Friday, January 30
MIDWEEK UPDATE Man hacks brother with hatchet
Wednesday, January 28
WEB EXTRA Polson holds random drug testing forum
Nearly 75 community members attended a forum last week, to gain information and give comment on the possibility of a random drug testing policy for extracurricular activity participants within the Polson high and middle schools.
Letters to the editor
Jan. 29,2009
Births, Jan. 29
Leishman, Rosenbrock, Campbell, Incahsola, Stenberg, Morigeau
Obituaries, Jan. 29
Sego, Caye, Maddock, Randall, Hernandez, White, Slover, Paul
Burglary string unraveling
Lake County Sheriff’s Office detectives now believe that local burglary suspects Jonathan Morton and Cote Wheeler are linked to at least 22 break-ins and associated thefts in Lake County, on top of break-ins and arson charges in Missoula and Flathead counties.
Update from Helena: Janna Taylor
We are all concerned with the federal stimulus money. We could get as much as $800 million. Many of the legislators on my side of the aisle are not very fond of the idea of putting our grandchildren deeper in debt, but you know that the state won’t turn down the money.
Ronan shoots down Big Sky
The Ronan Chiefs fed off practice with offensive sets during a 72-33 win over Mission to prepare for Class -AA Missoula Big Sky and pull out a last minute 47-44 win.
Cameron Neiss: Rocky Mountain Classic champion
On Saturday, Jan. 17, Ronan Chiefs wrestler Cameron Neiss took first place for the 125-pound weight class in the Rocky Mountain Classic. Neiss was Ronan’s first champ since 2000.
Sports Briefs
Mission/Charlo wrestling
Charlo 9-2 after Noxon and Mission
The Charlo Lady Vikings took three last week, winning 52-15 on Tuesday, Jan. 20 at Noxon, then 53-17 on Friday in Charlo, and finally beating cross-town rival Mission 53-38 in Charlo.
Hwy 35 fuel spill cleanup continues
Three semitrailer loads of equipment were delivered last week as subconsultants began work on a permanent water treatment center off of Montana Highway 35.
Leader news briefs
Jan. 29,2009
WEB EXTRA DTV conversion update
The DTV converter or set-top box program has been challenged by a much larger than expected demand for $40 coupons. Until some previously issued coupons expire, no more money is available to fund more coupons. Applicants are being told they will be put in queue to await more funds. If Congress decides to make funding available, the bottleneck may disappear. We should know fairly soon if the U.S. Congress is going to allocate more money to the digital transition. Also, it appears a bill to extend the analog cutoff to June 12 may pass. This date will be optional, so many stations will choose to cut off analog in February as operational cost for two transmitters can be high. As has been reported, many translators and other low-power TV stations were not required to cease operation on Feb 17 and most will continue for some time. . .
Update from Helena: Rep. John Flemming
Hello, again, from Helena. My focus during the third legislative week was agriculture. The governor’s office sliced revenue predictions by another $85 million. He warned the legislature to expect no stimulus money for its legislation efforts as the $800 million would be heavily “earmarked” by the federal Congress. So, Montana will definitely benefit, but will have little say in the infrastructure projects and job creation initiatives.
Mission 1-1 at rivals
After a 49-37 win over Ronan on Friday, the Mission girls couldn’t come back on Charlo once they fell behind early. Losing 53-38 in a game Mission head coach Les Rice said was closer than the final score indicated, Mission couldn’t find its shooting on the road in Charlo on Saturday.
Ronan wrestling update
The weekend proved to be tough on us as a team. We went 4-2, losing to Belgrade and Dillon, and beating Anaconda, Hardin, Browning and Libby.
Vikings quiet Noxon twice, Mission once
Steering away from fouls and turnovers, the Charlo Vikings stayed on top of a lead to beat Noxon 51-46 on Friday, then kept cruising with a 81-27 win over Mission on Saturday.
