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SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Rural Fire District received a nearly $73,000 Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) that will be used to install a new exhaust system in the bays of Station 1. Seeley Lake Fire Chief Dave Lane said this new system will help capture the diesel smoke from the apparatuses and protect the firefighters. Without the grant, this upgrade at the department would not have been possible. The primary goal of the AFG Program of the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency is to enhance the safety o...
SEELEY LAKE - Wednesday morning, Sept. 11 Seeley Lake Rural Fire Department personnel stood in front of the Post Office in Seeley Lake to remember those who served and lost their lives during the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001. Casualties of the deadliest terrorist act in world history included 2,977 people and 19 hijackers. Most of those who perished were civilians except for 343 firefighters, 72 law enforcement officers and 55 military personnel that were killed in and around the World Trade Center...
SWAN VALLEY – Kathy Kinzfogl, better known as Littlebird, thinks of it as eco-homesteading. Her partner Brian Parks thinks more in terms of permaculture. By whatever name, it means a style of living which endeavors not to dominate its surroundings but rather to let the area itself guide the way. Meeting as many of their needs as possible by utilizing the resources available close to their home in the Swan Valley is a lifestyle Littlebird and Parks choose to follow. Parks said, "We're h...
MISSOULA - Perhaps many of you in the Seeley-Swan Valley area are aware there is an old bridge down in Missoula on the west side of town. It has been the subject of debate and controversy for over 25 years. Undoubtedly, most of you believe you have bigger things to worry about than some “neighborhood” dispute about a bridge. Let us take a minute and give you some reasons why you should be very concerned about what some of your County Commissioners are up to. In 1994, studies began to see if replacing the old Maclay Bridge was feasible, and at...
SWAN VALLEY – She was born on a cold winter day, wrapped and warm, high above the headwaters, in the same landscape where she later gave birth to celebrated triplets. Her neighbors loved her and many people experienced firsthand the wonder of those young siblings following mama through the forests they called home. Last week this shining example of creation died a quiet, sobering death – not because she had failed but because this now grieving community had failed her. She was so greatly admired that we gave her a name from the mountains themse...
SWAN VALLEY - An adult female grizzly bear was euthanized Sept. 10 after the bear and three cubs became food conditioned and broke into structures to obtain grain. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks captured the bears in the Seeley-Swan Valley. In accordance with Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee guidelines, the adult female was euthanized due to food conditioning, which occurs when wildlife lose natural foraging habits. Two of the cubs are being sent to the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center in West Yellowstone. FWP was unable to capture the...
Those of you who know me know that I enjoy talking about the brain and how it plays an enormous role in our lives. Our feelings, thought patterns, habits and much more are all formed and processed in our brain. I love to learn about the cutting edge of science and behavior, which is why I would like to praise a fascinating new book about how exercise alters our brain. The book is called Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain, and was written by renowned author and...
You know those days when, as a parent or caregiver, you feel like you don't know what to do to help your child or feel frustrated with your child's behavior? Most parents have experienced these feelings. What if I told you that there is a quick and easy resource to help you figure out what to do? There's an amazing website called ParentingMontana.org that might be helpful to you or someone you know. ParentingMontana.org is a free website designed to help support parents and caregivers...
Most of us have or will rent a residence at some point in our lives. It can be overwhelming dealing with finances, paperwork, documents, understanding your rights and what’s expected as a tenant. It’s just as important to know about your landlord’s responsibilities in maintaining your rental, handling documents, policies and communicating with their tenants. As a licensed property manager, I frequently get calls from tenants other than my own asking about their rights. They are concerned about living conditions, confused about security deposit...
MISSOULA - Recent widespread rain, interagency wildland fire officials with the Missoula County Fire Protection Association (MCFPA) are reporting lower fire danger indices within Missoula County. The fire danger rating was lowered to MODERATE last week. Indices dipped into the LOW range briefly this week, but with a return to seasonal temperatures today and through the weekend, fire danger remains MODERATE at this time. The move does not indicate an end to fire season. Grass and other fine...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Huckleberry Festival and end of summer blowout is this Saturday, Sept. 21. Organizer Michelle Brumfield encourages everyone in town to enter the huckleberry cooking/baking contest, bring a picnic lunch and a game to share and come over to The BBQ Pit and Fat Hippie’s parking lot on Highway 83. The no host event is sure to be a lot of fun. The first annual Festival starts around 10:30 a.m. with no published end time. There will be a cake walk and face painting for the kids and open mic/jam session for the adults. Br...
SEELEY LAKE – Heavy rains at the beginning of the week resulted in increased runoff and a trail washout in the Monture Drainage on the Seeley Lake Ranger District. Monture Trail #27 is currently impassable to stock at approximately 4.3 miles up the trail at the Yellowjacket drainage due to increased flows and debris movement caused by recent storms. It is recommended that day-riders use the flat trail section before Bill Creek as a turn-around point prior to reaching the blind corner and Y...
SWAN VALLEY – Tom Parker was the final speaker at the Aug. 3 Upper Swan Valley Historical Society (USVHS) program Guides and Outfitters of the Swan Valley. His talk was punctuated by comments from old-time outfitter Leonard Moore. Parker said he was 21 years old when he decided he wanted to be an outfitter. He was living in the Bitterroot area at the time. A hunting trip into the Bob Marshall Wilderness with his own horses and mules confirmed his career decision. He moved to the Swan Valley t...
