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Lake County Leader
Polson Seniors: Congrats to grads
Congratulations to the high school and college graduates.We have space available to rent for all kinds of celebrations. Catering may be available.Monthly meals and activities calendars are available at the center.We need help in the kitchen and with meal deliveries. Call or visit us.Activities at the Polson center, open to all, include: wood carving for beginners, 1 p.m. Wednesday and Friday, join any week; self-guided, video-assisted exercise, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, sitting or standing; bingo, 6:30 p.m. Fridays ($100 blackout), with playing card bingo on the first and third Wednesdays; pinochle, 12:30-3 p.m. Thursdays; Wednesday is game day...
School powwow lights up events center
Flashes of feathers and brightly beaded regalia interspersed with hoodies and jeans made up the crowd of Ronan middle and high school kids dancing an intertribal dance at the school powwow on May 29. The drums were booming with the singers hitting high and low notes as the students circled the dance floor. Over everything drifted the enticing smells of chili and fry bread from the lobby.Five drums were taking turns playing – Medicine Eagle,Red Sand, Dancing Boy, Big Crane and The Defenders – according to master of ceremonies Vance Home Gun.During the first dance contest – the Boy’s Grassdance – young men whirled and stooped with feathers floating, ribbons fluttering, ankle bells tinkling and roaches quivering above them. Contests on tap were Chicken Dance, Jingle Dance, Fancy Dance and Traditional Dance. The powwow was a way for students to celebrate the end of the school year and graduation. During an intertribal dance at the Ronan School Powwow on May 29 students danced and filledthe EventCenter floor. (Berl Tiskus/Leader)
Ronan secures MREC land from Lake County
There should have been confetti and a parade as Lake County Commissioners made a move to put the Mission Recreation Event Center land to use.Commissioners Gale Decker, Bill Barron and Steve Stanley accepted an offer from the City of Ronan to buy the county’s portion of the MREC property at a meeting on Monday, June 3. The offer was for $82,500, and the money was from the coffers of Pioneer Days, which requested a lease of at least 10 acres of the property to build a rodeo arena and stock pens and put up seating.“It’s been 19 years since last...
Ronan Seniors: Pork roast served Sunday
Anyone is welcome to enjoy our meals – you don’t have to be a senior citizen! We ask for a $7 donation for our Monday, Wednesday and Friday meals and $10 for our Sunday meal. Those who would like a meal delivered – including businesses – are encouraged to call the center by 10 a.m. at 406-676-2371.Roast pork dinner will be served for the Sunday dinner, June 9. Come down and enjoy a great meal at noon. Upcoming meals also includes Swiss steak, June 7; goulash, June 10; and BBQ pork rips, June 12.Pinochle is 1:30-4 p.m. Mondays; and the pool table is available 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Join the fun!If you need Ensure, we have it. Have your doctor send us a prescription and we can fill it. We have Ensure Plus for $19.61 for a case of 24 and Ensure High Protein for $38.52 for a case of 12.The Senior Center is available to rent. Call us at 406-676-2371 if you are having an event and need a location.
On the Agenda
Annual Needs Assessment: 10 a.m. June 6, Commissioners Chambers, Lake County CourthouseBig Sky Passenger Rail Authority Annual Conference: 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. June 7; see the agenda and join the meeting virtually at: https://www.bigskyrail.org/upcoming-meetingsRonan School Board: 7 p.m. June 10, K. William Harvey Elementary Multi-Purpose RoomJoint Meeting: County Commissioners & Legislators: 11 a.m. June 11, Commissioners Chambers, Lake County CourthouseJoint Meeting: County Commissioners & City of Polson: 1:30 p.m. June 11, City HallCity County Planning Board: 6 p.m. June 11, Polson City Hall Council ChambersArlee School Board: 6:30 p.m. June 11, high school libraryLake County Planning Board: 7 p.m. June 12, large conference room of the Lake County CourthousePolson School Board: 5:30 p.m. June 17, School District OfficePolson City Council: 7 p.m. June 17, City HallSt. Ignatius School Board: 7:30 p.m. June 18, libraryCharlo School Board: 8 p.m. June 18, high school
Polson Scholarship and Education Foundation awards scholarships
Polson Scholarship and Education Foundation (PSEF) awarded 37 scholarships totaling $61,500 to Polson High School seniors and former Polson High School graduates who are currently attending an accredited two-year or four-year community college, university or vocational school.The following scholarships are set up through the PSEF with money donated by individuals in memory of loved ones, alumni classes, civic organizations and employees of School District #23 in the amount of $500. PSEF matches the $500 donation with $500 so each high school senior receives a $1,000 scholarship.Two donors provide $1,000 scholarships, and PSEF provided $500 so the students received a $1,500...
