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Lake County Leader
Audrey Ann Burton, 85
Audrey Ann Burton, 85, of Polson, passed away on Monday, July 2, 2024, at Providence Hospital of heart failure.She was born on Aug. 11, 1938, in Langdon, N.D., to Ben and Hazel Nelson. At the age of 4, she and her family moved to Polson, where she attended Polson public schools and graduated in 1956. While in high school, she participated in the Baton and Flag squad.After high school she went to comptometer school in Spokane, Wash., then moved to Livingston, where she worked for the Northern Pacific Railroad.On Dec. 28, 1957, she married James “Jim” Burton in Polson, and...
SAFE Harbor says thanks
Wow! Wow! Wow! The kind and generous support of the community helped SAFE Harbor host another amazing carnival and circus in Ronan. With more than 1,000 attendees, it was quite a time.Families gathered, connected with others, and had a chance to play. Laughter was the sound of the day, as some jumped in the dunk tank, others took a chance at the games, many received a colorful face painting, and nearly everyone enjoyed the sticky sweetness of cotton candy.Thank you to all those who volunteered and who sponsored the event. It was a grand way to kick off the summer and make memories.We appreciate the spirit of citizenship in our little neck of the woods and the way the community comes together as one.– Brandi ClarkExecutive Director, SAFE HarborRonan
Keeping political power in check
My favorite father-in-law (yes, there have been more than one) once told me that if I ever went fishing make sure that I took two ministers with me.So, I took the bait. “Why is that, Dick?” And he reeled me in, “Because if you take only one, he’ll drink all the beer.”Besides being just a joke of dubious quality, the more I thought about it the more wisdom I saw in it. It’s easy to succumb to temptation if nobody’s watching, but if there is someone else there, well, people behave a little better.When the café closes at the end...
Ronan woman faces felony assault charge
A Ronan woman is accused of assaulting her friend after consuming alcohol. Nevona Rose Lafley, 18, entered a plea of not guilty in District Court at Polson July 11 to felony aggravated assault.According to court records, on June 21, Lafley and the alleged victim were consuming alcohol in St. Ignatius, when Lafley told her friend to leave. The friend would later tell responding law enforcement officers that Lafley thought she was flirting with her boyfriend, which escalated into an argument before turning physical.Lafley allegedly struck her friend multiple times in the face and head. The alleged victim thought she’d been...
Remembering Dr. Joe McDonald
I want to thank Mr. Wyman McDonald for his recent letter commemorating his late cousin, Dr. Joe McDonald. Wyman’s letter referenced their ancestral connection to Scottish trapper Angus McDonald. I want to add my own perspective because just the memory of Joe McDonald brings a smile to my face.I consider Joe McDonald as Montana’s greatest educator. He helped to create Two Eagle River School and the Salish Kootenai College. As a teacher and coach, he guided individual students to success. But as a college president, Joe McDonald shaped our community, state and nation.The degrees given to SKC graduates are tickets...
Paddle Palooza: Cancer survivors paddle for health and healing
When Nan Condit first began paddling dragon boats and a solo outrigger canoe as part of her path to breast cancer recovery, she had no idea her passion would eventually morph into last weekend’s Paddle Palooza.The gathering, held July 11-14 at the Polson Fairgrounds and the Montana Canoe Club in Big Arm, attracted top paddlers from around the world. It was organized by the Silver Lining Sisterhood, a Missoula-based group of “sisters” that began meeting in 2015 to support each other in the aftermath of breast cancer treatment.According to the group’s website, www.silverliningmt.org, “We were brought together by the common...
Legals for July, 17 2024
PUBLIC NOTICE Housing Solutions, LLC, PO Box 2099, Missoula, Montana 59806, Phone (406) 203-1558, a for-profit organization, hereby notifies all interested persons of Polson, Montana that we are planning to develop, Polson Gardens an affordable multi-family rental housing complex consisting of six four plex buildings on the site between 7th Ave. E. and 5th Ave. E. behind Immaculate Conception Catholic Church Polson, Montana 59860. This complex will consist of 12 one-bedroom units and 12 two-bedroom units for elderly persons. This Project will not be exempt from property taxes. An application will be submitted to the Montana Board of Housing for...
Elephants are following the wrong savior
Dear House Speaker Mike Johnston,During your confirmation, I was encouraged to hear you reference the Bible. Then the bi-partisan passage of the Federal Budget Bill was a Hallelujah moment for me.Now, however, you appear to govern by a different playbook, written by Donald Trump. What do you hope to gain by that? ("What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, but lose his own soul?" Mark 8:36)Why would you and other Republicans go to New York to protest the trial of a man who was convicted on 34 felony counts by a jury of his peers? Do...
Charlo celebrates the Fourth of July
You could give a child a bag of candy the size of what they could collect at the parade, and they’d still want to go to the parade. It’s kid logic: it’s just more fun to run as far as your mom will let you onto the street, to beat your brother to the gummy bears, and to check out the good candy and who was stingy throwing treats. The Charlo kids proved this hypothesis at the annual Fourth of July Parade. The theme this year was Faith, Farmin’ and Freedom. The parade began with two veterans carrying the American flag and...
St. Ignatius Seniors: Serving pancakes
Remember to come to our Pancake Breakfast for Good Old Days, 7-11 a.m. Saturday, July 20. We’ll be serving pancakes, sausage, eggs, juice, coffee and tea. A silent auction is on tap too.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 chicken casserole, noon July 12; spaghetti and meatballs, noon July 16; brats and sauerkraut, 5:30 p.m. July 17; and tuna, noon July 19.Gentle Yoga meets at 1 p.m. Wednesdays (call 406-253-0177).A Taiji exercise...
