Ellington

Pitchy, green and heavy

It's become a common sight across the Flathead — property owners are actively thinning their forest lands, cutting out the dead wood, hoping to make their homes safe from wild fires.

Chandler Melton / Whitefish Pilot

Tyler Moll, of Whitefish, snowboards down a steep chute at Logan Pass in Glacier National Park on Sunday afternoon. According to the National Park Service, May 22 was the second earliest opening of the pass to motorized traffic since the Going-to-the-Sun-Road's inception in 1932. The road is now completely open; however, poor weather has the potential to cause temporary closures.

Plan looks to protect the Front

Hungry Horse News

Schmit, Stoltz have standout performances at divisional meet

Hungry Horse News

Memorial reminders

While you're all gathering around the picnic table cracking a cold one or downing a hot dog this holiday weekend we wish you'd take just a few moments to remember not only those that served in our military, but those that are serving today.

Sandra Wilhoit

Our loving, giving companion and wife Sandra Bushnell Wilhoit, 67, passed away May 15, 2005, at Kalispell Regional Medical Center in Kalispell, Montana.

Food drive a success

On Saturday, May 14, 2005, the Flathead Food Bank's five pantries (Kalispell, Evergreen, Columbia Falls, Martin City and Bigfork) were the recipients of 15,272 pounds of food from the Letter Carrier's Food Drive.

Edwin Charles "Bud" Anderson

Edwin Charles "Bud" Anderson, age 60, passed away on Wednesday, May 18, 2005 at his home in Bigfork. He was born on Sept. 14, 1944 in Minneapolis to Edwin O. and Florence (Ost) Anderson.

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Pass opening second earliest ever

Hungry Horse News

No name, no fame

T

Softball season ends with a loss to Whitefish

Hungry Horse News

On May 20, I paid my first visit to our beautiful brand new Super 1 Foods store and was most impressed with this new addition to Whitefish's shopping option.

And then I noticed that there was not an American flag in sight anywhere. Curious about this, I sought out one of the store's senior executives to ask about this obvious "oversight."

A good 'Vantage'

High above the Columbia River on a windswept plateau across from Vantage, Wash., 18 life-size horses made of weathered steel, gallop to freedom. Their manes flow in the wind. Silhouetted against a misty grey sky the lead horse appears to leap into space in this awesome sculpture created by Washington artist, David Govedare.

Blackfeet

bear-proof

Thelma Louise Russell

On May 19, 2005, Thelma Louise Russell finally lost her valiant struggle with scleroderma and left this earthly world for a far better place. Although Thelma was exhausted from this disease, she remained positive and hopeful throughout her illness and approached it like many of the adversities that life had handed her in the previous 80 years—as she often said to family and friends—"This too shall pass."

Letter from a Glacier Family

There are many families who wrap their lives around the soaring peaks of Glacier National Park.

Duane Martin

Duane P. Martin's journey with us ended May 13, 2005, in Tucson, Ariz. He fought a courageous seven-year battle following a bone marrow transplant and numerous surgeries and setbacks.

Senators go to bat for Amtrak

We applaud the efforts of Sens. Conrad Burns and Christopher "Kit" Bond to save Amtrak. Burns and Bond joined Amtrak CEO and president David Gunn at the Whitefish depot this past weekend for a ride on the Empire Builder to Cut Bank.

Tennis team will send three to state tourney

Hungry Horse News

Honor Montana

There is no doubt that roads would negatively impact the shrinking wilderness. Where else but wild Montana can you see a black wolf looking at you from the cover of a lodgepole stand? Where else can you sit on a boulder above a stream running clear and clean down to a wild, clean river?

Flag flap

On May 20, I paid my first visit to our beautiful brand new Super 1 Foods store and was impressed with this new addition to Whitefish's shopping option.

