12-03-25 issue

Holiday events planned throughout communities valley-wide

By Joyce Lobeck for the Valley Journal

MISSION VALLEY

— Communities are celebrating the holiday season with parades, festivals and other activities in Polson, Ronan and St. Ignatius in the next few weeks leading up to Christmas.

Polson

Polson’s annual Parade of Lights, a longtime favorite community event, takes place on Friday, December 5, starting at 6 p.m. with a mix of festive floats created by individuals, organizations and businesses. In addition to the parade, the event will include food vendors, late-night shopping and an appearance by Santa Claus, according to the Polson Chamber of Commerce. Helping Hands of Mission Valley will be present accepting donations through the organization’s green bucket campaign. Entry fee is $25. Sign up is still open online at polsonchamber.com/ events. Parade lineup

Community members gather on the county courthouse lawn in Polson for the annual Christmas tree lighting on Saturday, Nov. 29.

begins at 5 p.m. at the parade lineup location on 9th Avenue West south of Cherry Valley Elementary School. Enter from 2nd Street West. Entries are required to have walkers at each front wheel for safety.

The parade will take 9th Avenue West, turn left onto Main Street and continue to 3rd Avenue, then turn onto 1st Street West where it will disperse. Prizes will be awarded for Best of Parade, Most Humorous,

Best Lights and Most Creative.

For more information, call the chamber at 406883-5969.

St. Ignatius

The annual St. Ignatius Christmas Festival will take place on Saturday, Dec. 6, jam packed with fun activities from 5 to 8 p.m. at Good Old Days Park, said Darren Orr, a member of the St. Ignatius Chamber of Com-

SUMMER GODDARD / VALLEY JOURNAL PHOTO

holiday events

from page 1

merce.

The event will feature free chili, Sugar Shack with sweet treats, a couple live reindeer – “a big hit with the kids” - and raffles for such prizes as a television and gift cards to local businesses. There also will be a Christmas market with local vendors with such items for sale as jewelry, homemade Christmas items and gift items to provide for some Christmas shopping and supporting local vendors, Orr said. Vendors who want a booth should contact Orr to reserve a spot. The tree lighting ceremony will begin at 5:30 p.m., followed by free pictures with Santa sponsored by Valley Banks. The parade of lights will follow the tree lighting at 6 p.m., with parade participants to line up at Good Old Days Park. The parade will go through town, mostly on Main Street. No pre-reg-

istration is needed for parade entries. Orr noted that the parade is very popular and gets bigger every year.

There also will be a caroling trailer - everyone is welcome to join.

“The chamber started the festival a couple years ago to bring something new for residents,” Orr said. “The turnout has been amazing.”

Ronan

During Holiday Treasures, residents can collect tickets while shopping at Ronan businesses for a chance to win prize packages, said Dana Grant, coordinator for the longtime shopping local tradition. Until December 19, people shopping at participating local businesses will be given tickets that will be entered in drawings for prize packages. Prizes will include a gamut of things as well as “Chamber bucks” they can use like gift cards to purchase something they want.

The winning ticket will be drawn at the Ronan Visitors Center after the Parade of Lights on Friday, December 19. It will be a festive occasion, Grant said, with hot chocolate and goodies and an appearance by Santa and Mrs. Claus.

“People can wander over after the parade,” he said. “It’s a great time to gather, and an opportunity to get prizes.”

As for the Ronan Parade of Lights, it will kick off at 6 p.m. December 19. It’s a highlight of the holiday season for Ronan, noted Whitney

Liegakos, parade coordinator. Last year there were about 50 entries, including floats, walking groups, horseback riders and musicians.

“It’s well attended,” she said, with an estimated 400 people usually coming out to watch it.

Anyone can take part in the parade for free. Entries will line up at 5:30 p.m. behind St. Luke Hospital. From there, the parade will proceed east along Main Street, turn north on 1st Avenue SW, then west on Round Butte Road and return to the starting

point.

For more information about the parade, call 406- 833-0570 or email ronanchamber@gmail. com.

Other holiday events

For information about other upcoming holidays events in Lake County, see the community calendar online at polsonchamber.com/events.

Giving opportunities

Along with the holiday festivities, there also are opportunities to live generously. Volunteers for Helping Hands of

Mission Valley will be manning green buckets at various grocery stores and banks on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays during the holiday season to collect money to fund the many programs supported by the organization.

And Murdoch’s, in conjunction with Helping Hands, will be hosting a Holiday Hands Giving Tree at the store in Polson. People can select a tag and help fulfill a Christmas wish for a local child.

SUMMER GODDARD / VALLEY JOURNAL PHOTO

Lou and Tawni (her rescue horse), dressed up in festive colors, garland and lights for the annual tree lighting event to spread the message about their LES Haven blind horse rescue ranch. Rowan Goddard reaches up to pet Tawni after the tree is lit for the season.

FILE PHOTO

Live reindeer will once again be part of the annual St. Ignatius Christmas Festival planned for this Saturday, Dec. 6.

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MARTY HENSEL PHOTO low hanging clouds, cold day

The 2025 FLBS AIS Report: Montana’s AIS Team named Best in the West

News from Flathead Lake Biological Station

YELLOW BAY — For decades, the University of Montana’s Flathead Lake Biological Station (FLBS) has played a pivotal role in Montana’s vigilant and joint efforts to prevent the arrival and spread of aquatic invasive species (AIS) in Big Sky Country.

This year, FLBS and the entire Montana AIS early detection and prevention collaborative team were recognized by the Western Regional Panel on Aquatic Nuisance Species as “Best in the West” for their exceptional efforts in preventing the spread of invasive species.

The recognition is well-deserved. Once again, watercraft inspection stations worked tirelessly throughout the summer. Inspectors conducted over 119,000 inspections, a process that included the inspection of over 20,000 high risk boats and the decontamination of thirty-eight mussel-fouled watercraft.

FLBS AIS monitoring program, meanwhile, continued to expand the efficiency and effectiveness of AIS early detection—another critical line of AIS defense that is keeping our waters clean and blue for generations to come.

and Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP), FLBS AIS specialist Phil Matson and his team conducted three rounds of sample collection from thirty-one different sites around Flathead Lake.

FLBS scientists also conducted two rounds of sample collection from six additional Flathead Watershed lakes, including Swan Lake, Ashley Lake, Echo Lake, Little Bitterroot Lake, Lake Mary Ronan, and Hungry Horse Reservoir.

ting cleaned, drained, and dried—the invading mussels or other AIS are detected as early as possible. Accurate early detection plays a key role in the ability of stakeholders and managers to respond to the arrival of zebra or quagga mussels and prevent invasion.

No evidence of invasive mussels has been detected in any of the samples from the Flathead Watershed processed thus far.

introduction phase can make a profound impact,” said FLBS AIS specialist Phil Matson. “The earlier the detection, the better our odds are at limiting

the chance of establishment and eradicating that species before extensive spread takes place that we cannot contain.”

Partnering with the

This monitoring is to ensure that—should a mussel-infested boat somehow make it into our waters without get-

But the impact of the FLBS AIS program goes beyond sample collection. Matson and his team also

“Early detection of an invasive species in the

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Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT)

FILE PHOTO

FLBS educators and AIS specialists join representatives from CSKT, FWP, and more to provide hands-on learning opportunities for middle school students during a Mussel Walk in Polson.

“Prevention is the best strategy we have. Engaging and educating our youth not only fosters future protectors of our waters but also helps bring that message inside the home when those students share what they’ve learned around the dinner table.”

-FLBS AIS specialist Phil Matson

AIS team best in West

from page 5

provide impactful education and outreach opportunities sharing important information about the threats that AIS pose and the statewide efforts underway to prevent their spread.

In June, the FLBS AIS team hosted a day-long AIS training in conjunction with FWP. Participants from federal, tribal, and state agencies joined members of local watershed associations to learn native and non-native aquatic species identification, sampling techniques for microscopy and genetic detection techniques (i.e., PCR analysis), and environmental DNA best management protocols. Following the training, participants had the opportunity to join the FLBS AIS team during sampling events to put their newly acquired skills to go use.

FLBS educators and AIS specialists join representatives from CSKT, FWP, and more to provide hands-on learning opportunities for middle school students during a Mussel Walk in Polson, MT.

Additionally, FLBS AIS team member and Big Sky Watershed Corps member, Evan Youngblade, was a regular inspector at the Swan Lake watercraft inspection station run by the Swan Lakers watershed group, another strong partner in the battle against AIS. Evan worked side by side with Swan Lakers volunteers, including Swan Lakers President Jeff Kemp who was also rec-

ognized by the Western Regional Panel as “Best in the West” in 2025.

The FLBS AIS program also teamed up with our FLARE K-12 program, CSKT, and FWP to host the popular Mussel Walk and Lake Honoring events, which provide students from local K-12 schools the opportunity to learn about lake ecology and AIS prevention. This year over 250 students surveyed Flathead Lake beaches for mussels and other invasive species and gained a deeper respect for protection our aquatic resources.

“Prevention is the best strategy we have,” said Matson. “Engaging and educating our youth not only fosters future protectors of our waters but also helps bring that message inside the home when those students share what they’ve learned around the dinner table.”

Recently, Matson was reappointed to another four-year term as a citizen-at-large voting member on the Western Montana Conservation Commission, a State of Montana organization that identifies and addresses threats to the waters of the upper Columbia Basin, where he also serves as the AIS Committee Chair and sits on the Monitoring Committee.

“My hope is that our policy makers will continue to understand our collective prevention efforts are a business investment,” he said. “By supporting our conservation efforts, we ensure both the ecological and economic sustainability of our priceless natural resources.”

Jury trial scheduled for Nov. 6 fatal shooting in Polson

By Joyce Lobeck for the Valley Journal

POLSON — Ashley Whitmore, 33, will face a jury trial on March 9 in Lake County District Court on one charge of deliberate homicide in the shooting death of 39-year-old Adam Mowatt of Polson.

She was arraigned Nov. 20 in Lake County District Court before the Honorable John Mercer, where she pleaded not guilty to the charge. The defendant was present with Counsel Anthony Romamo, who indicated he was filling in while the Office of Public Defender appoints an attorney to represent her.

Whitmore remains in custody in the Lake County Detention Facility on a bond of $1 million. Her next hearing will be a pretrial conference on Jan. 29. By Montana law, the maximum penalty for deliberate homicide is life imprisonment or by imprisonment for a term of not less than 10 years, with the additional punishment of not less than 2 years for the use of a dangerous weapon.

