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Last fall my grandson and I did a few-days camping trip back to the Swan. We spent a few days there at the Cold Creek Bridge. It was many years since I left and I enjoyed again what I had remembered the almost 30 years I had lived there. In need of the outhouse facilities I went to check it out. I wasn’t prepared for what was there. It was a sight for sore eyes! Someone had not quite made the seat and it was unusable. Not having cell service I drove to a friend’s house with a landline. I called Swan Lake Forest Service to inform the gal the...
Dave is challenging a current legislator (and former lobbyist) that ended up in this district (HD 76) after the district boundaries were redrawn as part of the last state legislative redistricting maps were drawn. We did not get to vote for him and from what I can see, he did not do a good job of representing conservative Powell and Granite Counties during the last Session. Dave’s opponent scored second to last in the GOP on the Montana Family Foundation’s scorecard. One bill would have allowed parents more transparency into their chi...
C.B. Pearson is, without a doubt, the most experienced candidate running to represent Senate District 46 in the Montana Legislature. C.B. knows how to navigate the political landscape and has built relationships to effectively advocate for issues Montanans care about. He has years of experience successfully taking on powerful economic interests that threaten Montanan’s way of life. Our state and country face serious threats from the extreme right and from corporations who do not care about our Montana values of clean air, clean water and our p...
A recent Pathfinder article announced the selection of a new superintendent at the elementary school. Subsequent information indicated that the candidate declined the contract offer and the second of three interviewed candidates was offered the position. Whoever moves into the position, I wish them all the success in the world. What was disturbing to me was that the third of the three interviewees had to read the Pathfinder article to learn he had not been selected. He was not contacted by any member of the school board or their...
Jacinda Morigeau is a hardworking, caring and community-minded candidate who will bring her energy, vision and grassroots connections to the Montana Legislature. Senate District 46, a newly structured district, includes parts of the City of Missoula and the southern half of the Flathead Reservation. Jacinda has deep roots and relationships that extend across the entire district, and she is well-positioned to be able to represent this culturally diverse and complex area very well. Jacinda has demonstrated this bridge-building ability through...
C.B. Pearson is hands down the most experienced candidate running to represent Senate District 46 in the Montana Legislature. Throughout his career, C.B. has fought for public health, environmental quality, consumer protection and campaign finance reform. He’s taken on powerful economic interests, and won many victories for Montanans. When it comes to navigating the Montana Legislature as an advocate for the public interest, C.B. is an old hand. He understands the values that Montanans share — like hard work, conservation and transparency in...
This spring, voters in Swan Valley Elementary School District #33 will have the opportunity to vote on two levies: one for general operations and one for technology. Swan Valley Elementary School has not asked for an operational levy for 14 years and currently does not have specific funds designated for technology. We all know the cost of everything has increased in the last 14 years. These funds will help Swan Valley School keep up with rising transportation costs, support staff salaries and retention, and ensure students and educators have ap...
I am writing this letter in support of Representative John Fitzpatrick and his candidacy for reelection to House District 76. I’ve known John for several years and during the 68th Legislative Session in 2023, he proved to be a solid and thoughtful legislator. I found him to be a very respectful representative of his constituency and wanted to do what was best for Montana. Additionally, Rep. Fitzpatrick is an extremely accomplished legislator who possesses the leadership skills and legislative experience to successfully move legislation through...
Saturday morning I went to the Seeley Lake Post Office. As I turned off Highway 83 into the parking lot of the post office I was pleasantly amazed that the minefield of deep holes into the parking lot off of the highway had been neatly filled in and graded. When I mentioned how safe, nice and welcoming the turn-in was to the postal employee on duty, the reply I received was that they did not know who had done it. In fact the employee further mentioned that "it was not that way when I left last night but was repaired by this morning". I would...
March was a disastrous month for Seeley Lake. The departure of long-term employer Pyramid Lumber will leave an immeasurable impact on the area for some time. The loss impacting 100 or so jobs will ripple through the local economy and create uncertainty for the families involved. Montana presents many unique challenges — the environment, transportation and workforce. Pyramid’s announcement cited a lack of available workers and retention of workers. Affordable housing in Seeley Lake became more complex due to out of state residents gobbling up...
It is with great concern that I write regarding the recent actions of the Montana state Senate led by Republican Jason Ellsworth and supported by Steve Fitzpatrick. Their decision to form a committee aimed at attacking our state's judicial system is not only a misguided endeavor but also a direct assault on our cherished state constitution. At a time when Montanans are grappling with pressing issues such as skyrocketing property taxes, a dire shortage of affordable housing and the alarming loss of healthcare access for many of our citizens, it...
