Ellington

Mission Valley Alumni tournament entries accepted

Entries are being accepted on a first-come, first-served basis for teams in the Mission Valley Alumni Tournament. The basketball tourney is set for this Saturday, Dec. 29 at the Ronan Events Center.

Vikings nix Noxon 62-52, tether Two Eagle River

The Charlo Vikings picked up two more conference wins to close out their December schedule with a pristine 7-0 record. Against Noxon, cousins Connor Koenig and Nate Delaney turned in new varsity career highs among the teens. Against Two Eagle River, Landers Smith surpassed the varsity career 700-point threshold.

Charlo clobbers competiton, closes pre-holiday calendar

The Charlo Lady Vikings closed out the calendar year by cleaning out the closet on their December schedule as they outscored their opponents, 127-29, adding two more conference wins to their record.

Arlee gaining momentum heading into holidays

Headed into the season, the Arlee Warriors have had a lot of pressure on them.

Lake County wrestlers close out pre-holiday action

Area grapplers closed out their 2018 calendars with a series of duals and quads around the area. The Polson Pirate swept their duals at Columbia Falls against the Wildcats and visiting Corvallis.

Area wrestling teams place 14 at Eureka

The Mission Valley had 14 area wrestlers place at the Buzz Lucey Tournament in Eureka last Saturday.

Pirates fall to Browning, Broncs

At Browning, the visiting Pirates outscored the host Running Indians in the second half, but couldn’t overcome the double digit deficit dug by their second quarter doldrums. Colton Graham, Bo Kelley and Trevor Schultz led Polson in scoring with a collective contribution of 30 points. The Pirates outshot Browning from beyond the arc and generated a higher percentage of deuces, but netted three less at the charity stripe as well as trailed by a handful of conversions from the floor.

Chiefs rally for 36-35 win over Columbia Falls; can't slow down Hamilton

Ronan High School boys’ basketball coach Mitchell Wassum has developed a reputation for turning his team around in the second half of the season. Last year, Wassum, whose Chiefs upset Browning and played Polson in the Montana High School Class A Northwest Championship game, will look to play with frenetic energy.

Update on Linderman gym nearly year after wall fails

For nearly one year, officials from the Polson School District have been discussing weight with an insurance company.

Lake County Year in Review - 2018

Four connected in death of Cassandra Harris

Charlo students hold annual auction

While the schools that were in session on Friday, Dec. 21 were filled with anxious kiddos waiting to start their holiday break, the second-grade classroom at Charlo Elementary was boistrous, but for a different reason.

Legals December 27, 2018

CLINTON J. FISCHER LAW OFFICE, P.C. Professional Center Building P.O. Box 879 Polson, MT 59860 Telephone: (406) 883-4395 Attorney for Petitioner MONTANA TWENTIETH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT, LAKE COUNTY IN RE THE MATTER OF THE NAME CHANGE OF KAREN LOUISE KOOPER STEWART, Petitioner, CAUSE NO. DV-18-289 NOTICE OF HEARING ON PETITION FOR CHANGE OF NAME PLEASE TAKE NOTICE THAT Petitioner, Karen Louise Kooper Stewart, has petitioned the District Court for the Twentieth Judicial District for a change of name from Karen Louise Kooper Stewart to Karen Louise Kooper, and the hearing on the Petition for Change of Name will be heard by a District Court Judge on the 24th day of January, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. in the Twentieth Judicial District Court located at 106 4th Ave. E., Polson, MT 59860. At any time before the hearing, objections may be filed by any person who can demonstrate good reasons against the change of name. DATED this 4 day of December, 2018. Lyn Fricker Clerk of the District Court (SEAL) By:/s/ Tami Carstens, Deputy Clerk Published on December 13, 2018, December 20, 2018, December 27, 2018, and January 3, 2019. MNAXLP

A gift for all to celebrate

A gift has been presented to all the people of Montana. The gift is a simple solution. A solution that may, should it be the will of our heavenly Creator, to lift the dark cloud of uncertainty that Montana have endured ever since the partial, one-of-three-party passage, of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT) water compact. A gift that captures the true spirit of our American Republic.

