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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 people of Montana have elected: · Our Governor, who is from California, · Our junior Senator, also from California, · A Representative, from Maryland. All three are wealthy and have shown a general disregard for what the people of Montana care about and who want to sell our public lands to the highest bidder because they have no feeling of “ownership” in these lands without deeds in their names. In addition, we have a wealthy Representative (who has shown a disregard for transparency or conserving public money and spends most of his time o...
We, the Powell County Commission, wish to express support for the Montana Sportsmen Conservation Act (MSCA) and the release of Hoodoo Mountain and Wales Creek Wilderness Study Areas (WSA). Montana’s WSAs have been stuck in legal limbo for over 40 years, creating challenges for both land managers and public land users. In 1991, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) found that neither Hoodoo Mountain nor Wales Creek WSA fit the criteria for recommended wilderness, yet both areas remain listed as WSAs over 30 years later. Releasing these two a...
When people ask me why I vote for Democrats, I point no further than the Copper Kings of Butte during the 20th century. The Copper Kings kicked working people in the teeth. They slashed wages. They broke up Unions. They bought off politicians, and denied countless families from experiencing the American Dream. As I see it, the Montana Democratic Party stands for one simple lesson: opportunity for everyone. We go after big corporations and reign in price gouging. We cut taxes for working families. We reduce the costs of healthcare, prescription... Full story
A judge in Gallatin County recently blocked two bills aimed at addressing Montana’s housing crisis, siding with a radical anti-housing interest group. The decision to block Senate Bill 323 and Senate Bill 528 is misguided and unfortunate. These bills passed with overwhelming bipartisan support and were signed into law by Governor Gianforte. Housing affordability is a major issue in Montana. Many Montanans can no longer afford to live in the communities in which they grew up. To protect our Montana way of life, we need to find ways to i...
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...
Elden LeRoy Rammell, best known as "Papa Smurf," passed away on Dec. 6, 2023. He was 87. Elden was born in Idaho Falls, Idaho, and was raised on a farm in Fort Shaw. He married his wife, Dorine Mable Dorr, on June 16, 1957 in Vaughn, Montana. They made their home in Seeley Lake. Elden's passion was working in the woods as a sawyer. Later in his life, he loved helping others in the Seeley Lake area by making sure they had plenty of firewood for the long winter ahead, including his firestarters... Full story
Alvin looked like he could have stepped out of an old-country Weiner schnitzel or biergarten commercial: rotund body, big features, big frame, distinctly Germanic features set in a jolly countenance, and big strong workingman's hands with calloused fingers the size of bratwursts. He wanted to learn how to tie flies. He enrolled in a course I was teaching. He was the nicest guy in the world, and we became good friends, but my first thought going in was that it would be a challenge for him to...
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...
1/03 10:33 am Littering 17XX Woodworth Rd., Seeley Lake 1/03 8:19 pm Vandalism 31XX Highway 83, Seeley Lake 1/04 7:25 am Theft 1XX Cutthroat Dr., Seeley Lake 1/04 7:55 pm Suspicious Activity 6XX Tamarack Dr., Seeley Lake 1/05 10:48 am Suspicious Activity 90XX Bonner Mill Rd., Milltown 1/06 10:09 am Accident-No Injury 25XX Highway 83, Seeley Lake 1/07 10:44 pm Accident-Injury MM Highway 200 1/09 10:16 am Harassment 19XX River Watch Trail, Seeley Lake 1/10 10:06 am Fraud 12XX Swanson Meadows Rd....
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,...
The Blackfoot Challenge recently learned of the deaths of four trumpeter swan cygnets hatched to Blackfoot swan 3A6 in Sheridan, Wyoming. Swan 3A6 was released in the Blackfoot in 2016 and nested in the Sheridan area this year. The cygnets were determined to have died of the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), or avian flu. While the current strain of avian flu is highly deadly to domestic poultry, it appears to be much less lethal to most wild birds. However, waterfowl (birds like ducks, geese, swans, coots, grebes, etc.), some raptor...
