Seeley Swan Pathfinder Archives (2024)

Andi Bourne, Pathfinder|Oct 6, 2016

SEELEY LAKE - When he's not in the classroom, Brett Haines can be found coaching Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE) flag football, boys' and girls' basketball and track. While Haines has coached at SLE for the past six years, this is his first year teaching physical education. He looks forward to being a positive mentor and encouraging students to work hard and participate. Haines started kindergarten at Holy Cross Lutheran, before SLE offered kindergarten. He spent first through eighth grade at SLE...

Andi Bourne, Pathfinder|Oct 6, 2016

SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Council hosted two candidate forums, Sept. 19 and Sept. 26, at the Seeley Lake Community Hall. Candidates for state and local races answered questions from moderator and Council Chair Klaus von Sutterheim and the audience. All candidates that will appear on the ballot including Republicans, Democrats and Libertarians, were invited. This week the Pathfinder features the candidates for Supreme Court Justice and State Auditor. Visit www.seeleylake.com for...

Andi Bourne, Pathfinder|Oct 6, 2016

SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Council hosted two candidate forums, Sept. 19 and Sept. 26, at the Seeley Lake Community Hall. Candidates for state and local races answered questions from moderator and Council Chair Klaus von Sutterheim and the audience. All candidates that will appear on the ballot including Republicans, Democrats and Libertarians, were invited. This week the Pathfinder features the candidates for Supreme Court Justice and State Auditor. Visit www.seeleylake.com for...

Sigrid Olson, Pathfinder|Oct 6, 2016

OVANDO - More than 130 students from Bonner, Seeley, Helmville and in between participated in the annual Blackfoot Challenge (BC) Farm Tour Sept. 26. The event was held at the Stone Ranch in Ovando from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Event director and Education Coordinator for the BC Elaine Caton said, "We put on a Youth Field/Farm Day every year to give middle school students the opportunity to learn about their watershed." Each year there is a different theme. This year the theme was ranching. Station t...

Betty Vanderwielen, Pathfinder|Oct 6, 2016

SEELEY LAKE - Though writing teachers disapprove of using two words when one conveys the meaning satisfactorily, the English language is full of doublet phrases: safe and sound; each and every; null and void; bits and pieces; rack and ruin; part and parcel. Each word of the phrase means the same thing. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), “part,” meaning a piece of a whole, came into use in the 11th century. “Parcel,” meaning a piece of a whole, came into usage in the 14th century. The two were then yoked together, most often i...

Oct 6, 2016

Missoula County Public Schools Board Position, Open May 2017 SEELEY LAKE - Missoula County Public Schools (MCPS) School Board Trustee Debbie Dupree will step down when her term ends in May 2017. Dupree encourages anyone interested in running for the position to attend the MCPS board meeting in Seeley Lake, Tuesday, Oct. 11 at 6 p.m. in the Seeley-Swan High School cafeteria to get a feel for how the board operates. Dupree has served on the board since 2002 representing the areas of Seeley Lake, Swan Valley, Clinton, Potomac and Sunset. She has...

Seeley Lake Community Council|Sep 29, 2016

SEELEY LAKE - A two-year saga came to a successful conclusion when the Montana Transportation Commission granted virtually all of the requested speed limit reductions that the Seeley Lake Community Council had petitioned for. The Commission’s order Sept. 22 closed the final chapter on a lengthy story that began with a constituent’s question at a council meeting in 2014 about what might be done to slow traffic in Seeley Lake. The council’s Traffic Project was launched with an appeal to the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) for lower...

Andi Bourne, Pathfinder|Sep 29, 2016

OVANDO – Smiles and laughter filled the Ovando School gymnasium as the community and students swung their partners and do-si-doed Friday, Sept. 23. The square dance was the first fundraiser hosted by the Ovando Community Education Endowment (OCEE) in an effort to raise funds for the school and celebrate the community. In order to continue to provide a high-quality education for the Ovando's children, and maintain the school as a community center, a group of Ovando citizens started the OCEE. T...