According to a news release issued by the Polson Police Department, of-

ficers were dispatched to a residence at 1410 5th Avenue East at approximately 8:35 a.m. on Nov. 6 for reports of shots fired. Officers at the scene discovered Mowatt suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest. He was transported to St. Joseph Medical Center in Polson, where he was pronounced dead.

Following an investigation with other local law enforcement partners, Whitmore was taken into custody at the scene, a camper trailer, without incident. In a search of the premises, investigators located a 30-06 hunting rifle with a spent casing in the chamber.

According to court documents, the defendant while in custody had a phone call with a friend on Nov. 13. During that call, the defendant stated that: “He had beat me the night before. I was able to get away to a friend’s house. He decided to take that as an invitation to come find me that morning. I slammed the door in his face. He took that as an invitation to open the door, and I was just in fight or flight and at that point. He wasn’t backing down.”

HAM - TURKEY PRIME RIB

Christmas boxes and packages available. Gift cards are also a wonderful present!

MSU’s Can the Griz food drive collects

a record 1M+ pounds of food

MSU and Gallatin Valley communities donated 335,189 pounds of food and $683,424, resulting in a total this year of 1,018,613 pounds donated.

By Anne Cantrell, MSU News Service

BOZEMAN — Montana State University and Gallatin Valley communities donated the equivalent of more than one million pounds of food, a record amount, to the Gallatin Valley Food Bank and MSU’s Bounty of the Bridgers food pantry as part of the 26th annual Can the Griz food drive.

Can the Griz — and the corresponding Can the Cats food drive in Missoula — is an off-field competition between MSU and the University of Montana to see which school can collect the most donations for its local food bank. The competition is held each year as part of the celebration of the Brawl of the Wild football game between the two rival schools.

pounds donated to Can the Griz. The Can the Cats food drive in Missoula brought in the equivalent of 1,091,754 pounds of food for the Missoula Food Bank, Cleary said.

Many wonderful stocking stuffers to choose from! Jerky - Spices - Rubs - Oils - Hot Sauces

The previous record at MSU was set in 2021 with the equivalent of 654,126 pounds of food donated. MSU and the Gallatin Valley communities have won the competition 20 out of the 26 years it has been held.

This year, MSU and Gallatin Valley communities donated 335,189 pounds of food and $683,424, according to Kim Cleary in the MSU Office of Student Engagement, which coordinates Can the Griz. Pounds and dollars are added together for the contest, resulting in a total this year of 1,018,613

“While we didn’t bring home the title for Can the Griz this year, our community has still won,” Cleary said. “This food drive helps people in our community for months to come, and at a time when many of our neighbors might need extra support,

MSU PHOTO BY COLTER PETERSON

Can the Griz food drive volunteers, from left, Ryan Stoker, Kelly Kero, Tyler Pallen, Shari Eslinger and Tori Neary help gather donated goods during outside Safeway Thursday, Nov. 20, in Bozeman.

briefs

Join Helping Hands in supporting our community this Holiday Season

News from Helping Hands

POLSON — This holiday season, Helping Hands is inviting you to be part of our “Holiday Hands” Campaign. We are seeking volunteers to help man our green buckets, collecting donations that will directly support those in need within our community.

How You Can Help

Sign up for one or more volunteer shifts to oversee donation buckets at designated locations. Share this opportunity with your friends, neighbors, and community partners to help spread the word.

Every hour you volunteer helps make a meaningful impact on the lives of local families and individuals.

Sign Up Today

Please visit our website https://helpinghandsofmissionvalley.org/

food drive

from page 7

Can the Griz is even more impactful. The efforts that took place across the state are so inspiring, and I am so proud of each community for rallying around their food banks. We are already looking forward to

holiday-hands for a sign up link.

Thank you for your support. Together, we can make a real difference this holiday season. Thank you for considering volunteering with Helping Hands and for helping us bring hope and assistance to those who need it most.

Holiday Hands Giving Tree found at Murdoch’s

News from Helping Hands

POLSON — Murdoch’s in conjunction with Helping Hands will be hosting a Holiday Hands Giving Tree at Murdoch’s in Polson. Starting the day after Thanksgiving, come and grab a tag and help fulfill a Christmas wish for a local child.

If you are or know of a family who needs assistance this holiday season, reach out to us at 406883-0770. Please leave a clear message with a call back number.

Toys for Tots lists toy drop locations

News from Lake County Toys for

Tots

MISSION VALLEY

— Lake County Toys for Tots has several donation locations throughout the valley. In Polson – Ace Hardware, Bishop Insurance, Black Diamond Tattoo Studio, Delaney’s Landscape Center, Engel & Volkers, Glacier Bank, Lake City Bakery, Lake County Courthouse, Murdoch’s, Polson Chamber of Commerce, Polson City Hall, Super One Foods, Walmart, Walgreens and Whitefish Credit Union - In Ronan: Westland Seed, Ronan Harvest Foods, Mountain West Co-Op, Les Schwab Tires, Ace Hardware, Brew Thru Coffee. Bring the joy of Christmas to less fortunate children in our area by donating. Go to: polson-mt.toysfortots.org to request a toy, volunteer, donate online or become a toy drop location.

FOSTER CARE TRAINING

facing off for this cause again next year!”

The donations from Can the Griz will help the Gallatin Valley Food Bank, as well as the Bounty of the Bridgers food pantry, provide food for families in the community through the spring and summer. The Gallatin Valley

Food Bank is one of the HRDC Food and Nutrition Programs’ Initiatives. The Bounty of the Bridgers, housed in MSU Student Wellness, is a student-driven initiative to combat food waste and food insecurity on the MSU campus for students, faculty and staff.

Governor, First Lady Gianforte volunteer at Helena Food Share

Encourage support for Montana food banks

HELENA - On Nov. 25, Governor Greg Gianforte and First Lady Susan Gianforte joined staff and volunteers at Helena Food Share to help assemble meal packs distributed weekly to students and to encourage all Montanans to support their local food bank this holiday season.

“Helena Food Share and local food banks are fulfilling a critical need in our communities year-round and especially during the holiday season,” Gov. Gianforte said. “This Thanksgiving, I encourage Montanans to give what they can, including the gift of their time, to help neighbors in need.”

Helena Food Share was founded in 1987 and provides emergency food to over 1,500 Montanans each month. Through its “Kid Pack” program, the food share also serves more than 1,100 elementary school students each week, providing them with weekend nutrition bundles that are distributed in Helena, East Helena, Boulder, Basin, Canyon Creek, Augusta, and Lincoln.

During his visit, the governor helped pack the

bags that are set to be distributed next week and heard of the organization’s annual turkey drive. Each holiday season, Helena Food Share hosts the Turkey Challenge to ensure every family in the community has a meal on their table at Thanksgiving. This year’s drive resulted in meals benefiting over 3,200 families.

“Our volunteers and donors are the heart of Helena Food Share,” said Helena Food Share Executive Director Jor-

dan Evertz. “With the holiday season here, the need for nutritious food for many families and students is even greater. Donations and each volunteer make a real difference in our community.”

This holiday season, Helena Food Share is collecting the following items: canned pumpkin, yams, fruits or vegetables, evaporated milk, stuffing, broth, gravy, Jello, pudding, flour, sugar, frozen turkey breast, frozen turkey, or ham.

Lake County marriages, divorces for November Marriages

- Richard Bertram Chaffin and Sandra Kathleene Howell

- Jonathan Lee Hoskinson and Brenda Sue Groves

- Matthew Skellly and Shawn Quish

- Jacop Lelan Wayne and Robyn Kay Iron

- Sebastian Jeramiah Trujillo and Emily Yvonne Hird

- Daniel Frank Roland and Marsi Cecelia Danielsen

- Alicia M. Berfly and Kimberly Joy Wolfblack

- Mark Stephen Moran and Marlayna Marie Darling

Divorces

- Mark S. Warner and Joanne R. Warner

- Jeremy Rasmussen and Chimbecca R. Rasmussen (Roylance restored)

- David B. Smith and Keslie M. Smith (Couch restored)

- Maxwell J. Lacy and Toh-Awey B. Smith

- Kurt A. Grainger and Robin D. Grainger

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM ST. LUKE

The holidays are upon us. We hope you can find time this season to slow down, connect with loved ones, and reflect on the joy these special days bring.

News from the office of Governor Gianforte

COURTESY PHOTO

Governor Gianforte helps serve meal packs at Helena Food Share.

valley views

There will be a year

Theholidays are meant to be a joyous and celebratory time for the masses.

We jingle and we jangle. We carol and we herald. We send cards and decorate yards. We prep and we wrap. We elf on the shelf. We deck the halls and trim the tree with ornate balls. Our nights are bright with festive lights. We present presents. We travel to homes of loved ones to be reminded why we see them but once a year.

We celebrate a jolly elf in a Santa suit. We celebrate a baby born in a manger, swaddling clothes covering his birthday suit.

All this sounds giddy and fun, because most of it is.

Slices of Life

Jill Pertler, Syndicated columnist

And then there are the cookies! So many, many cookies.

Until it isn’t. Until you face The Year. The year where everything has changed and somehow the glitter of the season just isn’t shining as brightly as it used to. It may not even be shining at all. The year where grief overshadows the holiday hoopla and you decide, sadly, to simply sit this one out.

It will happen to too many of us. Maybe it already has happened to you. I hope not. Let me be the first to tell you: it’s okay to sit this one out. It’s okay to sit the next one out and the next and how ever

What would you do if you won the lottery?

There are various possible responses.  Many people would invest a large majority of those funds into something or somebody that they trust. Generally speaking, this is referred to as sound financial literacy.

many you need until you feel ready again.

It’s okay to take a break from the jolly to heal, because that is exactly what you are doing and what you need to do for yourself, right now.

There will be a year when you can’t send out cards, or your usual holiday letter, because it is too painful.

There will be a year when you simply can’t gather the stamina it takes to wrap presents, even though yours used to be the prettiest in the room.

There will be a year when the pain is so great that you can’t bring yourself to embrace the joy and the miracles of the season that everyone (everyone else!) seems so giddy about.

There will be a year, or

The state of Montana won the lottery in a sense by receiving an unexpected large windfall of tax revenue. Montana taxpayers didn’t purposefully with awareness just write a check for $6 billion dollars extra to the state in the last two biennium combined, it was simply a windfall of general fund discretionary dollars.

