A look back as 2010 begins in Lake County

The first decade of the millennium comes to a close this year. As each year does, 2009 brought joys, smiles and some sorrow to the Mission Valley. Here is the year in review of highlights from the past 52 issues of the Lake County Leader.

January 1: The year kicks off with another Polar Bear Plunge, and St. Luke’s Medical Center debuts a new convenience care clinic in Ronan. The clinic offers the only walk-in service in the valley.

January 8: Lake County welcomes its first baby of 2009: Christian Gerard Dentler.  Polson City Commissioners continue to work on hiring a city  manager. Winter sports are in full swing, with wrestlers and basketball players in the heat of the regular season.

January 15: Polson School District No. 23 chooses David Whitesell to replace Sue McCormick as superintendent. Ronan trucker Dale Morigeau is stabbed at a Minnesota truck stop. Morigeau survives with severe injuries, the attacker was allegedly mentally unstable. Pablo mill announces it will permanently lay-off 36 workers.

January 22: Polson family, the Ofstads, join President Barack Obama and thousands of others at the inaugural ceremony in Washington, D.C. Several local men are arrested for an alleged string of burglaries stretching from Bigfork, through Lake County and into Missoula.

January 29: The burglary string keeps unraveling for Jonathan Morton and Cote Wheeler, who allegedly stole handguns, jewelry and other valuables from various homes. Fuel cleanup continues after the April 2008 spill along Montana Highway 35. Several families were still not back in their homes. The Polson School Board holds meetings to discuss implementing a mandatory drug testing policy.

February 5: A new afterschool program, the Buzz Box, opens in Polson. Lake County Sheriff’s Office uses a grant to four patrol officers, two detention officers and purchase three vehicles. The Ronan wrestling team beats Polson 42-33 in a battle at Polson High School.

February 12: Residents in Pablo say they want a proposed pedestrian bridge crossing U.S. Highway 93 to be “beautiful” and work to show how it could fully represent the community. A new alternative school debuts in St. Ignatius. A group in Big Arm begins work to restore the Big Arm school house.

February 19: The valley mourns the loss of Flathead Indian Nation elder Oshanee Cullooyah Kenmille. The Lake County Sheriff’s Office makes a significant drug bust, recovering methampehtamine and drug paraphenalia from a Blue Bay home. Skeletal remains, most likely from a young Native American boy, were discovered near Woods Bay. Arlee senior wrestler Jake Trujillo, Polson’s Brock Picard and three Ronan wrestlers (Zach Robinson, Cameron Neiss and Micky Cheff) all take No. 1 at the state wrestling matches in Billings.

February 26: A look at the area representatives in Helena during the 61 Legislature shows a tough session, with big decisions to be made during tough economic times. a Pablo man is killed after a high speed chase spurred by a fight. FFA week storms Ronan. Basketball teams head into divisional tournaments.

March 5: Cornerstone Financial Incorporated is handed a temporary restraining order in connection with an alleged scam, being investigated by the State Auditor’s office. Polson business men Keith Kovick and Bob Congdon are named in the action. The city of Polson loses a Supreme Court appeal to throughout a lower court judgement that it was partially to blame for a deck collapse that left dozens hurt in 2003. The Lake County Sheriff’s Office reports that thefts and domestic disputes di rise in the county in 2008.

March 12: Tribes from the Flathead Reservation and the Samoa meet and share cultural rituals at a CSKT Tribal Council meeting. The Arlee School District Board of Trustees decides to switch to a four-day school week. The investigation into Cornerstone continues, and grows, as more investors are found to have defaulted notes.

March 19: Arlee students react positively to the news of a four-day week. A rising unemployment rate worries Lake County residents, but it has not been hit as hard as neighboring counties.

March 26: Salish Kootenai College men’s and women’s basketball teams both take home championship titles at the American Indian Higher Education Consortium Tournament held in Pablo. Lake County gets projects ready for possible stimulus funds coming from Washington, D.C. Ronald Peterson is convicted in Lake County court of killing Clyde Wilson on New Year’s Day 2008.