Polson wrestling wins two of three
Working with a full roster, the Polson wrestling team beat short-handed local rival Ronan 45-39 on Tuesday, Jan. 20 in Ronan with some big wins by younger wrestlers and then went on to split weekend road duals, downing Whitefish 66-19 on Thursday before losing 47-34 to Columbia Falls on Saturday.
Ronan robots wired right
Robotics teams from Ronan High School and Ronan Middle School put forth good showings last weekend at the “FIRST” State Tournament at Montana State University in Bozeman.
Lady Pirates go pink
Playing for more than just baskets this weekend, the Lady Pirates donned pink jerseys on Saturday as part of a fundraiser to find a cure for breast cancer. In back-to-back home games against Corvallis and Whitefish, the Pirates came out in support of former North Carolina State head coach Kay Yow’s Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Cancer Fund.
Wednesday, January 21
WEB EXTRA Sen. John Brueggeman column
The 61st Legislative Session is off to a quick start with committee work moving at a faster pace than I’ve seen in the past. I remain honored to serve the people of Lake County in the Legislature and appreciate all the support in the last election. This session I serve on the Senate Finance Committee, Long Range Planning Finance Subcommittee, Corrections and Public Safety Subommittee, the State Administration Committee, and I chair the Committee on Highways and Transportation.
Stop bailouts
All the chatter about Barack Obama’s economic stimulus plan is starting to remind me of the chatter about global warming.
Arlee splits
A Scarlets team struggling for most of the season found a little success with a strong 69-20 win over Lincoln after another big loss this past weekend.
Letters to the Editor
Jan. 22, 2009
Obituaries, Jan. 22, 2009
Kaercher, Morehead, Davies, Firestone, Kennedy, Westernman, Branson, Ross, Sego
Students celebrate MLK day
Last Thursday local schools, Head Start students and various organizations attended the Salish Kootenai College’s Diversity Fair in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Hot meal service expands
A group of Christian churches throughout the city have banded together in a ecumenical effort known informally as The Family Table and Friday Night Meals to provide freshly prepared, hot meals to the hungry in the community on Friday evenings from 5-7 p.m.
Lady Bulldogs win three in a row
If there was any question whether the Mission Lady Bulldogs can compete, it may have just been answered.
Police arrest alleged burglars
Lake County Sheriff’s Office detectives collaborated with Polson Police and the Missoula County Sheriff’s Office using a GPS device planted on a suspect’s truck to bring in two local men suspected of committing a string of burglaries stretching over two months.
New briefs
Jan. 22, 2009
Bulldogs cant get a win
A vicious losing streak for the Mission Bulldogs grew longer and harder to stomach this weekend when they first sank 77-40 to Thompson Falls at home and then lost 55-22 on the road in Plains.
Engagements, Jan. 22, 2009
Bernier-Boan, Merritt-Davis
Murphys Law revisited
There’s an old saying “when things go bad, they can go very, very bad.” It has to be one of the provisions of Murphy’s Law which is based on the principle that when things go wrong, they will at the worst possible time.
Polson represented at inauguration
Jim Ofstad’s voice wouldn’t have carried across the millions of people from across the country who gathered to witness Barack Obama be sworn in as the first black president of the United States.
D.C. coincidence
I got a letter last week asking me to address in this column why the Leader hadn’t had any mention of the Presidential Inauguration that took place on Tuesday.
Wednesday, January 14
Drug testing forum seeks resident's opinions
A Polson School Board of Trustees special committee is holding a meeting next week to gather community input and give information as it considers implementing a random drug testing policy for all extracurricular activities participants.
Warriors battle in Ronan
Arlee finished 2-4 in duals and 11th overall this past weekend at the Western Montana Duals tourney.
Polson picks superintendnet
The Polson Board of Trustees voted unanimously this past Thursday, choosing candidate David Whitesell as its choice for the districts superintendent position.
Jeeps goes wrong way, flips
Three Polson area residents were transported to St. Joseph Medical Center after a bad wrong way collision near the stoplight at the junction of U.S. Highway 93 and Montana Highway 35 Friday afternoon.
Arlee considering four-day school weeks
Monday night Arlee school officials met with the community for a dialogue about high school and middle school principal Jim Taylor’s proposition to change the Arlee School District five-day week to a four-day week.