My conservative approach is / was to invest this back with people we trust to invest it wisely, Montana taxpayers. Sound economics recognizes that dollars are much more productively placed in the hands of citizens than dollars in the hands of gov-

even plural years and that is okay. Let me repeat. It is okay. Your response to your circumstances is okay. You, my friend, are doing your very best with the hand you have been dealt.

If you can’t complete the normal holiday festivities, give yourself grace. If you can’t roast the turkey or host the event or even attend the event – it is okay.

Try your best. You may not be able to stay the whole day, but perhaps you can make it through an hour or two. Give yourself permission to do whatever you can. And then tell yourself you are doing great because you did the best you could. Because for all of us, or most of us at least, there will be a year. And that is okay, or I

ernment. Furthermore citizens, after investing, will increase the future tax base creating a healthier future for everyone. This is called the differential in the multiplier effect of money.   Big government bureaucrats from both parties spent the vast majority of this lottery windfall, like stepping on a rake ... ouch. We need wiser legislators to guide our state on a long-term sustainable wise path. Conservative legislators have right answers but simply

hope you realize it will be okay, because when you are at the very bottom, there is only one way to go, and that is up.

Because after the really bad, on the bottom year, there will be a following year, when you see a light at the end of the tunnel. There will be a year when things seem a little bit easier – and brighter. There will be a year when your light shines again. There will be a year when life seems fresh again. New. Fun. And you will look back and be glad for where you are now, while appreciating what you went through then.

Because the years and the tides come and go and ebb and flow. And so do you. You rise and fall and then rise again – because you are a survivor.

This is your year to shine.

Jill Pertler is an award-winning syndicated columnist, published playwright and author. Don’t miss a slice; follow the Slices of Life page on Facebook.

LETTER POLICY

Letters to the editor are welcome. The content is the opinion of the letter writer and not the newspaper. The decision to publish letters is made by the editor. Letters must be 350 words or less. A writer will only be published twice per month. Letters may be edited for content or length, or may not be published if considered libelous, in poor taste, spiteful, self-promotional or of limited interest to the general readership. Space limitations also dictate when or if letters are published.

just don’t have enough votes to legislate. As a compromise last session on the house floor, I proposed one-third of the windfall be used for prisons etc. (more than enough) and one-third for other bill objectives (Way more than enough) and onethird back to our taxpayers. It didn’t have a chance, not enough votes. Thankfully conservatives did garner the votes to lower income tax rates to moderate

see page 11

Letters must be signed by the author and name, address and phone number must be included – phone number is for verification purposes only. Letters from organizations must include the name of at least one author. Please limit “thank you” letters to four people/organizations or less. Deadline is 5 p.m. Friday to publish the following week.

Opinions expressed in this section are not necessarily those of the newspaper.

the future revenue stream some.

Because our government lacks financial literacy it’d be better off if they didn’t win the “lottery.” OPM (other people’s money) can be addictive when the wrong people are in charge. Which brings me to property taxesthat’s a subject for my next letter.

We are at risk of weak legislators introducing a third tax, which will add octane to the government growth group, please don’t buy their rhetoric.

Question your candidates. Are they really financially literate? Where possible, examine their voting record. What would they do if they won the lottery?

Terry Falk Whitefish

Montana under siege: when the fox guards the henhouse

In 2023, an avalanche of out-of-state money drove home values through the roof. When the dust settled, roughly $270 million in property-tax burden had shifted onto regular Montana homeowners. A three-bedroom house in Billings was suddenly carrying a heavier relative load than the $30 million dollar mansions in the Yellowstone Club.

The seasonal jet-setting owners of these mansions take full advantage of our plowed roads, search and rescue operations, fire services, and hospitals while avoiding the Montana income taxes that pay for them. At the same time, huge corporations with out-of-state headquarters like BNSF, NorthWestern Energy, and the Billings’ refineries saw their property taxes drop by millions.

The 2025 Legislature fixed it. More than 375,000 Montana house-

holds—nearly 90 percent of primary residences— saw their 2025 tax bills stay flat or drop. Lawmakers simply moved part of the load back onto the giant out-of-state refineries, the utility monopoly, the railroad conglomerate, and the luxury second-home owners. That is textbook conservative governance: protect working families, make everyone pay their fair share, and keep Montana the only debt-free state in America.

The backlash was immediate, ferocious, and perfectly coordinated by the Montana Freedom Caucus and its allies - the Virginia-based, Kochlinked Americans for Prosperity and the “we don’t disclose our donors” Frontier Institute. Their targets aren’t liberals. It’s the Republican legislators who had the nerve to think independently and put Montanans ahead of out-of-state billionaires

and corporate boardrooms.

Leading the charge is the Freedom Caucus’ hand-picked enforcer: Montana Republican Party Chairman Art “Florida Man” Wittich. More than a decade ago, back in 2012, Wittich wrote in an email that was later leaked and published statewide: “We must help the purge along… Hopefully, a new phoenix will rise from the ashes.” That wasn’t a joke. It was a mission statement. Shortly after, he became the face of a bare-knuckle effort to cleanse the party of Republicans who wouldn’t

toe the most extreme line. Then came the consequences. Wittich was found liable for illegally coordinating with corporate-funded groups and paid what was, at the time, the largest dark-money coordination fine ever levied against a sitting Montana politician—$68,232. A fine that was unanimously upheld by the Montana Supreme Court. For most people, that would be the end of the story. For the Freedom Caucus, violating Montana’s campaign laws was a resume builder.

Twelve years later, the phoenix has risen. Fresh

off that dark-money judgment and now reportedly spending much of his time in Florida, Art Wittich has been recruited back, handed the party gavel, and put in charge of finishing the purge he promised in 2012. He personally runs a secret “Conservative Governance Committee”—no minutes, no membership list—whose entire purpose is to threaten, punish, and, if necessary, primary any Republican legislator who won’t vote the way the big donors and party bosses demand. Ask

Ross Fitzgerald, Retired Legislator and Current Chair of Teton County Republicans

Valley View

New research highlights subsurface impact of Yellowstone earthquakes

By Reagan Cotton MSU News Service

BOZEMAN – In Yellowstone National Park, earthquakes are an everyday occurrence whether humans feel them or not. In fact, data shows that as many as 3,000 quakes of various magnitudes occur in the park each year.

That regularity makes Yellowstone a perfect place to study the many impacts of seismic activity on ecosystems, said Montana State University professor Eric Boyd. In a new paper published this week in the journal PNAS Nexus , Boyd explores how Yellowstone’s earthquakes impact some of the planet’s earliest

fox guards henhouse

from page 11

around Helena how much time Chairman Wittich actually spends in Montana and you’ll get mostly eye-rolls and shrugs. Yet he now decides who is a “real” Republican.

The billionaire donors and corporate boardrooms behind this project are furious for three very specific reasons. First, their sweetheart property-tax windfall disappeared when the

lifeforms, and what such lifeforms could tell us about life on other planets.

“I think it’s one of the more significant findings that I have ever been a part of,” said Boyd, who has conducted research in Yellowstone for more than two decades as part of MSU’s Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology. “ There are hypotheses that microbial life originated in the subsurface 3.8 billion years ago. These microbes would have been dependent on chemical forms of energy stored in minerals. As the microbes consumed this energy, the minerals

Legislature made them pay closer to their fair share. When you’ve been the recipient of an enormous tax discount for years, basic fairness suddenly feels like persecution. Second, legislators invested surplus dollars in bridges, dams, levees, and rural water systems instead of mailing giant rebates to out-of-state ZIP codes. Rather than blow the surplus on onetime sugar highs and kick the can to our kids, the 2025 legislature did the responsible things that keep small towns

alive. Third, those same legislators blocked the Freedom Caucus push to turn Montana Supreme Court races into partisan auctions where billionaire money could buy gavels the same way it currently buys attack ads and seats in our elected bodies.

That’s why AFP is flooding your mailbox with “budget on fire” lies trying to convince you that investing in infrastructure is reckless. That’s why the Frontier Institute, a mouthpiece for billionaire oligarchs

with no donor transparency, keeps insisting your tax cut never happened and that shifting the burden back onto corporate monopolies and luxury second homes is somehow dangerous “social engineering.”

This isn’t left versus right. This is Montana versus wealthy outof-state interests. Real Montana conservatives believe families in places like Havre, Billings, Libby, and Miles City should not be forced to subsidize part-time billionaires who use

our services but never pay our income tax. We believe judges should apply the law, not run as partisan politicians whose courtrooms are campaign events. We believe a homeowner who lives here twelve months a year deserves at least as much respect as a jet owner who drops in for twelve days. Montana is under siege—not by liberals, but by the Freedom Caucus and its dark-money allies, using Republican Party machinery to price regular families out of

their own state. Back in 2012, Art Wittich wrote, “We must help the purge along… Hopefully, a new phoenix will rise from the ashes.” The phoenix has risen, all right—but it is acting a lot more like a buzzard positioning itself to feed on the carcass of Montana’s homeowners.

Do you stand with the people who live here year-round—or with the buzzard the Freedom Caucus is trying to drag from the ashes and convince us is a phoenix?

PHOTO BY KELLY GORHAM, MSU

Montana State University professor Eric Boyd pictured in the Norris Geyser Basin at Yellowstone National Park.

see page 13

New research

from page 12

would become depleted, and there’s simply no way such ecosystems could persist without a mechanism to replenish them.”

By fracturing and shearing rock, earthquakes allow fresh, reactive minerals to be exposed, Boyd said. While earthquakes are common nearly everywhere, they are particularly frequent in a volcanically active place like Yellowstone, making it a perfect location for the research.

“Eric’s investigation into how seismic activity shapes microbial communities in the Yellowstone ecosystem is yet another excellent example of his groundbreaking research exploring how microbial life persists and evolves in extreme environments,” said Jovanka Voyich, head of the Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, which is housed in MSU’s College of Agriculture. “The fact that MSU undergraduate and graduate students can take courses and receive mentorship from one of the world’s most prestigious geobiologists is a remarkable educational opportunity.”

