vehicle," as defined by Montana Code Annotated (MCA) 75-10-501 as any discarded, ruined, wrecked, or dismantled motor vehicle, including component parts, which is not l...
SEELEY LAKE – A full agenda is set for the Seeley Lake Community Council meeting Monday, April 13. The meeting starts at 6 p.m. While there are no action items on the agenda, several presenters have been invited to attend. The Executive Director of the Missoula Economic Partnership James Grunke begins the meeting with a discussion on housing and economic growth. Missoula City-County Health Department Sanitarian Jim Erven will talk about the Special Management Area designation in Seeley Lake and what that means for septic tanks and l...
WASHINGTON – Acting Deputy Agriculture Secretary Michael Young announced that a contract renewal sign-up is underway for the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), USDA’s largest working lands conservation program with more than 80 million acres enrolled. USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) made several updates to the popular program last fall. These changes help producers better evaluate conservation options that benefit their operations while improving the health and productivity of private and Tribal working lands. “The cha...
SEELEY LAKE – More than 50 garden enthusiasts gathered in the Seeley Lake Community Hall April 1 to hear Robin Kelson of The Good Seed Company of Whitefish, Mont. speak about selecting, saving and sharing seeds. The presentation was jointly sponsored by Clearwater Resource Council and the Blackfoot Valley and Seeley Swan gardening groups. Kelson organized her seed selecting presentation around three main questions: 1) Are these seeds true-to-type? 2) Will the plant resulting from this seed self-...
HELENA -- A bill that could outlaw abortion by defining a fetus at any stage as a person passed the House last week. Introduced by Rep. Derek Skees, House Bill 595 would give Montana voters an option to approve a constitutional amendment that would define a person as “all members of the species Homo sapiens at any stage of development.” “Every single life matters,” Skees said. “From the moment of the first mitosis, to the last breath we draw before we get promoted.” The bill was widely condemned by House Democrats, who said there were proble...
POTOMAC - On the mountains and hills surrounding Potomac valley, the accumulated snow on Sheep Mountain, Mineral Mountain, Gold Peak, Union Peak, Morrison Peak and others contribute to the creeks swollen with snowmelt. Some creeks are unnamed and seasonal while other run year round like Gold, Bear, Twin, Cramer, Union, Johnson, Camas, Mormon Creek and the Rattlesnake Creek. All drain into larger waterways including the Blackfoot River....
Call it 670 miles – or perhaps more precisely 674 miles – but either way, the Yellowstone River remains the nation's longest undammed waterway. It's a great river that meanders through some of the finest mountain and prairie topography on the planet – peaks reaching past 12,000 feet in elevation, the largest high-mountain lake on the continent, dense evergreen forests, buttes, colorful badlands, deep canyons, sweet-smelling sage and juniper covered hills. A good portion of this wondrous river...
Goal: Potomac's Happy Trails Daycare owner Sari Wolff's goal is to provide safe and fun childcare to the community of Potomac. Wolff hopes to eventually create jobs and care for more children. History: Happy Trails opened March 27 and is awaiting final inspection for the state of Montana. Wolff is CPR certified and trained in first aid. Wolff opened the daycare because she loves children. As a mother, she found it hard to find childcare in the surrounding communities without having to commute....
SEELEY LAKE - In 1957 the Glenside Lions Club of Abington, Pennsylvania chartered the first Leo Club at Abington High School. In 1967, the board of directors of Lions Clubs International adopted the Leo Club as an official program of the association. The objective of the Leo Club is to provide youth with the opportunity for development and contribution, individually and collectively, as responsible members of the local, national and international community. The Leo motto is Leadership, Experience and Opportunity. The program has continued to...
SEELEY LAKE – LHC, Inc. withdrew their Opencut Mining Plan of Operation and Application with the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) for the Cottonwood Pit proposed on Cottonwood Lakes Road. Until a new application is submitted, this ends the process to open the gravel pit on Cottonwood Lakes Road. The Conditional Use Permit (CUP) for the proposed Cottonwood Pit received zoning approval with conditions at the Feb. 9 Powell County Planning Board meeting. DEQ received LHC, Inc.’s application Feb. 13 and withdrew it March 16. Owner of Dee...
SEELEY LAKE – Missoula resident John Rice has requested year-round access to his property on Cottonwood Lakes Road, National Forest System Road (NFSR) No. 477, from the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) Lolo National Forest (LNF). The Cottonwood Lakes Road has been closed to wheeled vehicle travel from Dec. 1 – April 30 since January 1994. Rice seeks to ensure wheeled-vehicle access through the winter for himself and his descendants and feels the USFS is refusing to honor past contractual agreements. Rice purchased a half section of property in Powell...
SEELEY LAKE – With the exception of a few finishing touches, the improvements to Seeley-Swan High School (SSHS) are complete. The improvements were funded through Missoula County Public School's (MCPS) bond. The community is invited to a Celebration of the Arts Open House April 12 from 7-8:30 p.m. to see the new auditorium, enjoy refreshments and cake and listen to a variety of SSHS students and the Seeley Swan Mountain Bells perform. Voters approved the MCPS bond in November 2015. Of the $70 m...
On Friday, March 22 Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE) junior high students took their biannual trip to Helena to visit Montana Wild and the State Capitol. Students participated in three different Montana Wild programs and were able to watch the Senate in action as well as meet Governor Steve Bullock. The junior high takes this trip every other year when the legislature is in session. SLE Civics Teacher Duane Schlabach has his students follow a bill of their choice in Civics class so they understand t...
SWAN VALLEY - Members of the Swan Valley Regional Planning Committee (SVRPC) discussed at length the community’s concern that the regional draft plan editing was taking too much time at their meeting March 23. They also addressed and voted on edits to the Land Use Element of the draft plan referring to community comments and edits by attorney Colleen Dowdall and journalist Suzanne Vernon. Community member Dan Maloughney said community members he talks to are wondering if this is becoming a “committee plan and not a community plan” becau...
SEELEY LAKE - Alpine Artisans, Inc. (AAI) is offering youth art grants and a senior scholarship to help young people pay for art, drama, dance or music educational activities any time through June 2018. Deadline to apply is April 26. All K-12 students attending schools, or homeschooled, in the Blackfoot and Seeley-Swan Valleys are eligible for the Youth Grants. The maximum youth grant award is $200 to help with tuition and expenses for art, drama, dance, or music workshops, camps or lessons....
Grizzly and black bears are emerging from dens, based on radio collar locations, track reports and observations. Biologists say that males tend to emerge earlier than females; with the warming weather and increasing day length, more bears will be emerging in the coming weeks. As grizzly and black bears emerge, they will be moving to lower elevations to take advantage of the green-up of vegetation. After a bear emerges, it takes a few weeks for its digestive system to get back to normal; the bear has been in the den for four to five months witho...
HELENA - Montana’s Fish and Wildlife Commission, in a special teleconference meeting this week, approved new rules for boaters at Canyon Ferry and Tiber reservoirs. The rules are part of Montana’s response to the discovery of invasive mussel larvae last fall in Tiber Reservoir and a suspected sample from Canyon Ferry Reservoir. Approved on March 22, the rules require boaters to launch and exit Tiber and Canyon Ferry reservoirs at designated boat ramps, unless they are officially certified as local boaters by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Par...
SEELEY LAKE – The miniature cabin on Highway 83 at Bison and Bear Center will once again be offering coffee and light breakfast foods to early morning risers and others working, shopping, recreating or just passing through Seeley Lake. The former Moose B’ Mornin Espresso will open April 1 under the name Crescent Mountain Coffee and with new proprietor Gus Batchelder. A 2016 graduate of Seeley-Swan High School, Batchelder attended Montana State University (MSU) last fall. After one semester he...
MISSOULA – The Northern Region is inviting the public to help identify trails that will be part of a U.S. Forest Service effort with partners and volunteers to increase the pace of trail maintenance. Nationwide, the Forest Service will select nine to 15 priority areas among its nine regions where a backlog in trail maintenance has contributed to reduced access, potential harm to natural resources or trail users and/or has the potential for increased future deferred maintenance costs. The Northern Region manages more than 28,000 miles of t...
Liz Schwartz’s brother overdosed in their parents’ garage after sucking prescription opioids out of a used fentanyl patch. His mother found him on the floor and immediately called an ambulance. He made it to the hospital in time and survived. But within a year, Schwartz’s father overdosed the same way. He, too, survived. “You think the addict is getting clean, or they’re on the right track to getting there and there’s setbacks like that,” Schwartz said. “It’s terrifying.” While Montana’s drug of choice for decades has been methamphetamine,...
HELENA -- With the special congressional election quickly approaching, Montana lawmakers heard heated testimony on a bill last week that would allow counties to opt for mail-in ballots. Senate Bill (SB) 305, introduced by Sen. Steve Fitzpatrick, R-Great Falls would just apply to the upcoming special election between Republican Greg Gianforte and Democrat Rob Quist -- both vying for the congressional seat vacated by now Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke. "This election is going to be very expensive...
Do you sometimes think the state is being inundated with new ways and we are losing the real Montana? In some places perhaps yes, but most of the state is still the Montana we have always known and perceived. It is only in a small percentage of the state's mass where this change has actually taken place. The last census showed Montana, the fourth-largest state in the nation in terms of landmass, as having 989,415 folks residing within its borders. We use the 2010 census, as it provides the most...
MISSOULA - "Rhythms of the West" is a collaborative exhibition of art created by Bobbe Almer and Steve Woodhouse. The exhibition will open at the E3 Gallery, 229 W Main Street in Missoula, Friday, April 7, at 5 p.m. with a free public reception featuring music by Jami Kidd. This must-see exhibition pulls together scenes and materials that express what these artists see in ordinary life west of the Rockies. Both artists will be present at the opening to demonstrate and share insight into their...
Cakes for Canines to Support Local Animal Shelter April 3 SEELEY LAKE - Join the crew from Paws Up Animal Shelter from Potomac at Pop’s Place Monday, April 3 for the annual Cakes for K9s event. This is a donation breakfast complete with pancakes, bacon and eggs. All proceeds benefit the shelter. There will also be a board with 40 squares; $5 per square or 5 for $20. There are many prizes to be won including a diamond ring, 1968 proof set of coins, one of Juan de Santa Anna’s photos, Neman Marcus unisex bathrobe and a 16X20 photo of your pet or...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Sewer Board received news at the March 16 meeting that they will be given a second chance at a funding package from the United States Department of Agriculture, Rural Development (RD). The board also discussed hiring a public relations firm to help put out their information to landowners and the community. “[District Manager Greg Robertson] has received verbal approval that RD is going to let [the sewer district] move forward with another shot at the funding,” said Manager Amy Rose. “This time with a notice and p...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Senior Center (Sela Senci) has teamed up with Missoula Aging Services (MAS) for the 15th annual March for Meals – a month-long, nationwide celebration and fundraising effort for Meals on Wheels. Sela Senci has delivered up to 19 meals per day in the Seeley Lake area and is currently running a $100 per week deficit with their program. While Sela Senci holds fundraisers to help keep their budget in the black, President Boyd Gossard is thankful for the opportunity to...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE) Board approved a resolution of intent to impose an increase in levies should Senate Bill (SB) 307 be approved. Superintendent Chris Stout also apprised the board of the preliminary discussions to end Thursday early outs and add a Friday off at the end of the quarter for the 2017-2018 calendar. SB307 is sponsored by Llew Jones (R) of District 9 in Conrad, Mont. The bill’s intent is to revise the laws related to school funding. It allows school trustees to adopt a resolution to increase non-voted lev...
SEELEY LAKE & POTOMAC – The Seeley Lake Trailblazers and Potomac 4-H Clubs are joining with the other 4H clubs who attend the Western Montana Fair to collect gently worn, used and new shoes. This effort is a fundraiser with Funds2Orgs to raise funds to benefit the Western Montana Fair 4H/FFA Livestock Marketing Committee's (Committee) promotion of the 4H livestock sale at the County Fair. In Seeley Lake, shoes can be dropped off at Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE) or at ReMarkable Floral until A...
SEELEY LAKE – The winners of this year's Biggest Loser Six-Week Challenge held by Optimal Fitness in Seeley Lake were all winners from past challenges. Seeley Lake residents Susan Bracha, Jodie Miller and Mike Dellwo all returned to the podium again this year with Bracha defending her title from last year. Optimal Fitness owner Terryl Bartlett said the participation in the annual 12-week challenge was declining a little bit every year. She decided to "change things up" and shorten the length o...
As the state of Montana gears up for the influx of boats and watercraft that might carry invasive mussels, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) is working quickly to update measures that help prevent the spread of these species. FWP has proposed new rules that require inspection of all boats leaving Tiber and Canyon Ferry and decontamination at the discretion of the inspector, inspection of all boats entering the state and inspection of all boats crossing the divide into the western special management area. The open comment period for the...
SEELEY LAKE – Pyramid Mountain Lumber Inc. of Seeley Lake announced their new incentive package to help keep their current employees and ultimately help recruit new ones. The announcement comes on the heels of a rebounding market giving them more raw materials to work but a shortage of qualified employees to capitalize on the increase. To work at the mill there are pre-employment drug screening and quarterly random drug screening. Chief Operations Officer Loren Rose feels that anyone, male or female, in decent health and physical strength is c...
Snow biking is gaining popularity among winter enthusiasts in Potomac. Snow bikes are able to go in timber where snowmobiles cannot due to their shape and agility. Most snow bikes are interchangeable into dirt bikes with a special kit and a lot of patience. Snow bikes are different than snowmobiles. Under the dirt bike body, there is a single ski in the front and a narrow track behind, versus the double skis on snowmobiles. "Some snow bikes are interchangeable and can be switched back to a dirt...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE) librarian Michele Holmes has worked for years to find an affordable way to provide students with access to eBooks as part of the school library offerings. At the October 2016 meeting of the Montana Education Association, Holmes helped form a consortium comprised of representatives from small Montana schools. Acting as a unit, the consortium established a shared catalogue of more than 1,900 eBooks for K-12 students. SLE's involvement in eBooks started i...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE) second grade class performed William Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing" March 8. What started as just a story read aloud to the class in last November turned into a full production with props and costumes and was performed for the SLE students in the afternoon and parents in the evening. SLE second grade teacher Erin Lynch wrote in an email, "I knew that I wanted to do a play with this group of kids because they are highly capable and have a s...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake resident Laura Devins has brought her professional cake decorating skills and business Chocolate Moose Cakes to Seeley Lake. While her primary focus is wedding cakes, Devins also does custom birthday and sculpture cakes as well as celebration cakes and cupcakes with a variety of fillings and decorating options to make any event special. Beyond the actual decorating, Devins loves the relationship she builds with her clients through the process. During her first year i...
Seeley Lake Library News SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Library Book Club will discuss J.D. Vance’s “Hillbilly Elegy” Wednesday, April 12 at 11 a.m. In this memoir, Vance describes life growing up in a poor Rust Belt town where many of his family members never fully escape the cycle of abuse, poverty and alcoholism. Vance himself, breaks out and eventually attends Yale Law School. Widely acclaimed, this book has been described as an urgent and troubling meditation on the loss of the American dream for a large segment of [the] country. All are i...
SEELEY LAKE – The Montana Department of Natural Resources & Conservation (DNRC) Southwestern Land Office – Clearwater Unit announced Tuesday, March 14 that the environmental analysis for the Elbow Gravel Pit has stopped and the development of the pit will not be going forward. LHC, Inc., the contractor that approached DNRC for the use of the land, has found an alternative source of gravel for the repaving project from mile marker 16 to 32 on Highway 83. In a letter dated March 14, Clearwater Unit Manager Kristen Baker-Dickinson thanks tho...
LINCOLN – Trails connecting communities to each other, people to the community and dollars to the local economy were the main discussion points at the day-long Southwest Crown Regional Trails Check-in Feb. 28 in Lincoln. The check-in was a continuation of the conversation that was started at the initial Southwest Crown Regional Trails Summit May 2015. It allowed groups to reconnect and share information about what projects are being worked on, learn from one another and to be more efficient i...
SWAN VALLEY – David Moskowitz is a biologist, expert wildlife tracker, photographer, author and outdoor educator. In Montana shooting photos for his Mountain Caribou Initiative project, Moskowitz was invited by Swan Valley Connections to share some of his findings at the Swan Valley Community Hall March 9. While not advocating any specific solution, Moskowitz said his goal was to help illuminate a really complicated ecological and cultural story. The story of the mountain caribou is i...
SEELEY LAKE – It wouldn't be St. Patrick's Day in Seeley Lake without the Seniors Center Annual St. Patrick's Day Dinner, Silent Auction and Cake Walk. Even though the celebration fell March 11, nearly a week before the actual day, the traditional corned beef, cabbage and Irish stew prepared the nearly 100 attendees for St. Patrick's Day March 17. "Overall I think everyone had a very good time," said Senior Center President Boyd Gossard. "It was a good dinner, good cake walk and auctions and eve...
SWAN VALLEY - Local real estate agent John Keller spoke to the Swan Valley Regional Planning Committee (SVRPC) Thursday about his research and thoughts on Land Use in the Swan Valley. Keller told them that the Swan Valley doesn’t need land use designation. He said the valley is set up now for future growth without further zoning and regulations imposed by Missoula County. The SVRPC asked Keller to speak to their task of editing the Land Use Element of the draft growth plan. The committee is concerned with how to word the draft plan so that t...
SEELEY LAKE – Pure Montana Tales presents Double Bill Film Program at 7 p.m. Friday, March 17 at the Seeley Lake Community Hall. “Our Last Refuge,” a 20-minute film and a 60-minute documentary “Bud’s Place,” will be shown. Admission is free and everyone is welcome. “Our Last Refuge” tells the story of the Badger-Two Medicine and the decades-long struggle to protect this sacred homeland of the Blackfeet Nation from oil and gas development. Jack Gladstone will be available for questions and answers following the film. “Bud’s Place” tells the st...
Hard to believe that despite all the snow coming down, spring run-off and ice-off are right around the corner. We received some good news this week on the mussel front. The grant application submitted jointly by Swan Valley Connections, Clearwater Resource Council, Blackfoot Challenge and Missoula County Weed District was approved for the full $72,000. This grant from Montana DNRC will provide funding for monitoring, outreach, and prevention from Swan Lake to the north, down the entire Seeley-Swan Valley and east to Coopers and Browns Lakes....
Last week, Part I addressed how the market has rebounded for Pyramid Mountain Lumber Inc. in Seeley Lake giving them more raw material to work. While the future is looking bright for Pyramid, they are facing a challenge they were not expecting: lack of employees. SEELEY LAKE - Twenty years ago, Pyramid Mountain Lumber Inc.'s sawmill and planer ran 80 hours per week. Production time has now decreased to 40 hours at the sawmill and 60 hours at the planer per week. Chief Operations Officer Loren...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley Swan Search & Rescue (SSSAR) volunteers suited up in their Ice Commander suits and went for a swim at the inlet of Salmon Lake March 11. This was part of their continued training to be prepared for the best response to the worst cold water emergency. SSSAR Chief Gerry Connell said the volunteers train once a year for cold water rescue. They prefer to use the inlet of Salmon Lake when it is open because that eliminates the need to shovel snow and cut a large hole in the ice....
This last Friday, House Bill 2 (The State Budget) passed out of the Appropriations Committee and is on its way to the House Floor for debate. At this point in the process, it looks to be in good shape. We all knew going into this legislative session that the budget was in a bad place and that there would be a lot of work to do to bring it back in line with revenues. That meant that really tough choices had to be made and they were. Subcommittees went through each other and their own sections of...
After uncertainty about how the upcoming special congressional election would change the makeup of the Montana Legislature, the nomination of Democrat Rob Quist and Republican Greg Gianforte means it’s back to business as usual at the state Capitol. Multiple legislators had announced their intention to run for the vacant congressional seat after former Rep. Ryan Zinke was nominated and then confirmed as U.S. Secretary of the Interior. Sen. Ed Buttrey, R-Great Falls, and Reps. Amanda Curtis, D-Butte and Kelly McCarthy, D-Billings all vied for t...
SWAN VALLEY - In 1947, Rich Nelson joined the United States Navy Reserve on the advice of a Navy recruiter visiting his high school in Seattle, Wash. War was about to break out on the Korean Peninsula, and young Rich took the recruiter's advice. After attending basic training in San Diego, he was assigned to a destroyer escort in Seattle. Rich later transferred to submarines in Tacoma, Wash. He described sub school as two phases, both at Hunters Point, San Francisco. Picking his "boat"...
SWAN VALLEY - Jack Gladstone, dubbed "Montana's Troubadour", performed with Swan Valley Elementary (SVE) students Sunday, March 12. The concert was a part of the 2 Valleys Stage 2016-2017 concert series. Gladstone, an enrolled member of the Blackfeet Nation, illustrates Native American culture with music, lyric poetry and narratives. He is well-named a troubadour as he has traveled with his music to 46 states, Canada, Europe and Japan. Gladstone met with SVE students the week before the March...
POTOMAC - Potomac 4-Hers are performing an old Finnish Folktale entitled "The Hunter and the Old Woman of the Woods" March 18 at the Greenough/Potomac Community Center for the 71st Annual 4-H Drama Festival. The plays begin at 10 a.m. The play was written by Elaine Lindy and Wendy Lees. The 4-H members chose the story because it was about nature. Parts include a Goddess of the Woods played by Leah Nelson and an Old Woman played by Corbin Weltzein. In Northern Finland, where the play takes place, live people known as the Saahms who have lived...
A bored teenager might be forgiven for saying, "After 7 p.m., Seeley Lake is dead as a doornail." But what exactly is a doornail, and how did it become the epitome of dead things? In the Medieval period and probably even earlier, a doornail was a hand-forged, iron nail with an extra-large head. Such a nail was hammered into a door consisting of vertical wood panels braced on the back by horizontal cross boards. The doornail was long enough that even after passing through both pieces of wood the...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Fire Hall turned movie theater Friday, March 10 complete with burgers, popcorn and a big screen. Around 60 children and their parents attended the event hosted by the Missoula County Sheriff's Office and the Seeley Lake Fire Company. Missoula County Sheriff's Deputy Mike Sunderland coordinated the event. His intent was to give young children in the area something to do on Friday night. "Outside of outdoor activities there is no hang out for the kids," said S...
Have you ever wondered how certain Montana places, rivers and towns got their unusual or just plain unfathomable names? Thanks to the incoming railroad across the top of the state, towns along the Hi-Line were named by the ingenious method of having a blindfolded railway worker stop a spinning globe with his finger and whatever it pointed to became the town's name. Hence the cosmopolitan flair given to communities like Malta and Glasgow. How about the Yaak? Well, it's an Indian word, most likely...
KALISPELL - The public is invited to the annual Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex (BMWC) public meeting Saturday, March 18 starting at 10 a.m. at the Seeley Lake Community Hall. “This is a great annual opportunity to meet with the National Forest Wilderness Managers and Montana Fish and Wildlife staff,” said Deb Mucklow, Spotted Bear District Ranger. “This is an annual meeting to talk about managing wilderness. All of the participants will be encouraged to interact with the managers present and have time for one-on-one questions. In addit...
POTOMAC - Kennecott Exploration Company (KEC) representatives Regional Communities Manager Matt Jeschke and Principal I Geoscientist Clinton Roberts traveled to Potomac and hosted an informational meeting Feb. 28. They presented their plans for the 2017 field season. They also talked about the current status of the Copper Cliff project, background of KEC local projects and time for questions and answers. More than 20 people attended the meeting. The continued project will resemble drilling...
BELGRADE – Seven Hellgate Civilian Junior Shooters qualified to shoot at the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) three-position (3P) Air Rifle National Championships in June and five of those also qualified for the National Rifle Association (NRA) National 3P Air Rifle Championship in May. If that excitement wasn't enough for the team, Seeley Lake's Justin Thomas and Ibby Lorentz both shot a perfect 20 shots in prone at the NRA match adding them to the list of national record holders. The Junior...
SEELEY LAKE – Lindey's Prime Steak House and SLE Outside hosted the second annual Sasquatch Fat Tire Bike Ride March 4. A dozen riders said they saw every kind of weather Montana offered except cold, which would have been a welcome change to help set the trails. However, they all had a good time and enjoyed the route. Instead of leaving from SLE Outside in downtown Seeley Lake, Race Organizer Mike Lindemer said they left from the Warming Hut on Morrell Creek Road to avoid the mud. Riders had the...
SEELEY LAKE — The Seeley Lake Community Foundation (SLCF) is proud to announce its small grant awards for the cycle ending Jan. 31. The SLCF is a locally driven and locally supported foundation that invests in the health and prosperity of the Seeley Lake Community. SLCF grants support art and culture, community and economic development, basic human needs, education and natural resources and conservation. Board President Carla Schade said, “Recently the Seeley Lake Community Foundation received many worthwhile requests for its small grants pro...
SEELEY LAKE - Cory Calnan of the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation will kick off the meeting of the Seeley Lake Community Council next Monday at 6 p.m. with a discussion of Mega Fires. Next will be Mike Hopkins, our new Montana House Representative. He will update us on the current legislative session in Helena. Jenny Rohrer will give a presentation on the Seeley Lake Trails Project Survey and encourage attendees to take the survey. Anne Beach, executive director of the Seeley Lake Community Foundation, will talk about...
SEELEY LAKE - Montana’s first watercraft inspection stations opened Friday in Pablo and at Clearwater Junction at the junction of Highways 200 and 83. The inspection stations will be operated by the Flathead Basin Commission (FBC) under a memorandum of understanding with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP). These inspection stations represent the first of what will be an expanded aquatic invasive species inspection station program for the 2017 boating season in Montana. This effort is in response to the positive detection last fall of a...
SEELEY LAKE - For years Pyramid Mountain Lumber Inc. (Pyramid) thought the availability of logs was going to be their limiting factor for profitability and capital improvements. This winter they are up six million board feet in their log yard compared to a year ago. The future is looking bright for Pyramid but they are facing a challenge they were not expecting: lack of qualified employees. In 2015 lumber markets went south. All Montana sawmills were operating on overpriced timber and losing...
HELENA – Montana State Parks is seeking public comment on Recreational Trails Program (RTP) and Off-Highway Vehicle Program (OHV) grant applications. The Seeley Lake Nordic Ski Club and Swan Valley Connections both submitted proposals. Public comment is accepted through Friday, March 17 at 5 p.m. The RTP is a federally funded program administered by Montana State Parks. RTP projects include development and rehabilitation work on urban, rural and backcountry trails; planning and construction of community trails; snowmobile and cross-country s...
Through the Cooperative Weather Observer (Coop) Program, the National Weather Service (NWS) utilizes citizen volunteers across the country to record daily temperatures and precipitation. This helps them better predict the weather and keeps a historical log generating the longest, continuous and consistent climate database for the area. The Coop Program is more than 200 years old. Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson were some of the first observers. "They had a passion early on for weather...
SEELEY LAKE - Quilters of the Tamaracks rent the Seeley Lake Community Hall for 12 days each year. Roughly once a month the quilters bring their sewing machines to the hall, spread out their material and proceed with their individual projects in fellowship with one another. Since the community hall is large, there is room to spare and the quilters are now inviting other crafters to join them. Knitting, scrap booking, needle point, wood working, crocheting, painting - any type of craft portable e...
SWAN VALLEY - Nearly 50 people packed into the Swan Valley Museum Friday night to hear local author of "Swan Valley Place Names" Steve Lamar tell how some landmarks around the valley received their names. Lamar explained that many of the landmarks were named by the 1922 survey crew members who explored and later mapped which in now the Mission Mountains Wilderness. Events in residents' lives also became the names of the places where they happened. Trapper and prospector Jim Condon's name is very...
HELENA – Attorney General Tim Fox encourages Montanans to read up on the most common tax identity theft scams and how to avoid them during this year’s Tax Identity Theft Awareness Week, which is hosted by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). “The IRS reported the average federal tax refund during the 2015 filing season was about $3,200. Montanans work very hard for their wages and it’s unconscionable that identity thieves are stealing Montanans’ well-deserved tax refunds,” said Attorney General Tim Fox. “Unfortunately, these scammers are determi...
Youth Invited to Family Movie Night at the Seeley Lake Fire Hall, March 10 SEELEY LAKE – The Missoula County Sheriff’s Office and Seeley Lake Rural Fire District invite youth and families to the Seeley Lake Fire Hall March 10 at 7 p.m. for Movie Night. This month the featured movie is “Finding Dory.” Missoula County Deputy Mike Sunderland said they are hoping to make this a monthly event. “Kids need something to do in this town,” said Sunderland. “Outside of outdoor activities, there is no hangout for the kids.” While the event is geared towar...
SEELEY LAKE - U.S. Senator Jon Tester announced the Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Act (BCSA) at the Rich Ranch Feb. 22. While collaborators and supporters gathered to voice their support, not everyone believes the legislation goes far enough to protect motorized recreation opportunities. The BCSA designates more than 79,000 acres of additional wilderness to the Bob Marshall, Scapegoat and Mission Mountains Wildernesses and establishes the 3,835-acre Spread Mountain Recreation Area and the...
SEELEY LAKE – On March 1, the Seeley Lake Community Foundation (SLCF) is launching "I Ride Seeley Lake," a shuttle service to Missoula and in Seeley Lake for medical, physical therapy and chiropractor appointments and pharmacy pick-up. SLCF Executive Director Anne Beach acknowledges there are other stops that may be beneficial for riders but the program is starting small and may expand in the future depending on use. The need for public transportation was highlighted by a survey conducted by t...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake resident Rusty Loomis was found guilty of five charges with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) in Lewis and Clark County on Feb. 17. He was charged $1,635 in fines and his hunting, fishing and trapping privileges were suspended for two years. According to the court documents, Loomis was hunting from his vehicle on Dry Creek Road near the intersection of Montana Highway 21 on Sept. 6, 2016. He killed a mule deer doe and fawn out of season with a shotgun on the B...
SEELEY LAKE – Runners took to the roads around Seeley Lake for the 38th annual Snow Joke Half Marathon. While race participation was down nearly 200 participants this year, Big Sky Orogenic Racing and Events' (BSORE) Race Organizer Matt Gibson felt it was a safer event with the new traffic measures in place and everyone had a lot of fun. Gibson attributed the lower numbers to the cold, snowy weather in December and January making it difficult for Montanans to train. While the majority of the r...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley Lake hosted their first biathlon in 2008 after local skier and OSCR Race Organizer Lynn Carey suggested the idea. The goal for the biathlon has always been to offer a fun, unique experience to a broad range of people by hosting a family-friendly, quality event. This year’s biathlon scheduled for March 4 was cancelled due to lack of insurance. The sport of biathlon combines the aerobic rigors of cross-country skiing in the winter or running in the summer with the steady hands and sharp eyes of marksmanship. While Seeley L...
SEELEY LAKE - Chris Dombrowski will be reading from and discussing his recent book, "Body of Water," Saturday, March 4, at 7 p.m. at the Grizzly Claw Trading Company. Alpine Artisans' Open Book Club sponsors the evening. There is no charge and all are welcome. Seeley-Swan High School poet Elizabeth Done will be reading her poem, "Rest On Fawn Peak," to open the evening. A published poet (most recently "Earth Again") and Montana-based fly fishing guide Dombrowski recounts his trip to the Bahamas...
As of 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 24… Last Friday, Feb. 17 I learned that the Clearwater Junction boat check station was going to be moved north up Highway 83. On Monday the 20th, it was likely going to be eliminated altogether. As of Tuesday the 21st, it is going to remain at the Junction, but only check boats moving from west to east. Yes, that’s right: west to east. That’s because three new check stations will be on Highway 200 near Lincoln, US-12 west of Helena, and I-90 west of Butte to inspect boats moving from east to west. These new stati...
SEELEY LAKE - For the past two-and-a-half years Clearwater Resource Council (CRC) has been laying the foundation to allow the Seeley Lake community to plan a comprehensive trails system. To begin building on that foundation, CRC formally kicked off the public input phase of the Seeley Lake Trails Project Feb. 25. CRC Executive Director Cathy Kahnle said during those two-and-a-half years the organization gathered information from Missoula County, other counties, other trails-planning groups, surv...
SEELEY LAKE – This past week, Rich Ranch partnered with Driven, LLC for the second year in a row to offer a three-day snowmobile riding school. Driven Elite Snowmobile School contracts with professional riders to work with snowmobilers to be more prepared and better riders in the backcountry. Rich Ranch appreciates the school's willingness to work with riders of all skill sets and the educational components. Driven, LLC is a consulting service for non-profits, businesses and athletes looking t...
SEELEY LAKE – At their Feb. 21 meeting, the Seeley Lake Fire District Board of Trustees unanimously approved a $4,000 increase in the amount available to the Seeley Lake Fire Chief for equipment purchases. While it was understood that current chief Bob Vanden Heuvel would inform the board about any upcoming equipment purchases and get board approval should time allow, he can spend up to $5,000 without prior board approval if needed. The discussion was put on the agenda after board members were concerned about Vanden Heuvel going over his $...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE) Board discussed a projected budget deficit and SLE Outside’s balance sheet at the Feb. 21 meeting. The board also received a board member’s resignation and has an upcoming election for two board positions. Next year’s budget is projected to be about $5,000 short of this year’s. Part of the problem is that this year’s budget was basically flat from the previous year while costs have climbed every year. District Clerk Sally Johnson cautioned that there might be some changes to funding due to the on...
HELENA - The legislature's transmittal break is upon us. Non-revenue bills either pass the Senate by March 1 or die. Five of my bills passed! Senate Bill 22 provides rape victims a civil procedure to end parental rights of their rapists. My 2013 bill, allowing an enhanced penalty terminating parental rights when rapists are convicted, became law. But in some cases criminal prosecution is not possible because of sex trafficking or fear of further violence. The civil remedy in Senate Bill 22...
HELENA - Things have been moving pretty quickly here in the Legislature as we move towards transmittal. Since the beginning of the session, I have been working on a set of veteran legislation focusing on ways to help that part of the veterans community which is experiencing a surge in suicide. Last week, my primary bill HB538 had its hearing and was tabled in House Human Services. Unfortunately, a significant lobbying effort which was brought about not because of problems with the bill, but...
The Douglas-fir bark beetle is the most destructive beetle attacking Douglas-fir trees in the Seeley/Swan Valley. The potential loss of trees can be considerable and can affect both residential homeowners as well as commercial interests. Outbreaks develop in host trees following stand disturbances such as windthrow, drought, severe defoliation or wildfire, such as the Condon Mountain Fire in 2012. During outbreaks, groups of dead trees may total 100 or more. Yearly mortality in the northern...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake residents Kathy Stevens and her daughter-in-law Tessa are hosting their grand opening for Seeley Lake Vintage March 4 from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. at the Heritage Building on the north end of Seeley Lake. They look forward to bringing a store offering vintage, rustic and re-loved home décor, furniture and gifts to Seeley Lake. Both Kathy and Tessa share a love of purposeful re-purposing. They also enjoy creating decorative items and painting. "I've always been kind of a craf...
SWAN VALLEY - Alpine Artisans' 2 Valleys Stage (2VS) presents one of Native America's premier lyric storysmiths Jack Gladstone, "Montana's Troubadour." Gladstone will perform in concert, with Swan Valley School (SVS) students, at the Swan Valley Community Hall March 12 at 3 p.m. Along with the concert, a slide show produced by Patti Bartlett will play as backdrop for Gladstone and his music. In a career spanning more than three decades, Gladstone is regarded as a cultural bridge builder. In...
Seeley Lake musher Roy Etnire and his team leaving the starting line of the Flathead Classic Sled Dog Race Saturday, Feb. 25 at the Dog Creek Trailhead west of Olney, Mont. Mushers traveled from Olney to Polebridge and then returned Sunday in the 82-mile race. Etnire placed second in the eight-dog class, finishing 32 seconds behind first place finisher Maeva Waterman of Bozeman, Mont....
SEELEY LAKE – Missoula County Sheriff’s Deputy Mike Sunderland said antler thefts around Seeley Lake are again on the rise. Another issue is people cutting firewood out of season on state and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) land and are blocking the road. Sunderland said antlers that are outside and visible are being stolen at night. “People need to understand that antlers are worth money, actually good money. If they leave them outside where people can see them, the odds are somebody is going to come along and steal them,” said Sunderland. Anyone...
POTOMAC - Throughout the Blackfoot Watershed, Potomac residents are out and about making tracks in the late winter snow. Winter recreationists are walking, hiking, skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling despite cold temperatures, rain, slush and ice. Debbie Dudley walks every day, year 'round with her dogs, siblings Bridger and Maddie. "We walk for exercise and enjoyment for all of us," said Dudley. "The dogs love it!" The trio typically walks in the morning during the week and her husband Bob wal...
Special District Elections – Candidates Not Accepted by Acclamation until After Write-in Deadline April 3 SEELEY LAKE – In the Feb. 16 article “Most Board Positions Filled by Acclamation” it states that there will not be an election. This did not account for the write-in deadline of Monday, April 3 at 5:00 p.m. Missoula County Elections Administrator Rebecca Connors said if a write-in files, and the number of candidates that have filed exceeds the number of available seats, there will be an election even though the write-in candida...
SEELEY LAKE – Organizers for the Snow Joke Half Marathon are implementing improved safety precautions and closing one lane of Highway 83 during the Feb. 25 event to better manage the traffic on race day. With 893 finishers last year and even larger crowds expected in years to come, race organizer Matt Gibson said safety is paramount. Gibson said the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) received a citizen complaint about the traffic management for the event. MDT informed Big Sky Orogenic Racing and Events’ (BSORE), the race organizers sin...
SEELEY LAKE – Alpine Artisans Incorporated (AAI) has a long-standing policy of each year honoring an AAI member or members who have exhibited exceptional support of the arts in the Clearwater Valley. Most often, the person chosen is a practicing artist in either the visual, performing or literary arts. However, the 2017 award recipient claims no outstanding ability in any of those realms. Nevertheless, AAI award presenter Russ Abolt called recipient Sue Cushman of Condon an artist in the largest...
SWAN VALLEY – Swan Valley Emergency Services (SVES) responded to a house fire on Saskatoon Lane in Condon Saturday, Feb. 11 just after midnight. While the owner and her dog escaped the blaze uninjured, the house was a total loss and the owner's cat has not been found. According to SVES Fire Chief Randy Williams the call came in at 12:05 a.m. Volunteer firefighter Jonathan Matthew was on scene in minutes because it was his neighbor's home. Williams said Matthew told him, "the flames were over t...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Sewer Board was updated on the status of their grants and their appeal to the United States Department of Agriculture, Rural Development (RD) at their Feb. 16 board meeting. District Manager Greg Robertson said that the approximately $2.5 million in grants the district currently has from multiple sources would remain intact pending a decision from RD. Robertson said if RD pulls its funding, the other grants have lined up to pull their funding as well. RD’s funding package consisted of $5.7 million in grants and $4....
SEELEY LAKE - Following two years of preparation, the Seeley Lake Trails Project will launch its public input process on Saturday, Feb. 25, from 1-4 p.m. at the Seeley Lake Community Hall in Seeley Lake. The meeting will bring local and regional residents up-to-date on the work of this consortium of more than two dozen organizations and individuals whose goal is to develop a comprehensive trails plan across ownerships for the Clearwater Valley. Most importantly, the meeting will seek detailed feedback and opinions on trail needs and...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Council (SLCC) had a packed agenda for the Feb. 13 meeting. Presentations on the Center Horse Landscape Restoration Project, a proposed gravel pit near Elbow Lake and air quality were accompanied by discussions on new speed limit signs and the council’s trails committee. Seeley Lake District Ranger Rachel Feigley presented on the Center Horse project. The project is on 61,300 acres, 14 miles north of Ovando in the Cottonwood and Monture watersheds. Center Horse aims to improve forest composition, water q...
SEELEY LAKE – As a result of the Resource Team Assessment conducted last fall by Montana Economic Developers Association (MEDA), the Seeley Lake Vibrancy Committee has formed and is working towards addressing the community priorities identified in the assessment. More than a dozen community members have split the work between six initiatives to explore ideas on how to improve the community: Healthy Community; Website; Chamber Reboot; Montana Main Street; Tourism Business Improvement District and Voting Rights. Committee organizer Lee Boman s...
HELENA - Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) is seeking comment on proposed amendments to rules that outline new regulations needed in the battle to contain, detect and prevent the risk of spreading invasive mussels and other aquatic invasive species to other state waters. Invasive mussel larvae were detected for the first time in Montana in October 2016 in Tiber Reservoir – and “suspect” detections turned up in Canyon Ferry Reservoir, the Missouri River below Toston Dam and the Milk River. The discovery triggered a natural resource emerg...
I can remember as a teenager when mononucleosis or mono was going around in my high school and about half the class was out sick. I was included in the "out sick" population. Mono also known as the "kissing disease" but unfortunately I'm pretty sure that's not how I acquired mono. Mono can be spread through saliva. It can be passed from person to person when they share cups, bottles, eating utensils and through kissing, coughing and sneezing. It's more common in the teenage and young adult popul...
SEELEY LAKE –Missoula County Public Schools (MCPS) board trustee and Seeley Lake resident Debbie Dupree is stepping down this May after serving 15 years on the board. She feels it is time for new energy on the board and hopes that someone from the Seeley area will apply for the position to continue to give Seeley-Swan High School (SSHS) a voice. There are eleven trustees on the MCPS board, four of which are only high school trustees. Dupree’s high school trustee seat is the only trustee position available for Seeley Lake, Clinton, Potomac, Gre...
SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley Regional Planning Committee (SVRPC) agreed on edits to the remaining six of the original seven actions of the draft plan’s Economic Development Element at their Feb. 15 meeting. The first action, which required community consensus to designate acceptable sites for appropriate business and industry, was deleted at their January meeting. Committee member Pat Sinz said that she wanted the second action to make clear that the residents of the Swan Valley have a voice and open discussions with Missoula County about guid...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE) second-graders have been studying the science of meteorology, specifically the processes and phenomena of the atmosphere as a means of forecasting the weather. With snow being an abundant resource in Seeley Lake over the winter months, they studied snow on a macroscopic level. The eleven second-graders were so excited about their discoveries they decided to take action and share their new knowledge about the formation of snow crystals with the...
HELENA - The Montana Legislature heard emotional testimony a bill last week that would include gender identity and sexual orientation in the state’s non-discrimination laws. Introduced by Rep. Kelly McCarthy, D-Billings, House Bill 417 would add LGBTQ-identifying individuals to a list of classes protected by the Montana Human Rights Act, meaning it would prevent them from being discriminated against when seeking housing, employment, and when using public accommodations. “I don’t know that discrimination is a privilege that’s worth defendi...
Seeley Lake Library News SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Library will discuss Mark Spragg’s “Where Rivers Change Direction” on Wednesday, March 15 at 11 a.m. In this memoir, Spragg describes growing up on the oldest dude ranch in Wyoming “with a family struggling against the elements and against themselves...” Winner of the 2000 Mountains and Plains Booksellers Award, this book has been described as a moving, lyrical, sensuous elegy to Wyoming childhood and manhood. Books are available at the checkout desk. All are invited to join in the discu...
SEELEY LAKE – The Conditional Use Permit (CUP) for the proposed gravel pit on Cottonwood Lakes Road received zoning approval with conditions at the Feb. 9 Powell County Planning Board meeting. According to Powell County Planner Carl Hamming, the approval was unanimous and the conditions are still being finalized. The Birdhead Company, LLC purchased the quarter section four miles east of Highway 83 and south of Cottonwood Lakes Road this past October. The intent was to develop the property for sand and gravel operation. Frank Tabish of LHC Inc....
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Elementary Culinary Club, one of the afterschool programs available through the Twenty-First Century Grant, cooked a Mexican meal in October, baked Thanksgiving pies in November and Christmas cookies in December. The January session was skipped due to weather issues but interested fifth through eighth grade students regrouped in February for "Cupcake Decorating 101" with professional cake artist Laura Devins. Devins said she started working in a Seattle, Wash. b...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake musher Roy Etnire finished third in this year's 100-mile Race to the Sky. He was the only local musher to participate in their year's race. Etnire operates Mystik North Sleddogs and has been mushing for eight years. He won the 2014 Eagle Cap 100 and the Race to the Sky 100 in 2013 and 2014. He received the Race to the Sky Best Cared for Team Award in 2014. Twenty mushers from Montana, Alaska, Utah, Idaho, Washington, Oregon and Canada competed in this year's 100 and 3...
The Seeley Lake Rural Fire District and Swan Valley Community Council are the only local boards required to hold a special district elections this May for their open positions. The rest of the local board positions were either filled by acclamation or remain open. Current Seeley Lake Rural Fire District board chair Bonnie Connell and Vice Chair Scott Kennedy’s positions expire in May. Scott Kennedy will run against Alyssa McLean and Rita Rossi for the two, three-year terms. Marcia Tapp’s term with the Swan Valley Community Council ends thi...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Ranger District is currently welcoming Recreation Event Special Use Permit applications for 2017 summer and fall events. Applications must be submitted by March 31. Applications received after this date will be reviewed and accommodated as time and scheduling allows. A Recreation Event Special Use Permit is typically required for events on National Forest System lands that meet any of the following criteria: • Charge a fee for participation. • Have paid staff. • Have an attendance of 75 or more people, includi...
SEELEY LAKE – This past January Seeley Lake resident Karen Montgomery was skeptical after received a phone call that showed up as DISH® Network (DISH) on her caller ID. While the offer to change out her satellites sounded like a good one, Montgomery checked with DISH and realized she had been the target of a scam. She hopes others will not fall victim. Montgomery said the caller had a thick foreign accent. The caller kept going on and on about how Montgomery needed to upgrade old receivers or she would not be able to receive DISH services. Th...
SEELEY LAKE – The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) is proposing to open a temporary gravel pit and asphalt plant near Elbow Lake and adjacent to Highway 83 close to mile marker three. They are soliciting public input until March 1 on whether to authorize this proposed gravel pit development and use in compliance with the Montana Environmental Policy Act (MEPA). The DNRC-managed land is located east of Elbow Lake (for the exact legal description, see legal notice on page 15). DNRC was approached by Frank Tabish o...
Since the November announcement of invasive mussels found in Tiber Reservoir, the state's response team has been working hard to assess the situation and develop plans for the upcoming recreation season. The information coming from the Mussel Response Incident Team has been changing daily. Finally, the changes have slowed down enough that a picture is starting to come into focus. I can tell you that boating and water recreation in Montana will be very different this year. Here's what I know at t...
SWAN VALLEY – Brenda Mitchell opened a dog grooming business this past summer out of her home in Condon. She hopes the local service of bathing, grooming, clipping and trimming will make things more comfortable for the dogs and their owners. For more than 20 years, Mitchell groomed her own Shih Tzus and miniature Schnauzers. "I found it was easier for me to do them than for me to get them to a groomer," said Mitchell. "I realized I had a knack for it." Mitchell worked for the Mission M...
HELENA -- A bill that would have abolished the death penalty in Montana was narrowly voted down in committee last week on a 9-10 vote. House Bill 366, sponsored by Rep. Adam Hertz, R-Missoula, would have replaced a death sentence with life imprisonment without possibility of parole. Hertz said the bill represented productive use of tax dollars, a pro-life philosophy from “conception until natural death,” and the notion of an offender’s redemption for their crimes. “I cannot in good conscience claim to be pro-life and support a system that ta...
OVANDO – The Saturday after Super Bowl, the Ovando community joins together for the Annual Ovando Community Luau. They don their best Hawaiian attire over long johns, sweaters and wool socks and reconnect with friends over lunch. According to Ovando's Organizer of Frivolous Affairs Kathy Schoendoerfer, the first luau was held in 2005 and has continued every year since. The purpose is simply for Ovando residents to shake off cabin fever with good food, drinks and conversation with their n...
POTOMAC - The Potomac/Greenough Community Center (PGCC) was filled with more than 50 people Feb. 11 eating a Valentine meal and then playing Bingo. The function was the second time the PGCC board has offered bingo to the community. The Potomac School eighth-graders participated by providing a dinner beforehand to earn money for their trip this spring. Dinner included spaghetti, salad, bread, drinks and desserts. Pink lemonade was the special drink served for the occasion as well as red heart...
SWAN VALLEY - Swan Valley Elementary (SVE) sixth-grader Trista Alexander won the school's spelling bee held Feb. 7 at SVE. Alexander is pictured with runner-up seventh-grader Seth Richardson and SVE supervising teacher Susan Bracha. Alexander competed against ten Swan Valley students in grades five through eight. After Alexander and Richardson out spelled the other students, Alexander went head-to-head with Richardson, spelling several words including bedlam, quandary and pearlescent, to break...
CORRECTION – Swan Lake “Threatened” Not “Impaired” In the Seeley Swan Pathfinder’s Feb. 2 ‘A Place for All’ column titled “Water Quality in the Swan Valley – It Takes Work,” it stated that Swan Lake was listed as an “impaired water body.” That is incorrect. Goat and Jim Creeks are impaired waterbodies; however, Swan Lake is listed as “threatened” because of the very low dissolved oxygen levels in the deep parts of the lake in the summertime. Community Choir to Start in Seeley Lake, Feb. 23 SEELEY LAKE - A community choir is being orga...
SEELEY LAKE – Emergency personnel from Seeley Lake, Potomac, Condon and Missoula responded to a propane leak from a broken valve on a propane tank Saturday, Feb. 4 just after 10 a.m. Volunteer firefighters secured the scene on the corner of Locust Lane and Tamarack Drive in Seeley Lake while Seeley-Swan Search and Rescue (SSSAR) and law enforcement officers evacuated the immediate area. No one was injured and Energy Partners removed the propane tank after all of the product was emptied. Seeley L...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE) is continuing the conversation and support for mental health following the Say Something Assembly. SLE has curriculum in place for all ages to help them learn how to identify and communicate their feelings and become more resilient. The mental services at SLE and in the community are a testament to the need and offer the help that many need to be able to stabilize and get back to a healthy, balanced life. The Say Something Assemblies were held Jan. 1...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake Regional Outdoor Center for Kinetic Sports (ROCKS) hosted its fourth annual Peter Hale Memorial Race Saturday, Feb. 4 at the Rich Ranch. Among the 60 participants was two-time Olympian and Olympic Coach John Morton. On Friday evening before the race, Morton shared stories from his time with the Olympic team as a participant and coach. He also provided information about his involvement in the Seeley Lake Nordic Trails development. Morton represented the United States o...
LINCOLN - Race to the Sky, Montana’s premier sled dog race runs Feb. 10-14. After several years of low snow pack on the race trail, officials are battling very deep snow and tough trail conditions, the trail crew reported today. There are teams from Alaska, Montana, Washington, Utah, Idaho, Oregon and British Columbia, Canada entered in the race thus far. Sixteen teams have registered. Race to the Sky starts Feb. 10 with the 300 mile vet check at Y.M.C.A. in Helena at 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. followed by 5:30 p.m. with the Camp Rimini Commemorative Run...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Fire Board approved the shipping cost for the department to acquire a 2011 Polaris Ranger Crew. Seeley Lake Fire Chief Bob Vanden Heuvel feels this will expand the capabilities of the department to allow volunteers more mobility for event coverage and for assistance on wildland fires. The vehicle is free through the Firefighter Property Program with the State of Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation program. However, the district is responsible for the $1,850 shipping. Vanden Heuvel notified t...
SEELEY LAKE - Air Quality in Seeley Lake will kick off the meeting of the Seeley Lake Community Council next Monday. Ben Schmidt, Missoula County Air Quality Specialist, wants to start a general conversation on wood stoves and air quality with a focus on the neighborhood immediately south of the elementary school (see the Place for All column on page 4 for more information). Rachel Feigley, USFS District Ranger, will follow with a discussion of the Center-Horse project, an extensive forestry project along the southern boundary of the Bob...
MISSOULA – The Southwestern Crown of the Continent Collaborative and the Flathead, Helena-Lewis and Clark and Lolo National Forests received the 2016 Forest Service Chief's Award for Sustaining Forests and Grasslands through the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program (CFLRP). The award was accepted on behalf of the Collaborative and the Forests on Dec. 8, at a ceremony in Washington, D.C. by Tim Garcia, Lolo National Forest Supervisor. The recipients were chosen from more than 80 n...
SEELEY LAKE - The Lolo National Forest is proposing the North Fork Blackfoot Trail Bridges Project located in the Scapegoat Wilderness on the Hobnail Tom Trail #32 on the Seeley Lake Ranger District, Lolo National Forest. The project area is situated within the upper reaches of the North Fork Blackfoot River watershed and is located entirely on National Forest System Lands. The Hobnail Tom Trail #32, located on the Seeley Lake Ranger District, is a highly developed mainline trail (Trail Class 4), approximately 27 miles in length, which provides...
POTOMAC - More than 20 Potomac School students along with staff and parents traveled to Discovery Ski Area Feb. 3 for a ski day. This ski day for Potomac students was in conjunction with the Friday Explorers program. Discovery Ski Area offers programs for schools to participate in ski days at special rates. Potomac along with other schools including Lone Rock and Butte Central skied and snowboarded during a cloudy, snowy and then clear day. Potomac teachers Raynee Clairmont and Kristina Davis...
“Colorado is high, having more peaks within its borders than any other state. Wyoming is wide, with the breadth of the plains between the Bighorns and the Grand Tetons. California is handsome, with a splendor of success. It takes all three adjectives to describe Montana.” In 1941, Donald Curloss Peattie, a naturalist of the 1920s through the 1950s, included these words in his book “The Road of a Naturalist.” In 1943, Montana newsman and writer Joseph Kinsey Howard took the three descrip...
MISSOULA - The Missoula County Commissioners are looking to fill vacancies on eight boards. All applications are available online or in the County Commissioners’ Office, located at 199 West Pine Street. Submissions may be filed electronically or emailed to bcc@missoulacounty.us. Deadline for applications is Feb. 16 by 5 p.m. except for the Zoning Board of Adjustments’ deadline which is Feb. 17 by 5 p.m. and Library Board Alternate which is March 3. Historical Museum Board – Two regular member vacancies and one alternate position to serve a thr...
MISSOULA - In a lively and thought-provoking evening presentation Thursday, Feb. 16 at 7 p.m. at the Heritage Hall, 20 Fort Missoula Road, Missoula, Mont., wildlife biologist and author Douglas Chadwick, who recently published “Tracking Gobi Grizzlies: Surviving Beyond the Back of Beyond” (with photographs by Joe Riis), will recap this rare bear’s fight for survival in one of the toughest, most remote settings on earth. His presentation, will illustrate why saving this endangered animal supports an entire ecosystem made up of hundreds of inter...
Seeley Lake resident Steve Felix's 2016 archery hunt began with clear, cool weather and ended with a once in a lifetime record bull elk. The bull is considered a pending world record archery typical bull until it is panel-scored in February in Missouri. The current record archery bull scores 412 1/8 inches. Native Minnesotan Felix has hunted since he was 14 years old. For the last 36 years he has rifle hunted as well as archery. "Bow hunting is my passion," he said. He hunts antelope, mule...
SEELEY LAKE – Brook Bezanson told Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE) students she was called stupid and lazy as a child because she had dyslexia and learning was difficult for her. She said in high school a lot of people called her Goth because she liked wearing black. This year however, the whole world calls her Miss Montana. On Jan. 23, Bezanson came to SLE to tell students, "What you believe is what you achieve." The message Bezanson elaborated to students was, "If you believe people who say you c...
SEELEY LAKE – Saturday, Jan. 28 marked the 35th annual Over Seeley's Creeks & Ridges (OSCR). Nearly 150 racers participated in the 50 kilometer (K), 20K, 10K or 5K races. When talking with those who have raced numerous years there are no shortage of stories, some true and others questionable. While the OSCR Hall of Fame posted 35 years of 50K winners at the Saturday awards ceremony and chili feed, it was connecting with old friends and sharing stories that so many cherished. With the exception o...
DEER LODGE – The Powell County Planning Board will reconsider their December decision regarding the Conditional Use Permit (CUP) for a proposed gravel pit on Cottonwood Lakes Road at their Feb. 9 meeting. While written comments will be accepted and considered until the meeting, no public comment will be taken at the meeting. Frank Tabish of LHC Inc. in Kalispell, Mont. applied for the CUP with Powell County to operate a 26.5-acre gravel pit within 160 acres four miles east of Highway 83 and south of Cottonwood Lakes Road. Seeley Lake r...
