Stories for September 2008

Subscribe

Thursday, September 25

September 25, 2008 11 p.m.

After road blowout, Bulldogs look for fresh start

Homecoming game against Bigfork this Friday starts conference schedule

September 25, 2008 11 p.m.

Farmer says agriculture will continue here

By RICHARD HANNERS / Northwest Montana News Network

September 25, 2008 11 p.m.

State auditor candidates debate health care and coal

By RICHARD HANNERS / Whitefish Pilot

September 25, 2008 11 p.m.

Bulldogs overpower feisty Wildcats

By DAVID ERICKSON / Whitefish Pilot

September 25, 2008 11 p.m.

Support the troops

People of the Flathead Valley, and beyond, please come forward. Please continue the uniquely American wartime tradition of supporting our troops in combat.

September 25, 2008 11 p.m.

Golfers sweep in Libby, take third in Missoula

The Whitefish High School boys and girls golf teams each finished in third place at the Missoula Invitational last Thursday and Friday. The strong field of teams included teams from Great Falls, Butte, Bozeman, Flathead, Glacier and hosting Missoula schools.

September 25, 2008 11 p.m.

Mistakes cost dearly in Cats' 36-22 loss to Stevi

By JOE SOVA / Hungry Horse News

September 25, 2008 11 p.m.

$10 million conservation bond on ballot

By HEIDI DESCH / Hungry Horse News

September 25, 2008 11 p.m.

Lady Bulldogs pummel the Wildkats

By DAVID ERICKSON / Whitefish Pilot

September 25, 2008 11 p.m.

Children's Theatre at Crossroads for 'Wonderland'

By Jacob Doran / Bigfork Eagle

September 25, 2008 11 p.m.

Course records set at Two Bear Marathon

Rain and wind doesn't slow hundreds of runners, German man is overall winner

September 25, 2008 11 p.m.

Students make kindness commitment

By HEIDI DESCH / Hungry Horse News

September 25, 2008 11 p.m.

House candidate keeps busy in the interim

By RICHARD HANNERS / Whitefish Pilot

September 25, 2008 11 p.m.

Toni Foster

Toni Rae Foster, 61, passed away Sept. 3, 2008.

September 25, 2008 11 p.m.

Support the Healthy Montana Kids Plan

Last spring, I met a little girl named Emily who needs new glasses because of a progressive vision problem, but her family can't afford them and she has no health insurance. It was a story I've heard too many times from too many Montanans.

September 25, 2008 11 p.m.

Vikings drop home opener 21-6

By JORDAN DAWSON / Bigfork Eagle

September 25, 2008 11 p.m.

Septic waste disposal poses challenge for county

Northwest Montana News Network

September 25, 2008 11 p.m.

Floy Stalcup

Floy "Idella" Stalcup, 97, passed away Sept. 8, 2008, at Heritage Place in Kalispell.

September 25, 2008 11 p.m.

Marion Trapp

Marion Virginia Trapp, 86, passed away Sept. 13, 2008, at her residence in Bigfork.

September 25, 2008 11 p.m.

Late goals give Cats 5-3 soccer win over Bigfork

By JOE SOVA / Hungry Horse News

September 25, 2008 11 p.m.

Vals start season 2-0

By JORDAN DAWSON / Bigfork Eagle

September 25, 2008 11 p.m.

Youth soccer takes a community

As we become involved in our special interest groups, it's hard to imagine how they could have survived without us. Before we become involved, the activity is "not our concern." I would venture to say that youth activities, whether we have children or not, are our concern.

September 25, 2008 11 p.m.

Subdivision does not belong in rural area

I'm proud of our valley this week, and I believe your readers should know why. On Sept. 10, the Flathead County Planning Board denied a proposed subdivision eight miles west of Whitefish on the Stillwater River that would chop up 40-plus acres into one-to-three acre lots.

September 25, 2008 11 p.m.

Taking an after school LEAP

By ALEX STRICKLAND / Bigfork Eagle

September 25, 2008 11 p.m.

Report sees resilient Montana tourist industry

Montana's nonresident travel is not always understood

September 25, 2008 11 p.m.

Auditor candidates debate health care and coal

By RICHARD HANNERS / for the Eagle

September 25, 2008 11 p.m.

Just say 'NO'

I recently read an article which defied any idea of fair play and common sense. It seems a couple in their eighties offered an apartment for rent. What followed appears to me to be a complete miscarriage of justice. Allegedly, the person was denied the rental because she had a teenage daughter. According to the article, the rental owner suggested that the apartment would not be suitable for the rental applicant due to there not being anything close to the area to provide entertainment or conveniences suitable for a teen. What happened after this is both bizarre and disgusting to me.