Boyd is the lead author on the new paper, titled “ Seismic Shifts in the Geochemical and Microbial Composition of a Yellowstone Aquifer. ” The work brought

together extensive data on the underground systems of the national park, including measurements of thousands of earthquakes and explorations of the microbes that live beneath the surface, along with the chemicals that they need to survive. Early Earth, Boyd said, didn’t have an atmosphere like the one it has today, so radiation levels on the surface would have made it uninhabitable. For that reason, early life most likely originated underground. But how did it survive there?

That question has driven much of Boyd’s research, including this latest project, which was funded by a $1 million grant from the W.M. Keck Foundation awarded in 2020 Microbes underground don’t use air and sunlight to survive like plants, animals and people do; instead, they consume and process elements from the rocks around them to reproduce and evolve. Drawing those elements

out of the surrounding rocky environment requires an external driver. In Boyd’s newest discovery, that driver is earthquakes.

Because a substantial portion – as much as half, by some estimates – of Earth’s microbial biomass resides underground, Boyd said understanding how that life has sustained itself can give insights into not only how that life has evolved, but also the potential for where and how it could reside on other planets.

“If you perturb a system, there will be a response. If you want to understand how our systems work, you need to understand those responses,” he said. “So much of the biomass on Earth is microbial, and if you eliminated that, there would be no higher forms of life. It’s as simple as understanding the food that sustains the microbes that sustain you.”

While conducting research for the project, Boyd was at one point taking real-time mea -

surements of the microbes present in a deep well near Yellowstone Lake, noticing significantly higher levels of sulfur gases than he’d previously measured. When he later looked at the seismic logs for the same time, he realized the sampling had overlapped with the onset of an earthquake swarm, in which several small quakes converge over the same period.

Shaking and fracturing the rocks beneath, the seismic activity altered the supply of elements and nutrients the microbes need to thrive, setting off a chain reaction that resulted in a bloom that changed the microbial composition in the aquifer. For a period of several months, the microbes had much more of the food they needed to grow and reproduce. As the earthquake swarm ceased, the concentration of microbes and elements returned to previous levels.

Deepening understanding of these systems, Boyd said, has

RONAN COUNCIL VACANCY

The City of Ronan will be accepting applications to fill a term on the Ronan City Council. The term of appointment will commence on January 1, 2026 and expire December 31, 2029. In order to apply to fill the vacant City Council position a person must be a registered voter (U.S citizen age 18 or over). No Person is eligible for the office of council person unless he/she is a resident for at least 60 days. An applicant must reside in Ward 1. Ward 1 includes all that part of the City lying East of Highway 93. Application forms may be obtained at Ronan City Hall. We encourage eligible citizens to consider this opportunity to serve your community. City Council members are compensated $100.00 per month.

been the challenge and opportunity of his career. As it has been for decades, MSU remains a perfect place to study the fundamentals of life through its proximity to Yellowstone’s unique landscapes.

“Every single ecosystem on Earth is ultimately supported by microbes,” Boyd said. “They are the base of all ecosystems as moderators of the geochemical cycles that sustain plant, animal and human health. If half of that base that sustains all life on Earth is in the subsurface, then you better understand how that microbial base has sustained itself.”

Serving those in need this Christmas in Lake County

News from Sara Beksinski, Salvation Army

LAKE COUNTYThe Salvation Army in Polson has a proud tradition of bell ringing each Christmas season at RED kettles. The proceeds from kettles benefit Lake County’s people in need throughout the year. Thank you to the many donors for helping The Salvation Army carry out their mission of doing the most good. Each donation to an iconic Salvation Army RED kettle stays local to support Lake County neighborssee page 14

from page 13

$.84 of every donated $1 goes directly to emergency services for Lake County individuals or families. These generous donations provide hope throughout the year.

This Christmas, The Salvation Army is happy to host our RED kettle campaign at local Walmart stores, Safeway stores, Pablo Foods in Polson and Rod’s Harvest Foods in Saint Ignatius. Other sites are welcome to participate. We are grateful to St. Andrews Church for partnering with us on this effort. Would you like to help? If you or a group of individuals are interested in volunteer bell ringing for The Salvation Army to serve people in need, please contact The Reverend Jocelyn Snider at 406-360-6152. Also, you can make an online contribution at: www.salvationarmyusa.org/usa-western-territory/northwest/. All donations remain local based on zip code.

Are you or is someone you know struggling to make ends meet? There is hope this Christmas season. The Salvation Army emergency assistance program for fuel, food, prescriptions, rent / utility assistance and lodging is available at the Missions Church, 406-833-1056 or admin@polsonmission. church.

Montana Historical Society announces more funding for school field trips

News from The Montana Historical Society

HELENA — The Montana Historical Society is pleased to announce that applications are now open for the second wave of its History and Civics Travel Grant program. Thanks to generous support from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Montana, the Society has already awarded funding to 46 schools across 23 Montana counties—from Eureka to Hardin—making handson history accessible to students throughout the state.

The grants offset travel costs for public, private, and homeschool groups traveling to Helena, enabling students to experience Montana history and civics firsthand at the Montana Heritage Center.

“We were genuinely worried that we might not be able to make our annual

trip to Helena this year,” said Rachel Mosbacher, a teacher at Lewis and Clark Elementary in Missoula. “Thanks to this support, we can move forward with our plans. The students are going to be thrilled for this opportunity, and we’re so grateful for the experiences they’ll get to have.”

Mosbacher and her 70 fourth-grade students are scheduled to visit the Montana Heritage Center in May, where they’ll explore the Homeland Gallery’s hands-on exhibits and view cowboy artist

Charlie Russell’s paintings in the gallery bearing his name. Expert tour guides lead all field trips and can also arrange visits to the Montana Capitol and Original Governor’s Mansion.

“Connecting Montana students and teachers, particularly those in rural communities, to our shared stories of place, to artifacts, art, and architecture supports the work they do in their classrooms back home,” said Darby Bramble, Education Officer with the

Montana Historical Society. “This program makes place-based learning a reality for students who might otherwise not be able to afford the cost of transportation to Helena.”

Funding is available to schools traveling more than 50 miles one way to Helena. Application deadline is Monday, Jan. 4, at 5 p.m.

Hunting season down to final week

NW Montana check stations on par with last year

News from MT Fish, Wildlife & Parks

KALISPELL — The general deer and elk hunting season is down to the final week.

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks’ game check stations in northwest Montana have logged

more than 9,000 hunters through the first five weeks of the season, showing participation comparable to last year while harvest patterns continue to vary by species and location. Across the region, hunters checked 831 whitetailed deer, including 636 bucks, along with 71 mule deer and 46 elk. Overall, 10.5 percent of hunters reported harvesting game,

see page 15

almost identical to last year’s rate.

Check stations provide an index of hunter effort and harvest but represent only a sample of the total harvest across the region. Hunters are reminded that they must stop at any check station they encounter, whether they have harvested an animal or not.

The 2025 general deer and elk season runs through Nov. 30, with regional check stations open

on weekends from 10 a.m. to approximately 1.5 hours after sunset. Region 1 stations are located on U.S. Highway 2 west of Kalispell, Highway 83 north of Swan Lake, Highway 200 west of Thompson Falls, and Highway 93 near Olney.

Hunters still have opportunities into winter. Certain areas have continued elk hunting opportunities, and there’s also Montana’s Muzzleloader

To apply for the grant, or to schedule fieldtrips, applicants may complete a form at: https:// mhs-mt.libwizard.com/f/ 2026fieldtripgrant

For questions or for more information on field trips to the Montana Heritage Center and State Capitol, contact Darby Bramble at 406-444-2412 or darby.bramble2@mt.gov.

Heritage season for deer and elk, Dec. 13-21, 2025. As the season wraps up, hunters can thank Montana landowners for access and share stories through an online portal. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is offering this opportunity to say thank you to landowners who have provided access and helped to make your hunting season great. FWP will collect these

see page 15

Hunting

season from page 14

expressions of gratitude and share them with the specific landowners at the end of the season. Notes can be submitted online at https://fwp.mt.gov/ hunt/thank-a-landowner.

Chronic Wasting Disease

Hunters play an important role in helping Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks monitor chronic wasting disease (CWD). Testing is voluntary in most of northwest Montana, but mandatory for certain licenses near Libby, including the White-tailed Deer B License 199-20 in Hunting Districts 100, 103, and 104, and the Mule Deer Permit 103-50 in Hunting District 103.

Hunters can have animals sampled at CWD sampling stations, most FWP offices, or collect and mail samples themselves.

FWP strongly recommends obtaining a negative test result before processing or donating meat.

If the animal tests positive for CWD, FWP will advise the hunter on proper carcass and meat disposal and give instructions on how to request a replacement license.

landfill.

In northwest Montana, here’s how you can get your animal sampled this fall:

General Deer & Elk Season

Hunters may self-submit samples. Visit the Libby CWD Sampling Station, located at the Montana Department of Transportation shop on US Hwy 2. It will be open Saturdays, Sundays & Mondays, 10 a.m. – dusk.

Visit a game check station open on weekends

Visit the Region 1 office in Kalispell (490 N. Meridian) during business hours, Monday–Friday. Learn more about CWD at: https://fwp. mt.gov/conservation/ chronic-wasting-disease/ Muzzleloader Heritage Hunting Season

The Muzzleloader Heritage hunting season is Dec. 13-21, 2025.

Hunters should properly dispose of carcass waste to help prevent the spread of CWD and other diseases. Brain, spinal tissue, and other high-risk parts should be left at the kill site when possible or disposed of at a Class II

Many of Montana’s Wildlife Management Areas have seasonal closures from Dec. 2 through

May 14. Dates may vary depending on the site. Before heading to the field, hunters should review

the regulations for each hunting district they plan to hunt. A list of WMAs and seasonal closure

dates are available online at: https://fwp.mt.gov/ conservation/wildlife-management-areas.

Northwest Montana Check Station Results

Proud Community Partner

AUTUMN COLOR FRAMES

seniors

for a reservation. The cost is $30.

By Pete Mangels for the Valley Journal

POLSON - Snow, ice can be a real pain when you crash land. Be careful out there as you travel on ice and snow. Keep warm and save on heating bills by dressing in layers and keeping the heat in the inside. Drive with extra caution on bad roads or just stay home until travel is safer. Don’t let the Christmas rush - rush you.

Activities:

- Bingo: Fridays in December at 6 p.m. except Dec. 26 as the center will be closed for Christmas weekend. First Wednesday of each month only is “playing card” elimination style bingo at 6 p.m. Special Card bingo potluck will be played on New Year’s Eve from 6-10 p.m. -ish.