Four Lake County athletes named to Class A All-State Team
Polson had three players named to the All-State softball team, while Ronan had one player earn the same honors. In all, 13 different Lake County athletes earned all-conference or all-state honors for their play this year.Mckenna Hanson, Carli Maley and Samantha Rensvold earned all-state honors after helping lead Polson to third place this season at the state tournament. Hanson and Maley each had 11 home runs this season, while Rensvold served as one of the main pitching threats for the Lady Pirates.Olivia Jore, Avery Starr and Liz Cunningham earned second-team All-Conference honors, while Kailey Smith was awarded an honorable mention....
St. Ignatius Seniors: Bingo is Saturday
We are having Bingo at the Senior Citizen Center at 2 p.m. June 8, with a special Blackout prize.The Super Hero Bingo event on June 2 at Leon Hall was postponed and will be rescheduled in the near future.Do you know an elder who is struggling with paying for food? They may be eligible for Elder Commodities. Call 406-745-4462 for the income range and information regarding this program.If you would like a take-out meal, please call 406-745-4462 by 10 a.m. on Tuesday and Friday and by 2 p.m. on Wednesday. Menus are available via email, mail, or at the center.Main dishes include creamed chicken, noon June 7; bratwurst with a bun, noon June 11; and stuffed peppers, noon June 14. Gentle Yoga meets at 1 p.m. Wednesdays (call 406-253-0177).A Taiji exercise program continues at 1 p.m. Mondays, through June. Call teacher Kory Gunderson for more information at 406-361-0304.Our Senior Center is open to people renting it. If you are interested, please call 406-745-4462 and leave a message. Also, there are free puzzles and books on table in entryway for the taking.
William Hocker, 100
William C. Hocker passed away peacefully at home in Ronan, surrounded by family, on May 29, 2024, at 7:43 a.m. of natural causes at 100 years of age. He was born March 23, 1924, in Helena. His parents were Almon Hocker and Mamie Marie Hocker of Ronan.William graduated from Ronan High School in 1942. He enrolled briefly in Montana State University and soon thereafter left the university to volunteer for service in WWII. He and lifelong friend Phil Maxwell received infantry training at Camp Walters in Texas, volunteered for service in the 10th Mountain Division and were riflemen in the...
Montana Viewpoint: Turkeys & Tourists
I don’t know when the Merriam turkey was introduced to Western Montana, but it was and they have prospered. I can vouch for it.In the 1980s and ’90s I broke out about 65 acres of timberland into cropland and I planted a lot of oats to “tame the soil.” I put up a lot of the oats as hay and word spread fast in turkey-dom. In short-order my haystacks began to look like the rear end of a threshing machine because the turkeys scratched the bales to get at the oat kernels and popped all the strings. This meant that...
Mission Valley B Team takes down Cranbrook
The Mission Valley Mariners B Team had 13 hits as it won its season opener against the Cranbrook Bandits 20-10 on Saturday, May 25, in Polson. Liam Wills drove in four runs in the contest, which saw the Mariners score 12 runs in the bottom of the sixth.The Mission Valley pitching staff of Maddox Bird, Ryan Lake and Liam Wills held Cranbrook to four hits. The Bandits also had 12 errors in the contest.Brayson DuMont was 4-for-5 with two triples and three RBI. Luke Horner also drove in three runs, while Paxson Dumont drove in two runs.In the second game...
Donna Hislop named Assistant Coach of the Year
After over four decades of coaching, long-time Polson tennis coach Donna Hislop was named Assistant Coach of the Year by the Montana Coaches Association.Hislop first got into tennis when she started dating current Polson Head Tennis Coach Bob Hislop.“He taught me how to play and about the game,” Donna said. “I started playing myself and loved it.”There was an opening for the freshman coach in Bigfork, so Hislop applied and got the job.“I love the challenge of the game, and there have been an innumerable number of student-athletes that I have had the pleasure of working with and getting to...
Sentence violations land Polson man in prison
A Polson man was committed in Polson District Court May 29 to the Montana Department of Corrections for 10 years with five years suspended after repeatedly violating conditions of a suspended sentence.Matthew Christian Duncan, 29, had been convicted of burglary and theft for breaking into an automated teller Jan. 5, 2023, at the Finley Point Grill. He was ordered to pay restitution of $33,626.88.His co-defendant in that case, Michael Lee Simmons, 37, received a 10-year suspended sentence and was ordered to pay restitution of $38,985.88. Simmons was also sentenced on a second burglary not involving Duncan.Duncan has also been plagued...
Speakers remind Polson grads "time is precious"
From the opening notes of Pomp and Circumstance to the confetti-filled flinging of mortarboards, Polson’s graduation ceremony Saturday was a blend of humor and poignancy, pride and playfulness.The 111 seniors officially graduated from Polson High in a ceremony lead by valedictorians Carson Hupka, Ashley Maki, Carli Maley, Kai McDonald, Olivia Rogers and Isabel Seeley.In her valediction, Seeley reminded her classmates that they entered high school in the midst of a global pandemic.“From freshman year, complete the social distancing, wearing a mask and extensive hand sanitizer, to now, our hours at this school have been filled with memories,” she said.Time –...