Letters to the Editor
Jan. 15, 2008
Ronan Chiefs beat odds to win home tourney
The Chiefs knew they had a lot on their plate. Facing significant competition from around the state as well as heated local rivals, winning wasn’t going to be easy. And wrestling isn’t easy to begin with. It’s a battle of will and strength where every last fiber of a muscle is tested and comforts like a breath of fresh air are given up for an edge — the change in position and leverage it takes to win.
Obituaries, Jan. 15, 2009
Knight, Lemire, Stoneback, Zumwalt, Kuhnhausen, Fitz-Kelly, Cooley, Holland, Bartholomew
Ronan man stabbed
A truck driver from Ronan was brutally stabbed with a knife at a rest area in Moorhead, Minn., on Sunday afternoon.
Helena update: Rep. John Fleming
Hello from Helena! As you may or may not know, this is a busy place. Even as bills begin to trickle onto the house floor for votes, the committee hearings are in full swing. The trickle will soon become a torrent with nearly 2,000 bills proposed. Of course, the committee hearings are the most critical point in the life of a bill as it journeys into law or the wastebasket.
Lady Pirates top Ronan
The Lady Pirates beat the rival Maidens 47-38 in a game that stayed very close and was just as exciting until it ended.
Valley sports briefs
Arlee
Pirates just beat Chiefs
In a weekend for the books, the Pirates knocked off Ronan 50-48 on Friday and then Columbia Falls 62-60. The pair of two-point home wins set the Pirates at the top of the Northwestern-A conference with a 3-0 record.
Helena update: Rep. Janna Taylor
Here I sit among citizen legislators, many teachers, lawyers, real estate agents and retirees. We need to decide how much the next two year’s state income and spending will be.
Pablo board mill lays off 36
The Plum Creek pine board sawmill in Pablo announced last week permanent layoffs of 36 employees.
Main street adapting with times
Cold weather and a heavy snowfall may have played a key role in making the holiday shopping season a success on Polsons Main Street, even in the face of widespread economic adversity.
Digital TV update
Although Feb. 17, 2009, has been advertised for nearly four years as the hard and fast date for the shutdown of most analog TV broadcasts in America, the date may be slipping away. Due to many issues involving the handling of the transition, Congress is considering extending the date. Some have called for a one-month extension, others for a longer period of time for consumers and the government to patch up a broken program. In early January, NTIA, the program administering the $40 coupon system announced that they had run out of money and were putting people who requested the coupons on a waiting list. The wait would be determined by the number of coupons that expired and money “reassigned” to the wait list. For many (including myself) my coupons expired long ago because when I was ready to buy, I couldn’t find a set top box that had analog pass through; an essential function for this area for most viewers. The government decided not to allow those who had let their coupons expire re-apply, essentially cutting out those who ran into supply issues.
Births, Jan. 15, 2009
Lanktree, Dentler, Black, Alexander, Morris, Kovarik, Kelly
Friday, January 9
Weddings
Jan. 8, 2009
Polson selects superintendent
The Polson Board of Trustees voted unanimously on Thursday night, choosing to offer candidate David Whitesell the superintendent position.
Eagles only have half for Charlo
It was no mystery to Two Eagle River boys basketball head coach Jamie Hanson how a 18-19 halftime score turned into a 51-30 win for the hometown Charlo Vikings.
A plunge like no other
The day started as many of my days off do: I woke up late and got some breakfast with a friend. While at breakfast, I was reminded of an abnormal commitment I made to meet the frigid waters of the Flathead Lake during annual Polar Bear Plunge extravaganza.
Obituaries
Jan. 8, 2008
WEB EXTRA Most Warriors place at Mission tourney
The Arlee Warriors Wrestling team came off the Holiday break for the Mission Mountain Classic Wrestling tournament last Saturday and placed 12 of 15 wrestlers entered into the tournament.
