Thursday, October 27
Prep sports roundup: Pirates finish season undefeated
After jumping out to a 34-13 halftime lead in Friday night’s regular season finale, the Polson Pirates held off a second half scoring surge by the visiting Whitefish Bulldogs to come away with a 34-27 Northwestern A conference win.
Legals for October, 27 2022
Fatal collision claims life of Polson resident
A two-vehicle collision on Oct. 20 north of mile marker 65 on U.S. Highway 93 claimed the life of 62-year-old Colleen Kelley of Polson.
Rancher running write-in campaign for county commission
Although his name won’t appear on the November ballot, Paul Guenzler, a Ronan-area cattle rancher and chairman of the Flathead Irrigation District, is a write-in candidate for District 2 county commissioner,
Drug Take Back Day is Oct. 29
Lake County Sheriff's Office will participate in the National Prescription Drug Take Back Day from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29, at the Lake County Courthouse.
Rush, Bulldogs state XC champs
Speedy Andrew Rush picked up his eighth individual title of the season this past Saturday at the Class B boys state cross country championship leading the Mission Bulldogs to their first ever in school history individual and team state cross country championship titles.
Prep Sports Calendar
Thursday, OCT. 27 Volleyball
Apprentice Polson electrician highlighted for National Disability Employment Awareness Month
In celebration of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, Governor Greg Gianforte joined the Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) and the Department of Labor & Industry (DLI) to highlight a Polson resident who is an apprentice in Montana’s Registered Apprenticeship Program.
Trunk or Treats galore
At least three “Trunk or Treat” events are on tap this week for young ghosts and goblins.
Lake County Sheriff’s Office issues scam alert
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office reports that it is again receiving reports from residents who are getting calls from phone numbers associated with the sheriff’s office or Lake County 911 with demands to pay fines or face arrest.
Azzopardi cares what’s on voters’ minds
There could not be a bigger difference between the Democrat and Republican candidates running for Montana House District 93.
Big Medicine to return to the land he once roamed
Big Medicine, an exceedingly rare white bison born in 1933 on what was then the National Bison Range, will be returned to his home in the next few years.
Brenden James Welch
Brenden James Welch was born Oct. 14 at the St. Luke New Beginnings Birth Center in Ronan to Jeremiah Welch and Ashten Hadley of Arlee
Claradelle Jade Rockwell Madman
Claradelle Jade Rockwell Madman was born Oct. 15 at St. Luke Community Healthcare in Ronan to George Madman and Adeleene Rockwell of St. Ignatius.
Porter William Jordan
Porter William Jordan was born Oct. 21 at the New Beginnings Birth Center in Ronan to Travis and Emily Jordan of Ronan.
Theresa (Betty) Walter
Theresa (Betty) Walter, age 101, passed from this life at 10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 21.
Gregory E. Mason
Gregory E. Mason, age 71, of Polson, died Oct. 17 in Kalispell.
K Lynn Earl
K Lynn Earl, 82, of Polson, passed away on Wednesday, Oct. 19, at home of natural causes. He was born Jan. 7, 1940, in Alton, Kan., to Lucille and Cleatis Earl.
Marvin Fred Bauer
Marvin Fred Bauer went home to our Lord and Savior on Oct. 19 at the age of 93.
Colleen Rhea Kelley
Colleen Rhea Kelley, also known to her friends as “KK,” died Oct. 20 in a car accident outside of Polson.
Fall Mack Days: Anglers weather rain during week six
Lots of rain fell from the dark cloudy skies Friday and Saturday during the sixth weekend of 2022 Fall Mack Days.
Polson Senior Center: Get ready to fall back
Another time change is coming up on Nov. 6 so remember to “fall back” to “Montana” Standard Time at 2 a.m. or set your clocks back an hour on Saturday so you can stay up an hour later.
Wags and Whiskers raises funds for animal shelter
The Mission Valley Animal Shelter is holding its Wags and Whiskers fundraising event this Friday, Oct. 28, from 5:30-9 p.m. at the Ronan Community Center. The dinner is will feature prime rib and a vegetarian option with a no-host bar provided by Perfect Shot Tavern.
Bats, wizards and smart drivers at the library
The North Lake County Library celebrates bats this week with a presentation from 5:30-6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 27, by Stephanie Gillin; a wildlife biologist with the Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes
TUFF hosts Halloween Horror Film Festival
The Tiny and Unusual Film Festival (TUFF) has curated a number of short, international horror films just in time for Halloween.