Appreciation for Polson HS choir

The Big Arm community was treated to a wonderful Christmas concert by the Polson High School Choir under the direction of Kaylee Schubert on Friday evening, Dec. 14.

A united community is powerful

“We the People, exercising our God-given unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; to form a more perfect union and come together as a united community, set forth this new, fair, equitable, and final resolution of the federal reserved water rights claims of the United States for the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, the People, and the State of Montana.”

DNRC official: Is he stifling public debate?

Predictably, the DNRC’s John Tubbs is in full mutual defense mode of the governments’ non-negotiable, “negotiated” settlement. We get it, the deep pockets of the state, tribal and federal governments will be used to attempt to shut down any efforts by the peasants to shift the debate to a positive solution to the mess that the state government created.

Tandem triumph at Tri-State for Pirate wrestlers

Polson grapplers tangled with some significant multi-state talent at Couer d’Alene, Idaho, last weekend. Teamwise, the Pirates finished 25th with 64 points. Mead (Wash.) took the title with 171 points, with Post Falls (Idaho) second (171) and Chiwana third (155).

Maidens making progress with team chemistry

Ronan High School coach Steve Woll is big on cultivating team chemistry throughout the season, and he knows his young team still hasn’t reached their current peak level.

Warrior wrestlers wrangle wins

Several Arlee Warrior wrestlers fared well in competition last weekend. At the Arlee Mixer, Skyler Titsworth (152) won three matches, Colt Crawford (138) along with Demetrix Austin (160) won a pair of matches, while CJ Forgey (152) won a match.

Jacqueline Knapp

Jacqueline Louise (Fisher) Knapp, 77, passed away on Friday, Nov. 30, 2018, at St. Luke Extended Care in Ronan, Mont.

Marianne Luchkiw

It is with great sadness that the family of Marianne Louise Luchkiw announces her passing, from natural causes, on Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018, at the age of 61 years.

Polson's Holiday Raffle gets updated

Bundled in a long white winter coat with stylish boots was Becky Riebe, holding onto a microphone as she sang “O Holy Night” to a crowd of about 50 people.

Polson High School shop & art students make wooden horses for local youth

Twenty shiny, smiling rocking horses sat patiently as they waited for their new homes, where children will ride them for years to come.

For one Polson girl, it's a 'blue Christmas'

After an early morning, Charlotte Kinnamon slowly grabbed a piece of pizza, her eyes heavy.

Plea agreement reached for Big Arm man

A plea agreement left a jury trial vacated that was scheduled earlier this week.

Legals December 20, 2018

CLINTON J. FISCHER LAW OFFICE, P.C. Professional Center Building P.O. Box 879 Polson, MT 59860 Telephone: (406) 883-4395 Attorney for Personal Representative MONTANA TWENTIETH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT, LAKE COUNTY IN RE THE ESTATE OF JAMES JOSEPH DRAKE, Decedent. PROBATE NO. DP-18-67 NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned has been appointed Personal Representative of the above-named estate. All persons having claims against the said deceased are required to present their claims within four months after the date of the first publication of this notice or said claims will be forever barred. A written statement of the claim indicating the name and address of the claimant, the basis of the claim and the amount claimed may be filed with the Clerk of the District Court, Lake County, Montana, or mailed, return receipt requested, to the Personal Representative at the following address: Harriet F. Ross c/o Clinton J. Fischer Law Office, P.C. P.O. Box 879 Polson, MT 59860 DATED this 21st day of November, 2018 /s/ Clinton J. Fischer Clinton J. Fischer, Attorney for Personal Representative /s/ Harriet F. Ross Harriet F. Ross, Personal Representative PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE'S ATTORNEY: Clinton J. Fischer CLINTON J. FISCHER LAW OFFICE, P.C. Professional Center Building P. O. Box 879 Polson, Montana 59860 Published on December 6, 2018, December 13, 2018, and December 20, 2018. MNAXLP

Polson, Ronan wrestlers mine matches at Mining City

Area grapplers had a full slate this past week. Polson engaged in a pair of duals at Frenchtown last Tuesday before heading over to Butte for the Mining City Duals last weekend along with county rival Ronan. Both Chief and Pirate wrestlers sharpened their skills against some top-notch talent, many of them at the Class AA level.