Births
Jan. 8, 2008
WEB EXTRA Bulldogs shine at own tourney
The Mission Charlo wrestling team hosted the Mission Mountain Classic wrestling tournament on Saturday and while there was no exact scorekeeping due to technical difficulties, the Mission Charlo wrestling team was the probable winner, according to Mission Charlo head wrestling coach Lyle Cronk.
Polson wrestlers throw down
The Polson wrestling team sent varsity athletes to Bozeman while JV wrestlers stayed local to compete in the Mission Takedown Tournament in St. Ignatius. In Bozeman, the wrestlers placed two and took 13th as a team. At St. Ignatius, Polson placed three and no team score was awarded due to technical difficulties in scorekeeping.
2009s first bundle of joy
Late on Sunday night, Dec. 28, Rhealene Cook went into early labor. She was scheduled for a Caesarian section on Jan. 15, but little Christian Gerard Dentler came earlier than planned, and met the world on Jan. 1. He is Cooks fourth child, and Lake County’s first baby of the new year.
Thursday, January 8
Bigfork man pleads guilty to Ferndale killing
Bigfork Eagle
Wednesday, January 7
Births
Jan. 8, 2009: Jacobs, Appelt, Hardy, Tenas
Rep. Janna Taylor checks in from Helena
We all arrived in Helena in spite of the weather. It took Rep. Julie French two and a half days to make it from Scoby to Helena. We Montanans are a tough lot.
Starkel sparkles in Maidens OT loss
The Maidens lost two this past weekend: one a heart-breaker in overtime at home and another on the road in Frenchtown. The Maidens can hold themselves accountable for the 48-45 loss to Valley Christian on Friday at home, but the 52-31 loss to Frenchtown came at the end of much better team effort, Ronan head coach Jami Schall said.
2009's first bundle of joy
Late on Sunday night, Dec. 28, Rhealene Cook went into early labor. She was scheduled for a Caesarian section on Jan. 15, but little Christian Gerard Dentler came earlier than planned, and met the world on Jan. 1. He is Cook’s fourth child, and Lake County’s first baby of the new year.
Obituaries
Jan. 8, 2009: Liggett, Koenig, Karninsky, Poloson, Cruver, Ducharme, McCready, Danielson, Ridnour
Pirate wrestlers throw down
The Polson wrestling team sent varsity athletes to Bozeman while JV wrestlers stayed local to compete in the Mission Takedown Tournament in St. Ignatius. In Bozeman, the wrestlers placed two and took 13th as a team. At St. Ignatius, Polson placed three and no team score was awarded due to technical difficulties in scorekeeping.
WEB EXTRA : Bulldogs shine at own tourney
The Mission/Charlo wrestling team hosted the Mission Mountain Classic wrestling tournament on Saturday and while there was no exact scorekeeping due to technical difficulties, the Mission/Charlo wrestling team was the probable winner, according to Mission/Charlo head wrestling coach Lyle Cronk.
Hiring tops Polson council talks
City manager candidate Joe Kerby declined the council’s offer for a position for Polson on Monday morning, said mayor Lou Marchello at Monday night’s city council meeting.
Eagles only have half for Charlo
It was no mystery to Two Eagle River boys basketball head coach Jamie Hanson how a 18-19 halftime score turned into a 51-30 win for the hometown Charlo Vikings.
WEB EXTRA: Most Warriors place at Mission tourney
Courtesy of Ken Hill
Letters to the editor
Jan. 8, 2009
A plunge like no other
Eighth-grader James Larson’s, above, sombrero didn’t seem to keep him warm this past Thursday during Polson’s 11th annual Polar Bear Plunge. Brave participants gathered for the yearly dip in Flathead Lake. Emergency and rescue workers were on the scene as the swimmers plunged into the water from Riverside Park. The plunges takes place on New Year’s Day on the first hour after 12 p.m. The theme of this year’s plunge was, “Once outcha - not for whimpy amigos.”
Weddings
Jan. 8, 2009: Runsabove, Dickson
Historic club still brings neighbors together
Tonight the local Masumola Club will hold its monthly meeting, where community members gather and catch up and share a meal.