MISSOULA - With tax season underway and Tax Identity Theft Awareness Week set to kick-off Jan. 31, Better Business Bureau (BBB) serving the Northwest is reminding the public to be vigilant with their personal information. Tax collection scams were the most reported fraud cases to BBB in 2016 with more than 7,500 reported. BBB serving the Northwest is urging consumers to be wary of unsolicited phone calls, emails or letters purported to be from the IRS or any official-sounding government agency. Watch for these common tax related scams:...
SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley Regional Planning Committee (SVRPC) discussed and used edits and comments from the public to clarify section 2.4 New Industrial Development in the second element of the plan draft entitled Economic Development at their meeting on Jan. 24. They also addressed the goals, policies and actions pertaining to the Economic Development Element. The SVRPC accepted public comments about the wording to the draft’s New Industrial Development section, eliminated unnecessary sentences and clarified other wording. The New I...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake resident Tera Wold is the new Executive Director of Sparrow's Vine Pregnancy Resource Center. Wold looks forward to bringing her compassion and enthusiasm to help others and be a mentor to clients by establishing a relationship with them. Wold's husband Jason was the auctioneer at the Sparrow's Vine fundraiser last September. Wold said she goes with her husband 99 percent of the time when he holds auctions but was not planning on it that day. "Something told me to get u...
HELENA - Members of the Montana House Fish, Wildlife and Parks Committee heard a bill last week that would require landowners to allow anyone access through their land in order to reach nearby public lands. Introduced by Rep. Tom Jacobson, D-Great Falls, House Bill 243 specifically prevents landowners with property that surrounds state land from allowing only certain wildlife outfitters access, sometimes through leasing. “There’s 1.2 million acres of inaccessible state land in the state of Montana,” Jacobson said. Jacobson said it’s an issue of...
It seems that this year much of Montana is experiencing a tough winter but it’s actually not. We are just getting back to winter after last year’s weird spell. Temperature readings haven’t gone wild – yet. No reporting stations have recorded 50 below or colder and the coldest known low during January’s first week was 46 below Fahrenheit. Twenty to 30 below was more prevalent in the past. Stories abound about conditions changing quickly and in a pronounced way. Montana holds the national record for cold with a 70-degrees-below-zero reading near...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Lions Club hosted their annual skating party Sunday, Jan. 29. Community members of all ages came out for fun in the sun and enjoyed temperatures above 40º Fahrenheit. Lion Neil Ruttenbur made sure the rink was plowed for skating. Lunch including chili, hot dogs, hot chocolate and cookies and a fire to warm up. The Lions all agreed that it was a fun event and it is great to see the community come out and use the park. The ice skating rink is plowed regularly and...
SEELEY LAKE – Missoula County Sheriff's Office Deputy Mike Sunderland was pleased with the turnout and participation for the Say Something Assemblies at Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE) Jan. 17. He is excited about the upcoming Phlight Club at SLE Feb. 2-3 and looks forward to following up with students and parents in the near future. "We can't just let the conversation die," said Sunderland. "It is still a community issue and as a community we all have to keep the conversation going with our k...
Caution To All Seeley Lake Water Customers SEELEY LAKE - The Water District has had numerous calls regarding frozen water service lines. This is a friendly reminder to all customers to take care of their pipes. Insulate pipes well and keep them warm. Refrain from plowing snow above water lines and driving on them. The snow is a good insulator and moving it actually drives the frost deeper. It is also recommended to trickle cold water. A small trickle of water keeps the water moving and keeps it from freezing. Due to the cold weather and the...
SEELEY LAKE – A petition, to return the speed on Highway 83 to its original limits prior to the changes implemented this past October, has been available at businesses in Seeley Lake and Condon for nearly two months. The intent is to get as many signatures as possible and return it to the Montana Transportation Commission (Commission) this spring asking them to reconsider their decision for the speed limit change. The petition also requests pedestrian-operated crossing lights on Highway 83 at Riverview Drive and the south end of Boy Scout R...
SEELEY LAKE – Hip-hop music was blaring, colored lights were flashing and three 14-foot screens carried rotating Say Something logos as fifth through eighth-grade students from Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE), Potomac School and Swan Valley School entered the SLE gymnasium Jan. 17. The ultimate purpose was to convince them to say something if they saw or experienced bullying, were having thoughts of suicide or knew of someone else contemplating suicide. An evening program covering the same topic w...
Many horses, cattle and dogs live in rural areas and experience subzero weather in the winter. Each species has certain needs during cold snaps. Missoula County Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) Bill Brown has practiced for the last 25 years. He said horse and mule, or equines, needs include extra hay, fresh water and a place to get out of the wind during subzero temperatures. He said having something for the animals to stand by, like a building or tree, provides extra warmth by transferring...
SEELEY LAKE – Saturday, Jan. 28 will mark the 35th annual Over Seeley's Creeks & Ridges (OSCR) 50 kilometer (K) ski race. The OSCR has become a local legend in the ski community because of its length, history and reputation for ruggedness and delivering the unexpected. Avid racer and race director since the early 1990s Lynn Carey said the only thing constant with OSCR for the past 35 years has been change. Prior to the OSCR was the Marathon Ovando Seeley Tour (MOST) race. The course started a...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Sewer Board discussed options as they try to retain a $10 million funding package after the failure of the bond election. The board was also informed at their Jan. 19 regular meeting that three positions on the board are up for election this May. The district received a letter dated Dec. 14 from the United States Department of Agriculture, Rural Development (RD) informing them that the funding package was no longer available as a result of the bond election failing. RD’s funding package consisted of $5.7 million i...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake Elementary School Board discussed the SLE Outside store’s income and expense report for November 2015-November 2016 at their meeting Jan. 17. The board also accepted Sally Johnson’s resignation. Johnson will be retiring in April. The Income and Expense Report for SLE Outside gave a revenue total of nearly $233,000. Expenses reported were nearly $243,000, a $10,000 deficit. “With the dust settled after a year, I’m pleased with this number,” said Superintendent Chris Stout. “[SLE Outside’s] not just straight invent...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Rural Fire District Board approved a 2.5 percent raise for District Administrator Lynn Richards and Maintenance staff Mark Kues at their Jan. 17 meeting. This was less than the three percent raise Seeley Lake Fire Chief Bob Vanden Heuvel recommended. The board also approved the budget, new carpet at Station 2 and the Walmart gift cards Vanden Heuvel gave to the volunteers as a Christmas gift. Vanden Heuvel first asked the board to approve a three percent raise at their November meeting. The raise was accounted f...
SEELEY LAKE – Women from around Montana came to Seeley Lake this weekend to learn how to ice fish with the Montana Fish, Wildlife &Parks (FWP) Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (BOW) program. Leader Kim Driscoll of Potomac said it is all about having fun and catching fish. The BOW program provides participants with information, encouragement and hands-on instruction in outdoor skills such as fishing, shooting, archery, map & compass, survival, canoeing and outdoor cooking. Driscoll said BOW is d...
SEELEY LAKE – Minx Beauty Bar is holding its Grand Opening Jan. 28-29 in the Lazy Pine Mall. It offers sunless tanning, full body waxing, facials, eye lash extensions and lash lifts. Owner Jenifer Flannery and co-worker Krisy Stout look forward to bringing services to the community that are not currently available and making clients feel good about themselves. Flannery is from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. As a teenager she worked with her mother who owned a salon. Later Flannery went i...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE) junior high students shared their final science projects Wednesday, Jan. 18 at the SLE Science Fair. Eighth grade students built Rube Goldberg machines to demonstrate their understanding of forces and motion. The seventh grade students each researched and presented on one plant and one animal that lives in the Morrell Creek ecosystem. The eighth-graders built Rube Goldberg machines, a contraption, invention, device, or apparatus that is deliberately o...
SSEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE) Drama Club presented "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" Jan. 18. Sixth-grade teacher Sharon Teague led an elective entitled "Stage Craft" that did all of the set design, production and props. Teague's afterschool sewing club, funded through the 21st Century Grant, made all of the costumes. When the new schoolmaster Ichabod Crane (Bethany Hoag) showed up in Sleepy Hollow, he was quite the ladies' man. However there was only one lady that won his h...
SWAN VALLEY - Swan Lake District of the Flathead National Forest (FNF) Ranger Rich Kehr presented updates to projects in the works for the Swan Valley, the FNF forest plan revision draft and answered questions from attendees at the Swan Valley Community Council (SVCC) meeting Jan. 17. Kehr briefly explained that community residents had concerns pertaining to wilderness expansion onto the Swan front addressed in the draft forest plan. Kehr said FNF Supervisor Chip Weber will make recommendations about the plan draft to the United States Forest...
SWAN VALLEY – The Swan Valley Community Council (SVCC) discussed the $100,000 that will be used for updating the Swan Valley Community Library at their meeting Jan. 17. They assigned the Ad Hoc Committee to ask Director of Missoula County Library Honore Bray about transferring the $100,000 to the library board so they would have control of the money. On Sept. 13, 2016 the Montana Department of Labor and Industry conducted a limited service safety and health consultation for the Swan Valley Community Hall and Library that was requested by S...
Open Positions on Local Boards - Filing Deadline Feb. 6 Several local government boards have trustee seats up for re-election in the May 2 election. Boards and number of positions to be elected include: Seeley Lake Community Council (2); Swan Valley Community Council (1); Seeley Lake Sewer District (3); Seeley Lake Rural Fire District (2) and the Seeley Lake-Swan Valley Public Hospital District (2). Terms vary in length from three to four years. The Declaration for Nomination and Oath of Candidacy must be completed and returned to the Elections...
SEELEY LAKE – Hellgate Civilian Shooters (HCS) Ibby Lorentz and Justin Thomas took the state championships for junior air rifle and smallbore at the Junior Olympic Invitational in Bozeman, Mont. Jan. 7-8. They are both invited to compete in the Junior Olympic Championships at the Junior Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. in April. Lorentz is ranked eighth in the country. She along with an HSC team of four earned a spot to shoot at the Army Nationals in Fort Benning, Ga. at the e...
SEELEY LAKE – A local musher happened upon a vehicle that was stuck on the Cottonwood Lakes Road Jan. 7. This road has been closed to wheeled vehicles since Dec. 5. Had Federal Officer Tyler Robinson been notified both the driver and the friend that towed out the vehicle could have been charged with a Class B Misdemeanor and faced up to $5,000 each in fines and up to six months in prison. Driving wheeled vehicles on groomed trails damages the trails costing taxpayers money and poses a serious safety risk to both the driver of the vehicle and t...
SEELEY LAKE - Around 100 people attended the Seeley Lake Driftrider's annual Snow Ball Saturday night and participated in the annual Fun Run on Sunday. Despite the subzero temperatures, snowmobilers came from across Montana to enjoy the snow and each other. "Snow Ball was great, fun times had by all attendees, with great money raised," wrote Driftrider's Admin Secretary Kristy Pohlman. "We would like to thank everyone for the support. This event helps fund our grooming program." Fun Run Winners...
SEELEY LAKE - O. Alan Weltzien will be reading from and discussing his newly published book, "Exceptional Mountains: a Cultural History of the Pacific Northwest Volcanoes" Saturday, Jan. 21 at 7 p.m. at the Grizzly Claw Trading Company. The event is sponsored by Alpine Artisans' Open Book Club and is free. All are welcome. In "Exceptional Mountains," Weltzien provides a comprehensive and well-indexed history of mountaineering among the volcanoes of the northwest: Rainier, Hood, Baker and others....
SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley Regional Planning Committee (SVRPC) discussed and edited seven paragraphs in the Regional Draft Plan at their monthly meeting Jan. 11. The paragraphs were part of the Economic Development Element under the section entitled Future Potential of Past and Current Economic Activity. The SVRPC addressed five of the paragraphs: Residential Construction, Guiding/outfitting, Resource-based recreation, Eco-tourism and Accommodations. This portion of the draft plan deals with promoting the recreation possibilities the valley...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Community Council (SLCC) heard several presentations from local organizations at their Jan. 9 meeting. Missoula Aging Services (MAS) Resource Specialist Linda Howard presented information about services available to community members age 60 and older and to persons with disabilities. Howard said she has access to a database listing more than 400 resources. People can visit her at the Seeley Lake Community Foundation office in the Bison and Bear Center and she will do a Benefit Checkup to see what services they qual...
Should you sleep with your bedroom door opened or closed? It’s a straightforward question, but the answer isn’t quite so clear-cut. Many variables, including where people sleep in their homes and the location of their smoke alarms, make it challenging to craft a one-size-fits-all answer. In an effort to reflect the latest information, the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) Educational Messages Advisory Committee (EMAC) recently modified its messaging around sleeping with a door closed. Comprised of national, state, and local fire and...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE) Snow School, an after school program funded through the 21st century grant, is in full swing. The goal is to provide outdoor activities that engage the students in their community. This past Thursday, second through fifth-graders walked to Lindey's Prime Steak House, went sledding and played hockey and presented Mike Lindemer with a thank you from the school for his donations from the Seeley Lake Pond Hockey Tournament. Snow School is open for second t...
SEELEY LAKE - Montanans who paid exorbitant costs for life flight services not covered by insurance testified at the Montana Legislature last week for a bill that would eliminate these costs. Senate Bill 44 would remove the burden of cost for patients using out-of-network air ambulance services and would instead require that insurance companies and out-of-network air companies come to a voluntary agreement on the charges, or else make a determination through litigation. The Airline Deregulation Act, which currently covers air ambulances, does...
Call it 670 miles or perhaps more precisely 674 miles, but either way, the Yellowstone River remains the nation’s longest undammed waterway. It’s a great river that gathers some of the finest mountain and prairie topography on the planet as it passes peaks reaching 12,000 feet in elevation, the largest high-mountain lake on the continent, dense evergreen forests, buttes, colorful badlands, deep canyons and sweet-smelling sage and juniper covered hills. A good portion of this wondrous river flows in Wyoming, but Montana claims most of it and...
Farm and ranch animals are well-adapted to overwintering. Pigs burrow, chickens fluff their feathers and sheep stay insulated in their wool. Providing shelter, fresh water and extra feed is key to keeping animals healthy and warm throughout the cold months. Pigs don't hair up for winter but if their shelters have a low roof, plenty of clean straw and other pigs to nestle with they can burrow into the straw to stay protected from the cold and wind. Potomac farmer and rancher Russell Hudson said...
When a person feels things are at their very worst, a friend might try to offer hope by saying, “Every cloud has a silver lining.” The advice is based on the observed phenomenon that when clouds disperse and sunlight begins to shine through, the first sign is the appearance of a silvery edge on the cloud. The inferred meaning is that if the depressed person looks hard enough, he or she will discover something good comes out of their misery. So where did the phrase originate? Sources attribute the first written use of the phrase to John Mil...
Build a Snowman or Snow Sculpture to Celebrate Winter SEELEY LAKE – With no Winterfest this year, several downtown Seeley Lake businesses are building snowmen or snow sculptures to celebrate winter. They are encouraging businesses and residents in and around Seeley Lake to do the same. While there are no prizes this year, there also are no rules and plenty of snow. Pinterest and Google offer great ideas for building snowmen. Snowmen and/or snow sculpture sightings are encouraged to be reported. Please call the Pathfinder and leave a message a...
SEELEY LAKE – Since Thanksgiving, the Seeley Lake Volunteer Fire Department has responded to four house fires. While one was a false alarm, the other three structures were saved despite subzero temperatures and limited access. One family safely evacuated their home because they were alerted by a smoke alarm. On Nov. 25 at 11:46 a.m., four volunteer firefighters and Seeley Lake Fire Chief Bob Vanden Heuvel responded to a chimney fire on Enchanted Forest Drive near Placid Lake. Vanden Heuvel s...
SEELEY LAKE – Over a seven-year period, what started as an opportunity for friends to play broomball on Seeley Lake has grown into an officially sanctioned Pond Hockey Tournament. The Jan. 6-8 event featured four playing rinks and 44 competing teams. The tournament's Volunteer Coordinator Lynn Mitchell said, "Without our volunteers, it would not happen." From top to bottom, the event is run by unpaid workers. At the top of the volunteer roster is Event Coordinator Megan Lindemer. Her duties i...
SEELEY LAKE – Despite sub-zero temperatures Friday night and Saturday morning, the seventh annual Seeley Lake Pond Hockey (SLPH) tournament was another success. Event Coordinator Megan Lindemer said the teams were happy with the online scheduling, the volunteers could not have been better and everyone just had a great time again this year. Because of sub-zero temperatures Saturday morning, organizers delayed the games for two hours. "That made scheduling a little hard," said Lindemer. "But we h...
SEELEY LAKE - Montana Mountain Mushers (MMM) hosted a dog sledding and skijoring fun run Jan. 7 and 8. Despite sub-zero temperatures on Saturday morning, nearly a dozen people showed up to run their dogs. Sunday morning welcomed dog-entusiasts with warmer temperatures and a nice layer of fresh snow. While there was no formal demonstration or organized start, Seeley Lake Musher Rob Loveman offered tips and tricks to anyone who was interested. Other avid skijorers, visited with each other and...
SEELEY LAKE - Citizens Alliance Bank (CAB) - Seeley Lake Branch donated $250 to the Seeley-Swan Community Food Bank Jan. 6. CAB loan officer Cheryl Lewis said the bank collected food throughout the month of December. They tied it in with their Customer Appreciation Day and had a donation box by the Christmas tree. "We didn't have a real big amount to donate to the food bank so the bank came forward and came up with that amount," said Lewis who attributed the small donations to the lack of...
SEELEY LAKE – Maracujá took the temperatures in Seeley Lake up a few degrees with their Latin American music at their concert Jan. 8. Attendees were taken on a musical journey to countries including Brazil, Peru, Mexico, Cuba and Portugal. They welcomed audience participation and questions encouraging listeners to get up and dance. The group is currently from Seattle, Wash. Vocalist and instrumentalist Caitlin Belem met guitarist Terrence Rosnagle through friends of friends. Because they we...
SEELEY LAKE – Agency representatives, non-government organizations and concerned citizens met Jan. 4 to discuss a strategy for local lakes in response to the discovery of invasive mussel veligers (larvae) in Montana's Tiber Reservoir. Everyone at the meeting agreed that all boats should be inspected prior to launching in local waters and ballasted boats should be decontaminated before launching. Ideas of how to implement and enforce this were also discussed. It is Clearwater Resource Council (CR...
POTOMAC - The Potomac/Greenough Community Center (PGCC) board has been looking for ways to bring the community together through hosting different events. On Jan. 14, a community Bingo Night will take place at the PGCC. Entry and prizes will be cash only, with the proceeds going towards community activities, PGCC maintenance and upgrades. "We [the board] are looking for ways to get the community involved," the PGCC board chairman Jeanne Hall said. In the fall of 2015, the board provided surveys...
HELENA – January is Radon Awareness Month. The Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) offers steps Montanans can take to test for and reduce radon gas found in homes. Radon gas occurs naturally from the decay of uranium in rock and soils in Montana and can accumulate inside homes. The gas is radioactive and can damage lung tissue. Studies indicate breathing radon is a major cause of lung cancer after cigarette smoking and a leading cause of cancer among non-smokers. In Montana, the results of historic radon testing indicate radon gas...
Clarification Regarding Landscapes and Livelihood Program SWAN VALLEY – In the Jan. 5 issue of the Pathfinder’s Article “Exploring Ecology and Community-based Conservation,” it was not clear that the Landscapes and Livelihood program is currently run by Swan Valley Connections (SVC). While Northwest Connections (NwC) started the program in the early 2000s, after the merger of NwC and Swan Ecosystem Center in January 2016, SVC continued the program because it was a successful program that met the new mission. Christmas Trees Collected for Bon...
SEELEY LAKE – Missoula County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) is bringing the program "Say Something" to Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE) Jan. 17 in an effort to break the stigma surrounding bullying and teen suicide. MCSO Chaplain Lowell Hochhalter, MCSO Deputy Mike Sunderland and MCSO Sergeant Jace Dickens will give two presentations, one in the afternoon to the students at 1 p.m. and an evening presentation at 6:30 p.m. to parents and other adults in the community in the SLE gymnasium. The intent is t...
SWAN VALLEY – Neil and Dixie Meyer of Salmon Prairie celebrated 60 years in marriage Dec. 14. They continue to live on their 160-acre property that they purchased when they were engaged, raising cattle and horses. Similar interests, a love for the outdoors and willingness to live a simplistic lifestyle are the reasons they credit for a successful marriage. While attending high school, Neil helped his father E.I. log. They supplied logs to several small sawmills in the area. Neil also drove loggi...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley Lake turns hockey town Jan. 6-8 for the seventh annual Seeley Lake Pond Hockey (SLPH) Tournament. Much of the tournament remains the same. Again this year, participants and fans will have online access to the schedule and tournament standings. The tournament got its start with a group of locals who would get together every year to play "broomball" in Seeley Lake. The tournament is now a USA Hockey sanctioned tournament. According to SLPH Event Coordinator Megan Lindemer, at...
SEELEY LAKE - As part of its mission, the Seeley Lake Community Foundation (SLCF) endeavors to help charitable groups in Seeley Lake fund projects to benefit the community. In this capacity, the SLCF strives to be a community resource and catalyst for innovative approaches to improving the quality of life in Seeley Lake. The Small Grants Program supports the ever-changing needs of a community that is diverse and growing. Qualifying non-profit and public organizations are afforded the opportunity to receive assistance from the SLCF, provided the...
SEELEY LAKE - Next Monday, Jan. 9, the Seeley Lake Community Council meeting promises an ambitious agenda. Sheriff Deputy Mike Sunderland will talk about the office’s “Say Something” project, which seeks to address bullying, its devastating impacts and how it relates to teenage suicide. Ben Schmidt, Missoula County Air Quality Specialist, will address air quality in Seeley Lake and how it could be improved further. Linda Howard of Missoula Aging Services, who shares an office with the Seeley Lake Community Foundation in the Bison and Bear...
SWAN VALLEY – Since the early 2000s, Northwest Connections (NwC) led a two-month course called Landscapes and Livelihood. It introduced college students from all over the country to ecology and community-based conservation in the Swan Valley. Following the merger of NwC and Swan Ecosystem Center, Swan Valley Connections (SVC) continues to teach the course that promotes the triple bottom line: healthy ecology, healthy community and healthy economy. NwC was founded in 1997 by Tom and Melanie P...
National media outlets have reported in the last few years a "volunteer crisis" where the perfect storm of circumstances has left entire communities with no emergency medical technicians (EMT) or firefighters. The Montana State Fire Chiefs Association (MSFCA) says there is an extreme shortage of volunteer firefighters across the state. With 400 of Montana's 435 fire departments relying solely on volunteers, the response time varies significantly and the call could go unanswered if no one is...
In sub-Saharan Africa, malaria is so prevalent that when someone presents with fever and body aches, they are presumed to have malaria until proven otherwise. It's kind of the same here during influenza season. While we've had just a few cases of influenza here in Seeley Lake so far this year, the combination of fever, body aches (and headache), and cough make you really suspicious for influenza. Thankfully, we've done a pretty good job as a community of getting vaccinated. So for everyone who...
SEELEY LAKE – A photograph taken at Seeley Lake Campground by Laurie Bender made the #YondersOfTheYear2016 for the month of December. Bender, who was raised in Seeley Lake, was excited to see her photograph place a small dot on Seeley Lake amongst all the other photos from around the world. Bender, daughter of Addrien Marx, grew up in Seeley Lake. She said she spent countless days at the beach at Seeley Lake Campground and has always enjoyed hiking. While she is relatively new to photography, h...
In 1897, President Grover Cleveland established the Lewis and Clark Forest Reserve under the provisions of the Forest Reserve Act. At that time, the reserves were administered by the Department of the Interior. In 1905, the Forest Service was created along with the Department of Agriculture and in 1907 the Forest Reserves became known as National Forests. Until 1910, Glacier National Park was part of the Lewis and Clark National Forest Reserve; then the area was given national park status. On Au...
BBB Advises Consumers to Use Caution When Hiring a Locksmith MISSOULA — Better Business Bureau (BBB) serving the Northwest has received numerous complaints regarding locksmiths who aren’t upfront about their fees. The latest comes from a company out of California that serves as a referral service, which enlists contractors to do the actual work. Customers have complained that the price quoted is lower than what is actually charged. While there are legitimate locksmith businesses, consumers should be mindful of pricing gimmicks that can tri...
Memorial Service for Ardyce Gehrke, Jan. 7 SEELEY LAKE - Long time resident Ardyce Gehrke went home to be with the Lord on Jan. 1. Services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 7 at the Holy Cross Lutheran church. A small reception will follow. Free Dog Sledding and Skijoring Fun Run, Jan. 7 & 8 SEELEY LAKE - All beginning or experienced mushers and skijorers are invited to Montana Mountain Mushers Fun Run Jan. 7 and 8 at the Seeley Lake Trailhead (Morrell Creek), just north of Seeley Lake, Montana. Park in the mushers’ parking lot P...
HELENA - Test results from 182 water bodies in Montana have turned up no new detections of invasive mussels, according to the Montana Mussel Response Team with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP). Salmon Lake, Seeley Lake, Lake Alva, Lake Inez, Placid Lake and Big Sky Lake were among those local lakes tested. Clearwater Resource Council (CRC) is organizing a strategy planning meeting in early January to take a proactive approach to prevention for local waters. “This is very good news. No mussel larvae, or veligers, were found in any of the r...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Elementary kindergarteners donated more than 100 pairs of socks to the Seeley Swan Food Bank Dec. 20. The project that came to life in less than a day, taught the students about giving, sharing and was a blessing to those less fortunate in Seeley Lake. The class project was a part of the International Baccalaureate (IB) program. "With IB we try to have real engaging projects that engage the students as thinkers," said Kindergarten teacher Sheila Devins. "Instead of...
The Seeley Lake Lions Club delivered their holiday baskets to 32 families in the area, Dec. 20. Prior to the Lions members picking up the boxes, Cory's Valley Market employees packed the boxes with all the ingredients for a full turkey dinner....
POTOMAC - It was a packed house as more than 275 people sat under festive lighting in the Potomac/Greenough Community Center (PGCC) Dec. 21 for the annual Potomac School Holiday Program. Directed by Potomac teacher Renee Clairmont, grades kindergarten through seventh sang, read, danced and acted out Christmas for the audience. Principal Angie Williams gave the welcome which was followed by the fifth and sixth-graders singing "Deck the Halls" as they decorated a Christmas tree in front of the...
HELENA – Montana State Parks (stateparks.mt.gov) will host guided hikes at state parks across the state as part of America’s State Parks First Day Hike initiative on New Year’s Day, Sunday, Jan. 1, 2017. There will be a one-mile easy hike led at Placid Lake State Park again this year. Make a New Year’s resolution to your health and happiness by kicking off 2017 with an invigorating First Day Hike at a state park near you. America’s State Parks First Day Hikes initiative is an annual, nationwide special event which offers individuals and familie...
SEELEY LAKE - To combat a cold January winter, Alpine Artisans' performing arts branch 2 Valleys Stage is bringing the community a mixture of fiery Afro-Cuban and Brazilian music courtesy of the band Maracujá. The Maracujá trio blends guitar, percussion and vocals to produce music for dancing, music for listening, music to bring a smile. Their repertoire includes everything from samba-funk, bossa nova and bolero to Cuban son, an amalgamation of Spanish song forms with Afro-Cuban qualities. M...
MISSOULA – The Bureau of Land Management’s Missoula Field Office is undertaking one of its biggest projects in recent years: overhauling its Resource Management Plan (RMP)—the document that guides its management of 156,000 acres of public lands and 268,000 acres of federal mineral interests. The field office published a Notice of Intent in the Federal Register Dec. 12 announcing the preparation of the RMP and associated environmental impact statement. The notice begins a 60-day public scoping period that ends Feb. 9, 2017. The BLM seeks publi...
SEELEY LAKE – While children love to receive gifts on Christmas, the ability to give gifts to those they love brings additional joy to the season. For the past 20 years, Seeley Lake Elementary junior high teacher Patti Bartlett has organized the SLE Christmas Store. One student said it made him feel like Santa because he has gifts to put under the tree. Bartlett said when she was in junior high her school had a Christmas Store. Her younger brother brought home a "dorky gift" he had purchased f...
SEELEY LAKE – One of the popular activities leading up to Christmas is the making of gingerbread houses. A Google search for "images of gingerbread houses" pulls up a wide variety of confectionary structures from humble six-graham-cracker buildings, to miniature replicas of the White House (a tradition started by Pat Nixon and escalating from there), to life-size structures with people walking around inside them. But where did gingerbread houses originally come from and why did they become a...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake Elementary third-grader Reece Fowler took his class writing assignment to the next level. After selling hot drinks and cookies outside of Cory's Valley Market Dec. 23 and 24, he raised $428 for the Tanzania School Milk Feeding Program, nearly doubling his $250 goal. Reece wrote a paper about what he could do to help poor people. For his assignment, he chose to make a hot chocolate stand and donate the money he raised to poor people in Tanzania. "I saw this website [www....
SEELEY LAKE – Starting Jan. 1, Dr. Jeff Engel will be the new chiropractor in Seeley Lake. Engel purchased Lance Bohlman's chiropractic business and said he looks forward to serving local clients and bringing his wealth of health information to Seeley Lake. Engel was raised in New Richmond, Wisc. He originally began his undergraduate studies in athletic training. He felt that there was more to do for people than he was capable of doing purely from an athletic training standpoint. He decided t...
OVANDO – 'Twas the Night before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring not even a mouse. Except for the mouse named Izzy in the home of Clemet Moore. Ovando and Sunset School joined together Dec. 21 for their annual play. Sixteen students played 26 different roles in the play 'Twas the Night Before Christmas adapted by Kathryn Schultz Miller from Clemet C. Moore's poem. The audience joined in singing "Deck the Halls" as Moore's children hung their stocking with care, i...
SALMON PRAIRIE - A power outage did not stop Salmon Prairie School's student-written play based on "A Charlie Brown Christmas" held Dec. 20. With the light from a lantern and a few electric lights powered by a generator, the play went on with the student body of five students ranging in ages from first grade to sixth grade, Teacher Holl Hubbard said the students spent the month of November working on their Christmas production. He said the students got experience in all subjects including...
Those who savored a piece of apple pie for dessert this Christmas may have some understanding of the answer American soldiers’ shipping out in World War II gave journalists who asked why the young men were willing to fight in the war. With all the bravado of youth, their typical reply was, “for mom and apple pie.” It wasn’t much of a leap from there to the declaration that X, Y or Z was “as American as apple pie.” But the funny thing is, apple pie is not American. Apples are not native to North America. Apple trees were not cultivated...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Elementary school gymnasium was filled with holiday songs and soloist selections at the annual "Winter Again" concert, Dec. 20. Students from kindergarten through eighth grade sang and played instruments to a full house. The fourth-grade students introduced the preschool through third grade songs. The students sang with great enthusiasm, performing actions to go with the lyrics. The fourth-graders played two selections on their recorders. Music Director Kaytee A...
Ice Fishing Class for Women Jan. 20-22 SEELEY LAKE - The Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks' (FWP) Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (BOW) program is sponsoring an ice fishing class Jan. 20-22 in Seeley Lake. This class is for beginning or intermediate female anglers who want to learn the basics or improve their fishing skills. Participants must attend the evening class on Friday, Jan. 20 from 6-9 p.m. at the Seeley Lake Community Hall. Fishing on the ice will take place Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 21 and...
SEELEY LAKE - Calling the bond election “flawed,” the Seeley Lake Sewer District Board took action to protest. At their Dec. 15 meeting, the board also discussed other issues they felt contributed to the failure of the bond including Rural Development’s timetable, the inability of the board to legally distribute information and the Pathfinder’s coverage of the board’s meetings. Preliminary numbers reported by the Missoula County Elections Office show the $4.4 million bond failed by 49 votes. 137 voted “yes”, 186 voted “no” while 170 of the...
OVANDO – Danny Lapka of Ovando pled guilty to three misdemeanors for shooting a bull elk with a rifle during archery season this fall. He was fined $2,205 and lost his hunting, fishing and trapping privileges for two years. Federal Officer Tyler Robinson noticed a vehicle parked at a gate in the North Fork of the Blackfoot Road in Powell County. He ran the plates and the owner did not have a bear tag or archery stamp. Since the vehicle was parked in an archery only area, Robinson decided to hike in to do a routine camp inspection and called M...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake residents Don and Eileen Schaff celebrate 60 years of marriage Dec. 26. While they agree it may have been the times of separation and reunions during Don's more than 27 years in the Navy that kept them together, they also credit their faith in God, ability to communicate and willingness to give and take in the relationship. While travelling on the Northern Pacific train in 1954, Don heard Eileen's voice for the first time. Don was in the Navy and had been home on l...
SEELEY LAKE – Members of the Seeley Lake Community Foundation (SLCF) and several business owners in Seeley Lake formed a committee to reinvigorate the effort to brand Seeley Lake that started six years ago. This past April they unveiled two logos for Seeley Lake, one with the Change Your Pace slogan. They are available for anyone to use to help promote Seeley Lake. The idea to brand Seeley Lake started in the early 1980s. Seeley Lake resident Kris Gullikson was a recent graduate of art school w...
BIGFORK – The Swan Lake Ranger District of the Flathead National Forest has released the Decision Notice and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the Beaver Creek Landscape Restoration Project. The Beaver Creek Project is located approximately nine miles south of Condon and is bordered by Lindbergh Lake and the Mission Mountains Wilderness area to the west, the Swan River to the north, State Highway 83 to the east and the Lolo National Forest to the south. Flathead National Forest specialists worked collaboratively with members of t...
Recreational public access and wildlife habitat have been protected on nearly 5,500 acres of former industrial timberland in the Blackfoot Valley. The Nature Conservancy (TNC) transferred the land to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) using an award from the Land and Water Conservation Fund. This was the first transfer in TNC's Clearwater-Blackfoot Project in which the organization acquired more than 117,000 acres of large forest land tracts. The aim of the Clearwater-Blackfoot Project is...
SEELEY LAKE - The annual "Giving Tree," sponsored by the Mountain Lakes Presbyterian Church women, brought Christmas joy to many families in the Valley. This year 100 gifts were given to area children and youth under the age of 18. Parents or guardians indicated a clothing item and one toy that were needed and/or wanted by their children. For each child there was a card on the Giving Tree at Cory's Valley Market. The card listed age, gender and a gift to purchase. Community members selected a...
Dear Santa, How are Your reindeer and your elves and you and Mrs. Clause? I want a computer, big stuffed animals and remote control truck. From Camden, Kindergarten Dear Santa, How are the presents coming the reindeer coming. Kan I plese hav a Bal. From, Ethan, Kindergarten Dear Santa, How are your reindeer doing. will you please bring me a Hatch-amal and a tramplen, please and an American Doll ples. From, Bryar, Grade 1 Dear Santa, Merry Christmas! Did you get a new elf? May I have Lego Batman...
SEELEY LAKE – Preparing dinner for a large family gathering such as Thanksgiving or Christmas can be stressful for the cook used to feeding only two to four people. Seeley Lake resident Anita Boddington takes it right in stride. She was a cook in the United States Army and regularly fed 100-200 soldiers. Boddington grew up in Nashville, Tenn. and lived what she called a very sheltered life. Among other things, her parents wouldn't allow her to learn to drive a car. She said by age 20 she felt h...
SEELEY LAKE – Thirteen-year-old Grace Wilson will go on her first mission trip this summer. While many youth who are interested in mission work start out by going on a trip close to home, Wilson is going to Malawi, Africa for three weeks with a team from Teen Missions International. Her goal is to share the Good News and love of Jesus Christ with everyone she meets. Wilson has been interested in mission work for many years. "A lot of people need to know about Jesus Christ and what He did for u...
Lakeshore Owners Opportunity to Get Involved in Protecting Local Lakes from Invasive Mussels SEELEY LAKE - The Clearwater Resource Council is hosting a group of local lakeshore owners to discuss the recent finding of invasive mussels in Montana, what it means for local lakes, what residents want to do and what they want the government to do to protect local lakes. An initial meeting is planned for early January after the holidays. If you are a lakeshore owner and would like to participate in this discussion, please contact Joann Wallenburn...
SEELEY LAKE – After a four and a half hour hearing and two motions on the table that ended in a tie, the Powell County Planning Board was unable to approve or deny the Conditional Use Permit (CUP) for the proposed gravel pit on Cottonwood Lakes Road. According to Powell County Planner Carl Hamming, the permit was not granted so the petitioner can readdress some of the discussion points and resubmit a new CUP if they choose. The Birdhead Company, LLC purchased the quarter section four miles east of Highway 83 and south of Cottonwood Lakes R...
OVANDO - The Two Creek Monture Ranch, from Ovando, Mont., was recognized as the 2017 Montana Environmental Stewardship Award winner. Ranch managers Wayne and Karalee Slaght and family accepted the award Dec. 9 at the Montana Stockgrowers Association Annual Convention and trade show in Billings. The Two Creek Monture Ranch will now represent Montana at the Region IV Environmental Stewardship Award competition in Denver this spring. Like the old 4-H motto, the ranch team is focused on "making the...
SEELEY LAKE – Loving Hearts hosted their annual Toy Sale Dec. 6. When the doors opened at 5 p.m. there was a line out the back door. The sale was wrapped up by 6 p.m. This year, the volunteers saw two individuals, whom they called angels, exemplify the love and generosity of Christmas. All year Loving Hearts volunteers save the best toys, stuffed animals and books for their Christmas Toy Sale. This year, organizer Mary Newpower volunteered to store the items at her hanger by the airport. This a...
POTOMAC - The snowy winter month of December brought the annual Christmas Comes Home event to Potomac. Hosted at the Potomac/Greenough Community Center (PGCC), attendees enjoyed festive activities from 5 to 8 p.m. More than 70 people attended and mingled with friends and neighbors amongst the decorations. There were mule drawn hayrides, tractor drawn hayrides, a tree decorating contest, Santa in his sleigh, carol singing, Christmas crafts for children, a bonfire, a live nativity scene, treats...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley-Swan High School (SSHS) Music Department held its Winter Concert Dec. 6. Under the direction of Music Director Kaytee Ambrozich, band and choir students entertained with several pieces, including both traditional music and holiday selections. Following the full choir performance, the audience was treated to three soloists and one trio. Senior Cera Strumpfer sang a classical piece, "Into the Night" with piano accompanist Laura Morris from Missoula. Sophomore Chloe...
MISSOULA - Missoula County 4-H presented 67 county awards to 47 4-H club members who showed excellence in their project areas. The nominated members were from eight 4-H clubs. This year popular projects included beef, club officer, dog, horse, rabbit and sheep as well as cake decorating, photography, archery and teen leadership. Missoula County 4-H Youth Development Extension Agent Campbell Barrett said award numbers were up this year due to club leaders and others taking the time to nominate...
MISSOULA — Roadways and airways are about to get a little crowded as we enter peak travel season for the holidays. The American Automobile Association (AAA) reports that Americans drive the most during the fall months, October through December, at 31.5 miles daily. As travelers make their plans for family getaways, scammers are also planning — but on ways to make a buck off others’ misfortune. In a little more than a year, two dozen travel scams have been reported by consumers on Better Business Bureau (BBB) Serving the Northwest’s Scam Tr...
SEELEY LAKE - National Endowment for the Arts Chairman Jane Chu has approved more than $30 million in grants as part of the NEA’s first major funding announcement for fiscal year 2017. Included in this announcement is a Challenge America grant of $10,000 to Alpine Artisans, Inc. for the 2017 In the Footsteps of Norman Maclean Festival. The Challenge America category supports primarily small and mid-sized organizations for projects that extend the reach of the arts to underserved populations—those whose opportunities to experience the arts are...
SEELEY LAKE - Part I of this two-part article posited a time between 1935 – 1940 when Burt and Dagmar Sperry may have lived in the Homestead Cabin now belonging to the Double Arrow Ranch Landowners Association (DARLOA). But it is almost certain the cabin was built earlier than that time period. Exactly when is hard to establish, though DARLOA resident George Frasca estimates the age at 110 years based on word-of-mouth information he was given by Seeley Lake residents who have since passed a...
POTOMAC – Chef Jennifer "Niffer" Stackpole of Balsamroot Catering in Potomac has expanded her ability to share her love of food and provide good food to her customers. With her new farm called Wicked Good Greens housed in an upcycled, refrigerated, shipping container at the old Bonner Mill site, Stackpole will be able to supply tender crisp greens year-round to local chefs and individuals in the area. Stackpole has cooked her whole life. After graduating from New England Culinary Institute in Mo...
Everyone Invited to the Rich Ranch Community Appreciation Day, Dec. 18 SEELEY LAKE – Seeley-Swan and Ovando area residents are invited to the Rich Ranch in Woodworth Meadows Sunday, Dec. 18 from 1-4 p.m. for a community family fun day. Gather with friends and neighbors to share in the holiday spirit. Complimentary activities include: Horse-drawn sleigh rides, snowmobile rides, outdoor chili feed & campfire. There’s also room for sledding, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing. Santa will be at the Rich Ranch at 3 p.m. to deliver his annual com...
SEELEY LAKE - Preliminary numbers reported by the Missoula County Elections Office have the $4.4 million Seeley Lake Sewer Bond failing by a margin of 186 "no" votes to 137 "yes" votes. The bond would have paid to build the proposed wastewater treatment plant and Phase I of the collection system. Look for full coverage of the election and reaction from the sewer district board in the Dec. 22 issue of the Pathfinder....
SEELEY LAKE – The Bob Marshall Music Festival announced seven of the confirmed bands at their Launch Party Dec. 2. While the festival, now dubbed "Montana's Music Festival," isn't until the middle of July, more than 50 people gathered to find out what bands are confirmed for 2017, socialize and dance to the music of Good Old Fashioned. The second annual festival will be July 13-16, 2017 on the vacant land owned by Kevin Wetherell south of the Wilderness Gateway Inn. On-site camping will be a...
OVANDO – Ovando was bustling this past Saturday, Dec. 3 with people from all over western Montana. Some came just to see Cowboy Claus, while others took in the various activities held throughout town. In keeping with tradition, children filed into the fire hall to make graham cracker gingerbread houses. Every child appeared to have a plan as they carefully choose the decorations for their house. The masterpieces, topped with dozens of different candies, sat on display as they dried. Downtown a...
SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley Elementary School's gym and junior high classroom were transformed Saturday, Dec. 3 into a bustling holiday Frostbite Festival put on by the Upper Swan Valley Historical Society (USVHS). Included in the festival was something for all ages. The school gym was filled to near capacity with hand made crafts, photography, stain glass creations, gift books, and direct sales vendors. Also featured was food catered by Mike and Pat Smith of the Swan Valley Center and...
SEELEY LAKE – Snowmobile season will soon be in full swing with more than three feet of new snow in the mountains over the past week. Missoula County Sheriff's Office Sergeant Robert Parcell and Seeley Swan Search & Rescue (SSSAR) Chief Gerry Connell offer a few tips for snowmobilers to keep them legal and safe this season. Snowmobiles are required to follow the U.S. Forest Service Travel Plans for the specific national forest. The Over-the-Snow Vehicle Maps are available at the local ranger d...
MISSOULA - Dec. 1 marks the closing of outdoor burning by permit in western Montana. While there has been abundant precipitation since October and the welcome snowfall recently, the main consideration for outdoor burning season to close is one of poor air quality. It is common for strong inversions to set up in the valleys of western Montana during the winter months. If residents were allowed to continue outdoor burning by permit in the winter, adverse air quality conditions would be the likely result. Since outdoor burning by permit opened...
SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley Community Foundation (SVCF) Community Support Fund is a small grant program administered by SVCF. Its purpose is supporting eligible Swan Valley non-profit organizations and their efforts that benefit the Swan Valley Community. The SVCF Community Support Fund is funded through a grant from the William H. Donner Foundation Inc. The grant applications and criteria will be available Dec. 13. Non-profits serving the Swan Valley from Summit to Goat Creek are encouraged to apply. Eligible applicants include IRS...
HELENA - A new grant from Montana’s Forests in Focus program will make homes safer, create well-paying jobs and improve forest health – all at the same time. The $249,534 grant will be used to thin out dense forest to reduce the hazards posed by wildfire. Besides reducing the fuel load for any potential wildfire, the work will open up the forest, allowing more light and moisture in to nurture the trees that are left. The work will create 17 jobs between this December and November of next year and will supply 3,166 tons of materials to local mil...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake residents Chris Flinders and Patty Dillree said it has become a tradition to get in the Christmas spirit by pulling chairs in front of the big fireplace at Double Arrow Lodge and listening to the music of the Seeley-Swan Mountain Bells. A packed crowd on Dec. 1 proved they were not the only ones who enjoyed the bell carols. The Mountain Bells presentation, called Music by the Fire, began with "Joy to the World" and continued with traditional Christmas carols i...
SEELEY LAKE – Located off Dolly Varden Drive at the end of the meadow bordered by Trail Creek is an old log building commonly referred to as the Homestead Cabin. Now owned by the Double Arrow Ranch Landowners Association (DARLOA), the cabin is valued as a symbol of the pioneering days of Seeley Lake. The official designation for the land on which the Homestead Cabin stands is NW¼ of Section 12 (16N, 15W). According to the records at the Bureau of Land Management General Land Office, A. B...
Forest Service Roads Closed to Wheeled Vehicles SEELEY LAKE – Due to the recent snow, the Seeley Lake Ranger District along with the Seeley Lake Driftriders Snowmobile Club began the Forest Service road closure process Monday afternoon, Dec. 5. While there is still not enough snow for grooming, SLRD recreation staff said the closure allows a solid base to build without ruts. It also promotes public safety by preventing drivers from getting stuck. For more information about road closures stop in or call the SLRD, 406-677-2233. The information i...
SEELEY LAKE - Winter is not here yet and the Seeley Lake Ranger District will be providing some flexibility in the wheeled vehicle access on roads that normally are scheduled to close Dec. 1. “The district recognizes the public desire for vehicular access to enjoy their National Forests if conditions permit,” said Seeley Lake District Ranger Rachel Feigley. “This fall, snow has not accumulated enough to support snowmobiling, mushing, skiing or other uses allowed on our winter trails. We want to continue to allow the public access where roads...
SEELEY LAKE – The five University of Montana (UM) students who make up the 2016 Celebration Brass Quintet had a busy three days Nov. 20-22. They traveled the Seeley, Swan and Potomac valleys to perform four informances, four workshops and one community concert. Though the quintet played many of the same pieces at each venue, their presentation differed from group to group. The full musical playlist was performed at the community concert at Swan Valley School. Incorporating music from Bach to con...
SEELEY LAKE - Frank Tabish of LHC Inc. in Kalispell, Mont. has applied for a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) with Powell County to operate a 26.5-acre gravel pit within 160 acres four miles east of Highway 83 and south of Cottonwood Lakes Road. Gary Lewis, owner of Deer Creek Aggregates, LLC, will be leasing the pit after it has been developed and sees many benefits of the gravel pit to the area. An opposing group of Double Arrow Ranch landowners feels it will be detrimental to the area. Powell...
SEELEY LAKE - The Holiday Home Party Extravaganza featured 14 direct sales consultants offering everything from health and wellness, to everyday home items and fashion. Since its start four years ago, the extravaganza has been held on Small Business Saturday. Organizer Kelly Hoag said this is a great opportunity for direct sales consultants to feature their wares and interact with the community all at one location. Many of the consultants agreed that the reason to shop local through the holiday...
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) reports that white-tailed deer harvest reported through the Anaconda, Bonner and Darby check stations reached a six-year high with the close of the 2016 general big game hunting season on Sunday. “The climb in white-tailed deer harvest is welcome and follows an upward trend in deer populations on public land, as well as on private land,” said Mike Thompson, FWP Region 2 Wildlife Manager. On the other hand, elk harvest was 36 percent behind last season, due primarily to a lack of snow and cold weather suf...
SEELEY LAKE – When Great Falls resident Ben Sidor expanded his business Coop Ski Works into Montana, he had trouble finding a local wood supplier for spruce. His search ended at Pyramid Mountain Lumber, Inc. in Seeley Lake. There he found the spruce lumber needed for the wood core to make his backcountry skis the lightest, strongest backcountry skis on the market. Sidor started building skis out of Wenatchee, Wash. with three friends in September 2014. Their first shop was a chicken coop so a...
SEELEY LAKE – Three Seeley-Swan High School (SSHS) band students participated in the University of Montana (UM) All-Star Wind Ensemble Nov. 11-13. Seniors Tessa Grimes and Trinitey Bartlett and freshman Jayla Kauffman each said the opportunity to play with other musicians with more experience has made them better players. SSHS Music Director Kaytee Ambrozich said seven students applied for the All-Star Wind Ensembles. Three were chosen based on their level and need for the band. SSHS paid for t...
GREENOUGH - Hali Miller is a new teacher at Sunset School in Greenough. Miller believes each student has the right to get the highest and best education possible. Miller is from Sunburst, Mont., a small town seven miles south of the Canadian border. She attended school at the College of Education at the University of Montana in Missoula, Mont. She graduates this December with her teaching certificate for kindergarten through eighth grade. Miller's student teaching brought her to Greenough to...
SEELEY LAKE - It's getting to be that time of year again as Christmas fast approaches. Each year Seeley Lake Lions Club distributes Holiday Food Baskets to area families in need of help, providing a holiday meal for Christmas. The Lions perform various fundraisers throughout the year to raise money to purchase turkey dinners, with all the trimmings for those in need. Besides fundraisers by the club, personal donations have been made in the past from community residents. All groceries are...
Seeley-Swan Mountain Bells to Perform Carols by the Fire – Dec. 1 SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley-Swan Mountain Bells invite the community to join them as they ring in the Christmas season with Carols by the Fire. Enjoy an evening of traditional carols and holiday tunes in the Great Hall of the Double Arrow Lodge Thursday, Dec. 1 at 6:30 p.m. Admission is free. Donations to help support the choir, maintain the bells, buy music and so forth will be gratefully accepted. What is Your Big Idea? SEELEY LAKE – Meet small business experts John Donovan fro...
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 – 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...
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...
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...
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...
Annual Giving Tree Opportunity Available Nov. 22-Dec. 13 SEELEY LAKE - It’s time again for the annual “Giving Tree” sponsored by the Mountain Lakes Presbyterian Women. The tree will be set up in Cory’s Valley Market on Tuesday, Nov. 22 and will be available for those wishing to purchase gifts for children in the Seeley Lake community. There are two cards for each child (one for clothing, one for a toy) listing age, gender and a gift to purchase. Parents or guardians have indicated clothing items and toys that are needed and/or wanted by the chi...
SEELEY LAKE – To follow up on the Resource Team Assessment conducted Sept. 19-20 by Montana Economic Developers Association (MEDA), four of the team members returned to Seeley Lake Nov. 10 to help prioritize and kick-start the projects deemed most urgent by Seeley Lake community members. Following a brief review of the topics and issues resulting from the team's September interviews, attendees were separated into five groups of six to eight people. Each group decided which three topics they f...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake resident Adriana Walton was sworn in as a United States (U.S.) citizen Oct. 20. While becoming a citizen was never a dream of hers, the security and ability to live freely with her husband and participate in elections was enough impetus to trade in her green card. Adriana was raised in Araras, Brazil. During high school, her least favorite class was English. "I thought that [because] I come from a poor family, I will never travel outside of Brazil. Why do I need to l...
POTOMAC - Potomac veterans joined Potomac School students Nov. 10 for the first annual Veterans Breakfast and Assembly at the Potomac/Greenough Community Center (PGCC). Grades kindergarten through eighth sang songs, played instruments, recited and acted for the veterans and their families. Breakfast, provided by head cook Debra Blodgett, included pancakes, breakfast sandwiches, fruits, milk, juice and coffee. The poem "Veterans Day" by Jessica Hawkins was recited by Terri Klein's first grade...
For the third time in three years a countywide bond issue has passed with Missoula city voters in favor and rural voters opposing it. Rural voters were also outvoted in the county commissioner race this year like they were in 2014. The $30 million bond to pay for a new public library in Missoula passed countywide with 58 percent of voters saying “yes” to 42 percent “no” votes. However, rural voters in Clinton, Frenchtown, Lolo, Seeley Lake, Potomac and the Swan Valley voted down the bond wi...
HELENA - Water samples from Tiber Reservoir east of Shelby have tested positive for the larvae of aquatic invasive mussels, with similar tests from Canyon Ferry Reservoir near Helena showing “suspect” or inconclusive results, according to officials at Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP). FWP, along with other state and federal agencies and the Montana Invasive Species Advisory Council (MISAC), are now working to determine whether adult mussels are present in Tiber Reservoir and to get further test results on Canyon Ferry. “This is the first...
The Clearwater Resource Council received notice that the larval form of the invasive mussels commonly known as zebra or quagga mussels have been positively identified in water samples from the Tiber Reservoir, east of the divide. Water samples from Canyon Ferry are giving inconclusive results. Until this finding, Montana was one of only five mussel-free states west of the Mississippi; the other states being Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Wyoming. The rapid response plan has been put in motion to assess the extent of the infestation and to determ...
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) biologists in west-central Montana reported continued low elk harvests through Region 2 check stations, while deer harvests are on par with recent years through the first three weeks of the general big game hunting season. “The deer rut is definitely picking up and we’re seeing some bigger bucks come through,” said FWP’s Scott Eggeman, who operates the Bonner Check Station. “We’ll need some weather to push elk around and it looks like we might get it later this week.” Snow depths recorded at higher elevat...
SEELEY LAKE – Darin Smith started Rocky Mtn. Remodeling in Seeley Lake. He has worked in the construction industry for the past 20 years and is now specializing in kitchen and bath remodels and tile work. He looks forward to offering the best quality service for a reasonable price and strives to make his customers happy by standing behind his work 100 percent. Smith was born and raised in Spokane, Wash. He moved to Stockton, Calif. when he was 16 and has lived there for the past 30 years. W...
After processing and cutting wild game meat, the grinding process begins for the meat set aside to be made into sausage or burger depending on spices used and fat added. A clean sanitary work surface is necessary as well as clean implements. An electric grinder with attachments, meat bags, tape and sealer are some things which can be useful during grinding. The meat is fed into the top of the grinder and pushed through the blades into a tube. Clean meat bags are placed on the end of the tube...
SWAN VALLEY - Swan Valley residents gathered in front of the Swan Valley Community Hall Nov. 11 to honor the valley's veterans. Speaking to the nearly 65 people in attendance, American Legion Post 63 Commander Rick Ferguson said: "The purpose [of this day] is to celebrate and honor all of America's veterans for their patriotism love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good. I salute our local veterans and those who passed before us, who are now held in reverence on...
SEELEY LAKE – Veterans & Families of Seeley Lake (VFSL) has reached out to help local veteran Gary Ikerd and his wife Martha McManus. Thanks to volunteers, McManus now has a new handicap ramp and the freedom to get out of the house. McManus had not been able to go any farther than her front porch for the past two months. She was confined to a wheelchair and her handicap ramp was too steep, dropping 53 inches in 16 feet. The maximum slope of an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) handicap ramp...
SEELEY LAKE – Veterans & Families of Seeley Lake (VFSL) hosted their annual Veterans Day ceremony on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month this past Friday. Members of the community and seventh and eighth grade students from Seeley Lake Elementary joined in song, prayer and tribute to past and present veterans that were in attendance. "Today we recognize those who have protected and continue to protect our way of life," said VFSL President Barbara Knopp. "While Veterans Day is t...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Seniors hosted their annual bazaar Saturday, Nov. 12 with something for everyone. With 31 vendors, a snack bar and a Kids Corner, no one left empty handed. This is one of the major fundraisers for the Seeley Lake Senior Center. Coordinator Rachel Wilkinson said they had 21 volunteers plus SSHS students and all the helpers at the Kids Corner. Volunteers helped set up and take down the event as well as staffed the senior's raffle table and snack bar. An assortment o...
Blood Donation Opportunity Nov. 21 in Seeley Lake SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley-Swan High School Student Council are sponsoring a blood drive for the community Monday, Nov. 21 from 12 – 5:30 pm on the Bloodmobile parked in the Seeley-Swan High School parking lot. To schedule your appointment, visit www.redcrossblood.org, and enter sponsor code: SEELEYBUS, or contact Sarah at 370-7898 (call or tex Openings on Missoula City-County Consolidated Planning Board, Deadline Dec. 3 MISSOULA - The Missoula County Commissioners seek applicants to fill a vac...