Colleen Kesterson, Pathfinder|Sep 29, 2016

SWAN VALLEY - American Lands Council (ALC) representatives Kerry White and Jennifer Fielder spoke to nearly 100 people at the Swan Valley Community Council (SVCC) meeting Sept. 20. They were invited by the council to provide information and answer questions about the ALC. White and Fielder expressed concern for public lands in Montana that are federally managed and talked about transferring federal public lands to willing states. Montana State Senator Fielder, Republican from Thompson Falls is also CEO of the Utah based ALC. White is a Montana...

Andi Bourne, Pathfinder|Sep 29, 2016

SEELEY LAKE – Monture Guard Station was buzzing with activity in celebration of National Public Lands Day Saturday, Sept. 24. The Seeley Lake Ranger District (SLRD) had activities for children and provided information for adults about all the different disciplines on the district. The district fire crew along with Woodsy Owl and Smokey Bear talked with attendees about fire prevention and had a game for children to practice their aim with the fire hose. The wilderness and trail crews d...

Carol Brodie, Open Book Club|Sep 29, 2016

SEELEY LAKE - Jon Turk will be presenting his new book “Crocodiles and Ice” Saturday, Oct. 1, at 7 p.m. at the Grizzly Claw Trading Company sponsored by Alpine Artisans’ Open Book Club. As Turk states, “Crocodiles and Ice is a scientist/adventurer’s journey into a Consciousness Revolution based on a deep, reciprocal communication with the Earth. The book highlights my award winning polar expedition circumnavigating Ellesmere Island, as well as other, lesser known passages.” Jon Turk has a PhD in chemistry and has worked in theoretical research...

Sep 29, 2016

SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Ranger District has announced an Oct. 31 deadline for submitting 2016/2017 winter/spring Recreation Event Special Use Permit applications. Applications received past this deadline will not be accepted for review. A Recreation Event Special Use Permit is required for organizing any use or activity on National Forest System lands that meets either of the following criteria, regardless of whether the use or activity is intended to produce a profit: • Where an entry or participation fee is charged. Donations are consid...

Sep 29, 2016

JACKSON, TENN. - After a two-month investigation, with the assistance of federal law enforcement agencies, 54 year old William Farrell Russell of Seeley Lake was arrested at a residence in Jackson, Tenn. on 20 counts of Distributing, Possessing, or Viewing Matter Depicting Sexually Explicit Conduct Involving a Child. The investigation into Russell began after he was identified as a potential suspect following the arrest of a previous suspect on similar charges back in June of this year. Federal law enforcement authorities arrested Russell July...

Colleen Kesterson, Pathfinder|Sep 29, 2016

SWAN VALLEY - Staff from the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) and Missoula County presented information to Swan Valley residents about the proposed updates to the Swan River Floodplain and the impacts to individual Missoula County property owners Sept. 20 at the Swan Valley Community Hall. In 2014, the updated draft floodplain mapping project began. The updated maps will eventually replace maps produced more than 30 years ago. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), DNRC and Missoula County utilized more...

Betty Vanderwielen, Pathfinder|Sep 29, 2016

SEELEY LAKE – Change is inevitable in any community. That is the working premise of the Montana Economic Developers Association (MEDA). The question is whether the community wants to direct that change or simply let it happen. MEDA Resource Teams have helped 48 Montana communities direct their change. On Sept. 19-20 a resource team came to do the same for Seeley Lake. At a Town Meeting held at the Seeley Lake Historical Museum and Visitors Center, the eight-team members took turns presenting t...

Andi Bourne, Pathfinder|Sep 29, 2016

SEELEY LAKE – In the last couple of weeks there have been several bear sightings, one black bear killed in Dogtown and another broke into a car at the Tamaracks Resort. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Game Warden Bill Koppen reminds people to be diligent and said, "a fed bear is a dead bear." The weekend of Sept. 17 a six foot, two inch black bear was killed south of Riverview Drive in Dogtown. Koppen heard that the bear was hazed off the Seeley Lake Game Preserve, a no hunting area to the n...

Sigrid Olson, Pathfinder|Sep 29, 2016

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As the hot summer days move into cooler autumn weather, insects like stink bugs and Western Conifer seed bugs are moving into sheltered areas to spend the winter. They may move indoors and if disturbed will cause an odor, although only one is a true stink bug. Leptoglossus occidentalis, the Western Conifer seed bug is from the Coreidae family. They are known as "leaf footed bugs", and there is only one species around the Blackfoot Valley. They have been called stink bugs; which they are not,...