April 2: SKC found and long-time president Joe McDonald announces his retirement. Lake County Sheriff’s Office Captain Luc Mathias is slightly injured after being rear-ended during a traffic stop. The Leader debuts a sleeker, thinner version of its weekly newspaper. Spring sports tennis and track kick off across the valley.

April 9: Bridge resurfacing work plans are laid out for the Polson Armed Forces Memorial Bridge. Cleanup crews remove thousands of pounds of dirt from the site of the new Tribal Health building in Polson. The soil had been contaminated by red dye diesel.

April 16: Easter brings pictures of spring. A 7-year-old girl wounded by a gun shot accident is released from the hospital. The Polson Rural Fire Board candidates are grilled during a Q-and-A session. Reporter Ty Hampton debuts his “Police Blotter,” a humorous look at calls coming into the Lake County Dispatch station.

April 23: A semitruck wrecks on Hwy 35, stirring memories of the 2008 fuel spill. No fuel was spilled in this accident. Arlee braces for the worst as construction crews being the widening of Hwy 93 through the town. The Cornerstone fraud case explodes, with the state now alleging $14 million swindled with more than 100 investors left without money in a Ponzi scheme put on Congdon and Kovick.

April 30: Earth Day gets support from local Boy Scouts. It is announced the Pablo mill will close, causing 87 workers there to permanently lose their jobs.

May 7: School board elections show many incumbents retaining seats in Polson and Ronan. The Polson Rural Fire Board gains trustee Jack Clapp. Montana Department of Transportation plans updates for Highway 35 to help make it safer for semitruck travel. Two candidates are interviewed for the Polson City manager position.May 14: SKC student athlete Tim Wolfe is killed in an apparent homicide in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Polson extends an offer to Todd Crossett for the city manager position. The Ronan Cabaret delights crowds there. Charlo selects Paul Jenkins as its new superintendent.

May 21: The First Annual Women 4 Wellness fair is held in Pablo. Struggles continue for Arlee as road construction wears on. Todd Crossett accepts the job of Polson City manager.

May 28: Graduation season begins across the valley. The housing market stays afloat, even if its down, during the tough economic times. The sheriff’s office works with construction crews working on the Polson bridge, reduced to one lane during the resurfacing.

June 4: The Cornerstone case continues, as the state works on its investigation in the alleged Ponzi scheme. Arlee, Ronan and Mission seniors take part in graduation ceremonies. Cross country star, RHS senior, Sadie McMillan takes first in the Class A 100-meter race.

June 11: SKC graduates walk in their ceremony. St. Ignatius talks about rejecting stimulus money slated to come its way. A Polson boy is charged with assaulting his mother using a sharpened rebar rod.

June 18: Polson citizens make sure the annual fireworks show will continue by raising money throughout the town. SKC works with Montanan Secretary of State Linda McCullough to obtain a voting workers grant to help train college students to help run the polls.

June 25: Polson is named an option for a prerelease center, but sites in Kalispell are being considered first. Work begins on a new Rural Fire Station north of Polson.  Ronan holds is biannual Crabfest to raise money for local organizations.

July 2: The Pablo mills closes for good, leaving almost 90 people without jobs. Workers hang their hardhats on the posts of the fence around the mill. St. Ignatius decides to accept the federal stimulus money, as it holds the annual fireman days. Area officials prepare for a hectic Fourth of July weekend.

July 9: A lightening strike causes a fire that burns a Mission couple’s home to the ground. Arlee holds its annual powwow, complete dancing and stickball. Patriotic parades are held throughout the county.

July 16: Cote Wheeler faces arson charges in Kalispell. A program to help find and lay veterans to rest finds the remains of two Ronan soldiers. A sinkhole appears on Highway 35 near Wal-Mart, slowing traffic for several days as crews work to patch it. St. Ignatius makes plans to spend more than $20,000 in stimulus funds.

July 23: St. Ignatius holds it Good Old Days celebration amid a heat wave. The Elmo Powwow brings thousands. A state injunction is finalized in the Cornerstone case, and moves forward to appoint a receiver who will inventory and designated assets of Congdon and Kovick.