- Pinochle: Thursdays (standard) and Mondays (no pass) noon-3 p.m.

- Pool: open table from 8 a.m.-3 p.m.

- Toenail Clinic: Sign up for toenail clinic at the center. Call

- Spinning Wheelers: second and fourth Tuesdays of each month, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. - 208520-1013

- VSO (Veterans Service Officer): first Friday and third Tuesday of each month, 10 a.m.-noon - Walk-ins OK.

- Bridge and Mahjong groups: meet regularly at the center.

- Bowling fun-league: Tuesdays at 1 p.m. at the Sportspage Bowl.

- Exercise class (sitting, standing and low impact video assisted) M-W-F 10:30-11:30 a.m.

Menu (subject to substitutions):

Meals at the senior center for individuals who are under 60 years old are $5 if you qualify and $10 if you do not. MASTS forms must be on file in order receive a reduced price. Lunch is served from 11:45 a.m.12:30 p.m. Monday-Friday

- Wednesday, Dec. 3: Tatertot casserole, green beans, roll, mandarin oranges, butterscotch pudding

- Thursday, Dec. 4: hot turkey sandwich, mixed veggies, cranberry salad, lemon bars

- Friday, Dec. 5: pizza with pepperoni and pineapple, green salad, mixed veggies, pears, cookies

- Monday, Dec. 8: turkey noodle soup, zucchini bread, creamy peach salad, brownie

- Tuesday, Dec. 9: meatloaf, baked spud, green beans, coleslaw with pineapple, Julie’s cake

- Wednesday, Dec. 10: chicken pt pie biscuit baked apples, green salad, chocolate pudding

- Thursday, Dec. 11: baked fish, tots, baked beans, green salad, peaches, cookies

- Friday, Dec. 12: sausage links, gravy, biscuit, peas, melon, lemon pudding

Our Polson Senior Citizens Community Center provides space for individuals and groups to meet for physical and mental health, social and educational purposes. Our center is available for reserved special events on weekends and evenings. We are open from 8 a.m.–3 p.m. on weekdays, or later by appointment. Contact us at 406-883-4735; 504

3rd Ave. E; email: polsonseniorcenter@gmail.com; visit us on Facebook!

St. Ignatius

By Theresa Yares for the Valley Journal

ST. IGNATIUS - I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving, with family, friends, and of course, the food.

We will be at the 4H Holiday Bazaar on Saturday, Dec. 6, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m., at the St Ignatius School gym. We will be selling holiday craft items and baked goods. We will not be the only ones there; other vendors will be there as well. Please come.

Thank you to Ramona and Bud Lynch for donating a beef cow to the St. IgnatiusSenior Center. It is gratefully acknowledged, and very much appreciated. Thank you, Ramona and Bud.

The next bingo date is Saturday, Dec. 13.

Menu:

Friday, Dec. 5: burritos, French fries, pineapple, carrot

sticks, carrot cake

Tuesday, Dec. 9: sloppy joes, cottage cheese, cooked carrots, peanut butter cookies Friday, Dec. 12: chicken, mac-n-cheese, mixed fruit, biscuit, dessert

Everyone is welcome at our meals (young and old). Come enjoy a delicious meal and good conversation. If you would like a takeout meal, call 406-745-4462 by 10 a.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays and by 2 p.m. on the first and third Wednesdays of each month. Mealtimes are at noon on Tuesdays and Fridays and at 5:30 p.m. on the first and third Wednesdays of each month. Menus for the month are available in the entryway of the center. Our senior center is available for rent. If interested, call 406-745-4462 or stop by. If you have questions about obtaining Elder Commodities, call or stop by for information and pick up an application. Gentle Yoga is on Wednesdays from 1 to 2:15 p.m. If you are interested, call Bonnie Kiser at 406-253-0177. Her rate is five sessions for $65.

Carroll College Names Jennifer Glowienka, Ph.D., as 20th President

First woman appointed to the presidency in the college’s 116-year history

College is proud to announce the appointment of

Jennifer Glowienka, Ph.D., as its 20th president, effective July 1, 2026. This historic decision makes her the first woman to hold a fully appointed presidential role in the college’s 116year history. The selection received unanimous approval from the Carroll College Board of Trustees along with broad support from the Presidential

Search Committee representing trustees, faculty, staff, alumni, students, and community members.

“Dr. Glowienka embodies the values, mission, and future of Carroll College,” said Dr. Joyce Stewart ’79, Chair of the Board of Trustees and Co-Chair of the Presidential Search Committee. “Her deep understanding of higher

education, her compassion, and her unwavering commitment to the people of Carroll have been evident throughout her more than twenty years of service. She leads with humility, wisdom, and purpose, and has earned the confidence and respect of the Carroll community.”

As Co-President, Dr. Glowienka has demon-

strated strong, forward-looking leadership and a clear readiness to guide Carroll into its next chapter. Key stakeholders across the college community and diocese agreed that she is the right person to carry forward the Board’s renewed vision for Carroll. She understands

Polson

News from Carroll College

HELENA — Carroll

Dr. Jennifer Glowienka

16

the community, its mission, and its potential, and is well prepared for this pivotal moment in the college’s history.

“Dr. Glowienka has a real heart for Carroll College,” said Bishop Austin A. Vetter, Co-President of Carroll College and Bishop of the Diocese of Helena. “She’s wise, sincere, and faith-filled in how she leads. She listens well, brings people together, and always keeps what’s best for Carroll at the center. I truly believe the college’s future is bright with her guiding the way. Dr. Glowienka embodies what St. John

Paul II hoped, that ‘Carroll College is meant to be a beacon to the Church in the Northwest.’”

Dr. Glowienka first joined the Carroll faculty in 2003 as an Assistant Professor of Biology and quickly emerged as a respected campus leader. She went on to serve as Chair of the Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Assistant Dean of Instruction, and Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs before being appointed Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the College in 2021. In July 2025, she stepped into the role of Interim Co-President with Bishop Vetter, guiding the college with steady

leadership during a time of transition.

During this interim year, the co-presidency model between Dr. Glowienka and Bishop Vetter has provided stability and focus while emphasizing shared leadership and mission-driven stewardship. The Board of Trustees remains committed to honoring that model through July 2026, when Dr. Glowienka will assume the full presidency.

“I am deeply honored to be chosen as the 20th President of Carroll College, and I am humbled by the tremendous outpouring of support from the Carroll community. I have dedicated my professional career to this remarkable institution, which pre-

pares ethical leaders who engage the world with purpose and hope. I look forward to strengthening and expanding the ways Carroll fulfills its mission, serving learners across all stages of their educational journey. It has been a privilege to serve alongside Bishop Vetter over the past five months, and I look forward to continuing our strong partnership and shared leadership in the year ahead.”

Known for her thoughtful approach, data-informed decision-making, and passion for student success, Dr. Glowienka is well positioned to continue advancing Carroll’s academic excellence. She brings a proven record

OPEN HOUSE

WILDFIRE MITIGATION PLAN

Basin Electric recognizes that wildfire poses a threat to public safety and the reliable delivery of electricity across its service territory, including eastern Montana. The cooperative has developed a Wildfire Mitigation Plan that establishes a framework for prevention, preparedness, response, and continuous improvement.

The public is welcome to join Basin Electric at an open house in Sidney, MT, to learn about the Wildfire Mitigation Plan. Refreshments will be provided. The plan will be available for review on Basin Electric’s website seven days prior to the open house at the link below. Comments can be sent to publicnotice@bepc.com through 5 p.m. MST Dec. 19.

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 17 • 8-10 A.M. MST

Lower Yellowstone Rural Electric Cooperative 3200 West Holly St., Sidney, MT

LEARN MORE: https://bit.ly/Wildfire-Mitigation

of developing innovative graduate and professional programs, strengthening partnerships across Montana, and further deepening Carroll’s connections with the local and regional community.

Dr. Glowienka holds a Ph.D. in evolutionary botany from the University of Colorado at Boulder and a B.S. in biology from Boise State University. She was named the James J. Manion Endowed Professor in the Biological Sciences in 2018 and received Carroll’s Distinguished Scholar Award in 2008. Over her career, she has helped secure more than $1.5 million in external research grants and has played a key role in obtaining funding for

infrastructure projects and programmatic startup costs, strengthening Carroll’s academic offerings and long-term institutional capacity. Her service as Carroll’s accreditation liaison officer further reflects her deep commitment to advancing the college’s Catholic, liberal arts mission.

Founded in 1909, Carroll College is a private, Catholic liberal arts college located in Helena, Montana. Guided by its motto, non scholae sed vitae, “Not for school, but for life,” Carroll is recognized for academic excellence, hands-on learning, and a strong sense of community rooted in faith and service.

Wednesday, Dec. 3

Free meditation class offered

POLSON - Join the Mission Mountain Zen Center on Wednesdays for online instruction, practice and discussion via Zoom and in-person. The classes will be from 6 to 7:30 p.m. We will cultivate and deepen our centering skills and meditation practice during the class. For more information and a Zoom link to the class call Zenku at 847-721-0665 or email at: Jerry.Smyers@ gmail.com. Go to: www. missionmountainzen. org for more information.

Thursday, Dec. 4

Toddler Time held at library

POLSON - The Polson Library holds Toddler Time at 10 a.m. on Thursdays. This program is for 2-3 year olds and is all about movement.

Story Time begins at library

POLSON - The Polson Library holds Story Time at 2 p.m. This program focuses on 3-5 year olds and includes stories and activities for kindergarten readiness. Theme for this week is daytime/nighttime.

Friday, Dec. 5

Learn music recording, engineering

ARLEE - The Arlee Community Development

Santa rides again

Corporation is sponsoring a series of classes on music recording and engineering, taught by musician and music educator Andre Floyd. Arlee High School students are invited to sign up for this fun, hands-on experience in learning how to make professional-sounding music recordings. The classes will meet twice a month on Fridays, 9 to 11 a.m., with two sessions offered. Session one will meet from Dec. 5 through Feb. 20, and session two will be from March 6 through May 15. To sign up, call Andre at 406-890-8559.

Watch Polson Parade of Lights

POLSON - Fill Main Street to watch the festive floats from local businesses, community groups & individuals, each creatively decorated for the season, starting at 6 p.m.

Little ones love Mother Goose

POLSON - The Polson Library’s Mother Goose Program is held on Fridays at 10 a.m. for 0-24 month olds.