Andi Bourne, Pathfinder|Sep 29, 2016

SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Council hosted a candidate forum, Sept. 19 at the Seeley Lake Community Hall. Candidates for Governor/Lieutenant Governor, U.S. Congress, Secretary of State, Supreme Court Justice and State Attorney General races answered various questions from moderator and council chair Klaus von Sutterheim and the audience. All candidates that will appear on the ballot including Republicans, Democrats and Libertarians, were invited. Only the Supreme Court Justice race h...

Andi Bourne, Pathfinder|Sep 29, 2016

SEELEY LAKE - Montana Mountain Mushers (MMM) held their Canine Fun Days this past weekend, Sept. 24 and 25 at the West Side Bypass Trailhead north of Seeley Lake. Around 10 experienced mushers from the club ran their dogs and worked with other novice mushers and skijorers. Kristina Prichard from Helena, Mont. came for the event to "get some expertise." Seeley Lake musher Rob Loveman worked with her and her dog Blu. They had Blu pulling her on her mountain bike by the end of Saturday morning....

Sep 29, 2016

SEELEY LAKE & SWAN VALLEY – Ranger Districts on the Lolo and Flathead National Forests are planning to conduct multiple fall season prescribed fire projects, when weather, fuel conditions and air quality is favorable. Burning is expected to start as early as Sept. 16 and will continue through the close of open burning season Nov. 30. Smoke will be visible from various places in the Flathead Valley depending on the location of the burn units and weather conditions. Each project follows a Prescribed Fire Burn Plan. The prescribed fire projects a...

Sep 29, 2016

Swan Valley AARP Meeting Oct. 3 SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley Chapter of AARP monthly meeting will be held at 12 p.m. at the Swan Valley Community Hall Monday, Oct. 3. Potluck lunch will be at 12:30 p.m. The program will begin at 1:30 p.m., featuring Suzanne Rowlands, who will speak on the Palm Society. Swan Valley Library News SWAN VALLEY - Friday, Oct. 14 at 1 p.m. readers are meeting at the Swan Valley Library to discuss “Love Medicine” by Louise Erdich. There are a few free books left for those who would be interested in participating. Com...

Andi Bourne, Pathfinder|Sep 22, 2016

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SWAN VALLEY - Labor Day weekend a 550-pound, black colored, male grizzly bear was hit and killed near mile marker 40 on Highway 83 N. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) Game Warden Bill Koppen warns the community that bears are hungry and looking for an easy meal. Securing attractants is essential to keep people safe and bears alive. The grizzly has been in the Seeley-Swan area for the past 12 years. It had been captured on several occasions and wore a radio collar for many years. Koppen...

Sep 22, 2016

POTOMAC - At approximately 9 p.m. Monday, Sept. 20, Michael C. Fellows, age 59 of Missoula, Mont., was involved in a head on collision at mile marker 16.5 on Highway 200. Fellows died at the scene. The person in the other involved vehicle was transported to a local hospital for treatment. The initial investigation suggests that Fellows was traveling west on Highway 200, returning from a campaign function held in Seeley Lake when the crash occurred. The Montana Highway Patrol is conducting the crash investigation while the sheriff’s office c...

Andi Bourne, Pathfinder|Sep 22, 2016

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SEELEY LAKE – When Blaze Vandine purchased land on upper South Canyon Drive 16 years ago he thought he was going to be living on a private road. However since lower South Canyon Drive is not maintained, the upper road is being used as a thru road to access Double Arrow. While not all his neighbors agree that the road should be considered a private road, Vandine asks the public to respect his property and use the lower road. Vandine's deed of sale reads, "The purchaser and/or owner of the lot o...

Andi Bourne, Pathfinder|Sep 22, 2016

SEELEY LAKE – Bob Deal's lawn in Poverty Flats south of Seeley Lake on Montana Highway 83 has become the hot spot for flamingos in the past couple of years. What started out as a gift of two plastic flamingos has grown to a flock of 19 various colored flamingos and two that flew the coop. Deal's sole purpose for maintaining his flock is for fun. When Deal was young, he enjoyed the lawn jockeys that used to adorn people's yards. Following the lawn jockeys, garden gnomes grew in popularity. D...