July 30: Producers worry about a cherry crop that isn’t selling. Polson’s annual 3-on-3 basketball tournament lets ballers own the streets for several days. Officials say the Fourth of July weekend was very subdued.

August 6: The Lake County Fair shows off the area 4-H work, and lets everyone in a little fun. Polson City Commissioners begin talks of bringing a resort-town tax to the city. It would as a small tax to “luxury items.” Realtors in the area say the market is down, but not out, closing few deals on recreational property.

August 13: Polson residents weigh in the proposed resort tax. Many said it would be too complicated, but they would welcome the revenue. Arlee roads are still a mess, hurting summer business. The county prepares of a possible H1N1 outbreak, putting emergency prepardeness plans together. The Crusen by the Bay car show hits Polson.

August 20: Ronan man Allen Metzger is arrested in connections with a the stabbing death of James Finch at the Valley Club bar in Ronan. Polson City Commissioners vote 4-2 to send a resort tax measure to the November ballot. Sheriff’s office officials donates 3.000 pounds of food the Mission Valley animal shelter.

August 27: Montana Highway Patrol Trooper Chris Hoyt is mourned after drowning in a irrigation ditch after trying to save his dog. Cash for Clunkers boosts local car dealership sales. The powwow season winds down after the People’s Center Second Annual powwow. It is determined a 5-inch blade was used to kill James Finch in a Ronan bar the previous week. Allen Metzger is held in connection with the incident.

September 3: MHP Trooper Chris Hoyt is honored in a memorial ceremony at Linderman Gym in Polson. After community input against the idea, county commissioners decide not to close the South Valley Creek bridge. Instead, it will be repaired for minor use. State Congressman Denny Rehberg (R) stops by St. Joseph Medical Center in Polson to discuss health care with doctors there. Later that night, he, state Sen. Greg Barkus and three others are injured in a boat accident near Wayfarers State Park in Bigfork.  The Ronan Chiefs win their home opener as they wait for the opening of their new field in Ronan.

September 10: The Charlo Vikings football team scores 93 points in the win over Alberton. Polson man Johnathon Korman is sentenced to 20 years in jail for aggravated assault after throwing a sharpened piece of rebar at his mother’s head.

September 17: CSKT debuts “The Rez We Live On” site to help answer common questions about the tribes. Members of the CL-8 USS Detroit naval team marked their 30th reunion in Polson, as 15 of the former shipmates got together to remember and tell stories of their adventures on the Detroit during WWII. Allen Metzger enters a not guilty plea to deliberate homicide charges for the death of Ronan man James Finch.

September 24: Officials report a very quite wildfire season as the summer winds down. Only on minor fire was actively fought this year.  CSKT and state Fish, Wildlife and Parks officials pair to honor Flathead Lake, and help educated local students about conservation and restoration. Ronan holds its first annual Harvest Fest. Area high schools are in the middle of Homecoming celebrations.

October 1: The Montana Clean Indoor Air Act takes effect, kicking smokers outside. Many bar patrons in Polson are angry about the new rules. The Saddle Mountain Fire west of Arlee is tamed by teams of firefighters. The Montana Supreme Court approves the plan to build a Wal-Mart Supercenter in Polson after a citizen group brought suit against the plan inf 2005. Salish Kootenai College enjoys a student spike as it begins the 2009-10 year.

October 8: Officials investigate a trailer fire that killed Trisha Plant, 22, in Pablo. Wal-Mart representatives say they will move forward with the Supercenter, but plans for the building will be altered. Mission Valley Auto receives a $1.3 million loan form the U.S. Small Business Association, which helps it maintain its dealership in Polson. A Helena judge extends an injunction freezing the assets of Bob Congdon and Keith Kovick as the investigation into alleged securities fraud continues.

October 15: St. Ignatius resident John Wayne Mitchell questions acting police chief P.D. Van Hoose’s employment as Van Hoose has never completed state sanctioned training. Van Hoose would eventually resign. Arlee School District tests a four-day schedule. Reports from students and faculty are all positive. CSKT Tribal Law Enforcement receives a grant to upgrade its jail facilities. Tribal Council candidates hold a forum before the primary elections.