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, was killed in a vehicle accident while travelling south on Highway 83 around 6:15 a.m. The second victim, 66-year-old Philip Pohlman of Seeley Lake, was killed during his shift at Pyramid just after 10 a.m. Solum was involved in a single-vehicle accident on Highway 83 near mile marker 25. Solum was ejected from the vehicle w...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake resident Adrian Vanderwielen said he is proud to wear a shirt or cap bearing the name or insignia of the United States Air Force. He said he feels even prouder when some stranger comes up to him and thanks him for his service. There weren't many thanks being offered when he returned from Vietnam. Despite his experiences in that war, Vanderwielen is grateful for the training and advantages his military service gave him. Vanderwielen was born in Germany in the midst of W...
SEELEY LAKE - Next Monday’s Seeley Lake Community Council meeting promises to be a lively event, dealing with perhaps the most controversial issue that has arisen here in recent years: the proposed sewer project. Many questions have been asked about the sewer project including what the proposed sewer will accomplish, how it will be financed and its final cost to the consumer, the district covered and why other locations were not included, the technology and methodology to implement it and whether a sewer system is needed at all. The aim of M...
SEELEY LAKE – The Kids Corner at the Seeley Lake Senior Bazaar is back again this year with more activities and bigger prizes than ever before. There will be 32 vendors, several of whom are new, set up in the Seeley Lake Elementary gym Nov. 12 from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. for the bazaar with the Kids Corner in the back. Children of all ages are encouraged to participate in the high speed dare devil championship race event at Pampers Raceway Park. Speed and ability with the electric jeep and the off...
SEELEY LAKE - Veterans Day, why do we celebrate it on Nov. 11 at 11 a.m.? Veterans Day pays tribute to all American veterans—living or dead—but especially gives thanks to living veterans who served their country honorably during war or peacetime. Veterans Day originated as “Armistice Day” Nov. 11, 1919, the first anniversary of the end of World War I. “The Great War”, as World War I was known, officially ended when the Treaty of Versailles was signed June 28, 1919. However, fighting ceased seven months earlier when a temporary cessation o...
MISSOULA – Christmas tree permits are now available at a cost of $5 each at most Lolo National Forest offices. Permits may also be purchased at Bronc’s Grocery in Frenchtown, the Clinton Market and the Bureau of Land Management Missoula Field Office, located at 3255 Fort Missoula Road. The Lolo National Forest Supervisor’s Office and Missoula Ranger District, located at 24 Fort Missoula Rd., will extend hours for permit sales to include three Saturdays, Nov. 26, Dec. 3 and Dec. 10, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Superior Ranger District will begin...
SEELEY LAKE - For more than 15 years, the Seeley Lake Community Council has been working to improve the “Connecting the Community” trail network. The goal was to provide multi-use routes within the business and residential areas and connect to the surrounding public lands. The bylaws of the council contain the phrase “benefiting the community,” to give them the direction to seek grants to begin improving the network. Their basic strategy was to start on Boy Scout Road at Highway 83 and work clockwise around the lake. They received three g...
Now that hunting season is in full swing many hunters have bagged their game. With meat hanging in sheds, garages or coolers some hunters choose to process their meat at home. After properly field dressing the wild game, some hunters use horses, mules, pack boards or game carts to pack out the animal. Sometimes hunters even bone out their meat in order to make a lighter pack and leave the bones in the field. Wild game can be cut and treated differently than beef. Sometimes the tenderloins and...
SEELEY LAKE - Pete Fromm makes another appearance at Alpine Artisan’s Open Book Club Saturday, Nov. 12, at 7 p.m. at the Grizzly Claw Trading Company. He will be presenting his new book, “The Names of the Stars: A Life in the Wilds.” This is a memoir and exploration of the seemingly small decisions that shaped his life and his love for adventure in the wilderness. This event is open to the public at no charge and all are welcome. When Fromm was 20 years old, he took a job babysitting salmon eggs, spending seven months living in a tent in the S...
HELENA - In west-central Montana, deer and elk harvest reported through the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) hunter check stations near Anaconda, Darby and Bonner so far this season is in line with this time in 2014 and down 13 percent from last year, due largely to unseasonably warm weather and only traces of snow. As the check stations closed at the end of the second week of the general big game hunting season, elk harvest across the three check stations totaled 143 animals, down 34 percent from last year at this time, due to the sharp...
SWAN VALLEY - Edits made with the input of local loggers to the 2.0 Economic Opportunity Element were accepted at the Swan Valley Regional Planning Committee (SVRPC) meeting Nov. 2. SVRPC member Diann Ericson enlisted the help of local loggers to add their expertise to the section entitled 2.2 Potential of Past and Current Economic Activity. The loggers’ edits changed the focus of the paragraph from the industry declining due to pests, disease, climate change and the continuing mechanization to providing economic opportunity through r...
SEELEY LAKE – Winter is on its way and the Seeley Lake Regional Outdoor Center for Kinetic Sports (SL ROCKS) is prepared for its arrival. Monday Oct. 10 volunteers began assembling the yurt at the Seeley Creek Nordic Trail System. They finished Tuesday with the help of Kelsi Luhnow's third grade class from Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE). After donning high-visibility vests, the SLE students hiked from school to the trailhead. Luhnow said as they walked they talked about western larch needles t...
SEELEY LAKE – Dave and Ronda Trottier took ownership of the Montana Pines Motel and what used to be the Base Camp Bar this past summer. They renamed the property "The Backyard" and are looking forward to making this a family-friendly destination for all forms of recreationists. Dave was born in Great Falls, Mont. and raised in Stevensville, Mont. He worked as a second-generation mover. Ronda grew up in Kalispell, Mont. Her grandfather built the Red Lion Thunderbird in Missoula and her father v...
SWAN VALLEY – On Nov. 20 Alpine Artisans’ 2 Valleys Stage is bringing five of the University of Montana’s (UM) most talented horn players to Swan Valley School. They will be performing a community concert Sunday at 3 p.m. and working with students in the local schools on Monday and Tuesday. Called the UM Celebration Brass Quintet, the group is funded by scholarships donated by Keith and Wendy Kuhn as a memorial to their son Philip David Kuhn who died in 2012 at age 29. Assistant Professor of Horn and Music Theory Zachary Cooper is facul...
Give a Thanksgiving Dinner this November SEELEY LAKE – Moose River Bar and Grill will be offering a full Thanksgiving dinner buffet with all the fixing this Thanksgiving, Nov. 24 starting at 12 p.m. Moose River plans on working with the Seeley-Swan Community Food Bank and area churches to help identify those who will receive gift certificates for the dinner. Moose River is accepting donations to increase the number of meals available to the community. Donations for dinners can be made for someone the donor specifies or someone identified by t...
SEELEY LAKE – Having little restaurant experience, Tim and Connie Clark purchased Pop's Place in 1991. After 25 years, they said the best thing about the business has been the relationships they have developed with the residents of Seeley Lake and all the friends they have made along the way. The community is invited to join the Clarks for a 25-year Open House Friday, Nov. 4 from 2-4 p.m. They will be serving hamburgers and cheeseburgers all day for buy one, get one for $0.25. Both Tim and C...
SEELEY LAKE – Terryl Bartlett, owner of Optimal Fitness and certified trainer, placed second in the Night of Champions Bodybuilding, Fitness and Figure Championships Figure Masters 50 Class in Spokane, Wash., Oct. 22. Bartlett was among nearly 380 competitors with eight in her class. She said she competes because it holds her accountable to a lofty standard and helps her achieve her personal best. Bartlett did her first show in 2009 at the Big Sky Championships in Missoula. While she didn't p...
Mild weather across west-central Montana in the first week of the general big game hunting season did little to move deer and elk. Harvests reported through the Anaconda, Bonner and Darby check stations were modest. Across the three check stations combined, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) employees and volunteers in Region 2 checked 4,414 hunters in the first two weekends of the hunting season, down slightly from 4,516 checked during this same period last year. FWP checked 120 elk at the check stations in the first two weekends this season...
POTOMAC - The Montana Conservation Corps (MCC), together with The Nature Conservancy (TNC), has been working on a restoration project at Primm Meadows, north of Highway 200 up Gold Creek. The project involved thinning of smaller trees and will be logged after the ground freezes with the goal in mind of promoting rapid tree growth in the remaining trees. Originally the homestead of Charles and Mahala Primm, the parklike meadows are not an official campground, however the public is welcome to camp...
SEELEY LAKE – After substitute teaching at Seeley-Swan High School (SSHS) in 2014, Crissina Quinn returned this year to SSHS as the new U.S. History, Psychology, Sociology and Drama teacher. Her goal for all her classes is to create an engaging, student-driven classroom where the students lead the curriculum through discussions, research and anything other than lecture format. Quinn grew up in Missoula. She attended school at Montana State University in Bozeman, Mont. "I've always had a love f...
SWAN VALLEY - Condon Community Church hosted their annual Harvest Party, Oct. 31. Attendees enjoyed a variety of games, food and candy....
SEELEY LAKE – While one of the main goals of the Twenty-First Century Grant program is to widen educational opportunities for children, a complementary goal is to promote parental involvement and strengthen the family unit. With this in mind, Bridget Laird, who organizes the Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE) grant activities, decided to encourage families to enjoy some Halloween fun together while also supporting a new endeavor in Seeley Lake. On Oct. 29, youngsters and their parents converged on H...
SEELEY LAKE - There were seven trunks and more than 150 treaters at the third annual Trunk-or-Treat Oct. 31. Organizer Alex Kues was thankful to Haunted Scapes for hosting the event, to the Seeley Lake volunteers fire department for their continued support and for everyone who brought a trunk. "Without them we wouldn't have an event," said Kues. "Looking forward to another great event next year."...
Goal: The goal for Arrowhead Condos, Timeshare and Rentals, (AOA) is to provide a rustic experience with the best in guest services. The top standard for Team AOA is unit cleanliness. Their motto is "Little Resort, Huge Hospitality." History: The Arrowhead Condos were incorporated under Montana Interval Ownership established in November 1981. They are located next to the Double Arrow Lodge. The Arrowhead Condos are timeshares, for a deeded week in perpetuity. Owners can join Resort Condominiums...
Swan Valley Community Library Highlights SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley Community Library has something for everyone. In addition to some of the latest novels, there is a large section dedicated to Montana and books by topic including hunting and angling. An autographed title found on the Montana shelf is entitled “Skid Trails: Glory Days of Montana Logging” by Darris Flanagan. The book was purchased for the Swan Valley Library in memory of the late longtime resident Reuben Kauffman. Titles that may appeal to hunters and anglers include: “Bo...
For those of you who I have not yet had the pleasure of meeting, my name is Mike Hopkins, the Republican candidate running for House District 92. We have come to expect that the Federal Government does not do its job. When it comes to State Government, we expect the opposite. We expect our State Legislature to get things done, to work together to tackle serious problems affecting us as citizens. Unfortunately, it seems like our state government has lost touch. Instead of creating an environment where small business can grow, the legislature...
SWAN VALLEY – The Swan Valley Community Foundation (SVCF) announced the four initiatives for the $70,000 grant they received from the William H. Donner Foundation, Inc. The initiatives include fully vesting the SVCF endowment, support for small grants, funding aging services, and developing a strategy for a sustainable Swan Valley Economy. “Our foundation is not a political organization,” said Mercer at the Swan Valley Community Council meeting, Oct. 18. “Our only point of view is we want to see the Swan Valley be a desirable, viable communi...
OVANDO - Fred Valiton said he considered buying the Blackfoot Commercial Company when Howie and Peggy Fly put it on the market several years ago but just couldn't swing the price. This fall, however, Fred found himself manning the store counter as the new owner of the historic business. Under the mentorship of the Fly's, he and his wife Leigh Ann have been learning how to run the business since the first of October. Three years ago, Mike and Liz Raymond from Columbia Falls bought the business...
SEELEY LAKE – Haunted Scapes brings family fun to Seeley Lake with a pumpkin patch, bouncy house, maze, haunted house and more. They will be open Thursday – Sundays through Monday, Oct. 31 when they will host Seeley Lake Trunk-or-Treat from 6-8 p.m. Owners of Nature Scapes Davy Good and his wife Angela came up with the idea for Haunted Scapes after taking their children to pumpkin patches outside the area. "We've talked about wanting to do a pumpkin patch for years and finally have the room to...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Foundation (SLCF) is pleased to announce the donation of property at the Double Arrow Meadows Golf Course from Pat and Nina Brock. Pat Brock said, “After owning a ranch in Ovando for 20 years, we fell in love with the whole area and the people. We gave our gift because we felt so close to the communities and it was the right thing to do.” SLCF Vice President Kevin Wetherell said, “This generous gift of land from the Brocks, was a win-win for all. The Brocks took the opportunity to extend their legac...
SWAN VALLEY - Missoula County Public Library (MCPL) Director Honore Bray presented about the MCPL Bond and Swan Valley Library improvements to nearly 40 attendees at the Swan Valley Community Council (SVCC) meeting Oct. 18. Swan Valley resident Rick Ferguson also presented the idea of a shooting range in the Swan Valley. Bray explained the $30 million library building bond that appears on the ballot this November. Bray explained that the present MCPL building is out of space. There are requests every day for more books for which there would be...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Sewer Board has been discussing an alternative route for the main pipe to the proposed wastewater treatment plant. Plans to send out information packets on the proposed system and the names associated with the test wells were also discussed at their Oct. 20 meeting. Currently the main pipe to the treatment site is planned to go from a lift station near Highway 83 straight up Cedar Lane and over the hill on the other side of Tamarack Drive. From there it would go...
SEELEY LAKE – Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) Game Warden Bill Koppen worked with the state to initiate the FWP decoy program in Great Falls, Mont. 25 years ago. Ever since, Koppen has used simulated decoys during the hunting season as a deterrent to keep people from shooting from vehicles and hunting public roads. During the 2014 and 2015 seasons he wrote citations that produced 30 convictions, 15 of which were to hunters who took illegal shots at the decoy. In Montana, enforcement o...
Opening weekend of the 2016 general hunting season resulted in an encouraging tally of harvested big game animals through the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) hunter check stations in west-central Montana. The total harvest of 212 animals was identical to the harvest checked on the opening weekend in 2015 and was achieved with 10 percent fewer hunters afield. Over the first two days of the season, 2,786 hunters stopped at the four check stations in west-central Montana, with eight percent harvesting game. Elk harvest was down at the...
POTOMAC - October is Fire Safety Month. A group of four Greenough/Potomac Volunteer Fire Department (GPVFD) volunteers spoke to Sunset and Potomac Schools Oct.19. The group from the GPVFD included Chief Ryan Hall, Assistant Chief Justin Iverson and volunteers Tim Nesmith and Justin Kennedy. More than 90 kindergarten through eighth-grade students and staff watched the presentation which began in the Potomac/Greenough Community Center (PGCC) and then moved outdoors. After introducing the GPVFD...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Fire District Board of Trustees welcomed Connie Clark to the board. They discussed the need for paid officers and an assistant chief. No decisions were made. Continued discussion along with the budget approval are on November’s agenda. Clark was sworn in as the new board member filling Bruce Bourne’s term. The Missoula County Commissioners appointed Clark after being the only applicant for the open position. Fire Chief Bob Vanden Heuvel assigned Shelly Johnson and Kristy Pohlman as medical crew chiefs and will...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Council hosted two candidate forums, Sept. 19 and Sept. 29, at the Seeley Lake Community Hall. They also hosted the Justice of the Peace candidates at their Oct. 10 meeting. Candidates for state and local races answered questions from moderator and Council Chair Klaus von Sutterheim and the audience. All candidates that appear on the ballot were invited. This week the Pathfinder features the candidates for Missoula County Commissioner and Justice of the...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Council hosted two candidate forums, Sept. 19 and Sept. 29, at the Seeley Lake Community Hall. They also hosted the Justice of the Peace candidates at their Oct. 10 meeting. Candidates for state and local races answered questions from moderator and Council Chair Klaus von Sutterheim and the audience. All candidates that appear on the ballot were invited. This week the Pathfinder features the candidates for Missoula County Commissioner and Justice of the...
SEELEY LAKE – Fubuki Daiko filled the Seeley-Swan High School gymnasium with their traditional Japanese drumming Tuesday, Oct. 18. Their high-energy performance included elements of dance, meditation and drumming. Their synchronized movements accompanied the rhythm that shook the ground and could be felt outside the gymnasium. The four-person drum ensemble played Taiko, a broad range of Japanese percussion instruments. The performers rotated through the various instruments, sometimes s...
SEELEY LAKE – Speed limits have changed on Highway 83 and the school zone is official by the Seeley-Swan High School. Law enforcement has been stopping people for speeding. Missoula County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Mike Sunderland also offers safety messages for the hunting season and Halloween. The Montana Department of Transportation Commission approved new speed limits for Highway 83 through Seeley Lake. These include: south of Cory’s Valley Market to Riverview Drive, 40 mph; Riverview Drive to the Deer Country Quilts, 35 mph; Deer Count...
Information Sought on Thefts around Potomac POTOMAC – The Missoula County Sheriff’s Office is looking for information on thefts in Potomac over the past month. On Wednesday, Sept. 14 a Honda generator, battery charger and five-gallon fuel jugs were stolen outside of an outbuilding in the 700 block of Swanson Lane. The victim reported the items were stolen over night. Residents on Morrison Lane noticed items missing on Oct. 4. They were unsure how long they had been gone. On Oct. 7 at the 200 block of Swanson Lane there was another ove...
SEELEY LAKE - The one-year stand-down after the expiration of the Softwood Lumber Agreement (SLA) Oct. 12, 2015 is now over. Since there has been no resolution, those in the timber industry are asking if there is going to be a trade case filed by either the Americans or Canadians or if an agreement can be reached. This SLA along with other issues was a point of discussion with U.S. House representative Ryan Zinke when he visited Pyramid Mountain Lumber, Inc. Oct. 14. According to Pyramid's...
SEELEY LAKE - A team of eight Seeley-Swan High School (SSHS) parents, students, and Missoula County Public Schools staff and administration attended the Challenge Success conference at the end of September at Stanford University. At the Missoula County Public School (MCPS) Board of Trustees’ October meeting, the team shared their experience, their mission statement for SSHS and an action plan that they will work to implement over the next year. “Seeley-Swan High School is taking an exciting and innovating new direction in problem solving tha...
SEELEY LAKE – Sparrow's Vine opened up the Field of Dreams fundraiser inviting the community to step up to the plate. Those that came out to play enjoyed a gourmet hot dog dinner, tested their speed in the dessert dash and bid on various auction items throughout the night. Following the seventh inning stretch, complete with popcorn, peanuts and cracker jacks, keynote speaker Cameron Reimers, former Missoula Maverick and Tronto Blue Jay player shared his story, starting with becoming a father at...
SEELEY LAKE – As a part of Montana Forest Products Week celebrations Oct. 16-22, the Flathead Valley Habitat for Humanity chapter will be hosting a Build Day in Kalispell Saturday, Oct. 22. All seven of the large sawmills donated bunks of lumber and plywood for this Habitat for Humanity home. Pyramid Mountain Lumber, Inc. provided siding material for the house. Being opening day of hunting season, they are short of volunteers to help with the build. No building experience is needed and there w...
The Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) has confirmed the first influenza cases of the season. To date, five cases have been confirmed involving various age ranges from children to the elderly. Cases include three from Missoula County and two from Lewis and Clark County. Public health officials say that these first confirmed cases are an important reminder for the public to get vaccinated against influenza as soon as possible. Vaccinations are available now and health care providers and public health authorities recommend tak...
MISSOULA — Oktoberfest may be over, but The Nature Conservancy and Kettlehouse Brewery have extended the season with the launch of the month-long OktoberForest in Montana. The campaign is making beer fans aware of the critical link between the health of America’s forests and beer’s main ingredient—water. More than 90 percent of beer is water and more than 50 percent of America’s water comes from our forests. Montana’s forests help shade streams, lakes and snow from evaporation and keep waters cool for fish; the forest floor helps filter sedi...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Council (SLCC) agreed to write letters of support for two area projects and hosted discussion on the upcoming library bond at its Oct. 10 meeting. Mike Boltz presented his plans to convert the Wilderness Gateway Inn, just south of Cory’s Valley Market, into an apartment complex. Boltz is applying for financing from the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development (RD). The RD loans are to help build housing for elderly, handicapped and low to mid-range income. Boltz said that he isn’t doi...
SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley Regional Planning Committee (SVRPC) met Oct. 12 and revisited residents’ responses regarding what was envisioned for the Swan Valley. The envisioning process was intended to be the foundation of the Swan Valley Draft Plan. Members of the SVRPC reviewed the envisioning questions to see if the draft plan is in agreement with what the community wants for the Swan Valley. They also wanted to apply it to the 2.0 Economic Opportunity Element on which they are currently working. The SVRPC members discussed balancing e...
SEELEY LAKE – Pyramid Mountain Lumber, Inc. recently received a notable practice on their conformance audit through the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI). This maintains their fiber sourcing certification. Pyramid is one of two SFI certified mills in the state. Pyramid applied for its fiber sourcing certification through SFI five years ago. One of their main ponderosa pine customers Pella Windows wanted to make sure they were using certified wood and promote that on their products. Now several more customers are asking for the certified w...
SEELEY LAKE – Attendance and grades at Seeley-Swan High School (SSHS) have shown significant improvement at the one-year anniversary of the four- day school week with the half day of enhancement on Fridays. SSHS Principal Dr. Kathleen Pecora is pleased with the data as was the Missoula County Public School (MCPS) Board of Trustees at their Oct. 11 meeting. At one of the parents’ meetings to discuss the 4+ day school week in the spring of 2015, teacher Mary Stone said, “Our goal is still two-fold: to increase attendance and provide addit...
by Andi Bourne Pathfinder SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake Elementary's (SLE) new preschool teacher Jama Mauldin is excited to play a role in building a foundation for education with her students and being a positive voice of encouragement for them. While this is her first year teaching with her own classroom, she feels her background in mental health, previous experience in the classroom and heart for children will give her a great start. Mauldin has always loved children. "They are fascinating and I...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Council hosted two candidate forums, Sept. 19 and Sept. 26, at the Seeley Lake Community Hall. Candidates for state and local races answered questions from moderator and Council Chair Klaus von Sutterheim and the audience. All candidates that appear on the ballot including Republicans, Democrats and Libertarians, were invited. This week the Pathfinder features the candidates for Montana Senate District 46 and Montana House District 92. Visit...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Council hosted two candidate forums, Sept. 19 and Sept. 26, at the Seeley Lake Community Hall. Candidates for state and local races answered questions from moderator and Council Chair Klaus von Sutterheim and the audience. All candidates that appear on the ballot including Republicans, Democrats and Libertarians, were invited. This week the Pathfinder features the candidates for Montana Senate District 46 and Montana House District 92. Visit...
Laetiporus conifericola, or "Chicken of the Woods," grows around Potomac. They are a mushroom species known as the "sulfur shelf mushrooms" that grow on conifer trees. These are mushrooms that get their name from how they taste after being prepared correctly. These mushrooms belong to the fungi kingdom and the name Laetiporus is a genus of edible mushroom. There are six North American species in the genus and one species variety that occur in different ecosystems and/or perform different...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake resident Rob Loveman kept running into circumstances where people shot videos and never edited them. He opened Loveman Video Editing in August 2016 and looks forward to where the market will take him in his quest to make movies out of clips. Loveman has had a camera in his hand since he was six years old. His first desktop computer had a 66 megabite hard drive which was "a really good hard drive at the time." Loveman used videos for promotional and instructional p...
SEELEY LAKE – A reader asked the question how big of a problem is domestic violence in Seeley Lake and what is being done to address the problem. Missoula County Sheriff’s Deputy Mike Sunderland spoke about what law enforcement sees in Seeley Lake and provided a list of resources for victims. “It’s a big problem everywhere,” said Sunderland. “Domestic violence is, unfortunately, prevalent no matter what the size of the community.” Sunderland said local law enforcement deals with it on a “regular basis.” They have had two partner/family member a...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake-Swan Valley Hospital District received a positive audit report for the fiscal year ending in June 30, 2015 at the October board meeting. The board also learned that the Seeley-Swan Medical Center will have an X-ray machine in mid-November. The audit was required by Missoula County after the district borrowed $500,000 for the expansion. Even though it was required, the board agreed it was a good thing to do to show accountability to the taxpayers. Donald Nolan Davies, PC, Certified Public Accountant presented his a...
New Labor Regulation Information Session, Oct. 26 SEELEY LAKE – Small Business Owners and Employers with concerns about impacts of federal regulations, such as the new federal overtime rules, will have an opportunity to meet with representatives from the U.S. Small Business Administration at the Seeley Lake Historical Society Museum and Visitors Center, Oct. 26 from 3:30-4:30 p.m. The meetings will include SBA Regional Advocate John Hart, and SBA Regional Administrator Betsy Markey. Hart, representing the SBA’s Office of Advocacy and Reg...
SEELEY LAKE – Ever hear a gun shot in town and wonder if it’s legal? The short answer is, yes, it is legal. However, the long answer is it depends on a number of factors including safety, proximity to structures and land ownership. “When you start talking about firearms to Montanans or Americans, the first thing a lot of people think about is [their] second amendment rights,” said Federal Officer Tyler Robinson. “It’s a constitutional amendment and I value it deeply. But when it comes to harming or hurting another person, public safety is p...
SEELEY LAKE – Recreationists looking forward to renting the Monture Guard Station this winter will be happy to know the roof has been repaired. The Lolo National Forest (LNF) Historical Preservation team along with the Montana Conservation Corps (MCC) reroofed the building and fixed the failing chimney this past September. All the work was done in keeping with the historical nature of the structure. Lolo National Forest Zone Archeologist Sydney Bacon said for the past couple of years the S...
More than 25 artists in four studios, three historical museums and two galleries from Condon through Seeley Lake to Ovando participated in the Tour of the Arts Oct. 8 and 9....
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley-Swan High School celebrated Homecoming Oct. 8 with a parade, football and volleyball game. A student dance was held in the evening....
SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley Community Foundation (SVCF) invites the public to help celebrate the receipt of $70,000 grant from the William H. Donner Foundation, Inc. A formal announcement of the award and presentation of the four initiatives will be at the Swan Valley Community Council meeting, Oct. 18. The announcement is the last agenda item for the council meeting that starts at 7 p.m. at the Swan Valley Community Hall. The SVCF was incorporated in 2011 and received its non-profit 501(c)(3) status in 2012. The SVCF started small in 2012...
This is National Fire Prevention Week, Oct. 9-15. While this year's theme emphasizes replacing smoke alarms that are more than 10 years old, Seeley Lake Fire Chief Bob Vanden Heuvel said it's also a good time to stop for an hour and think about home fire safety. Vanden Heuvel said that in the U.S. 2000 fire fatalities occur each year. A home fire will double in size every 20-30 seconds. Home fires now also include deathly toxic by-products that kill before people in the home ever wake up....
SEELEY LAKE - Older adults in the Seeley Lake area will now have access to Missoula Aging Services (MAS) resources and assistance in Seeley Lake, right in time for the Medicare Open Enrollment period. Starting Oct. 18, MAS's new satellite office located at the Bison Bear Center, 3166 MT Hwy. 83 North, will be open Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. to serve seniors, their families and caregivers in person or by phone. The Seeley Lake Community Foundation provides the office. Resource...
SEELEY LAKE - After being open daily from Memorial Day, the Seeley Lake Historical Museum and Visitor Center closed for the season on Labor Day. Visitors often commented that the little visitor center provides an impressive amount of information about the area, region and state. Many are impressed with collections in the museum featuring Norman Maclean, The Big Burn, Wilderness Epicenter, Earliest Logging, Seeley Business, and personal utility and leisure items. 2016 visitation to the Seeley Lake Historical Museum and Visitor Center by U.S....
OVANDO – The Blackfoot Community Conservation Area (BCCA) has been the recipient of two Forest in Focus (FIF) grants totally nearly $315,000. Of the 5,600 total acres within the BCCA core, 863 acres have been treated with FIF grants generating around 6,600 tons of saw logs and pulp. The BCCA is located in the mid-reaches of the Blackfoot watershed near Ovando Mountain. It combines community forest ownership and management within the Core 5,609 acres with cooperative ecosystem management for m...
SEELEY LAKE - Attendees rock n' rolled at the Seeley-Swan Food Bank's (SSFB) second annual Sock Hop, Friday, Oct. 7. They enjoyed a spaghetti dinner, silent and live auction, and tunes from an old fashion jukebox all to help fight hunger in the valleys. From January through September, the SSFB served 271 households and 695 individuals. Volunteers have put in 445 hours giving out nearly 13,700 pounds of food. The organizers were happy with the turn out. They were thankful for those that attended...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Council hosted two candidate forums, Sept. 19 and Sept. 26, at the Seeley Lake Community Hall. Candidates for state and local races answered questions from moderator and Council Chair Klaus von Sutterheim and the audience. All candidates that will appear on the ballot including Republicans, Democrats and Libertarians, were invited. This week the Pathfinder features the candidates for Superintendent of Public Instruction and Public Service Commissioner....
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Council hosted two candidate forums, Sept. 19 and Sept. 26, at the Seeley Lake Community Hall. Candidates for state and local races answered questions from moderator and Council Chair Klaus von Sutterheim and the audience. All candidates that will appear on the ballot including Republicans, Democrats and Libertarians, were invited. This week the Pathfinder features the candidates for Superintendent of Public Instruction and Public Service Commissioner....
MISSOULA - For those of you who don't know me, I am Dave Strohmaier and I'm running to be your next Missoula County commissioner. I'm a Democrat and father of two school-age kids. My wife is on the staff of Holy Spirit Episcopal Church. I'm running because I firmly believe that it's our duty to give back to our communities through public service. To serve well, it's essential to remain accessible and accountable to the public. Priorities for the next six years include: 1. Leadership. From...
SEELEY LAKE – For the past few weeks, law enforcement has been actively working the school zones, enforcing speed limits. Once the new speed limits on Highway 83 go into effect, these will also be enforced. Monday, Oct. 3, Missoula County Sheriff’s Deputy Mike Sunderland worked for two hours by the Seeley-Swan High School (SSHS). He wrote several speeding tickets and gave a lot of warnings. “People need to realize that we are going to enforce the speed laws around the school,” said Sunderland. “These kids are very important to all of us.” For...
Fire Danger LOW in Missoula County MISSOULA – Recent significant and widespread rain has resulted in a drop in the fire danger in Missoula County. Wildland fire officials with the Missoula County Fire Protection Association (MCFPA) have dropped fire danger within Missoula County from MODERATE to LOW, the lowest level of fire danger. Recent days have seen lower temperatures, higher relative humidity and widespread precipitation. The forecast for the next several days is similar. Hundreds of people in Missoula County have Prescribed Wildland a...
SEELEY LAKE - Every fall Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) fish biologists complete bull trout redd counts, tracking the abundance of the trout spawning nests. A redd is an area on the stream bottom that trout prepare as their spawning nest. The redd counts is an index for spawning activity and adult abundance. FWP Fisheries Biologist Ladd Knotek said that monitoring bull trout as the keystone species is a good indicator because they are the most sensitive species to disturbance and they...
HELENA – Montanans earning minimum wage will see the rate increase to $8.15 per hour beginning Jan. 1, 2017. An estimated 3,323 workers, or approximately 1.2 percent of the workforce, receive minimum wage. “By tying our minimum wage to the Consumer Price Index (CPI-U), we are making sure that Montana families are keeping pace with inflation,” said Labor & Industry Commissioner, Pam Bucy. “Through an increased minimum wage, our workforce will be able to have more purchase power in their local communities.” In 2015, the industry with the large...
SEELEY LAKE – When driving the major roads in Montana, travelers can't help but notice the white crosses dotting the side of the roads. The American Legion has used the white crosses to mark the sites of fatal traffic accidents for the past 50 years. Jim Kelly, a member of the American Legion Post 13 out of St. Regis, keeps this tradition alive in District 5, including the Blackfoot, Clearwater and Swan Valleys. He covers more than 2,500 miles and maintaining more than 1,000 crosses, adding m...
SEELEY LAKE - Next Monday’s meeting of the Seeley Lake Community Council promises a broad agenda. Missoula County Sheriff T.J. McDermott will speak on recent law enforcement activities in Seeley Lake. Duane “Cecil” Schlabach will follow with a report on the successful conclusion of the Council’s two-year Traffic Project and the new speed limits. Mike Boltz will outline his plans to convert the Wilderness Inn into affordable apartments. Since he is seeking U.S. government loans to finance the project, Boltz is asking for an endorsement from the...
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. On July 29, 1998 an Act of Congress authorized the Breast Cancer Research semipostal stamp. Semipostals are stamps on which the price exceeds the regular first-class letter rate. The difference is devoted to a specific cause. Currently a First Class stamp sells for 47 cents; a Breast Cancer research stamp sells for 60 cents. Breast Cancer Research stamps are Forever stamps so additional postage after a rate change is not necessary. The difference is donated to breast cancer research. It may not seem...
Alpine Artisans' Tour of the Arts once again offers a feast for the eyes – featuring the artwork of more than 25 artists in four studios, three historical museums and two galleries from Condon through Seeley Lake to Ovando. Driving this free, self-guided tour Oct. 8 and 9, takes you through miles of Tamaracks in full color to enjoy the latest work created by our local artists. There will also be the screening of the documentary "Unbranded" Saturday evening, Oct. 8 at 7 p.m. at the Seeley Lake C...
SEELEY LAKE - Blizzard Drums is the translation of Fubuki Daiko. Alpine Artisans' 2 Valleys Stage (2VS) is bringing the drumming group to Seeley-Swan High School (SSHS) Tuesday, Oct. 18. This exciting group of musician athletes will amaze both children and adults with their blend of martial arts, meditation and rhythm. The core members of the group each have more than 25 years of taiko drumming experience and training from Tokyo-born Seiichi Tanaka. Grandmaster Seiichi Tanaka of the San...
SEELEY LAKE - When he's not in the classroom, Brett Haines can be found coaching Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE) flag football, boys' and girls' basketball and track. While Haines has coached at SLE for the past six years, this is his first year teaching physical education. He looks forward to being a positive mentor and encouraging students to work hard and participate. Haines started kindergarten at Holy Cross Lutheran, before SLE offered kindergarten. He spent first through eighth grade at SLE...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Council hosted two candidate forums, Sept. 19 and Sept. 26, at the Seeley Lake Community Hall. Candidates for state and local races answered questions from moderator and Council Chair Klaus von Sutterheim and the audience. All candidates that will appear on the ballot including Republicans, Democrats and Libertarians, were invited. This week the Pathfinder features the candidates for Supreme Court Justice and State Auditor. Visit www.seeleylake.com for...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Council hosted two candidate forums, Sept. 19 and Sept. 26, at the Seeley Lake Community Hall. Candidates for state and local races answered questions from moderator and Council Chair Klaus von Sutterheim and the audience. All candidates that will appear on the ballot including Republicans, Democrats and Libertarians, were invited. This week the Pathfinder features the candidates for Supreme Court Justice and State Auditor. Visit www.seeleylake.com for...
OVANDO - More than 130 students from Bonner, Seeley, Helmville and in between participated in the annual Blackfoot Challenge (BC) Farm Tour Sept. 26. The event was held at the Stone Ranch in Ovando from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Event director and Education Coordinator for the BC Elaine Caton said, "We put on a Youth Field/Farm Day every year to give middle school students the opportunity to learn about their watershed." Each year there is a different theme. This year the theme was ranching. Station t...
SEELEY LAKE - Though writing teachers disapprove of using two words when one conveys the meaning satisfactorily, the English language is full of doublet phrases: safe and sound; each and every; null and void; bits and pieces; rack and ruin; part and parcel. Each word of the phrase means the same thing. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), “part,” meaning a piece of a whole, came into use in the 11th century. “Parcel,” meaning a piece of a whole, came into usage in the 14th century. The two were then yoked together, most often i...
Missoula County Public Schools Board Position, Open May 2017 SEELEY LAKE - Missoula County Public Schools (MCPS) School Board Trustee Debbie Dupree will step down when her term ends in May 2017. Dupree encourages anyone interested in running for the position to attend the MCPS board meeting in Seeley Lake, Tuesday, Oct. 11 at 6 p.m. in the Seeley-Swan High School cafeteria to get a feel for how the board operates. Dupree has served on the board since 2002 representing the areas of Seeley Lake, Swan Valley, Clinton, Potomac and Sunset. She has...
SEELEY LAKE - A two-year saga came to a successful conclusion when the Montana Transportation Commission granted virtually all of the requested speed limit reductions that the Seeley Lake Community Council had petitioned for. The Commission’s order Sept. 22 closed the final chapter on a lengthy story that began with a constituent’s question at a council meeting in 2014 about what might be done to slow traffic in Seeley Lake. The council’s Traffic Project was launched with an appeal to the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) for lower...
OVANDO – Smiles and laughter filled the Ovando School gymnasium as the community and students swung their partners and do-si-doed Friday, Sept. 23. The square dance was the first fundraiser hosted by the Ovando Community Education Endowment (OCEE) in an effort to raise funds for the school and celebrate the community. In order to continue to provide a high-quality education for the Ovando's children, and maintain the school as a community center, a group of Ovando citizens started the OCEE. T...
SWAN VALLEY - American Lands Council (ALC) representatives Kerry White and Jennifer Fielder spoke to nearly 100 people at the Swan Valley Community Council (SVCC) meeting Sept. 20. They were invited by the council to provide information and answer questions about the ALC. White and Fielder expressed concern for public lands in Montana that are federally managed and talked about transferring federal public lands to willing states. Montana State Senator Fielder, Republican from Thompson Falls is also CEO of the Utah based ALC. White is a Montana...
SEELEY LAKE – Monture Guard Station was buzzing with activity in celebration of National Public Lands Day Saturday, Sept. 24. The Seeley Lake Ranger District (SLRD) had activities for children and provided information for adults about all the different disciplines on the district. The district fire crew along with Woodsy Owl and Smokey Bear talked with attendees about fire prevention and had a game for children to practice their aim with the fire hose. The wilderness and trail crews d...
SEELEY LAKE - Jon Turk will be presenting his new book “Crocodiles and Ice” Saturday, Oct. 1, at 7 p.m. at the Grizzly Claw Trading Company sponsored by Alpine Artisans’ Open Book Club. As Turk states, “Crocodiles and Ice is a scientist/adventurer’s journey into a Consciousness Revolution based on a deep, reciprocal communication with the Earth. The book highlights my award winning polar expedition circumnavigating Ellesmere Island, as well as other, lesser known passages.” Jon Turk has a PhD in chemistry and has worked in theoretical research...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Ranger District has announced an Oct. 31 deadline for submitting 2016/2017 winter/spring Recreation Event Special Use Permit applications. Applications received past this deadline will not be accepted for review. A Recreation Event Special Use Permit is required for organizing any use or activity on National Forest System lands that meets either of the following criteria, regardless of whether the use or activity is intended to produce a profit: • Where an entry or participation fee is charged. Donations are consid...
JACKSON, TENN. - After a two-month investigation, with the assistance of federal law enforcement agencies, 54 year old William Farrell Russell of Seeley Lake was arrested at a residence in Jackson, Tenn. on 20 counts of Distributing, Possessing, or Viewing Matter Depicting Sexually Explicit Conduct Involving a Child. The investigation into Russell began after he was identified as a potential suspect following the arrest of a previous suspect on similar charges back in June of this year. Federal law enforcement authorities arrested Russell July...
SWAN VALLEY - Staff from the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) and Missoula County presented information to Swan Valley residents about the proposed updates to the Swan River Floodplain and the impacts to individual Missoula County property owners Sept. 20 at the Swan Valley Community Hall. In 2014, the updated draft floodplain mapping project began. The updated maps will eventually replace maps produced more than 30 years ago. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), DNRC and Missoula County utilized more...
SEELEY LAKE – Change is inevitable in any community. That is the working premise of the Montana Economic Developers Association (MEDA). The question is whether the community wants to direct that change or simply let it happen. MEDA Resource Teams have helped 48 Montana communities direct their change. On Sept. 19-20 a resource team came to do the same for Seeley Lake. At a Town Meeting held at the Seeley Lake Historical Museum and Visitors Center, the eight-team members took turns presenting t...
SEELEY LAKE – In the last couple of weeks there have been several bear sightings, one black bear killed in Dogtown and another broke into a car at the Tamaracks Resort. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Game Warden Bill Koppen reminds people to be diligent and said, "a fed bear is a dead bear." The weekend of Sept. 17 a six foot, two inch black bear was killed south of Riverview Drive in Dogtown. Koppen heard that the bear was hazed off the Seeley Lake Game Preserve, a no hunting area to the n...
As the hot summer days move into cooler autumn weather, insects like stink bugs and Western Conifer seed bugs are moving into sheltered areas to spend the winter. They may move indoors and if disturbed will cause an odor, although only one is a true stink bug. Leptoglossus occidentalis, the Western Conifer seed bug is from the Coreidae family. They are known as "leaf footed bugs", and there is only one species around the Blackfoot Valley. They have been called stink bugs; which they are not,...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Council hosted a candidate forum, Sept. 19 at the Seeley Lake Community Hall. Candidates for Governor/Lieutenant Governor, U.S. Congress, Secretary of State, Supreme Court Justice and State Attorney General races answered various questions from moderator and council chair Klaus von Sutterheim and the audience. All candidates that will appear on the ballot including Republicans, Democrats and Libertarians, were invited. Only the Supreme Court Justice race h...
SEELEY LAKE - Montana Mountain Mushers (MMM) held their Canine Fun Days this past weekend, Sept. 24 and 25 at the West Side Bypass Trailhead north of Seeley Lake. Around 10 experienced mushers from the club ran their dogs and worked with other novice mushers and skijorers. Kristina Prichard from Helena, Mont. came for the event to "get some expertise." Seeley Lake musher Rob Loveman worked with her and her dog Blu. They had Blu pulling her on her mountain bike by the end of Saturday morning....
SEELEY LAKE & SWAN VALLEY – Ranger Districts on the Lolo and Flathead National Forests are planning to conduct multiple fall season prescribed fire projects, when weather, fuel conditions and air quality is favorable. Burning is expected to start as early as Sept. 16 and will continue through the close of open burning season Nov. 30. 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 a...
Swan Valley AARP Meeting Oct. 3 SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley Chapter of AARP monthly meeting will be held at 12 p.m. at the Swan Valley Community Hall Monday, Oct. 3. Potluck lunch will be at 12:30 p.m. The program will begin at 1:30 p.m., featuring Suzanne Rowlands, who will speak on the Palm Society. Swan Valley Library News SWAN VALLEY - Friday, Oct. 14 at 1 p.m. readers are meeting at the Swan Valley Library to discuss “Love Medicine” by Louise Erdich. There are a few free books left for those who would be interested in participating. Com...
SWAN VALLEY - Labor Day weekend a 550-pound, black colored, male grizzly bear was hit and killed near mile marker 40 on Highway 83 N. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) Game Warden Bill Koppen warns the community that bears are hungry and looking for an easy meal. Securing attractants is essential to keep people safe and bears alive. The grizzly has been in the Seeley-Swan area for the past 12 years. It had been captured on several occasions and wore a radio collar for many years. Koppen...
POTOMAC - At approximately 9 p.m. Monday, Sept. 20, Michael C. Fellows, age 59 of Missoula, Mont., was involved in a head on collision at mile marker 16.5 on Highway 200. Fellows died at the scene. The person in the other involved vehicle was transported to a local hospital for treatment. The initial investigation suggests that Fellows was traveling west on Highway 200, returning from a campaign function held in Seeley Lake when the crash occurred. The Montana Highway Patrol is conducting the crash investigation while the sheriff’s office c...
SEELEY LAKE – When Blaze Vandine purchased land on upper South Canyon Drive 16 years ago he thought he was going to be living on a private road. However since lower South Canyon Drive is not maintained, the upper road is being used as a thru road to access Double Arrow. While not all his neighbors agree that the road should be considered a private road, Vandine asks the public to respect his property and use the lower road. Vandine's deed of sale reads, "The purchaser and/or owner of the lot o...
SEELEY LAKE – Bob Deal's lawn in Poverty Flats south of Seeley Lake on Montana Highway 83 has become the hot spot for flamingos in the past couple of years. What started out as a gift of two plastic flamingos has grown to a flock of 19 various colored flamingos and two that flew the coop. Deal's sole purpose for maintaining his flock is for fun. When Deal was young, he enjoyed the lawn jockeys that used to adorn people's yards. Following the lawn jockeys, garden gnomes grew in popularity. D...
SEELEY LAKE - Another array of candidates for the November election will present themselves at the second Candidates Forum, hosted by the Seeley Lake Community Council Thursday, Sept. 29, at the Community Hall. Starting at 5:30 p.m., the first half hour will be devoted to pizza, soda and milling-about; the formal part will begin at 6 p.m. The forum will include the following candidates: • State Auditor: Jesse Laslovich (D) and Matt Rosendale (R) • Superintendent of Public Education: Elsie Arntzen (R) • Public Service Commissioner: Gail Gutsc...
SEELEY LAKE - A 9-hole scramble golf tournament will take place at the Double Arrow Golf Course in Seeley Lake Friday, Sept. 30. Registration for this tournament will take place at 3:30 p.m. with a 4 p.m. shotgun start. Jessica Monaghan, a Big Sky High School senior and daughter of Seeley Lake business owner Tom Monaghan, is organizing this tournament. The tournament will benefit the Wild Skies Raptor Center located in Potomac, Mont. It will also serve as her Senior Project. “I’ve been volunteering at Wild Skies Raptor Center this past couple o...
BIGFORK – The Swan Lake Ranger District, Flathead National Forest (FNF), has released the Decision Notice and finding of no significant impact for the Cold Jim Fuels Reduction and Forest Health Project. The Cold Jim Project is located approximately three miles northwest of the community of Condon. The project area is in the Cold and Jim Creek watersheds within the Flathead National Forest in Lake and Missoula Counties. The Decision Notice identifies Alternative C as the selected alternative. Under the selected alternative, approximately 740 a...
GREENOUGH – The storage units located beside Montana Highway 200 east of the Clear Water Alliance Church were broken into within the last week. Other storage units in Seeley Lake and Condon have been broken into within the past couple of months. Missoula County Sheriff’s Deputy Mike Sunderland said that multiple units were broken into between Sunday, Sept. 11 and Thursday, Sept. 15. No information has been released about what was stolen. “If anyone saw any vehicles there or anything strange in the last week give us a call,” said Sunderl...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Sewer Board voted to accept assistance putting out an informational packet at its Sept. 15 regular meeting. A county health department representative also presented on the Seeley Lake Special Management Area and how the county currently handles septic permits in town. The LOR Foundation offered assistance in putting out an informational packet. LOR would pay for a public relations company to collect and assemble the information presenting the facts on the proposed...
SEELEY LAKE – Many who drove by Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE) early this summer read "The PIECES Framework is taking over the world" on the reader board. While the framework has yet to take over the education world, the influence that it has had in the past year has set the waves in motion for tangible impacts locally and for other rural schools across the country. In October 2015, Special Education Director Julie Haines and Behavior Support Coordinator Angela Harris were challenged by Superinten...
SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley Regional Planning Committee (SVRPC) began discussion of the economic climate in the Swan Valley at their Sept. 14 meeting. Editing of the second element of the draft plan, Economic Development, was begun. Topics addressed during the meeting were 2.1 Economic Activity in the Swan Valley and 2.2 Barriers to Economic Development. Resident Marcia Tapp said, “We [the valley] need some stimulation to our economy. The tax base is shrinking and those who live here can’t afford the taxes. We need some viable businesses and...
SEELEY LAKE – Second grade teacher Erin Lynch is new to Seeley Lake, but not to Montana or to teaching. Lynch grew up in Havre, Mont., got her Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education and a Master's Degree in Science Education at Montana State University in Bozeman. She has taught in Bozeman, Billings and most recently in Livingston. Her teaching career began in a two-room schoolhouse. She has also taught in a traditional one-grade classroom and math and science in a middle school setting. Addi...
SEELEY LAKE & POTOMAC - Foster Grandparents and RSVP Tutors have the opportunity to share their gifts and talents and positively influence the education for local students. The Foster Grandparent Program has been in Missoula County for 30 years. Through the Senior Corps Program with Missoula Aging Services, foster grandparents have worked with students since 2003 at Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE), since 2013 at Potomac School and since 2005 at Swan Valley School. The Foster Grandparent Program...
Celebration of Life for Carol Joyce Boyd, Sept. 22 GREENOUGH - Carol Joyce Boyd, 83 passed away Monday, Sept. 19 in Missoula. Services to celebrate her life will be held at Clear Water Alliance Church Thursday, Sept. 22 at 2 p.m. Burial will follow at the family cemetery with a reception to follow. The service address is 45226 Hwy 200, Greenough. Join Montana Mountain Mushers for Canine Fun Days Sept 24 & 25 SEELEY LAKE - All beginning or experienced mushers, runners, bike enthusiasts and scooter lovers are invited to Canine Fun Days Sept. 24...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Sewer Board put the fate of the proposed sewer into the hands of the voters at a special board meeting Sept. 7. The board also changed the phases to subdistricts and discussed how to get information to the voters. The route of the main pipe to the treatment facility and the possibility of an open board position were also discussed. The present board members unanimously passed the bond resolution which, if approved by the voters, would allow the district to borrow $4,488,000. The district has already secured...
SWAN VALLEY – More than 100 concerned citizens attended the Swan Valley Community Council (SVCC) special meeting Sept. 14 to discuss and gather more information on the Flathead National Forest (FNF) Draft Forest Plan. US Forest Service representatives from the Revision Team including team leader Joe Krueger presented the four proposed Alternatives A, B, C and D. Swan Valley resident, Swan Valley Fire Service Area board member and Swan Valley Emergency Services (SVES) volunteer Jimmy Boyd spoke about the safety concerns he sees with the plans a...
For the past eight years, members of the Seeley Lake Volunteer Fire Company have stood in remembrance Sept. 11 holding flags for 102 minutes in front of the Seeley Lake Post Office. This is the amount of time it took for the first of the two Twin Towers in New York City to fall after being hit that fateful day in 2001. This year was no different as they paid tribute to those who lost their lives and all of the medics and firefighters who responded. Seeley Lake Volunteer Emergency Medical...
OVANDO - The Blackfoot Trumpeter Swan Restoration Program marked its 12th year of releasing swans in the Blackfoot Valley Sept. 8. Eight trumpeter swan cygnets were released at Jones Lake near Ovando in an effort to restore trumpeter swans to their historical territory in the Blackfoot Valley. State Coordinator for the Montana Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program Greg Neudecker led the program in which seven area schools participated in the release. While the birds were being banded and...
MISSOULA – Wildland fire officials with the Missoula County Fire Protection Association (MCFPA) have reported widespread rain and cooler temperatures within their jurisdictions. Longer, cooler nights will prolong the rain’s effect on the fuels that are the primary carrier of fire on the landscape. These conditions will move Missoula County fire danger rating from VERY HIGH to MODERATE effective Sept. 7. While the General Outdoor Burning season for yard debris cleanup is closed until March 2017, Prescribed Wildland Burning and Essential Agr...
SEELEY LAKE - Candidates for the November election will present themselves at two Candidates Forums, hosted by the Seeley Lake Community Council. The first one will be held next Monday, Sept. 19, at 5:30 p.m. at the Community Hall. Invitations have gone out to all Democrat (D), Libertarian (L) and Republican (R) candidates. Most have responded positively, some are still unsure whether they will attend, and a few have said that they cannot make it. At press time the following candidates have announced that they will appear: Mike Fellows (US...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Ranger District will host a free half-day (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.) National Public Lands Day event Saturday, Sept. 24 at Monture Guard Station. The event will include a tour of the historic Guard Station, demonstrations on the use of primitive tools, packing stock, identifying noxious weeds, analyzing soils, practicing leave no trace principles, operating a district fire engine and more! Bring your family and your lunch and the Forest Service will provide drinks, dessert and free t-shirts (while they last). Meet S...
LINCOLN - Blackfoot Pathways: Sculpture in the Wild (BPSW) launched the 2016 Artist-in-Residence program on Monday, Sept.12. BPSW will host British environmental artist Chris Drury and University of Montana Graduate Emerging Artist Tyler Nansen during the three-week residency program. The completed sculpture installations will be officially launched at Blackfoot Pathways: Sculpture in the Wild on Saturday, Oct. 1 at 2 p.m. Chris Drury, the internationally celebrated environmental artist from the United Kingdom has been creating ground breaking...
SEELEY LAKE – The topic of the Sept. 8 Pure Montana Tales held at SLE Outside was the Crown of the Continent (CC). The featured speakers were Rick and Susie Graetz. Their credentials include more than 30 books, the most recent entitled "Rocky Mountain Front." In addition, Susie is Managing Editor of The University of Montana (UM) Press and Managing Editor of the university's e-magazine "Crown of the Continent and the Greater Yellowstone." Rick teaches four Crown of the Continent courses each y...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley-Swan High School (SSHS) students returned to school Aug. 29. Along with the renovations to the building, SSHS is participating in the Challenge Success program offered by Stanford University and will be offering Altacare mental health services. Funded by the Missoula County Public Schools (MCPS) bond passed last November, the renovations to SSHS will be completed by Thanksgiving. Once the glass comes in for the front entrance, students will be using key cards for entry and the public will be buzzed in. The public library...
OVANDO - The Ovando Community Education Endowment (OCEE) group will be hosting an old-time community square and folk dance Friday, Sept. 23 at the Ovando School. The purpose of the dance is to raise funds for the endowment and to provide a fun evening to bring folks together to celebrate the school and community. The Ovando School is a two-room schoolhouse that provides a unique and excellent educational experience for the preschool to eighth grade students who attend. The school with its attached gym and library also serves as the center of...
SWAN VALLEY - Fern Kauffman is starting a new chapter after working for the Swan Valley Library for more than 30 years. Kauffman has seen many changes in her tenure. Her biggest joy has been her love of helping patrons find the information they were looking for, whether in a book or on the Internet. The Swan Valley Library opened in 1979. The community built and maintained the building. They were the first branch library with Missoula County Public Library (MCPL). "We are so far from everything...
GREAT FALLS — It’s National Preparedness Month, a time when the American Red Cross of Montana encourages people across our state to create a fire escape plan so that everyone knows what to do if a fire happens in their home. “Large-scale disasters like wildfires and floods always make the news but the most common disaster threat people face across our country is a fire in their home,” said Diane Wright, Executive Director of Montana Red Cross. “Here in Montana, we respond to home fires almost every day. We urge residents to develop a fire escap...
Recycling & Hazardous Waste Disposal Available Sept. 16 & Sept. 17 MISSOULA - An opportunity for residents to bring household toxics such as pesticide, oil, antifreeze, oil-based paint, thinners, fuel, mercury etc for safe disposal. Most items are accepted for free. Non-Missoula County residents and all businesses pay for disposal. For specific items accepted and associated costs, visit www.hazwastemissoula.com or call 258-4890. Event runs 9 a.m. -5:30 p.m. Sept. 16 and 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Sept. 17, at the Missoula City Shops Building, 1305 S...
SWAN VALLEY – "June 27, 1992 at exactly 23:17, not that I can remember the date and time," said Missoula County Sheriff's Sergeant Robert Parcell as he quickly recalled the exact date and time he was shot by Gordon Sellner, then 53-years-old, of the Swan Valley. Parcell along with Missoula County Sheriff T.J. McDermott, Undersheriff Jason Johnson and retired Sheriff Doug Chase attended Sellner's second parole hearing Aug. 31. Sellner was denied parole and can reapply in three years. The day b...
SWAN VALLEY - Swan Valley Connections hosted an Open House with the Flathead National Forest (FNF) Forest Planning Team and Swan Lake Ranger District (SLRD) Rich Kehr Aug. 31. Nearly 50 people attended the event to better understand what is being proposed in the draft forest plan, what can and cannot be done on the ground and clear up misinformation. Comments on the proposed draft forest plan are due Oct. 3. The FNF began forest plan revision in the summer of 2013. The planning team did field...
