Articles from the September 1, 2016 edition


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  • Swan Valley Emergency Services Expresses Concerns with Forest Plan Draft

    Andi Bourne, Pathfinder|Sep 1, 2016

    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...

  • August Fling Supports Veterans

    Andi Bourne, Pathfinder|Sep 1, 2016

    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...

  • Large Crowd Attends Richard III

    Betty Vanderwielen, Pathfinder|Sep 1, 2016

    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...

  • Sewer District Should Inform Voters

    Don Larson, Seeley Lake, Mont.|Sep 1, 2016

    It has come to my attention members of the Seeley Lake Sewer District Board are putting out misinformation about the Sewer Proposal which we will be voting on in December. One member has been saying, “If we don’t put it (the sewer) in now the “state” will come in and make us do it later and it will cost more.” That is mostly incorrect. Here’s why: The State must show demonstrable environmental degradation before it can “mandate” a clean up and it must show beyond a shadow of a doubt where the degradation is coming from. It cannot. Seeley...

  • Designating Wilderness is Not Protecting It as We Know It

    Linda Brandvold, Fairfield, Mont.|Sep 1, 2016

    I would like to comment on the letter Supporting Blackfoot-Clearwater Stewardship Project authored by representatives of the Montana Association of Christians (MAC) in the Great Falls Tribune (July 25, 2016). I agree wholeheartedly with collaboration supporting forest restoration and recreation. However, I think there is a widespread misconception that we protect areas as we know them by adding them to the wilderness system. MAC supports adding 83,000 acres to the Wilderness Complex. They allude to the “Rivers running clear and deep” thr...

  • We Count on the Mail

    Chip Hutcheson|Sep 1, 2016

    I got the mail today. A couple of bills. A greeting card. Some catalogs. A newspaper. One package that my wife grabbed right away. (Wonder what that was?) Lately, it occurs to me how completely I take for granted that I will get the mail tomorrow. I’ve had my share of gripes about the mail. As president of the National Newspaper Association, I have fielded our community newspaper members’ postal concerns all year. The mail is slower than it used to be. The U.S. Postal Service slowed it down by a day, at least, because of financial pro...

  • Water District Maintenance in Double Arrow Phase IA

    Seeley Lake Water District|Sep 1, 2016

    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...

  • Labor Day DUI Patrols to Increase Across Montana

    Sep 1, 2016

    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...

  • Local Organizations Receive 2016 Recreational Trails Program Grants

    Sep 1, 2016

    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...

  • Economic Impacts of Conservation and Education

    Luke Lamar, Swan Valley Connections|Sep 1, 2016

    At Swan Valley Connections (SVC), we care deeply about conservation, stewardship and education for people of all ages. Swan Valley Connections is the result of the merger between Swan Ecosystem Center and Northwest Connections, two non-profit conservation/education organizations founded in the 1990’s by visionary leaders and dedicated staff who knew the value of creating and building partnerships to get work done. We have a history of helping people come together to partner and find solutions to problems through having productive and r...

  • Everlasting Fire Fighting Danger

    Seeley Lake Historical Society|Sep 1, 2016

    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...

  • Sunburst Teacher Brings Enthusiasm to Potomac

    Sigrid Olson, Pathfinder|Sep 1, 2016

    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...

  • Who is the Know It All?

    Craig Wilson, Pastor, Mission Bible Fellowship|Sep 1, 2016

    One of my favorite slogans is, “Ask a teenager now…while they still know everything.” We’ve all been on both sides of this. It is common for youth to feel certain that they possess a firm understanding of life. Yet, with age, comes a humble understanding that is shaped by wisdom and life experience. In my articles I have been taking a look at attributes of God, the many different terms that describe how wonderful God is. The attributes of God describe for us the beauty and truth of God that di...

  • The Sobering Truth Behind Montana Alcohol Laws

    Andi Bourne, Pathfinder|Sep 1, 2016

    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...

  • Sunset School Student Body Doubles

    Andi Bourne, Pathfinder|Sep 1, 2016

    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...

  • Working Towards His Wings

    Andi Bourne, Pathfinder|Sep 1, 2016

    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...

  • Jamison Earl Ogden

    Sep 1, 2016

    Jamison Earl Ogden was born Aug. 23 at 4:22 a.m. to Seeley Lake residents Jacob and Anna Ogden. He weighed seven pounds.... Full story

  • Blackhawks Fall to Pirates

    Nathan Bourne, Pathfinder|Sep 1, 2016

    VICTOR - The Seeley-Swan Blackhawks headed to Victor to take on the Pirates Aug. 27 for the opening game of the football season. The Pirates showed no mercy as they handed the Blackhawks a 6-58 loss. The Blackhawks' lone touchdown came on a 60-yard pass to Hunter Sokoloski from Shane Lindemer. "We weren't as bad as the score would indicate," said Blackhawk Head Coach Ryan Sokoloski. Coach Sokoloski explained that most of the mistakes were fundamental type mistakes, missed tackles and blocks...

  • Lady Blackhawks Season Opens at Tournament

    Nathan Bourne, Pathfinder|Sep 1, 2016

    The Seeley-Swan Lady Blackhawks volleyball season got underway in Drummond, Aug. 27. The modified tournament featured short matches. The Lady Blackhawks took on five teams. In morning pool play, they beat Twin Bridges and Sheridan outright while they split with Drummond and Charlo. They won the split by points against Charlo but lost to Drummond. The Ladies headed into the afternoon seeded second in their pool but fell to Granite in their final match. Valley Christian topped Charlo for the...

  • Community Briefs

    Sep 1, 2016

    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...

  • Lightning Sparks Small Fires

    Sep 1, 2016

    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...

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