Krause Basin Trail opens to the public

Swan View Coalition and the Swan Lake Ranger District announce the opening of the Krause Basin Interpretive Trail on May 26 at 1 p.m. The quarter-mile loop trail is located 2.8 miles up Strawberry Lake Road #5390 from Foothill Road. The trail is being constructed and maintained by Swan View Coalition, a local conservation group, through a volunteer agreement with the U.S. Forest Service.

NVH 100 years

North Valley Hospital will celebrate its groundbreaking and first 100 years today from 1-6 p.m. at its facility site at U.S. Highway 93 and Montana Highway 40 in Whitefish.

Virginia McCluskey

Virginia Anne "Ginny" McCluskey, 77, passed away May 7, 2005, at Colonial Manor in Whitefish after a long battle with Alzheimer's. She was born Jan. 13, 1928, in Los Angeles to George and Clara (Evert) Schultz. Her early years were spent in California. She attended college at Pepperdine University, where she met Bobbie Lee McCluskey. They married and produced seven children, Lindy, Mike, Steve, Chris, Carrie, Kevin and Marty.

Dear people

Please stop driving your cars. I'm gonna put a rope and a stop sign on the roads 'cuz I don't want the cars to drive. Gasoline is bad for the polar bears.

Land use meeting

The Middle Canyon area land use regulatory system will have a neighborhood meeting from 7 to 8:30 p.m. May 31 at the Community Building in Glacier National Park headquarters. Topic of the meeting is the Flathead County Growth Policy and your neighborhood plan. If folks want more information, call 888-5465.

National ID

"As nightfall does not come at once, neither does oppression. In both instances, there's a twilight where everything remains seemingly unchanged, and it is in such twilight that we must be aware of change in the air, however slight, lest we become unwitting victims of the darkness."

Glacier Park

forging ahead with big Sun Highway

Roger Gowdey

Roger F. Gowdey, 81, died May 10, 2005, at the Bitterroot Valley Living Center in Stevensville.

Student of the week

Robert Neise, a senior at Columbia Falls High School has been selected student of the week, May 16. He was nominated because he is dependable and helpful. The school faculty and staff make nominations for student of the week. Robert is the son of Richard and Sherry Neise of Columbia Falls and receives a personal pan pizza compliment of Pizza Hut.

Security officer beaten

A Grouse Mountain Lodge security officer was severely beaten early Friday morning after investigating a noise complaint.

Youth Track

volunteers thanked

Kudos to Sen. Baucus

W

Don't waste it

For years, Montanans have been clamoring for an opportunity to recycle their glass bottles and jars. You could see it in their eyes whenever someone tossed a beer bottle or mayonnaise jar into the garbage can - bewilderment followed by resignation.

Arts in April thanks

Spring is always an exciting time at school, but our Arts in April Program makes it just a little more exciting at Muldown.

Larry Higby

As the sun came up on Friday, May 13, 2005, Larry Higby, 54, passed away from cancer.

Strengthen the heart of Whitefish

Each spring the Heart of Whitefish downtown organization, with the generous support of Whitefish Shines, plants and maintains 20 flower barrels on the corners of Central Avenue and Second Street in the downtown Whitefish business district.

Girls tennis team triumphs over Libby

Hungry Horse News

John Thorson

John M. Thorson, 81, former mayor of Whitefish, died May 10, 2005, at North Valley Hospital in Whitefish.

Pot grow room found by landlord

A 22-year-old Whitefish man was arrested Tuesday, May 10 after the remains of an indoor marijuana grow room were found in his apartment.

WTC wine and food fest thanks

Whitefish Theatre Company and Project Whitefish Kids would like to thank the following for a very successful fund raiser. Project Whitefish Wine and Food Fest was able to raise a significant amount of money for the youth of the Flathead Valley to enjoy sports and the arts. The businesses and individuals of our community have been especially generous and they are all appreciated.

Amazing fund-raising

Once again, Whitefish residents rose to the challenge and supported an important civic project.

Oppose nuclear option

A recent Washington Post/ ABC news poll shows that 66 percent of those surveyed oppose changing the Senate's rules to prohibit the use of filibusters.

