Mark Legard

It is with great sadness that the family of Mark Edward Legard announces his passing.

Billy Worle

Billy G. Worle, 84, passed away peacefully on April 15, 2019, of natural causes.

Missoula Public Assistance to help Mineral County this summer

The Missoula Field Office of Public Assistance will travel to the Mineral County Courthouse to assist residents with Medicaid, food stamps and cash assistance applications on May 14. This will provide low income families who aren’t able to travel to Missoula an opportunity to apply for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Medicaid, state-run programs through the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services. “I just think it’s important,” says retired social worker Diane Magone. “There’s a lot of people that can’t get to Missoula.” Although the state offers an electronic system for applications, Magone says many Mineral County residents don’t have computer access. When the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), a school lunch program, was dropped from the budget at Mineral County Schools, Superior Schools superintendent Scott Kinney began talking to commissioners to reignite the program. CEP provides free breakfast and lunch to students in low income areas and works directly with SNAP and TANF programs. This prompted Kinney and Magone to connect with the Missoula Field Office to inquire about travelling to Superior to assist with Mineral County applicants. Field Manager Kara Thomas arranged for their office to make three trips to Mineral County in May, June and July this year. “I’d like them to keep her coming long term,” Magone said. Superior’s Office of Public Assistance closed in 2015 due to staffing and budget cuts, and Mineral County residents haven’t received face-to-face access since the closure. “Budget cuts are happening statewide and there’s lots of problems with substances and mental health issues,” Magone said. The Missoula Field Office of Public Assistance will travel to Mineral County Tuesday, May 14, Tuesday, June 18 and Thursday July 18 from 9:15 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.

Walk the Plank Event raises $4,800 for Superior pool reconstruction

Snow and wind didn’t stop Mineral County residents from “walking the plank” into freezing water to raise money for a new pool in Superior on Sunday, April 28. The Mineral County Community Foundation (MCCF) raised $4,800 during their Walk the Plank fundraiser at Eva Horning Park. The funds will benefit reconstructing Superior’s 60-year-old-public pool, which closed in summer 2018 due to leaks. The MCCF formed a subcommittee called Pool for the Park last summer after the pool closed. “We expect the total cost of the project to be at least $1.5 million, but we won’t know the exact number until we get a firm cost estimate,” committee member Angie Hopwood said. After the Walk the Plank fundraiser, the committee has raised a total of $40,000. The fundraiser events included walking the plank into a kiddie pool, a bake sale, face painting and other games for the public to enjoy. Participants received a free T-shirt if they raised $100, and are encouraged to get sponsors and challenge others to raise money. Superior Color and Lumber donated materials and volunteers helped out at the fundraiser. Hopwood says raising money for the pool is their main goal, but they also want to create more events like this for the community to enjoy. “We’re trying to bring up our community a little bit,” Hopwood said. The committee has already completed Phase I, where the goal was raising enough money to hire an architect and they are now in Phase II, meaning the committee can apply for grants. MCCF hopes to complete pool construction in Phase III by 2023. “We’re optimistic,” Hopwood said. The next fundraiser will be Bingo and BBQ on Friday, June 7 at Superior Elementary School.

Cement truck flips west of Dixon Thursday; no injuries

A truck carrying a full load of seven yards of concrete overturned in the middle of Montana Highway 200 on Thursday morning, April 25 west of Dixon.

'A-tisket, a-tasket, I filled my Easter basket!'

Superior High students visit the state Capitol with their class

This week I had some welcome guests. Mr. Bishop and former Rep. Gordon Hendrick spent a day at the Capitol with the Superior High School government class.

Forest Service proposes Cruzane Mountain Project

When homeowner Kent Moeller looks out his window, he sees a beautiful landscape of dense ponderosa pine, lodgepole, and Doug Fir trees just beyond his backyard in the Lolo National Forest near Saltese.

Sheriff's office loses important asset

After serving with the Mineral County Sherriff’s Office for 25 years, Superior Mayor Roni Phillips announced her retirement from the Jail Administrator and 911-Dispatcher positions in early April. Phillips will remain Superior’s mayor, and will continue working as an EMT on Superior’s ambulance.

Wheeled Phoenix project helps veterans re-enter society in U.S.

The visions I’ve had of forgotten veterans have haunted me for years ... the Wheeled Phoenix project, the concept I’ve devised, will buy old cars and restore them as resto-mods. The cars will be raffled off by a nonprofit, Veteran Phoenix, LLLP, and the donations received from ticket sales will help homeless veterans re-enter society. Wheeled Phoenix’, Inc. will also produce two reality shows; one that will feature the car’s rebuild, and the other will feature the rebuilding of a soldier’s life.

County jail would be costly to close

I am writing this letter as a concerned resident and (future) taxpayer of Mineral County. There is a good possibility that our local jail may close permanently unless some solutions to long-term problems can be found.

BackPack Program seeks donations

According to the Montana Food Bank Network, nearly 1 in 6 children in Montana live in a food-insecure household. That means 42,480 children in Montana may not know where their next meal is going to come from.

Fate of Mineral County Detention Center in limbo

Mineral County officials are currently deciding whether or not to close the Detention Center, which closed temporarily in early February, due to a detention officer shortage. Staff shortages caused a previous closure in 2017.

Superior Fire Dep't trains for high-angle rescues

The Superior Volunteer Fire Department has been involved with five high angle rescue accidents in 2018. Including the December 19 pileup on Interstate 90 which included a trucker driver who jumped over an overpass to avoid being hit by a semi-truck. As well as the rescue of Frenchtown Firefighter, Kyle Rauch, who had responded to that incident and slipped on the icy bridge deck and plunged 40 feet down an embankment. Rauch survived the fall thanks to the quick efforts of emergency responders. The truck driver involved with the incident, as well as the other three victims of high angle rescues last year, did not survive.

Annual Hoop Shoot brings 41 teams to Superior

Nearly 400 people descended on Superior Schools last weekend to participate in the Annual Superior Hoop Shoot. A basketball competition for grades third through eight comprised of three divisions: third and fourth; fifth and sixth; seventh and eighth.

Where is the Taft cemetery?

Boom town supported railroad in early 1900s

“Bullet, belt buckle, button,” the metal detector’s screen reads various items buried some seven feet beneath the earth. Forest Service Archeologist Erika Karuzas continues to wave the detector over an area that most believe is the location of an old cemetery. Located on a hillside covered with 100-year-old lodge pole pine overlooking Interstate 90.

Locals visit Superior for Hoop Shoot

Nearly 400 people descended on Superior Schools last weekend to participate in the Annual Superior Hoop Shoot. A basketball competition for grades third through eight comprised of three divisions: third and fourth; fifth and sixth; seventh and eighth.

Plains High School senior Paulsen wins Duck Stamp competition

Malachi Paulsen certainly has an “eye for art.” When he picks up a graphite, color or charcoal pencil, it seems like magical things happen.

19 MC students head to BPA nationals

Mineral County Business Professionals of America (BPA) students returned from the annual State Leadership Conference where 14 students placed. Eleven students from St. Regis and eight from Superior will continue on to the National Leadership Conference (NLC) in Anaheim, Calif., set for May 1-5.

Folks can get Whipped Up now in Alberton, too

Folks can now get Whipped Up in two locations. Whipped Up! Café in Superior recently expanded their business in Alberton. They opened in the old Sidetrack Café located across the street from the Alberton School. They’ve been open about a month and café owner, Michele VanTassel said business has been nice and steady at their new location.