Mission Valley Mariners sweep Loggers, split with Bitterroot
The Mission Valley A team held Libby to two hits while taking advantage of the Loggers’ five errors in a 10-0 victory on Tuesday, July 2, at home. The Mariners also won the nightcap of the doubleheader by the same score, 10-0.Landon Shoemake pitched five and one-third innings in the first game, striking out 10. He was backed up by Mission Valley hitting that scored eight runs in the first three innings.Dawson DuMont drove in three runs, while Cole Wadsworth and Aiden Gfroerer also brought home runs. The Mariners had four hits total in the game.In the second game, Cole...
B team splits with Kalispell
Mission Valley’s B team split with the Kalispell Lakers on Monday, July 1. The team won the first game 12-2 but lost the second game 16-4.In the first game, Mission Valley’s formidable pitching duo of Liam Wills and Paxson DuMont held Kalispell to four hits. Brayson DuMont went 3-for-3 in the matchup, driving in three runs and having a double.Mission Valley led 3-0 after three innings and scored two runs in the fourth, five in the fifth, and two more in the sixth. The Mariners finished with 13 hits.Eli Evenson went 3-for-3 with two RBI. Paxon DuMont also drove in...
Polson Seniors: Fresh faces sought for board
We have over 150 paid members in this, the last month of our fiscal year.This is also the month that we have nominations for officers and two open positions on the board. Contact a board member for more information please!We need fresh faces on the board or serving as officers. Officers are elected yearly and board members serve three-year terms. The Board meets on the second Friday of each month at 10:30. Meetings are usually adjourned at or around lunchtime.No experience is necessary to serve on the board. We also need members willing to serve on the nomination committee that...
Keith Rennie
Polson resident Keith Rennie, a devoted husband, beloved father and brother, and cherished grandfather, passed away June 23, 2024, after a brief but valiant battle with cancer. He was 71 years old.Keith was born July 1, 1952, in Pauls Valley, Okla., and grew up on multiple reservations in New Mexico and Montana with a deep connection to his parents, Albert and Carmen (née Smith) and four brothers, Rod, Ray, Tom and Doug (predeceased) and appreciation of culture.He pursued a career as an attorney, then as an educator, becoming head of the Business Department at Salish Kootenai College, despite a self-proclaimed...
Clarence Brazil, 98
Clarence J. Brazil was born in Petaluma, Calif., on April 19, 1925, to parents John Brazil and Louise Brazil. He passed away in Polson on Nov. 29, 2023, at the age of 98. A memorial for Clarence is being held July 20, 2024, at 11 a.m. in the North Lake County Public Library Conference Room in Polson. Clarence’s friends are invited to attend. Light refreshments will be served. Clarence served in the Army Infantry during World War II. He was the lead mechanic in charge of a motor-pool unit in Hawaii and did communications work for Army Intelligence in the Pacific.He and...
Training offered July 24 for local government review
Montana State University Extension’s Local Government Center will provide support to the 43 municipalities – including Polson, Ronan and St. Ignatius – and 12 counties in Montana that are participating in the decennial local government review.The center will provide training for study commissioners, including an online training July 24, and support municipalities and counties through the process, according to MSU Extension Local Government Center Director Dan Clark.Clark said Local Government Center staff want to “take the mystery” out of what is expected of a study commissioner.Municipalities and counties across the state asked voters during the June primary election to decide...
Polson parade boasts nearly 50 entries
There were 47 entries in Polson’s Fourth of July parade – just shy of last year’s 52 entrants.“It did seem really huge this year,” said Lori Abramson, office manager for the Polson Chamber of Commerce, which sponsors both the parade and the fireworks display on July 3.A crowd favorite was clearly the standoff between the Redcoats and the Polson Minutemen that preceded the actual parade. The ragtag group of Minutemen were first dispersed near the Elks Club on Main Street by a barrage of firecrackers, shot from British muskets. They regrouped near the VFW and prevailed during the second skirmish,...
Sharon Jean Turner Hall (Snyder)
Sharon Jean Turner Hall (Snyder) passed away with family by her side on June 22, 2024, from a battle with metastasized colon cancer. Sharon was a loving, funny and beautiful person. She was there for her parents and siblings as they passed and her family was there for her.Sharon was born to Wayne Harold Snyder and Melva Pearl Snyder. She was the eighth of 14 children. She was raised on a dairy in Ronan where she was taught hard work and what family meant. She went to Ronan High School and graduated in 1964. She moved to Susanville, Calif., where she...
Arlee parade attracts 35 entries
This year’s Arlee Fourth of July parade had approximately 35 entries and a robust crew of spectators lining the parade route.Winners were: Grand Prize, Minecraft, an elaborate float by the Ivanoff family; Patriotic, Jim and Emmitt Pickens; Commercial, Fish Hatchery; Clubs and Organizations, Little Guy Wrestling; Native American Outfits: group – Dustin Shelby family, adult – N’kuusum, and youth – Little Miss Salish; Western, group – Picture Mountain Ponies, adult – Toni Hadley, and youth – Evelyn Clough; Novelty/Humorous: group – Jena Baumbach, adult – Matt Wetzel, youth – Kinsey Cable, and child – Oakley and Mia Cable; and Vehicle,...
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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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