Democrats host pre-election party
The Lake County Democrats are hosting a pre-election party, 5:30 p.m. Oct. 28 at Glacier Brewery in Polson.
Character counts in HD 93 race
Shirley Azzopardi and Joe Read are both running for House District 93. Both have mailed campaign flyers.
Write in Paul Guenzler for county commissioner
It’s important that you take the time to write Paul Guenzler’s name down on a piece of paper. He decided at the last minute to file for Lake County Commissioner and his name will not be on the ballot.
Voters: Beware magical thinking
Republican ads routinely claim that inflation is Democrats’ fault: vote Republican and inflation will disappear. Inflation is a serious problem for us all, so let’s take a closer look.
Democrats raiding your pocketbook
Ah, dear readers, what if I asked you to donate one year's monthly income to the Democratic Party, say Monica Tranel? Other than the mega rich, few of you would do so.
Proposed open-pit gravel mine controversial among Arlee residents
After a summer of Jocko valley residents' attempts to have their concerns formally heard, it's a waiting game to see if further stages of review will be triggered.
Bulldogs maul Bobcats, 58-0
The Mission Bulldogs are headed to the 8-man playoffs for the second straight season following a 58-0 blow out victory over visiting Superior Bobcats on Friday night.
Muddy moto madness at the fairgrounds
The fast and furious world of arena motocross was on full high-octane display Saturday evening at the Polson Fairgrounds.
Wednesday, October 26
Polson City Commission plans road improvements
The Polson City Commission met on Oct. 17, and voted to request funds from the 2022 Bridge and Road Safety and Accountability (BaRSAA) program for road improvements.
Thursday, October 20
Mack Days passes five-week, 10,000 trout mark
These beautiful fall days are flying by fast, and if you love fishing, Flathead Lake is the place to be!
Prep Sports Calendar
Thursday, OCT. 20, Volleyball
CSKT to receive $41.5 million to expand high-speed internet
The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes will receive more than $41.5 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to expand high-speed internet access on the Flathead Reservation.
Patrick Kelly Berry
Patrick Kelly Berry, 69, of Polson, died Sept. 19, at the home of his brother and wife, Bruce and Mary Jo Berry, in Superior.
Fire danger still high on reservation
A wildfire, estimated at 270 acres on Monday, was burning east of St. Ignatius above Mission Dam.
Letters to the Editor Policy
The Leader welcomes letters from our community. Please keep in mind the following points when sharing your opinion ...
We need warrior, not lawyer
Are things better today than they were two years ago? Absolutely not.
Only you can change state constitution
It’s election season, also known as the season of misleading information.
Bukacek avoiding voters
It’s unbelievable how irresponsible some candidates can be when it comes to sharing their qualifications, views and the issues they support with the voters.
Wrong to use 4-H pledge for campaign
Shirley Azzopardi is a very nice person and we enjoyed her visit when she stopped by our home.
Glacier Country Tourism seeks board applicants
Glacier Country Tourism, the official tourism marketing, management and stewardship organization for western Montana, is seeking applicants for positions on its volunteer board from among the eight counties it represents.
Alan John McCoy
Alan John McCoy, age 95, passed away peacefully at the home of his daughter Laurel and son-in-law Scott on Oct. 10, 2022.
Charles Franklin Sanders Jr.
Charles Franklin Sanders Jr.
Elizabeth “Liz” Ann Lee
Elizabeth “Liz” Ann Lee
Maureen Magdalene Gallagher Theiler
Maureen Magdalene Gallagher Theiler
Lady Vikings set for deep post season run
Headed into the final week of District 14C girls’ volleyball action with a 10-1 overall season record, the Charlo Lady Vikings look poised to make another deep run into the post season.
Pirates plunder Browning, 54-0
Keyen Nash rushed for two touchdowns and a game-high 101 yards in a 54-0 shut out win over the visiting Browning Indians on Thursday night.
Justice of the Peace candidates spar, and agree
Two well-qualified Justice of the Peace candidates – one a sitting city judge and the other a former law enforcement officer – fielded questions during a recent forum at the Polson Country Club.
Animal shelter puts the muzzle on taking in stray dogs
Stray dogs and cats are overrunning Mission Valley Animal Shelter (MVAS), and the nonprofit, no-kill shelter located south of Polson is fed up.
Legals for October, 20 2022
Monday, October 17
Polson Senior News: Oct. 20-28
Activities coming up at the Polson Senior Center include bowling, bridge, pinochle and bingo.
