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Springtime in the garden often starts with big dreams and memories of the beauty and abundance from the past season. Here in Montana we get a break from gardening as our season is short and hopefully sweet. Often our spring thoughts turn to questions like: Is the fence high enough to keep the deer out? Will cardboard really work to quench the quackgrass? Do I have enough row cover for that mid-season frost that nailed the garden last July? Deer that aren't used to fence jumping can usually be...
Swan Valley School is nestled in between the Mission and Swan Mountains and inside Jamie Matthew’s classroom, light from the east-facing windows glows beautifully. The wood on her reading loft seems to stand out in the 3 p.m. sunshine. Students had just been released, and Matthew hugged a former student in the entrance to the school before walking back to her classroom to talk about something she kind of hates talking about — herself. Matthew was designated the Montana Rural Teacher of the Year...
Lesley Jungers was born Lesley Carol Jochim on Jan. 23, 1970, in Bozeman, Montana. Lesley graduated from the University of Montana with a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Elementary Education and with a minor in K-8 art. In the summer before her college journey, Lesley met Ed Jungers which eventually - after seven years Lesley would say - led to their marriage on Aug. 6, 1994. Lesley and Ed were blessed with the joy of raising three boys: Cole, born on May 6, 1996; Bo, on June 24, 1998; and Aaron,...
Usually we expect notable people from our past to leave some kind of footprint: a road named after them, a mountain peak, a lake, or a lookout. In the case of Wesley Edward Binko, however, frequently referred to as W.E. Binko, there is nothing to be found. How odd for someone who was a real pioneer of the dude ranching business in our valley. Wesley Binko was born in Helena in 1893 to a long-established Helena family. From Helena Senior High School he went on to Northwestern University in the Chicago area. A track star in college, he held the...
Riley Comstock, a double major Environmental Science and Sustainability and Journalism sophomore at University of Montana, accepted an internship with Protect the Clearwater (PTC). Protect the Clearwater a nonprofit founded in 2023 challenges Montana DEQ's actions as violations of the Montana Environmental Policy Act (MEPA), the Montana Public Participation Act and the Montana Constitution. The internship is funded through the Baucus Institute Climate Scholars program. The internship will be...
A version of this article was first published in Mountain Journal, a digital magazine covering wildlife and wild lands in Greater Yellowstone. Arnold "Smoke" Elser is a storyteller, but he's not a big reader. In his office, tucked into a faded red barn built around 1900 in Missoula, Montana, an entire wall of shelves contains binders and books on wilderness policy and regulations. They're more work than pleasure for Elser; he waves them off with an air of modesty. It's the mules strolling by...
After seven years as its leader, Rebecca Ramsey is stepping down as the executive director of Swan Valley Connections, a nonprofit in the Swan Valley dedicated to conservation and education. The executive director position will be broken into thirds, welcoming Luke Lamar, Sara Lamar and Ty Tyler into leadership roles focused on different elements of the executive director position, like conservation, operations, education, board management and fundraising. The Pathfinder reached out to the...
Nicolas Little Coyote Escorted by: Grandma, Sally Johnson; Mother, Letha Bixby; Girlfriend, Darby Gleason Sport/years participated: four years of Basketball, three years of track, plans to play track Plans for the future: Go to college for Psychology Favorite memory: Seeing my teammates scoring and succeeding in basketball Jalen Kauffman Escorted by: Parents Jenny and Leon Kauffman Sport/years participated: four years of football, four years of basketball, three years of track and plans to play...
Aug. 17, 1938 - Jan. 21, 2024 LuciAnn C. Manz of Seeley Lake, Montana passed away on Jan. 21, 2024, at Continental Care and Rehabilitation, Butte, Montana of natural causes. She was born on Aug. 17,1938 in Missoula, Montana; the first born of three children to Lucien Joseph and Mary Lucille (Smith) Croonenberghs. LuciAnn, in her early years of life, grew up between Missoula and Seeley Lake where the extended family had a cabin on the lake, a place she truly enjoyed in any season. After beginning elementary school in Missoula, her eighth grade...
I empathize with Mr. Jasper B. Seely and his brother, Elmer. People really like to add an extra “e” in my name, too. According to Cabin Fever: A Centennial Collection of Stories About the Seeley Lake Area, passed on to me from the Pathfinder’s most recent editor, Griffen Smith, the word “Seeley” gained an extra “e” on accident when a survey crew was renaming Clearwater Lake to Seeley Lake, in honor of the Seely family. Jasper became Seeley’s first forest ranger on what was then known as the Le...
As you learn about all the candidates for various offices this year, the most important ones are the ones that most Montanans know the least about. The politicians you need to do the most research on are not the would-be congressmen, governors, or even legislators. It’s the judges. Although they claim to be above the political fray, judges in Montana are in fact politicians. From the district courts to the state Supreme Court, they’re elected. They have to run campaigns, raise money, and their fate is ultimately decided by voters. Increasingly,...
An effort is under way in Western Montana to remove common barriers preventing older adults, people with disabilities and other vulnerable populations from getting vaccinated for COVID-19, influenza, respiratory syncytial virus, pneumonia and shingles. “People with disabilities experience significant barriers when attempting to access healthcare, information and services if those services are not designed to consider their preferences, needs and disability,” said Tannis Hargrove of the Aging & Disability Vaccination Collaborative at the Univers...