Softball team struggles to score runs

Hungry Horse News

Virginia McCluskey

Virginia Anne "Ginny" McCluskey, 77, passed away May 7, 2005, at Colonial Manor in Whitefish after a long battle with Alzheimer's.

Mary Granier

Mary Patricia Granier, 83, passed away May 15, 2005, at her residence in Havre.

Cleveland winter climbers weren't even close to being the first

Hungry Horse News

'Guideposts'

E

Mildred S. Fleming

Mildred S. Fleming, 79, passed away on Tuesday, May 10, 2005 at her home in Columbia Falls. She was born on December 1, 1925 in Hanford, Calif. to Edward W. and Mary A. (Kindelberger) Scherf.

Baucus goes to bat for Sun Highway funding

Hungry Horse News

A good time

Attention Developers: Buy a parcel of un-zoned land in Lake County and let greed be your guide.

Guest opinion

Healthy forests?

Judged by a jalopy?

Do you believe people drive cars which reveal their individual personalities and character? This week's Parade Magazine has an article that says so. Among other things, it states " . . . 25 percent of people choose cars that make them feel powerful. They go for the big engines, the big tires."

Summer playhouse raises curtain on 2005 season

When you enter Don (DT) and Jude Thomson's Bigfork home, you can immediately tell that the couple has had a love affair with the theater for quite some time.

Paul Lacey Goddard, Jr.

Paul Lacey Goddard, Jr., died Monday May 2, 2005, at his family home in Bigfork, surrounded by his loving family after fighting the battle with cancer. He was born August 23, 1922 in Oak Park, Illinois to Paul Lacey and Elizabeth Lila (Hosking) Goddard.

Is prostitution "live entertainment"?

Is prostitution "live entertainment"? The state of Nevada passed a bill in its last session taxing "live entertainment" but did not include the very profitable sporting houses. (There are 28 bordellos legally operating in 10 rural Nevada counties.) Now that state's legislature is facing some tough decisions regarding legislation covering the love for sale industry.

Penny White

Penelope "Penny" Harvey White, 54, of Whitefish, died May 2, 2005, as a result of a plane accident near Mt. Aeneas in the Jewel Basin in Northwest Montana.

There was a lot of clean-up needed

There was a lot of clean-up needed after last Saturday's Akey, Rosenberg, Murphy (A.R.M.) Invitational track meet at W-H-S considering ten records were broken - six girls' and four for the boys.

Jean Caciari

Jean Caciari, 84, of Whitefish, passed away of natural causes April 24, 2005, at the North Valley Hospital, in Whitefish.

Martin White

Martin "Marty" Vernon White, 61, of Whitefish, died May 2, 2005, as a result of a plane accident near Mount Aeneas in the Jewel Basin area of Northwestern Montana.

Dan Wambeke

Dan Wambeke,44, passed away April 29, 2005 in San Diego Calif. He was born Dec. 19, 1960 in High River Alberta, Canada. Memorial services will be held at New Covenant Church at 2 p.m. Tuesday, May 17, at 436 Birch Grove, Kalispell.

First year that I will not only celebrate, but also be a mother

This year will be my first year that I will not only celebrate, but also be a mother. And although I'm not expecting much by way of shopping from my six-month-old son, I have been thinking of ways that I would like mothers, and Mother's Day, to be celebrated.

Mike Dowaliby and Mike Mickelwright

Mike Dowaliby and Mike Mickelwright are participating in the Golf Digest golf lesson promotion during the month of May. Call the Golf Shop at 862-5960 to book your free lesson with either of these teaching professionals. A quick tune up or a series of lessons can benefit all of us at any time during the season, but especially early in the year.

Whitefish's High's softball team

Whitefish's High's softball team received its first glimpse of defending Class A champion Polson last week and the Bulldogs had the Pirates on the ropes much of the game. However, Whitefish's defensive lapse late let Polson off the hook and the Pirates pulled out an 11-7 comeback victory to remain unbeaten in Northwestern A conference play.