Saturday, Dec. 6

Business discussed at MV Degenerative Disease meeting

RONAN - The Mission Valley Degenerative Disease Group will meet on Saturday, Dec. 6, at 1 p.m. in the Cottonwood Conference Room at St. Luke Community Health Care, 107 6th Ave. SE. Please attend to discuss important business. For more information call Monte at 406-2533484.

the Year. Her international selections include Cold December Flies Away a Catalonian carol and Pata-Pan, a French Burgundian carol. The concerts are free and welcoming to all. A free-will offering will be taken to help the choir with music expense. For information contact 406-261-3304 or 406260-6103 or go to the MVCS website: missionvalleychoralsociety.org or their Facebook page.

Good Shepherd holds Holiday Bazaar

POLSON - Good Shepherd Church will hold their Holiday Bazaar on Saturday, Dec. 6, from 9 a.m.- 3 p.m. Purchase handmade crafts, Christmas decorations, musthave items, and gifts along with cookies and treats.

Saturday Story Time held

MV Choral Society sings

ST. IGNATIUSMark your calendars for the Mission Valley Choral Society Holiday Concert weekend featuring Copeland Memorial Bell Ringers with a drummer, flutist and cellist. The first concert is at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 6, at the St. Ignatius Mission. Director Cathy Gillhouse has selected traditional and contemporary songs from Handel’s Messiah mixed with Breath of Heaven by Amy Grant and It’s the Most Wonderful Time of

POLSON - This program is held at 10 a.m. and is a repeat of the Thursday theme and is focused on 3-5 year olds. We read stories and have activities for kindergarten readiness. Theme for this week is daytime/nighttime.

St. Ignatius holds Christmas Festival

ST. IGNATIUSFrom 5- 8 p.m. at Good Old Days Park enjoy a chili feed, raffle, sugar shack, live reindeer and a tree lighting at 5:30 p.m. This festival will also include face painting, a craft fair, free Santa pictures courtesy of Valley Banks, and a parade of lights

COURTESY PHOTO

Santa leads the way into the holiday season atop the Ronan Fire Department’s ladder during a previous year’s Ronan Parade of Lights.

Calendar

from page 18 at 6 p.m. There will be a caroling trailer for all ... line up at the Good Old Days Park.

Sunday, Dec. 7

MV Choral Society sings

POLSON - Mark your calendars for the Mission Valley Choral Society Holiday Concert weekend featuring Copeland Memorial Bell Ringers with a drummer, flutist and cellist. The second concert is at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 6, at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Polson.

See music selections in Saturday’s concert announcement.

Tuesday, Dec. 9

Color winter wonderland

POLSON - The Polson Library will host an adult coloring program entitled “Wintr Wonderland” on Tuesday, Dec. 9, at 10:30 a.m. Join us for another fun and “chill” program with Stephanie. Coloring supplies are provided or bring your own.

Polson Review Study Commission to meet

POLSON - The Local Government Review Study Commission will meet from 3-4 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 9, at 106 First Street, E. Call 406-883-8200 for more information. Old Crow Medicine Show Coming to Wachholz College Center Oct. 9.

Irrigators to meet for final meeting of 2025

RONAN - Flathead Irrigation Commissioners voted to combine the November and December meeting into a Dec. 9 meeting at 1 p.m. at Mission West Community Development Partners, (upstairs), 407 Main Street, SW. Join us.

Wednesday, Dec. 10

Library closed for training

POLSON - The Polson Library will be closed form 9 a.m.-1 p.m. for staff training and will open at 1 p.m. The Joyful Cup will be open regular hours.

Learn about winter on Flathead Lake

POLSON - Kelly Minear from the Flathead Biological Station will have some fun visuals a/ demonstrations relating to water density and Flathead Lake freezing over at the Polson Library on Wednesday, Dec. 10, at 4 p.m.

Free meditation class offered

POLSON - Join the Mission Mountain Zen Center on Wednesdays for online instruction, practice and discussion via Zoom and in-person. The classes will be from 6 to 7:30 p.m. We will cultivate and deepen our centering skills and meditation practice during the class. For more information and a Zoom link to the class call Zenku at 847-721-0665 or email at: Jerry.Smyers@ gmail.com. Go to: www. missionmountainzen. org for more information.

Thursday, Dec. 11

Toddler Time held at library

POLSON - The Polson Library holds Toddler Time at 10 a.m. on Thursdays. This program is for 2-3 year olds and is all about movement.

Story Time begins at library

POLSON - The Polson Library holds Story Time at 2 p.m. This program focuses on 3-5 year olds and includes stories and activities for kindergarten readiness. Watch the library website for weekly theme updates.

Friday, Dec. 12

Board Game Club to meet

POLSON - Board Game Day at Polson Library takes place on Friday, Dec. 12, at 4 p.m. This is for all ages and a selection of games is available or bring your own. We will meet the second Friday of each month at 4 until 5:30 p.m. in the teen area of the library.

Little ones love Mother Goose

POLSON - The Polson Library’s Mother Goose Program is held on Fridays at 10 a.m. for 0-24 month olds.

Saturday, Dec. 13

Saturday Story Time held

POLSON - This program is held at 10 a.m. and is a repeat of the Thursday theme and is focused on

3-5 year olds. We read stories and have activities for kindergarten readiness.

Monday, Dec. 15

Early bird Dribble Challenge deadline

MONTANA - The 127 Sports Intensity and the Fairfield Basketball Club are launching the 4th annual Dribble Challenge, an at-home ball-handling program for boys and girls in grades 1-12 across Montana and surrounding states. The challenge runs from Jan. 1-Feb. 28, 2026, and focuses on daily dribbling, consistency and skill development. Early bird registration fee is $20 through Dec. 15, 2025. Regular registration is $25 through Dec. 29, 2025, and late registration goes through Jan. 31, 2026, for $30. Families can register at: www.fairfieldbasketballclub.com by selecting the “Dribble Challenge” option.

Wednesday, Dec. 17

Free meditation class offered

POLSON - Join the Mission Mountain Zen Center on Wednesdays for online instruction, practice and discussion via Zoom and in-person. The classes will be from 6 to 7:30 p.m. We will cultivate and deepen our centering skills and meditation practice during the class. For more information and a Zoom link to the class call Zenku at 847-721-0665 or email at: Jerry.Smyers@ gmail.com. Go to: www. missionmountainzen.

public meetings

The Polson City Commission meets every first and third Monday of the month (Wednesday, if the Monday falls on a holiday) at 7 p.m. at City Hall, 106 1st Street East. Meetings are open to the public.

St. Ignatius City Council meets the second Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 12 First Ave. 406- 745-3791

Ronan City Council meetings are held on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month at 6 p.m., 207 Main Street SW, Ste A. 406-676-4231

Lake County Commissioners , 106 Fourth Ave. E, room 211, (Lake County Courthouse) 406-883-7278, Monday-Thursday 10 a.m.-12 p.m. & 1:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m.

The Lake County Conservation District , 64352 US HWY 93, Ronan, meets monthly on the second Thursday of the month at 6:30 p.m. Meetings are open to the public and agendas may be found at LakeCountyConservationDistrict.org.

The Ronan School District No. 30 Board of Trustees have regularly scheduled board meetings once a month. They meet the second Monday of every month in the K. William Harvey Elementary Multi-Purpose Room. Regular meetings begin at 7 p.m.

The Polson School District No. 23 Board of Trustees have regularly scheduled board meetings once a month. Meetings are held the second Monday of each month from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the District Office, 111 4th Ave. E, 406-883-6345.

The Charlo School District 7J B Board of Trustees have regularly scheduled meetings on the third Thursday of every month. Meetings are held in the school library, 404 1st Ave. W, and begin at 7 p.m. The phone number is 406-6442206.

The Arlee School District No. 8 Board of Trustees hold regularly scheduled meetings on the second Tuesday of each month. Meetings are held in the Arlee High School Library, 72220 Fyant Street, and begin at 6:30 p.m. The phone number is 406-726-3216.

Valley View Elementary is located at 42448 Valley View Road. The phone number is 406-8832208.

St. Ignatius School District No. 28 Board of Trustees meetings are held the third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. in the library, 76 Third Avenue. The phone number is 406-745-3811.

PUZZLES

Early Holiday Deadlines

For the Dec. 24 and 31 issues: All advertising and news submission deadlines are 2 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 17 for the Dec. 24 issue and 2 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 23 for the Dec. 31 issue.

Thank you for your adherence to these deadlines and Happy Holidays to you and yours!

classifieds

Announcements

Auctions

Since 2009! Serving Missoula, Missoula County, Hamilton and the Bitterroot Valley, Salmon, Idaho, Clark Fork and Mission Valleys, Potomac area, Hwy 200, Seeley Lake and Hwy 83, Lake, Mineral, Sanders, Deer Lodge, Powell County, Dillon and western Montana from St Regis to Butte, Kalispell to Darby!

Email newsletter signup, photos and maps at: www.bluejayestatesales.com

!!UNLESS NOTED!! ALL SALES START: DAY ONE 3:30-5:30 FOLLOWING DAYS 9-12

Numbers to keep place in line for Day One given FOR PEOPLE IN LINE at 1:30 pm at sale address. Two per person. Numbers optional, not required, just a convenience courtesy. No numbers needed for following day.

Dec 12-13, Friday-Saturday. St Ignatius. 317 2nd Ave. Household, tools, shop, sporting goods, some collectibles and antiques, boxes to go through, more!

JOHNCO STORAGE: Public sale December 3rd, 2025 at 2:00 pm at 808 7th Street East, Polson. Sell to highest bidder for CASH OR CERTIFIED CHECK ONLY, contents of unit 126 and 73. Units are subject to redemption prior to sale time. 406-883-5405.

Events

Join us for a “Real country Christmas at a Real Country Store” Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 6th & 7th, 9-5 both days. Antiques and Collectibles at special sale prices. Celebrate the season in Virgelle, Montana. www. virgellemontana.com 800426-2926 / 406-378-3110

Special Notices

Get a break on your taxes! Donate your car, truck, or

SUV to assist the blind and visually impaired. Arrange a swift, no-cost vehicle pickup and secure a generous tax credit for 2025. Call Heritage for the Blind Today at 1-855901-2620 today!

