Week of April 11, 2024
Week of April 11, 2024
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...
The Seeley Lake Elementary School Board voted unanimously on April 3 to change the school schedule from a traditional five-day school week to a four-day week structure. Starting next school year, the new calendar will include 29.5 hours of instruction each week, with a proposed schedule starting at 7:50 a.m. and going until 3:50 p.m. Per state law, schools are required to provide 1,080 hours of instruction — 720 hours for kindergarten through third grade — over the course of a school year at a minimum. The proposed school year will begin...
Thirty-five years ago ... Thursday April 13, 1989 County Canine officer on duty in Condon Robert E. Parcell has assumed duties as the new deputy sheriff in Condon and the Swan Valley area, according to Captain Jerry Crego, commander of the sheriff's office. Parcell began work here April 1 and he, his wife and children have moved to the Condon area. Parcell is Missoula County's only canine officer and he was in the Clearwater and Swan Valley's last fall giving demonstrations with his dog,...
Jamie Jima has both lived in Seeley Lake and driven for the Seeley Lake Community Foundation I Ride program for just over a year. In that amount of time, she’s covered 5,000 miles, bringing older community members to Missoula or to the local clinic in Seeley Lake for various medical needs. She started volunteering to meet people and introduce herself to the valley. “I have met lots of interesting women,” Jima said. “Some of the women who have been in this valley are very interesting ...
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...
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,...
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...
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...
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,...