MISSOULA - Senator Jon Tester met with a coalition of timber workers, ranchers, small business owners and conservationists Aug. 30 to discuss potential legislation that could complete the land management reform efforts in the Blackfoot Clearwater watershed. For nearly a decade, Tester and the coalition have been working to finalize the Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Project (BCSP) — a land management reform effort that consists of timber harvest, forest restoration, conservation and recreation south and west of the Bob Marshall Wilderness. T...
GREENOUGH – Sunset School will be offering bus services to and from school for the first time this year. Majestic Bus Services will be transporting students from three stops in the Greenough area starting the first day of school, Sept. 6. “We have always been told it would cost too much,” said Supervising Teacher Toni Hatten. “I never thought it would happen.” Sunset School board approved the contract with Majestic Bus Services of Missoula, Mont. Friday, Sept. 2 for the 2016-2017 school year. Since Majestic Bus Services is already in the area...
LINCOLN - Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) euthanized a grizzly bear on Thursday, Sept. 1. The bear had a history of accessing unsecured attractants at homes sites and eventually began breaking into structures over the past month, in search of food. The 240-pound sub-adult male grizzly bear was originally captured in the Basin Creek area northwest of Boulder, Mont. Aug. 16 after returning to a private residence several times looking for food and causing property damage. FWP relocated the bear to a remote area northwest of Lincoln, Mont. in...
Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE) and Swan Valley Elementary School (SVES) are looking forward to another school year with a few new faces in the classroom, continuing many activities funded through the 21st Century Grant and new services being offered. Seeley Lake Elementary SLE welcomes five new teachers this year. Jama Mauldin will teach preschool. Mauldin worked with Altacare last year. Ericka Pitman moved from SVES to teach fifth grade at SLE. Andrew Wyatt, who taught fifth grade last year at SLE, will be the new Title One and International...
POTOMAC - The Montana Department of Natural Resources (DNRC) has installed signs within the Potomac block of land that belongs to the school land trust. The signs, located in Camas and Ashby Creek drainages as well as near the DNRC boundary at Forest Park and Cramer Creek, were installed in early May. According to Missoula DNRC Unit Manager Jonathan Hansen who manages the Potomac area, "The portal signs were put up to better inform the public that the lands within the Potomac Block belong to...
I once saw a poster in the airport of Freetown (Sierra Leone) that said "Beware of Bigfoot". I thought it funny to see those words in Africa but on closer inspection, found that it was referring to the parasitic disease known as elephantiasis rather than the mystic, mountain creature that we are familiar with here in the Rocky Mountains. I've always been fascinated with these exotic diseases. Elephantiasis is quite something to see. Spending two years in Africa without seeing a single case of...
SWAN VALLEY - Nine years ago, Mike Williams and his wife Mai purchased what used to be known as the Wilderness Bar and Café and later Montana Charlie's south of Condon at mile marker 36.5 on Highway 83. They have recreated the bar and turned it into a functional museum. They also added on to the restaurant, making it their home. The Williamses offer tours and will rent the place out for parties and gatherings. In the 1940s, Babe Wilhelm homesteaded on the land and started The 33 Bar. The land...
Seeley Lake Library News SEELEY LAKE - Many of the residents of Missoula and surrounding areas will be reading the same book when the Big Read returns to Missoula Public Library and its branch libraries in September. The National Endowment for the Arts, in partnership with Arts Midwest, created the Big Read as a way to “restore reading to the center of American culture.” This year’s “read” will feature Louise Erdrich’s “Love Medicine.” The Big Read will also feature a Middle Read, “The Birchbark House” by Louise Erdrich and a Little Read, “The...
SWAN VALLEY - Members of the Swan Valley community reviewed the proposed Flathead National Forest (FNF) Draft Plan and expressed concern about the Management Actions proposed on the Swan Lake Ranger District (SLRD). Resident, Swan Valley Fire Service Area board member and Swan Valley Emergency Services (SVES) volunteer Jimmy Boyd said SVES is concerned the proposed plan would limit their ability to provide for the safety of the community in regard to wildfire suppression. They would like to see the draft plan coordinate with the local plans...
SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley American Legion Auxiliary Post 63 hosted their first fundraiser since officially reorganizing earlier this year. The August Auxiliary Fling included an old fashion barbecue, raffle items, live auction, live music and dancing. The Ladies Auxiliary decided to hold a summer barbecue and dance after the Swan Valley Emergency Services quit holding their Firemen's Ball. "So we thought, OK girls, this is a good opportunity to have a dance," said Auxiliary Chair Ronda...
SEELEY LAKE – An estimated 250-300 people set out their chairs and blankets on the Double Arrow Lodge lawn Aug. 26. Gathered in a semi-circle around the portable stage, they awaited the Montana Shakespeare in the Parks' (MSIP) production of Richard III. Not considered one of Shakespeare's most famous plays, Richard III presents a number of staging difficulties. For one thing the unabridged play has an overlong run-time. Though Shakespeare compressed 14 years into five conspiracy-packed acts, t...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Water District is doing maintenance in the Double Arrow Phase IA area. The Water District is replacing fire hydrants in this area over the next couple years. We will be installing three more fire hydrants on Sept. 6. Unfortunately this means that we will have to shut off the water service in this area during this work. The area affected on Sept. 6 will be from the Clearwater River Bridge to the end of Overland Trail. The water to this area will be shut down from 8:30 a.m. till 4 p.m. Hopefully our work will not...
HELENA - As part of the national Labor Day “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” crackdown, law enforcement agencies across Montana will deploy extra patrols to prevent impaired driving during the final weeks of the summer season. Saturation patrols for Driving Under the Influence (DUI) enforcement are set for Aug. 19 through Labor Day, Sept. 5. “More than half of roadway fatalities in Montana each year involve an impaired driver and this is unacceptable,” said Colonel Tom Butler of the Montana Highway Patrol. “We are on the lookout every day for i...
HELENA – Montana State Parks announced today that 45 trail organizations, communities, and various land-managing agencies throughout Montana will receive federal Recreational Trails Program (RTP) grant awards for their projects in 2016. Among the recipients were Seeley Lake Driftriders, Inc. and Swan Valley Connections. This year, 79 RTP applications were received from a variety of eligible applicants, including federal and state agencies, towns, cities, counties and private clubs and organizations. The funds are appropriated to the states i...
We've recently lamented the tragedy of Justin Beebe, a wildland firefighter member of the Lolo Hotshot Crew who died while fighting a fire in Nevada. A falling tree killed Beebe, 26, who had been with the crew just seven months, on Aug. 13, 2016. Falling snags have been a firefighter killer ever since the beginning of wildland fire suppression. Seeley Lake has its own story about a similar tragedy almost 70 years ago about six miles as the crow flies up Rice Ridge. Frank "Stubby" Moore was...
POTOMAC - Raynee Clairmont is a new teacher at Potomac School. This school year she will teach seventh grade math and language arts, second through sixth grade music, physical education (PE) and art. She is from Sunburst, Mont. Clairmont attended school in Sunburst. Her mother is a teacher there. "I have always loved helping her out [in the classroom] and hearing her stories," said Clairmont. She attended the University of Montana where she graduated in 2016. "I started working with children...
SEELEY LAKE - When customers walk into an establishment that serves or sells alcohol, they expect to be served. However, since 2011, the laws and requirements for those that hold a liquor license have gotten stricter. This presents unique challenges and creative solutions at local establishments that allow them to keep the bar open. All individuals and corporations that manufacture, import or sell alcohol on or off premise must have a liquor license. This license is issued through the state and...
GREENOUGH – Sunset School will have nine or ten students this year when they start classes Sept. 6. Supervising Teacher Toni Hatten looks forward to twice as many students as last year and is also excited about several other new opportunities for the 2016-2017 school year. There are currently five kindergarteners, two, third-graders and two, eighth-graders registered to attend Sunset. Hatten is waiting on confirmation of one more kindergartener. “It is fantastic,” said Hatten. “Every year we start off with a population of kids and it doesn’t...
SEELEY LAKE – Most teenagers are happy to get their driver's license when they turn 16. Seeley Lake resident 16-year-old Adam Weisenburger's dream of becoming an airline pilot took off two weeks ago with his first solo flight. His goal is to get his private pilot's license when he turns 17 next May. Adam has been into aviation ever since he can remember. He's built more than 40 model airplanes and said he "may spontaneously talk aviation." The first time he flew in an airplane was when he was i...
Cottonwood Lakes Road to Close for Culvert Work SEELEY LAKE – Cottonwood Lakes Road (FS Road #477) will be closed to all traffic beginning mid-September so that culverts can be replaced in the area. The road is expected to open again in mid-October. Culverts to be replaced are located at Black Canyon Creek and Dry Cottonwood Creek and will be similar in design and width to the Little Shanley bottomless arch that was recently installed on the Seeley Lake Ranger District. These new culverts will precede planned narrowing and reconstruction w...
SWAN VALLEY – Monday night's storm system that passed through NW Montana produced thunderstorms that sparked several new wildfire starts on the Flathead National Forest in the Swan Lake Ranger District. The Cold Lake fire is located on the ridge just south of Lower Cold Lake and is approximately 10 acres in size, in sub-alpine fir, and has several small spot fires. There are 7 smoke jumpers and a 21 person Initial Attack crew assigned to the fire. A Type 1 helicopter and a Type 3 helicopter h...
SEELEY LAKE – Governor Steve Bullock launched the National Forest and Rangeland Management Initiative in his capacity as Chair of the Western Governors' Association (WGA) at Pyramid Mountain Lumber, Inc. Tuesday, Aug. 16. The work of the initiative will position western governors to recommend and promote congressional efforts to improve forest management and encourage more effective collaboration throughout the West. "We have a responsibility to do everything we can to keep workers in our f...
SWAN VALLEY – Kaylie Charlton, 24-year-old from the Garnet area near Drummond, Mont., was arrested Aug. 15 on several counts including burglary, assaulting a peace officer and carrying a concealed weapon. Since her arrest, she has also been charged with arson after allegedly igniting a wildland fire on private property and leaving the scene. According to the report filed by Missoula County Sheriff’s Sergeant Robert Parcell, at about 5:40 a.m. Aug. 15 owner of Photographer’s Formulary Bud Wilson walked from his house to his photography classroom...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Sewer Board signed a letter of intent to meet revised conditions for funding from the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development (RD). The board also voted to create sub districts in place of the current phases at its regular monthly meeting Aug. 18. The RD funding offer consists of 5.7 million dollars in grants and 4.4 million in loans. The district has already secured the balance of the 12.75 million dollar project mainly in the form of grants. The funding package is only for the proposed...
OVANDO – With a piece of leather spread across his lap, Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) Archaeologist Steve Platt repeatedly struck a piece of jet black obsidian rock with a chunk of limestone, fashioning the obsidian into an arrowhead shape similar to those arrayed on a cloth at his feet. As he worked, Platt explained the process of flintknapping and answered questions about the native peoples who left stone artifacts in the Blackfoot Valley. Platt was the featured guest for Pure M...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Sewer District Board of directors will conduct a Public Hearing on the creation of sub-districts as provided for in Montana Code Annotated 7-13-2349. The purpose of sub-district creation, as outlined in the proposed resolution is to provide a framework to distribute assessments for Phase 1 of a 4 phase project. Phase 1 is valued at approximately $12,752,333. The proposed sub-districts are graphically displayed and legally described in attached Exhibits A & B respectively. The District Board of Directors will...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE) Board received a formal complaint regarding the sale of alcohol on school grounds. SLE Outside store’s function and relationship to the school was also discussed at the Aug. 16 board meeting. Seeley Lake resident LaRee Morris filed a complaint that alleges that the school violated the school board’s own policy when it allowed alcohol to be sold during SLE Outside’s Bob Marshall Music Festival. The complaint cites SLE board policy - Conduct on School Property 4015 (page 102) that states: “No p...
SEELEY LAKE - The work of eight artists is displayed at the Seeley-Swan Medical Center. While most of the artists belong to Alpine Artisans, Inc. (AAI), the opportunity to participate is open to any artists in the area that are willing to share their work. Displaying artists' work at the medical center was initiated by AAI. Condon artist Merrily Dunham originally coordinated the artists for the medical center prior to the recent expansion. Now Seeley-Swan Hospital District board trustee and AAI...
SWAN VALLEY – The Swan Valley Shintangle took place Saturday, Aug. 20 at the 33 Bar Ranch in Condon. The event was a fundraiser for Swan Valley Connections (SVC). The theme for the evening was Supporting SVC is Supporting Your Community. Guests were treated to a meal by Vista Linda Catering and music provided by Moonshine Mountain Band of Columbia Falls, Mont. In between the food, music, dancing and raffle drawings, SVC Executive Director Maria Mantas elaborated on the theme. Mantas said SVC e...
SEELEY LAKE - The Ecosystem Management Research Institute (EMRI) of Seeley Lake announced the release of its Terrestrial Landscape Assessment of the Southwest Crown of the Continent Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Project (CFLRP). The assessment, conducted through a partnership agreement with the U.S. Forest Service, assessed the forests that occurred historically in the project area and describes how these conditions have changed to the conditions present today. The report provides reference information to support the Blackfoot...
The impacts of this summer’s drought have resulted in extremely low flows in Western Montana rivers, with the Blackfoot flowing at record lows for the second year in a row. Even though river water temperatures have cooled – prompting Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks to lift hoot owl fishing hour restrictions – fishing may still stress our native fish. The Blackfoot Drought Response Committee encourages anglers to consider voluntary measures that can reduce the stress on native trout during these extremely low river flows. In 2000, the Black...
Editor’s Note: One of the first complaints we hear from people moving to Seeley Lake is they cannot find a place to rent. Potential renters are faced with limited options, budget constraints and lack of availability. Several renters, property managers and landlords were asked the question: Does this constitute a rental crisis in Seeley Lake? While not all agreed, they identified problems, challenges and potential solutions from their perspective. While most of the landlords we spoke with were willing to share their name, two asked to remain a...
BIGFORK – The Swan Lake Ranger District of the Flathead National Forest has released the Draft Decision Notice for the Beaver Creek Landscape Restoration Project. The Beaver Creek Project is located approximately nine miles south of Condon and is bordered by Lindbergh Lake and the Mission Mountains Wilderness Area to the west, the Swan River to the north, State Highway 83 to the east and the Lolo National Forest to the south. After working with the public over the course of four years to develop the project and modify the proposal based on p...
SWAN VALLEY - Republican candidate for the Missoula County Board of Commissioners Todd Geery of Bonner, Mont. spoke at the Swan Valley Community Council (SVCC) meeting Aug. 16. Swan Valley Fire Chief Randy Williams and Quick Response Unit (QRU) Medical Chief Dan Maloughney also commented on the issues they see with the proposed Flathead National Forest (FNF) Plan. Geery said his reason for joining the race is a deep passion to make a difference for all 111,000 residents of Missoula County. “I don’t want to be a politician, which can become a j...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Sewer Board approved its annual special assessment after receiving several protests and despite the protest period not closing for another week. Several dozen citizens showed up at the Aug. 18 hearing on whether to continue the $47,620 assessment. There was no change in the proposed assessment from the previous year. Lots with a dwelling unit on them pay $79.80 per year while vacant and commercial lots pay approximately $63 per acre per year. District Manager Greg Robertson explained that the assessment was for...
MISSOULA - Owen Raines, a Potomac Valley 4-Her along with his two-year-old Escondido Llama 'Cubby' competed in numerous events at the 2016 Western Montana Fair in Missoula, Mont. Together they won the Outstanding Llama Herdsmanship trophy along with other awards. It is Owen's second year in 4-H, and he took the Llama project because he really wanted a llama. The project is pretty new to him, according to his mother Nickie. Owen has owned Cubby for a little over a year and a half. In preparation...
MISSOULA - 4-H uses the Danish system in the judging process. Top ribbons include grand and reserve champion, followed by a purple group (P – top in their class), blue group (B), red group (R) and white group (W – participation ribbon) according to the placing received. The letter following each project indicates ribbon received. Potomac Valley 4-H Club Earned Certificate for Herdsmanship in the Rabbit Barn Cheff, Mersaydees: Market beef, B France, Anna: Market hog & interview, B Hall, Ash...
Garden Club Gathering POTOMAC – The Garden Club will meet Aug. 26 at 6:30 p.m. at the Potomac Community Center. Those attending are encouraged to bring a garden treat to share. Missoula BLM Plans Fall Prescribed Burns OVANDO – Smoke may be visible periodically during the next two months in the mountains east of Missoula as the Bureau of Land Management’s Missoula Field Office conducts three controlled burns. Two burns are located in the Blackfoot Valley, about five miles southwest of Clearwater Junction. The other burn is located three miles...
MISSOULA - The late Seeley Lake Trailblazer 4-H Club member Mark Teague’s steer raised more than $25,000 Saturday, Aug. 13 at the Western Montana Fair 4-H & FFA Livestock Sale. All of the proceeds raised from the sale of the animal will go into the Mark Teague Memorial Scholarship Fund to help future 4-Hers get started on a market beef project. Teague passed away last fall at age 16. He had already purchased his 4-H steer for this year’s fair with his earnings from last year. Mark Wilson of West Feed and the Radtke family from Hall, Mont. don...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Rural Fire District (District) received their new Type 1 ambulance in mid-July. The ambulance was put into service July 30 and will be the first unit to respond. The District is retaining the old ambulance as the secondary ambulance. It will be used during "call collisions," when another call comes in when the first ambulance is already on a call, and be available when the first ambulance is being used. Seeley Lake Fire Chief Bob Vanden Heuvel has voiced the need f...
MISSOULA - The Seeley Lake Trailblazers and Potomac Valley 4-H Clubs participated in the 2016 Western Montana Country Fair this past week. Whether it was for their animal project, non-animal project or shooting sports, the students were recognized for all their hard work and had a lot of fun....
SEELEY LAKE – The annual Youth for Christ (YFC) Seeley Lake Challenge Duathlon/Triathlon attracted 111 solo racers, six teams and a record number of children to the shores of Seeley Lake, Aug. 13. Two Seeley Lake teams swept the male and female divisions for the long swim team event. The triathlon is made up of either a short (300 yards) or long (600 yards) open swim in Seeley Lake, a 10 mile bike down Boy Scout Road and a 3.3 mile run to finish off the race. The duathlon starts and ends with a...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Council (SLCC) was updated on the progress made in the last year toward resolving the issue that ended county road maintenance for Dogtown residents. The council also heard from the transportation commissioner who represents the area and discussed the council’s candidate forum at its Aug. 8 meeting. Missoula County Commissioner Jean Curtiss and Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) Clearwater Unit Manager Kristen Baker-Dickinson gave the update on the snowplowing issue. The issue was b...
SWAN VALLEY - The Piper Fire burning on the Swan Lake Ranger District within the Flathead National Forest continues to burn. The fire area received significant precipitation on Aug. 9 and 10 with amounts reaching approximately three quarters of an inch. Although significant precipitation occurred in the fire area, the fire has grown approximately three acres bringing the total area burned to approximately 15 acres. Fire spread is up drainage away from values at risk and fire activity is characterized as creeping and smoldering. The Piper Fire...
SWAN VALLEY – Swan Valley Connections (SVC) will release a new Swan Valley Trails Interpretive Map mid-September. Their goal for the interpretive map is to help educate visitors and residents about the human and natural history of the area while providing a resource that helps people think about the various recreation available in the Swan, where they can do it and what kind of an experience they can expect. The idea for the map started in 2014 when Northwest Connections (NwC) recognized the need to produce a map to foster the connections betwe...
Editor’s Note: One of the first complaints we hear from people moving to Seeley Lake is they cannot find a place to rent. Potential renters are faced with limited options, budget constraints and lack of availability. Several renters, property managers and landlords were asked the question: Does this constitute a rental crisis in Seeley Lake? While not all agreed, they identified problems, challenges and potential solutions from their perspective. This three-part series will bring some of the issues raised to light and perhaps begin a c...
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks lifted “hoot owl” fishing restrictions on the Bitterroot and Blackfoot River and its tributaries Aug. 10. The entire Blackfoot and its North Fork, Copper, Monture and Morrell tributaries, as well as the Bitterroot River from Tucker Crossing downstream, have been under restrictions since July 29 to reduce the impact on drought-stressed fish. Now these “hoot owl” restrictions that prohibit fishing during the hottest hours of the day (2 p.m. until midnight) remain only on the following rivers and creeks in west-ce...
MISSOULA - The Missoula Board of County Commissioners is scheduled to hold a public hearing on proposed amendments to Missoula County Subdivision Regulations Chapter 8, entitled “Divisions of Land Exempt From Review Under MSPA (Montana Subdivision and Platting Act).” The Board of County Commissioners public hearing on revisions to Chapter 8 (Subdivision Exemptions) is scheduled for 1:30 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 24 in Room B-14 of the County Administration Building, 199 W. Pine Street, Missoula. The proposed changes may be obtained via the fol...
MISSOULA - Between the Seeley Lake Trailblazer and Potomac Valley 4-H Clubs 18 members took various shooting projects for the fair and came away with seven first-place awards. The shooters competed in the 2016 Western Montana Fair Exhibition Shoot before fair week. Their scores and placings were presented during the fair. Shooting included shotgun and air rifle with leader Dave Clark for Potomac hosting Tuesday practices in Missoula at the Trap and Skeet Club. The Seeley Lake club practiced at...
SEELEY LAKE - Montana Shakespeare in the Parks (MSIP) will be in Seeley Lake Aug. 26. The 10-player company will present "Richard III" at 6 p.m. on the Double Arrow Grounds. "Richard III" is a particularly challenging play to stage but the MSIP players are seasoned professionals who do an amazing job of bringing the Bard's words to life. Executive artistic director Kevin Asselin said, "This is the first time in MSIP's 44-year history that we'll bring 'Richard III' to our stage." Even 400 years...
SEELEY LAKE - The numbers have been tallied by Seeley Lake Historical Museum and Visitor Center staff for people coming through the barn door in June and July. June Visitation We counted 317 (252 last year) visitors, accounting for about 1875 (2142) visitor-days. The overall average length of stay was about six days. About 40 percent of the travelers were just passing through or staying overnight. About 40 percent of the people were from Montana, the majority of which were locals or from Missoula. Washington and Minnesota each were about 10...
SWAN LAKE - The Swan Lake Huckleberry Festival, held Aug. 13, celebrated 35 years. The Swan Lake Chamber of Commerce and Community Club (SLCC&CC) sponsored the event, emphasizing family tradition. Nearly 50 canopies belonging to vendors and organizations dotted the day use area on the shores of Swan Lake. An array of items were for sale including furniture, works of art in various mediums, food, ice cream cones, face painting, jewelry, basketry and many others. Organizations such as the Swan...
Seeley Lake Elementary announces the 2016-17 policy for Free and Reduced-Price School Meals for students whose schools participate in the U.S. Department of Agriculture [National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program]. The complete policy is on file in the central office and may be reviewed by any interested party. Households who receive assistance from Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP); Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR); or Temporary Assistance...
On Saturday Aug. 6 the Annual Placid Lake Regatta & Canoe Race was held. Here are the results: Sailboat Race Small boats 1. Merna Terry small boat 1:16.37 2. Dan Masar windsurf 1:32.57 3. Roger Terry windsurf no time Big boats 1. Gordon Watson big boat 2:41.31 2. Greg Dalton big boat 2:42.53 3. Ben Brower 2:43.16 4. Jim Fulton 2:43.50 Catamaran 1. Sterling & Looney no time Human powered race 1. Kelsey Dalton & Patrick 24.35 2. Jon & Cora Dalton 24.42 3. Barb Jiggs & Mangus Coldiron 29.43 4....
MISSOULA – Montana Community Foundation (MCF) recently received $1,000 as part of a gift from Thrivent Financial. The funds will be used to support MCF's mission to create a culture of giving so Montana communities can flourish. Western Montana Thrivent Financial representatives voted to gift $1,000, which was provided by the Northwest Thrivent Member Network. Thrivent Financial provides financial support and other resources for its members to come together to help their communities and c...
SEELEY LAKE - Hellgate Civilian Shooter Ibby Lorentz of Seeley Lake was one of two shooters from Montana to attend the American Legion National Championship in Colorado Springs, Colo. at the end of July. Ibby finished third in the nation for junior precision shooters missing less than 36 points out of 2,500 possible. Ibby was among 1,500 shooters to enter the American Legion Postal Match for junior shooters, freshman through seniors, during the 2015-2016 school year. Shooters compete on their...
SEELEY LAKE – When the Baier family opened Seeley Lake 1-Stop their goal was to run it for a few years and then sell it. Now 30 years later, they continue to strive to make a living, take care of their regular customers and said their favorite part of owning the business has been the people. The Baier family, Norm, Rose and their two sons Bill and Bob, moved to Seeley Lake in 1957. Norm started out logging with Jack Long and Rose worked as the Seeley-Swan High School secretary for Principal K...
SWAN VALLEY - The Upper Swan Valley Historical Society (USVHS) hosted an evening of history, food and entertainment Aug. 6 at the Swan Valley Museum in Condon. Local residents shared stories about three of the buildings onsite at the museum while Steve Lamar shared his Unsolved Mysteries of the Swan presentation. The evening ended with entertainment by local musicians. Smith Creek School The Smith Creek School was one of six one-room schools in the Swan Valley and part of the Swan Valley School...
Editor’s Note: One of the first complaints we hear from people moving to Seeley Lake is they cannot find a place to rent. Potential renters are faced with limited options, budget constraints and lack of availability. Several renters, property managers and landlords were asked the question: Does this constitute a rental crisis in Seeley Lake? While not all agreed, they identified problems, challenges and potential solutions from their perspective. We choose to leave the renters anonymous to avoid any conflicts between their current or future lan...
BOZEMAN – Fifty-one Montana high school seniors from across the state have been selected for their effort and potential as the inaugural class of Montana State University's (MSU) Hilleman Scholars Program, named after one of the state's most influential, but least known, native sons. Recent Seeley-Swan High School graduate Eliana Robinett was among those chosen. "This is unlike any large scholarship program we've had before," said MSU President Waded Cruzado. "We're looking for potential all a...
BIGFORK - The Swan Lake Ranger District of the Flathead National Forest has issued an emergency closure order due to fire activity on all National Forest System lands within the areas of Moore Lake, Piper Creek, and Cedar Creek. This area is within Lake County, Montana. The closure boundary is defined as areas west and south from the intersection of Forest Service Road (FSR) 966 and FSR 10383 following FSR 10383 to where Cedar Creek crosses said road in Section 23. From here, the closure boundary follows Cedar Creek to the west to the forks of...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley Lake resident Hope Lewis started growing a pineapple plant in her home three years ago. She continued to water and care for the plant in hopes that one day it would bloom. Last week she noticed amongst the leaves, a pineapple the size of a grapefruit. Three years ago, Lewis bought a pineapple at Cory's Valley Market and cut the top off. She stuck the top in water to see what it would do. After about a week it started to grow so she planted it in a pot. "I'm always sticking...
MISSOULA - Seeley Lake Trailblazers and Potomac Valley 4-H market projects will be available for purchase at this year's Western Montana Fair 4H & FFA Livestock Sale. The market livestock sale is scheduled Saturday, Aug. 13. The steer purchased by Seeley Lake Trailblazer Mark Teague last fall before Teague passed away at age 16 will also be available for purchase. All the proceeds raised from the sale of the animal will go into a scholarship to help future 4-Hers get started on a market...
From "Montana A History of Two Centuries" by Michael P. Malone, Richard R. Roeder and William L. Lang. Reprinted by permission of the University of Washington Press Arriving in Washington, D.C., Judge Sidney Edgerton consulted with President Lincoln and found him agreeable to the idea of a new territory in the Rockies. More important, Edgerton discovered that his friend and fellow Ohioan Congressman James M. Ashley had already begun work on a bill to form the new territory. Ashley, who chaired...
SWAN VALLEY - Swan Valley resident John Keller spoke about his observations of the Missoula County growth plan process and gave his recommendations to help improve the Swan Valley Regional Plan (SVRP) at the Swan Valley Regional Planning Committee meeting Aug. 3. Chair Ken Donovan said he invited Keller to speak about what he has learned about the county plan and how it can be applied to the Swan Valley growth plan. Donovan said, “John has been to most of the [Missoula County Growth Plan] meetings and I think his observations will benefit o...
Relationship Between Seeley Lake Elementary School and SLE Outside on Agenda for Next Board Meeting SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE) School Board of Trustees will be discussing the relationship between SLE and SLE Outside at their August board meeting, Aug. 16 at 5:30 p.m. in the SLE computer lab. The public is invited to attend. Seeley-Swan Community Food Bank Closed Fifth Tuesdays SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley-Swan Community Food Bank will be closed Tuesday, Aug. 30. It will resume re...
SEELEY LAKE – As a part of the Change Your Pace Challenge, 14 non-profit and service organizations in Seeley Lake raised more than $113,000 between May 20 and July 22. Because this far exceeded the $30,000 matching funds offered by the Seeley Lake Community Foundation (SLCF), each organization received a prorated match based on the percent that was raised. The SLCF came up with this new fundraising model in hopes to encourage broader community support and diversify everyone's fundraising e...
SEELEY LAKE - A single vehicle accident on Highway 83 claimed the life of 17-year-old Paul Hammerel from Condon, Mont. Emergency responders were called to mile marker 18.5, three miles north of Seeley Lake, just before 10 p.m. Aug. 1. According to Missoula County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Brenda Bassett, the southbound vehicle rolled several times. Neither Hammerel nor an unidentified passenger were wearing their seatbelts. The condition of the passenger and the cause of the accident were not known at press t...
HELENA - Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) will instituted “hoot-owl” fishing restrictions on many western Montana rivers and streams beginning Friday, July 29 due to warm and rising water temperatures. The restrictions will close fishing daily from 2 p.m. to midnight until conditions improve. “Hoot owl” restrictions apply to the following stretches of water in west-central Montana, effective last Friday: • Blackfoot: Entire length • Blackfoot tributaries: North Fork and Copper, Monture and Morrell Creeks • Bitterroot: Tucker Crossi...
SEELEY LAKE – Erik Rose, 2006 graduate of Seeley-Swan High School, was one of the recipients for the 2016 Governor's Award for Excellence in Performance for his work on the project entitled "Labor Market Outcomes for Missoula College." Rose was a data analyst on the project with the Montana Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education (OCHE) and Montana Department of Labor & Industry (DLI). Rose has been the Montana compliance and workforce data analysis program manager with the OCHE for t...
VALDEZ, ALASKA - Connie Betson of Seeley Lake caught this Valdez Fishing Derby winner, a 163.2 pound halibut, while fishing with her husband Jim and friend Jerry Posthumus. She caught it on the "Amanda Rose" with skipper Dave Towne June 23. "I knew it was pretty good sized because I was having problems reeling it in," said Betson. When she started to get tired Betson asked if she could have some help. Towne told her if she had anyone help her reel it in, it voided her derby ticket. "He said...
For the fifth consecutive year, Big Blackfoot Chapter of Trout Unlimited (BBCTU) was privileged to host the Project Healing Waters (PHW) fly-fishing trip for three honored, military veterans from Montana, Idaho and Washington. Joshua Dockery, Joe Axtell and Tom Bowyer were selected by PHW to participate in this worthwhile trip. These three decorated veterans have completed multiple tours in Iraq, Afghanistan or Vietnam. BBCTU Project Healing Waters chairman and Army veteran Michael Pecora planne...
POTOMAC - More than 90 volunteers came together to "bring back the scenic beauty of the Blackfoot River," said Project Managers Janelle Schiller and Lynn Gontarek-Garberson. Both thought the clean up went very well again this year. This was the 13th year of cleaning the river since the Blackfoot Home and Community Club (BHCC) began the river clean up in 2003. Eight divers along with 10 rafts and watercrafts and volunteers walking the shore of the Blackfoot spent the day July 30 picking up...
SWAN LAKE - In 1981, members of the Swan Lake community decided that they needed some kind of summer festival. They wanted to raise funds for community projects but they were also looking for a way to give the public a day of fun and relaxation on the shore of their beautiful lake. According to newspaper accounts, the first festival drew an estimated 400 people to the Swan Lake Day Park for a chuck wagon barbecue, children's activities, a baking contest and arts and crafts. Those press reports...
SEELEY LAKE - The hot-button topic snow plowing in Dogtown will kick off the next Seeley Lake Community Council meeting, Monday, Aug. 8. County Commissioner Jean Curtiss and Kristen Baker-Dickinson, head of the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) Clearwater Unit, will discuss where the county and DNRC stand in regard to plowing Dogtown streets next winter. As the community may remember, last year the county announced that they would not be able to plow some streets in Dogtown. The reason given was that those roads...
HELENA – Montana State Parks (stateparks.mt.gov) continues to see record-breaking visitation in 2016 due to increasing year-round recreation. According to the latest visitation estimates, Montana State Parks has set a record for visitation during June 2016. More than 422,000 people visited Montana’s state parks last month, which was 28,000 more than 2015 and the highest all-time for the month of June. Montana State Parks has also seen record year-to-date park attendance. Overall, visitation is up 23 percent for the year with nearly 1.3 mil...
From "Montana A History of Two Centuries" by Michael P. Malone, Richard R. Roeder and William L. Lang. Reprinted by permission of the University of Washington Press Each of the United States of America – except the original 13, Texas and California – was first organized as a territory before achieving admittance to the Union as a state. Originating with the Ordinances of 1785 and 1787, the territorial system provided the expanding U.S. with a method to govern frontier areas until they gai...
SWAN VALLEY - Swan Valley Connections presented a Mussel Dog program at the Holland Lake Boat Launch area July 26. Two "mussel" dogs, three-year old Labradors, with their handler Deb Tirmenstein demonstrated how they can sniff out aquatic invasive zebra and quagga mussels on watercraft. The dogs using their keen sense of smell save watercraft inspectors time and money. They can more quickly identify the invasive mussels which are located in places on the watercraft that are hard for humans to...
SEELEY LAKE – Holy Cross Lutheran Church of Seeley Lake and Faith Lutheran of Condon joined together Sunday, July 31 for a combined worship and celebration of 50 years. Current members and those connected to the church from the past shared the sentiment that the church is not a building, it's the people. It has been the people, under God's leadership and blessing, that made the two churches continue for the past 50 years. During the sermon, current Pastor Erik Iverson asked the congregation w...
The National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) Firewise® Communities Program has published an updated Firewise Toolkit aimed at homeowners and other wildfire stakeholders interested in learning how to reduce wildfire risk. The Toolkit is available online and free of charge. Every year wildfires burn across the U.S. and more and more people are living where wildfires are an increasing risk. Nearly 45 million homes abut or intermix with grasslands, forests and wildlands and more than 72,000 U.S. communities are located in a wildfire-prone ar...
SEELEY LAKE - Hellgate Civilian Shooters team in partnership with the Wilderness Sportsman's Club held an Exhibition March at the Seeley Lake Gun Range, July 31. Spectators took turns shooting the teams rifles after the Shooter’s expedition match....
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley-Swan Search and Rescue (SSSAR) volunteers trained for high-angle rescue July 20 near Double Arrow Lookout. Even though SSSAR has never had to perform a technical high-angle rescue, they hone their skills every three to four years just in case a situation arises in steep areas. SSSAR Chief Gerry Connell defined high angle as 60-degree slope or more. While there are only a few places in SSSAR's coverage that would require a technical high-angle rescue, Connell said the...
POTOMAC - More than 10 Potomac Valley 4-H club members competed in various spring and early summer competitions for their dog and horse projects. The Western Montana Fair starts earlier than the traditional fair week. 4-H members in the dog project compete before "fair week" Aug. 8-13. 4-H horse members in the Trail Ride are judged anytime after the snow melts and before the fair while Ranch Horse projects sort cows and rope in early July. Traditionally the 4-H horseshow and dog shows were the...
The Powell County Community Foundation (PCF) is accepting grant applications from non-profits throughout Powell County. The PCF awards grants, usually ranging from $500 to $1,200, for charitable purposes in the following focus areas: basic human needs, arts and culture, recreation and economic development. The application deadline is Wednesday, Sept. 7. The short application form is available by writing to the PCF at P.O. Box 834, Deer Lodge, MT 59722; by contacting board members Kirk Sandquist, Steve Owens, Mary Ann Fraley, Claudia Dippold,...
SEELEY LAKE - When July and August temperatures soar into the high 90s and above, people start using the phrase the "dog days of summer." While it is true that dogs, especially those wearing thick fur coats, are less inclined to run and more likely to lie around panting on hot summer days, the phrase's origin actually comes from astrological rather than canine behavior. One of the most familiar constellations in the night sky is Orion the giant hunter, easily recognizable by the three stars in...
Fire Danger VERY HIGH in Missoula County MISSOULA – Interagency wildland fire officials with the Missoula County Fire Protection Association (MCFPA) have determined fire danger within Missoula County to be VERY HIGH. Recent days have been extremely dry with little moisture causing vegetation and grasses to cure. This fine, dead fuel is the primary carrier of fire in the wildland, and when fires get established in this fuel type they spread out of control rapidly. Temperatures are expected to remain consistently hot and dry throughout the w...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Sewer Board (SLSB) was presented with a proposal to reduce projected costs for Phase I residential lots from $165 to $50 per month and commercial lots to $75 per month. With the new proposal, there may not be a vote on the proposed treatment plant and collection system but landowners would have a protest provision. At the July 21 board meeting, District Manager Greg Robertson explained how subsidies and changes in how the construction debt is spread across the district would accomplish this. The district currently...
SEELEY LAKE - Due to infringement on the Highway 83 right of way, the blue stick figure at the intersection of Boy Scout Road and Highway 83 in Seeley Lake was removed The red stick figure in front of Lindey’s Prime Steak House and the yellow figure just north of Seeley Lake Motor Lodge will have guy wires adjusted to ensure they are not infringing on the right of way. Sections of rubber hose will also be added to the guy wires as a safety improvement. This past winter Jackson Hole Public Art (JHPA) worked with Seeley Lake community stakeholder...
SWAN VALLEY – The Swan Valley community showed up in force to honor, recognize and thank their Quick Response Unit (QRU) and firefighter volunteers with the Swan Valley Emergency Services (SVES). Those currently on the department were recognized for their years of service with either a certificate for less than five years or wooden plaque for more than five years. The volunteers were humbled and thankful to see all the community support. Grace Siloti organized the event with the help of H...
SEELEY LAKE - Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Seeley Lake joins its sister parish Faith Lutheran from Condon to celebrate their 50 year anniversary July 31 starting at 10 a.m. The whole community is invited to the dual service on 1655 Airport Road followed by a luncheon, program and the opportunity to visit with old friends and share memories. In 1965 Reverend Al Pullmann canvassed the Seeley Lake and Condon areas and found out that there was a desire to establish a Lutheran Church, Missouri...
SEELEY LAKE – The campers at the Missoula County Law Enforcement Youth Camp at Camp Paxson were playing games for more than peanuts this week. Boys ages 10 and 11 had the opportunity to build relationships with local law enforcement officers (LEO), increase their self confidence and learn a new respect for themselves, each other and the flag. Missoula County Sheriff T.J. McDermott was one of the 20-40 LEOs that helped at the camp at any given time. He attended the annual barbeque and Peanut C...
SEELEY LAKE – More than 50 volunteers gathered at Tupper's Lake Sunday, July 24 for the second annual Revive and Thrive event hosted by The Nature Conservancy (TNC). Following their work putting in a trail around the lake, installing a beaver deceiver and helping with general clean up, they were treated to a catered lunch and celebration with the rest of the community. The Tupper's Lake restoration project was a small part of the restoration work being done as a part of the C...
SWAN VALLEY- Amy Robinson with the Montana Wilderness Association (MWA) related information about the proposed Flathead National Forest (FNF) draft plan to nearly 30 people at the Swan Valley Community Council (SVCC) on Tuesday, July 19. There was also a discussion about biker and traffic safety on the Swan Highway. Robinson said she wanted to speak to the council about how to participate in the Forest Service (FS) public land process. The FNF draft plan is a framework on how the lands will be managed for the next 20 years. Robinson said that...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake Rural Fire District Board of Trustees had the opportunity to view the new ambulance at their meeting July 19. Also at the meeting trustee Bruce Bourne resigned his position. Discussions about the assistant chief position, a stipend for officers and the mill levy were tabled until the board gets further information from Missoula County. The new ambulance arrived Monday, July 18. Seeley Lake Fire Chief Bob Vanden Heuvel said it needs to have the radios installed, the graphics and decals put on the outside and the p...
SEELEY LAKE - A basket weaver uses natural or man-made fibers to create a container that can be used for some practical purpose. A fiber artist might make a basket but the item's practical purpose is secondary to its value as a work of art. With fiber art, the focus is on the beauty of the materials, admiration for the skill of the weaver and appreciation for the amount of time and patience required to bring the piece to completion. Seeley Lake resident Patti Chamberlin is a fiber artist....
SEELEY LAKE – A hometown connection brought singer/songwriter Morgan Lee to Seeley Lake for the first time to play at Moose River Bar & Grill. Moose River's owner Lisa Gilbertson invited Lee to play Wednesday, July 20 as an added stop on his 406 Tour. Lee grew up in White Sulphur Springs, Mont. While Lee had played the piano since he was five years old and played the trumpet, it wasn't until his senior year that he picked up the guitar and started writing songs. While in a serious r...
POTOMAC - Jeff Deckard and his horse LilMan, a 12-year-old AQHA Palomino stallion brought the Word of God through his Cowboy Up for Christ presentation in Potomac July 12. Deckard set up a round pen and spoke to the crowd of more than 15 in the meadows beyond Potomac School. Cowboy Up for Christ is family run, with wife Paula, 18 year-old daughter Casey and nine year old son Payton. Home for the Deckards is in Clinton, Ark., where they have seven horses and three ponies. They breed horses as a...
SSHS Fall Sports Meeting, Aug. 2 SEELEY LAKE - The Fall activities pre-season meeting will be Aug. 2 at 7 p.m. in the Seeley-Swan High School cafeteria. Fire Danger Moved to “High” MISSOULA – Fire officials with the Missoula County Fire Protection Association (MCFPA) have moved the fire danger back up to “High” starting July 25. Despite the moisture received earlier this month, the fine fuels (grasses and small shrubs) are quickly drying and curing along with the heavier fuels as hot and dry conditions continue. The weather forecast calls for...
SWAN VALLEY – Quick Response Unit (QRU) volunteers and volunteer firefighters give of their time, energy and often sacrifice financially to serve the communities in which they work and live. They often do this with little or no recognition. Swan Valley resident Grace Siloti wants to see that changed. Siloti, Marcia Tapp and Helene Michael are throwing a Community Celebration to honor volunteer QRU and firefighters. The event is an opportunity to thank the volunteers and will include a potluck and live music. The whole community and s...
SEELEY LAKE – Twenty-two bands filled Seeley Lake with music for three days July 14-16 during the Bob Marshall Wilderness Music Festival. Coupling the afternoon and evening music with morning yoga, group activities and races captured the attention of a wide range of people all looking for some fun. While the official numbers are not in, Event Organizer Chris Stout estimated, based on the revenue, that there were 2000 tickets sold. He said there were many more people that participated since 12 a...
SEELEY LAKE – While organizers and many people in the community were excited about the Bob Marshall Music Festival, others raised issues that they felt need to be addressed and clarified. Seeley Lake resident and business owner Curtis Friede not only took personal issue with the festival being held in the middle of town, he also sees the event dividing the community in several ways. Friede lives on the top of the hill to the east of the Seeley Lake Elementary school where the three-day festival was held. He said that for anyone who lived on t...
SEELEY LAKE - A major concern expressed from community members about the Bob Marshall Music Festival was serving alcohol near Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE) school and its property. The area where the alcohol was served is legally owned by SLE but is designated as a Missoula County Park. SLE administers the park and can approve or disapprove activities without the Missoula County Parks and Recreation Department input. The festival was approved for a special permit form the Montana Department of Revenue allowing temporary beer and wine sales and c...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Council (SLCC) voted to send a letter requesting the Missoula County Commissioners expedite a solution to the issue of snow plowing in Dogtown. Also at the meeting, representatives from the county presented the latest plans for the fairgrounds in Missoula and the council was updated on the progress of their proposed safety improvements on Highway 83. During public comments it was asked, what has been done to resolve the snow plowing issue in Dogtown. The issue came to light last summer when Missoula...
HELENA – Montana State Parks (stateparks.mt.gov) announced that it is seeking public comment on recommended funding levels for 2016/2017 Montana Snowmobile Program grant applications. The recommended funding for the Seeley Lake Driftriders is $18,316. Public comments will be accepted through Friday, Aug. 5 at 5 p.m. The Montana Snowmobile Program is administered by Montana State Parks and supports snowmobile organizations state wide in trail grooming, equipment, safety education and maintenance needs. For 2016/2017, Montana State Parks r...
SEELEY LAKE – The Open Book Club (OBC) held July 13 featured Russell Rowland's book "Fifty-Six Counties: A Montana Journey." Three things were unusual about the event. First, it was a summer event held at Holland Lake Lodge rather than one of the fall-through-summer readings OBC traditionally holds at Grizzly Claw Trading Company. Second, published writer, Sheila Scobba Banning, functioned as a moderator, alternately interviewing Rowland, prompting him to read selections from his book and s...
SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley Regional Planning Committee (SVRPC) met July 13 to consider public comments and Missoula lawyer Colleen Dowdall’s edits to the draft regional plan. The committee addressed and edited sections in the Natural Resources and Environmental Element including Ground Water Quality, Noise and Light Pollution. The committee voted four to one to delete the entire Climate Change section. The SVRPC voted with two opposed to accept Dowdall’s edits to the first three paragraphs in Ground Water Quality which removed excess verbiag...
WASHINGTON – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell announced steps to make it easier for outfitters, guides, schools, non-profits and other partners to take groups out to enjoy outdoor activities on national forests and grasslands. By streamlining the approach to special-use permitting for national forests and grasslands, natural resources will be even more accessible to Americans. “Our national forests and grasslands connect people to nature where they live, providing sustainable recreation opp...
SEELEY LAKE – The inaugural Change Your Pace Challenge 10 kilometer (K) and 5K races and 2K fun run attracted all ages and abilities Saturday, July 16. Racers, joggers and walkers had the opportunity to explore the roads of Seeley Lake and take in the beauty Seeley Lake offers. The goal of the event was to continue to raise money for the Change Your Pace Challenge (Challenge). The Challenge is the Seeley Lake Community Foundation's (SLCF) new approach to financially supporting local o...
Goal: Lois' Salon owner Lois Grant of Potomac hopes to have all her customers leave with a smile on their faces. Grant enjoys helping people look their best and seeing them leave happy with the results. History: Originally Grant wanted to go to business college but after receiving a cosmetology scholarship she fell in love with the idea of having a salon. Grant then completed 1,600 hours in a qualified beauty school and passed state board exams for California and Montana to become a licensed...
A dozen racers participated in the paddle board race held Saturday morning, July 16 on Seeley Lake. The event was part of the Bob Marshall Music Festival....
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake was the destination for the capstone race in the Western Montana Trail Series produced by the Bicycle Racing Alliance of Montana (BRAM) Saturday, July 16. This was the first official mountain bike race in Seeley Lake offering 55-mile, 35-mile and 22-mile loop routes attracting more than 60 racers. Race Director Ben Horan said BRAM has put on the Missoula XC, a high level, Olympic qualifying race in Missoula, for the past six years. This was the first year that they b...
Mussel Dogs Campfire Program at Holland Lake SWAN VALLEY - Join Swan Valley Connections for their Mussel Dogs Campfire Program July 26 at 7 p.m. at the Holland Lake Day Use Area. Lab sisters Rosebud and Ismay, under the direction of their human handler Deb, will demonstrate how they sniff out invasive mussel species at the state Watercraft Inspection stations. Watch these hard-working dogs demonstrate their amazing powers of detection. Admission and parking is free of charge. Bring a lawn chair or picnic blanket and flashlight. For details...
SEELEY LAKE – A Missoula man faces charges for criminal mischief after allegedly dumping two tons of drywall, construction and household waste on the Blackfoot/Clearwater Game Range the weekend before the Fourth of July. If found guilty he could owe a fine of up to $1,500, lose his privileges to hunt, fish and trap for up to two years and must clean-up the dump site or face restitution for clean-up. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) Game Warden Bill Koppen received three calls on the i...
SEELEY LAKE – Three large wooden figures were erected by Jackson Hole Public Art and local volunteers in Seeley Lake this past week. The intent of the stick figures is to get people to slow down going through town. They are temporary and will be taken down after a couple of months. The community can decide if they want to keep them or send them back to Jackson Hole, Wyo. The LOR Foundation funded the project. Jackson Hole Public Art is developing a public art and place-making toolkit in the i...
POTOMAC - An old burn pile on private property in Potomac caused a fire that burned three tenths of an acre July 2. While the pile was cold to the touch above ground, the fire still burned underground in roots and organic material. The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) is still investigating and it is unknown if citations will be issued. Greenough/Potomac Volunteer Fire Department (GPVFD) Chief Ryan Hall said residents called 911 and began fighting the fire with a skidder to knock down the spread of the fire. Nine...
SEELEY LAKE – Volunteers with the Veterans and Families of Seeley Lake (VFSL) installed two new benches and level concrete pads for wheel chairs at the Seeley Lake Veterans Memorial Park north of Seeley Lake on Highway 83. The new seating was placed so visitors can see all the memorial plaques while not interfering with the programs held for Veterans Day and Memorial Day. The land belongs to Missoula County but the Veterans and Families of Seeley Lake (VFSL) have been given permission to use i...
SWAN VALLEY - Saturday, July 9 at 10 a.m. the Lake County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a single vehicle accident on US Highway 83 at approximately mile marker 51, near the Salmon Prairie Access site. The vehicle was reported to have two occupants at the time of the crash. Lake and Missoula County Sheriff’s Offices and the Montana Highway Patrol responded along with Swan Valley Emergency Services. The male driver, 63-year-old Richard Graham of Boulder, Mont., was not wearing his seatbelt. He was ejected from the vehicle and died fro...
The Seeley Lake Ranger District recorded 1.67 inches of rain from Friday afternoon, July 8 through 2 p.m. Monday, July 11. There were reports from Double Arrow Ranch of more than 2 inches in rain gauges. The Condon Work Center Remote Automated Weather Station recorded 1.18 inches over the weekend. The rain and cooler temps has dropped the fire danger in Missoula County to Moderate....
SEELEY LAKE - At the Clearwater Resource Council (CRC) annual meeting July 10 the focus was on Trails for Everyone. CRC Executive Director Cathy Kahnle called Seeley Lake the hub of a wheel with spokes going out to communities all around it. According to Kahnle, those communities all have pre-existing trails which can form the backbone of a really spectacular, regional, trail system. Connecting them could create economic opportunities for all the communities and have the added effect of...
Submitted by the Upper Swan Valley Historical Society. Reprinted from the Library of Congress Manuscript Division Gifford Pinchot, who later became chief of the U.S. Forest Service, was working for the National Forest Commission in 1896 when he traveled south through the Swan Valley with Jack Monroe, a trapper and guide. In the previous installment of the 7-part series, they had arrived at Skunk Prairie where they had hoped to find horses. Finding none they had continued to Morrell’s. By this time both Monroe and I were so stiff that travel h...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley Lake resident and Psychologist Ken Silvestro, PhD self-published his second book "The Sound of the Other Hand Clapping" in January 2016. Silvestro hopes that it will help readers understand that they have the potential to have every possible psychological joy and issue surfacing in them. Silvestro earned his PhD in 1984 from the University of Connecticut. For his project he combined computer science and cognitive psychology. After earning his doctorate, he studied at a Jung...
PROMONTORY, UTAH - Seeley Lake resident Mark Melvin took his interest in space exploration to a new level after attending his first solid rocket booster (SRB) test in Promontory, Utah June 28. After watching the 124-second test, Melvin left impressed and with hopes to attend an actual launch in the future. "I find space exploration to be really exciting," said Melvin. "Satellite observation of our own earth and our own effects on it are really vital to how we continue to function as a species. I...
Seeley Lake resident Paul Daniels submitted these photos of the Fourth of July fireworks show over Seeley Lake. They were taken from Lindey's Prime Steak House lawn....
SEELEY LAKE - In the fall of 1965, Tim Berry was a 17-year-old high school senior in Helena, Mont. He was busy going to school and working two jobs, one at a gas station and one at Brackman's Grocery. It was while working at the grocery store that Tim first saw the girl he was destined to marry. He saw her often but he was either too busy working or too shy to approach her. He didn't even know her name. In November 1965, Tim's mom was temporarily hospitalized at St. John's. While visiting his...
Kade Kimball and his wife celebrated their sixth anniversary at the Double Arrow Lookout this past weekend. They are both teachers with the Helena School District. When they arrived at the lookout the flag was still flying at full mast. They lowered the flag in honor of the Dallas police officers. They captured this photo of the evening sun shining behind the lookout and illuminating flag....
SEELEY LAKE - Since its founding in 1994, Clearwater Montana Properties has emphasized community-building as a key component of its company culture. Through its Charitable Giving Program, the company's 80 agents give back a portion of all real estate proceeds to the Montana communities in which they were earned. To date, the program has produced more than $350,000 in charitable donations to causes throughout the state, including more than $60,000 in 2015 alone. "Being a positive force in our...
MISSOULA – The Cinnabar Foundation’s board of directors met in mid-June to review applications from 126 groups for its 2016 competitive grant-making cycle. All applicants are conservation-oriented nonprofit organizations or institutions serving Montana or the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. After two days of meetings, the Cinnabar Foundation’s board selected 68 groups as recipients of the Foundation’s 2016 Challenge Grants including Swan Valley Connections in Condon and the Blackfoot Challenge in Ovando. Grants totaled $363,000, and ranged...
Linnell Memorial Service, July 16 POTOMAC – After a battle with cancer, Potomac resident and school teacher Nancy Linnell passed away July 9. There will be a Memorial Service Saturday, July 16 at 1 p.m. at the Potomac Community Center. The family invites everyone to stay for food and drinks immediately following. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Nancy’s name to Potomac School or Missoula Community Theatre. Flea Market, July 17 SEELEY LAKE - Join the Seeley Lake Trailblazers 4-H Club for a Flea Market July 17 from 8 a.m. – 2 p.m....
SEELEY LAKE - A 19-year-old Missoula man was rescued from the Marshall Lake area Sunday, June 3. Two Bear Air rescue helicopter got him out after he was found by Seeley-Swan Search and Rescue (SSSAR) volunteers. The man was uninjured but may face criminal charges and be responsible for restitution costs from fires that were lit in his proximity. The 19-year-old was camping with friends at Lake Elsina over the Fourth of July weekend. According to SSSAR Chief Gerry Connell, he decided to hike...
SEELEY LAKE - After returning from a family reunion and placing the garbage in their open shed, Kathy and Bruce Graham never expected to wake up to a grizzly sow and three cubs in their trash. Living on Highway 83 south of Seeley Lake, the Grahams are typically very careful about not attracting bears to their property. However, this time Kathy wants this to be a lesson to others in the community to not be complacent. The Grahams hauled the garbage home from their family reunion at Lindberg Lake...
SEELEY LAKE – Ron and Joan Wollan celebrated 60 years of marriage May 20. Having met as freshman in high school, they attribute their marriage success to their faith and belief that divorce was never an option. Ron and Joan met as freshman at Lincoln County High School in Eureka, Mont. There were 62 in their freshman class. Due to the Korean War, only 13 from the class graduated including Ron and Joan. They started dating at the end of their junior year. Ron said his best friend Ray was d...
SEELEY LAKE - For the fourth year running, the Seeley Swan Pathfinder counted the Seeley Lake parade attendance by placing a camera on top of a Seeley Lake Rural Fire District truck in the parade. We counted 4,118 people lining the streets from the Filling Station parking lot on B Street to the end of the parade on Redwood Lane. That's the largest crowd we have counted in the last four years, beating out the 2014's count of 3,933. The lowest year's attendance was 2013 with a count of 3439. We...
SEELEY LAKE – Recently appointed Missoula County Sheriff's Office Deputy Mike Sunderland Jr. started at his post in Seeley Lake Sunday, June 26. Sunderland said he looks forward to working with the youth, improving the overall safety in the area and bringing a different perspective to the community. Sunderland grew up in Missoula, Mont. When he was 10 years old, he started riding in a patrol car with his father Mike Sunderland Sr., now a retired lieutenant with the Missoula County Police D...
