Four St. Ignatius candidates for town council
EMILY MESSER | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 10 months AGO
Emily Messer joined the Lake County Leader in July of 2025 after earning a B.A. degree in Journalism from the University of Montana. Emily grew up in the rolling hills of southeast Missouri. She's lived in Montana since 2022 and honed her reporting craft through the UM J-School newspaper and internships at the RMEF Bugle Magazine and the Missoulian. At the Leader, she covers government, business, education, agriculture and community news. Contact Emily Messer at [email protected] or 406.883.4343 | October 9, 2025 12:00 AM
Shay Farmer, Steve McCollum, incumbent Daniel Thompson, and incumbent Chris Heffern are running for two open seats on the St. Ignatius Town Council. The Lake County Leader was unable to reach Steve McCollum for an interview before the deadline for publication.
ARTICLES BY EMILY MESSER
City Commission approves grant match for a potential road resurfacing machine
The Polson City Commission unanimously approved a 20% match for a Federal Highway Administration grant to fund advanced transportation technology and innovation programs, with the city intending to use the funds for an asphalt reclaimer.
Lake County Fair hosts first and successful rodeo weekend
When the Pioneer Days Committee announced there would be no rodeo this year, the public cried out, as this long-standing tradition seemed to be fading away. But just one month ago, the Friends of the Fairgrounds, alongside the Lake County Fair Board, announced they would bring a rodeo back.
Combination of changes results in Salmon Prairie Elementary’s closure
In the late 1800s and early 1900s, one-room rural schoolhouses formed in vast numbers across western Montana, alongside the isolated farming, ranching, mining and logging communities. This was the foundation of rural education across America.