Stories
Polson Seniors: Annual meeting and birthday dinner Aug. 22
The annual membership meeting of the Polson Senior Center will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 22, at the Polson Senior Community Center.
St. Ignatius Seniors: School starts soon
School will be starting soon – Aug. 27 in Mission. This summer has just flown by.
FLOW swim coach claims three bronze medals
Mark Johnston, coach of the Flathead Lake Open Water Swimmers (FLOWS), earned three bronze medals at the 2025 World Masters Swimming Championship held in Singapore Aug. 7-14, placing third in the world in his age group (65–69). It's his best performance yet in the elite contest.
Thomas Antiste, 89
Thomas Raymond Antiste, age 89 of Big Arm, passed away Aug. 13, 2025. A wake began on Thursday, Aug. 14, at 2 p.m., rosary was Friday, Aug. 15 at 8 p.m., and a funeral service was held on Saturday, Aug. 16, at 10 a.m. at Elmo Hall.
St. Ignatius schools add more than 100 new students
St. Ignatius Schools start classes next week with a significant increase in enrollment of more than 100 new students.
Candace Janelle (McCann) Bilile
Candace Janelle (McCann) Bilile, known as Janelle, passed away at her home in Ronan, Wednesday, July 16, 2025.
Time Capsule: From the archives of local weeklies
Stories harvested from The Ronan Pioneer, August 24, 1977
Free three-day eye clinic comes to SKC
Vision Health International (VHI) will host its third annual free three-day eye clinic on the Flathead Reservation, Sept. 11–13 at the Joe McDonald Health and Fitness Center in Pablo. Clinic hours are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Marriages & Divorces
The following marriages and divorces were recently recorded at the Lake County Courthouse:
Barbara Rose (Furth) Larson, 84
Barbara Rose (Furth) Larson, 84, passed away Aug. 8, 2025, at her home in Plains.
The P-Town Classic strikes again
The annual P-Town Classic Golf Tournament, held Aug. 9 at Polson Bay Golf Course, raised $3,500 for the Boys and Girls Club of the Flathead Reservation and Lake County.
Shakespeare in the Parks performs in Charlo and Polson
Montana Shakespeare in the Parks (MSIP) brings two free performances to the Mission Valley as part of its 53rd season. All ages are welcome to attend and enjoy these free performances.
Lady Pirates aim for growth, unity in 2025 season
The Polson girls soccer team enters the 2025 season with an influx of new talent that has coaches excited about the future of the program. Head coach Heather Howell said the Lady Pirates are focused on raising the standard each year while continuing to build a program rooted in growth and consistency.
Marilyn Rose Ducharme, 82
Marilyn Rose Ducharme, age 82, passed away peacefully at home in Arlee on Aug. 13, 2025. A service to honor Marilyn’s life will be held at Garden City Funeral Home on Aug. 26 at 2 p.m.
Enrollment, upgrades and hot lunches: Rural schools get in gear
In the small school of Dayton Elementary, there is no lunch program or gym but the community has rallied together to provide hot and cold lunches for the upcoming school year.
Back to School Calendar
Lake County students return to school on the folllowing dates:
Powered by melons: Dixon thrives during harvest season
The storied Dixon Bar is under new but familiar management and the changes – along with the harvest of the fabled Dixon melons and a coffee shop in the mercantile – are drawing a crowd to the small town.
SKC starts the semester with new president, construction and $75,000 grant
Salish Kootenai College heads into the fall semester on Sept. 15 with a new president taking the reins.
Reum admits to camper theft, forgery and bail jumping
A Polson woman admitted to stealing a camper, skipping court and forgery. Erica Joanne Reum, 39, entered a plea of guilty in District Court in Polson Aug. 14 to felony charges of theft, bail jumping and forgery.
Terrence Kelley, 84
Terrence “Terry” Lynn Kelley passed away peacefully on June 5, 2025, surrounded by close loved ones. He was 84 years old. A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025, at Orchard Homes Community Center located at 2537 S. 3rd St. W., in Missoula.
Mission Valley Events Roundup
Your guide to events and meetings in the Mission Valley
Young Arizona burros find new homes near Polson
Arizona burros cautiously eyed the exit off the Bureau of Land Management horse trailer, before stepping out on dainty hooves to follow the leader into a small corral.
Legals for August, 21 2025
Pirates return 13 seniors for 2025 campaign
The Polson Pirates enter the 2025 football season with confidence to compete in one of the toughest leagues in Class A. Head coach Carson Oakland said the team has embraced a strong offseason and is motivated to take the next step this fall.
Ronan man pleads guilty to sexually assaulting children
A Ronan man admitted to assaulting two young girls, each under the age of 12. Jarod Matthew Joseph, 25, entered a plea of guilty in District Court in Polson Aug. 13 to two counts of sexual assault and one count of bail jumping.
The tale of two sisters who meet on a softball field
How do two gifted and ardent softball players discover they are biological sisters? At a softball tournament, of course.
