Lake County Leader

09/07/2025

“We highly encourage them to read physical books, especially with the younger kids,” said Michelle Fenger, director for Ronan Library District. At the same time, she says they’re supportive of all forms of reading, including e-readers and audiobooks.

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

07/07/2025

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

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

07/07/2025

By Monday, Kyle Geyer looked pretty chipper. Especially for a woman who had spent four hours last Friday pinned beneath her riding lawnmower.

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

05/07/2025

King was one of four candidates, selected by athletic directors and voted upon by Leader readers. Nominees also included: Ryan Sharbono, St. Ignatius, with 104 votes; Samantha Rensvold, Polson with 93 votes; and GG Hawk, Charlo, with 87 votes.

Koda King was one of four candidates, selected by athletic directors across Lake County and voted upon by Leader readers, for the Leader's inaugural Athlete of the Year. He won with 246 votes. Nominees also included: Ryan Sharbono, St. Ignatius, with 104 votes; Samantha Rensvold, Polson with 93 vote...

05/07/2025

Several Mission Valley cowboys and cowgirls rode to victory (or came close) in last weekend’s Mission Mountain Rodeo, sanctioned by the Northern Rodeo Association and held at the Polson Fairgrounds.

04/07/2025

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

04/07/2025

Local firefighters were busy again this weekend, containing the Early Dawn Fire near Big Arm.

The blaze started last Friday, June 27, and was ignited by fireworks according to Polson Rural fire chief Will Woodger. He said 13 homes were immediately evacuated.

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

03/07/2025

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

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

01/07/2025

After 25 years of shipping household waste to Missoula, Lake County is bringing home its garbage.

That transition was celebrated June 13 with a groundbreaking at the county’s landfill on Kerr Dam Road, where Neumann Construction of Kalispell is building the first of three seven-acre cells, designed to safely hold household trash.

After 25 years of shipping household waste to Missoula, Lake County is bringing home its garbage.

30/06/2025

Traveling to Lake County on his fifth annual 56 County Tour, Gov. Greg Gianforte visited Rocky Mountain Twist last Wednesday, June 18.

Founded in 2001 in Ronan, Rocky Mountain Twist manufactures custom drill bits in its 300,000-square-foot manufacturing facility and is considered an industry leader in design, engineering, and manufacturing of high-performance cutting tools.

Traveling to Lake County on his fifth annual 56 County Tour, Gov. Greg Gianforte visited Rocky Mountain Twist in Ronan last Wednesday, June 18.

29/06/2025

Girl meets boy in a hallway at Grandstreet Theatre in Helena, circa 1979. He’s tall, lanky and from Montana; she’s petite, blond, and hitchhiking across the state from Seattle with her dog attached to a clothesline.

They’re both headed across the prairie to the Fort Peck Theatre – the farthest outpost of musical theatre in Montana – to perform in “Oklahoma.” She’s Ado Annie, the girl who “Cain’t Say No,” and he’s Ali Hakim, The Peddler Man.

What sounds like the opening scene of a musical led to Karen and Neal Lewing’s real-life marriage a few months later, and the enduring partnership that’s at the heart of the Port Polson Players – now celebrating 50 seasons of summer theatre.

What sounds like the opening scene of a musical led to Karen and Neal Lewing’s real-life marriage a few months later, and the enduring partnership that’s at the heart of the Port Polson Players – now celebrating 50 seasons of summer theatre.