Roger Gowdy

Longtime Whitefish resident Roger Gowdy, 81, died May 10, 2005, in Stevensville. A full obituary and funeral arrangements will be in next week's paper.

High school says 'Thanks'

Whitefish High School played host to fifteen schools for our annual A.R.M. (Akey, Rosenberg and Murphy) Track Meet this past weekend. It was a great day. Many say it is one of the best track meets held in the State. We agree add that it is largely because of the fantastic people that volunteer.

Marvel P. Lennick

Mervel Peter "Merv" Lennick, 53, a retired railroad worker and Army Reserve veteran, died of natural causes at his home in Cut Bank on April 3.

Improper dismissal

We would like to call attention to a disheartening situation currently taking place in our high school.

Sisters on the seashore

The Isle of Wight is a 15-minute ferry ride across the English Channel from Portsmouth, which is located on the southern coast of England.

Hungry Horse trailer destroyed by Mother's Day fire

Hungry Horse News

NVH 100 years

North Valley Hospital will celebrate its groundbreaking and first 100 years today from 1-6 p.m. at its facility site at U.S. Highway 93 and Montana Highway 40 in Whitefish.

Rosenbaum breaks record at Archie Roe

Hungry Horse News

A better sin tax

Is prostitution "live entertainment?" The state of Nevada passed a bill in its last session taxing "live entertainment" but did not include the very profitable sporting houses. (There are 28 bordellos legally operating in 10 rural Nevada counties.) Now that state's legislature is facing some tough decisions regarding legislation covering the love for sale industry.

Tennis squads, depleted by field trip have tough time against Bulldogs

Hungry Horse News

Sun Road has a lot of snow up high

Hungry Horse News

Bigfork Eagle Editorial

Sugar, spice and everything sexy

The happy gardener

We used to have a big happy birch tree in the side yard. Then one summer gypsy moth caterpillars got into it and ate most of the leaves off and most of the tree died.

Gerrit Kendall Leppink

Gerrit Kendall Leppink died on Thursday, May 5, 2005 at Lake View Care Center in Bigfork at the age of 89. Gary was born on May 26, 1915 in Isante, Minn., to John and Emily Leppink.

Frye promoted to Katmai Park post

Hungry Horse News

Softball team gets its third win of the season

Hungry Horse News

Track teams take 6th at A.R.M.

Hungry Horse News

Editorial

This year will be my first year that I will not only celebrate, but also be a mother. And although I'm not expecting much by way of shopping from my six-month-old son, I have been thinking of ways that I would like mothers, and Mother's Day, to be celebrated.

By PAUL PETERS Whitefish Pilot

The city council announced that they've had enough at this week's meeting.

By MARTI EBBERT KURTH

The sport of "plinking" or shooting at electrical insulators led to a serious power outage for over 7,000 people in and around Whitefish last Friday night.

Easy as shootin' fish in a barrel

We've all heard the old expression, "Easy as shootin' fish in a barrel." From the way the cowboys and miners in my childhood used that descriptive statement, I learned early on that a guy who'd actually shoot fish in a barrel was considered on a par with men who still wore high button shoes; however, as a little kid I remember wanting to secretly get some fish and put them in a barrel to see if shooting them really was easy. There were insurmountable obstacles. We only had three barrels, a wooden one on the back porch where the drinking water was stored and two steel ones for hauling water from a spring six miles down the mountain. I could also visualize what kind of spanking I'd get for shooting a hole in any of those vital containers. Besides, I was not allowed to use guns without supervision.

Environmental groups sue to stop salvage sales

Hungry Horse News

Homemade spaghetti a treat

We would like to say a big thank you to Patty Troiano for the awesome, homemade, spaghetti feed she put on for the Girls and Boys track team, at her home Friday night before our only home meet, held on Saturday. We sure appreciated it. Thank You Patty!