It may seem impossible to convey the majesty of Montana in words, alone, but in "Fifty-Six Counties: A Montana Journey," Russell Rowland captures the heart and soul of the state with a fistful of stories and a map. Rowland will share his book at the Open Book Club event Wednesday, July 13 at 7 p.m. at Holland Lake Lodge. Everyone is invited. Equal parts cautionary tale and love letter, this book weaves Rowland's exploration of every county seat (and many towns between) into one big tapestry as...
SEELEY LAKE – Jim Cearley served four years in the United States Navy, three years and three months of it at sea. He engaged in no military conflict because, as he categorizes his service time, "it was between the Korean War and the Vietnam war." But serve he did, and that was reason enough to qualify him for an Honor Flight trip to Washington D.C. Cearley said all he had to do was fill out some paper work, find a guardian to accompany him – his son filled that role – and get to the Helen...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley Lake hosts the Bob Marshall Music Festival July 14-16. The music festival, a first for the community, features 22 bands with genres including southern rock, pop, jazz and country. The idea for the music festival started with a mountain bike race and now includes four stages for bands along with many races and other activities available during the three-day festival. If it is successful, organizer Chris Stout hopes to make the festival an annual event the first weekend in...
SEELEY LAKE - The Kramers gospel music group returned for the fourth year in a row to the Seeley-Swan. Of their 200 venues each year they said Montana is always their favorite location. They call Montana “a slice of heaven.” The Kramers played at Mission Bible Fellowship (MBF) in Seeley Lake and Condon Community Church July 3 and at the Condon Fourth of July Parade and Swan Valley Community Hall on the Fourth of July. The Kramers are a national and international gospel music family group fro...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley-Swan Medical Center opened its doors to the community and hosted a 45th anniversary birthday celebration June 30. Attendees had the opportunity to meet the current staff, members of the Seeley-Swan Hospital District (SSHD) and Seeley-Swan Medical Center Foundation (SSMCF) boards and staff from Partnership Health Center (PHC), the current provider at the clinic. Founding nurse and director of the S.O.S. Center Wilma Nicholson was remembered along with many other s...
Road Construction on Dunham Road SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Ranger District will be doing road construction on the Dunham Road (#4388) from the end of June through July 15. The contractor will be putting in culverts, creating delays of up to four hours during mid-day. People needing access to the Lodgepole trailhead should try to come up before 8 a.m., around noon time or after 5 p.m. These are recommended times when the road is generally open although construction times will vary. For more information contact the Seeley Lake Ranger D...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Foundation (SLCF) replaced the six wooden benches along the trail paralleling Highway 83 with steel-framed benches made of old skis. This is one of three improvements to the trail that the SLCF hopes to make in the near future. Ryan Richards installed the wooden benches during the summer of 2003 as a part of his Eagle Scout project. The benches bore the Boy Scout motto, along with the six steps to becoming an Eagle Scout, one step on each bench through...
SEELEY LAKE – Spread across tables forming a large L in the Seeley Lake Community Hall were 30 oversized bound books. Each book held a year's worth of issues of the Seeley Swan Pathfinder newspaper. Starting from 1986, the volumes documented 30 years of community life in the Clearwater, Swan and Blackfoot valleys. The occasion was the Seeley Swan Pathfinder's 30th Anniversary Celebration June 25. People came to the community hall from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and were treated to food, anniversary c...
MISSOULA - Due to forecasted high temperatures without precipitation to abate fire danger, the Missoula County Fire Protection Association (MCFPA), in conjunction with federal, state and local wildland fire suppression agencies, the Missoula County Office of Emergency Management and Missoula City/County Health Department officials, has determined Outdoor Burning by Permit in Missoula County will close Thursday, June 30 at midnight. All burns done that day will need to be fully extinguished. Folks calling to activate their permits on Friday,...
SEELEY LAKE - Work to recover areas impacted by last summer's Morrell Complex Fire on the Seeley Lake Ranger District has begun and is expected to continue until mid to late-July. The work includes some road reconstruction and culvert replacement on Forest Road #720, Rice Ridge Road. The specific location for the road reconstruction and culvert replacement work will between mile marker 17.8 - 21.3. The road reconstruction work will cause delays and slow speeds for vehicles in the area of the...
As summer kicks off, home chefs everywhere are reaching for their grills, eager to usher in the long-awaited barbecue season. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends that grillers pay particular attention to safety in the spring and summer months when home fires involving grilling incidents occur most often. Three out of five households own a gas grill, according to NFPA’s latest “Home Grill Fires” report, which translates to a lot of tasty meals. But it also means there’s an increased risk of home fires. In 2009 – 2013, an...
MISSOULA - The Missoula County Parks, Trails & Open Lands Program created an online mapping tool, http://gis.missoulacounty.us/CAPS/ParksAndTrails/, to make finding parks and trails simple and accessible to the public. This image-rich application works on desktop or mobile devices to encourage participation wherever the outdoor enthusiast may be browsing. “A core component of the County Parks, Trails & Open Lands Program mission is to provide places where people can recreate throughout Missoula County,” Parks & Trails Program Manager, Lisa Moi...
SEELEY LAKE - The Nature Conservancy (TNC), with the help of partners and local contractors, are working on the Clearwater-Blackfoot Project, 117,152 acres of land acquired in the Blackfoot Valley from Plum Creek in October, 2014. This past week they were working with West Slope Excavation at Tupper's Lake, two and a half miles from Seeley Lake and two miles north of Placid Lake, in preparation for their annual Revive and Thrive Event July 24. Ever since the purchase of the Clearwater-Blackfoot...
Never leave your pets in a parked car: Not even for a minute or with the car running and air conditioner on. On a warm day, temperatures inside a vehicle can rise rapidly to dangerous levels. On an 85-degree day, for example, the temperature inside a car with the windows opened slightly can reach 102 degrees within 10 minutes. After 30 minutes, the temperature will reach 120 degrees. Your pet may suffer irreversible organ damage or die. Watch the humidity: “It’s important to remember that it’s not just the ambient temperature but also the h...
Submitted by the Upper Swan Valley Historical Society. Reprinted from the Library of Congress Manuscript Division Gifford Pinchot, who later became chief of the U.S. Forest Service, was working for the National Forest Commission in 1896 when he traveled south through the Swan Valley with Jack Monroe, a trapper and guide. In the previous installment of the 7-part series, they had prepared to cross the Swan River after realizing they may have been presumed drowned. I kept the forward end of the raft upstream, while Monroe controlled the rear....
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE) School Board of Trustees approved the bus contract transfer from Diane’s Buses to Conley Transportation, discussed the recent theft and hired Erin Lynch to replace Julie Little in second grade and Brett Haines to replace Andy Seiges for physical education. They also heard a presentation on the PIECES Framework from teachers Angela Harris and Julie Haines. Owner of Diane’s Buses, Diane Bourne retired and sold the buses and the business to Conley Transportation this spring. As of July 1, Conley Trans...
SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley Regional Planning Committee (SVRPC) met June 24 to revise the draft plan. They addressed sections of the Natural Resources and Environment Element. Changes were applied to sections pertaining to fencing, timber management and air quality. After consideration of submitted comments, some of Missoula attorney Colleen Dowdall’s edits were used as well as SVRPC member Dave Johnson’s additions and rewording. The SVRPC agreed to take out the word stock to describe fencing. According to SVRPC member Dwayne Forder, the...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Fire Board discussed the possibility of an Assistant Fire Chief and providing a stipend for officers at their June 21 meeting. Seeley Lake Fire Chief Bob Vanden Heuvel told the board he needs more time to determine what duties and responsibilities he would ask of an assistant chief and of his officers and what it is worth to the department and the individuals. Vanden Heuvel said that the most important thing now is for those in charge to be able to cover the chief’s duties and assist with some of the projects. H...
MISSOULA – Nonresident travelers mean big bucks for Montana. The final 2015 nonresident visitor numbers were released April 27 by the Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research (ITRR) at the University of Montana. Researchers found the 2015 economic contribution of 11.7 million nonresident travelers to Montana was $3.7 billion. These visitors directly supported more than $3.1 billion of economic activity and 46,000 Montana jobs and indirectly supported an additional $2 billion of economic a...
GREENOUGH - It's quiet now, especially when heavy snows descend on the Garnet Mountain Range. More than 120 years ago though, Garnet was a boisterous place, going full blast even in the harsh winter months. Its main link to the lower elevations was a rough and somewhat torturous road that led south along Bear Creek to Bearmouth on the Clark Fork between Drummond and Missoula. The old town is part of a mining district that covered an extensive area of these mountains. Placer gold was first...
SEELEY LAKE - Every year search and rescue crews are called into the backcountry to find recreationists who have gone missing or found themselves in trouble. Carrying a SPOT™ tracker offers peace of mind beyond the boundaries of cell service for the user and their loved ones and increases the ability of search and rescue crews to locate individuals in a timely manner if they need help. The device and service is available at Rocky Mountain Adventure Gear (RMAG) in Seeley Lake to rent or own. SPOT...
SWAN VALLEY - The National Rifle Association (NRA) has developed a motto recently, "The only thing that is going to stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun." Condon resident and local expert Philip Gregory is putting his 20 years of military experience and 13 years as a law enforcement officer to work helping private citizens understand what it means to be the good guy and learn the when, where and how to carry a concealed weapon. While the only required training to obtain a...
SEELEY LAKE – A deadline is a time limit, a stated time when an assignment is due – or when an article must be submitted to the newspaper editor. If the deadline is missed it might mean an F on a school assignment. Or it might mean an article or ad won’t make it into the next issue of the Seeley Swan Pathfinder. Problematic as those scenarios are, they won’t be fatal. But when the term was first coined, its meaning was deadly serious. The term originated in American Civil War prison camps. Though there is some evidence “dead line” may have be...
Goal: Owner Josh Anderson of Anderson Construction's goal is to do quality work for a reasonable cost. History: Anderson has worked in the construction business for 21 years. While working for other contractors, many homeowners asked him to do side jobs for them. "It just seemed like [the time] to start my own business. I have been busy ever since," wrote Anderson. Anderson started Anderson Construction in 2005. While he does a lot of jobs on his own, he has experienced help available when...
God’s Backyard Bible Camp July 12-15 SEELEY LAKE - Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 1655 Airport Road, will be hosting God’s Backyard Bible Camp July 12-15 from 5:30-8:30pm. Children ages 2-12 are welcome. For more information call or text Mary at 406-544-8551. Beat the Back-To-School Rush for Immunizations MISSOULA - Any school-age kids coming to the Missoula City-County Health Department, 301 W. Alder in Missoula, for immunizations between now and July 31 get to enter their name into a drawing for fun prizes. Parents must bring their chi...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley Lake native Breana (Johnson) Cahoon returned for the Fourth of July weekend with her band Code Red. Code Red performed impromptu for a street dance in the parking lot of D&B Auto/Parts Plus Saturday night to kick off the weekend. Monday night they entertained on the lawn of Lindey's Prime Steak House starting their performance a couple hours before the fireworks. Code Red is a four-piece, family friendly rock/country cover band from Eugene, Ore. Cahoon is their lead singer...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Rural Fire District Board of Trustees raised Seeley Lake Fire Chief Bob Vanden Heuvel’s salary from $35,000 to $50,000 plus benefits following a special meeting June 15. Even though Vanden Heuvel had another job offer pending, he agreed to continue working as the Seeley Lake Fire Chief. Trustee Scott Kennedy told the board that Vanden Heuvel was considering a job offer. “I’ve always felt he has been underpaid as a fire chief,” said Kennedy. “Whether he is here or not here, there is not a fire chief I know that make...
POTOMAC - Nancy Linnell always wanted to be a teacher. Throughout her childhood whenever she was asked about what she wanted to be when she grew up her answer remained the same, to be a teacher. She did so for 24 years including 21 years at Potomac School before retiring. Nancy was born on a farm in North Dakota, seventh out of 13 children. During the 1950s her family moved to Missoula because her father was looking for different work opportunities. When Nancy was in eighth grade she was...
SEELEY LAKE - Steve and Cheri Thompson celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary June 25. After knowing each other for only a few days, Steve proposed. The couple said the rest is history. Steve was a senior at the University of Montana in September, 1965. Steve was in charge of freshman orientation that was held three days prior to the first day of classes at Camp Paxson. He was leading a staff meeting in the lobby of Turner Hall when he heard a pitter-patter in the room next door. Cheri, a...
Part I and II traced the beginnings of the Seeley Swan Pathfinder from its creation by the Potters and the Vernons through its ownership by Gary Noland and Millie Jette. SEELEY LAKE - Caroline and Dwight Jenkins assumed ownership of the Seeley Swan Pathfinder March 4, 2004. As had owners Gary Noland and Millie Jette before them, the Jenkinses said their move to the Seeley Lake area originated from a desire to trade the stress of city living for a more community-oriented lifestyle and the chance...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Sewer District (SLSD) board passed a resolution clarifying the responsibilities of the district and landowners if the proposed system is built. The board also discussed the funding package and next fiscal year’s budget at its June 16 meeting. The resolution states that the district will continue to include the cost of hooking up customers who connect as the collection system is initially constructed. However, restoration of improvements will be the responsibility of the landowner. The sewer district will bear t...
Bandit is the true story of a dog that walked 96 miles across the Bob Marshall Wilderness in two days through the 2007 Ahorn Fire near Augusta, Mont. Bandit's family, Tucker and Amy Mills and their sons, Bryar and Turk of Mills Wilderness Adventures (www.millswildernessadventures.com) were on a wilderness trip with guests when the fire blew up behind them blocking their way home. After crossing the wilderness to end their trip at the Holland Lake Trailhead near Condon, Mont., Bandit went...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Council (SLCC) hosted discussion on U.S. Forest Service (USFS) trails maintenance and provided an update on its traffic study at its June 13 meeting. The council also endorsed the Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Project (BCSP). Seeley Lake District Ranger Rachel Feigley gave an overview of the trails on the district. There are 126 miles of trail in the Scapegoat Wilderness, 263 miles of hiking and horse trails outside the wilderness and 312 miles of snowmobile trails. Feigley explained that there are a...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley-Swan Medical Center Foundation and the Seeley-Swan Hospital District Boards would like to invite the community to an open house at the Medical Center on Thursday, June 30 at 6:00 p.m. to celebrate the 45-Year Anniversary of the Seeley-Swan Medical Center. The celebration is a perfect time to get the word out that the people in the Seeley Lake area own the Seeley-Swan Medical Center. They pay taxes that helps maintain the clinic, elect the clinic's board and own the...
SWAN VALLEY - Nearly 65 people gathered on the lawn of the Upper Swan Valley Historical Society (USVHS) museum June 3 to hear stories about the former Rustics of Lindbergh Lake (Rustics) from people who were employed by the log home company. USVHS president Steve Lamar said log crafters started settling the Swan Valley one hundred years ago. He shared how Rustics got started when Jim Busch had an idea for a way to make a living and at the same time help valley residents gain employment. Jim...
SEELEY LAKE - Students, teachers and community members from Lolo, Potomac, Seeley Lake and the Swan Valley gathered at Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE) school for Phlight Club June 15-17. Phlight Club used the seven colors of the rainbow to offer a full spectrum approach to help junior high youth and adults build webs of support by strengthening relationships, building trust and learning how to better communicate. SLE's Behavior Support Coordinator Angela Harris worked with SLE Superintendent Chris...
Seeley Lake Library News SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Library’s Story Time has moved to a new time and takes place on Wednesdays at 2 p.m. Children of all ages are welcome. A light snack is served. The library has life jackets in a variety of sizes available for checkout. For more information, call 406-677-8995. The Seeley Lake Library is a branch of Missoula Public Library located at Seeley-Swan High School. The library is open to the public on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. and Wednesdays from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Missoula to...
OVANDO - The Blackfoot Valley CattleWomen (BVC) hosted an event at the Ender Ranch in Ovando June 6 to promote beef as a healthy, practical food. The BVC are a group of local beef producers who believe in the beef industry, its importance in the Montana economy and how beef is essential in every balanced diet, according to member, producer and Potomac resident Jody Wills. The BVC wants "to do all in our power to instill in the coming generations the love of the land and of life," a part of the...
SEELEY LAKE - At 7:15 a.m. Wednesday, June 8, staff at Seeley Lake Elementary discovered a multitude of items had been stolen from the school. Between the hours of 9 p.m. and 7:15 a.m., a large number of computers, laptops, tablets, digital cameras, band instruments and various items were taken. “The cash value of what was taken was actually pretty low,” said SLE Superintendent Chris Stout. However, Stout estimates the replacement cost for the items will be around $2,000. The two Bach trombones will be the most expensive to replace. “It makes m...
SWAN VALLEY - After working for the Condon Post Office for two months short of 31 years, Ellie Greenough is looking forward to her retirement. Greenough has seen a lot of changes and worked through many challenges. Working with her customers has always been her favorite part of the job and what she will miss the most. Greenough moved to the Swan Valley in April 1978. She worked various jobs until being offered the postmaster relief/leave replacement (PMR) position at the Condon Post Office....
SEELEY LAKE – Nineteen eighth-graders graduated from Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE) June 9. Students were recognized for their accomplishments and given advice as they move onto high school. The students chose SLE sixth grade teacher Sharon Teague to be the keynote speaker at their event. Teague began teaching sixth grade ten years ago when this class was in preschool. Teague recapped the years the students had spent at SLE, from their preschool years through junior high. From academics to time o...
WHITEFISH - The Seeley Swan Pathfinder won seven awards in the 2016 Better Newspaper Awards Division 1 at the 131st Annual Convention of the Montana Newspaper Association (MNA). Lincoln's Blackfoot Valley Dispatch also came home with four awards. Nathan Bourne and Betty Vanderwielen were both recognized for their photography. Bourne took the second and third places for his sports photos. Second place was for his Helmville Rodeo photo. "If you look closely at the photo, the cowboy and the stear...
Part I reviewed the history of the Seeley Swan Pathfinder from its conception by the Potters and the Vernons to their decision to sell it. SEELEY LAKE – On Aug. 4, 1987 Gary Noland and Millie Jette assumed ownership of the Seeley Swan Pathfinder. In what Dick Potter named as his 116th editorial, he called Noland and Jette the "new pathfinders" and said, "We are convinced that our successors have what it takes to propel Pathfinder to greater heights." In the same issue, a feature article w...
Results shown for contested races and the top three of the presidential race....
Submitted by the Upper Swan Valley Historical Society. Reprinted from the Library of Congress Manuscript Division Gifford Pinchot, who later became chief of the U.S. Forest Service, was working for the National Forest Commission in 1896 when he traveled south through the Swan Valley with Jack Monroe, a trapper and guide. In the previous installment of the seven-part series, they had used deer carcasses for bait and shot a bear. I was using the .30 caliber Government smokeless cartridge in the new model Winchester, with a soft-nosed bullet. The...
Grizzly Claw Trading Co. manager, Kathy Kinzfogl, gives scholarships to Seeley Swan graduates Kyndee Schmitz and Eliana Robinett. Each year the Grizzly Claw awards money from used book sales to graduating seniors. Over $4,000 in scholarship money has been awarded. "We feel it is important to give something back to the community for all the support it gives to us," said owners Susan and Dee Baker. Schmitz will attend Carroll College in Helena, and Eliana heads to Montana State University in...
The Seeley-Swan Medical Center Foundation and the Seeley-Swan Hospital District Boards would like to invite the community to an open house at the Medical Center Thursday, June 30 at 6 p.m. to celebrate 45 years of the Seeley-Swan Medical Center. The 45-Year Anniversary is the perfect time to celebrate the community owned clinic. It is also a perfect time to review how the medical center came to belong to the community and how it grew. An Ounce of Prevention - The First Thirty Years of the...
SEELEY LAKE - After 23 years as head cook at Seeley Swan High School (SSHS), Connie Betson is hanging up her apron. While she will miss the students, she is looking forward to travelling and having more time to do the things that she enjoys. Betson ran a day care for nine years. When all of the children she cared for were going into first grade, she saw it as an opportunity to try something new. "When the job became available at the high school I thought it was something I would enjoy doing,"...
SEELEY LAKE - Thirteen Seeley Lake Elementary kindergarteners participated in their completion ceremony June 9. Friends, family and members of the community got to see and hear about what they learned throughout the year. Teacher Sheila Devins said that the group is a musical group and she used a lot of music with them. They also did a lot of activities as a part of the International Baccalaureate Program. "We had a lot of fun this year and these students were active, engaged learners," said...
SWAN VALLEY - Eighth-grader Jayla Kauffman graduated from Swan Valley School along with five kindergarteners June 8. Superintendent Chris Stout told the Swan Valley students they aren't missing out on anything growing up in the Swan Valley. He called them, "the last great generation." In all of his travels, the Swan Valley School is the last place that students still play on a playground merry-go-round. Kauffman moved to Condon from Pennsylvania when she was in second grade. She said she has...
Fire Danger MODERATE in Missoula County Fuels conditions across Missoula County have prompted Missoula County Fire Protection Association (MCFPA) to move to MODERATE fire danger as of June 13. Two recent lightning-caused fires on the Lolo and Bitterroot National Forests have grown rapidly under windy conditions and several debris pile fires lit by citizens in valley bottoms have spread away from the pile while unattended and consumed out-buildings in the process. Wildland fire agencies would like to extend a large “Thank You” to the tho...
SEELEY LAKE – Twenty-eight graduating seniors bid farewell to Seeley-Swan High School (SSHS) the afternoon of June 5. While a few tears were shed for the memories and friendships of the past four years, the excitement of the future captured the attention of the graduates as they walked out of the SSHS gymnasium for the last time as students. This year's class graduated with more than 220 college credits. Three of the students have enough credits, they will start their college career as s...
SEELEY LAKE - Finances are no longer a barrier to chiropractic care in the Clearwater, Blackfoot and Swan Valleys. Seeley Lake chiropractor Lance Bohlman started a local chapter of Hands for Life. The purpose is to serve the part of the community that is either not insured, underinsured for chiropractic care, or can't afford regular priced services. Bohlman also provides food and water to those who need it. Bohlman spent his first 15 years in chiropractic practice in Reno, Nev. He relocated to...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake residents Barbara and Glen Knopp celebrated 50 years of marriage this May. Through the ups and the downs, Barbara said it's been their faith, families and perseverance that have kept their marriage strong. Everyone is invited to celebrate with them at an Open House Saturday, June 11 from 12-4 p.m. at the Seeley Lake Community Hall. Barbara was raised in Polson, Mont. Glen lived in St. Ignatius, Mont. While Barbara's father Mordie Newgard and Glen's mother Rose Knopp a...
SEELEY LAKE – An anniversary is a time for remembering the beginning, for looking at then and tracing the path to now. As the Seeley Swan Pathfinder prepares for its 30th Anniversary Celebration June 25, it seems appropriate to revisit the when, how and why of the Pathfinder's beginnings. Condon resident Suzanne Vernon said that in 1986 fate matched her and her husband Sheldon with former Seeley Lake residents Dick and Michele Potter to create a weekly newspaper. Though another paper, The Valley...
SEELEY LAKE - An overview of the U.S. Forest Service’s trail maintenance plan for the area will kick off the next Seeley Lake Community Council (SLCC) meeting. Rachel Feigley, Seeley Lake District Ranger, will talk about how competing demands for firefighting and shrinking budgets will affect trail maintenance. Next on the agenda is the Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Project (BCSP), a decade-long effort that involves timber, recreation and conservation in a landscape-sized proposal and which enjoys the support of loggers, hunters, r...
SEELEY LAKE - As part of its mission, the Seeley Lake Community Foundation (SLCF) endeavors to help charitable groups in Seeley Lake fund projects to benefit the community. In this capacity, the SLCF strives to be a community resource and catalyst for innovative approaches to improving the quality of life in Seeley Lake. The Small Grants Program supports the ever-changing needs of a community that is diverse and growing. Qualifying non-profit and public organizations are afforded the opportunity to receive assistance from the SLCF, provided the...
SEELEY LAKE - Expanding students' view of wildness, sense of place and wilderness through literature and reading is something Seeley-Swan High School (SSHS) English teacher Lori Messenger strives for. This year, with the help of a $1,000 grant from the University of Montana's Matthew Hanson Endowment Fund of the Montana Community Fund, she and her creative writing students were able to produce the first SSHS literary journal entitled "Backroads of the Mind." The journal is available at Cory's...
SWAN VALLEY - Former Swan Valley resident and centenarian Queveene Talley reached one hundred years of life March 16, 2016. She has outlived her siblings many of whom lived into their 90s and two of her three children. Talley's response when asked how she has lived so long: Hard work, luck, believing that things will get better when things were hard and not giving up. Talley was born in Kalispell, Mont. in 1916. She was the fourth of seven children born to Walter and Hattie Aleatia Colby who...
SALMON PRAIRIE – Graduate Addie Anderson's friends and family filled the Salmon Prairie one-room schoolhouse June 2 to participate in her eighth-grade graduation. Anderson spoke of her two fondest dreams. She wants to audition for "The Voice" and have a successful singing and songwriting career. She said she hopes to travel to Nashville, Tenn., work hard to get a record deal and record an album. Anderson also wants to go to Paris, France. "It sounds like such a beautiful and magical place full o...
SEELEY LAKE – Tattoo artist Philip Lambert opened Sole Tattoo on Elaine's Way north of Seeley Lake Jan. 1, 2016. Lambert has been tattooing for 15 years and loves when his clients bring him an idea and give him the freedom to expand on it. He strives to give people the highest quality work at a reasonable price. Lambert attended the Art Institute of Pittsburg for special effects. After graduating with an Associate's Degree in Industrial Design Technology he realized how difficult it would be t...
CORRECTION: The Whalen Cabin that was recently moved to the Swan Valley Museum was donated to the Upper Swan Valley Historical Society by Roger Donald of Condon. Sharon Gressle and her relatives funded the move. Delegate Selection County Convention – June 9 MISSOULA - The Missoula County Democrats are calling their 2016 Democratic Delegate Selection County Convention to be held Thursday, June 9 at 6 p.m. at Hellgate High School, Main Auditorium, 900 S. Higgins Ave., Missoula. They will caucus w...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley-Swan High School (SSHS) seniors received scholarships from several different organizations and were recognized for outstanding achievement at the Senior Awards Ceremony, June 2. Math teacher Annette Johnson and SSHS Principal and English teacher Dr. Kathleen Pecora offered dual enrollment classes again this year. The class has earned more than 220 college credits. Seven students earned 10 or more college credits at SSHS. Jesse Weis and Stephanie Robbins earned more than 20...
HELENA - Last Thursday a delegation from the Seeley Lake Community Council (SLCC) appeared before the MT Transportation Commission to plead the case for lower speed limits in town. After testimony and back-and-forth questions, the commission voted to postpone a decision until their next mee...
The Swan Pond is a spring fed gravel pit owned by Montana Department of Natural Resources (DNRC) It has been open since 2005. The Swan Pond is for the benefit of young people. Anglers 15 years of age and younger can keep one fish a day. It is catch and release for those older. Trout culturist Mark Setzer from the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks hatchery in Anaconda, Mont. (left) prepares to send the 500 westslope cutthroat trout into the Swan Pond through the pipe. The tank, which held the...
SEELEY LAKE - The Missoula County Public Schools (MCPS) School Board unanimously approved the $1,596,600 construction bid for the Seeley-Swan High School expansion and renovations at their May 24 meeting. Wadsworth Builders Company of Great Falls, Mont. was the lowest bidder of four bids. They will begin the project as soon as school adjourns contingent on successful contract negotiations. Four contractors bid on the project. Langlas & Associates, Inc. of Missoula, Mont. was the highest bidder at $1,946,250. Sletten Construction of Great Falls...
KALISPELL – Flathead National Forest campgrounds started opening in early May and all campgrounds, weather permitting, opened Memorial Day Holiday Weekend. Holland Lake, Swan Lake, Emery Bay, Murray Bay, Devil Creek, Lid Creek, Lost Johnny Camp and Lost Johnny Point, Doris Point Camp and Boat, Riverside, Big Creek, and Tally Lake Campgrounds are open. These campgrounds and recreation areas are operated by the forest concessionaire Flathead Valley Campgrounds. The one change this year is that Holland Lake Campground has a day use fee of five d...
State and local public health officials are reminding Montanans to be aware of the risk for exposure to rabies as summer approaches. From 2009 to 2015, 162 animals submitted for testing to the Montana Department of Livestock (DOL) were positive for rabies. Most of the animals were bats, some were skunks, and a few were other wild and domestic animals. Rabies is a fatal disease. The rabies virus is carried in the saliva of infected warm-blooded mammals and is usually transmitted to people and other animals through a bite. Bats are a great...
HELENA – The Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Project (BCSP) announced a monthly video series to showcase the conservation, recreation and forest restoration plan the community has spent a decade vetting. The goal of the increased communication efforts is to influence the Montana delegation to move forward with a plan to see the citizen proposal completed through federal legislation. The first video in the series can be viewed at www.blackfootclearwater.org. “Enough is enough. Some of us are nearing the end of the trail and we can’t wait anoth...
The Seeley Lake Community Council hosted a candidate forum, May 9, at the Seeley Lake Community Hall. Candidates from the Public Service Commission (PSC) District 4, House District (HD) 92 and Missoula County Commissioner races answered various questions from moderator Klaus von Sutterheim and the audience. This week the Pathfinder features the candidates for Missoula County Commissioner. The PSC and HD 92 debate is available on the Pathfinder's website, www.seeleylake.com Three commissioner can...
SWAN VALLEY - The Whalen homestead cabin is now at home on the Swan Valley museum site. It was located on the Donald property visible from the Kraft Creek road. Sharon Gressle a descendant of the homesteaders along with her relatives donated the cabin and the moving costs to the Upper Swan Valley Historical Society. The Swan Valley Museum and Heritage Site opened to the public on Memorial Day weekend. It will now be open every Thursday through Sunday through Labor Day weekend...
POTOMAC - The Ten Mile Drivers Club (TMD) from Helena arrived in Potomac May 27. With a recreational permit from the Montana Department of Natural Resources (DNRC), they explored the local forests and roads using horse and mule drawn wagons, carts and mounted riders. They stayed with Potomac residents Ray and Brenda Woodside. The TMD hosts monthly driving events and clinics around the state. The Memorial Day weekend in Potomac was the first pleasure get-together drive of 2016 for the club. More...
SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley Regional Planning Committee (SVRPC) meeting held May 26 was led by the new chair Ken Donovan. Edits to the draft regional plan continued focused on recommendations from the Swan Valley school board. The SVRPC made edits to the Draft Plan using comments from School District No. 33 School Board. The school board pointed out in its comments that the word ecosystem was not used correctly in the 1.0 Element named Natural Resources and Environment. According to the comments, ecosystem is too broad a term to use when...
OVANDO – Ovando School's eight students hosted their annual May Day Tea May 25. They took those in attendance on a journey through the first 85 years of American History. Three of Sunset School's students also joined the group for a few of the skits. The whole performance was written and created by the students. The audience watched as students took them through colonial times, highlights of the first 15 presidencies and western expansion following the Louisiana Purchase and slavery. Students h...
GREENOUGH - Sunset School wrapped up the year with the annual program May 26. Claire Kelley celebrated her graduation from kindergarten and the other three students were recognized for their accomplishments throughout the year. Teacher Toni Hatten said that Sunset School enrollment is "ever changing." While there were five students to start and end the year, they were not the same students. "Kids cycle in and out and develop friendships very quickly," said Hatten. "They are helpful, supportive,...
OVANDO – Ovando School celebrated Jesse McKay's graduation from eighth grade at the annual May Day Tea. McKay will attend Drummond High School next year. True to tradition, each of the students shared memories about McKay and his time at Ovando School. McKay also read his wills for each student and teacher upon his leaving. McKay's mother, Bri read his prophecy. Finally, before receiving his diploma, there was a photo slide show of McKay growing up. "The sky is not the limit for you Jesse," s...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley-Swan High School (SSHS) band and choirs hosted their annual spring concert, May 24. In addition to several large, small and solo pieces, the SSHS Creative Writing class added to the evening. The band and choir shared several selections, some of which they played at the District Music Festival in April. Members of Swan Valley School's advanced band Aspen Conley, Rose Mercer, Kinley Moore and Seth Richardson joined the SSHS band on their District Music Festival piece "Dark...
As Montanans look to enjoy the great outdoors this spring and summer, Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) and local public health officials urge everyone to follow a few simple steps to prevent tick bites and their illnesses: Limit, Repel, and Inspect. State public health officials receive an average of eight tick-borne illness reports every year, the most common being Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Tularemia and Colorado Tick Fever. “The best defense against tick-borne illnesses is by spraying your legs, ankles, pants...
MISSOULA - Missoula County residents may see a new postcard arriving in their mailbox. As of Friday, May 20 the Missoula County Clerk of District Court’s office sent 10,000 notice of jury mailers. For the first time, the questionnaire as to qualification for jury service is now being collected online; a shift that will eliminate postage costs for the potential juror and the county. “We are looking to ease this process within District Court for our citizens,” Clerk of Court, Shirley Faust said. “This will allow us to compile the data electronica...
Swan Valley AARP Meeting, June 6 SWAN VALLEY – Who, what, where are the animals in the Swan? That will be the program Monday, June 6 for the Swan Valley AARP at the Swan Valley Community Hall in Condon. Adam Lieberg of Swan Valley Connections will give a presentation of the Swan Valley carnivores. The group is to meet at noon for a potluck at 12:30 p.m. The program will start at 1:45 p.m. to which the public is invited. Hosts are Nina and Dennis Monson. International Fair June 7 SWAN VALLEY - Swan Valley School will host its International F...
SWAN VALLEY - The Mission Mountains Mercantile (Merc) and Swan Valley Real Estate office were destroyed by fire in the early morning hours of May 18. No one was injured and the cause of the fire is under investigation. The structure has been determined a total loss. At approximately 12:22 a.m. a fire was reported at the Merc on Highway 83. The Swan Valley Fire Department was dispatched to the scene. Swan Valley Fire Chief Randy Williams said that about a third of his personnel did not get the...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake resident Robert Kelley took his eight-year-old grandson Noah antler hunting for the first time when the Blackfoot/Clearwater Wildlife Management Area (Game Range) opened May 15. On Tuesday, May 17, the sheds they found were stolen from his truck near Kozy Korner. Kelley along with his brother Kevin, son James and grandson Noah waited for three hours at the gate of the Game Range for it to open at noon. Kelley was lucky enough to find a matching set of six-point elk s...
As Memorial Day 2016 quickly approaches, we must remember not to take for granted the three-day holiday that you will be enjoying with family and friends. It’s not just time for a fun long weekend but a time to take a few moments to remember those warriors and heroes that have fallen in battle throughout our history. Because of their sacrifices we are able to enjoy our freedom and the opportunities that our country offers. You should take the time to experience a Memorial Day ceremony in your community and honor these men and women that are n...
GREENOUGH - On May 9 at approximately 6 p.m. it was discovered that three tractors sitting in the Paws Up field near Hwy 200 at about mile post 28.5 were vandalized. A drill was used to puncture a hole in each of the 24 tires causing more than $26,000 worth of damage. The victim was a private contractor doing work for Paws Up. Sergeant Bob Parcell said that the motive is unknown and the vandalism is under investigation. "Somebody definitely has a problem with someone to do that," said Parcell....
SEELEY LAKE – On Friday, May 20 someone from out of the area forced entry at a residence north of Seeley Lake on Highway 83. The intruder was stabbed by the resident and later transported to Missoula via ambulance. Charges are pending on the stabbed victim. There are currently no charges against the homeowner who did not sustain any injuries. Sergeant Bob Parcell said the out-of-towner had a civil dispute with the homeowner. He knocked on the door and when the homeowner opened the door he assaulted the homeowner. Once inside, the intruder w...
SEELEY LAKE – Spring 2016 marks the fifth time Seeley-Swan High School (SSHS) teacher Trace Stone escorted a group of students to South America. The opportunity was open to any high school student willing to help raise the required funds, approximately $1,700 per person. This year Stone and Seeley Lake Elementary School teacher Bridget Laird took 10 students to Costa Rica. When Stone started the program in 2010, he named it Destinations for Education. He has taken groups to Ecuador, Panama, G...
The Seeley Lake Community Council hosted a candidate forum, May 9, at the Seeley Lake Community Hall. Candidates from the Public Service Commission (PSC) District 4, House District (HD) 92 and Missoula County Commissioners races answered various questions from moderator Klaus von Sutterheim and the audience. This week the Pathfinder features the candidates for HD 92. Look for the County Commissioners debate in the next issue. The PSC debate is on the Pathfinder's website, www.seeleylake.com Four...
SEELEY LAKE - Though bird banding usually does not start until June, a group from the University of Montana Bird Ecology Lab set up their station May 21 to enable Seeley Lake Elementary School (SLE) students and parents an opportunity to observe the bird-banding process. The activity was another parent-child opportunity supported by the 21st Century grant. The Seeley Lake banding area is classified as a mixed forest/willow riparian area. Mike Krzywicki, who is in charge of the Bird Ecology...
SEELEY LAKE - Loving Hearts Thrift Store held their annual Fashion Show and Luncheon Saturday, May 21. In addition to enjoying a lunch and entertainment, those in attendance saw the latest fashions at Loving Hearts modeled by volunteers and were updated on the giving through Loving Hearts. Volunteer coordinator Cassy Swain said that since January, Loving Hearts has given $4,915 back to the community helping those in need after emergency financial hardship or offering short-term help with...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE) school board accepted the resignation of Brenda Ashmore and Angela Good from their current positions for the 2016-2017 school year. They also approved all the teachers and staff contracts with the exception of the physical education teacher. Ashmore will be retiring at the end of the year after 10 years at SLE. Good submitted her resignation from the preschool. The board voted unanimously to hire all the teachers and specialists with the exception of physical education teacher Andy Sieges. Board m...
GREENOUGH – Sunset School students competed in Silverwood's Physics Day Roller Coaster contest May 18. They were one of 30 teams with students from junior high to high school age. This was the first time Sunset School competed in the event at the theme park in Athol, Idaho. Sunset School teacher Toni Hatten said they saw the Physics Day in a brochure they received and she thought it would be a great extension to their Forces and Motion Unit. Lucas Nygard, Reagan Fox, Hanarose Groom, and Isaac Mo...
SEELEY LAKE - In Missoula County, feelings of hopelessness, drug use and suicide rates continue to rise among its middle and high school students. So how can this wave of alarming trends be reversed? Brightways Learning, a Missoula-based educational nonprofit organization, and Seeley Lake Elementary School District (SLE) announced that they will be hosting two youth development events in June that will make a positive difference in the lives of Montana youth, families, schools and communities. Kaleidoscope Academy, a two-day youth development...
Submitted by the Upper Swan Valley Historical Society. Reprinted from the Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Gifford Pinchot, who later became chief of the U.S. Forest Service, was working for the National Forest Commission in 1896 when he traveled south through the Swan Valley with Jack Monroe, a trapper and guide. In the previous installment of the seven-part series, they had finally located the deserted cabin, baked biscuits from the flour they found, and killed two deer. I left the carcasses on the ground and three fat hams hanging...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley-Swan Mountain Bells presented Music Galore IV, May 22. The handbell choir along with several local musicians shared their talent. Pictured (L-R): Margaret Sandor, Carole Rice, Laurel Deniger, Mary Miester, Julie Samuli, Janet Whitesell, Glen Stocking & Joann Wallenburn. The group was conducted by Bev Evans....
SEELEY LAKE - Chuck Jonkel recently passed away after a distinguish career of being recognized as one of the leading bear authorities. More than three decades ago, Jonkel made tracks in the Seeley Lake area as the idea of protecting grizzly bear, including transplanting them to recover their population and enlarge their occupied habitat, was beginning to jell. In the early 1980s, I remember him making a presentation about the grizzly bear situation to what was then the Seeley-Condon Chamber of...
SWAN VALLEY - Swan Valley Elementary (SVE) School students, from preschool to eighth grade, performed in their annual spring concert for family and friends May 17. This year's concert theme was "Color Our World" in which the students displayed their musical skills they had acquired under the direction of music director Kaytee Ambrozich. Most of the selections had to do with color while others according to Ambrozich, the students chose themselves. They decided on "Stand" and "Brown Eyed Girl."...
HELENA — Beginning in May and lasting throughout the summer, Montana Wilderness Association (MWA) is offering more than 100 free day hikes, field trips, trail building and maintenance projects and wildland inventory outings across some of the state’s most magnificent backcountry, including wilderness areas, proposed wilderness areas and roadless lands. Since the program’s beginnings in July of 1962, when MWA founders Ken and Florence Baldwin led 40 hikers on the first Wilderness Walk to Table Mountain in the Spanish Peaks, the intention of th...
Rides Offered to Seeley Lake From Swan Valley SWAN VALLEY – Condon Community Church is offering transportation for Swan Valley residents to Seeley Lake for groceries, fuel and other necessities. They have a 12-passenger van and volunteer drivers to help those in need. If interested please call coordinator Patricia Busby, 406-754-0044. Logistics will be arranged based on the need and schedules of those interested. Rustics and Log Home Building in the Swan Valley – A Program by the USVHS SWAN VALLEY - Join the Upper Swan Valley Historical Society...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake volunteer firefighters responded to a motorhome fire on Gull Port in Seeley Lake Monday, May 16 around 11:30 a.m. The fire was contained to the motorhome and a large enclosed car trailer. No one was injured. When Incident Commander and Seeley Lake Rural Fire District Captain Shawn Ellinghouse arrived at the residence, the back of the RV was fully involved. He was told there were also flames inside the car trailer. The first engine to arrive started suppressing the f...
SEELEY LAKE - The Hellgate Civilian Shooters wrapped up the regular season and have been participating in post-season invitation matches starting with Regional Championships at the end of March. The shooters finished third out of 16 invited teams at the Three Position (3P) Air Gun Regional Championships in Sandy, Utah. They earned an invite to the National Championships end of June at Camp Perry, Ohio. This is the first time the Hellgate Civilian Shooters team has been invited to shoot at the...
SEELEY LAKE - Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) are continuing their mission to remove smallmouth bass, a non-native, illegally introduced species, from Seeley Lake. After installing radio transmitters and tracking smallmouth's movement in 2014, they learned that the bass congregate in spring to spawn in the south bay of Seeley Lake. This is the third year they have set trap nets in the south bay in an effort to remove spawning smallmouth from the fishery. Although there were unconfirmed...
SEELEY LAKE - After earning a superior rating at the district music festival April 16, Seeley-Swan High School (SSHS) senior Kim Kellogg competed in the state music competition in Helena in May. She again received the top rating for her solo "Homeward Bound" by Marta Keen. She was the only SSHS musician this year to attend state. Kellogg has been singing ever since she was a little girl. Both of her parents sang with various groups. Kellogg believes this is why she was born with a love for...
SWAN VALLEY - The Mission Mountains Mercantile was destroyed by fire in the early morning hours of May 18. At approximately 12:22 a.m. a fire was reported at the Mission Mountains Mercantile on Highway 83. The Swan Valley Fire Department was dispatched to the scene. A short time later assistance was requested from the Seeley Lake Fire Department. When fire personnel arrived on-scene the blaze was towards the back of the gas station, but quickly moved to the front of the structure. The building... Full story
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Foundation (SLCF) is trying a new approach to how they financially support local organizations. The inaugural Change Your Pace Challenge offers 14 local organizations the opportunity to raise up to $5,000 from May 20-July 22. The funds raised will be matched by the SLCF for a total of $30,000 available match funding. The SLCF offers two grant cycles each year during which 501(c) 3 organizations can apply for up to $2,500. The grants are made possible throu...
SEELEY LAKE – Volunteers with the Seeley Lake Rural Fire District (SLRFD) and Swan Valley Emergency Services (SVES) spent their weekend May 14-15 improving their knowledge of trauma response. The 16-hour class, taught by state certified instructors, earns Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) a Pre-hospital Trauma Life Support (PHTLS) certification and, as lead instructor Shari Graham said, "improves patient outcomes from trauma related injuries." Graham, the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) S...
SEELEY LAKE - The Wilderness Sportsman's Club (WSC) held their annual Range Cleanup Day, May 15 at the Seeley Lake Gun Range on Cottonwood Lakes Road. A new berm at 500 yards was built last year at the end of the rifle range to prevent the possibility of striking a vehicle on East Morrell Road. Shooters are expected to pack out all their trash when they leave. The WSC has enough used tires for the pistol range so donations are no longer needed. The WSC requests anyone using the range donates $5...
by Nathan Bourne Pathfinder The Seeley Lake Community Council hosted a candidate forum, May 9 at the Seeley Lake Community Hall. Candidates from the Public Service Commission (PSC) District 4, House District (HD) 92 and Missoula County Commissioners races answered various questions from moderator Klaus von Sutterheim and the audience. This week the Pathfinder is featuring the candidates for the PSC. Look for HD 92 and County Commissioners in the following weeks. Three PSC candidates attended...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Council (SLCC) was informed at its May 9 meeting that a new study would be done on crosswalks across Highway 83 in Seeley Lake. The council's budget and appointed position was also discussed. The new study is a step toward implementing some of the council's recommendations for pedestrian safety created during its traffic project last summer. Councilman Duane Schlabach reported that he met with Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) and Missoula County...
SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley Regional Planning Committee (SVRPC) met to address and edit more of the Swan Valley Regional Draft Plan (SVRP) May 11. Edits and comments from Swan Valley Elementary District No. 33 School Board and residents were utilized. The committee voted to table Section 1.2 Habitat Types of the SVRP until the next meeting. It was agreed the comments needed further study. SVRPC member Dave Johnson said that since none on the committee were well versed in habitat types, the committee should come back to it. He said the...
POTOMAC - More than 60 years ago Missoulian and 4-H supporter Tony Rollin created the first "Drama Festival" where Missoula County 4-H clubs produced plays and skits using 4-H members as the talent. Potomac Valley, Blue Mountain, Lolo Peak, Bearcreek Buckaroos and the Mullen Trail Mustangs 4-H Clubs brought acting competition to the Potomac/Greenough Community Center (PGCC) Sunday May 15. Festival judges Hannah Fradkin and Amy Kalil are volunteers from the Missoula Children's Theatre. Potomac...
SEELEY LAKE –Art Mobile of Montana sent its 2016 traveling art gallery to Swan Valley Elementary School (SVE) and Seeley Lake Elementary School (SLE) May 9 and 11. Teaching artist Shelby Johnson told each group of students the art pieces she brought were created by contemporary Montana artists. She explained the artists each had their own unique way of seeing things and used a variety of art materials and methods to convey what they saw and felt. The students got an opportunity to look at all t...
SEELEY LAKE - Sparrow's Vine Pregnancy Resource Center hosted their second annual Ladies Tea and Open House March 14. The purpose of the event was twofold: to thank the community for its support and tell the community what has been happening at Sparrow's Vine. Attendees were served a variety of appetizers, desserts and tea selections, given the opportunity to tour the new center, win door prizes and socialize. Now in its new location in the Bison and Bear Center and under the leadership of...
Everyone is invited to the Ovando School May Day Tea & Graduation May 25 at 1pm at Ovando School...
Everyone is invited to the Sunset School End of Year Celebration & Graduation May 26 at 2pm at Sunset School...
For The Seeley Lake Water District P.O. Box 503, Seeley Lake, MT, 59868 (406) 677-2559 We are pleased to present to you this year's Annual Water Quality Report. This report is designed to inform you about the quality of the water and services we deliver to you every day. Our constant goal is to provide you with a safe and dependable drinking water. We want you to understand the efforts we make to continually improve the water treatment process and protect our water resources. We are committed...
Landowner Seminar Addressing Climate Change, May 21 MISSOULA - Join Five Valleys Land Trust and the Missoula Weed District for a “Healthy Acres Landowner Seminar” May 21 from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the Grant Creek Inn in Missoula. Land management topics will include: Montana climate past, present and future; Blackfoot Watershed Drought Response Plan; Looking to the past to prepare for tomorrow’s climate; and Invasive plants and climate change. The seminar is free with lunch included. Please RSVP to Steffany at 406-258-4211 or email Steffan...
GREENOUGH - The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) and local volunteer fire departments have responded to five lightning-caused wildfires in the Clearwater/Blackfoot area in the wake of a widespread lightning storm Thursday, May 5, All of the fires were less than an acre except for one near Elbow Lake that grew to 5.9 acres. The five fires included: Ashby Creek, 0.1 acres; Garnet Range Road, 0.1 acres; Boot Tree Road, 0.1 acres; Elbow Lake, 5.9 acres and Snowmass,...
Members of the Seeley Lake community took to the polls May 2 to vote on Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE) general fund levy and elect two SLE School Board of Trustees. Those in the Swan and Potomac Valleys voted on a mail-in ballot for two representatives for the Swan Valley Community Council and one person for the Greenough/Potomac Fire Board of Trustees. The SLE general fund levy passed by 84 votes. There were 288 votes for and 204 against the $17,056 levy. This will increase taxes on a $100,000 home by $2.98 and on a $200,000 home by $5.96...
SEELEY LAKE – Construction has begun on a new trail connecting Montana Highway 83 to the curbed sidewalk just west of Seeley-Swan High School (SSHS) on Locust Lane. The project is funded by Missoula County through a combination of Federal Community Transportation Enhancement and county road funds. No county parks bond funding has been used. According to Missoula County Director of Public Works Greg Robertson, the location was identified years ago as a potential project. "It made sense to c...
SEELEY LAKE - The Biggest Loser Challenge at Optimal Fitness in Seeley Lake returned for its fourth year. This year Seeley Lake resident Susan Bracha walked away with the first place, $500 cash prize, while Noreen Shamanski took second and Jeromy Stevenson placed third in the challenge. Participants weighed in at Optimal Fitness before Jan. 31 and returned 12 weeks later for their final weigh-in. The winner was determined by percent of weight lost, not total pounds. This year 26 people entered t...
HELENA - Shed-antler hunters and other recreationists planning to visit a Montana Wildlife Management Area (WMA) are reminded that while many popular WMAs open at noon on May 15 including the Blackfoot-Clearwater WMA aka the Game Range, several do not open until June 1. It is illegal to enter a state WMA prior to its formal opening day. Buck deer and bull elk and moose grow antlers each year, some to magnificent size, which drop off to regrow each spring. Hunting for and collecting these “shed” antlers in spring has become a popular act...
SEELEY LAKE – Tuesday, May 3, Seeley Lake Elementary School (SLE) teachers were directed to bring their students to the multi-purpose room for a school assembly. Most of the teachers were puzzled, not knowing the reason for the meeting, though many of the students were in on the secret. Standing alone at the microphone on stage, fourth-grader Ava Thornsberry waited for everyone to be seated. "Today is National Teacher Appreciation Day," Thornsberry announced. "Kids in the school drew pictures f...
GREENOUGH - The evening of May 6 the reception barn at The Paws Up Resort in Greenough was decked out with paintings, drawings and art auction items plus 3-D faces and collaborative murals. The student artists from Ovando and Sunset schools hosted an exhibit of their art at the local ranch. More than 40 people attended including families and friends of the 12 students. Guided by art teacher Ashley Mitchell of Missoula, the students at both schools have the opportunity for a regular art program....
SEELEY LAKE – Nearly a dozen organizations filled the bays of the Seeley Lake Fire Hall for the Community Fire Preparedness Day May 7. The community was invited to get information about how to protect their homes in the event of a wildland fire and how to protect themselves and their family during a structure fire. "We are trying to get the community to realize and understand the risk that they live in in the wildland urban interface. Fire can happen at any time, whether human caused or by l...
SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley Regional Planning Committee (SVRPC) met May 4 to continue edits to the Swan Valley Regional Plan (SVRP). They considered comments from residents and Missoula lawyer Colleen Dowdall. Comments from Swan Valley residents about the definition of the word goal on page 61 of the draft were discussed. SVRPC member Dwayne Forder said that the definition as written was hard to interpret and gave too much leeway for interpretation when the county considers the plan. “We need to make it [the definition] more clear,” For...
Gifford Pinchot, who later became chief of the U.S. Forest Service, was working for the National Forest Commission in 1896 when he traveled south through the Swan Valley with Jack Monroe, a trapper and guide. In the previous installment of the 7-part series, they had failed to reach a deserted cabin where they could find flour, and they had been unlucky hunting bear. We were not more than six miles from Camp Plenty when we started, as we found later on, but at ten a night we were still traveling. The worst of it was that we had had little or...
MISSOULA - Mark Sweeney, who is running for the Montana Public Service Commission (PSC) District 4, has decided to do things a bit differently out on the campaign trail. Aside from spending a lot of time talking with potential voters in the urban areas of Missoula and Hamilton, he decided to take the campaign into the classroom in the more rural areas of the district. PSC District 4 is Montana's western-most District which serves seven counties including Granite, Powell, Ravalli, Missoula,...
SEELEY LAKE – The Alpine Artisans Inc. (AAI) Art Auction and Talent Show Friday, May 6 offered something for every palette. Attendees were able to enjoy and bid on local artists' work while munching on treats and listening to local musicians and poets. All proceeds for the event went to support the AAI student grants, scholarships and outreach activities. AAI Vice President Dona Aitken conceived the idea for the event as a replacement for Wine and Chocolate. "The concept for this event was to p...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE) band hosted their spring concert May 3. In addition to songs with the entire band, the twelve members, from fifth through eighth grade, played solos and small group ensembles as a section. Music Director Kaytee Ambrozich had each of the students introduce themselves and the piece they were going to play to the audience before performing. Many added information about the piece and why they chose it. "Being able to introduce themselves and talk a...
OVANDO - Mark "Mr. B" Braun gave new meaning to the term tinkling the ivories as he filled the Ovando School gymnasium May 5 with foot-stopping, piano rocking, get-up-and-dance blues and boogie-woogie music. Sponsored by the Ovando School Cultural Enrichment Committee, Braun spent the day with the students and offered a free concert Thursday evening in Ovando. He also worked with students in Lincoln and Potomac and gave concerts in Lincoln and in Missoula over the weekend. Braun calls himself an...
Wow, just finished a great week at the clinic here in Seeley Lake, Montana! What a great place to live and what a great place to work. With the advent of spring, we've seen the typical springtime ailments, allergies, tendon problems from track and we are already seeing some springtime trauma-let's be careful out there this season. This week, we've heard from a lot of people concerned about catching MRSA (methicillin resistant staph aureus). This is not just a springtime problem. It's a yearlong...
Goal: Owner Todd McNutt says whether trimming hooves or shoeing horses and mules, he takes his time with each one at every visit. He tries to make it a positive learning experience and to build a strong foundation of trust with each animal he services. History: In 2001, McNutt began shoeing horses while he was working as a guide for Swan Valley outfitters. When they were 20 miles back in the wilderness his horseshoeing skills were invaluable to the outfitters when a horse or mule lost a shoe....
Free Developmental and Preschool Screening, May 13 SEELEY LAKE - A free Developmental and Preschool Screening Clinic for children ages 0 to 5 for Seeley Lake and Swan Valley School Districts will be held Friday, May 13 from 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. at the Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE) School. Please call SLE at 406-677-2265 to schedule an appointment for your child’s screening or to receive more information. This free screening will include gross motor, fine motor, language concepts, communication concepts, communication skills, hearing and vision s...
SWAN VALLEY - American Legion Post No. 63 held their 26th annual Chili Cook-Off Saturday April 30 at the Swan Valley Community Hall. Nearly 50 people participated in tasting and choosing their favorite among 18 entries. Swan Valley resident Katie Wright gained the most votes with her mom's secret white chicken chili recipe. She took home the traveling Chili Champ trophy and $150. Wright said she called her mom, Heidi, in Indiana and gave her the good news. She said her mom was delighted. "This...
SEELEY LAKE - The addition of the Seeley-Swan High School (SSHS) stage and other improvements was discussed at the Missoula County Public Schools (MCPS) board meeting, April 26 in Seeley Lake. The construction is being put out to bid this week (see page 14 for the Bid Notice). It is scheduled to begin June 11, the day after the last day of school, and be completed in August before school resumes. The improvements to SSHS are funded by the MCPS bond that was passed last November. Jake Zander, with CTA Architects Engineers, presented the plans...
