MAC Softball rolls to 4-2 week

The Mission-Arlee-Charlo (MAC) softball team delivered a dominant stretch of play over four days, winning four of six games and improving to 17-5 on the season. With their bats staying hot and pitching depth on display, MAC secured big wins over Powell County, Anaconda, Huntley Project and Cut Bank, while dropping a close one to Conrad and another tight contest to Glasgow/Hinsdale/Nashua.

River Honoring celebrates elders, educators

With the Flathead River flowing behind him, Elder Johnny Arlee opened the 38th annual River Honoring on Monday night with a prayer in Salish and some special words for the gathering. This year’s River Honorees are elders Violet Trahan and Germaine White and educators Nicole Camel, Polson, and Jennifer Jilot and Bill Stockton, Arlee.

Ag Days brings kids to the Cheff ranch

Sun shining through trees dappled the grass and washed over the bright spring grass as school buses trundled down the road to Fourth Grade Ag Days at Buddy and Brittany Cheff’s place above Kicking Horse Reservoir, south of Ronan.

Legals for May, 15 2025

Samantha Rensvold: A team player

This time of year, you’ll find Samantha Rensvold with the ball in her hands in the middle of the pitching circle – a position with unquestionable spotlight and responsibility.

Ronan Seniors: Thank you Lacy Mutchler

We’d like to give a big Thanks to Lacy Mutchler for the wonderful job she did on our flower beds!

Mission Valley Calendar

Upcoming events and meetings in the Mission Valley

Legals for May, 14 2025

Second suspect arrested in death of Ed Loder

A second suspect in the death of Edwin Loder, 67, is in custody at the Lake County Jail. Jonathan Michael Drennan-Beck, 30, of St. Ignatius, was arrested May 6 and booked into the jail on felony charges of conspiracy (deliberate homicide) and tampering with or fabricating physical evidence.

Brett McCrumb, 61

Brett Thomas McCrumb of Polson arrived in his final Home with Jesus on May 7, 2025. He dealt with a cancer diagnosis over a year ago with courage. He tried treatments and health regimes that would help, but he always relied on the attitude and truth of “I know where I’m going.” His Celebration of Life is Monday, May 19, 2025, at 11 a.m. at his parents’ place, The Barn at Finley Point, with a cemetery burial to follow.

Bruce Newby, 69

Bruce Edward Newby of Pablo went home to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ on May 6, 2025. His graveside-only service is Friday, May 16, at Lone Pine Cemetery next door to the Little Brown Church at the corner of MT Hwy. 35 and Swan Hwy. in Bigfork, Montana. Bruce’s funeral procession will depart from the 4B’s parking lot in Polson at 10:20 a.m. May 16.

Time Capsule: From the archives of local weeklies

Stories harvested from the Flathead Courrier, May 11, 1989

Polson Baseball bounces back with dominant weekend

After dropping a close contest to Bigfork to start the week, the Polson baseball team responded with authority, posting back-to-back run-rule wins over Ronan and Troy to improve to 9-4 on the season.

Ronan Seniors: Pork roast dinner coming soon

Our Sunday Roast Pork Dinner will be May 18th this month so mark your calenders.

The best use of political power

In 2008, during my last year in the Montana Legislature, a woman came to me with a problem. I made a phone call to a government agency and got it fixed, then I called her to tell her the good news. “Boy,” she said, “I wish I had that kind of power!” “You do!” said I, “I just used it for you.”’

Community action can make a difference

The events surrounding Beker Rengifo Del Castillo, the 33-year-old Venezuelan man living in Whitefish and taken into ICE custody on April 24 before being released, speak to the efficacy of community organizing right here in northwest Montana.

Richard "Dick" Wiese, 85

Richard “Dick” Wiese, 85, passed away March 17, 2025, surrounded by family. The funeral mass will be June 14 at 11 a.m. at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Fargo, N.D. Dick will be laid to rest next to his wife, LaVonne, at Lakeview Cemetery in Polson and a celebration of life will be held at the Elks Lodge in Polson at a later date.

Brown pleads guilty to gun theft

A St. Ignatius man admitted to breaking into an occupied residence to commit a theft. Gentry William Brown, 27, entered a plea of guilty in District Court in Polson May 1 to felony burglary.

Wendy Rae Fairchild, 62

We are devastated to announce that our family rock, Wendy Rae Fairchild, passed unexpectedly at home in Polson on Monday, April 21, 2025.

NPR and PBS enrich lives, need federal support

NPR and PBS connect us to the world. Our lives are richer and more interesting because of these organizations. Now an Executive Order has threatened to take away federal funding.