Seven BC area wrestlers place at Bob Kinney Classic

By JOHN HEGLIE

Pirates fall to Whitefish, split pair at Tip-Off Tourney

Entering the season, the Polson High School boys’ basketball team is facing high expectations as returning Class Northwest A District champs.

Lady Bulldogs roll to win over Stillwater Christian

By JOHN HEGLIE

Maidens bounce Beavers, unsaddled by Broncs

Special for the Leader

Preserving free elections is 'everyone's business'

Free and fair elections are not partisan issues. Whether it’s imposing poll taxes in the Jim Crow South or rigging voting machines in Richard Daley’s Chicago, whenever public officials use the powers of government to control the ballot box, everyone loses. The bricks and mortar of our democratic republic crumble, and “government by the people” becomes “government by the government.” We cease to be free.

'Change your mind, change your life'

“Change your mind, change your life” is something I have claimed to believe in for years. But there is quite a difference between believing in something and practicing it. The power of “changing my mind, changing my life’ was recently brought home to me with my brother.

Steve Clairmont

Steve Clairmont was born on June 30, 1942, to Alexander Alphonse (Sam) and Vuelta (Bella) Clairmont in St. Ignatius, Montana. He grew up in Dixon at the Tribal Agency and was a proud member of the Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes of Montana. After graduation, he spread his wings with a trip to California to fight fire on the Las Priotis fire crew out of Los Angeles under the supervision of Howard E. Marino, a WW2 boxer. This is where he found his calling in Fire & Aviation and after one year on that fire crew, he joined up with the Missoula Smokejumpers in 1962. After 32 years of service, he retired in 1994 with a record 504 career jumps. However, retirement couldn’t keep him away from the lifelong bond and friendships formed with his band of brothers. He continued with work at the smokejumper base, packing and loading until 2015, and rarely missed a Jumper reunion or Rookie party.

Nicole Stanley

Nicole Shiree Stanley, 32, of Wasilla, Alaska, formerly of Polson, Mont., passed away Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2018 of natural causes at her home in Alaska. Services are pending and will be announced by The Lake Funeral Home and Crematory.

Spreading Christmas Cheer

Good Samaritan honored for swift actions at summer crash

Two men have been recognized for their efforts during an August crash on a rural roadway that left one person dead and another with extensive injuries.

No plans for felon to speak at Ronan Boys & Girls Club

Donnovan Sherwood will not be presenting at the Boys & Girls Club of the Flathead Reservation and Lake County.

Nash gives update on Polson at chamber meeting

During a State of the City Address at the monthly Polson Chamber of Commerce meeting last week, Polson Police Chief and interim City Manager Wade Nash said that despite some setbacks within the last month, the city will be okay.

Legals December 13, 2018

City of Polson City Manager Search Committee The City of Polson is seeking resident electors to serve on a City Manager Search Committee per City of Polson Resolution No. 974. This committee will be a non-permanent committee consisting of five to seven members, and serve in an advisory capacity to the City Commission. The committee's function will be to guide the search for a City Manager subject to the review and approval of the Commission, as it may from time to time require and with due attention to the laws of public participation. Applicants for the committee must be residents of the City of Polson and registered voters in their Ward. A regular, full time employee of the City of Polson may be appointed to serve on the committee. The City Commission shall appoint members to the search committee by nomination of a slate of applicants. If you meet the qualifications and are interested in serving on this committee please submit a Search Committee Application no later than December 26 at 5:00 pm to the attention of City Clerk Cora Pritt. The Search Committee application may be picked up at City Hall or the City website www.cityofpolson.com. The completed application may be hand deliver or mailed to City Clerk Cora Pritt, City of Polson, 106 1st Street E, Polson, MT 59860. Questions can be directed to Cora Pritt, City Clerk at 883-8203 or cityclerk@cityofpolson.com Published on December 6, 2018 and December 13, 2018. MNAXLP

Pablo man killed in weekend hit-and-run incident

Officials have released the name of the victim of a fatal hit-and-run that occurred over the weekend.