PEO chapter awards memorial scholarships
Chapter AI of Polson PEO (Philanthropic Education Organization for women) presented a bouquet of Marguerite daisies and a certificate of achievement to two AI Memorial Scholarship winners during Senior Decision Day, May 20 at Polson High School. Isabel Seeley and Hannah Simpson were each awarded a $1,000 academic scholarship.The Chapter AI Memorial Scholarship recognizes young women's strengths in the following areas: leadership, academic excellence, writing skills and community service. The chapter looks for well-rounded and goal-oriented young women. Isabel will attend Cornell University and study Earth and Atmospheric Sciences. Hannah plans to attend Montana State University and study Elementary Education. Both young women received high honors: Isabel (valedictorian, National Honor Society), Hannah (Magna Cum Laude, AP Merit distinctions). Both girls excelled in writing skills, were well-rounded in extra-curricular activities, and served as community volunteers. Hannah mentored middle school students, Little Pirates, and second/third grade students. Isabel volunteers at the Aquatic Center, served as a PHS Link Leader, and plans to travel to Costa Rica this summer to work in environmental conservation.Chapter AI is pleased to recognize and honor these two strong, exceptional young women and regards each of them is a shining star.
Trial date set for woman accused of vehicular homicide
Judge John Mercer set a trial date of Oct. 28 for a Kalispell woman who is accused of being impaired and causing a fiery head-on crash that killed a man. Sarah Elizabeth Loschke, 29, entered a plea of not guilty in Polson District Court May 30 to felony vehicular homicide while under the influence.According to court records, at around 3:30 p.m. May 12, Lake County’s 911 dispatch center received a call from a concerned citizen regarding a possibly impaired driver in a Volkswagen SUV. The Volkswagen was southbound on U.S. Highway 93 in the Elmo area.The suspected impaired driver was...
Ronan students offer inaugural Out to Lunch Concert
Last Wednesday brought sunshine, a smattering of clouds and a lot of good music to the lawn in front of Ronan Middle School.Alicia Lipscomb, band director for grades 6-12, and the Ronan High School and Middle School bands delivered a lively Out-to-Lunch Pops Concert for about 75 spectators. “It was an amoebic crowd,” Lipscomb said, since once high school lunch started more students joined the group. Senior Heidi Webster, who plays the bass, said it might be the first time they’d held an outdoor concert. Lipscomb agreed. She added that Webster and the RHS Jazz Band both earned superior ratings at the...
Primary Results: Gale Decker prevails in commission race
According to unofficial results released Wednesday morning by the Lake County Election Office, 8,899 ballots were cast in Tuesday’s primary election. Of those, 6,005 were on the Republican ticket; 2,847 voted the Democratic ballot; 18 were Green and 29 voted Libertarian.County Commissioner Gale Decker handily won the Republican primary with 44.75% of the vote. The unofficial tally of all 22 precincts showed Decker with 2,421 votes to 1,416 for Wes Baertsch, 925 for Max Krantz and 630 for Josh Senecal.Decker faces Independent Kelly McDonald in the general election.Senecal filed a complaint with the Commissioner of Political Practices March 1, raising...
Legals for June, 5 2024
NOTICE FOR PUBLIC HEARING LAKE COUNTY NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND UPDATES TO COUNTY GROWTH POLICY IMPLEMENTATION PLAN The Lake County Commissioners will hold a public hearing on Thursday, June 6, 2024 at 10:00 A.M. in the Commissioner’s Meeting Room at 106 4 th Avenue East, Polson, MT 59860, in conjunction with Mission West Community Development Partners (MWCDP). The purpose of hearing is to obtain public comments regarding the needs and priorities existing in Lake County for public facilities, infrastructure, affordable housing, economic development and other community revitalization efforts, and particularly as those needs affect low- and moderate-income persons. For those municipalities, sewer and/or water...
Mission's Class of 2024: "You are capable of greatness"
As St. Ignatius High School Principal Shawn Hendrickson bid farewell to 32 graduates Saturday afternoon, he told the audience that this year’s crop had reeled in $1,147,000 in scholarships. “Valley-wide, statewide, nationwide – those are astounding numbers,” he said.More than 62% of the students standing in the sunshine on the Mission Bulldog football field were planning to attend a college, university of trade school, he said.“As you move to your next chapter, keep an open mind as you consider your options,” he advised students. “Learning what you don’t like is just as important as learning what you do like.”Salutatorian Ellanah...
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The Lake County Leader has been in publication since 1910. It covers the Mission Valley and the Flathead Indian Reservation. The office is in Polson, MT which sits on the foot of the Flathead Lake.
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