MISSOULA - The Missoula County Elections Office, in partnership with the University of Montana Political Science Department, conducted a January telephone survey of 605 registered voters in Missoula County. The intent was to examine voter behaviors and preferences, assess Missoula County election practices, efficiency and ease of the voting process. UM Assistant Professor of Political Science Dr. Sara Rinfret and her team presented the results to the Election Advisory Committee at their April meeting. Those surveyed included active, inactive...
POTOMAC - There are more than 100 individual Canada geese (Branta canadensis) and 250 individual greater sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) nesting and hatching their eggs near Potomac waterways. Surveys are not conducted in Potomac for Canada geese numbers but they are completed for sandhill cranes. "In the Blackfoot-Ovando area, sandhill crane numbers have been increasing over the last 15 years, as indicated by an aerial survey that is done each year in September," said Central Flyway...
SEELEY LAKE - Four days before absentee ballots will be mailed out for the June 7 primary, the Seeley Lake Community Council will hold a Candidates Forum, so that voters will have a chance to hear the candidates, question them and make informed choices. The Forum will take place at the Seeley Lake Community Hall Monday, May 9, starting at 5:30 p.m. with pizza and soda. The council decided to invite not only the primary contestants but also their opposite-party challengers, so that all candidates would enjoy equal exposure. These are the offices...
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) serving the Northwest is reminding consumers to be cautious when hiring a moving company or they could end up with a business that can’t deliver. Movers doing business in Washington must have a permit from the Washington State Utilities and Transportation Commission in order to legally provide residential moving services. Idaho companies are required to be registered with the Idaho Department of Transportation. In Montana, local movers are required to have a valid Public Service Commission (PSC) number issued t...
SEELEY LAKE - Alpine Artisans, Inc. (AAI) presents their first Alpine Review: Art Auction and Community Talent Show May 6 at the Seeley Lake Community Hall. Attendees can enjoy local entertainment ranging from original to traditional musical selections to cowboy poetry while supporting AAI’s youth art grants and scholarships. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Harpist Janet Whitesell and guitarist Kal Kovatch will perform solo pieces for the first time at a public performance in Seeley Lake. Whitesell started playing the harp at the age of 10. She a...
SEELEY LAKE – One of the goals of the Clearwater Resource Council (CRC) is to protect and sustain the waters of the Clearwater River drainage system. To this end, CRC has a number of projects in place that have gathered a large amount of scientific data. "There's a lot of good stuff going on that we're very happy about and that is really remarkable but nobody really knows about it," said Bruce Rieman, CRC Outreach Committee member The Outreach Committee decided to resolve that problem by c...
Toast to Trail Creek, May 12 SEELEY LAKE - The community is invited to the Toast to Trail Creek at the Homestead Cabin on Double Arrow Ranch Thursday, May 12 at 5 p.m. Residents can see how the new fish screen and stream enhancements help ensure a healthy stream system and provide water for the golf course. The project was completed during low water conditions late last fall. Now with more water flowing participants will be able to see how everything works. Hiking Season Kick-Off Party, May 12 SEELEY LAKE - The community is invited to a party...
SEELEY LAKE – Another 21st Century Grant-funded activity for Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE) students and their parents was declared a success by the participants. Saturday, April 16, SLE teacher Michele Holmes led a small group of bikers on a geocaching outing. Geocaching is an outdoor treasure hunt game using maps, compasses or Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates. Holmes, who has enjoyed geocaching with her family for more than 10 years, said it always made hiking trips more fun for h...
SWAN VALLEY - Lily Clarke, former resident of Condon, is one of five alumni from Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Ore. to receive a Fulbright Scholarship. She will spend a year working on a research fellowship in Nepal conducting ethnomycology (combining anthropology and mycology, the study of mushrooms) and assessing the current state of community-managed forests. Clarke attended Salmon Prairie School through eighth grade and graduated from Hellgate High School. She became interested in biolo...
SWAN VALLEY - Jim and Cold Creek watersheds in the Swan Valley provide important bull trout spawning and rearing habitat. Thirty years ago logging and road development activities impacted watershed conditions and reduced fish habitat quality. As a result, Montana Department of Environmental Quality classified Jim Creek as “impaired” and other groups expressed concern about Cold Creek as well. In recent years a number of activities such as replacing culverts and bridges and eliminating certain point-sources of erosion have been implemented resul...
MISSOULA - Seeley-Swan High School (SSHS) junior Quinton Johnson and senior Tanner Beall were recognized as two of Missoula County Public Schools (MCPS) Most Inspiring Students at a banquet April 21. The Most Inspiring Students Banquet has been held for the past five years. Every year SSHS teachers and staff choose two students who they feel are an inspiration. "The staff recognizes students that have overcome circumstances, worked really hard and become a better student because of that," said...
SEELEY LAKE - Kaitlyn Ahlers and Heather Halko will be offering free mental health services in the Seeley Lake community for the next two years. These services are available to adults and children with current or previous experiences of relationship distress, abuse (including children who have witnessed abuse), sexual violence and/or stalking. This service is made possible by a partnership between the Missoula City-County Department of Grants and Community Programs and the University of Montana...
SWAN VALLEY - Swan Valley Connections (SVC), formerly Swan Ecosystem Center, has bear resistant garbage containers that can be placed on Swan Valley residents’ property to lessen the chance of bear conflicts. The bears have emerged and are searching for food. Since there have been bear sightings reported in the Swan and near Seeley Lake, it is a good idea to make sure attractants are properly stored or located far from the house. According to Fish Wildlife and Park’s (FWP) Be Bear Aware website, bear attractants include: • Bird Feeders • Hou...
MISSOULA – During 2015, an estimated 11.7 million nonresident visitors traveled in Montana. Each year, the Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research (ITRR) at the University of Montana surveys a sampling of these visitors in an effort to provide information about the “who, what, when, where and why” of their travels. ITRR recently completed an analysis of this data intended to distinguish high-spending vacationers from lower-spending vacationers. Ideally, it is preferable to have visitors who will spend more while visiting the state, so un...
SWAN VALLEY - Three candidates running for two vacant Swan Valley Community Council (SVCC) seats spoke and responded to a question during the SVCC regular meeting Tuesday, April 19. The Swan River’s eligibility to become a Wild and Scenic River under the Wild and Scenic Act of 1968 was also discussed. Candidates Elda (Ellie) Greenough, Lacey McNutt and Henry S. Westra spoke about why they were qualified to win a seat on the SVCC. Greenough moved to the Swan Valley in 1978 from the Midwest where she was raised on a farm. She has held many j... Full story
Gifford Pinchot, who later became chief of the U.S. Forest Service, was working for the National Forest Commission in 1896 when he traveled south through the Swan Valley with Jack Monroe, a trapper and guide. In the first installment of the 7-part series, they had arrived at a cabin inhabited by a trapper named Wood, who sent them on their way with venison and a sketch map to a deserted cabin where they could find flour. That night we spent with another trapper, who took us, in the morning, across the river on a jam of trees, roots and all the...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake residents Jim and Connie Betson purchased Gary's Lures from owner Gary Ikerd this past spring. They changed the name to Tackle the Waters LLC. They look forward to offering the famous spinner baits Gary's Lures was known for as well as expanding their inventory to include a larger variety of lures, colors and sizes. The Betsons have been fishing since they were children. They used Ikerd's spinner baits on numerous occasions and like the product. Ikerd owned and o...
SWAN VALLEY - Neil Meyer, longtime Salmon Prairie resident, said that making a living as a logger in the early days was hard work in the Swan Valley. He shared stories about how logging was flourishing and was unhindered by regulations and big business as it is now. He said the pace was slower, many residents had their own small sawmills and the tools of the trade were less expensive and complicated. Meyer grew up in Ferndale, Mont. He worked with his father farming and cutting firewood with...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Elementary board adopted the 2016-2017 calendar at its April 19 meeting. Students will attend school five days a week starting Sept. 6. Summer break begins June 2. Christmas break will only be one week this year. A four-day week was not discussed. In other business, Superintendent Chris Stout said that he would have recommendations for a new second grade teacher at the board’s May meeting. The current second grade teacher Julie Little is out on maternity leave and will not return next year. All other teachers a...
Seeley Lake Library News SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Library Book Club will be discussing Elizabeth McCracken’s “Thunderstruck and Other Stories” Thursday, May 19 at 11 a.m. This book is a collection of nine stories that navigate the fragile space between love and loneliness. Widely acclaimed, this collection has been described as brilliant, funny and heartbreaking. All are invited to join in the discussion. Books are available at the checkout desk. The Seeley Lake Library has life jackets in various sizes available for checkout. Stop by th...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Sewer District (SLSD) board had a special meeting April 15 to discuss details of a funding offer they received in March. The board is currently negotiating some aspects of the offer in attempt to lower the projected monthly rates. Representatives from the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development (RD) were on hand to further explain the offer. The funding package consists of $5.7 million in grants and $4.4 million in loans for the construction of the proposed wastewater treatment plant and Phase I...
SWAN VALLEY - Members of the Swan Valley Regional Plan Committee (SVRPC) began revisions on the Swan Valley Regional Plan (SVRP) draft at their April 13 meeting. The SVRPC discussed and approved edits and comments submitted by Missoula lawyer Colleen Dowdall, local journalist Suzanne Vernon, Missoula Community and Planning Services (CAPS) planner Mitch Doherty, residents and those in attendance. The committee also heard an alternate plan submitted by Swan Valley resident Harry Blazer. The SVRPC voted to accept Dowdall’s edits to the f...
SEELEY LAKE – Each month of the school year, television station KECI singles out a western Montana teacher who has made significant contributions toward education. Nominees are chosen based primarily on letters submitted by students. April's Gold Star teacher is Seeley Lake Junior High teacher, Duane Schlabach. KECI presents the winner with the Gold Star Award plaque and comes to the school to interview and film both teacher and students. The resulting production is aired on the station t...
HELENA – The Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is accepting public comment on Montana’s 2016 Draft Water Quality Integrated Report. The report documents the state’s water quality conditions for the years 2013–2014 as required by the federal Clean Water Act. Comments will be accepted during a 60-day public comment period from March 14 through May 13, 2016. The Integrated Report summarizes the current water quality status and trends for water bodies under the jurisdiction of the State of Montana, including lakes, reservo...
POTOMAC - More than 45 people attended the Potomac Gardening Party the evening of April 15 at the Potomac/Greenough Community Center (PGCC). The event was part of the community center board "Family Night" functions held throughout the year. The garden party was about getting to know neighbors, learning gardening techniques for the Potomac area and creating a neighbor network, said event organizer and gardener Aimee Miklovic. "This could be a great resource for a significant portion of the...
SEELEY LAKE – Kathy Hudak has lived in Seeley Lake for the past six years. She works as an Emergency Room (ER) technician at Community Medical, a paramedic with Missoula Emergency Services, Inc. (MESI) ambulance and as a flight medic with REACH Air Medical Services out of Helena, Mont. In the beginning of March, her role as caregiver turned to patient when she was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Hudak started a career working in wildland fire with the US Forest Service for ten years. The USFS...
In August 1944, Michael Milochik sailed home from England on the luxury liner Queen Elizabeth. He described the living conditions as "tight" with 12 bunks to a room. Once back home, he and his girlfriend were married. They spent their honeymoon in a house on loan from one of his shipmates. Mike described how people laughed at him when he bought several comic books to take on his honeymoon. After his honeymoon, Mike got on a Liberty Ship, the USS Baham and sailed through the Panama Canal,...
In 1896, Gifford Pinchot, who later became the first Chief of the U.S. Forest Service, traveled south through the Swan Valley inspecting this region of Montana, while working for the National Forest Commission. Jack Monroe, a trapper and guide, accompanied him. The account of his trip through the Swan Valley was recorded in 1897. The Pathfinder will publish Pinchot’s account in a 7-part series. This is the first installment. In the course of work on the National Forest Commission, I camped last summer, on the shore of Swan Lake, through w...
MISSOULA – The University of Montana (UM) College of Forestry and Conservation invites UM students and community members from Missoula and the Seeley-Swan Valley to a day of ecological restoration Sunday, April 24. MPG North, a Montana conservation organization, sponsors the project and will provide shuttle service to its property east of Condon. Volunteers will meet in the UM Forestry Building parking lot at 9 a.m. but also are welcome to drive themselves to the location. Volunteers are encouraged to bring warm clothing and sturdy footwear. A...
Elda L. (Ellie) Greenough - Swan Council My father moved our family from a large metropolitan area to a small Midwest farm when I was nine months old. A family vacation in the mountains of Montana spurred my move to this valley in April of 1978. My first job was cleaning and oiling logs on a newly constructed summer getaway cabin. The next four years were spent working on the carpentry shop of a log home building company. When the company sold, I worked as a cook and waitress for local...
Henry S. Westra - Swan Council I, along with my wife Carolyn, were first introduced to the Swan Valley in the 1980's. It became our desire to someday relocate to the Swan so, to that end, we purchased a parcel of land in the early 1990's. There were many trips back and forth to Michigan until 2013 when we were able to fulfill our desire to be full time residents of Montana's Swan Valley. I take advantage of the outdoor activities the Swan has to offer, continue to work on and upkeep my...
Lacey McNutt - Swan Council I have lived in the Swan Valley for nearly 10 years. I grew up in Helena and am a fifth generation Montanan. I first came here to work for an outfitter in the Bob Marshall Wilderness. It was there that I met my husband, Todd. We have one son and we all live, work and play here. I am a licensed real estate professional here in the valley, a volunteer with the Swan Valley Emergency Services and have served the past two years as vice president of the Swan Valley PTA. I am running for a seat on the Council because...
Dale Hinkle - Incumbent Potomac Fire Board I am currently the chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Greenough/Potomac Volunteer Fire Department (GPVFD) and my three-year term is up. I have lived in Potomac approximately 10 years. I am a semi-retired geotechnical/civil engineer. I owned and ran an engineering business for 35 years. I still practice part time and I am currently licensed in Montana, New Mexico and California. I have a Master's degree from California State University Long Beach...
Jennifer Iverson - Potomac Fire Board Biography: I am a fifth generation Montanan and returned to Potomac four years ago. I have been married to Justin Iverson for 16 years, which has provided me with family ties to the Potomac Valley since college. I enjoy cooking, baking, gardening, quilting and reading. Qualifying experience or skills/strengths for the Fire Board position: As a certified Project Management Professional, I have extensive experience in facilitating meetings, overseeing project...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE) School Board will run a general fund operating levy of $17,056 or 2.21 mills on the May 3 ballot. It would increase taxes on a $100,000 home by $2.98 and on a $200,000 home by $5.96 annually. Unless voting absentee, voters must vote at SLE between 7 a.m. – 8 p.m. on May 3. This is the second levy run by SLE in the past seven years that has passed. One failed in 2009 by 35 votes and another was passed in 2014. The reason for the levy is declining enrollment. “That is not an increase in the bud...
Jenny Lindemer - Incumbent SLE Board Biography: I was born and raised in Missoula. I spent my summers in Seeley Lake. My family and I have lived here for 21years! Qualifying experience or skills/strengths for the school board position: My husband and I own and operate Lindey's Prime Steakhouse. I have been on SLE School Board and volunteered in various positions at Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE) for 12 years. Why do you want to be on the school board? I would love to continue being involved with...
Karen Kovatch - Incumbent SLE Board Biography: We moved our family business to Seeley Lake in 1989 and I have lived here full time since 1995. I have served on the Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE) Board for three years. My family here includes my parents, husband Kalvin and two children: Klaire, a seventh grade student and Klayton, a fifth grade student. My hobbies include horseback riding, cycling and skiing. Qualifying experience or skills/strengths for the school board position: Work: Currently...
Amanda Fowler - SLE Board Biography & Qualifying Experience: My name is Amanda Fowler. I grew up in Montana and have lived all around. We moved to Seeley Lake a year and a half ago. I have since then become a part of the community. I enjoy the bigger community feel with the small town people. I love to volunteer my time. I currently volunteer at Loving Hearts, I'm a youth leader with our church youth group and I am the treasurer for Sparrows Vine. I have a wonderful husband and two amazing...
Seeley Lake Ranger District Spring Prescribed Fire Projects SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Ranger District plans to conduct spring prescribed fire projects when weather, fuel conditions and air quality become favorable. Smoke will be visible from various locations around Seeley Lake depending on 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...
MISSOULA - Seeley-Swan High School (SSHS) band and choir along with several soloists participated in the District Music Festival April 15 and 16. The band received a Superior rating, the top rating while the choir received a rating of Good. Junior Kim Kellogg received a Superior rating for her solo and has the opportunity to go to State Music Festival in May. The band and choir both performed Friday at Sentinel High School in front of two judges. The band played "Dark Odyssey" by Rob Grice and...
SEELEY LAKE - If attendees closed their eyes Sunday afternoon they could have been transported to a jazz club in New Orleans as the music of the Tappan - Williams Jazz Quartet filled the Seeley-Swan High School gym. The group played two sets of jazz standards mixed with a few modern jazz tunes. This was the final concert in the 2 Valleys Stage (2VS) 2015-2016 concert series. The quartet included Ann Tappan on piano, vocalist and jazz trombonist M.J. Williams, Brad Edwards on drums and...
SEELEY LAKE - Alpine Artisans, Inc. (AAI) presents their first Alpine Review: Art Auction and Community Talent Show May 6 at the Seeley Lake Community Hall. Attendees have the opportunity to enjoy a silent art auction, delectable foods and local entertainment while supporting AAI’s youth art grants and scholarships. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. The idea for the event came from youth scholarship coordinator Dona Aitken. It replaces the Wine and Chocolate fundraiser and adds to the amount available for the grants and scholarships that comes from t...
MISSOULA - Increasing voter turnout is one of the challenges facing the Missoula County Elections office. In an effort to get more people to participate in the election process, the elections office is utilizing outreach and voter education. Maintaining an active voter status not only saves voters time but also helps save taxpayer dollars at the polls. In the 2014 November Federal General election, Missoula County had 85,905 registered voters but only 42,607 ballots were cast, a 49 percent turnout. In 2016, residents in the Swan, Clearwater...
GREAT FALLS - The first wildfire of the season in the Bob Marshall Wilderness was reported Saturday morning, April 9. The Elk Hill Fire was estimated at 1,086 acres on April 11 and 40 firefighters were staffing the fire. It appears to have been human caused from a warming or campfire but is still under investigation. The Elk Hill Fire is located on the Rocky Mountain Ranger District, Lewis and Clark National Forest. When the fire was first reported its estimated size was 500 acres. By the end of...
In Spring many animals have their young. Female chickens, called hens, hatch their young (chicks) from eggs. Whether newly hatched by a hen, in an incubator or purchased from a feed store or hatchery, chicks need care. Hens will protect their chicks until the chicks have matured enough to imitate chicken behavior. If the chicks come from another source and do not have a hen, people become the mother hen for them, talking to the chicks, keeping them protected and warm by using a brooder box....
LINCOLN - For a couple long weeks in April 1996, Lincoln was the epicenter of the biggest news story in America. The FBI arrested Theodore J. Kaczynski here April 3 in connection with the Unabomber bombings that had targeted universities and airlines for 18 years and reporters from around the country flocked to Lincoln. For two weeks, until Kaczynski was transferred from Helena to California, they camped out in Lincoln or called anyone they could, trying to dredge up any nugget they could on his...
SEELEY LAKE – Spring is here and the Seeley Lake Ranger District is interested in providing some flexibility to the existing Motorized Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) on roads designated as closed Dec. 1 – April 30. “We want to allow the public some level of early access where roads are open and dry and where resource damage will not occur while at the same time recognizing we have limited capacity to check conditions and install/move temporary signs,” said Seeley Lake District Ranger Rachel Feigley. The MVUM is part of a national effort to display...
MISSOULA – The West Central Montana Avalanche Center posted their last regularly scheduled avalanche advisory for the season Saturday, April 2. Additional updates may be posted if conditions warrant. Snowmobile trail grooming on the Missoula Ranger District on the Lolo National Forest and the Powell District on the Nez Perce- Clearwater National Forest has ended for the season. Roads that were closed to wheeled traffic during the grooming season may again be open in some locations. Recreation specialists are also advising snowmobilers to s...
MISSOULA - Judge Karen Orzech announced Tuesday, April 5 that she will be retiring effective July 8. The Board of County Commissioners will make an appointment to fill her position until a successor is elected at the 2016 general election in November. “It has been more than an honor, but a true pleasure, to serve the citizens of Missoula County as Justice of the Peace for nearly 18 years,” Judge Orzech said. “My judicial philosophy is to serve the public with kindness and respect while effecting a positive change in their lives by applying the...
BOZEMAN - Snow at higher elevations and rain in the valley yielded near to above average precipitation during March in all but one Montana River basin, according to data from the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). “The additional moisture increased most basin snowpack percentages this month to near to above normal, while the Sun-Teton-Marias continued to be overlooked by the passing storm systems,” said Lucas Zukiewicz, NRCS water supply specialist. In the Rocky Mountain Front, this year’s lack of snowfall has resulte...
When World War II started with the bombing of Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, Michael Milochik was attending high school in Aliquippa, Penn. Mike, like most of his classmates, had never heard of Pearl Harbor or Hawaii. He admitted that his main objective in life at that time was chasing girls around the city swimming pool in warmer weather but things were about to change. With his country now at war, Mike realized that he was ready to leave home and serve his country but he would have to wait...
SEELEY LAKE – If Jack from Team A is running neck and neck with Jill from Team B and they are 50 yards from the finish line, Jack’s coach might yell, “C’mon, you can do it. Pull out all the stops.” But why is Jack’s coach yelling about stops, when clearly his intent is for Jack to go, in fact to increase his speed. The origin of the phrase, pull out all the stops, actually has nothing to do with racing. It has to do with playing a pipe organ. Miles Hoffman’s “The NPR Classical Music Companion” calls the organ a hybrid instrument, a con...
Seeley Lake Community Trail Update SEELEY LAKE - Snowbanks have become a rare commodity on the local Seeley Lake community trails. The trails were not unscathed but didn’t suffer a great deal of blowdown from the big blow last fall. However there are a few trees that will need cut from the trails by our volunteer clearing elves this spring. Anyone wanting to exercise their chopping or sawing skills are welcome to take a walk on the west side trails or around the high school. They are easy to hop across if you want that kind of exercise. The n...
SEELEY LAKE – Pyramid Mountain Lumber Company, Inc. has maintained 140 employees and kept their doors open through the worst year financially the mill has ever experienced. Pyramid’s Chief of Operations Loren Rose said the mill intends to persevere and keep their employees on the payroll despite economic challenges. Rose said the biggest reasons for the loss of revenue are log costs and the drop instead of rise in market prices in the spring. Pyramid was the first of the Montana mills to adjust spending to account for poor lumber prices. Abo...
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...
SEELEY LAKE and SWAN VALLEY – For the past 20 years, owner of Diane's Buses Diane Bourne has transported students five days a week to and from the Seeley Lake Elementary school (SLE). For the last 17 years Owen Conley, owner of Conley Transportation, has transported students to and from Seeley-Swan High School (SSHS) and Swan Valley Elementary (SVE). Both bus owners said, much like the roads they travel, driving a bus has its ups and downs. Bourne and Conley each got into the bus service busines...
SEELEY LAKE – Condon resident Dick Wolff has the rusty body of a 1928 Model A Ford in his back yard. Wolff and his brothers have been chasing parts and pieces of it from Swan Valley to Helena. They've also been trying to piece together the Ford's history, though it is difficult to separate the Model A's story from the sketchy history of the Seeley Lake and Swan Valley postal service. One thing the brothers know for sure, their Model A is one of the "Stages" used to haul mail, supplies and p...
MISSOULA - For a child to end up in the hospital can be a difficult thing for parents and loved ones. The challenge is compounded when the child is being treated in Missoula and the family lives outside the Missoula area. The Ronald McDonald House Charities of Western Montana includes the Missoula House and Kalispell Family Room. The mission of the Ronald McDonald House of Missoula (RMHM) is to provide a home away from home for families who have a pediatric patient under the age of 21 being...
Dan Johnson joined the Seeley Lake Rural Fire Department (SLRFD) as a volunteer firefighter four years ago. He had no prior experience. In September 2011, Johnson said he showed up at a house fire behind Rovero's. "I saw that we really needed help in the department. They were really short handed," said Johnson. "That fire was when Shelly [Johnson's wife] and I decided to join." Johnson is qualified as a structure firefighter. Seeley Lake Fire Chief Bob Vanden Heuvel promoted him to lieutenant...
Swan Valley AARP Meeting April 4 SWAN VALLEY - Come and enjoy a fascinating trip to Antarctica is the program planned for the Monday, April 4 meeting of the Swan Valley AARP. Local residents Mary Meistner and Doug Anderson will share photos of their recent trip. Members are to meet at noon for a potluck at 1:30 p.m. The program will begin at 1:45 p.m. The hosts are Joe and Barbara Raibel. The public is invited. Annual Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex Public Meeting KALISPELL – The public is invited to the annual Bob Marshall Wilderness C...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Sewer District (SLSD) board received a possible funding package for the proposed treatment facility and Phase I of the collection system. The offer from the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development (RD) was discussed at the board’s March 17 meeting. It consisted of 5.7 million dollars in grants and 4.4 million in loans. District Manager Greg Robertson called the offer a “recipe for disaster” if the board accepted all the conditions that come with it. “Based on the structure that they are insisti...
SEELEY LAKE – Green was everywhere as the Seeley Lake Senior Center celebrated St. Patrick's Day March 19. Even the traditional corned beef and cabbage and Irish stew were complemented with green lemonade. After the food settled, cake walkers hoped for the luck of the Irish as they strutted around the numbered circle to Irish tunes or placed their bids on silent auction items....
SEELEY LAKE – Each year the Montana Pilots' Association (MPA) recognizes a member who has exhibited outstanding support to the MPA and made a significant contribution to aviation in Montana. That recognition and appreciation culminates in the Pilot of the Year Award. The 2015 award was presented to Seeley Lake resident Scott Newpower. Newpower served as MPA's Eastern Director for three years and then president of the organization for another three years, from 2013-2016. He took on those r...
SEELEY LAKE - The goal of the Seeley Lake Ranger District (SLRD) recreation event-permitting program is to promote and support recreation events consistent with the Forest Service mission. This includes recreation opportunity and enjoyment of public lands. A recreation event is an organized, commercial event conducted by a private entity that is temporary in nature and that occurs on National Forest System lands. Some examples of recreation events that have been permitted by the SLRD include a cross-country ski race, snowmobile fun run,...
SWAN VALLEY - Karen "Queen Nur" Abdul-Malik from Willingboro, New Jersey is an award winning, nationally known storyteller of West African culture, African American history, folktales and mythology. She was a part of the 2 Valleys Stage Concert Series and performed a public concert March 20 as well as worked with the students in the schools. She has recorded two CDs. Her stories were accompanied by a drum beat and audience participation. Pictured above Queen Nur sang a song about pulling up the...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Council (SLCC) hosted WMG Group’s Nick Kaufman to discuss zoning. The council was also presented with an idea from the county to sell a public park on Double Arrow Ranch at its March 14 meeting. The council invited Kaufman, who is a land use planner, to speak about the pros and cons of zoning. The discussion of zoning come up due to the possibility of a cell tower being built in Seeley Lake. Kaufman explained that his first experience in Seeley Lake was in the 1970s when it was very much a lumber town. ...
MISSOULA – Spring is here and we are all eager to get out into our National Forests. Before you go, please be aware of road conditions and the increased potential to do harm to forest roads or get stuck. Every year, most damage to unpaved roads occurs in the fall and spring when rains and snow-melt saturate soils, leaving road surfaces soft. When vehicles drive on these soft roads, they create wheel tracks and ruts which can hold and channel water and lead to erosion and sometimes road failure. According to Chris Partyka, Lolo National F...
SWAN VALLEY - Quick Response Unit (QRU) Medical Chief Dan Maloughney and Swan Valley Volunteer Fire Department Fire Chief Randy Williams spoke about their critical need for volunteers and commented on the Swan Valley Regional Plan (SVRP) draft at the Swan Valley Community Council (SVCC) meeting March 15. Kascie Herron and Rick Potts from Montanans for Healthy Rivers coalition also told attendees that local rivers and tributaries are eligible to be designated “Wild and Scenic.” “We are in a crisis situation right now,” said Maloughney. He said...
ISSOULA - Lee Tavenner of Missoula has filed for Public Service Commission (PSC) for District 4 as a Democrat. Lee filed on March 11. Tavenner is co-owner of Solar Plexus, a solar installation company in Missoula. Tavenner and Mary Hamilton started Solar Plexus in 1994 and have done numerous solar and small hydro installations since then. Son Rip Hamilton joined the company in 2000. The company remains active in the solar installation business in Missoula. Tavenner also owns the Little Gold Proj...
POTOMAC - Potomac School first and second grade classes organized a drive to donate 100 cans of food to the Potomac/Greenough (P/G) Food Bank to celebrate 100 days of school. Their 100th day was March 14. People can keep sharing by donating, according to first-graders Lily Dunn and David O'Hara. First and second grade teacher Terri Klein had a class goal to get the students thinking about giving back to their community. "This community gives so much to our school," Klein said. Klein incorporated...
Shawn Ellinghouse has been a volunteer firefighter for 16 years, all with the Seeley Lake Rural Fire Department (SLRFD). During the summer of 2000, Ellinghouse said the SLRFD was really shorthanded. The chief at the time, Joe Ellinghouse, told him that he needed help. With no prior experience in fire, Ellinghouse signed up. During the summer of 2002, Ellinghouse spent 28 days on a fire in Oregon on the Biscuit Fire. "That changed my whole attitude towards fire," said Ellinghouse. "I used to be a...
New Trail, Not Ready SEELEY LAKE – The public is asked to refrain from using the trail around the Seeley-Swan High School (SSHS) property for another couple weeks or until the ground dries out. When the trail was built, funds weren’t available to run a roller across it to compact the gravel. Although some natural compaction occurred during the winter, the surface will be soft after snow melt until it gets dry. Use by feet or wheels will damage the smooth surface. Use is encouraged later this spring. Last fall a section of the “Connecting the Co...
Seeley-Swan High School (SSHS) students walked underneathe the balloon archway showing off their formal attire at the 2016 SSHS Prom, March 18....
Seeley-Swan High School (SSHS) students walked underneathe the balloon archway showing off their formal attire at the 2016 SSHS Prom, March 18....
SWAN VALLEY - Swan Valley residents commented on the Swan Valley Regional Plan (SVRP) draft at the Swan Valley Regional Plan Committee (SVRPC) meeting March 9. Deadline for comments from residents was March 16. Several of the nearly 20 residents present at the meeting asked questions and voiced their opinions on the plan draft to the SVRPC. Questions asked are in bold. Responses from the SVRPC follow the question. What is a rough percentage of the community that gave input [during the envisioning process]? Out of 650 residents, 183 answered the...
MISSOULA – Seeley Lake resident Scott Milner will participate in a concert tour with Missoula's acapella choir Dolce Canto from April 1-9 in South Korea. Their mission for the tour is to be ambassadors of the American culture to the South Koreans. They will have a tour kick-off concert entitled Elemental Harmony March 19 at 7:30 p.m. at St. Francis Xavier Parish in Missoula, Mont. Dolce Canto, founded by current Artistic Director Peter Park and in its 15 season, is an auditioned, non-profit c...
SWAN VALLEY – There will be a free film showing of “Unbranded,” Saturday, March 19, 7 p.m. at Condon Community Hall, presented by Alpine Artisans, Crown Community Cinema series. Unbranded is the story of four young cowboys, just out of college and looking for a little adventure before getting jobs and settling down. They decide to take a bunch of wild mustangs from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) shelter, break them to ride and pack and take a trip from Mexico to Canada through some of the wildest country in the U.S. Piece of cake, right...
SEELEY LAKE - In a letter to the Missoula office of the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT), the three County Commissioners urged adoption of the Seeley Lake Council’s Traffic Plan on a seasonal basis. The Council’s Traffic Project resulted in a 119-page Plan document, which the Council submitted to the Commissioners in October of last year. It was the result of a two-year effort which culminated in a community-wide survey with over 300 respondents, conducted last summer. As a result of the study, the Council asked for slower speed limit...
MISSOULA - At their public hearing March 1, the Missoula Consolidated Planning Board took testimony and considered the February 2016 Draft Missoula County Growth Policy. The Planning Board unanimously recommended the Missoula County Board of County Commissioners adopt the 2016 Missoula County Growth Policy with limited changes to the February 2016 draft. They also expressed interest in seeing the update to the land use designation map move forward as described in the Land Use Strategy at the end of Chapter 2 and to receive reports regarding...
SEELEY LAKE — The Seeley Lake Community Foundation (SLCF) is proud to announce its small grant awards for the cycle ending Jan. 31. The next funding cycle ends June 30. The SLCF is a locally driven and locally supported foundation that invests in the health and prosperity of the Seeley Lake Community. SLCF grants support art & culture, community & economic development, basic human needs, education and natural resources and conservation. Carla Schade, Board President said, “Recently the Seeley Lake Community Foundation received many wor...
POTOMAC - Potomac resident Pam Town mushes her trio of dogs for fun and recreation. She explores winter trails in Seeley Lake, Ovando and Potomac by dogsled with Rex, Balto and Comet. Town started seven years ago working with her first team of Alaskan Malamutes. She worked with them for four years before dog Luna died from bone cancer. Luna had run with his brother Sitka, who refused to mush after Luna's death. Seeking another avenue, Town switched to skijoring with Rex, her long-haired German...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Water District would like to give advance notice to our customers that as of May 1, 2016 we will be implementing a five percent rate increase. The increase is limited to the base fee and the water fee portions of your bill. The standard home has a ¾ inch service line and the base fee on this will increase from $17.14 to $18.00. The water fee will increase from $2.20 to $2.31 per thousand gallons. The average customer using 6,000 gallons per month will see an increase on their water bill of $1.38. The Water...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley Lake Rural Fire District SLRFD volunteers Shawn Ellinghouse and Kristy Pohlman participated in their fourth Scott Firefighter Stairclimb in Seattle, Wash. March 6. This year they carried to the top a local SLRFD member's fiancé's name on their helmets who'd been diagnosed with lymphoma the Wednesday before Ellinghouse and Pohlman left. Pohlman and Ellinghouse, along with 1,900 other firefighters, including 175 women, raced 788 vertical feet and 1,311 steps to the top of...
The week of March 13 is a busy one, including St. Patrick's Day parades and shenanigans (especially in Butte) and the Western Art Week shows, sales and parties in Great Falls. The nationally televised backdrop to those events will be the year's biggest round yet of winner-take-all presidential primaries on March 15 with hundreds of convention delegates up for grabs. The same day kicks off the first, exciting rounds of the NCAA basketball tournament - March Madness. Flying under the radar that...
Have you ever read or heard descriptive words when used together seem to make no sense or seem to be set in opposition with each other? Sometimes printed on a shoebox are the words "single pair". At first glance that seems contradictory. How can a pair be single? On second thought it could mean there is one pair of shoes in the box. The words "single pair" is an oxymoron that uses words that have seemingly opposite meanings together. Oxymorons can be used to point out two qualities that occur...
Goal: Kochel Guitars focuses on reusing and repurposing materials into something tangible. Owner Sean Kochel takes great pride in his goal of preserving American folk tradition in the guitars he makes. History: Potomac resident Kochel is a luthier. He specializes in making stringed instruments like Roots Blues guitars. He has made guitars for the last 10 years. Kochel began making cigar box guitars. With encouragement from his mother Arlene he persevered and soon built a customer base as his...
MISSOULA – Preliminary estimates by the Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research (ITRR) at the University of Montana show that approximately 11.7 million nonresidents visited Montana in 2015 and spent almost $3.6 billion in the Treasure State. While the number of travelers visiting the state in 2015 increased by almost eight percent compared to 2014 numbers, the total amount spent by those travelers decreased nearly eight percent. Though spending did not reach the record levels of 2014, the benefits of travel-related spending coming i...
Missoula County Sheriff’s Office Call Activity 3/7/16 – 03/14/16 3/7, 1:28 p.m., 40XX Highways 83, Seeley Lake: Disturbance. 3/7, 6:27 p.m., Highway 83, Salmon Prairie: Accident - No Injury. 3/10, 9:07 a.m., 32XX Highway 83, Seeley Lake: Suspicious Activity. 3/11, 5:13 p.m., 24XX Peak View Lane, Potomac: Sexual Assault. 3/12, 1:34 p.m., 17XX South Canyon Drive, Seeley Lake: Vandalism. 3/12, 3:42 p.m., 27XX Highway 83, Seeley Lake: Trespassing. 3/12, 6:28 p.m., 27XX Highway 83, Seeley Lake: Runaway. 3/12, 9:00 p.m., 1XX Frontier Court, See...
Calnan has been a volunteer firefighter for 15 and half years all over Montana. He has served on the Seeley Lake Rural Fire Department (SLRFD) for the past six years. Calnan grew up around volunteer fire departments. His father retired after more than 30 years as a volunteer. He also had uncles that served their communities. "Being in the volunteer fire department was a pretty big deal for the family," said Calnan. "I would have joined at age 12 but couldn't join until I was 18. Once I turned...
SWAN VALLEY - Swan Valley residents commented on the Swan Valley Regional Plan (SVRP) draft at a public hearing March 2 held at the Swan Valley Community Hall. According to SVRP committee chair Cilla Moseley, there will be more public hearings on the draft in the future. Moseley encouraged residents to follow the plan through all stages of approval with Missoula County Community Planning and Services (CAPS), the Missoula County planning board and the Missoula County Commissioners. The SVRP is an update of the 1996 growth plan developed by the...
SEELEY LAKE – More than a dozen riders descended on Seeley Lake March 5 to partake in the Sasquatch Fat Bike Ride. "It was super fun. The conditions were amazing. The weather was perfect. It was really well put together," said rider Steve Suvilla. "How can you beat a bacon and beer stop? It was like an oasis." That was the reaction ride organizer Mike Lindemer wanted to hear. With the exception of a rider who got mixed up near the end and turned the 20-mile ride into a 22-mile ride the event w...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake's Sam Bolton has created the perfect niche product. A niche product is defined as one made and marketed for use in a small and specialized but profitable market. Bolton's niche is knitting needles made from exotic woods. It started because Bolton's wife Terry, owner of Seeley Lake's former Books Yarn and More store and an avid knitter, kept telling him he ought to make wooden knitting needles. It took a couple of years but Bolton eventually decided to give it a try. H...
Seeley Lake Pond Hockey Organizer Mike Lindemer presenting SLE Outdoor Program Coordinator Bridget Laird with a $2,000 donation check. The donation will be used for the SLE Outdoor Program....
SEELEY LAKE - Zoning and the proposed sale of Drew Creek Park will be the main topics at the next Seeley Lake Community Council (SLCC) meeting Monday, March 14. The informal part of the meeting will start at 5:30 p.m. at the Seeley Lake Historical Museum and Visitor’s Center, with pizza and sodas followed by the meeting at 6 p.m. Nick Kaufman, Land Use Planner at WGM Group, will discuss the pros and cons of zoning for a small community like Seeley Lake. The Council does not currently expect to take a position on zoning. Kaufman’s pre...
SEELEY LAKE – After 32 years working for a newspaper agency in Salt Lake City, Utah, Basche (Bay-sha) Wahlberg realized the trend toward digital newspapers would eventually eliminate her job. Deciding it was time for a new adventure, she considered things she would like to do. High on the list was decorating fingernails and toenails, something she had enjoyed since she was a teenager. Accordingly, she trained to become a nail technician and moved to Seeley Lake. On March 9 and 10 she begins o...
HELENA – Montana State Parks announced that 2015 annual visitation was more than 2.48 million visits, setting a record for the third straight year. According to the 2015 Annual Visitation Report, statewide visitation for Montana State Parks was up 11 percent from 2014 and up 34 percent over the last 10 years. A new trend in 2015 was increased visitation during the spring and fall shoulder seasons (February – April, October – November). “We’re encouraged to see our State Park visitation continue to set record numbers in 2015,” said Chas Van Ge...
POTOMAC - The 13th Annual Bingo Night and fundraiser kicks off March 12 starting at 6 p.m. at the Potomac/Greenough Community Center (PGCC). This year monies raised will go towards bringing the PGCC kitchen up to code, bringing fine arts programs to Potomac School for the 2016/17 school year and creating a long jump pit at the Potomac School track. The Potomac Parent/Teacher Club (PTC), a non-profit, school-focused organization comprised of a core group of teachers, parents and community members...
SEELEY LAKE – Maryland and Montana may be a couple thousand miles apart, but on March 22 they will come together at Seeley-Swan High School. Alpine Artisans' 2 Valleys Stage is sponsoring a free concert jointly performed by orchestra students from Hellgate and Sentinel High Schools of Missoula, Mont. and the Barbara Ingram School for the Arts (BISFA) from Hagerstown, Md. The thread tying these schools together is William Hollin. From 2004 to 2009 Hollin directed the school orchestras for M...
SWAN VALLEY - On March 20 at 3 p.m. Queen Nur takes the stage at Swan Valley School. And I mean, takes the stage! Living in western Montana, we rarely have a chance to see and hear a glimpse of a culture so far removed from our own. In her public concert, accompanied by African instruments, the incomparable storyteller Queen Nur will present a tasty treat of stories, songs and dance celebrating her African-American Heritage. Alpine Artisans and 2 Valleys Stage are pleased to present Karen...
SWAN VALLEY - The entire student body of Swan Valley Elementary School (SVE), 28 students in kindergarten through eighth grade, performed in the Montana Children's Theater (MCT) production of "Rapunzel" Friday, March 4. "Performing builds confidence and teaches skills [the students] can use all their lives," said SVE Supervising Teacher Susan Bracha. Physical Education aide Todd Townsend, who was in drama in high school, added that performing takes the kids out of their comfort zone and at the s...
Most parents put countless miles on the car driving kids back and forth from various practices and games throughout elementary and secondary school. As for the actual dollars behind all that driving and purchasing of uniforms, equipment, lessons and various activity fees, the numbers are pretty eye opening. A 2014 study by the Utah State University's Families in Sport Lab (http://www.usufamiliesinsportlab.com) shows that the average annual family financial investment in youth sports came out to...
Spring Ice Conditions Exist on Salmon Lake SEELEY LAKE - Avid local fisherman Roger Miller said spring ice conditions exist on Salmon Lake. Anglers should use extreme caution. In an email to the Pathfinder Miller wrote that he fished Salmon Lake south of the primitive launch near the island that fronts the Island Lodge last Friday, Feb. 26. There was 12 inches of ice of which nine inches was good ice and the other three were slushy. On Friday, March 4, he fished the exact same spot and there was only five inches of ice. Three inches were good...
POTOMAC - Kennecott Exploration Company (KEC) of Rio Tinto will not return to Potomac for copper drilling this year. "The bar is set high for Kennecott and mining. There is no compelling reason to go forward at this time," said KEC Regional Communities Manager Matt Jeschke at a public meeting in Potomac Feb. 22. The drill sites at Copper Cliff and Ashby Creek are reclaimed and vacant. The core-cutting shed and warehouse on Morrison Lane will continue to be used by KEC for core storage. After an...
SEELEY LAKE – Runners took to the roads around Seeley Lake for the 37th annual Snow Joke Half Marathon. This was the last year the local Cheetah Herders, the group that started the race 37 years ago, will officially be a part of the race. Next year there will be a new mascot along with other new features brought in by Big Sky Orogenic Racing and Events' (BSORE), the race organizers since 2014. With pre-registration topping 800 two weeks ahead of the race, BSORE capped the race at 1,000 r...
SEELEY LAKE – After trading horses for sled dogs in 1992, Seeley Lake musher Martin Koenig has enjoyed a "hard core" racing career including spirit, stage, mid-distance and distance racing. Even though he retired from racing two years ago, he still mushes recreationally. He is headed back to Alaska to run his second Iditarod, a 1,000-mile sled dog race from Anchorage, Alaska to Nome starting March 5, calling it a "camping trip with his dogs." Koenig was born and raised in Switzerland. He moved t...
MISSOULA - The Missoula County Public Schools (MCPS) Board of Trustees authorized the sale of bonds to fund school improvements under the Smart Schools 2020 plan Dec. 8, 2015. Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2016, the District executed the first sale of $51.6 million in bonds for the elementary district and $22.7 million for the high school district. In a presentation made by Aaron Rudio of D.A. Davidson during Tuesday night’s board meeting, the board learned that interest rates are currently at the lowest point seen in the past five months. The District ant...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Ranger District has announced a March 31 deadline for submitting 2016 summer and fall Recreation Event Special Use Permit applications. Applications received past this deadline will not be accepted for review. A Recreation Event Special Use Permit is required for organizing any use or activity on National Forest System lands that meets either of the following criteria, regardless of whether the use or activity is intended to produce a profit: • Where an entry or participation fee is charged. Donations are con...
SEELEY LAKE - Dr. Sally Thompson will be reading from her recently published "People Before the Park" Saturday, March 5 at 7 p.m. at the Grizzly Claw Trading Company sponsored by Alpine Artisans' Open Book Club. Her presentation will include Power Point photos and charts. Dr. Thompson is a retired Professor of Anthropology from the University of Montana, Missoula, and a recognized ethnographer and ethnologist. The event is free and everyone is welcome. In "People Before the Park," the Kootenai...
SEELEY LAKE –Montana State Parks (stateparks.mt.gov) announced that a decision notice has been issued for proposed shared group bicycle campsites at four state parks in western Montana. The decision notice recommends to move forward with the improvement and installation of the bicycle campsites at Whitefish Lake State Park near Whitefish, Mont., Flathead Lake-Wayfarers State Park near Bigfork, Mont., and Placid Lake and Salmon Lake State Parks near Seeley Lake. The proposed improvements include enhancing existing shared group bicycle c...
SWAN VALLEY – Funded through the Southwestern Crown Collaborative (SWCC), the Swan Lake Ranger District (SLRD) on the Flathead National Forest (FNF) has been able to launch an active noxious weed management program. Through the use of integrated weed management, the SLRD has been able to treat problem areas and new infestations on federal land as well as provide educational workshops and resources to the public to help them treat their property. One of these opportunities includes e...
MISSOULA - March 1 marks the opening of outdoor burning by permit in western Montana. All burns require a permit, which may be obtained at the County Burn Permit System online at https://app.mt.gov/burnpermit/. Assistance with permit applications is available at the Seeley Lake Fire Department during the Smoke Detector Give Away Program March 4 and 5 from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. All permits cost $5. Permits can also be renewed. All of last year’s information is saved and ready to go. A postcard has been mailed with last year’s permit number or call...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake's Mike Lindemer partnered with SLE Outside to bring the first fat tire bike ride to Seeley Lake, March 5. His goals for the first Seeley Lake Sasquatch Fat Bike Ride are to bring people to Seeley Lake so they can see the recreational opportunities offered here and bring business to town during an otherwise quiet weekend. He hopes to make this an annual event. Lindemer has organized the Seeley Lake Pond Hockey tournament for the past six years. He was looking for a...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE) students finished their Snow School with a final Snow Day at Camp Paxson, Feb. 25. Students wore their snowman costumes and enjoyed games including snow graffiti, Tic-Tac-Snow, snow relays and a snowball throwing competition. The 21st Century Grant funded Snow School on Thursday's early out. Students in first through eighth grade were invited to participate in a variety of snow-related activities including skiing, sledding, snow shoeing, ice skating a...
SEELEY LAKE – Family, friends and the community at large gave well wishes, hugs and shed tears at the Good Luck and Best Wishes party for Addrien Marx, owner of Rovero's. Greg Tabish of Missoula will officially become the new owner of Rovero's as of March 1. "It's been such a great day," said Marx between hugs and well wishes from the community. Marx's family was able to attend the event and reconnect with many people from the community. Marx's mother Joanne LaPalm remembers when Larry called h...
BIG TIMBER - The Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame & Western Heritage Center (MCHF & WHC) is seeking nominations for the 2016 Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame induction round. Every year, the MCHF & WHC honors living and historical figures that have made notable contributions to Montana’s western heritage. “In order to identify those in Montana’s communities who are most deserving of inclusion in the Hall of Fame, we need people across the state to get involved in our nomination process,” said Christy Stensland, executive director of the MCHF & WHC. “N...
MISSOULA - State public health officials have identified the first case of Zika virus infection in Montana in an adult female from Missoula County who returned from a Zika-affected area. The infected individual is not pregnant. Zika is a disease caused by a virus that is spread to people primarily through the bite of an infected Aedes species of mosquito not found in Montana. Travelers returning from Zika-affected areas who have symptoms, or are pregnant, should consult with their health care provider. “This case serves as a reminder that a...
Goal: Cob-it owners Bill and Donna Bogardus' goal is to preserve and maintain log and wood-sided homes. They aim to serve their customers with craftsman-quality cob blasting and superb customer service. History: Prior to starting their own business, Bill had many years of painting and staining experience. The Bogarduses started Cob-it as a family-run business with their five children during the summer of 2006. "We started the business because we were not satisfied with covering over old problems...
HELENA— Commissioner Bob Lake, R-Hamilton, officially filed for re-election to the Montana Public Service Commission (PSC) Wednesday, seeking to represent the people of District 4 for a second term. Following 38 years in the private sector, including owning and operating Lakeland Feed & Supply in Hamilton, Lake served 10 years in the Montana Legislature before being elected to the PSC in 2012. “It is a true honor to serve the people of Montana on the Public Service Commission, and I humbly ask for the support of my constituents to rep...
Swan Valley AARP Meeting, March 7 SWAN VALLEY - Local residents and historians Gary and Joyce Wagner will share stories about their recent travels to Israel and Jordan at the Swan Valley AARP meeting, Monday, March 7 at the Swan Valley Community Hall. Members and guests are to meet for a potluck at noon. The program, to which the public is invited,. begins at 1:45 p.m. Steve and Sharon Lamar will be the hosts for the occasion. March 15 Permit Deadline for Western Montana Hunters HELENA - The March 15 deer and elk permit application deadline...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Sewer District (SLSD) board received an updated cost estimate of 11.8 million dollars for the proposed wastewater treatment facility and Phase I of the collections system at their Feb. 18 meeting. In other business, the board appointed Davy Good to the vacant board position and approved extending funding for the high school students to keep testing water samples in Morrell Creek. The United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development (RD) requested the updated estimates as it reviews the project for funding....
SEELEY LAKE - Stine Electronics of Seeley Lake is celebrating 50 years in business. Owner Bob Stine's work in communications has been predominantly with the military, fire, Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and law enforcement. He was instrumental in developing and implementing the EMS communication system that started in his home state of Illinois and has now become a nationwide system. Stine grew up primarily on his maternal grandparents' farm near Benson, Ill. after his mother died at age 27...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE) School Board unanimously approved a general fund levy to be voted on in the May 3 Special Election. The exact amount will be decided at the board’s March 22 meeting. District Clerk Sally Johnson presented to the board that the state funds allotted to SLE for the 2016-2017 school year would be approximately $21,300 less than this year’s budget due to declining enrollment. Johnson said this is a preliminary estimate of the shortfall since more information will be available from the Office of Publi...
SEELEY LAKE - CTA Architects Engineers (CTA) of Great Falls, Mont. met with Missoula County Public Schools (MCPS) representatives and members of Alpine Artisans Inc. Thursday, Feb. 18 to finalize the design plans for the addition of the Seeley-Swan High School (SSHS) stage and other safety features that will be installed. The MCPS High School bond that was approved last November funds the renovations and addition. CTA expects construction will begin June 11 and be nearly complete by the time school gets back in session in the fall, Aug. 28....
Successful trappers in the Blackfoot Watershed rely upon the ability to read animal signs and study behavioral patterns within habitats. Within the watershed, there are animals that can be trapped year-round as well as those with a defined season and area. There is a limit as to how many and which animals can be trapped within each season per regulations. "Just because a trapper can trap animals year-round does not mean it is the right thing to do," said semi-professional trapper Bob Sheppard...
SWAN VALLEY- Missoula lawyer Colleen Dowdall, recognized in the state of Montana as an authority on land use, along with several residents presented their comments on the Swan Valley Regional Plan (SVRP) draft at the Swan Valley Community Council (SVCC) meeting Feb. 16. The public meeting regarding the draft plan will be held March 2 at 7 p.m. at the Swan Valley Community Hall. Swan Valley resident Harry Blazer asked Dowdall to be present at the meeting. Blazer offered to pay Dowdall and the committee agreed to review her comments along with...
KALISPELL – Seeley-Swan Search and Rescue (SSSAR) personnel recognized Flathead County Sheriff's Office (FCSO) Commander Brian Heino, FCSO Sheriff Chuck Curry and Two Bear Air Head Pilot Jim Bob Pierce at the Sheriff's Office in Kalispell, Mont., Feb. 19. They were recognized was for their continued support and mutual aid that they have provided SSSAR over the years. "Flathead County Sheriff's Office has sent down their boat for help on a drowning in Salmon Lake and for two, separate d...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Sales & Services LLC opened in Seeley Lake in March 2015. Owner Chad Fowler offers garage door sales, services and parts, along with snowmobile, ATV and chainsaw sales, parts, service and accessories. Customer satisfaction is Fowler's number one goal. Fowler worked in the shop alongside his father for as long as he can remember. "Since the time I was four-years-old I would be out tearing things apart on a work bench and trying to figure out how to put it back together," s...
SEELEY LAKE - First Peoples Fund, a national organization supporting Native American artists, has named Jack Wallace Gladstone of East Glacier, Mont. as one of seven recipients of the 2016 Jennifer Easton Community Spirit Award. A nationwide committee selected the honorees and the prestigious award includes a $7,500 no-strings-attached grant. "This honor is given to a small number of artists each year to recognize their exceptional passion, wisdom and dedication to passing on ancestral...
Goal: Sole proprietor and owner of Little Debbie's Housekeeping & Handyman Services Deborah Boast offers a well-rounded service with everything from deep cleaning, changing hard to reach light bulbs, project management of remodels and additions for clients that are unable to oversee their own projects. She works to provide a quality service to the community to a client base that appreciates extra effort being put forth. "That's something we strive to teach our children every day," said Boast....
SEELEY LAKE - More than one politician has created problems for himself by speaking “off the cuff.” In the case of a politician the phrase means talking without having a written speech to refer to, or not having sufficiently thought things through before speaking. But what does that have to do with cuffs? Although a number of theories have cropped up about how, when and why the phrase came into existence, what is certain is that the cuff in question is a man’s paper shirt cuff. From the late 19th century to the early 20th, collars and cuffs...
MISSOULA - The Missoula community is currently experiencing an increase in cases of Hand-Foot-and-Mouth Disease (HFMD). HFMD is a common virus in young children that causes mild fever, blisters in the mouth and a rash, usually seen on the palms of hands and the soles of feet. The blisters can be painful and some kids may complain of a sore throat or a stomachache. Usually the infection goes away without any serious complications. HFMD can also occur in adults, but less commonly than in children. How is it spread? The virus can be spread...
Register Early for the Snow Joke, Caps Out at 1,000 Runners SEELEY LAKE - After last year’s unprecedented turnout of more than 800 runners, this year’s Snow Joke Half Marathon scheduled in Seeley Lake Feb. 27 looks poised to attract an even bigger field. Race organizers announced they will cap participation at 1,000 to ensure the safety of runners on the road and ease logistics. This decision may limit race day registration. Race organizers encourage runners to sign up early to be assured of a spot. Runners can sign up at Bob Ward’s in Missoula...
SEELEY LAKE - Two snowmobilers from Missoula spent the night in the Upper Marshall Creek Drainage at Big Rock after getting lost west of Marshall Lake. Using two fixed-wing airplanes the next morning, Seeley-Swan Search and Rescue (SSSAR) was able to locate the the snowmobilers . No one was injured and both riders rode their sleds out. According to SSSAR Chief Gerry Connell, four snowmobilers from Missoula rode into the upper Marshall Creek drainage Wednesday, Feb. 10. When two of the riders had mechanical problems they rode out, leaving the...
SEELEY LAKE – Owned by Addrien Marx since August 1995, Greg Tabish of Missoula will officially become the new owner of Rovero’s as of March 1. Addrien is looking forward to a new chapter in her life and is confident she is leaving her “Rovero’s family” in good hands. The community is invited to a “Good Luck, Best Wishes” open house luncheon with snacks, beverages and cake Friday, Feb. 26 from 12-4 p.m. at the store. After purchasing land for their retirement home in the late 1970s, Addrie...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley Lake musher Roy Etnire missed fourth place by a nose in this year's 100-mile Race to the Sky. Etnire finished one second behind Rick Larson from Sand Coulee, Mont. riding into Seeley Lake at 7:18 a.m. Sunday morning. Etnire was impressed with how good the trails were and was very pleased with the high caliber of dog teams and mushers out for this year's race. This was Etnire's fourth 100-mile Race to the Sky. His first two years he finished in first place and last year finis...