Portable Oxygen Concentrator May Be Covered by Medicare! Reclaim independence and mobility with the compact design and long-lasting battery of Inogen One. Free information kit! Call 855-762-1508

Safe Step. North America’s #1 Walk-In Tub. Comprehensive lifetime warranty. Top-of-the-line installation and service. Now featuring our FREE shower package and $1600 Off for a limited time! Call today! Financing available. Call Safe Step 1-855-601-2865

Employment

Help wanted

INFORMATION AND EDUCATION PROGRAM MANAGER

DIVISION OF ENGINEERING & WATER RESOURCES (DEWR) COMPLEX RONAN, MT - NATURAL RESOURCES DEPARTMENT

Are you a skilled communicator with a passion for outreach and education?

The Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes are searching for an Information and Education Program Manager to join our innovative and collaborative team. Make a meaningful impact in our community - learn more and apply at cskt.org/personnel. The Information and Education Program Manager is a full-time, professional-level position working in the Tribes’ Natural Resources Department within the Division of Engineering and Water Resources. This position reports directly to the Division Manager for Engineering & Water Resources. The Program Manager is responsible for developing, implementing, and managing comprehensive information and educational

programs that promote the Division’s mission, projects, and initiatives. Other duties as assigned will include working with the Division Manager and/or Department Head on specific public information, education, or involvement tasks. The successful applicant must possess an undergraduate degree in communications, journalism, education, engineering, or a natural resource management field, with a minimum of three (3) years of combined experience in these fields. A graduate degree is preferred and would count towards two of these years’ experience; must have a strong understanding of media operations and public relations best practices, along with superior skills in written and oral communication, developing news releases, feature and human-interest stories, radio and television announcements and organizing and facilitating public meetings. Basic knowledge of relevant Tribal, Federal, and State regulations and laws, and of Tribal cultures and traditions preferred. Must have a valid driver’s license. Required to successfully complete a certified defensive driving course approved by the Department. Must wear Tribal Government identification and safety apparel when conducting field activities. FAILURE TO SUBMIT THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION WILL RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION DURING THE SCREENING PROCESS. All applicants are required to submit a Tribal Employment Application (Resumes may be submitted but may not replace or supplement the official Tribal Employment Application), copies of relevant academic transcripts and/or certificates, copy of valid driver’s license, if applicable, please submit proof of Enrollment from a Federally recognized tribe if other than CSKT, and if claiming Veteran’s preference, a copy of DD214 must be submitted. This position is not a Testing Designated Position (TDP) within the definition of the CSKT Drug Testing policy. The successful applicant, if not already em-

ployed by CSKT must pass pre-hire drug test and serve a mandatory six (6) month probationary period. Salary range is $31.72 - $36.46 per hour (Including Benefits: Health and Life Insurance, Retirement, Long-term Disability, and PTO & Paid Holidays, and a collaborative team environment). To apply, contact Personnel at 406/675-2700 Ext. 1040. Tribal Employment Applications are also available online at cskt.org/personnel. This position will close on Monday, December 22, 2025 at 5:30pm.

PLEASE CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION: Casey Ryan, Compact Program Officer at 406-675-2700 Ext. 6207, or Email:casey. ryan@cskt.org INTERESTED AND QUALIFIED APPLICANTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY! CSKT IS A TRIBAL MEMBER PREFERENCE EMPLOYER.

GIS ANALYST

DIVISION OF ENGINEERING & WATER RESOURCES (DEWR) KH OFFICERONAN, MT NATURAL RESOURCES DEPARTMENT

Are you a skilled GIS professional who thrives in a collaborative environment where your geospatial skills can make a difference?

The Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes are searching for a GIS Analyst to join our innovative and purpose-driven team. Make a meaningful impact in our community - learn more and apply at cskt.org/personnel.

The GIS Analyst is a full-time, highly technical, professional- level position working in the Tribes’ Natural Resources Department in the Division of Engineering and Water Resources (DEWR). The successful applicant will serve as the primary geospatial analyst and GIS resource for the Division, and will work within the Information Technology Services and Support Group under the direct supervision of the Division Manager. The successful applicant must possess a Master’s of Arts or Master’s of Science with three (3) years of relevant

professional-level experience or Bachelor’s of Arts or Bachelor’s of Science with a minimum of five (5) years of relevant professional- level experience. Education must be in the field of GIS and Geospatial Analysis, Geography, Forestry, Water Resources, or a closely related Natural Resources field. Exposure and emphasis on water resources is preferred. Education and experience must demonstrate focus on GIS and Geospatial Analysis, analytical aptitude, and ability to work interactively in a team setting. Must be able to work 40 hours a week, with additional time and evenings and/or weekends when necessary. Requires prolonged sitting, some bending, lifting, and stooping at times. Must have a valid State driver’s license with the ability to secure a current State of Montana driver’s license within six (6) months. Must have liability or full coverage insurance on personal vehicle (if used to travel offsite in performance of duties) and a dependable vehicle for transportation on and off job duty station. Is required to wear CSKT safety apparel as necessary. Required to successfully complete a certified defensive driving course approved by the Department. FAILURE TO SUBMIT THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION WILL RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION DURING THE SCREENING PROCESS. All applicants are required to submit a Tribal Employment Application (Resumes may be submitted but may not replace or supplement the official Tribal Employment Application), copies of relevant academic transcripts and/or certificates, copy of valid driver’s license, proof of enrollment from a Federally recognized Tribe if other than CSKT, and if claiming Veteran’s preference, a copy of DD214 must be submitted. This position is not a Testing Designated Position (TDP) within the definition of the CSKT Drug Testing policy. The successful applicant, if not already employed by CSKT, must pass pre-hire drug test and serve a mandatory six (6)

month probationary period. Salary range is $24.02$27.61 per hour (Including Comprehensive Benefits: Health and Life Insurance, Retirement, Long-term Disability, Paid Time Off, Paid Holidays, and an energizing work environment). To apply, contact Personnel at 406/675-2700 Ext. 1040. Tribal Employment Applications are also available online at cskt.org/personnel. This position will close on Monday, December 22, 2025 at 5:30pm.

PLEASE CONTACT US FOR

MORE INFORMATION:

Casey Ryan, Division Manager-DEWR at 406/675-2700 Ext. 6207, or Email: casey.ryan@cskt.org. INTERESTED AND QUALIFIED APPLICANTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY! CSKT IS A TRIBAL MEMBER PREFERENCE EMPLOYER.

PUBLIC HEALTH EDUCATOR - Polson TRIBAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT

The successful applicant must have an Associate’s Degree in a health-related field with a minimum of two years’ working in a public health, community health, or health care setting. Documented experience providing education to individuals, families, and groups. Valid and unrestricted driver’s license. Heartsaver CPR or BLS within six months of hire. All applicants must submit a Tribal application, a copy of academic transcripts, certifications, proof of state licensure, copy of valid driver’s license, if claiming Tribal preference, proof of enrollment from a federally recognized Tribe if other than CSKT, and if claiming veteran’s preference, a copy of the DD214 must be submitted. FAILURE TO SUBMIT ALL OF THE ABOVE INFORMATION WILL RESULT IN IMMEDIATE DISQUALIFICATION DURING THE SCREENING PROCESS. This position is a Testing Designated Position (TDP) within the definition of the CSKT Drug Testing policy. The successful

classifieds

Help wanted

cont’d from pg. 21

applicant, if not already employed by the Tribes must pass a pre-hire drug test, subject to random testing, and serve a mandatory six (6) month probationary period. Salary is $22.37 - $25.71 per hour, plus benefits, may be employed under contract. To apply, contact Personnel at (406) 675-2700 Ext. 1040 or personnel@cskt.org. Tribal applications are also available online at csktribes.org. The closing date will be Monday, December 15, 2025, at 5:30 p.m. (MST)

CSKT IS A TRIBAL MEMBER PREFERENCE EMPLOYER.

CIVIL ENGINEER TECHNICIAN ROADS PROGRAM/DEWR

KH OFFICE – RONAN, MT DIVISION OF ENGINEERING & WATER RESOURCES

NATURAL RESOURCES DEPARTMENT

The Civil Engineer Technician position is a full-time specialized technical position, with responsibilities and duties associated with the computeraided design work and construction monitoring of road construction projects for the Tribal Roads Program. Successful applicant is required to have an Associate’s degree in Civil Engineering Technology or related field OR two (2) years of increasingly responsible work in engineering design, planning, maintenance or management, or equivalent formal training beyond an Associate’s degree in one of these areas. Must have a high degree of skill in organizing and analyzing data; interpreting maps, plats aerial photography, Geographic Information Systems (GIS); and in drafting technical documents including plans, maps and reports, as well as the operation of CADD or other software. Possession of a valid driver’s license with the ability to obtain a Montana driver’s license within six (6) months. Must have liability or full coverage insurance on personal vehicle

(if used to travel off-site in performance of duties). Also, must successfully complete a certified defensive driving course approved by the department, and wear Tribal Government identification and safety apparel while conducting field activities. FAILURE TO SUBMIT THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION WILL RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION DURING THE SCREENING PROCESS. All applicants are required to submit a Tribal Employment Application (Resumes may be submitted but may not replace or supplement the official Tribal Employment Application), copies of relevant academic transcripts and/or certificates, copy of valid driver’s license, if applicable, please submit proof of enrollment from a Federally recognized Tribe if other than CSKT, and if claiming veteran’s preference, a copy of DD214 must be submitted. This position is not a Testing Designated Position(TDP) within the definition of the CSKT Drug Testing policy. The successful applicant, if not already employed by CSKT must pass a pre-hire drug test and serve a mandatory six (6) month probationary period. Salary range is $21.36 to $24.55 per hour, including Benefits: Health Insurance, Life Insurance, Retirement, Long-term Disability, and PTO & Paid Holidays. To apply, contact Personnel at 406/675-2700 Ext. 1040. FOR MORE INFO: Contact Scott Johnston - Roads Program Manager at 406/675-2700 Ext. 6202. Tribal employment applications are also available online at cskt.org/personnel. This position will close on Monday, December 15, 2025 at 5:30 pm. CSKT IS A TRIBAL MEMBER PREFERENCE EMPLOYER.