Student of the week

Jade Morstad, a senior at Columbia Falls High School, has been chosen student of the week for May 2. She was nominated because she helped do a task without being asked and is always polite and friendly- a genuinely kind person. Jade is the daughter of Nick and Mary Morstad, of Columbia Falls, and receives a personal pan pizza compliments of Pizza Hut.

Barry Domph,

Barry Steven Domph, 62, died of a heart attack April 29, 2005, in Helena.

Eagle Transit: Use it or lose it

Attempts are being made to increase Eagle Transit bus services in Columbia Falls, Hungry Horse, Martin City and Canyon areas. There are fears that "use it, or lose it," may develop if more riders do not take advantage of the service.

Buy local debate continues

In your editorial viewpoint last week, you made mention of the fact that I was adamant that "locals must be absolutely competitive in order to win bids for city contracts." Tis true, that's what I think. But you left out the part where I mentioned quality as being a necessary part of the bid process. In other words, lowest price doesn't always mean that you'll get the best deal. Although I was speaking specifically about large contracting and consulting bids, the same could be said about products from vendors. Though I find it preferable to hire locally, we shouldn't arbitrarily exclude other firms.

Daffodil Days

success

Tennis squads improving, but so is everyone else

Hungry Horse News

Bad thoughts

The old woman was in the middle of the road bending over to pick up something. She was fat and had a crook in her back and a white shawl on. I thought she was a cripple, or maybe she was just plain dumb.

Softball squad struggling, gets blanked by Whitefish last week

Hungry Horse News

Plane crash kills two near Lake Aeneas

Hungry Horse News

Flathead Forest Plan to be unveiled

Hungry Horse News

The Other Side of Marc Racicot

I was amused by the recent letters to several papers from former governor Marc Racicot in regards to the Patriot Act. He defends it and supports its renewal and condemns the Montana legislature for passing a resolution against it. This begs a few questions: How much is the Bush administration paying him to do this and why should we trust this man?

No clue

After reading the proposed updates from the (Kootenai Lodge) developers, it seems to me, there is little or no change regarding the concerns I have. This is, in my opinion, a horrific situation for our community. Please do the right thing and send these folks back to the drawing board. None of what they have proposed is acceptable, unfortunatly I don't believe they have a clue as to what this area means to those who live here and the pride we have in our surroundings.

Many thanks

My name is Kaci Guthrie.

Poor job performance

Imagine you were just hired to run a large company.

Catholic church gets name

The new Catholic church being constructed just north of Bigfork on Highway 35 now has a name. During confirmation ceremonies in Bigfork on Saturday evening, Bishop George L. Thomas announced his approval of the name Pope John Paul II Church. He added that this is, to his knowledge, the first new church to be named for the beloved Pope who died just one month ago.

Shooting fish in a barrel

We've all heard the old expression, "Easy as shootin' fish in a barrel." From the way the cowboys and miners in my childhood used that descriptive statement, I learned early on that a guy who'd actually shoot fish in a barrel was considered on a par with men who still wore high button shoes. However, as a little kid I remember wanting to secretly get some fish and put them in a barrel to see if shooting them really was easy. There were insurmountable obstacles. We only had three barrels, a wooden one on the back porch where the drinking water was stored and two steel ones for hauling water from a spring six miles down the mountain. I could also visualize what kind of spanking I'd get for shooting a hole in any of those vital containers. Besides, I was not allowed to use guns without supervision.

Thanks for the hospitality

We want to take this opportunity to express our heartfelt appreciation for the kindness and hospitality shown to us when we visited Bigfork to celebrate the 105th Anniversary of the Florence Crittenton Home. We would like to thank the Bigfork Soroptimist Club for allowing us the privilege of presenting the history of the Home to them.

Historical significance

When the Lake County commissioners consider the proposed redevelopment plan for the Kootenai Lodge, they will be shaping the future—for better or worse—of one of the most significant historic places in northwest Montana.