MISSOULA - Mike Hopkins from Missoula has filed to run as a Republican for House District 92. House District 92 includes the areas surrounding Seeley Lake, Bonner, Potomac, Condon, East Missoula and Clinton. Currently representing House District 92, David "Doc" Moore has decided not to seek reelection. "I knocked on doors for Doc Moore's campaign and I am proud to call him my friend. With his decision not to seek reelection, I want to make sure that the people of House District 92 have a...
SEELEY LAKE - "On the day before Halloween 2001, Tim Hilston left his Great Falls, Montana home and drove around 100-miles to the Blackfoot Clearwater Game Range, a stunning stretch of forest and meadow near Seeley Lake, Montana. It is grizzly country, but Hilston was there for elk. He found his elk first, then the bear found him", so writes Livingston author Scott McMillion. McMillion will be reading from "Mark of the Grizzly" on Saturday, Feb. 20 at 7 p.m. at the Grizzly Claw Trading Company...
SWAN VALLEY – The Swan Valley Regional Planning Committee (SVRPC) decided on the ground rules for the March 2 community meeting to which the community will be invited to bring questions and comments regarding the draft Swan Valley-Condon Regional Plan (SVRP) for the Swan Valley. The meeting will be held Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Swan Valley Community Hall. While there will be copies of the draft plan available at the meeting, the public is invited to review it ahead of time at the Swan Valley Library or online by visiting w...
SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley Elementary School (SVE) board discussed the Swan Valley Regional Plan (SVRP) at their monthly meeting, Tuesday, Feb. 9. They addressed how the SVRP will impact the school. They considered how the board will respond to the SVRP committee with comments on the school’s needs, growth and future along with other improvements to the SVRP before the public comment meeting March 2. The SVE board members agreed with board chairperson John Mercer that the SVRP Committee did a phenomenal job addressing the protection of sceni...
OVANDO - Jim Bauer started logging with the Anaconda Company out of Missoula in 1956 after graduating from Missoula County High School. When he sold his logging business in 1988 he'd overcome many challenges and seen many changes in innovations and logging philosophy. Bauer first became interested in logging because his two uncles were loggers. He also loved being outdoors so it seemed like a good fit. He started working for Dick Rossignol with the Anaconda Company. His uncle Al Wulfekuhle was...
Goal: Sole owner and operator of Jude's Pet Sitting, Jude Delgado lives in the home with the pets she is taking care of and tries to follow the pet's normal routine as close as possible. She feels this is the best for the pets because they are less confused and adapt readily to her. History: Delgado has had pets her whole life and has been told by many people that she has a gift with dogs. When Delgado moved to Clearwater Junction in July 2012 after retiring as a social worker, she quickly...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley - Swan Search & Rescue (SSSAR) volunteers suited up in their Ice Commander suits and went for a swim at the inlet of Salmon Lake Feb. 6. This was part of their continued training to be ready in case there is a need for a cold water rescue. SSSAR is all volunteer and assists with search and rescue operations year round. For more information or to volunteer contact SSSAR Chief Gerry Connell, 210-1150....
SEELEY LAKE - Despite a morning rain and unseasonably warm temperatures, SLE Outside hosted the fourth annual Skiesta at the Seeley Lake Nordic trails Feb. 13. This year 36 racers from Seeley Lake, Missoula and Butte youth ski clubs participated in the 1 kilometer (K), 3K, 5K and 10K races. First, second and third places were awarded for four different age groups split by boys and girls. Very few racers did not receive a ribbon for their efforts and a few lucky ones received a door prize for...
Seeley Lake Biathlon Cancelled Due to Lack of Snow SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Biathlon that was supposed to be held Feb. 20 at the Seeley Lake Nordic Trails has been cancelled due to the unseasonably warm weather. According to Race Coordinator Cheri Thompson, the trail into and out of the range is nearly non-existent. Switching back to the old range is not a good choice for safety reasons. Plans to hold a summer biathlon are in the works. More information will be provided once it is available. Community Bus Available for SSHS District...
SWAN VALLEY - Swan Valley resident Ray Yates said he applies patience and time to transform rough gemstones into polished, multi-sided or faceted, light-catching creations worthy to be set in jewelry. He cuts and polishes semi-precious and precious gemstones including garnets, amethysts and sapphires with the aid of a faceting machine. Since he was a young boy, Yates said has been interested in geology, the study of the earth, and how gemstones are formed underground. Yates has found sapphires...
SEELEY LAKE – The late Clarence Barron "C.B." Rich of Seeley Lake was inducted into the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame & Western Heritage Center Feb. 6 in at the Best Western Heritage Inn in Great Falls, Mont. Rich was one of 39 inductees from the 12 districts in Montana. Seeley Lake resident Ron Cox nominated C.B. for the award. He, with the help of Rich's son Jack, wrote the biography that was read at the ceremony and will be available in the Hall of Fame. "I want to give credit to Ron to have t...
POTOMAC - A version of the Rapunzel story brought unicorns, gremlins, mushrooms, princes, trolls and the Billy Goats Gruff to Potomac along with corn and potato spies, ogres, pixies, long braids and wood elves on Feb. 6. The Missoula Children's Theatre (MCT) shared their expertise with 34 Potomac children for the production of Rapunzel which was conceived and written by Michael McGill. The actors and actresses provided entertainment during two show times as well as conveying a message about...
Twenty-one dog mushers will be converging on the Montana trails to run Race to the Sky starting this weekend. The 300-mile vet check will be hosted by the YMCA in Helena starting at 11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 12. Come and watch these athletes (the dogs) receive their physicals from the International Sled Dog Veterinarians. School groups, the public and others will be able to see what the veterinarians check for before releasing the dogs to run Race to the Sky. The Camp Rimini Commemorative Run will ta...
With the winter months upon us, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is reminding homeowners about the fire dangers associated with heating equipment. Improper use of such equipment like portable or stationary space heaters, wood burning stoves and fireplaces can be incredibly dangerous and their misuse is a leading cause of U.S. home fire deaths. According to NFPA, half of home heating equipment fires are reported during the months of December, January and February. More than half of the home heating fire deaths resulted from fires...
SEELEY LAKE - Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) Game Warden Bill Koppen has been enforcing the fish and wildlife laws in Seeley Lake for the past 21 years. During the 2014 and 2015 seasons he wrote 54 citations, 15 of which were to hunters who took illegal shots at a decoy, gave 32 verbal warnings and eight written warnings. While he feels the decoy program is an effective deterrent, he is working towards harsher penalties, including weapon forfeiture, for hunters who are caught violating t...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake resident Wayne Heggen was inducted to the Montana State University (MSU) Athletic Hall of Fame Jan. 29 for being a part of the Bobcat's 1964 wrestling team. He, along with 20 other wrestlers, was recognized for taking individual titles and winning the Big Sky Championship Tournament in 1964, 1965 and 1966. Heggen started wrestling in high school in Kalispell. That was the first time wrestling was available to Heggen and he took the opportunity. "A friend and I just d...
SEELEY LAKE – For Seeley Lake resident Jeremy Hawkinson, opening his own mechanic shop in Seeley Lake is something he has always wanted to do. Being able to fix something that is not working and at an affordable price for his customers is what Hawkinson enjoys the most. Hawkinson grew up learning about mechanics from his father, Gerald. Gerald worked on the oil rigs in Alaska prior to moving to Seeley Lake 28 years ago. "I'm following in his footsteps [as a mechanic]," said Hawkinson. "I like b...
MISSOULA - On the first eligible day to file as a candidate for this year's elections, current District Court Judge Karen Townsend has paid her filing fee and submitted her paperwork to the Secretary of State's office for re-election to the 4th District Court, which serves Missoula and Mineral Counties. Townsend, who is finishing up her first six-year term on the bench, has handled some of the biggest trials in recent memory. A good judge with a tireless work ethic, Townsend is ready to serve...
Goal: Sole owner Diane Bourne's goal is to provide a safe and enjoyable ride for Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE) students to and from school and school activities. History: With no prior experience, Bourne and her ex-husband Bill Yiengst purchased the elementary bus business and three buses from Harold Solomon in December 1995, renaming it Diane's Buses. "I didn't want to drive bus," said Bourne. "But my ex-husband was interested so I went along with it." She took over the contract for the rest of...
CORRECTION: Tax Incentive Conservation Easement Article SEELEY LAKE - In the Feb. 4 issue of the Seeley Swan Pathfinder it was printed, “Agricultural landowners now have the opportunity to purchase a conservation easement on their land.” Conservation Easements are not purchased, they are donated for tax deductions in trade for a perpetual conservation easement on the land. Kennecott Exploration Hosts Public Update Meeting Feb. 22 POTOMAC - Representatives from Kennecott Exploration will present an update regarding their mineral exploration wor...
SWAN VALLEY - During the afternoon of Jan. 31, Swan Valley resident Tony Hulett thought his horse Trav and mule Mitzy would surely die. They both fell through the thin ice after following an elk trail to the confluence of Meadow Creek and Alder Creek that flow into a pond on his property. With help from neighbors and the Swan Valley and Swan Lake Volunteer Fire Departments, they were able to rescue both animals. "Just the horse's head was showing above the ice but the mule had his front legs...
SEELEY LAKE – The Alpine Artisans, Inc. (AAI) continued their tradition of judging the Seeley Lake Area Chamber of Commerce Winterfest Snow Sculpture competition. The judges agreed that the competition between the 14 different sculptures was very tight this year. Despite the small amount of snow to work with and rain and snow the day of judging, they were all impressed with the amount of time and talent put into this year's entries. This year's Winterfest theme was Cabin Fever. Sculptures i...
POTOMAC & SWAN VALLEY - Students at Swan Valley and Potomac elementary schools studied for the January geography and spelling competitions. Potomac's Lars Erickson won the geography bee. Jayla Kauffman from Swan Valley Elementary School and Bethany Heisey from Potomac won their spelling bees as well. Potomac School has been organizing geography bee competitions for more than 14 years. Students in grades four through eight participated in class geography bees that qualified them for the school...
WASHINGTON D.C. - Agricultural landowners now have the opportunity to donate a conservation easement on their land that allows for permanent tax deductions for up to 15 years in trade for a permanent easement. In addition to the wildlife benefits and preservation of open space, proponents of the legislation feel this allows landowners to take full advantage of the donation for the easement and is an opportunity for Montana landowners to keep the land within their family. Conservation easements are available to private landowners through state...
The new 2016 Lions Club Directory is now available. This year there is an added benefit for local residents found in the Yellow Page portion of the directory. This year the business listings section of the directory has been expanded and features Missoula area businesses which are non-competitive with local business interests, yet have been requested by area residents. This year, for example, listings can be found under: truck dealerships, automobile dealerships, satellite TV, water softeners, steel building materials, hearing aids,...
SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley Elementary School (SVE) received a $2,500 matching grant from Missoula County Park and Trails. Superintendent Chris Stout applied for the grant on behalf of SVE school board to help fund the interpretive trail, part of the students’ community forest project, located on the school’s property. The students want the trail to be used by the community to enjoy and to gain knowledge about the site’s trees and vegetation. In 2013, the SVE junior high students created their plans for the community forest project using...
SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley Planning Committee announced the release of the draft 2016 Swan Valley Regional Plan update. The plan is available to review at this link: http://tinyurl.com/SVPlanUpdate. Over the last several years, growth, development and conservation in the Swan Valley have been guided by the 1996 Swan Valley-Condon Comprehensive Plan. The draft plan update is the product of many years of work from many members of the community. Starting from gathering statements from community members on their thoughts about the valley and...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Rural Fire District received their 1987 Type III fire engine this past week. Seeley Lake Fire Chief Bob Vanden Heuvel acquired the engine through a state program that offers used equipment to fire districts for the cost of shipping. The fire truck is a 6X6, 1,200 gallon tender with 22,000 miles on it. The district purchased it for $4,000 from Fort Drum, an Army base in Pittsburg, Penn. At a special board meeting, Jan. 29, Vanden Heuvel gave district board members a...
MISSOULA - The Missoula City-County Health Department, with the help of Missoula County Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Division, is pleased to announce a new online system for searching septic system permit records. This system allows property owners, real estate agents, environmental consultants and other interested parties to search and access the Health Department septic permit records online. Previously, the only way to access septic permits was to visit or contact the Health Department during normal business hours. Now, the public ca...
SEELEY LAKE – In September 1991, the Seeley Swan Pathfinder ran an article about a newly organized group in Seeley Lake that named itself Alpine Artisans. In January 2016, 25th Anniversary decorations festooned the hall at the Alpine Artisans, Inc. (AAI) Annual Meeting. Out-going President Kris Gullikson announced the theme for the year was "Remember When," a time to look back over 25 years. Before introducing their organization in the Pathfinder, AAI founding members Jeanne Moon, Cindy T...
SWAN VALLEY - Condon Community Church sent another shipment of needed items to troops deployed in Afghanistan. Realizing that certain items are hard to get in the combat zone, church members bought and packaged boxes to ship to them. The group that received the packages had a local connection to the Swan Valley. These care packages were sent directly to the members of the 189th Security Force of the Jacksonville Arkansas Air National Guard at Bagram Air Force Base outside Kabul, Afghanistan. A...
SEELEY LAKE - In the wake of the Swede Creek Avalanche fatality that occurred Jan. 23 in the Whitefish Mountain Range in the Flathead National Forest, the Avalanche Awareness class taught to area junior high students was a timely reminder of the dangers in the backcountry. Avalanche instructor and Seeley Lake resident Steve Thompson taught the class at schools in Potomac, Lincoln and Seeley Lake. It is a part of a monthly outreach series to schools in the Blackfoot/Clearwater watershed funded...
SEELEY LAKE - The fireworks show over Seeley Lake and the annual Seeley Lake Lions Club Skating Party closed out the 2016 Winterfest Festivities this past weekend....
Goal: Owners Jeff and Sue Heagy and Managers Jessica and Jeff Kimmel work to provide a personal, old-school experience for their guests and keep the 57-year-old history and tradition of the Tamaracks Resort alive. As a family-run business, they are proud to stay green, eco-friendly and are keen on recycling. History: Maude and Henry Turner built the first cabin in 1916. Their dream of the Tamaracks Resort became a reality in 1928. The Turners contracted with Amtrak and marketed the resort to...
Boat Inspection Station Inspectors Needed SEELEY LAKE - The boat inspection station at Clearwater Junction will be opening earlier this year, under a program run by the Flathead Basin Commission. Inspectors are needed to operate the station from March 1 until Memorial Day, when Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks will take over management of the station. The pay is $11/hour. Training will be provided locally, and will consist of two days of classroom training and one day of field training. Training will occur sometime after mid-February. For more...
SEELEY LAKE - On two different nights, Wednesday, Jan. 20 and Friday, Jan. 22, the Clearwater Mini Storage Units were broken into. Missoula County Sheriff’s Deputy Heath Hanson said the cases are still under investigation. He invites anyone with information to call Crimestoppers, 406-721-4444 or place a non-emergency call to 9-1-1 and ask to be connected to him. Deputy Hanson said that eight units had the locks cut off on Wednesday night. An employee from Clearwater Reality, the unit manager, reported the break-ins. Hanson said there was n...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Chamber of Commerce and Alpine Artisans Inc. (AAI) offered up multiple cures for the winter woes at their annual fundraising banquet entitled "Cabin Fever Tonic." Whether it was wine, wit or winter fun, attendees had an opportunity to join with family and friends and cure their cabin fever for the evening. After a dinner of beef stroganoff and chicken carbonara, local talent took to the stage to entertain and impress. Musicians Katie Williams, the Feigleys, Kaytee...
SEELEY LAKE – William "Willy Bill" Gehrke met his wife Ardyce on a blind date in 1950 at a picnic in Wisconsin. Married 65 years, they raised six children, ran the Stihl dealership in Seeley Lake for 21 years and enjoyed their time during retirement traveling across the country. The Gehrke family invites the community to their Open House Jan. 30 from 1-4 p.m. at the Seeley Lake Senior Center to help them celebrate their anniversary and Willy Bill's 90th birthday. Because there was no work in W...
POTOMAC – The Potomac eighth grade class team "Bring It On" not only obliterated the competition to win the Potomac 8th Grade Dodgeball Tournament, they also raised more than $1,400 towards their eighth grade trip to Catalina Island at the end of May. This leaves the seven, eighth-graders with just a little more than $1,000 still to raise for their trip. Eighth grade parent and Potomac School board member Craig Nelson said the idea for the tournament came to him on the spur of the moment. "We w...
SEELEY LAKE – The Lolo National Forest (LNF) is proposing land management activities within a 61,300-acre project area for the Center Horse Landscape Restoration project located about 14 miles north of Ovando, Mont. on the Seeley Lake Ranger District (SLRD). Members of the community attended the public meeting and made comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) Tuesday, Jan. 19. The 45-day comment period on the draft EIS ends Feb. 16. The Center Horse project area is part of the Southwest Crown Collaborative (SWCC). In 2010, t...
HELENA – Last spring the 2015 Montana Legislature passed House Bill (HB) 167 and HB 300. The new legislation updates snowmobile and off-highway vehicle (OHV) permits in order to increase funding for trail maintenance and grooming programs across Montana effective Oct. 1 HB 300 enacts a new Snowmobile Trail Pass for Montana residents. All Montana residents operating mechanized equipment on designated groomed snowmobile trails will need to purchase a Snowmobile Trail Pass for each vehicle. M...
Winter plowing the Blackfoot is in full swing for the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) snowplow drivers. The Missoula section includes 17 total sections including Montana Highway 200 to Greenough (Blackfoot) and Seeley Lake. The Missoula section has seven snowplow trucks with one or two trucks covering the Blackfoot. That stretch of road is from Bonner to Greenough Hill. The Seeley section has five snowplow trucks. Snowplow drivers need to have their commercial drivers license,...
SEELEY LAKE - Managers for the Seeley Lake Sewer District (SLSD) updated the board on the funding package from the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development (RD) at their Jan. 21 meeting. The board also discussed their vacant board position. According to District Manager Greg Robertson, the federal budget deal that was passed in late Dec. 2015 contained funding through RD for Seeley’s sewer project. In the last month, RD has been allocating funds to the states. The RD informed Robertson that a 26-page funding package has been p...
SEELEY LAKE –Although food drives in Missoula get media coverage and bring in large quantities of food to the Missoula Food Bank (MFB), Seeley-Swan Community Food Bank (SSCFB) President Karen Montgomery said the food bank in Seeley Lake receives none of that bounty. The reality is SSCFB has some empty shelves that should be stocked with cans of food. While both SSCFB and MFB are part of the Montana Food Bank Network, the two groups operate independently. Each receives the entire benefits from i...
SEELEY LAKE - When Ailed Caro-Arteaga first came to the United States (US) in 2005 on a six-month tourist visa, her goals were simple: Practice English and return to Mexico to go to college. After meeting her future husband Luis Caro in Missoula, Mont. her plans changed. She moved to Montana, married Caro and has helped him run his drywall business, Caro Drywall, in Seeley Lake. Last Thursday, Jan. 21, Caro-Arteaga gained her US citizenship at a naturalization ceremony in Helena, Mont....
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE) drama club's annual production this year was "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens. The Jan. 20 performance involved a cast and crew of more than 20 students from the fifth through eighth grades. The students worked on the production during the second quarter....
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Rural Fire District Board approved a $60 per trip stipend for patient transports to Missoula, Mont. between the hours of 8 p.m. – 8 a.m. effective Jan. 19. Seeley Lake Fire Chief Bob Vanden Heuvel also informed the board that he took the opportunity to acquire a 1987 Type III fire engine. The board has been discussing the Quick Response Unit (QRU) night transport stipend since mid-summer. At the July 21, 2015 meeting, the board, excluding members Gary Lewis and Al Rogers who were absent, unanimously approved $75...
Goal: Gary Freyholtz, owner of Swan Valley Log Crafters, LLC specializes in handcrafted log home shells, pole buildings, railings and stairs. His goal is to create a log structure that is a lasting, well built home that the customer can enjoy for years to come. History: Freyholtz said he originally learned how to build a log house at Rustics of Lindbergh Lake in Condon when he started in July, 1984. He worked for two other log home businesses in the 1990s. In 1998 he started Swan Valley Log...
Swan Valley AARP Meeting Feb. 1 SWAN VALLEY – A month’s journey in Germany, France and Italy will be the Monday, Feb. 1 program for the Swan Valley AARP Chapter. Local residents Steve and Betsy Ellis will show color slides of their recent trip. The group will meet at noon for potluck at 12:30 p.m. The program will start at 2 p.m. The Ellises will be the host for the occasion. The public is invited. Artist-Wilderness-Connection, Artist-in-Residence Program Application Period Open KALISPELL - The Flathead National Forest, Bob Marshall Wilderness...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Driftriders snowmobile club packed the Seeley Lake Community Hall Saturday night and ran the trails on Sunday for their annual Snow Ball Weekend. Snowmobilers came from across Montana to enjoy the more than six inches of new snow in the valley and more than two feet of fresh power in the mountains. The Driftriders filled the Seeley Lake Community Hall to capacity Saturday night for their annual Snow Ball fundraiser. Lindey's Prime Steak House catered a prime rib...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley Lake resident Ann Mondul’s photograph of bear grass was chosen for the front cover of the 2016-2017 Seeley Lake Lions Club phone book. This is the second time Mondul has submitted her photography for the cover but the first time she has been chosen. A total of 35 entries were submitted for this year’s cover photo. Mondul took her winning photograph while on an ATV ride on the road to Morrell Falls with some friends in July 2014. “The sky was such a pretty blue, the bear...
SEELEY LAKE - While fishing was slow, the opportunity to put to rest the day-to-day stresses of life and a chance to connect with like-minded veterans and emergency personnel was the success of Fish On! MT's event in Seeley Lake this past week. Up to 18 veterans, professional firefighters and emergency personnel joined Fish On! MT founder and Army veteran Justin Morin and his wife Shanna through the week to enjoy the beauty and peacefulness Seeley Lake offers. Fish On! MT was founded on Dec....
SEELEY LAKE - It is that time of the year where snow can become a problem for your local Fire District getting access to fire hydrants. Seeley Lake is very fortunate to have such a well-maintained water and fire hydrant system. Though the Seeley Lake Water District works hard to keep the hydrants clear of snow in the winter... you can assist in that effort. Pleases consider adopting the hydrant nearest your home and do your part to keep it clear of snow. It can be difficult to locate a fire...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Council (SLCC) discussed its options after the state rejected the council’s request for traffic safety improvements on Highway 83 at its Jan. 11 meeting. The council also discussed the issue of new cell tower permitting in the area and welcomed newly appointed board member Carrie Sokoloski (see story page 6). The council requested the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) make changes in speed limits and crosswalks on Highway 83 in Seeley Lake. The council spent much of the summer collecting p...
MISSOULA - Missoula County is seeking civically engaged and interested community members to serve as one of 800 election judges for the 2016 election year. This is a paid public service position that serves voters on Election Day. Missoula County is offering paid training throughout the month of February (mileage is included) and will hold a June Primary and November General Election this year. Conducting fair, balanced and organized elections is a community-wide effort. As champions of this process, election judges play a crucial role in...
POTOMAC - Wild Skies Raptor Center is a non-profit rehabilitation facility in Potomac specializing in raptors and native birds. The mission is to provide care, rehabilitation and eventual release of injured wild birds. Presently there are 18 raptors on site. Brooke Tanner and Jesse Varnado work together to rehabilitate the injured birds. Tanner has been involved in rehabilitating birds for the last 10 years. She worked at the Grounded Eagle Bird rehabilitation facility in Condon. She currently...
SEELEY LAKE - Carrie Sokoloski was appointed to the Seeley Lake Community Council (SLCC) in December, filling the vacancy created by Cathy Kahnle's move to Flathead County. Sokoloski moved to Seeley Lake from Glendive, where she served on the City Council. She holds an M.S. in Public Relations and a B.A. in Organizational Communication from Montana State University, Billings. Sokoloski is a licensed property manager and operates a property management business with her husband, Ryan Sokoloski....
SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley Regional Planning Committee (SVRPC) approved the draft regional plan with pending edits at their Jan. 13 meeting. Once the final edits are made within the next week, the plan will be available for the public to review and make comments on prior to the Swan Valley Community Council’s approval. Planner Bob Horne presented the committee with four new sub-sections to consider: wildlife-friendly fencing recommendations; improved communications between the county and council asking for a single point of contact for t...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley-Swan Hospital District Board met for their monthly meeting, Jan. 11. Currently the Seeley-Swan Medical Center is without x-ray capabilities due to a shortage of trained technicians to run the machine. The clinic has also been decorated with artwork from six different Alpine Artisans, Inc. (AAI) artists. Partnership Health Center (PHC) Director of Innovation Mary Jane Nealon informed the board that the Medical Center will be unable to offer x-rays until later this spring. When Cindy Lewis retired, PHC sent another staff...
SEELEY LAKE – World-renowned classical pianist Tanya Gabrielian tinkled the ivories reaching out to hearts and souls at her concert at Seeley-Swan High School, Jan. 17. While commanding the attention of the audience with her piano mastery, she also drew them in asking those in attendance to take an active role in the experience. She provided background on the pieces and begged questions that took the audience beyond passive listening to promote an emotional connection with it and making it r...
SEELEY LAKE - Prior to winter break, Seeley-Swan High School (SSHS) seniors engaged in a debate about whether there should be homework assigned or not. Following the debate, the student body in attendance agreed that the side debating to eliminate homework won the debate with Angus Batchelder being the best debater. This is the start of more conversations with the students, staff and parents to help SSHS refine their homework practices. The conversation about amount of homework started last year with SSHS parents and students while discussing...
SEELEY LAKE - Winters with deep snows and long nights in Seeley Lake have traditionally tended to cause restlessness from being in a confined area. Some get an unhappy and impatient feeling that comes from being indoors for too long. Others get extreme irritability and restlessness from living in isolation indoors for a prolonged time. All these feelings are commonly known as Cabin Fever. Over the past century winter residents have devised many ways to deal with this malady. These days find...
Goal: Sole owner and trainer Tony Hughes' goal for Wild to Mild Horsemanship is to help horses and people with horse problems. "If [owners] can't do something with their horse, I will work with them and their horse so they can get along, have fun and be safe," said Hughes. "It's something I like to do and it is something the people need around here." History: Hughes always wanted to ride horses as a child. When he got married, he and his wife Beth purchased a farm and a young horse. He took it...
Montana Recreational Trails Program Grants Available HELENA – Montana State Parks announced that federal Recreational Trails Program (RTP) grants are available for trail projects in Montana. Applications are due by March 11 at 4 p.m. Montana State Parks manages the annual grant program that administers federal funding with oversight from the Federal Highway Administration. Projects include: development, maintenance and rehabilitation work on urban, rural, and backcountry trails; planning and construction of community trails and a variety of t...
SEELEY LAKE - After moving nearly everything she owned into her new apartment, Seeley Lake resident and owner of Moose B’ Mornin Espresso Laura White never expected to get the call that there had been a fire. White intended to sign the lease agreement for her new apartment on SOS Road on Monday, Jan. 4. But a fire started Sunday morning, Jan. 3. Arson is the suspected cause. The property manager approved White to start moving her belongings into her new place prior to signing the lease. This gave her the opportunity to clean out her existing r...
SEELEY LAKE - Three new deputies were sworn in with the Missoula County Sheriff's Office Dec. 30. Seeley Lake's new deputy Mike Sunderland, Jr. was among them. Sunderland is currently doing his field training program and will be attending the academy from April through the end of June. He anticipates moving to Seeley Lake after all his training is complete. Sunderland grew up in Missoula, Mont. He started riding in a patrol car with his father Mike Sunderland, Sr., now a retired lieutenant with...
SWAN VALLEY - Swan Valley Connections (SVC), a new organization born from the merger of two long-standing local non-profits Northwest Connections (NwC) and Swan Ecosystem Center (SEC), was formed in the beginning of 2016. SVC is expected to carry forward all the educational programs, stewardship services, conservation work and land management partnerships from the past, while further expanding its reach and influence. Since June of last year, NwC and SEC have been working to complete the...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley Lake welcomed 44 teams and nearly 250 players for the sixth annual Seeley Lake Pond Hockey Tournament (SLPH) on the ice in front of Lindey's Prime Steak House Jan. 8-10. With the best weather they have had in the past six years, the ice was smooth and the teams were on fire. Three of the four defending champion teams returned to defend their titles and two ended up in the championship game again this year. One of the big changes this year was the online scheduling using...
In an intriguing and very readable look into the world of international health statistics, acclaimed journalist and science writer Jeremy Smith chronicles the career of Christopher Murray as he and a varying group of colleagues seek to gain a truer understanding of how we live and how we die through the Global Burden of Disease study. “Epic Measures” is the true story of a 20 year, 500 scientist attempt to track and quantify every illness, injury and death for everyone on earth, the biggest of big data collection ever. Murray argues that the...
SEELEY LAKE - Imagine you are with a group of five friends on a snowmobiling outing in the Seeley Lake area. The weatherman has just blessed your group with 12 inches of "cold smoke" and everyone is having a wonderful time. Then, the unthinkable happens and an avalanche swallows everyone in your group except you. It is up to you and your skill set to find and save your friends who will likely die of suffocation in 15 minutes. That scenario is a nightmarish possibility for anyone who skis,...
SEELEY LAKE - Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) officials held a meeting Jan. 4 in Seeley Lake to discuss proposed changes to the 2016 and 2017 hunting regulations. FWP is accepting public comment on these changes through Jan. 22. FWP Region Two Wildlife Manager Mike Thompson explained that public comment is welcome, not only on the proposed changes, but also on the full regulations. Scott Eggeman, FWP’s wildlife biologist based in Seeley Lake, presented the proposed changes for the Seeley Lake, Ovando and Potomac area districts. Local D...
Livestock owners need to have current brand inspections or permits accompanying livestock. Brand inspections include lifetime and annual inspections, transfers of ownership, change of pasture, travel permits, market permits, slaughter and hide inspections. Each specific inspection is good for a certain number of days. Permits and inspections are written by Montana Department of Livestock (MTDOL) Brand Inspectors after inspecting the owner's paperwork and livestock. There are 12 brand inspectors...
OVANDO - The Blackfoot Community Conservation Area (BCCA) is located in the mid-reaches of the Blackfoot watershed near Ovando Mountain. It combines community forest ownership and management within the Core 5,609 acres with cooperative ecosystem management for multiple-use across public and private lands for 41,000 acres in the Blackfoot Watershed. Established in 2005, the community vision for the BCCA is to develop a working landscape that balances ecological diversity with local economic...
The Missoula Maulers came to skate with the community on the Seeley Lake "ponds" Jan. 6. This has been an annual event organized in cooperation with the Seeley Lake Pond Hockey Tournament with the intent of exposing and encouraging skating and ice hockey in Seeley Lake....
SEELEY LAKE – Faster speed and greater accuracy are the goals Lynn Carey has set for the 34th Over Seeley's Creeks and Ridges (OSCR) cross-country ski race at the Seeley Creek Trail System Jan. 30. Carey is not referring to bettering his personal ski score. Instead, as Vice President of the Seeley Lake Nordic Ski Club (SLNSC) and Race Director for the OSCR [pronounced Oscar], Carey is inaugurating a new streamlined method for providing faster and more accurate OSCR score results for all s...
SEELEY LAKE – Roberta Reiley of Seeley Lake is pursuing a life-long dream of becoming a musher. After working with dogs as a young child and working as a handler for several mushers, she has been training for her first race Jan. 16-17. While racing is a big part of her dream, Reiley also wants to help others better understand mushing and share her love of running dogs with others. "I've always wanted to have my own team," said Reiley. "My dream is by 50 years old [currently 42-years-old] I want...
Goal: Juan de Santa Anna defines photography as the magic of recording a moment that will never be again. He said, "It's a nostalgic art really. Everything becomes a moment that has passed." He sees his mission as "recording as much of now as I can" and sharing as many pictures as possible with people all over the world. History: De Santa Anna's formal training in photography began in 1999 when he took a course at the Rocky Mountain School of Photography (RMSP) in Missoula. After he graduated,...
SWAN VALLEY - During the spring and summer of 2015, Seeley-Swan High School sophomore Iriey Anderson traveled with her family and five horses all over the state to participate in Montana High School Rodeo Association (MHSRA) rodeos. This year she will compete in five events which she hopes could lead to a full ride scholarship in college rodeo. "I have wanted this since I was little. It's all part of chasing my dream," said Anderson. "We have been to almost all the rodeo arenas in the state and...
Seeley Lake Inventor and Entrepreneurs Group Starting in Seeley Lake SEELEY LAKE —Have you ever wanted to sell what you craft? Do you have an idea for a product? Is inventing your passion? Would you like to move your idea to reality? Join like-minded community members for a brainstorming session to form a Seeley Lake Inventor and Entrepreneurs Group. This session will be held at 6 p.m. Jan. 20 at SLE Outside in the Bison & Bear Center. For more information contact the Seeley Lake Community Foundation office 406-677-3506. SSHS Pep Band Recruitin...
There have been several changes to the 2016 Seeley Lake Winterfest "Cabin Fever" schedule since the press deadline. • There will be no Torchlit parade this year on Friday, Jan. 15. As scheduled, the Christmas tree bonfire will start at The Filling Station parking lot Friday at 5:30 p.m. including games for the children and music for everyone to enjoy. The Grizzly Claw Trading Company will be offering half priced lattes from 4:30-5:30 to accommodate this change. • The Seeley Lake Challenge Bia... Full story
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake volunteer firefighters responded to an apartment fire at 145 SOS Road in Seeley Lake Jan. 3. The three-unit complex was vacant when the fire started. While the State Fire Marshal is still working on the investigation, Missoula County Sheriff's Sergeant Robert Parcell said it is a "probable arson." A neighbor called in the fire just before 11 a.m. Sunday morning. Seeley Lake Fire Chief Bob Vanden Heuvel was on scene in six minutes followed by the structure engine three m...
SEELEY LAKE – While Seeley Lake junior Bo Jungers went out expecting to catch northern pike on Seeley Lake New Year's Day, he had no idea what was waiting to take the bait the first morning of 2016. After pulling a 42-inch, 30 pound, 10 ounce pike out of an eight-inch hole, Jungers could not be more excited about his success. Jungers bought an insulated fishing house with the proceeds from his 4H hog project this past year. After seeing several people out on Seeley Lake Dec. 31, he had heard t...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley Lake turns hockey town Jan. 8-10 for the sixth annual Seeley Lake Pond Hockey (SLPH) Tournament. While much of the tournament remains the same, this year participants and fans will have online access to the schedule and tournament standings. Local children are also invited to skate with the Missoula Maulers Wednesday, Jan. 6 starting at 5 p.m. on the rinks on Seeley Lake in front of Lindey's Prime Steak House. The tournament started from a group of locals who would get...
SEELEY LAKE - Cell Towers and Medicaid will be the main topics at the next Seeley Lake Community Council (SLCC) meeting, Jan. 11. Two new cell towers have been proposed for Seeley Lake, on Redwood Lane in downtown Seeley and at Salmon Lake. J.R. Reger, who wants to build the tower on Redwood Lane, laid out his plans at the SLCC meeting last November. The engineering firm working on the Salmon Lake tower has declined an invitation to the SLCC January meeting, saying they are waiting for Missoula County to process their application. Jamie...
HELENA – Superintendent of Public Instruction Denise Juneau announced public high school juniors will no longer be required to take the annual Smarter Balanced assessment. Instead they will take the ACT. "Montana is one of 13 states that provides the ACT to all juniors for free. It doesn't make sense to ask juniors to take the ACT and the Smarter Balanced assessment," Superintendent Juneau said. "The change will cut testing time for public high school students by two-thirds, and allow them to f...
SEELEY LAKE – A single-engine airplane crashed while landing at the Seeley Lake Airport, Jan. 4 around 5:30 p.m. The pilot walked away with no injuries. According to Missoula County Sheriff’s Sergeant Robert Parcell the airplane was landing from the north. When it touched down on the plowed runway, it was too far left of the center. The left tire was sucked into the left hand snow berm, spinning the plane 180 degrees and slamming the right wing into the berm. The pilot kept the plane upright and was uninjured. The Seeley Lake Volunteer fir...
CONDON – The Swan Lake Ranger District of the Flathead National Forest invites the community to a public meeting Thursday, Jan. 14 from 4:30 - 7 p.m. at the Forest Service Condon Work Center in Condon to discuss the Beaver Creek Landscape Restoration Project Environmental Assessment (EA). The project EA is available for public review and comment through Feb. 1. The Beaver Creek project area is located about nine miles south of Condon bordered by Lindbergh Lake and the Mission Mountains to the west, the Swan River to the north, State Highway 8...
HELENA – Montana State Parks (MSP) announced that public comment is being sought on a draft environmental assessment (EA) for proposed shared group bicycle campsites at four state parks in western Montana. The park locations are Whitefish Lake State Park near Whitefish, Mont.; Flathead Lake-Wayfarers State Park near Bigfork, Mont.; and Placid Lake and Salmon Lake Sate Parks near Seeley Lake. Public comment will be accepted through Friday, Feb. 5 at 5 p.m. The proposed improvements include enhancing existing shared group bicycle campsites at Whi...
SEELEY LAKE – Through the combined efforts of Seeley Lake Regional Outdoor Center for Kinetic Sports (SL ROCKS), Seeley Lake Nordic Ski Club (SLNSC) and the US Forest Service (USFS), the trails and accommodations at the Seeley Creek Nordic Trail System continue to show improvements each year. To update the public about changes to the yurt and the ski trails and to express appreciation for volunteer and community support, SL ROCKS invites the community to a Yurt Open House. The event will take p...
SEELEY LAKE - On Sunday, Jan. 17, concert pianist Tanya Gabrielian will bring her talent to Seeley Lake for a public concert at 3 p.m. in the Seeley-Swan High School auditorium. Alpine Artisans' 2 Valleys Stage (2VS) is pleased to be able to bring such a world-renowned artist to our valleys. Gabrielian has performed in acclaimed venues on four continents, including Carnegie Hall, the Sydney Opera House in Australia, Queen Elizabeth Hall in London and the Salle Cortot in Paris. Grounded in the...
SWAN VALLEY - Swan Valley resident Wes Kesterson started logging with his father Buck Kesterson when he was around 12 years old. After spending nearly 15 years, as a logger in the Swan Valley, the biggest change Kesterson has seen in the industry is that logging equipment is more efficient and has made logging safer. Kesterson learned how to log on his grandmother's property located on the Swan River at Salmon Prairie. He helped his father with salvage logging jobs around the Swan Valley with th...
SEELEY LAKE - After managing the ice skating rink on the corner of Elm Drive and Cedar Lane for the past 13 years, the Seeley Lake Lions Club continues to make improvements. This year the storage building is complete with all sizes of ice skates and hockey sticks and is open for anyone to use. Lions' past president Gary Lewis commissioned the park in 1993. On Jan. 4, 2003, the Lions held their grand opening skating party. According to the Jan. 16, 2003 issue of the Seeley Swan Pathfinder, the Li...
POTOMAC - Animal Wonders in Potomac is a non-profit corporation that houses animals while focusing on education and entertainment using exotic and domestic animals found all over the world. Jessi Knudsen Castañeda and her husband Augusto Castañeda are the founders of Animal Wonders Inc. Since August 2008 they have been adding animals to their facility. "We're sort of like a zoo, but instead of visiting a zoo, we bring the zoo to people," Jessi said. The goals of Animal Wonders are to rescue d...
Goal: David Pitman Transportation, LLC's goal is to have a truck locally available to haul heavy equipment. Owner David Pitman can haul equipment up to 60,000 pounds including: firefighting and logging equipment, excavators, bull dozers and hay. History: Pitman worked with his dad and brother for three years contracting out Pitman Resources' skidgine for wildland fire fighting. They were hiring a truck driver to haul their equipment. He realized that while the initial investment was big, being...
SEELEY LAKE - With the holiday now behind us, the tree is swiftly losing its coat of green, and the needles are piling up on the floor, which means it’s time to remove the tree from your home. One option to dispose of trees for valley residents is to bring trees, free of tinsel and wire, to the Filling Station parking lot for the annual bonfire Jan. 15. The bonfire will be held around 5:30 p.m. following the Winterfest Kick-off parade from Deer Country Quilts to the Filling Station parking lot. “Christmas trees are very flammable,” said Lorra...
Seeley Lake Volunteers Climbing for a Cure SEELEY LAKE - Seeley Lake Fire Department volunteers Kristy Pohlman and Shawn Ellinghouse are gearing up for their fourth Scott Firefighter Stairclimb in Seattle, March 6. Pohlman and Ellinghouse, along with approximately 1,600 other firefighters, will race 788 vertical feet and 1,311 steps to the top of the Columbia Center in downtown Seattle in full bunker gear. This year will be the 25th anniversary stairclimb fundraiser for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS). The LLS is the world’s largest n...
SEELEY LAKE - As of Dec. 1, the Seeley Lake Refuse District Transfer Station is under the operation and management of Republic Services of Montana. They signed a 12-month contract with Missoula County that can be renewed annually for up to three years. Republic Services said their goal is to continue performing all duties necessary to safely and successfully operate and manage the transfer station and provide safe, convenient and reliable service to the Seeley Lake community. The purpose of the Seeley Lake Refuse District Transfer Station,...
POTOMAC – A lost Weimaraner dog was found Sept. 24 dragging his dehydrated, starving body through a frost covered meadow in the Lost Creek area near Condon. He was taken to Paws Up Safe Home and Animal Shelter (Paws Up) in Potomac. After a lot of love, care and food he is finally able to stand on his own again and continues to get his strength back. The Weimaraner, affectionately named Lucky Dog once he arrived at Paws Up, was found miles from any home. His hind feet were bloody from being d...
SEELEY LAKE - After more than 40 years of flying experience each, Seeley Lake residents Erik Gullikson and Bob Thorne are building their own two-seater plane, an S-20 Raven. During his career as an aircraft mechanic, Gullikson has done just about every step of the plane-building process, but never built one from start to finish. Thorne swore he would never fly anything he had worked on but that has changed working under Gullikson's guidance. While the average time to complete a home-built...
MISSOULA - Representative David "Doc" Moore of House District 92 (HD 92) has decided not to run for a third term in the Montana House of Representatives. He stated that he has really enjoyed meeting, listening to and trying to help the constituents of the area. "HD 92 is a very diverse district with some wonderful working families, and it is been my pleasure to serve all of them," said Moore. "But it is time to look for other opportunities and personal challenges. Whether that will be in the...
Since Republican David "Doc" Moore is not running for House District 92 (HD 92), Condon resident Larry Dunham submitted his application for the Republican ticket. "I will get informed, get involved, get it right," said Dunham. "My belief is to act, not react and trust but verify." HD 92 includes Condon, Seeley Lake, Clearwater Junction, Potomac, Bonner, Milltown, East Missoula, Turah and Clinton. Dunham was raised in Bozeman, Mont. and graduated from Montana State University, Bozeman. Upon...
MISSOULA - Missoula County Public Schools (MCPS) Superintendent Mark Thane spoke in a news conference Dec. 15 about the unintentional data breach that occurred from the Hellgate High School administrative offices on Friday, Dec. 4. LMG Security completed the internal investigation and forensic investigation. The investigation revealed that Hellgate Assistant Principal Libby Oliver intended to finalize a document containing an agenda and notes from a recent Hellgate football meeting. Oliver’s email attachment included an additional 16 pages o...
SEELEY LAKE - Bull Creek Forestry of Seeley Lake has begun work on the Seeley Lake Ranger District’s Mountain Creek Stewardship Project off of Cottonwood Lakes Road (US Forest Service Road #477). Approximately three miles of the road is closed for public safety due to log truck traffic. The closure will remain in place until the work is completed or no later than March 31, 2016. The Mountain Creek Stewardship Project is 125 acres. There are two primary objectives of the project: • Reduce the spread of mountain pine beetle by removing the cur...
HELENA - With healthcare costs on the rise across the country, the Montana Business Leadership Council (MBLC) is recommending a few simple, bi-partisan measures that will aid in lowering healthcare costs for Montanans. One of the policy measures is to focus on the need for continued flexibility in the regulation of state-specific health insurance provider networks, one of the most important tools insurers have for controlling costs. “There have been discussions on the national level to try to limit the flexibility of provider networks,” sai...
SEELEY LAKE – Rocky Mountain Adventure Gear (RMAG) in Seeley Lake is under new ownership and operating with a new business model offering outdoor recreation rentals. Moose Jergesen and Duane Anderson purchased RMAG from Mike and Cathy Kahnle and also Seeley Sport Rentals from Bob Skiles. RMAG now offers the "best of both worlds" providing a one-stop-shop for winter and summer motorized and non-motorized rentals as well as offering a selection of outdoor merchandise. Jergesen was the general m...
SEELEY LAKE – Decorated trees are an almost indispensable part of modern Christmas festivities. Where did the custom originate? Why do people perpetuate it? And to what extremes has it been carried? According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the most expensively decorated Christmas tree was erected and displayed in the hotel atrium of the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi in 2010. Amid traditional lights and ornaments, the 43-foot artificial evergreen tree was adorned with necklaces, e...
SEELEY LAKE - The annual "Giving Tree," sponsored by the Mountain Lakes Presbyterian Church women, brought Christmas joy to many families in the Valley. Nearly 90 gifts were given to 18 families in the area. While no one is certain when the Giving Tree started in Seeley Lake, Kelli and Bruce Wold took it over in 1995. They started a giving tree when they had a grocery store in Chinook and wanted to keep it going when they moved to Seeley Lake. Kim Bezanson, Kathleen Thompson and the Wolds would...
Kindergarten Dear Santa Claus, How are your reindeer doing? What is your favorite color? And my name is Levi. Please may I have legos. Sincerely, Levi. Dear Santa Claus, I would like a bean bag. My name is Bryar. I would like a baskitball hoop. Love, Bryar. Dear Santa Claus, How are the elves doing? I want a water bottle you can color. Love, Nikylie Dear Santa Claus, How are you doing? Do you like Milk? Do you like cookies? Are the reindeer polling the sled well? Hows Ms. Claus? Santa do you like fruit? May I please have a Army man and a Robot...
Goal: Haines Contracting's goal is to provide quality work for his customers providing for all their forest-related needs. This includes cutting stumps low, making sure the clean-up is aesthetically pleasing and maintaining regeneration when felling larger timber. Owner Brett Haines' personal goal is to make a living so he and his family can live in Seeley Lake. History: Haines started working in the logging industry during the summers that he attended college. After his freshman year in the... Full story
SALMON PRAIRIE - On Dec. 22, six Salmon Prairie students in grades kindergarten to eighth grade presented their own production of "How the Grinch Stole Christmas." Parents, friends and community members filled the one-room schoolhouse to attend the traditional Christmas program, enjoy fellowship and indulge in holiday treats. Starting after Thanksgiving, the students worked together to write their script based on the story "How the Grinch Stole Christmas." They changed the location of the story...
Swan Valley AARP Meeting, Jan. 4 SWAN VALLEY - Fairytale Farm will be the program Monday, Jan. 4 for the Swan Valley AARP at the Swan Valley Community Hall. Local resident and owner of Fairytale Farms Sarah Mendenhall will charm attendees with a talk. The potluck starts at noon and attendees will eat at 12:30 p.m. The hosts will be Neil and Dixie Meyer. Winter Trails Day, Jan. 9, in the Flathead Valley The Flathead Community of Resource Educators (CORE), a network of individuals and organizations working together to increase awareness and...
Seeley Lake sixth-grader Sawyer Shelmerdine caught this 34 inch, nearly 15 pound northern pike Wednesday, Dec. 23 while fishing on Salmon Lake with his dad, Phil. Sawyer caught it on a tip up using smelt....
OVANDO - What do you get when you take Charles Dickens "A Christmas Carol," have it rewritten by Adrian Barradell, adapt it to the town of Ovando and add local students and community members? You get this year's Ovando School Christmas play that had the Ovando School gym packed with members of the community and a chorus of laughter throughout the whole performance. With the help of six community members, the nine Ovando students and their three teachers, the audience was taken through "A...
SWAN VALLEY - Missoula County informed Applied Communications Planner Bob Horne and the Swan Valley Community Council (SVCC) that after Horne’s contract for Task 1, writing the first draft, on the Swan Valley Regional Plan was complete Dec. 31, that they would not continue funding him for the three additional tasks. County Planner Mitch Doherty said the decision had nothing to do with Horne’s performance or the plan’s progress. “This has been a grassroots effort,” said Doherty of the entire process of revising the 1996 Swan Valley Regional...
SEELEY LAKE – Three volunteers with the Seeley Lake Rural Fire District have passed their written and practical exams for Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Basic with Endorsements. After completing their clinical requirements, they will be able to provide medications, start and maintain intravenous (IV) fluid administration, monitor patients with devices including the LifePak® 12 cardiac monitor and glucometer and provide advanced airway management including the use of King and ETT t...
POTOMAC - The annual Potomac School Holiday Program, also known as the Community Christmas Concert, was led by Potomac School Music Teacher Beth Ann Ryan, Dec. 16. Accompanying the singing on piano was Potomac resident and Potomac School "Grandma" Maureen Talbert. More than 80 students participated in the program. Grades Kindergarten through sixth sang or signed songs like Way up High in the Christmas Tree, Up On the Housetop and Sign Language Jingle Bells. The seventh and eighth grade girls'...
MISSOULA – Recent snowfall has allowed the Missoula Snowgoers and Seeley Lake Driftriders to begin grooming the snowmobile trail system in the Lolo Pass area and on the Seeley Lake, Missoula and Powell Ranger Districts. The West Central Montana Avalanche Center has also begun issuing advisories. The grooming of the trail system by the Snowgoers is permitted by the Lolo and Nez Perce Clearwater National Forests and supported by the Montana Department of Fish Wildlife and Parks (FWP). Under the Special Use permit administered by the Forest S...
When you’re decking the halls this year, make sure to keep fire safety in mind. That’s the main message behind “Project Holiday,” the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) annual holiday fire safety campaign, which works to educate the public about the increased risk of home fires during the holiday season. When decking the halls this holiday season, follow NFPA’s simple safety tips to help keep yourself and your family and friends safer from fire. “The holidays carry a host of traditions and festivities that people look forward to al...
MISSOULA - Are you or someone you know worried about how you’re going to pay those home energy bills this winter? Energy Share of Montana is accepting applications for emergency heating assistance at District XI Human Resource Council in Missoula, 406-728-3710. Energy Share is a private nonprofit organization that was established in 1983 to help Montanans who are facing financial difficulties which may result in loss of heat or lights in their home due to circumstances beyond their control. A local volunteer Energy Share Committee works with t...
Excerpts from “Cabin Fever” © Mildred Chaffin 1989. Reprinted with permission. “Cabin Fever” is available on the Seeley Lake Historical Society (SLHS) website, www.seeleyhistory.org bookstore and locally at Cory’s Valley Market, Double Arrow Lodge, Grizzly Claw and Rovero’s. A Dude Ranch or Cattle Ranch? C.B. Rich shared some stories about the early days at the ranch. “’The dude buildings had been allowed to run down and we thought we budgeted enough to repair them. We didn’t, however, and maintenance and repair of the buildings were the...
SEELEY LAKE – Four downtown businesses in Seeley Lake set out food and beverages and invited the community to join in holiday cheer. Blue River Station, Citizens Alliance Bank, Kurt's Polaris and the shops in the Heritage Building all offered special merchandise discounts in conjunction with their open house events, but each business said the main focus was on fellowship rather than on sales. Owner of Blue River Station Nancy Butcher said it is difficult to keep the store profitable once the s...
District Administrator Lynn Richards announced at the Seeley Lake Fire Board meeting Dec. 15 that Missoula County is now accepting applications for one position on the board that will be voted on in the May 3 election. Trustee Al Rogers’ position is up for re-election. The trustee election will be held May 3, 2016. Richards said the Missoula County regulations for trustee elections have changed. Applicants are no longer required to get community signatures to be accepted. All applicants need to do is fill out the application, have it n...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley-Swan High School (SSHS) Music Department held its Winter Concert Dec. 15. Under the direction of the new Music Director Kaytee Ambrozich, students in the band and choir entertained with several pieces, including both traditional music and holiday selections. The choir featured junior Cera Strumpfer and senior Zoey Matheny singing the song "His Daughter" by Molly Kate Kestner. Strumpfer also soloed on the song where the choir entered, "Rocks In the Mountains," a...
SEELEY LAKE – The Bethlehem Walk, now in its third year, has become a Seeley Lake Christmas tradition. Faith Chapel's Pastor Gary Wayne credits his wife Heather Ann Wayne for originating the idea. Her vision was for it to become a non-denominational community event. That vision is slowly coming to fruition. Pastor Wayne contacted the other churches in Seeley Lake and issued an invitation for them to participate. He told them, "I would love this to be a community message instead of one church p...
Goal: Owner Bud Jewett's goal is to provide reasonably priced matting and framing services in the Seeley Lake area. History: Jewett has been matting and framing for he and his wife Chris's photography business (Silentwings Photography) for the past 15 years. When local framer Sandy Irons moved from the area, Jewett decided to do matting and framing as a business. "I've always enjoyed making artwork look its best with the right color mat and frame," said Jewett. "The matting and framing should...
HELENA – The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) and its law enforcement partners are reminding the public that minimum fines for driving under the influence (DUI) convictions doubled in 2015. The penalty for a first offense DUI is now $600 to $1,000 and up to six months of jail time. Additional fees, mandatory treatment, driver’s license reinstatement and other costs can total up to $10,000. “If you choose to drive after drinking, you are risking a high-cost increase in your holiday spending, not to mention the safety of yourself and o...
Seeley Lake Library News SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Library Book Club will be discussing Eleanor Brown’s “The Weird Sisters” Thursday, Jan. 21 at 11 a.m. in the library. This debut novel tells the story of three sisters who return home to their rural Ohio college town when their mother undergoes treatment for cancer. The humor, lyricism, and realism characterizing this book will appeal to fans of modern fiction as well as stories of family. All are invited to join in the discussion. Books are available at the checkout desk. The Seeley Lake L...
SEELEY LAKE - The Rich Ranch threw open their doors at the ranch and warmed up the sledding hill for the 21st Annual Rich Ranch Community Appreciation Day on Woodworth Road. Attendees enjoyed ten selections of chili made by the Seeley Lake Lions Club, dozens of cookies made by the Seeley Lake Trailblazers 4-H Club, live bluegrass music, sleigh rides, warming fire, sledding and of course a visit from Santa. "We've been doing this since 1958 when C.B. Rich would ride into town," said Peggy...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake antler thefts made headlines as the Five Valleys Crimestoppers Crime of the Week last week. Not only is Crimestoppers offering a cash reward of up to $1,000 for information that leads to the arrest and/or conviction of those involved in the thefts, the Seeley Lake Community Foundation (SLCF) is offering an additional monetary reward to help in the investigation. Missoula County Sheriff’s Office detectives have been investigating an ongoing string of thefts in the Seeley Lake area of deer, elk and moose antlers. S...
SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley Regional Planning Committee (SVRPC) is in the final stages of editing the draft regional growth plan. At the Dec. 8 meeting, the SVRPC addressed comments and concerns from those on the committee and others that have been active in the process. Following the January meeting, the committee hopes to have a working draft to present to the community. Swan Valley resident Rick Ferguson suggested including the label “Crown of the Continent” for the Swan Valley in the Natural Resource Element. “It’s a good reminde...
MISSOULA - The Missoula County Public School (MCPS) Board unanimously adopted the resolutions to authorize the issuance and sale of an initial series of up to $60 million for the elementary school building bonds and $30 million for the high school building bonds at their Dec. 8 meeting. The goal is that the MCPS Series 2016 bonds will be available for purchase in late January 2016. While this is a public offering and sale of bonds, brokers must submit clients’ orders through D.A. Davidson, the underwriter for the sale. The design and e...
