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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....
When you read about the things that Senator Tester is trying to do to the wilderness study and National Monument areas, there are some things you need to know. • Wilderness study areas, were not, are not, and never were, supposed to be wilderness. These areas were to be studied by the appropriate agency and recommendations made to Congress as to the disposition of the area. The recommendation was to be made within five years of the WSA (Wilderness Study Area) designation. The study that was done determined that that these areas did NOT meet t...
If'n you're a fairly new comer to the Seeley Swan area you probably never knew Mel Nelson. Ol' Mel had a little gas station just past Barber Creek road there on the left. Mel had a small airplane and repaired others. Mel could fix or tell you how to fix anything. Seems like he was a mechanic in the service. Well sir, it came to pass I had an old antique Case tractor to plow snow with. When lo and behold the old bucket of bolts got anti freeze in the oil. Just enough to ruin the babit on a rod. A...
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...
REAL ESTATE SALES REDUCED DUE TO LACK OF AVAILABLE HOUSING INVENTORY The past year has seen great success in home sales in both Seeley Lake and Condon. The market has great buyer interest and activity. However, lack of available inventory has resulted in some buyers staying on the sidelines as they are unable to find homes with the qualities and features that they are seeking. Median days on market for homes in Seeley Lake is currently 163 days, down dramatically from 266 days in 2016. The...
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...
The Seeley-Swan Blackhawks and Lady Blackhawks took to the road after the holiday break to face Charlo Jan. 5 and Lincoln Jan. 6. The Boys had a strong showing against Charlo. The game was within a few points through the first three quarters. The Blackhawks were down just three points heading into the final frame but could not catch Charlo. The final score was 49-65. Cameron Haines led the Boys with 15 points. He hit 3, three-pointers and was 100 percent from the free-throw line. Avery Smith fol...
Date of death: Jan. 6, 2018 Place of death: Missoula, Mont. Born: Dec. 18, 1936, Plentywood, Mont. Parents: Clarence O. Wollan and Mildred Hark Wollan Siblings: Rita Wollan, Shaneen Wollan Bergette (Dennis), Arlette Wollan McFadyean (David), Blaine Wollan (Kris), Clair Wollan Grand Children: Brianna Yates, Bryce, Jaidin and Gage Wollan Great Grand Children: Calliah Yates Preceded in death by: Parents Clarence and Mildred, Sister Rita Ron lived in Plentywood/Outlook area until 1946. Family moved... Full story
A great conversation unfolded within my weekly study group of The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren. This week’s topic: Developing your friendship with God. The crux of the chapter is that you are as close to God as you choose to be. The way you get closer is by intimate desire, time and energy. But as the chapter goes on, it has a heavy emphasis on how we need to learn what God cares about and then do the same… The group of nearly a dozen talked about the widow and orphan – and the homeless person flying a sign on the street corner. As that...
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...