The Montana Wildlife Federation is saddened by the closure of the Pyramid Mountain Lumber mill in Seeley Lake and the loss of close to 100 jobs in the Seeley Lake area. For over 70 years, Pyramid Lumber has been an important contributing member of the community of Seeley Lake. The owners and employees of the mill supported conservation efforts such as expanding protections in areas adjacent to the Bob Marshall Wilderness and the Mission Mountains Wilderness. The family-owned mill allowed community members to live locally, raise their children...
The Seeley Senior Center would like to thank the Lion’s Club and the Leos for all their help making our St. Patty’s fundraiser the best one ever! We would like to thank everyone who attended and helped. We would also like to thank Rod Stevens and his friends who generously donated to the center. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts, The Board of Directors...
For 75 years, our family-run lumber mill, Pyramid Mountain Lumber, has been a cornerstone of Seeley Lake. They've weathered economic storms, provided jobs for generations and supplied lumber that built countless homes across Montana. Now, facing a seemingly insurmountable challenge — the lack of affordable housing — they are on the verge of shutting down. The irony is gut-wrenching. They offer good wages, a stable work environment and the satisfaction of contributing to Montana's infrastructure. Yet, they can't find enough qualified wor...
The MBR plant will only be an option for the RV park if the Seeley Lake Sewer District elects to share the facility. Without the participation of the Sewer District the RV Park will use another type of treatment, which they currently have a discharge permit for. An MBR system may be a good option for the District, but it is only one of many possible options. The District, along with its professional consultants and the input of District residents, will choose the best, most cost effective treatment, not necessarily being an MBR system. Mr....
I attended the Feb. 15 Missoula County Board of Health meeting in regards to the “new policy” Missoula Public Health, Environmental Health has for Seeley Lake. While the Missoulian and Pathfinder covered the presentation, both presented the changes to the Special Management Area (SMA) requirements as “proposed.” The chair of the board of health stated there would be a public process before the board implements new regulations. However, based on my experience, the health department is already enforcing the new policy that functions more like a n...
Well, the next step in your residential property tax increase is happening. Banks are sending updated "mortgage bills" to homeowners. Guess what? You owe more money! Recently, a young friend reached out, concerned about his $100 monthly mortgage increase and he didn't know why. That's a lot of money — $1,200 a year. Drumroll for the explanation. Since the bill comes from the bank, it's the lender's fault, right? Nope. By law, a residential mortgage statement must show the escrow portion — the amount you pay for insurance and taxes for your hom...
The State of Montana, through the Department of Natural Resources (DNRC) and Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) approved the Elbow Lake Gravel Pit and Asphalt Plant in 2023. The 20 acre site of the gravel pit on Highway 83 is part of the critical wildlife corridor to and from the Blackfoot-Clearwater Wildlife Management Area (BCWMA). The rationale for the decision by the state to approve the pit was that it needed funding to support education. The decision was made despite overwhelming opposition to the gravel pit from the citizens of...
Kudos to the sheriffs here in Seeley Lake. Finally cleaning out the riff raff. This town is now a little safer. Now the sheriffs need to go after the speeders. Once they pass the motel going north their speed increases and that's a 35 mph zone. Even the traffic coming from Condon, they don't slow down and the truckers are the worst, constantly using their jake brake. Speed limit in town is 25 mph and they're going faster than that. Best idea is for cameras to catch the speeders. Colorado, Arizona and Texas, along with California have cameras...
Generosity throughout Seeley Lake contributed to a successful shoebox gift collection season at drop-off locations for the Samaritan's Purse project Operation Christmas Child. Across the U.S., the project collected 10 million shoebox gifts in 2023. Combined with those collected from partnering countries in 2023, the ministry is now sending over 11.3 million shoebox gifts to children worldwide, including many who are suffering from war, poverty, disease and disaster. Through shoeboxes — packed with fun toys, school supplies and personal ca...
Human trafficking is not just a big city problem – it’s happening right here in Montana. Which is why, during National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, I’m encouraging Montanans to learn the signs of human trafficking and report it if they see it. If folks don’t know what it is and how to report it, they can’t help us stop it. Let’s call human trafficking what it is: modern-day slavery. Traffickers—often organized criminal enterprises—are profiting at the expense of adults and children who are forced to perform labor or engage in comme...
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...
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...