SEELEY LAKE – More than 20 people toured the Maclean family's neighborhood Friday, Sept. 13 as part of the third "In the Footsteps of Norman Maclean Festival: Writing the West: A Way Forward." Seeley Lake Historical Society historian Ron Cox led the tour around Boy Scout Road on the west side of Seeley Lake. The tour started at the Seeley Lake Historical Museum with the display featuring the Maclean family. Cox shared that the Maclean family came to Seeley Lake in 1921. Their family received one...
SEELEY LAKE – After setting up camp, students dotted the shores of Rainy Lake in their quest to catch lunch. This was just one of the four opportunities offered for Seeley-Swan High School Discovery Day Sept. 12. Developed by last year's Ecology class, students had the opportunity to have some fun while connecting with their fellow students, learn something about their natural world and give back to the community through a service project. For the first time since Discovery Day started in 2012,...
“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” (John 1:14) We’ve enjoyed a wonderful summer with a steady stream of family and friends coming through our state. Many of them put their hands and hearts to work projects at our home and throughout Montana, encouraging us along the way. In Hawaii they have a saying – “Lucky we live in Hawaii.” In Montana we should say, “Blessed we live in God’s country.” One of the topics that came up frequently with our guests throughout the summer was this – there are certain things that are simply har...
MANHATTAN, N.Y. – It was a beautiful September day as Tom Browder walked the final leg of his daily commute across the World Trade Center Plaza. As he stood at the foot of the North Tower, he heard what he thought was a bomb go off near the top of the tower. Even though the concussion from the explosion knocked him to the ground, he was able to work his way through the World Trade Center plaza to the northeast corner of the complex. “This is terrible but at least that is it,” thought Browd...
MISSOULA – Annick Smith was the featured speaker for the Alpine Artisans fundraiser dinner that formed part of the 2019 three-day "In the Footsteps of Norman Maclean" festival. In introducing Smith, Michael Cropper referred to her as "the girl next door." For although writer-filmmaker Smith has gained a national reputation and garnered numerous accolades for her various projects and publications, those who live in the wider Missoula area admit to a certain possessiveness toward the woman who l...
SEELEY LAKE – Pattie Crum is quick to say this is her first year of teaching. However, along with being a fresh slate as the new second grade teacher at Seeley lake Elementary School, she also brings with her a breadth of experience. Crum looks forward to supporting her students in learning, building their self esteem and watching them progress socially and academically so they are more than prepared for third grade. Crum has always wanted to be a teacher. She loved teaching her own children t...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake District Ranger Quinn Carver and Lolo National Forest Acting Public Affairs Officer Katelyn Jerman presented the proposed recreation fee increases for the Lolo National Forest at the Seeley Lake Community Council meeting Sept. 9. The fee increase for several developed recreation sites on the Lolo was proposed to try and make the rates comparable to other sites in the region based on the amenities available. Carver emphasized how important it was for the public to engage in the comment period through Sept. 30. He r...
The Seeley-Swan Blackhawks cross county team took to the course at Mission for the St. Ignatius Invite Sept. 10 and Rebecca Farms for the Flathead Invite Sept. 14. Freshman Kyla Conley made the podium at both meets, joining sophomore Hannah Ayers in St. Ignatius. Many of the runners also set new personal records (PR). St. Ignatius Invite The Lady Blackhawks brought four runners but only two finished the race. Senior Jayla Kauffman rolled her ankle during warm ups so never started. Sophomore...
SEELEY LAKE – The Blackhawks go 3-0 and the crowd sings along, "Three cheers for Blackhawks of Seeley-Swan High." The last time the Blackhawks started their season with three wins was in 1999. The Blackhawks had a rough start against the Arlee Warriors Sept. 13 letting a touchdown slip in early off an intercepted pass from the 25-yard line. A second interception and a handful of penalties kept the Blackhawks at bay through the first quarter and into the second. Dakota Wood finally broke the i...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley-Swan Lady Blackhawks defeated Victor and Darby last week improving their conference record to 2-2. The Ladies hosted Victor Sept. 12 and made quick work of the match in three sets 25-16, 25-13 and 25-14. On the offense, Sariah Maughan had 10 kills on 17 attempts with just 2 errors while Aspen Conley had 10 assists and Taylor Dillree had 4 aces in 17 serves with no errors. Darby put up more of a fight Sept. 14 forcing the match to four sets before falling to the Lady Blac...
Essential oils for preparedness, Sept. 19 & Sept. 28 SEELEY LAKE – Learn how you can empower your family now and in times of emergencies with essential oils in your emergency kit during National Preparedness Month. Join doTERRA Wellness Advocates Mari Bergeson and Marjorie Pelletier Sept. 19 from 7-8:30 p.m. and Saturday, Sept. 28 from 10-11:30 a.m. at the Seeley Lake Elementary Multi-purpose Room for a free seminar on how to use the power of essential oils for health and wellness. No purchase or enrollment is required to attend. Everyone is i...
Rural Montana is facing some pressing challenges. We must provide quality medical care for an aging population, so our seniors can enjoy healthy, vibrant lives in the communities they’ve always called home. And we need to create more jobs for the next generation of rural Montanans so they have the opportunity to live in our great state. These two objectives both require enhancements to our health care system, but we need to implement these enhancements in a way that will not jeopardize access to healthcare for people who live and work in r...