Thursday, October 13
Candidates no-shows in Voter Guide
The Missoulian published a Voter Guide for 2022 on October 9, 2022, that provided at look at Montana’s Legislative candidates.
Polson sweeps Ronan in rivalry rematch
Nearly a month ago, the match up of archrivals Polson Lady Pirates and Ronan Maidens in Ronan was an intense and dramatic five-set face-off in which the Lady Pirates prevailed.
Broncs gallop past Chiefs, 42-7
Ronan Chief quarterback Caleb Cheff hit Robbi McCrea on a 15-yard scoring strike in the middle of the fourth quarter to erase the goose egg on the scoreboard against the visiting top-ranked Hamilton Broncs on Friday night.
Prep Sports Roundup: Polson boys and girls’ soccer split season finale
Polson boys and girls’ soccer split season finale
Mission Bulldogs lead the pack
Andrew Rush (16:05), Robbie Nuila(16:53), and Zoran LaFrombois (17:19) crossed the finish line 1-2-3 to lead the Mission Bulldogs cross country squad to a first-place victory with a boys’ team score of 48 points during the Mission Shadow Duels Invitational at the Silver Fox Golf Course in Pablo on Saturday, Oct. 8.
Prep Sports Calendar
Thursday, OCT. 13, Volleyball
Legislative Referendum 131 is a humanity issue
Legislative Referendum 131 is not an abortion issue. This is a humanity issue.
Fall Mack Days: Tenacious anglers make progress
Week four of the nine-week long Fall Mack Days Fishing Event, sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, ended with a total of 8,489 lake trout entries. Sunny skies were the norm most of the week.
James Franklin “Jim” White
James Franklin “Jim” White, age 83, died Wednesday, Oct. 5, at his residence in Polson.
Terry Pitts to represent Dixon on Tribal Council
Lifelong Dixon resident Terry Pitts was sworn in as tribal councilman last Tuesday, Oct. 4.
Polson senior activities: Oct. 12-20
Activities coming up at the Polson Senior Center include: bowling, 1 p.m. Tuesdays; bridge, 12:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Fridays (beginners welcome); pinochle, 12:30-3 p.m. Thursdays; and bingo, 7 p.m. Fridays, with a special “poker” bingo Oct. 20. The pool table is open, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays.
Birth Announcement: Trenton Taylor
Birth Announcement: Trenton Taylor
Azzopardi supports state constitution
Shirley Azzopardi is running to represent Lake County's district 93. As a deeply caring and experienced educator in our community, she's gained many skills that would be useful in the Legislature.
Supports Rick Schoening
This is a letter of support for Rick Schoening, candidate for Lake County Justice of the Peace.
Trust Azzopardi to use common sense
Our votes in the Nov. 8 election will shape the years ahead – for better or for worse. Who cares enough to work across divides? Who will do a better job of protecting our right to vote? Who understands the reality of climate change and can reason based on the truths before our very eyes?
Azzopardi offers even-handed leadership
There’s no two ways about it: what Republicans are doing in Helena is not only ineffective in addressing Montana’s problems, it’s making them worse or creating new ones.
Zinke will curb spending
There are many reasons to vote for Ryan Zinke. He believes in borders, he knows that this out-of-control spending by Congress and the current administration has to stop, he knows killing fossil fuels is not the answer for the planet, he knows that girls should compete against girls in sports, he knows parents matter in education and he knows Montana.
Montana Farm Bureau holds annual convention in Missoula
The 103rd Montana Farm Bureau Federation’s annual convention is slated for Nov. 14-17 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Missoula. Registration is now open, and members can expect to hear top-notch speakers on various topics, discuss policy for the coming year and enjoy the camaraderie with farmers and ranchers from across the state.
Drought conditions improve slightly
According to the latest report to the Governor’s Drought and Water Supply Advisory Committee, recent rainfall across most of Montana has done little to pull the state out of long-term drought conditions.
Mission Valley FFA sends team to national convention
The Mission Valley FFA Forestry Team will once again represent Montana at the National FFA Convention, Oct. 26-29 in Indianapolis. After winning the state competition last spring, the team of Kyri Uhrich, Dorthy Webster, Everett Lozeau and Josh Hoskinson completed the online version of the contest Oct. 3.
Read: Careless with taxpayer money
I’m sure Joe Read is a nice guy, but he also seems pretty good at wasting taxpayer money during his time in Helena.
