Legals for July, 3 2025

Dennis Schliep, 85

Dennis “Denny” LeRoy Schliep, 85, of St. Ignatius, passed away peacefully on Monday, June 23, 2025, at St. Luke’s Hospital in Ronan, surrounded by love. A graveside service to honor Denny’s life will be held on Monday, July 7, at 10 a.m., with military honors recognizing his service to the nation at St. Ignatius Pleasant View Cemetery, followed by a gathering at the Longhouse.

Phyllis Houle

Phyllis Marie Tougas Houle, age 91, of Polson, passed away peacefully on June 24, 2025, at Providence St. Joseph Hospital.

Wisconsin man awaiting extradition after Lake County arrest

The Lake County Sheriff's Office executed a search warrant June 25 upon the Polson residence of 71-year-old Kenneth Galewyrick, and arrested him for an outstanding warrant from the State of Wisconsin.

Thirteen homes evacuated in Early Dawn fire

Local firefighters were busy again this weekend, containing the Early Dawn Fire near Big Arm. The blaze started last Friday, June 27, and was ignited by fireworks according to Polson Rural fire chief Will Woodger. He said 13 homes were immediately evacuated.

Ronan man sentenced for Town Pump altercation

A Ronan man, Joseph Channing Entwistle, was committed in District Court in Polson June 25 to the Montana Department of Corrections for five years, with none of that time suspended.

Lake County runners shine at Missoula Marathon

Lake County runners delivered standout performances at the 2025 Missoula Marathon and associated races over the weekend, with top finishes from athletes young and old across multiple events.

Layton Smith, 14

Layton, our boy born with the biggest blue eyes and the kindest soul, passed away at age 14 in a boating accident on June 18, 2025, in Harrison, Mont. Born in Laguna Hills, Calif., and raised in Bozeman since 2012, Layton embraced more in his 14 years than most do in a lifetime.

Teens rescue Big Arm woman trapped beneath mower

By Monday, Kyle Geyer looked pretty chipper. Especially for a woman who had spent four hours last Friday pinned beneath her riding lawnmower. She’s also exceedingly grateful to the two boys who saved her life, Danny Fehr and Channing Thompson who were visiting from Billings.

Peter Walther, 95

Peter Eugene Walther, died on June 20, 2025, wore many hats during his 95 years. A memorial service and reception will be held at Holy Spirit Episcopal Church, 130 S. 6th St. E. in Missoula, on July 11 at 10:30 a.m.

Time Capsule: From the archives of local weeklies

Stories harvested from the Flathead Courier, July 4, 1940

Summer Reading Program promotes learning

Boats are out on the lake, people are walking around, and the traffic is getting a bit denser. These are all the tell-tale signs of summer in the Mission Valley. Another sign of summer can be found away from the heat of July and indoors at libraries, where both Polson and Ronan are running their annual summer reading programs.

Ronan church hosts revival meetings

Morning Star Baptist Church of Ronan will host special revival services July 11-13 with evangelist John Van Gelderen of Ann Arbor, Mich.

Tribal members advised to avoid consuming fish caught in Clark Fork

In a recent press release, the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes advised tribal members to avoid consuming all species and sizes of fish harvested from the lower Clark Fork River from the Bitterroot River near Missoula to the Flathead River near Paradise.

Fourth festivities flourish from Arlee to Polson

Lake County communities are gearing up for Fourth festivities, which promise parades and fireworks from Arlee to Polson.

Mission Valley Events Roundup

Your guide to events and public meetings in Lake County

Pat Williams: He stood by us and with us

Pat Williams has died. He was Montana’s longest serving Congressman, serving from 1979 to 1997. He had a sense of justice and values which he defended proudly and vigorously, often in the face of strong and outraged opposition. He was my political hero.

Polson Commission selects new city judge

The Polson City Commission selected retired law enforcement officer Joe May as incoming city judge during a meeting last Wednesday, June 26. There were four candidates for the job, including incumbent judge Mike Larson, retired Lake County chief juvenile probation officer Barbara Monaco, and head of maintenance for Lake County, Dale Ramesar.

Michael Erickson, 54

Michael Dwayne Erickson passed away peacefully surrounded by his loved ones on Tuesday, June 24, 2025. A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, July 26, at 2 p.m. at the Valley View Clubhouse.

Daines to Montanans: Drop dead

By the time you read this, Steve Daines may have already pushed through Congress the big budget bill. It cuts almost a trillion dollars from Medicaid and other health care, including the Affordable Care Act.