I want to respond to Mike Marshall’s letter, published in the Pathfinder on Jan. 4. As I understand him, Mr. Marshall’s basic premise is that all or most of the dozens of bills passed by the Legislature that are being challenged in court are clearly unconstitutional. Constitutional matters are not so simple, nor does the actual data support his argument. But it’s an argument that has also been made by others, such as Democratic legislators and activists, so I’d like to address it. First, Mr. Marshall suggests the Legislature’s “legal ve...
As this new year begins so does a new Reading Challenge. The 2024 Missoula Reads reading logs are in, folks! Swing by your local library to pick up your copy. If you can’t wait, check out the new categories online on the Missoula Public Library main website (programs & events, ongoing programs, Missoula Reads). I was so impressed by the number of people who completed last year’s challenge! Way to go everyone. Prizes for completed 2023 logs should be arriving very soon. If you haven’t recei...
The horrific terror attack against Israeli on Oct. 7 revealed that anti-semitic hatred has a disturbing foothold in the world. Equally troubling is what has been exposed in our own country in the months since: the shocking tolerance (encouragement even) of antisemitic, genocidal hatred on college campuses. Like so many Americans, I was stunned when the heads of three elite Universities testified before Congress and refused to unconditionally condemn calls for genocide against Jewish people. This ugly episode shone a light on the creeping,...
This article has been corrected after inaccurate quotes from Rob Henrekin were discovered The wolf trapping season for much of Montana started on Jan. 1 after a delay from a lawsuit concerned for the safety of grizzly bears. With the open season, several trappers in the Clearwater, Swan and Blackfoot Valleys have started laying snares and traps. This fall, a lawsuit by two environmental groups halted the early trapping season, arguing that the baited traps have been ensnaring federally-protected...
Joy Marie Jedrzejek - Clemens, 68, of Indian River, Michigan, passed away on Oct. 11, 2023. She was born on Aug. 20, 1955, in Lincoln Park, Michigan. Joy, a beloved daughter, sister, mother, aunt and wife will be deeply missed by her family and friends. Joy was a beautiful, loving, and creative soul with a great sense of humor. She was known for her artistic talents and her passion for painting and drawing. Joy owned and operated a sign business and was a skilled sign painter. She also worked in...
Well-known author and forester Bud Moore began trapping at the age of fourteen and spent several winters in the 1930s running trap lines in the Lochsa backcountry. After working over 40 years with the US Forest Service, he retired in 1974. Anxious to get back to his roots and the land, he and his wife Janet moved to Swan Valley where they managed their 80-acre Coyote Forest. Later, he wrote the book, The Lochsa Story: Land Ethics in the Bitterroot Mountains. Beginning in 1983 at the age of 66, he spent a couple of winters living out of a tent...
My name is Dr. Jackie Ordemann and I am thrilled to share that I have joined Partnership Health Center’s Seeley Swan Medical Center team as a family medicine physician. I will provide primary medical care to patients of all ages, and I am especially excited to announce that I will provide a new service for Seeley area residents: prenatal care. I have many reasons to be excited about serving residents of the Seeley Lake area. First, I believe strongly that rural communities should have access to excellent healthcare. I have always had a heart f...
The Montana Grizzlies never looked back last Saturday, Nov. 18, beating Montana State University in a 37-7 romp that gave the Griz its first Big Sky Conference Title in 14 years. Montana started the game on fire with two rushing touchdowns in the first quarter by freshman running back Eli Gillman and senior quarterback Clifton McDowell. The Cats were hampered by the noise of Washington-Grizzly Stadium. A record-breaking 27,178 people watched the game in person. Hundreds more tailgated right...
Thirty-five years ago... Thursday, November 10, 1988 New Outdoors Program Hundreds of youth are exploring nature and firearm safety through new 4-H wildlife and shooting programs. There are wildlife programs in about half of Montana’s counties now according to Mike Cavey, Montana State University Extension Service project coordinator. They plan the programs in all of Montana’s counties as soon as there are enough volunteer leaders. As long as there is a group of 10 or more people, the project will go anywhere in the state to train them. The...
The Swan Valley Community Council is going ahead with a long-term process to add potential zoning and community plans to the area, which split the crowded room over what would be appropriate to keep landowner rights. The council also heard a plan to get 24 hour coverage from the sheriff's department, got an update from its Montana State legislature representatives and listened to the community club during a two and a half hour meeting on Oct. 17. Missoula County Planner Andrew Hagemeier told...
New Bear Buffer Zone regulations will go into action after Missoula City Council finalized the decision to expand the zone, including new regulations around garbage storage in the Potomac Valley. Potomac will be requiring bear resistant garbage cans by Sept. 1, 2024. The ordinance revising the Missoula municipal code will be instituted over a three phase multi-year plan. The proposed rules are an outcome of the work of the Bear Smart Working Group, which is a public-private partnership of bear experts, agency representatives, and concerned...
Seeley Lake, Condon and Ovando schools welcome several new educators for the 2023-2024 school year. Seeley Lake Elementary had two new teachers join its staff: third-grade teacher Ali Williams and first-grade teacher Janet Kiely. Swan Valley Elementary welcomed Angela Mock as its new principal. Seeley Swan High School has recruited two new teachers as well: Warren Bunde and Lori Skyrud. Former SLE science and math teacher Patti Bartlett joined the Ovando School staff. Angela Mock is a 17-year...
Thirty-five years ago... Thursday, October 20, 1988 Swan Valley girl recognized for 'superior talent,' poem to be published in national book. Tracy Kearney, Swan Valley 15- year-old, recently received notice that one of her poems will be published next spring in a book titled "Days of Future Past" published by the National Library of Poetry. The publication is considered to be a major poetry anthology which showcases the most popular poets and songwriters in America today. More than 20,000...