SEELEY LAKE - For veterans experiencing a housing crisis, Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) is designed to assist with housing stability. The SSVF Program also provides eligible veteran families with outreach, case management, assistance obtaining Veteran Administration (VA) benefits, other supportive services and financial assistance. The SSVF is a program through the Volunteers of America Northern Rockies. It has been in existence since 2010. Based upon the increased need in Missoula, Ravalli, Granite, Powell and Mineral countie...
POTOMAC - Potomac's annual winter celebration Christmas Comes Home was held the evening of Dec. 12. More than 100 people attended and enjoyed a tree decorating contest, crafts, festive treats, the Angel tree, holiday music, a silent auction of outdoorsman items and hayrides. Ray Woodside and his wife Brenda live in Potomac and brought their four mules harnessed and lighted, complete with jingle bells to provide hayrides. Their mules pulled a wagon as a team of four including the wheeler team...
SEELEY LAKE - This past week many students and teachers at Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE) were decorated with stickers that read: Hour of Code. SLE Technology teacher Michele Holmes had all of her students participating in the national program entitled Hour of Code during Computer Science Education Week, Dec. 7-13. It is a global movement with more than 100 million learners in 196 countries with the goal of introducing students to computer science, designed to demystify code and show that anybody...
HELENA – After years of operating under an outdated and restrictive education law, Superintendent of Public Instruction Denise Juneau is pleased the federal government has approved the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) which reauthorizes the 1965 Elementary and Secondary Education Act. “For the first time in more than a decade, Montana educators will have a seat at the table in developing an education accountability and achievement model that will work for Montana students,” Superintendent Juneau said. “Now the real work begins as we build u...
SWAN VALLEY - Thursday, Dec. 10, the Swan Valley Elementary School (SVE) students from preschool to eighth grade presented their Christmas program entitled Holidays Around the World. Music teacher Kaytee Ambrozich, who replaced retired SVE music teacher Bob Green, told the audience that her students had learned a lot about music, worked hard and some were willing to learn a new instrument when the music required it. Contemporary and non-traditional Christmas songs sung and played by the SVE...
Santa isn’t the only one keeping track of who is naughty and who is nice! Better Business Bureau (BBB) is warning consumers to beware of these common holiday scams: 1. Look-alike websites: When shopping online, make sure to use only legitimate websites. Watch out for URLs that use the names of well-known brands along with extra words. 2. Fake shipping notifications: These can have attachments or links to sites that will download malware on your computer to steal your identity and your passwords. Don’t be fooled by a holiday phishing scam. 3....
Goal: The mission of Lake Country Builders is to be a customer-driven building contractor. By focusing on the customer, the business can thrive and the employees can have a good working environment. History: The business in its first iteration started in 1979. In 1993, Lake Country Builders incorporated and its two partners Mark Williams and Tim Tanberg formed the corporation. In the early years, winter work was rare and Williams' annual pilgrimage to work in the ski business helped keep him...
The Flathead Avalanche Center in partnership with the Flathead County Search and Rescue Association and the North Valley Rescue Association, recently released a 30 second public safety awareness video. The video, “Don’t Let This Be Your Last Ride”, takes viewers to a mountain backcountry scene in winter, with inviting slopes to play on. Two snowmobilers take to the slope and get caught in an avalanche. The video ends with three basic reminders, “Get the Gear, Get the Training, Get the Forecast.” The video was created to encourage skiers, s...
Seeley-Swan Community Food Bank Closed Dec. 29 SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Swan Community Food Bank will be closed Tuesday, Dec. 29. Normal hours will resume again in January. Talent Sought for Cabin Fever Tonic Variety Show, Jan. 23 SEELEY LAKE – Participants are being sought by 2 Valleys Stage for a Cabin Fever Tonic variety show, which will be held Jan. 23 at the Community Hall as part of the Winterfest events. All humorous skits, dances or songs need to be about five minutes in length and par...
SEELEY LAKE - The Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Project (BCSP) Steering Committee recently updated their 2008 proposal addressing restoration and protection of the region's forests in a manner that promotes recreation opportunities, conservation interests and the local economy in the southwestern Crown of the Continent. Last week they submitted their 2015 proposal to Montana Senators Steve Daines and Jon Tester and Representative Ryan Zinke in hopes of gaining their support. In 2005,...
If someone thinks that they or someone they love who is 65-years-old or older is immune to elder financial abuse, think again. Area financial advisor and branch manager of Raymond James Financial Services in Hamilton Paul Kink and local Montana Market Manager for Citizens Alliance Bank (CAB) Kenny Martin agree that elder financial abuse is reaching epidemic levels across the country and Montana is not immune. The only way they feel this can be prevented and stopped is through education about the issue, recognizing the red flags and reaching...
SEELEY LAKE – The Senior Center Christmas Bazaar is primarily a fundraiser for the Seeley Lake Senior Center. According to Deb Mus and Elaine Gbur, two friends who met to attend the event together, it is also a way for people to reconnect with friends they haven't seen in a while, get new Christmas ideas, browse all the crafts, buy more than intended and contribute to the community. Mus and Gbur are not the only ones who see the event as a combination of browsing, buying and connecting. For t...
OVANDO - For the past 15 years, Ovando has welcomed Cowboy Claus to talk with all the children who have come to town to get their faces painted, make gingerbread houses, try their hands at ax throwing and go for a sleigh ride. This year, the Old West Christmas Fest moved from its traditional Thanksgiving weekend to Dec. 5 and brought back its Bite of Ovando Christmas Fest Cook-off with meatloaf on the menu. While there were fewer children to visit with Cowboy Claus than in years past, the town w...
MISSOULA - Friday, Dec. 4 a word document containing personally identifiable and confidential information about Hellgate students and one Hellgate staff member was released via email to a group of parents connected with the Hellgate High School football team. This release of data was unintentional and the causes of the release are still under investigation. The computers connected to this data release have been collected and Missoula Country Public Schools (MCPS) has initiated a forensic investigation. Parents who received this message in...
MISSOULA – Addrien Marx, a longtime businesswoman and resident of Seeley Lake, has announced her run for the Montana State Legislature. She is running to represent the citizens of House District 92, which encompasses the towns and communities surrounding Condon, Seeley Lake, Potomac, Bonner, Milltown, East Missoula and Clinton. Marx has a long history of community involvement and a proven commitment to embracing diverse opinions. "I know that I can work with and respect different viewpoints. I...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley-Swan Mountain Bells (SSMB) rang in the Christmas Season with their annual concert, "Christmas by the Fire." The SSMB choir played more than 20 familiar secular and religious holiday songs in front of the fireplace at the Double Arrow Lodge, Dec. 3. The audience was invited to join in a sing along. The choir is made up of eight members, six of whom have been with the group since its inception in 2012. Three members from the First United Methodist Church in Missoula's...
HELENA - Right now, it seems every elk hunter in Montana and beyond who did not get his or her elk in the general season that ended Nov. 29 has focused on four hunting districts between Great Falls and White Sulphur Springs that are taking part in the new elk shoulder season. “Our phone lines have been jammed with hunters looking for information,” said Gary Bertellotti, Fish, Wildlife and Parks Region 4 supervisor. “At times all our lines are tied up.” A pilot program, the shoulder season for antlerless elk runs Nov. 30 through Feb. 15 in hunt...
SWAN VALLEY - The Frostbite Festival, sponsored by the Upper Swan Valley Historical Society (USVHS), was held Dec. 5 at the Swan Valley Elementary School. Nearly 20 vendors participated in the event. A steady stream of visitors of all ages came to enjoy the handmade items for sale, a large bake sale and a crafts for young and old along with a hot lunch. Santa and Mrs. Claus talked with visitors at the Swan Valley Museum. The museum was decorated for the season along with winter sports equipment...
High Honor Roll - Aubrey Matthew, Kyla Conley, Connor Matthew, Rose Mercer and Jayla Kauffman Honor Roll – Jalen Kauffman, Chris Auchenbach, Mara Beckstrom, Samantha Haynes, Seth Richardson, Alysa Russell, Aspen Conley and Kinley Moore...
Grade 8: Ella Batchelder, Terra Bertsch, Taylor Dillree, Kara Good, Blake Lindemer, Caleb Maughan, Madeline Mocko, Ben Montross, Cecilia Ruppert, Avery Smith, Emma Stevenson and Samuel Weisenburger. Grade 7: Bethany Hoag, Emily Howard, Jordan Johnson, Kayden Kimmel, Klaire Kovatch, Eric Lorentz, Beau Sloan and Matthew Whitman. Grade 6: Hannah Ayers, William Batchelder, Tara Cahoon, Aspen Derry, Chase Haines, Brice Hawkinson, Cierra Hinchey, Trista Mackie-Wendel, Sariah Maughan, Tegan Mauldin, Rowan McClure, Parker Radford, Sawyer Shelmerdine,...
POTOMAC - There are certain fire hazards people should be aware of during the wintertime. The Greenough/Potomac Volunteer Fire Department (GPVFD) strives to protect, educate and assist the community by providing emergency services and recommends being a vigilant neighbor and taking precautions during the winter to prevent structure fires. Through the years the GPVFD has seen fires that have been started in different ways. Hall said fires have started from heating lamps, wood stoves, chimney...
SEELEY LAKE – Loving Hearts hosted its annual toy sale Nov. 30 at Mission Bible Fellowship. Loving Hearts saves lightly used and new toys, gifts and Christmas decorations throughout the year and sets aside funds to purchase new items specifically for the sale. Like years past, the highest priced items went for five dollars with the least expensive items costing only a quarter. Seeley Lake residents Mary Newpower and Amanda Fowler co-organized the event this year for the first time. While they b...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines hailed last week’s passage of a multi-year highway bill, noting that the bipartisan legislation provides critical support for more than 420 infrastructure projects across Montana. The bill allocates more than $2.2 billion to Montana projects, which were at risk without long-term federal support. Daines emphasized the importance of this bill to the Missoula region, which will receive support for numerous projects including: • Reconstruction and maintenance on I-90, US-93, US-12 and MT-200 • Reconst...
Goal: The most important goal at Clearwater Montana Properties (CMP) is to listen to their clients' needs and to help them achieve their goals. "We don't do anything in business that we are not willing to stand behind," said owner and founder Kevin Wetherell. "We do the right things for the right reasons and always place our clients' interests above our own." History: Kevin and Wendy Wetherell founded Clearwater River Realty (CRR) in 1994. They opened for business in their present location in...
Swan Valley AARP to Meet Dec. 14 SWAN VALLEY – The Dec. 14 meeting of the Swan Valley AARP includes Christmas music and dinner. Carolyn Rippy will play the piano and lead the group in song. The group is to meet at noon for a potluck at 12:30 p.m. Joyce and Gary Wagner will be the hosts. Holiday Grief Workshop, Dec. 16 SEELEY LAKE - Tamarack Grief Resource Center (TGRC) will be holding a Holiday Grief Workshop - Recreating Holidays Following Loss Wednesday, Dec. 16 at 5:30 p.m. at SLE Outside in the Bison and Bear. The session will be led by R...
SEELEY LAKE - During the past couple months there were five reported antler thefts in Seeley Lake. Missoula County Sergeant Bob Parcell believes there have been more thefts that have gone unreported. Sgt. Parcell said no one has been apprehended. Reported thefts have occurred on Airport Road, in the Double Arrow Ranch and on Highway 83. Sgt. Parcell said it appears that the perpetrator(s) are scoping out areas during the day and removing antlers from the outside of buildings during the night. All antlers stolen so far have been visible from a...
WHITEFISH - Montana Trout Unlimited and its Flathead Valley Chapter are doubling their previous reward offer for apprehension and conviction of the persons responsible for illegally planting walleyes in Swan Lake and Noxon Reservoir, as well as smallmouth bass in Seeley Lake. The reward is now $20,000. This is in addition to reward money that might be available from elsewhere, including the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) offer of $1,000 through its TIPMONT program, and another estimated $4,000 offered by a collection of...
MISSOULA - The big game general hunting season closed on Sunday evening with higher numbers than last season of hunter trips, harvested animals and percentages of hunters with game in west-central Montana. Elk and mule deer harvests were higher than last year but white-tailed deer harvest tapered off in the last weekend to dip slightly below last year's tally through the three hunter check stations in west-central Montana. Season totals at Bonner were slightly higher than last year's final...
SEELEY LAKE - With completion of the woodstove change out program, most areas in Seeley Lake appear to meet the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for small particulate matter in the air (PM2.5). However, more steps are needed to reduce woodstove smoke in the neighborhood near the elementary school. The graph, "Seeley Lake Days Over the PM2.5 Standard by Winter Season," shows that progress has leveled off over the last couple of winters and the area continues to exceed the daily PM2.5...
CONDON - Swan Valley Emergency Services responded to a house fire on Elvis Presley Boulevard in Condon Thursday, Nov. 19 just after 12 p.m. Volunteer firefighters were able to contain the fire to the utility room. No one was home when the fire started. Swan Valley Volunteer Fire Chief Randy Williams said the call came at 12:14 p.m. after a neighbor stopped by the home to let the dog out. According to Williams the neighbor noticed smoke and called 9-1-1. The volunteers responded with two engines and two water tenders carrying 2,500 and 3,000...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley-Swan High School (SSHS) art teacher Danni Parcell found an innovative way to teach her students the difference between shape and form, between 2-D and 3-D art. The project required participation by the lower elementary school students. Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE) teacher Maggie Burwick told her first graders to, "Draw a monster – a scary monster, a happy monster – any kind of monster you want." Swan Valley Elementary (SVE) kindergarten, first and second grade stude...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley Lake resident Tanya Fyfe recently released her second book, "The Dragons of Missing Lake," the sequel to her 2014 adolescent fiction book "Lost and Found in Missing Lake." Fyfe is excited about the development of the story line. She said the second book is "more of a page turner." In the first book, the main character Luke Houser is an animal-loving, fifteen-year-old who has moved to rural Montana with his father and stepmother Jackie. Luke and his father commit to training...
Quartet Tra le Gael performed Celtic music Sunday, Nov. 22 at the Swan Valley School. The event was sponsored by 2 Valleys Stage (2VS) part of Alpine Artisans, Inc., an organization that is dedicated to preserving the arts in the Seeley, Swan and Blackfoot Valleys. 2VS brings music, drama and dance to the area. Many in the audience were tapping toes and fingers to the beat of the lively jigs and reels. The quartet sang traditional and contemporary arrangements accompanied by their instruments in...
HELENA - The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has selected Montana to conduct a pilot program that is intended to speed the processing of veterans’ claims for benefits. The program, known as Digits to Digits or D2D, will allow selected Veteran’s Services Organizations to submit electronic claims directly to the VA. An agreement between the VA and the Montana Veterans Affairs Division (MVAD) will allow MVAD to submit veteran benefit claim products directly into the VA’s claims processing system. This will result in more rapidly proce...
This animal activity was captured by game camera in the Blackfoot Watershed during the summers of 2014 and 2015....
SEELEY LAKE - The Holiday Home Party Extravaganza featured 13 direct sales consultants from the Seeley Lake area, Kalispell, Missoula and Helena offering everything from jewelry to everyday home items and essential oils. For the past three years, the extravaganza has been held on Small Business Saturday. Organizer Kelly Hoag said this is a great opportunity for consultants to feature their wares and interact with the community since "direct sales people are small business owners." This year the...
A student who confidently filled in all the correct answers on a test might justifiably proclaim, “I passed with flying colors.” The phrase carries a bit of boasting but more a sense of pride. On the other hand, if that student had cheated on the test and the teacher suspected but could not prove it, the teacher might say, “his true colors will be revealed before long.” What do colors, flying or true, have to do with anything? The colors in these two idiomatic references refer to the colors of a flag or pendant. When Shakespeare has King He...
Goals: Owner and musician Scott Milner's goal is to help his students reach their own musical goals. He listens to what they want to accomplish, helps them improve at their own pace and have fun with their music. History: Music has been an important part of Milner's life since the fourth grade. He could never imagine life without music being a part of it. He received a bachelor's degree in flute performance from the University of Montana. He continued his musical studies at Boston University...
SEELEY LAKE - It's getting to be that time of year again as Christmas fast approaches. Each year Seeley Lake Lions Club distributes Holiday Food Baskets to area families in need of help, providing a holiday meal for Christmas. The Lions perform various fundraisers throughout the year to raise money to purchase turkey dinners, with all the trimmings for those in need. Besides fundraisers by the club, personal donations have been made in the past from community residents. All groceries are...
Senior Center Bazaar – Something for Everyone SEELEY LAKE – Join the Seeley Lake Senior Center for their annual bazaar Dec. 5 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. at the Seeley Lake Elementary School. There also will be a Kids Corner with games, contests and prizes. Forty vendors are signed up to attend, 11 of which have never attended before. Look for a variety of gift ideas including jewelry, quilts, quilt products, homemade baked and canned goods, soaps, walking sticks, hand-made puppets, stained glass, bath and body essentials and photography. Atten...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Rural Fire District Board of Trustees accepted Rod Stevens’ bid for snow plowing both Station 1 and 2. Rod Stevens Construction was one of two bids received for the 2015-2016 snow-plowing contract. Stevens has held the contract for the last several years. Also at the Nov. 17 meeting, under the recommendation of Fire Chief Bob Vanden Heuvel, the board also agreed to suspend the cadet program until further notice. There were no questions or further discussion from the board on the decision. Vanden Heuvel also a...
SEELEY LAKE – Former Seeley Lake resident Donna Love has written a number of picture books introducing young children to elk, herons, osprey, loons and national parks. Her most recent book, "Santa and the Missing Christmas Bells" ("Missing Bells"), is a chapter book targeting a third-grade reading level, though in interest level it will also appeal to younger and older children. Love will be at the Grizzly Claw Trading Co. Wednesday, Dec. 2 from 2-5 p.m. to talk to visitors about her book and t...
SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley Regional Planning Committee discussed the Implementation Element at their last meeting Nov. 19. Planner Robert Horne expects to have a complete draft for the committee to review at the December meeting. The Implementation Element outlines the processes and procedures and identifies the partnerships and collaborations needed to get things done. In the opening paragraph it states there are multiple methods and techniques to implement the plan but the community has opted not to recommend regulations. Swan Valley...
SWAN VALLEY - Newly elected Missoula County Commissioner Stacy Rye spoke at the Nov. 17 meeting of the Swan Valley Community Council (SVCC). She told those in attendance that the commissioners supported the citizens concerned about the danger to buses and drivers pulling in and out of the Swan Valley School (SVE) on Highway 83. The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) responded to Swan Valley citizens’ letters about the SVE safety issue in a letter sent to SVCC member Marcia Tapp. The MDT letter indicated that the no passing zone would b...
Goal: Seeley Lake Antler Crafts owner Wade Rathbun's goal is to offer a unique craft for others to enjoy and use in their homes. He uses the freshest antler sheds possible offering a high quality product where the antler component has not been altered. History: Rathbun started creating antler art with his ex-wife's grandfather and father between 1995-1996. Together they attended large craft shows in California offering antler-handled fire starters. "It's interesting and fun to work with antlers,...
SSHS Seeking Pottery Wheels & Kiln for Friday Club SEELEY LAKE – Seeley-Swan High School is asking the community if they have any pottery wheels or a kiln that they would be willing to donate or loan to the newly formed pottery club. There are currently six students in the club and they only have two wheels. If willing to loan or donate a wheel or kiln call SSHS 677-2224 and ask for Joesy Exstrom or email jfexstrom@mcps.k12.mt.us Seeley Lake Library News SEELEY LAKE - All are invited to the Seeley Lake Library to join in a discussion of Ivan D...
SWAN VALLEY - Nearly 70 veterans and their families from the Swan Valley and Seeley Lake gathered in front of the Swan Valley Community Hall, Veterans Day, Wednesday, Nov. 11 to join with American Legion Post 63 to honor the area's veterans. The newly organized Swan Valley American Legion Auxiliary (ALA) Post 63 hosted the lunch following the flag ceremony. After the prayer by Condon Community Church Pastor Bruce Rippy and American Legion Post 63 Commander Rick Ferguson's remarks, a few in...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake resident Carol Evans has contracted to take on the role of Program Manager of Alpine Artisans' (AAI) 2 Valley Stage (2VS). Evans began her involvement with 2VS in 2006, shortly after moving to Seeley Lake. She started by selling tickets at performances but soon was put in charge of coordinating all the front of house activities – tickets, refreshments, art display, CD sales – and finding volunteers to assist with all those undertakings. In 2013, Evans was asked to as...
SEELEY LAKE - At the Seeley Lake Community Council’s (SLCC) Nov. 16 meeting J.R. Reger announced his company plans to build a cell tower in Seeley Lake. Also at the meeting, Cathy Kahnle resigned her position on the council. Kahnle explained that due to an address change, she will no longer be eligible to sit on the SLCC. Kahnle’s position, which runs through May of 2017, will be appointed by the Missoula County Commissioners. Individuals interested in the position may call the commissioners’ office at 258-4877 or fill out the volunteer form on...
SEELEY LAKE - More than 50 people gathered at the Seeley Lake Veterans Memorial on Nov. 11 to honor local veterans and celebrate Veterans Day. Junior high students from Seeley Lake Elementary walked from the school to participate in the ceremony. Veterans & Families of Seeley Lake (VFSL) hosted the event and VFSL President Barbara Knopp gave the address. "We celebrate this day, we honor veterans today because we know that without them, there would be no land of the free," said Knopp. Knopp...
Goal: Owner and General Contractor Ted Linford works to build a lasting quality product that has his customers smiling when the project is done. Linford enjoys paying close attention to detail in all areas of construction. "We specialize in working with the customer to achieve their vision," said Linford. History: When Linford was a teenager, his father started buying one house at a time that needed a face-lift. He and his brother were the crew on the projects that, as he said, "always turned...
Annual Giving Tree Opportunity Available Nov. 23-Dec. 15 SEELEY LAKE - It’s time again for the annual “Giving Tree” sponsored by the Mountain Lakes Presbyterian Women. The tree will be set up in Cory’s Valley Market on Tuesday, Nov. 23 and will be available for those wishing to purchase gifts for children in the Seeley Lake community. There are two cards for each child (one for clothing, one for a toy) listing age, gender and a gift to purchase. Parents or guardians have indicated clothing items and toys that are needed and/or wanted by the chi...
SEELEY LAKE - After more than a year and a half of being gently asked, Seeley Lake resident George Frasca reluctantly agreed to an interview about his 23 years of service in the U.S. Air Force. Frasca worked as a controller, target pilot, fighter pilot and trainer. He retired as a lieutenant colonel in 1979 after flying 246 combat missions in Vietnam, serving in Iceland for two different remote tours and being awarded 19 air medals and the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) for a group of...
MISSOULA - The Missoula County Public Schools' (MCPS) $70 million high school facilities bond passed in the Nov. 3 election by a margin of 0.84 percent based on the unofficial results as of Nov. 9. Results were expected to be finalized after the Pathfinder's press deadline at the MCPS board meeting Nov. 10. Of the 51,258 ballots mailed to active registered voters in the high school district, 27,989 votes were cast with 14,113 voting for and 13,876 voting against the bond. Election officials...
SEELEY LAKE - The Missoula County Commissioners strongly endorsed the Seeley Lake Community Council’s (SLCC) traffic study last week. The 119-page document, which the SLCC submitted to the Commissioners in October, was the result of a two-year effort that culminated in a community-wide survey conducted this summer. As a result of the study the SLCC is asking for slower speed limits in Seeley Lake and for more and better-marked pedestrian crossings. In a letter to Project Chair Duane Schlabach the Commissioners applauded the SLCC’s effort, stati...
SEELEY LAKE - The Montana Conservation Corps (MCC) sent 11 members of their crew leading staff to Seeley Lake to work on the trail behind Seeley-Swan High School, Nov. 2. Students from English teacher Lori Messenger's classes worked under the guidance of MCC to knock down berms of sod along the trail to make it more aesthetically pleasing, seed the disturbed areas with a native grass mix, grade the back slope coming off the trail and block existing trails to encourage use on the new trail. MCC...
GREENOUGH - Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) is looking for tips on a vandalism and theft that occurred at Placid Lake State Park. A change machine was stolen from the firewood vending machine sometime Saturday. Oct. 31 or Sunday, Nov. 1. State Park Manager Ryan Sokoloski said that normally the change machine is removed by Oct. 30. However, this year they decided to leave it open through the weekend as a convenience for campers. They had planned to remove it Monday, Nov. 2. “I’m really disappointed this has happened,” said Sokoloski. “There...
MISSOULA – The city of Missoula, Mont. has a new pet shelter ordinance in place. The new ordinance allows Missoula County Animal Control to legally address the issue of pet housing. Animal Control officers said that while the ordinance only legally applies within the city limits, it is used throughout Missoula County as a guide for the correct shelter. In Missoula City Ordinance Article III Keeping, Using or Caring for Animals, Section 6.07.460, the Cruelty to Animals Subsection D states that dogs kept outside must be provided a shelter/dog h...
KALISPELL – The Flathead County Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) authorized by the United States Secretary of Agriculture has openings for replacement and new members within each of the different member categories. Applications are available on the Flathead National Forest web page, www.fs.usda.gov/flathead or from the Flathead National Forest Supervisor’s Office in Kalispell. Mail completed applications to Deb Mucklow, Flathead National Forest (RAC), P.O. Box 190340, Hungry Horse, MT 59919. Applications must be submitted by Nov. 27. The Res...
SEELEY LAKE – At 87, Gerald Hoover has a lot of stories to tell. Though he was born in Minnesota, many of his favorite stories center around his life in the Seeley and Swan Valleys. Before coming to Montana, Hoover served in two military branches. A year after his discharge from the U.S. Navy he joined the U.S. Air Force. The Air Force sent him to Wyoming to become an electrician. Hoover said he appreciated the opportunity and worked hard to learn the trade. He was less enthusiastic about b...
MISSOULA - Elk and white-tailed deer harvest is up and mule deer harvest is lower than last year after the first two weeks of the general big game hunting season in west-central Montana. The harvest of 218 elk through the Anaconda, Bonner and Darby check stations compares to 155 at this point last year. The harvest of 211 white-tailed deer is the highest week two tally since 2008, while the mule deer harvest is lower than in any season since before 1997. At the Bonner Check Station, hunter trips reached 3,310 which is higher than any season sin...
The Celtic Ensemble "Tra le Gael" will be performing in the Seeley-Swan schools on Nov. 18 and 19 and performing a community concert at Swan Valley School Sunday, Nov. 22 at 3 p.m. Tra le Gael was founded in 1999 in the Flathead and currently consists of four performers. The ensemble includes: Barbara Calm who plays hammered dulcimer, octave mandolin, penny whistle and vocals; Katy Meyers performing on Celtic folk harp, tenor recorder and vocals; Ed Boggs on guitar, fiddle and vocals and Jason...
The word kindergarten is a German word that literally means "children's garden" with the original idea that kindergarten would be an engaging, fun, social time, where children would sing songs, learn rhymes, play and learn together in a euphoric children's sort of garden. Kindergarten has evolved over the years to include a greater emphasis on learning but one thing that hopefully hasn't changed at Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE) is that kindergarten is engaging, fun and children are definitely...
POTOMAC - American flags are flown all over the country on Veterans Day, Nov. 11. Veterans Day celebrates the service of all United States military veterans. For one Potomac resident and veteran John Garberson, the flag represents the good of the United States and the freedom it provides. Garberson grew up in a military family and spent 26 years in the military. On Veterans Day he somberly remembers servicemen and women and the support they receive from family. "The single day recognizes the ser...
Tips Sought on Grizzly Bear Shot North of Seeley Lake SEELEY LAKE - Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) officials are investigating the death of a grizzly bear found north of Seeley Lake on Highway 83 early in the week of Nov. 2. It was determined that the bear had been shot. It is still unknown why the bear was killed. The bear is now at the FWP wildlife lab in Bozeman, Mont. Anyone with information on this incident is encouraged to call 1-800-TIP-MONT (1-800-847-6668) or contact FWP’s Chris Hamilton at 406-210-7513. Callers can remain a...
Goal: Christi Barr's goal is to provide affordable accounting, business consulting and tax preparation services to the Condon and Seeley Lake areas. History: Barr's grandmother was a school district clerk in the 1930s, 40s and 50s. She said being a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) was something her father always wanted to do but never had the chance. She jokes about accounting being an inherited interest because she too enjoys working with numbers. She said she also gets satisfaction from helpi...
A hay truck travelling on Highway 83 around Salmon Lake Thursday, Oct. 29 around 4 p.m. went off the road. According to Highway Patrol Trooper Shawn Silvan, the driver from Townsend lost the trailer off the right side of the road. He was unable to maintain control of the truck and it went off the right side of the road and landed on its side. The driver was wearing his seatbelt and was uninjured. No other vehicles were involved in the crash. Montana Department of Transportation employees and...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Volunteer Fire Department responded to a trailer house fire on Elm Drive just after 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31. Upon arrival, flames were visible on the east side and smoke was spilling out of the eaves. The fire was contained to the kitchen and porch. No one was inside the home when the fire started. While the cause is still under investigation, Seeley Lake Fire Chief and fire investigator Bob Vanden Heuvel is leaning towards an electrical issue in the kitchen. No...
SWAN VALLEY - Three grizzly bears were killed on Highway 83 in the Swan Valley since September. The bears found along the highway were, according to Fish Wildlife and Parks (FWP) Region I Grizzly Bear Management Specialist and Biologist Tim Manley, was attracted to the highway area by roadkill deer. There is a lack of huckleberries and serviceberries in the forest which is an important food source for bears to eat to prepare for hibernation. In mid to late September, a three to four-year-old sub...
SWAN LAKE - Two walleyes were caught in Swan Lake last week during Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) gill net sampling operations, according to FWP Region One Fisheries Manager Mark Deleray. Deleray noted that these were the first walleye reported from Swan Lake, and it is assumed that these fish originated from an illegal fish introduction. Illegal fish introductions have caused problems in hundreds of waters across the state, costing hundreds of thousands of dollars to rectify. In most...
The State of Montana updated the Montana State Noxious Weed List to include three new plants, and shifted the priority of three weeds on the previous list, effective July, 2015. The updated list provides management priorities for citizens, land managers, county weed boards, county weed board coordinators, weed districts and other vegetation managers. “Noxious” weeds is a designation given to invasive plants that have been determined to have the potential to, or have actual, detrimental impacts on Montana’s environment and economy. Propa...
MISSOULA - White-tailed deer harvest continued to rebound from recent years through the second weekend of the big game general hunting season, with the highest harvest levels in west-central Montana since 2008. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) biologists and student volunteers from the University of Montana checked 155 white-tailed deer through the Bonner, Darby and Anaconda hunter check stations in the first two weekends of the season, up 15 percent from the five-year average, and 13 percent above last year’s tally of 137 white-tailed d...
SWAN VALLEY - The Harvest Festival sponsored by the Swan Valley Elementary PTA was held Friday, Oct. 30. SVE students, dressed in Halloween costumes, came with their families ready to enjoy dinner, play games and win prizes. Students had their choice of several games including a cake walk, a bean bag toss, a mini marshmallow race, a ring or football toss. Many students had their faces painted by Lacey McNutt and her sister Mikkie Gleason. Parents, teachers and a few SVE alumni enjoyed the meal,...
SEELEY LAKE - Dressing up for Halloween is not just for kids. It is for everyone who is a kid at heart. The Seeley Lake Senior Center continued their annual tradition of a costume contest with an added pumpkin decorating contest this past Friday. Organizers Doug Richards and Rachel Wilkinson were pleased with the participation and the turn out. The costume parade commenced at 11:45 p.m. with judges choosing five winners. First place was awarded to Chef Carol Miller; second place went to Patsy...
SEELEY LAKE - At the Seeley Lake Community Council meeting this Monday, Nov. 9 the council will hear from J.R. Reger about a cell tower planned at Highway 83 near Redwood Lane. Next on the agenda, Sgt. Bob Parcell will talk about law enforcement in Seeley Lake. Following that, Anne Beach of the Seeley Lake Community Foundation will discuss the Foundation’s recent activities and upcoming projects. An update on the status of the council’s Traffic Project is also expected. Three weeks ago the council delivered its Speed Limit and Pedestrian Cro...
HELENA - Montana Insurance Commissioner Monica J. Lindeen issued a consumer advisory Thursday, alerting Montanans to issues with private air ambulance services and encouraging Montanans to investigate the services thoroughly before signing a contract with one. Lindeen’s office has received numerous complaints from Montanans who were transported by a private air ambulance service and were later billed many tens of thousands of dollars after their insurance company did not cover the cost of the ambulance ride. Many Montana hospitals have th...
SEELEY LAKE - Since his retirement from teaching five years ago, Seeley Lake resident Steve Thompson travels to Missoula every week to sing bass in the Missoula Symphony Chorale. His love of singing and encouragement from Swan Valley resident Sharon MacQuarrie first got him started with the group. Now he returns every year because he loves the challenge of being pushed musically. Thompson grew up in Missoula, singing in choirs since junior high. He sang with the Elks Boys Choir and in the Childr...
SEELEY LAKE - Super heroes, zombies, princesses and furry creatures filled Citizens Alliance Bank (CAB) in Seeley Lake for the first annual Sam's Spooky Carnival. There were games, prizes, food and a haunted room for those brave enough to enter. The carnival was inspired by Seeley Lake Elementary first-grader Sam Welch when he approached CAB with the idea. He and his best friend Aero Bernstrauch attended the CAB's family carnival in the summer and thought CAB should do a Halloween carnival for c...
SEELEY LAKE - Clearwater Resource Council (CRC) presented the world premiere of the film "Students in Action with Climate Change," at their Pure Montana Tales event Oct. 29 at the new SLE Outside Co-op. Nearly 100 attendees watched the 15-minute film by Seeley-Swan High School (SSHS) alumni and CRC intern Shelby Holmes. Attendees also were able to view the trailer for CRC's new film "2016 Keeping Clearwater." In 2014, CRC received funding from the Roundtable of the Crown of the Continent (RCC)...
MISSOULA – As the nation’s Christmas tree makes its way from Alaska to Washington D.C. it will stop in Missoula Nov. 8. Music, cross-cut saw demonstrations and free nature-themed activities are planned from 2 to 4 p.m. outdoors in the Cabela’s parking lot, 3650 Brooks Street. Smokey Bear will be there to greet everyone. The event is organized by the U.S. Forest Service, the National Forest Foundation and Cabela’s. Visitors are encouraged to sign the banner that accompanies the nation’s Christmas tree on its trek to Washington D.C. Christmas...
Goal: Great Bear Properties strives to look after the best interest of their customers as a dual agency representing both buyers and sellers. Owner Kim Koppen asks lots of questions to help buyers find the best fit that suits their needs and offers sellers the best representation of fair market value and gets the best price for their property. "I want to be a source of information because that's my expertise," said Koppen. "People appreciate that I take the time to listen for what is important...
Small Landowner Seminar, Nov. 8 MISSOULA - Join the Montana Farm Bureau Federation as they kick off their Annual Convention with a small landowner seminar, Nov. 8 from 12:30-4:30 p.m. at the Hilton Garden Inn, Missoula. The seminar three sessions of panelists that have built successful agricultural operations on small pieces of land. Learn about their operations, gain insight into how to market your product and learn what types of financial assistance are out there. All sessions will end with an opportunity for the audience to ask questions. To...
SEELEY LAKE - Restoration work at the confluence of Trail Creek and Mountain Creek is nearing completion. The site is behind the Homestead Cabin on Double Arrow Ranch. The work is a result of more than 15 collaborators working to restore instream flows for Trail Creek and improve the irrigation system for the front nine holes on the Double Arrow Golf Course. After nearly 15 years of discussions between Double Arrow Enterprise and Double Arrow Land Owners Association (DARLOA), an agreement was...
SWAN VALLEY - Two arson-caused fires have been reported in the last month on Coyote Forest Lane in Condon. The first attempt to ignite a shed was unsuccessful. The second incident burned an office used to conduct online business. No one was injured. The incidents appear to be connected and are being investigated at the local, state and federal level. Sergeant (Sgt.) Robert Parcell received a call Sept. 21 from a worker on the property reporting burn marks on an empty building. Upon investigation, Sgt. Parcell reported the building was soaked...
MISSOULA - Hunters in west-central Montana enjoyed a harvest success above last year on the opening weekend of the big game general hunting season. An increase in harvest in the Blackfoot accounted for most of the bump. At the Bonner hunter check station, 1,378 hunters checked 21 elk, 14 mule deer and 56 white-tailed deer. Hunter trips through Bonner were higher than any opening weekend since 2010. In total, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) biologists and student volunteers from the...
If the Missoula County Public Schools' (MCPS) $70 million high school bond passes, will tax dollars from the local area be spent locally or will they be spent on schools in Missoula? That question was raised at the Oct. 12 Seeley Lake Community Council meeting where MCPS Superintendent Mark Thane was on hand to present information and answer questions. Thane acknowledged that there were pockets of homes with higher values that would pay more than average but he was unable to answer if the...
Nearly 150 community members filled up on spaghetti, enjoyed music by Tim Tanberg and bid on auction items to raise money for Seeley Lake resident Kerry Drew. Drew lost everything he owned in a house fire Sept. 23. He and his family were overwhelmed by all the support they received from the community. The raised more than $3,000 at the event. Drew's daughter Danielle Posthumus organized the event with the help of several family members and friends. She had never organized anything like this...
SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Ecosystem Center (SEC) hosted a Walk in the Woods Oct. 22 to highlight the importance of forest stewardship and forest products in the Seeley and Swan Valleys. More than a dozen participants visited area businesses that are dependent on forest products and walked through two different forest stewardship projects completed through SEC. The tour was funded through a grant from the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC). The day started with a...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Rural Fire District Board of Trustees approved the fire district 2015-2016 budget of just more than $255,500 at their meeting, Oct. 20. They also voted unanimously to give all employees a 2.5 percent raise. The budget committee presented a balanced budget to the board for approval. Seeley Lake volunteer firefighter Michael Richards questioned the agenda’s wording that said the preliminary budget would be discussed. He felt there should have been more time for the public to comment on the budget. The board agreed t...
SEELEY LAKE - The Bernstrauch family will be hosting their annual Mama B’s haunted house again this year, Oct. 31 from 7-9 p.m. at 449 Grizzly Drive. Organizer Charmin Bernstrauch said it is twice as big as last year and they are “upping the scare factor.” Last year Mama B highlighted her Field of Screams. There was a walk through in the light for those who did not want to be too scared. This year, Bernstrauch is not giving any sneak peaks into what the haunted house holds. There will not be a no-scare walk through. Anyone who wants to parti...
SWAN VALLEY - At the Oct. 20 meeting of the Swan Valley Community Council (SVCC), the council discussed concerns about high water washing out the road near the Cold Creek Bridge and received a progress report on the traffic safety issue on Highway 83 in front of the Swan Valley Elementary School (SVE). Kali Becher from Missoula County Community and Planning Services (CAPS) and land use planning consultant Dave DeGrandpre also spoke to attendees about the Missoula County Growth Plan Survey due by Oct. 30. Chair Ken Donovan told attendees he was...
SEELEY LAKE - On Oct. 20, 13 Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE) students from grades five through eight tied on plastic aprons, slipped their hands into disposable food preparation gloves and transformed themselves into the SLE Culinary Club. The club is one of the afterschool offerings made possible by the 21st Century Community Learning Center grant. In keeping with the community focus of the grant, participating students were welcome to invite one adult family member to attend the two-week, Tuesday...
POTOMAC - Crissina Quinn is the new coordinator and teacher for the Friday Potomac School Explorers Program. Quinn grew up in Missoula and graduated from Montana State University in Bozeman. She completed her student teaching at Seeley-Swan High School the fall of 2014 and graduated that December with a bachelor's degree in Secondary Education focusing on Social Studies broadfield. The students have already had lots of fun adventures since school began, according to Quinn. They learned about...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Ranger District typically holds a yearly “open season” from Nov. 1 through Jan. 15, during which time interested parties can apply for permits to hold recreation events on National Forest lands. In an effort to streamline the application process and better accommodate permit applicants, the District will now be hosting two open seasons per calendar year. A fall open season will run from Nov. 1 – Nov. 30 for winter recreation event permit applications and a spring open season will run from March 1 - March 31 for...
Greetings from the Seeley Lake Ranger District (SLRD). As the temperatures drop and the larch begin to change, so does use on the National Forest. Here is a quick update of current happenings around the district. • A limited number of seasonal gate closures went in to effect on Oct. 15. These closures occur on an annual basis and are in accordance with the Lolo National Forest (LNF) Travel Management Plan. Travel management maps are available free of charge at the District office that outline all closure dates and locations. • Seeley Lake Cam...
Goal: Eagle Port Lodge provides comfortable, elegant lodging for fly-in or drive-in guests located in the heart of Seeley Lake's recreational opportunities. With full kitchens and spacious rooms overlooking the Seeley Lake Airport to the west and mountains to the east, owner Brian Bertsch said, "Even if you live in town it's a great get away. Experience something local. Experience the Tower." History: Owners and operators Brian and Kerry Bertsch "took a stab at living and investing in Seeley...
Seeley Lake Library News SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Library Book Club will be discussing Margaret Atwood’s “Cat’s Eye” Thursday, Nov. 19 at 11 a.m. “Cat’s Eye,” a finalist for the 1989 Man Booker Prize, is the story of Elaine Risley, a middle-aged painter, who reluctantly travels back to the city of her youth for a retrospective of her art. While there, Elaine must come to terms with some painful memories of past friendships and the girls who initiated her into the fierce politics of childhood and its secret world of longing and betrayal. “C...
SEELEY LAKE - Glen and Mary Ann Morin opened Glen's Automotive Service (Glen's) Oct. 15, 1985 on Highway 83 in Seeley Lake. While Glen's goal has always been to offer first class bumper-to-bumper service, the last 30 years have brought about significant changes in the automotive industry, challenging the Morins to hire qualified service personnel and keep up with new technology. Glen grew up on a ranch in Arlee, Mont. His family tested machinery, making recommendations to the company to help it...
SEELEY LAKE – Three-year-old Mason Welch and her two-year-old sister Hayden are the proud owners of their first house. The country cottage playhouse, built by Doug Richards and raffled off by Seeley Lake Elementary School (SLE), found its home on Riverview Drive in Seeley Lake after Mason's ticket was drawn by SLE seventh-grader Emily Howard at the Tamarack Festival. Mason's grandmother Renita Ruth is the manager at Cory's Valley Market. She bought five tickets when tickets went on sale and t...
MISSOULA - Missoula County Fire Protection Association (MCFPA) announced a return to MODERATE fire danger after a very arduous wildland fire season. Recent rains and cool seasonal temperatures have lowered the fire danger to levels that allow for issuance of outdoor burning permits in Missoula County. Missoula County permits for agricultural or prescribed wildland burning are the only type of permits available in Missoula County this time of year. They are available online or at some local fire departments for $5. General permits (yard debris,... Full story
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Council (SLCC) finalized their proposal for safety improvements on Highway 83 and voted to submit it to the Missoula County Commissioners (MCC) for approval at their Oct. 12 meeting. The snow plowing on Grizzly Drive and the Missoula County Public Schools (MCPS) bond were also discussed. The traffic safety proposal includes reducing speeds to as low as 25 mph downtown and expanding speed zones south to mile marker 11 (Poverty Flats) and north to the Base Camp Bar. Passing zones near Big Larch Campground,...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Sewer District (SLSD) received an update on funding from the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development (RD). Managers also updated the board on the hookup surveys. District Managers met with RD and were told that the district did not receive funding from the 2014-2015 allocation. The district is in the next round of funding for the 2015-2016 federal fiscal year’s allocation to Montana through RD. “We knew that [not receiving funding from the 2014-15 allocation] was a possibility,” said Manag...
HELENA - Montana Forest Products Week, designed to showcase the forest industry and its vital role in sustainable forest management and in Montana’s economy, is this week with events planned around the state. The Montana Legislature first designated Montana Forest Products Week in 2011 to recognize the forest products industry, calling on communities, businesses and other organizations to observe the week. The week also coincides with National Forest Products Week. Tuesday, Oct. 20, Montana Governor Steve Bullock presented the “Governor’s Award...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Trunk-or-Treat is back for its second year at the corner of School Lane and Pine Drive. The community is encouraged to decorate trunks and bring the whole family for contests, games, prizes, tricks and treats from 6-8 p.m. Oct. 31. There are several contests to participate in this year. Bring a decorated or carved pumpkin by 6 p.m. for judging. Trunks will be judged in five categories: Best Story; Best Disguise; Silliest/Cutest; Vintage and Time Travel. There will also be a costume parade for children and adults...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Chapter of Ducks Unlimited (DU) hosted their second annual fundraising banquet, Oct. 17. People from around the area and as far away as Helena attended the banquet to show their support for conservation programs sponsored by the National Ducks Unlimited organization. Although attendance was down a little bit from last year, one of the organizers Duane Anderson said that he thought the turnout was great for the second annual event. "I've never killed a duck in my lif...
HELENA – With the 2015 hunting season now under way, the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) asks hunters and other recreationists get acquainted with the regulations for accessing trust lands before they take to the field. • Hunters and anglers 12 years of age and older must possess a valid Montana Conservation License to hunt or fish on trust lands. For other types of non-commercial or non-concentrated uses, a separate State Lands General Recreational Use License is required. • Know where boundaries lie. • Do not t...
SWAN VALLEY - Local kindergarten through eighth grade students recently visited the Swan Valley Museum to meet members of the Salish-Pend d'Oreille Culture Committee (SPCC), and learn about the traditional way of life of tribal people. Shirley Trahan, SPCC senior advisor and translator, and Thompson Smith, SPCC historian, emphasized the importance of keeping the Salish language alive. Trahan, who speaks fluent Salish, encouraged the students to recite the Salish words for various animal puppets...
POTOMAC - Potomac and Greenough communities held their traditional harvest potluck dinner the evening of Oct. 17. The event took place at the Potomac/Greenough Community Center (PGCC). The Blackfoot Home and Community Club (BHCC), Potomac Bible Church and the Blackfoot Church of Potomac hosted the event. Attendees brought side dishes or salads according to last name and the BHCC provided desserts, breads and ham. Pastor Carrie Benton of the Blackfoot Church of Potomac led the community in...
SEELEY LAKE - Elden Barbieri and Jody Butler have been busy this summer filling Butler's backyard with summer homes for bluebirds, wrens and chickadees. With more than 20 hand-painted bird houses to choose from, they hope returning birds this spring will feel right at home. After replacing Butler's fence, she decided it needed something more. "She thought it would be a good idea if we put up some bird houses, like two or three," said Barbieri. "Twenty some later we are still building bird...
The Missoula County Public Schools (MCPS) Board of Trustees met at Seeley-Swan High School for their October board meeting, Oct. 13. Several staff and students spoke about the changes in the school week and Superintendent Mark Thane addressed the MCPS Bond. SSHS math teacher Mary Stone provided the board with an update on the 4+ school week. She said an average of 35 students are required to attend every Friday to make up work or retake tests. Of those, five to six are no-shows. An average of seven students per week are coming in because they...
SWAN VALLEY – The Swan Valley Regional Planning Committee discussed the Public Facilities and Services element at their meeting, Oct. 14. Discussion about services needed and wanted by the residents was followed by vocal opinions regarding land density in the plan. In the introduction to the Facilities and Services element, planner Robert Horne said he tried to convey the attitude he heard in the neighborhood meetings: The Swan Valley is not getting the tax money they pay into Missoula County back in the way of services. In regards to law e...
Goal: The goal of Nordique Log Homes is to provide a quality, hand hewn log home package at a reasonable price. Their patented system allows for the construction of a log home that will not "settle", saving time and money. History: Nordique System Log Homes was started by Bruce Janssen and Dan Baker in 1996 in the Swan Valley. In 1998, Ken Donovan purchased a third interest in the company and upon the passing of Bruce, the business has been owned by Baker and Donovan. On April 2, 2002, Nordique...
CORRECTION: Food Bank Client Numbers SEELEY LAKE - In the article Rockin’ & Rollin’ to Fight Hunger in the Oct. 15 issue of the Pathfinder, it was printed that 80-90 families are served by the Seeley Swan Food Bank per month. While there are 80-90 clients served per month, this includes only 30-40 families. Kerry Drew Benefit, Oct. 24 SEELEY LAKE - A benefit for Seeley Lake resident Kerry Drew will be held Saturday, Oct. 24 from 5:30-9 p.m. at the Seeley Lake Community Hall. A spaghetti dinner starts at 5:30 p.m. There will also be silent and d...
SEELEY LAKE - Monday, Oct. 5 Superintendent of Public Instruction Denise Juneau celebrated and awarded a $3,000 stipend check from the state of Montana to Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE) third grade teacher Kelsi Luhnow and sixth grade teach Sharon Teague. Luhnow and Teague are two of seven new Montana National Board Certified teachers. Out of more than 12,000 teachers in Montana, these teachers recently joined 148 other Montana National Board Certified teachers including three others from SLE....
SWAN VALLEY – Fairytale Farms is seeking funds to get started with the process of becoming a non-profit 501(c)3 charitable organization that offers organic produce (grown without the use of synthetic fertilizers or pesticides). Fairytale Farms is currently located on Glacier Creek Road. The mission of the newly-formed organization, composed of a board of directors and executive committee, is to provide access to organic food and gardening education for those in need. CEO Sarah Mendenhall said, "...
Goal: Owner Karen Dove's goal is to meet the health care and medical needs of the community. She takes pride in filling prescriptions quickly and efficiently and treating all her customers' individual needs. History: Dove received her bachelor of science in pharmaceuticals from the University of Montana in 1986. She was in the last class before the requirement to become a Medical Doctor prior to graduating. "I liked science and medicine and thought this profession was wise for a female because...
SEELEY LAKE - In an effort to fill a need for office space and services in the community, Rachel Jennings has opened The Hub in the Bison & Bear Center, Highway 83 in downtown Seeley Lake. Jennings' goal is to offer an office with all the services for non-profit and for-profit businesses that do not have the resources to staff a full-time office. The Hub is also available for meeting space and offers customizable a la carte services to fit any organization including grant writing, reception...
SEELEY LAKE – The large, empty building fronting the Bison and Bear Mall is no longer empty. An estimated 100 people filled the building Saturday Oct. 3 to help launch SLE Outside, the new student-run outdoor equipment co-operative. Though the store does not officially open for business until Nov. 14, some merchandise – skis, bikes, backpacks, clothing from Patagonia and other companies – was already on display and available at 20 percent off to launch-party patrons. Chris Stout, Seeley Lake Ele...
Goal: Deer Creek Excavating's goal is to provide all levels of excavating service in the Seeley-Swan Valley. Owner Gary Lewis said he truly enjoys his work, "If I didn't have bills, I'd dig for free!" History: Lewis grew up operating equipment for his dad, Chuck Lewis. Chuck owned and operated Lewis Excavating during the early 1970s. The business was sold to Gary's brother Dick Lewis and then to Gary in 1990. Gary has operated it with his wife Cheryl for the past 25 years. Deer Creek Excavating...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Rural Fire District (SLRFD) just received a grant from the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) for a new Type I AD 4X4 ambulance. The grant covers 90 percent of the cost for a $210,000 ambulance. Two months ago they also received a grant from Lifeline/American Heart Association for a $25,000 LifePak® 15 cardiac monitor and defibrillator. While SLRFD is already using the monitor in the current ambulance, it will help equip the new ambulance once it arrives...
SEELEY LAKE – Most people agree that education needs to be relevant, rather than simply rote learning. Often that gets interpreted as instead of handing students a page filled with numbers to multiply, the teacher poses a word problem. The word problem may go something like this: Jill Salesperson, who works at a theoretical outdoor sports store, must help a theoretical customer with X amount of money decide what theoretical items he can afford to purchase for a theoretical backpacking trip. S...
Goal: Owner Kris Martin's main goal for The Filling Station is to make money. "If I make money, my employees make money and they can afford to live here," said Martin. "I can't offer anything to this town unless I'm making money." Martin also strives to serve something for everyone in the family, from children to the adults. "I can't change much because I let the community guide me," said Martin. "We stick with the family favorites." History: Eddie and Jerrie Coyle started The Filling Station...
SEELEY LAKE - Avalanche instructor Mike Duffy of Eagle, Colo. had questions after reading about the two snowmobilers who died after unintentionally driving into open water on Seeley Lake last December. Because one of the victims was reported to have deployed his avalanche airbag, Duffy asked, should a snowmobiler deploy an avalanche airbag if they end up in open water on a sinking snowmobile? Will it float someone face up or down? Duffy heard about the accident after it was posted on a SnoWest...
Goal: Master Plumber Ken Schmitz's goal is to build on his plumbing and heating company whether it is with new, remodel or other construction clientele. He also strives to stock plumbing parts and pieces that people need and provide advice to those that ask. History: Schmitz grew up in a family of plumbers. His mother Darlene Smith and father Don Schmitz owned a plumbing business and several relatives were also in the business. When Schmitz finished his service in the Marine Corps nearly 24...
SWAN VALLEY – Swan Valley resident Kathy Koors has offered free range boarding for dogs to her friends and family for the past seven years. This past month she received her Missoula County license and is insured to officially open the doors to Unleashed in the Swan Dog Camp. Her goal is to provide a safe place where dogs can come and socialize and have fun while their owners are away. Koors started her career in human medicine working as an Emergency Medical Technician in Seattle, Wash. at H...
Goal: Managers DJ Sharp and his wife Alona strive to keep locals and tourists happy with the products and services they offer. Being one of the major businesses in Ovando, they feel it is important to "keep things rolling" for themselves and the community. History: The Blackfoot Commercial Company started off as a dry goods store in the 1880s. The building burned in 1919 and was rebuilt in its current location in the early 1940s. When the Cenex Cooperation decided to sell in 1996, Howie and...
SWAN LAKE - Visitors to the annual Huckleberry Festival put on by the Swan Lake Chamber and Community Club (SLC&CC) held in Swan Lake, Mont. on Aug. 8 had an added degree of safety this year due to the permanent solar speed reminder sign added late this spring. It reminds drivers of their speed and the speed limit as they approach the town of Swan Lake. It is located at the crest of a blind curving hill on Highway 83 near the Stage Stop store. "There have been many close calls and near...
SEELEY LAKE – Twenty-five years ago Pat Boyd saw a classified ad that Bud's Dairy Hut in Seeley Lake was for sale. She asked her daughters Laurel Daniels and Kim Boyd, "Do you guys want to own an ice cream place?" They said, '"Sure." The three women formed a corporation and bought the business which was housed in a converted garage in the middle of Seeley Lake. One of the first things the family did was choose a new name. After rejecting a number of possibilities, they finally asked t...
Goal: Founder and owner Jason Ayers' mission is to start with a client and end with a friend. "It is easy to construct a building for a client. It is much harder to finish a project and have the customer be 100 percent satisfied and be your friend in the end. I feel we have been successful at that," said Ayers. History: Ayers was raised around construction and building. His parents wanted him to go to school after high school. He chose building construction and graduated from the Pennsylvania...
OVANDO – The simple act of reaching out to one woman who was in last place during the 2012 Tour Divide Bicycle Race has turned Ovando into a destination for Tour Divide riders and cyclists all over the world. Ovando's motto, "What we do for one, we do for all." In 2012, Blackfoot Angler's owner Kathy Schoendoerfer got a call from someone telling her that cyclist Tracy Burge from Ohio was in last place, sick, hurting and about ready to give up. The community of Ovando responded by preparing t...
Seeley Lake snowmobiler Caleb Kesterke has been pursuing his snowmobiling passion since the age of two. He started shooting video of himself riding two years ago to, "record all the fun stuff I was doing out there." Last spring he gained national recognition through the first amateur video competition put on by North Road Productions out of Kenai, Alaska. Kesterke's first snowmobile was a 120 Mini Z. His father Shane Kesterke and grandfather Ray Aberly taught him how to ride. "I thought I was...
POTOMAC - "When you can't get something you want, you learn to make it," said Carl Bock as he checked the proof of his next batch of Uncle Carl's Prohibition Style Whiskey at the Steel Toe Distillery in Potomac, Mont. Steel Toe Distillery opened Nov. 8 at Bock's home above Union Creek and Hwy. 200 in the Blackfoot Valley. The former Wolfkeep Wildlife Sanctuary gift shop is now the production, aging and bottling area for the distillery. Bock admits he began making whiskey at home after the...