October 22: H1N1 vaccines are given out for free across the valley, including at the two day “Just Do It for Our Kids Health Fair.” A chipper truck crashes and burns on Highway 35. No one is injured but the wreck causes anger from residents over the safety issues on 35. Polson city manager Todd Crossett holds a community forum to discuss the proposed resort tax. It is met with many questions and worries from attending community members. Freezing weather means many area potato farmers lost some of their crops.

October 29: Mission schools get a recycling program off the ground, both students and community members participate. Allen Metzger’s lawyer calls for dismissal of the case, using a new Montana law the broadens the definition of self defense. The valley gears up for municipal city and school board elections.

November 5: Polson city voters say no to the proposed resort tax, voting 951-186 against the resolution. Ronan elects Justin Bartels as city judge. Incumbent Charley Gariepy takes the St. Ignatius mayor position, while Pat DeVries is voted in as the new Polson mayor, defeating Lou Marchello. The Polson City Commissioner votes against a resolution to allow chickens in the city, while law enforcement officials work to ID human remains found in Big Arm.

November 12: Jason Allen Sands, 32, was arrested by Missoula Police for allegedly soliciting sex from a minor after Sands allegedly began contacting a 15-year old girl through MySpace, a popular social networking Web site, according to the affidavit filed with the Missoula County Justice Court. Lake County residents file a record number of informal review forms after the 2009 property tax reappraisal causes many lake shore taxes to spike. As the Polson volleyball team prepares for state, the Pirates lose in the second round of the class A playoffs to the Belgrade Panthers. The team lost 18-16.

November 19: The Montana Department of Transportation holds a meeting in Kalispell the discuss and hear concerns about the safety of Highway 35. Officials say the cannot close the road to semitrucks, but will add additional signs and various other safety features.  A ceremony in Ronan honors all Mission Valley veterans. The Polson volleyball team takes home third at state, one of the strongest finishes in school history.

November 26: The American Civil Liberties Union of Montana is suing Lake County, the sheriff and others on behalf of Bethany Cajúne, a Ronan woman who claims the Lake County Sheriff’s Office withheld medication during her incarceration in the Lake County Detention Center and by doing so, endangered the life of her unborn child. Free H1N1 clinics see lower than expected turnout before the peak of flu season. A cyclocross bike racing event challenges area riders at Polson Fairgrounds.

December 3: Ronan and Polson host free Thanksgiving dinners that bring in large crowds, good food and goodwill. Bob Congdon talks about the fraud and Ponzi scheme allegations a brought against him by the state Auditor’s office. He denies being a part of any illegal activity. The winter sports season kicks off with basketball games and wrestling matches.

December 10: Several residents in Condon bring Missoula and Lake county commissioners together to discuss the idea of the town succeeding from Missoula County and joining Lake County. Many residents are against the idea. The process would include gathering signatures from town residents and gaining approval from voters in both counties. A judge OKs a receiver in the Cornestone case to accept claims notices from investors who lost money in the alleged Ponzi scheme. Ronan parks get a boost from a $1,250 donation. Plans to improve the parks include walkways and bike paths.

December 17: Branden Orr, 28,  convicted of a 2006 murder was found dead in his state prison cell on Saturday.  Orr pleaded guilty in December 2006 of bludgeoning his mother to death with a hammer in July 2006. County officials say that granted property tax reappraisals are causing it to lose money. The lower tax payments could break down to the county losing $100,000 in revenue to provide services. All CSKT Tribal Council incumbents retain their seats after the election. Ronan City Council makes the tough decision to lower the city libraries budget, meaning hours and staff will be cut.

Dec. 24: Ten years in the process, the Polson Rural Fire District has unveiled their newest station at the Polson Fairgrounds. Polson Fire Chief John Fairchild begins moving equipment into the facility. Mission, Ronan and Polson high school students give back through the Share the Spirit program by buying gifts for families in need. The local Adult Parole and Probation office scraps plans to move near Cherry Valley Elementary school.