Legals for October, 13 2022
Calendar: Bible Story Time, Bats & AARP Smart Drivers Course
Coming up: Bible Story Time, Learn About Bats, Smart Driver Course.
Flathead Reservation-Lake County Coalition supports kids and families
Promoting a safe, healthy and thriving community is key to the work being carried out by the Zero to Five Flathead Reservation-Lake County Coalition.
DAR chapter awards grant to Pablo Elementary School
Kuilix Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution awarded a $500 grant from the DAR’s Helen Pouch Memorial Fund Classroom Grant program to Pablo Elementary School Librarian Gay Speckert for the 2022-2023 school year.
Commissioners hear wildlife complaints and change direction on gas-tax revenues
Wildlife figuratively roamed through the Polson City Commission chambers Oct. 3, with commissioner Carolyn Pardini noting that her beehive had been pillaged by a bruin and Polson resident Murat Kalinyaprak objecting to marauding deer.
Macman says perch are plentiful
If you weren’t able to get as many whitefish fillets in your freezer as you would like now you have an opportunity to finish the job with perch.
Absentee ballots go out Friday
The Lake County Election Office was a hive of activity last Friday as four workers and election administrator Toni Kramer prepped just under 14,000 absentee ballots that will be mailed to voters Oct. 14.
Polson musician Benny Weag debuts on NBC’s long-running hit reality show
As people trickle into The Shoe in Polson Saturday night, Benny Weag and David Caselli open their set with a smooth rendition of “Come Together” by The Beatles.
Polson man arrested for sexual abuse
A report of a suspicious male in a work truck attempting to lure a girl under the age of 16 years old to his home in the Polson area was reported to Lake County 911 around 5:30 p.m. Oct. 5.
Thursday, October 6
Edwin L. Courville
Edwin L. Courville
Steven Yurosko
Steven Yurosko
Polson Senior Center calendar
Polson Senior Center
Legals for October, 6 2022
View from the library: Variety of programs this fall
October is here and we’ve got a great lineup of programs for all ages.
Donation aids Chief Cliff Fire Department
The cost of a wildfire like the recent Elmo Fire can be devastating to a community and an already stretched thin fire department.
Town Pump challenge helps Polson food pantry
It has been an incredible two and a half years. Thanks to the dedication and flexibility of our volunteers, the Polson Loaves & Fish Pantry, Inc. was able to stay open throughout the pandemic.
Letters to the editor Oct. 6
Letters to the editor Oct. 6
Birth announcements
Birth announcements
House candidate Azzopardi pounds the pavement in search of votes
As Shirley Azzopardi, Democratic candidate for House District 93, continues her quest to meet Lake County voters face to face, she’s armed with a pen and clipboard, flyers, a stack of campaign signs, and a hammer to pound them in place.
Arlee business home to all things Bigfoot
A new family run gift shop and restaurant brings the mystery of Bigfoot to Arlee.
A plan to address the affordability crisis
In my campaign for Congress, I’ve traveled over 35,000 miles to connect with Montanans across the district.
Community briefs
Community briefs
Wednesday, October 5
State candidates queried at Polson forum
A legislative forum, jointly sponsored by the local Republican and Democratic parties, attracted five candidates and around 60 voters to the Montecahto Club near Finley Point Monday night.
Tuesday, October 4
Bulldogs maul Vikings 46-0
A big third quarter and an opportunistic defense propelled the Mission Bulldogs to a 46-0 victory over conference and cross county rivals Charlo Vikings on Friday night.
CSKT Division of Fire to conduct prescribed burns
With the summer wildfire season winding down, firefighting crews and leadership from the CSKT Division of Fire will shift their focus to prescribed burning operations this month.
Missoula angler Ashwell leads Mack Days
Larry Ashwell of Missoula continues to lead the 2022 Fall Mack Days, besting anglers on Flathead Lake with a total of 509 lake trout entries.
1 killed in plane crash into Flathead River
The pilot of a small airplane was killed after the aircraft clipped some power lines and crashed into the Flathead River on Sunday morning, the Federal Aviation Administration’s initial crash report indicates.
Monday, October 3
Lady Pirate golfers state champs
The Polson Lady Pirates girls golf program added another team title to its already overflowing 2022 season trophy case.
Prep Sports Roundup: Pirates and Lady Pirates soccer win at home
On Tuesday, Sept. 27, the Polson Pirates and Lady Pirates swept the visiting Libby Loggers and Lady Loggers in Northwestern A soccer action.
Prep Sports Calendar
Thursday, OCT. 6