WIC PROGRAM MANAGER

TRIBAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT

Rotating Mission, Ronan, Arlee

Education: A bachelor’s degree in nutrition science from an accredited college or university with a valid

and unrestricted license in the state of Montana, Or a bachelor’s degree in nursing, health promotion, health education, health and human development, community health, early child development, exercise science, family and consumer sciences, or home economics WITH six (6) or more college credit hours in food and nutrition appropriate to the WIC population completed within the last ten (10) years unless applicant has been working the Nutrition Field (examples include basic nutrition, nutrition in life cycle, community nutrition, and nutrition and disease) AND Successful completion of an anatomy/physiology series of coursework completed within the last ten (10) years unless applicant has been working in the Health Field And Certified Lactation Counselor within 6 months of hire

Experience:Two years’ supervisory experience, preferred, one year working in Maternal/ Child Health, preferred experience managing budget. All applicants must submit a Tribal application, a copy of academic transcript/degree, certifications, copy of valid driver’s license, if claiming Tribal preference, proof of enrollment from a federally recognized Tribe if other than CSKT, and if claiming veteran’s preference, a copy of the DD214 must be submitted.

FAILURE TO SUBMIT ALL OF THE ABOVE INFORMATION WILL RESULT IN DISQUALIFI- CATION DURING THE SCREENING PROCESS. This position is a Testing Designated Position (TDP) within the definition of the CSKT Drug Testing policy and subject to random drug testing. The successful applicant, if not already employed by the Tribes must pass a pre-hire drug test and serve a mandatory six (6) month probationary period. Salary $26.79 - $30.79 per hour plus benefits, may be employed under contract.

To apply, contact Personnel at (406) 675-2700 Ext. 1040 or personnel@cskt.org. Tribal applications are also available online at cskt.org/personnel. The closing date will be Monday, December 15, 2025, at 5:30 p.m. (MST)

CSKT IS A TRIBAL MEMBER PREFERENCE EMPLOYER.

Eagle Bank is committed to full-service community banking – where we believe in ... Lifetime Service ~ Lifetime Friendship. We have an opportunity for you to join the Eagle Bank Team as a Loan Processor. A Loan Processor is primarily responsible for boarding, auditing, and maintaining loan files in addition to processing loan payments and draw requests for various types of loans. Experience is

preferred. This is a full time 40 hours per week on site position with competitive pay and benefits.

To apply send your resume to HR@eaglebankmt.com

Location – Eagle Bank – 80 Heritage Lane, Polson MT Salary – Depending on experience and/or education.

In accordance with the Indian Self-Determination Act, P.L. 93-638, and the mission of Eagle Bank to serve the Flathead Reservation communities, preference will be given in hiring for suitably qualified Native Americans in the following order: 1 Enrolled members of CSKT; 2 Enrolled members of other federally recognized Native American or Alaska Native Tribes; 3 All other applicants.

Eagle Bank is committed to full-service community banking – where we believe in ... Lifetime Service ~ Lifetime Friendship. We have an opportunity for you to join the Eagle Bank Team as a Senior Real Estate Loan Processor. A Senior Real Estate Loan Processor is responsible for overseeing the entire mortgage loan process from initial intake to closing, which includes collecting, reviewing, updating systems, managing timelines and documentation to include federal and state required disclosures, prepare closing documents, ensuring

Puzzle Answers

compliance, and communicating with all parties involved. Also acts as a liaison between the borrower, loan officer, underwriter, and other third parties. As a senior-level position, it also requires handling a high-volume pipeline, prioritizing workflow, and often includes mentoring junior processors and resolving escalations. This is a full time 40 hours per week on site position with competitive pay and benefits.

To apply send your resume to HR@eaglebankmt.com

Location – Eagle Bank – 80 Heritage Lane, Polson MT Salary – Depending on experience and/or education. In accordance with the Indian Self-Determination Act, P.L. 93-638, and the mission of Eagle Bank to serve the Flathead Reservation communities, preference will be given in hiring for suitably qualified Native Americans in the following order: 1 Enrolled members of CSKT; 2 Enrolled members of other federally recognized Native American or Alaska Native Tribes; 3 All other applicants.

HIGHWAY COORDINATOR ROADS PROGRAM/DEWR KH OFFICE – RONAN, MT DIVISION OF ENGINEERING & WATER RESOURCES NATURAL RESOURCES

Word Search Answers

DEPARTMENT

The Highway Coordinator is a professional, full-time position responsible for coordinating and managing Tribal involvement, facilitating the planning, development, operations, maintenance and construction in highway projects as identified in the Memorandum of Understanding between the Tribes and the Montana Department of Transportation (MDOT). This includes Project Specific Agreements (PSA) that have been negotiated between the Tribes and MDOT. The Highway Coordinator will provide assistance to the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes’ Natural Resources Department’s Division of Engineering and Water Resources - Roads Program in the role of Tribal Corridor Construction Administrator. Successful applicant must have a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering, Construction Engineering or closely related field and five (5) years of professional experience, most of which must be in the maintenance, management, planning, design, and construction of highways; required to have an administrative and project management experience in the construction of highways and appurtenant facilities. Professional knowledge of theories, principles, practices and techniques of engineering to plan, design and construct highways and bridge; in addition to program budgeting, planning and management. Possession of a valid driver’s license with the ability to obtain a Montana driver’s license within six (6) months. Must have liability or full coverage insurance on personal vehicle (if used to travel off-site in performance of duties). Required to obtain and maintain additional certification as necessary for various Roads or other Program projects. Also, must successfully complete a certified defensive driving course approved by

the department, and wear Tribal Government identification and safety apparel while conducting field activities. FAILURE TO SUBMIT THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION WILL RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION DURING THE SCREENING PROCESS. All applicants are required to submit a Tribal employment application (Resumes may be submitted but may not replace or supplement the official Tribal Employment Application), copies of relevant academic transcripts and/or certificates, copy of valid driver’s license, if applicable, please submit proof of enrollment from a Federally recognized Tribe if other than CSKT, and if claiming veteran’s preference, a copy of DD214 must be submitted. This position is not a Testing Designated Position (TDP) within the definition of the CSKT Drug Testing policy. The successful applicant, if not already employed by CSKT, must pass a pre-hire drug test and serve a mandatory six (6) month probationary period. Salary range is $27.34 to $31.43 per hour, including Benefits: Health Insurance, Life Insurance, Retirement, Long-term Disability, and PTO & Paid Holidays. To apply, contact Personnel at 406/675-2700 Ext. 1040. FOR MORE INFO: Contact Scott Johnston - Roads Program Manager at 406/675-2700 Ext. 6202. Tribal Employment Applications are also available online at cskt.org/personnel. This position will close on Monday, December 15, 2025 at 5:30 pm. CSKT IS A TRIBAL MEMBER PREFERENCE EMPLOYER.

Real Estate

Equal housing

EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY

All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject

to the Fair Housing Act and the Montana Human Rights Act which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, creed, sex, marital status, age, familial status, physical or mental disability, or national origin, or an intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination. Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To complain of discrimination call HUD Toll-free at 1-800669-9777. The toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275.

Legals

CALL FOR BIDS

The Board of Trustees of School District No. 30, Lake County, Ronan, Montana is calling for bids for the Ronan High School Front Entry Project. The bid will be for the construction of a new front entry with some existing structure. There will be a walk-through for contractors wishing to examine the project on December 1, 2025 at 1:00 pm. If you have questions please contact Kevin Kenelty, Principal of Ronan High School, at 676-3390 ext.7501 or email at kevin.kenelty@ ronan- k12.edu

Bids must be received by December 8, 2025 at 4:00 p.m. at the District Ad-

ministration Office at 421 Andrew NW, Ronan, MT. Bids should be submitted in a sealed envelope marked “Ronan High School Front Entry Project.”

A bid bond in the amount of 10% of the bid amount must accompany all bids, per MCA 18-1-202. This bid bond will be returned to the unsuccessful bidders when the bid is awarded.

Bids will be opened at the Ronan School District Administrative Office at 4:05 p.m. on December 8, 2025 and will be presented at the regular board meeting scheduled for 7:00 pm.

The Board of Trustees reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bids, to waive irregularities, to evaluate the bids submitted and to accept the proposal which best serves the interest of the school district.

Nov. 26 and Dec. 3, 2025 MNAXLP

Chuck Wall TURNAGE & WALL, PLLP Attorneys at Law

312 First St. East Polson, MT 59860 Telephone: 406-883-5367 ChuckWall@TurnageWallLaw.com

MONTANA TWENTIETH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT, LAKE COUNTY

IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF: FRANCIS J. LYONS, Deceased.

Cause No.: DP-24-2025-59 NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN That the undersigned has been appointed as Personal Representative of the above-entitled estate, and that the address of the Personal Representative is set forth below.

All creditors of the decedent having claims against the decedent’s estate must present their claims within four (4) months after the date of the first publication of this Notice, or be forever barred as creditors of the decedent.

A written statement of the claim indicating its basis, the name and address of the claimant, and the amount claimed, may be filed with the Clerk of the District Court, at Polson, Lake County, Montana, or mailed, Return Receipt Requested, to the Personal Representative, c/o TURNAGE & WALL, PLLP, Attorneys for the Personal Representative, at 312 First St. East, Polson, MT 59860.

/s/ Deborah J. McGuinness DEBORAH J. MCGUINNESS

Personal Representative Estate of FRANCIS J. LYONS, Deceased.

Dec. 3, 10 and 17, 2025 MNAXLP

William P. Williams, IV FRENCH, GRAINEY & WILLIAMS, PLLC 324 Main SW Ronan, MT 59864

Telephone: (406) 676-4470

Attorneys for Personal

Representative bill@fgwilliamslaw.com

MONTANA TWENTIETH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT, LAKE COUNTY

IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF LISA PETERS BURGESS, Deceased.

CAUSE NO. DP-25-70 NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned has been appointed Personal Representative of the above-entitled Estate. All creditors of the decedent having claims against the decedent’s estate are required to present their claims within four (4) months after the date of the first publication of this Notice or said claims will be forever barred as creditors of the decedent. A written statement of the claim indicating its basis, the name and address of the claimant, and the amount claimed, must either be mailed to BRIAN MACLAY BURGESS, the Personal Representative, return receipt requested, c/o FRENCH, GRAINEY & WILLIAMS, PLLC, 324 Main SW, Ronan, MT 59864, or filed with the Clerk of the above-entitled Court. DATED this 20th day of November, 2025.

/s/ Brian Maclay Burgess BRIAN MACLAY BURGESS, Personal Representative

Nov. 26, Dec. 3 and 10, 2025 MNAXLP

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