Week of November 21, 2024
Week of November 21, 2024
Nearing the end of his 18-state book tour to introduce "Becoming Little Shell, A Landless Indian's Journey Home," Chris La Tray, Métis author and Montana Poet Laureate, presented his new book at the Alpine Artisans Open Book Club on Nov. 9 at the Swan Valley Community Center. La Tray read from his new book, shared poetry and answered questions from the crowd. The book tells the story of La Tray's growing up around Huson and discovery of being Chippewa, and the history therewithin. While...
Sally Johnson carries bags of donated food as she walks up to the Seeley Swan Community Food Bank. It's a Wednesday, and even though the food bank is closed, that doesn't stop her from taking time out of her day to bring in donations. Johnson spends a lot of time at the food bank as both the volunteer coordinator and as a volunteer, and started volunteering at the food bank after she retired. Johnson appreciates that she has the opportunity to be so involved in the community, though...
One thing was clear from the results of a survey sent out to Seeley Lake residents from the Seeley-Swan Hospital District — not everyone is totally clear on what’s offered at the local medical center. Even from a fairly basic level, the perception that it is a hospital and provides urgent care services was fairly widespread, which is not the case. “The Seeley-Swan Hospital District is not a hospital. We are a mission-driven board that oversees the facility and partners with Partnership Health Center, who provides primary care and other...
Trying to make use of remaining federal money, the Missoula County Public Works Department is submitting for three more grants to address various deteriorating bridges in the county. After an unsuccessful submission for a Bridge Investment Program grant, or BIP grant, in March, which would have funded the replacement of Boy Scout Road (Seeley Lake), Glacier Creek (Condon) and Sunset Hill Road (Greenough) Bridges, Shane Stack, public works department director, said the department is planning on resubmitting for the grant next year and using...
In last week’s first installment of the Pathfinder’s “winterizing” column, we shared pro-tips from locals for protecting homes, hearths and energy bills in the Seeley-Swan. Now, let’s venture to the place many Montanans care about most — outdoors — and discuss ways to winterize lawns, plants, chicken coops, livestock and more. Because as they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. 1. Guard your gutters. When snowmelt can’t drain through your gutters, it turns to ice dams, which will wreak havoc on your roof...
If anything says “community spirit” it’s a $2,000 bid for one dozen phantom eggs. Traditionally Norma Hughes, 95-year-old Ovando resident, has brought two dozen eggs to the Ovando Harvest Dinner. The eggs are a high seller, earning $1,700 in 2023 to support the Ovando Sew and So club in its community projects. This year’s auction on Nov. 8 was a little different as a fox got into Hughes’ chicken house recently and killed all but two hens. Hughes sent a note to the Harvest Dinner...
A free Developmental and Preschool Screening Clinic for children ages 0 to 5 for Potomac and Sunset School Districts will be held on Jan. 16, 2025, 12:30 p.m. – 3 p.m. at Potomac Elementary School. This free screening will include gross motor, fine motor, language concepts, communication concepts, communication skills, hearing and vision screening. Please call to schedule an appointment for your child’s screening or to receive more information. (406)...
Thirty five years ago... Thursday Nov. 16, 1989 Winter woods invite skiers We woke up to find six inches of snow on the ground Monday morning, and a blizzard brewing in the northern skies. We couldn’t wait to pull on our boots and venture outdoors. Standing in the gray air, we heard the wild geese honk above us. The day before we had watched a pair of swans gliding south. At first we thought they were geese, but then we saw the long necks reaching toward the winter sun. Their powerful wings carried them above the trees. The calls of the...
It's a good thing - more like a blessing - that the river is still fishable at this point in November. Especially this November. Maybe God knew we'd need a break, a time to refresh and restore our souls after this election, and so in His divine mercy he extended the days that are warm enough to fish for a couple of weeks after the polls closed. At least that's what I want to think. The river, which in past years has been iced over by now, is still in decent shape. The weather, some days, is...
A venerable log building, a blustery November day in a small country community, the Pledge of Allegiance, the tolling of a bell. A scene repeated hundreds of times across the nation, yet as each name was read the personal, local feel of loss hung in the air. We think of great wars with legions of soldiers, but they are composed of young men and women from Seeley and Condon with moms and dads. Last Monday, Nov. 11 was Condon's ceremony at the Community Center, followed by a lunch prepared by the...
"We were all baptized by one Spirit into one body, whether Jew or Greek, or slave or free, and we all were given one Spirit to drink.” (1 Corinthians 12:13 Common English Bible) When I was in grade school we’d play a game called, “Where in the World Is Carmen San Diego?” It was a game designed to teach us world geography and increase our appreciation for the world’s many peoples and cultures. Carmen San Diego could travel anywhere and do anything, and we had to use our knowledge of her and the world — aided by clues she’d leave...
If Alan Muskett’s boat doesn’t measure up, I have a 48’ trawler in Guatemala for sale. Fire sale price, way warmer and cheaper cruising than the east...
