Reporter
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 on a farm in the rolling hills of southeast Missouri and enjoys covering agriculture and conservation. She's lived in Montana since 2022 and honed her reporter craft with the UM J-School newspaper and internships with the RMEF Bugle Magazine and the Missoulian. At the Leader she covers the St. Ignatius Town Council, Polson City Commission and a variety of business, lifestyle and school news.
ARTICLES BY EMILY MESSER
Confirmed CWD leads to more sampling on the reservation
A recent confirmed case of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) south of Ninepipes Lodge has led the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes Wildlife Program to increase hunter check stations to better understand how widespread it is across the reservation.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 1 DAY, 3 HOURS AGO
Tour of Asia restaurant headed to Polson
Missoula restaurant owners will bring a variety of Asian food to Polson soon and plan to open a dine-in option once they complete renovations on the former Thai Hot Spot Cafe.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 1 DAY, 3 HOURS AGO
Small fire departments battle big equipment costs
As firefighting equipment increases in price since the pandemic, small departments such as those in Ronan, Arlee, Charlo and St. Ignatius struggle to find funding, navigate the cost and look for other resources.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 1 DAY, 3 HOURS AGO
Vehicle submerged in Flathead River
Around 3:30 p.m. on Dec. 3 a call rang out over dispatch for a vehicle in the Flathead River on the corner of 7th Avenue and Kerr Dam Road in Polson.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 1 DAY, 10 HOURS AGO
Polson City Commission amends chicken ordinance to include ducks
The Polson City Commission added ducks to the domestic chicken ordinance, swore in a new fire chief, and filled a vacancy on the Polson Golf Course Board during the Nov. 17 meeting.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 1 WEEK, 1 DAY AGO
Mission council passes cannabis ordinance and seeks new librarian
The St. Ignatius City Council completed the second reading of the cannabis ordinance, looked for a new librarian and authorized laptop purchases for the council on Nov. 18.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 1 WEEK, 1 DAY AGO
City loses revenue on Bunkers but unsure what’s next
After the City of Polson lost its restaurant manager for Bunker's Bar & Grill earlier this month, City Commissioner Jake Holley questioned during last week’s meeting if the city should still be managing the grill.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 1 WEEK, 1 DAY AGO
CSKT hires a new disaster and emergency coordinator
The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes hired a new Tribal Disaster Preparedness & Emergency Services coordinator this summer, who is embracing the role by connecting with the community, learning as much as she can and updating disaster plans for the community.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 1 WEEK, 1 DAY AGO
Ronan School Board selects new superintendent
Ronan School District School Board selected the current director of curriculum, Sandra Beal, as the new superintendent during a special meeting on Nov. 10. She’ll step into her new role on July 1, replacing current superintendent Mark Johnston.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 2 WEEKS, 1 DAY AGO
MDT finalizes study, access management plan for Polson to Somers Corridor
The Montana Department of Transportation has published the final U.S. Highway 93 Polson to Somers Corridor Study and Access Management Plan, which includes a 70-page appendix compiled from public comments.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 2 WEEKS, 1 DAY AGO
St. Ignatius Town Council tweaks cannabis ordinance
The St. Ignatius Town Council approved the first reading of the cannabis ordinance, approved fire department equipment purchases and drafted a golf cart ordinance on Nov. 4.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 3 WEEKS, 1 DAY AGO
American Red Cross Lifesaving Award presented to Polson firefighter
Representatives from the American Red Cross joined the Polson City Commission meeting on Monday, Nov. 3, to award Polson firefighter Casen Elmore the National Lifesaving Award for his quick action while off duty.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 3 WEEKS, 1 DAY AGO
City of Polson department heads recap year
During the Polson City Commission meeting on Nov. 3, multiple city departments gave presentations on projects, accomplishments, and policy development and implementation from the dates of July 2024 to November 2025.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 3 WEEKS, 1 DAY AGO
Eyewitness to History: WWII veteran witnessed Japan’s historic surrender
From the moment he heard about Pearl Harbor at 15 years old, Jim Sivelle said he knew he would join the service and “go fight.”
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 3 WEEKS, 1 DAY AGO
