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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...
Today, April 25, the Church celebrates the Feast Day of St. Mark, Apostle, and Evangelist. He is the second of the four writers of the Gospels (Matthew, Luke and John) and associated with the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew and Luke). Most of what we know about St. Mark we learn from Scripture generally and his Gospel in particular. There is general agreement that the Mark of the second Gospel is the John Mark of Acts 12:12. He was part of the early missionary efforts of Apostles. He left his home in Jerusalem to accompany Barnabas and Paul as a...
The need for compassionate and effective approaches to mental health crisis intervention has never been more pressing. In Missoula, an innovative response to this need, The Mobile Support Team (MST), has emerged as a benchmark for mental health crisis interventions in our region. When someone in Missoula calls 911 with a concern about a behavioral health issue, the Missoula Mobile Support Team (MST) springs into action. Comprised of a licensed mental health clinician, an emergency medical technician (EMT) and a case facilitator, the MST...
What I see on too many YouTube videos makes me wince. Some of the trout, I'm sure, don't survive. Most of them probably make it, despite the rough handling they're subjected to. Wild trout are hearty creatures, but still, they're deserving of our respect. They deserve - and require, if they're to remain viable when subjected to natural stresses and unnatural fishing pressure - informed and responsible handling that will give them an optimal chance of survival. I've written comments in response...
Layered onto the diverse landscapes that grizzly bears call home is another, equally variable ecosystem: the human one. As bears exit their winter dens in search of food and mates this year, be it in sprawling sagebrush steppes, high-elevation whitebark pine stands, or willow-lined waterways, their success will be determined by the availability of social habitat - the tolerance and attitudes that enable coexistence - as much as physical habitat. As a collective, we humans wield immense...
Greetings from Beaufort (Be-you-fert) South Carolina, where we are precariously tied to the very outside dock of a marina, which is perfectly aligned to allow us to fully experience the 1984 hit by the Scorpions entitled "Rock Me Like a Hurricane." It is not technically a hurricane, but when the toaster oven and the coffee maker become deadly projectiles, it seems that way. We have been cruising up the coast, from Key West now to Beaufort, soaking up the history and geography as well as soaking...
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...
Cardiac health and management of cardiac disease has been and remains a key focus in our healthcare with more than 50% of all healthcare monies directed toward diagnosis and treatment of cardiac disease. With more and more investment directed toward innovation for disease management, mainstream science is also seeing the emergence of high-end toolkits directed toward early diagnosis and front-end prevention. We now have the ability to utilize innovative imaging, wearable and laboratory testing technology to screen for early markers of...
Ever since Pyramid Lumber announced their upcoming closure, I have been asked one question by clients, friends and community members more often than any other: How will the mill closing affect real estate? Before I expound on that, there are many other things appropriately considered. First and foremost are the 100 employees that will be without a job. Behind each one of those employees are families that count on the wages brought home from the mill and without those wages, those families will be adversely impacted. Then there are the loggers,...
You see the same thing every year: on the Bitterroot, some anglers get so fixated on the skwala hatch that they forget everything else. Never mind, especially in a year like this one, that the hatch might sputter from day to day. The angler armed with the hot new skwala fly, or a proven old one, for that matter, might find himself out of luck. These big brown-olive stoneflies bring the big fish up when they're present. And when they're not, the fish might still come up for them. It's no wonder...
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...
Easter is the Christian holiday celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. After Christ died on the cross, His body was placed in a sepulcher, where it remained, separated from His spirit, until His Resurrection, when His spirit and His body were reunited. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints affirm and testify that Jesus Christ was resurrected and lives today with a glorified and perfected body of flesh and bone. Following His Resurrection, Jesus appeared first to Mary Magdalene...
While researching the history of the Blackfoot-Clearwater Wildlife Management Area (Game Range), local nonprofit Protect the Clearwater (PTC) found an article written by Jay Kolbe in 2007. Kolbe was the Wildlife Management Area Manager and Wildlife Biologist for Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) for the area at that time. PTC feels this article highlights the critical role the Game Range plays and is worth reprinting. When the Clearwater Resource Council met this summer to identify some of...
It's ultimately up to us to take care of our fisheries. Montana's Fish, Wildlife & Parks has a complex job to do, but when it comes to taking care of western Montana's fishery resources, the most critical jobs are in our hands - literally. I'm talking about how we handle trout. Last week I promised I'd write more about the best ways to do that. Catch and release fishing is an effective management tool for preserving and conserving wild trout fisheries. For some, it borders on a religious...
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...
Spring is in full swing. We’ve got plenty of books on gardening and venturing outdoors. New titles in both fiction and nonfiction are arriving this month. Now is the perfect time — with road construction season also in full swing — to check out a new book to have on hand as you wait at the stoplight around Salmon Lake. A local patron has donated various materials on brain injuries and brain health. Due to their own injury and subsequent experience of people not understanding, the patron did t...
Elton John knew it was time to go into rehab when he called the front desk of his Atlanta hotel and asked that the wind be turned down. I can empathize with him, however addled he was. Our boat, currently in Titusville, Florida, is raucously rolling in a 25-knot breeze. Titusville is across the river from Cape Canaveral and the Space Center, where, this afternoon, we clutched our expensive ticket for three hours, in the viewing bleachers, awaiting the launch of a big rocket. With less than four...
Having come from Scotland the Easter refrain was given by the minister as “He is Risen!” to which the reply was the obvious reply of “He is Risen Indeed!” I am blessed to have a church family that knows that here in Seeley Lake and replies in kind. After the cacophony of Palm Sunday and the celebration of Easter, I find church life is a bit slower paced in the church calendar. So much so that in Scotland the Sunday following Easter is called Low Sunday for a reason. The Sunday after Easter the attendance is LOW! I’m hoping it will not be so her...
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...
Just recently, we learned the startling news that Pyramid Mountain Lumber in Seeley Lake would soon close down and result in hardship for some 100 workers and small businesses in our community. Like many in Seeley and across western Montana, we’re shocked and saddened by the news. We at the Seeley Lake Community Foundation know that our mission is to help our neighbors, family and friends — our community — especially when we face hardship. Our nonprofit mission is to engage philanthropy, provide leadership and enhance the quality of life and e...
My name is Dave Kesler, and I am running for the new House District 76, which spans from Georgetown Lake, through Deer Lodge, Drummond, Philipsburg, Rock Creek, almost to Clinton, up towards Seeley Lake, Ovando, Helmville, Avon and Elliston. I live in Philipsburg with my 11-year-old daughter, Kelly, and am fortunate enough to be surrounded by family. I'm a builder, a mechanic, a rancher, an avid hunter and an active citizen. I am a third generation Montanan, working the same land my grandparents worked in Philipsburg and the Deer Lodge Valley s...
A robin sits atop the slow awakening western larch branch, pauses a moment, then chimes into song before rising into the early morning air. Spring is here. With spring's early appearance across western Montana, we see animals and people alike preparing for the change. Snow melting off the north side of Rice Ridge, and Salmon and Seeley Lake becoming no longer available to committed ice fishermen, reminds us that it's time to prepare for warmer weather. Yard clean-up begins for fire season peeks...
The conversation over coffee with friends, naturally for us, was mostly about fishing. We talked about fly rods and my recent conversations with Kerry Burkheimer. In what had to be a weak moment Kerry said I could trade flies in partial payment for two of his rods. Time marches on and I hope to get some flies in his hands before he changes his mind. His rods are superb. You could make a real good argument that Burkheimers are the best graphite fly rods made. They are made from scratch with...
