Leader moves to new office across Polson bridge
KRISTI NIEMEYER | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 4 months, 2 weeks AGO
The Lake County Leader moved to its new location last week at 840 Shoreline Dr., Suite B, Polson. (Emily Messer/Leader)
Kristi Niemeyer learned her newspaper licks at weekly newspapers, beginning at the Mission Valley News in 1981, then at the helm of the Ronan Pioneer and, eventually, as co-editor of the Lake County Leader until 1993. She launched and co-published Lively Times, a statewide arts and entertainment monthly, before returning to the Leader in 2022, and serving as its editor until July 2026. Reach her at [email protected] | April 2, 2026 12:00 AM
After 10 years at its former location on First St. E., the Lake County Leader has moved across the bridge to 840 Shoreline Drive, Suite B.
The Leader’s new home, located adjacent to The Shoe restaurant, includes separate offices for editorial and ad staff, as well as for general manager Laurie Ramos.
To the north, it faces Flathead Lake – a definite plus for the view and lunchtime on the deck.
The Leader has been housed in various locations around town since it was launched in 1992 – a consolidation of three local weeklies: The Flathead Courier, Ronan Pioneer and Mission Valley News. All told, the paper’s publishing history dates back to 1910 – in fact, the Courier was launched April 14 of that year.
The new office continues to house the archives of the Leader and the Flathead Courier, while the bound copies of the Mission Valley News and Ronan Pioneer are stored at Ronan City Hall.
According to Ramos, the Leader will continue to deliver award-winning local news via subscriptions, on newsstands across the Mission Valley, and online at leaderadvertiser.com, as well as advertising options available in the newspaper and its companion publication, The Advertiser.
“It’s the same business,” she says, “just with a much better view!”
Stay tuned for details on an open house.
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