Community Briefs

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 the checkout desk or call 677-8995 for more information.

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.

Swan Valley AARP, May 2

SWAN VALLEY – The Swan Valley Elementary pre-school program is the program for the Monday, May 3 Swan Valley AARP meeting at the Swan Valley Community Hall. Danni Parcell will present the program and progress. The public is invited.

Members meet for a potluck at 12:30 p.m. The program begins at 1:45 p.m. Hosts are George and Emily Beck.

SLE Band Concert, May 3

SEELEY LAKE - The community is invited to attend the Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE) Spring Band Concert May 3 at 6 p.m. The concert will be held in the Multipurpose room at SLE.

Boogie-Woogie Pianist “Mr. B” Coming to Ovando

OVANDO - Blues and boogie-woogie pianist Mark “Mr. B” Braun is coming to the Blackfoot. During the first week in May, he will teach and perform in towns and schools in the Blackfoot Valley. He reaches Ovando on Thursday, May 5, where he will make music with the nine students during the day. At 7 p.m. he will give a FREE COMMUNITY CONCERT at Ovando School, in beautiful downtown Ovando. Refreshments will be served.

Mr. B is an electrifying performer — a skilled pianist with a big singing voice and a great spirit. He is one of the premiere purveyors of boogie-woogie, exciting American music handed down by such legends as Little Brother Montgomery, Boogie Woogie Red and Blind John Davis. Mark conducts educational programs around the country, performs worldwide and has released numerous recordings now heard on NPR. He is the organizer of the annual Blues and Boogie Piano Celebration in Ann Arbor and the founder of the Joybox Express, a traveling music show that teaches and raises money for arts education.

The concert is sponsored by the Ovando School Cultural Enrichment Committee and friends of the community. For more information, call Martha at 793-5706.

Student Art Exhibit, May 6

GREENOUGH – Join Sunset and Ovando Schools for their Student Art Exhibit Friday, May 6 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at The Resort at Paws Up Reception Barn. Students will present themselves and their artwork from the course of the school year. Student presentations will begin at 6 p.m. followed by a casual art walk and social hour. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend.

Missoula County Growth Policy Update

MISSOULA - At their public meeting April 13, the Board of County Commissioners took public testimony and started their deliberations on the Missoula County Growth Policy. They continued the public hearing to Wednesday, May 4 at 1:30 p.m. Prior to that date, the Commissioners will hold several work sessions to consider the growth policy document in more detail.

Information about upcoming meetings can be found on the project website at http://www.mcgrowthpolicy.us.

Montana State Parks Seeks Public Comment on Proposed 2016 Trail Grant Applications

HELENA - Montana State Parks (stateparks.mt.gov) is seeking public comment on 79 Recreational Trails Program (RTP) grant applications for the current grant cycle which closed March 11, 2016. 

Project applicants requested approximately $2.6 million from Montana’s Recreational Trails Program.  Approximately $1.4 million in funding will be available for projects. Comments will be accepted through Friday, May 20th at 5 p.m.

RTP grant funds can provide assistance for trail projects, including development and rehabilitation work on urban, rural and backcountry trails; planning and construction of community trails; snowmobile and cross-country ski trail maintenance and grooming operations; and a variety of trail stewardship and safety education programs statewide.

Local organizations listed with 2016 RTP proposed projects include the Seeley Lake Driftriders for snowmobile trail grooming and maintenance for $45,000; the Seeley Lake Ranger District for the Snow Steward Program for $12,600 and Swan Valley Connections in Condon for the Mission Mountains Wilderness and Swan Front Trails at $45,000.

A complete list of all trails grant applications for consideration is accessible online at stateparks.mt.gov/recreation and click on ‘Recreational Trials Program’. Copies of individual RTP applications are available by request at 406-444-4585.

 Public Comments must be received by 5 p.m. Friday, May 20 and may be submitted online at http://stateparks.mt.gov/news/publicNotices/rtp/pn_0002.html 

Comments may also be submitted by email to: FWPRecreationalTrails@mt.gov or by regular mail to: Montana State Parks, Trails Program, 1420 E. Sixth Ave., P.O. Box 200701, Helena, MT 59620-0701.

 The RTP is federally funded and is administered and managed by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks with oversight from the Federal Highway Administration. RTP funding is made available through the recently passed Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Bill called the Fast Act which is a five-year funding bill.