Mary Lou Veal

Mary Lou Veal, 78, passed away in Missoula, Mont., on Nov. 21, 2018. A celebration of life was held on Sunday, Dece. 9, 2018 at the Senior Citizens Center in St. Ignatius, Mont.

Pedestrian killed during hit-and-run near Pablo

A 20-year-old man was killed in a hit-and-run early Saturday morning in the Pablo area.

Climate change scares president

There is a movement in America that both frightens and angers Donald Trump. It has to do with climate change. This movement is called “Sunrise Movement.” It’s a movement to stop climate change and create millions of good jobs in the process.

Pirates nip Lake City to win Owen Invite title

Since Polson High School wrestler Hunter Fritsch transferred from Oklahoma his sophomore year, he’s been labeled “that guy” the coaching staff and wrestler both know will be at the top of the podium someday in Billings.

Scarlets have new coach; Mission returns four starters

The 2018-19 rendition of the Arlee Scarlets have to be rated as within the scope of a reloading phase given that the lion’s share of their offensive firepower returns along with further infusion from the transfer of Louetta Conko-Camel.

Vikings post pair of tourney victories

At Frenchtown for the Class C Tip-Off, the Charlo Vikings would prevail in both contests by a slim margin. On Friday against Valley Christian, Landers Smith led all scorers with 18 points. The Vikings held a 10-point lead entering the final frame, but had to hold off a rally by the Eagles.

Tamryn Gravelle

Tamryn Gravelle was born on July 2, 2004 in Cranbrook, British Columbia and raised for the first five years of her life in the A’qam community. Tamryn then moved to Polson, MT where she

Polson Parade of Lights

The Barn in St. Ignatius gets new roof

The Barn in St. Ignatius is making a comeback in 2019.

New Ronan clinic takes holistic approach to health care

The staff of the new Wholistic Healing Clinic on Main Street in Ronan aims to cut through the red tape of corporate medical practices in order to give their patients control over their own health care.

Managing CWD will take cooperation from all Montanans

Montana hunters have been afield pursuing deer, elk and other big game, just as we have done for decades. But new this year is the knowledge that chronic wasting disease (CWD) is present in our state’s mule deer and white-tailed deer.

Boys & Girls Club celebrates Ronan opening

For the first time in about a year, the former Total Home Store in Ronan was once again filled, but not with furniture.

Stereotypes, rights discussed at screening of movie

Picking a comfy seat at the Johnny Arlee and Vic Charlo Theater on Pablo’s Salish Kootenai College campus last week were 15 people for discussion and a movie stemming from people’s rights.

Polson schools to host program over winter break

Officials with the Polson School District are offering a new program to students during the upcoming holiday break.

Legals December 6, 2018

NOTICE OF PUBLICATION OF CATEGORICAL EXCLUSION ARLEE, MONTANA WPCSRF #: C302255 ARLEE/LAKE COUNTY WASTEWATER LIFT STATION IMPROVEMENTS 11/26/2018 The Arlee Sewer District has proposed to rehabilitate the District's wastewater lift station by replacing failing existing pumps with new grinder pumps and controls that will allow for more reliable operations and reduced maintenance. The proposed pumps are of the same size and capacity as existing pumps. This work will consist of direct procurement of two new chopper style pumps to be installed by a contractor. Along with new pump installation the District will pursue quotes to upgrade existing controls to better enhance operations and maintenance. Pursuant to ARM 17.40.318, the Department has concluded that the proposed project meets the Categorical Exclusion criteria of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the Montana Environmental Policy Act (MEPA). The Categorical Exclusion may be revoked if the project is not initiated within the time period specified in the Preliminary Engineering Report, a new or modified application is submitted, new evidence demonstrates serious local or environmental issues exist or state, local, tribal, or federal laws are violated. The documentation for the Categorical Exclusion is available for public review at the following locations: Department of Environmental Quality State Revolving Fund Loan Program 1520 East Sixth Avenue Helena, MT 59601 Arlee / Lake County Sewer District PO Box 272 Arlee, MT 59821 Sincerely, /s/ Paul LaVigne Paul LaVigne, Section Supervisor Engineering Bureau Water Quality Division Montana Department of Environmental Quality Published on December 6, 2018. MNAXLP