September 25, 2008 11 p.m.

Steve Myers

Steve Myers, 50, passed away Sept. 15, 2008, at his home in Columbia Falls.

September 25, 2008 11 p.m.

Lying for Fun and Profit

As if it wasn't enough with the 2008 election campaign heating up, Alas! The general hunting season is nearing. This is truly a time when regular folk must be on guard against false information … not just from public figures but also from our normally honest friends and neighbors. Did research on this subject 10 years ago and it bears repeating for the public good:

September 25, 2008 11 p.m.

Jerry Scott

Jerry Scott's spirit was lifted up to almighty God on Sept. 10, 2008.

September 25, 2008 11 p.m.

Food bank fundraiser

The Town Pump matching funds program for North Valley Food Bank comes back to help one of their own, the mother of a five-year old.

September 25, 2008 11 p.m.

Two-wheeled observations

I've been riding my bike around town lately, not so much because I need the exercise, but because I'm cheap and hate filling the tank more than once a week.

September 25, 2008 11 p.m.

Spikers defeat Ronan

By JOE SOVA / Hungry Horse News

September 25, 2008 11 p.m.

Qunell speaks to Bigfork sustainability group

By ALEX STRICKLAND / Bigfork Eagle

September 25, 2008 11 p.m.

Odd connections fill the writing life

Being a journalist fills one's life with strange encounters and connections, if not relationships. We meet people briefly, let them (or cajole them to) entrust us with their stories and then we're gone.

September 25, 2008 11 p.m.

Wilson off base on North Fork Landowners' fees

To the editor,

September 25, 2008 11 p.m.

The political game of misinformation and fear

By Steve Qunell

September 25, 2008 11 p.m.

Big Mountain Nordic track nixed this year

Good news for everyone else — La Nina is back

September 25, 2008 11 p.m.

Plum Creek small mill in Kalispell suspends operations for rest of year

Plum Creek's finger-joint stud manufacturing facility in Kalispell will suspend operations for the rest of the year. The company will monitor the market to determine if and when demand for the re-manufactured wood product made by this plant increases sufficiently to warrant resuming production.

Thursday, September 18

September 18, 2008 11 p.m.

Imbroglio

Now that the citizens of the county have had a good laugh over the machinations of city attorney John Phelps' attempt to get Mrs. Spoonovers to remove her delightful and whimsical mural, it is time for the adults to step in and bring this embarrassing situation to a close.

September 18, 2008 11 p.m.

Griz DNA study results released

By CHRIS PETERSON / Hungry Horse News

September 18, 2008 11 p.m.

Rae Kalbfleisch

Rae Virgil Kalbfleisch, 78, of Shelby, went to join his wife Ann on Sept. 8, 2008. He died of natural causes.

September 18, 2008 11 p.m.

Ruth Snyder

Ruth Snyder, 76, passed away Monday, Sept. 8, 2008, at her home in Columbia Falls.

September 18, 2008 11 p.m.

CFHS focus on student growth

The high school is off to an excellent start for the 2008-09 school year. As summer came to a close the custodial staff put the final finishing touches on the school and after a summer of hard work they had the school looking great for the return of the students. Freshmen students were welcomed to high school on Aug. 25 during the freshmen orientation. CFHS Assistant Principal, Scott Gaiser, continues to seek new ideas to assist freshmen in their transition to the high school and the success of the program was demonstrated by a turnout of approximately 94 of the freshmen students! Mr. Gaiser is also working to establish an Academic Coaching program where faculty members volunteer to assist freshmen students with organizational skills and tracking their progress in classes. A successful freshmen year is foundational to a successful high school experience. The total enrollment for the freshmen class is 200 students, making it the smallest freshmen class we have seen in years. The current enrollment at CFHS is 825 students, down from 872 students at the same time last year.

September 18, 2008 11 p.m.

Vals pick up season's first win

By JORDAN DAWSON / Bigfork Eagle

September 18, 2008 11 p.m.

Swan Hill TV District getting ready for digital

By ALEX STRICKLAND / Bigfork Eagle

September 18, 2008 11 p.m.

Letters to the Editor

Energy meeting

September 18, 2008 11 p.m.

Marion Virginia Trapp, 86

Marion Virginia Trapp, age 86, passed away on Saturday, September 13, 3008 at her residence in Bigfork, Montana. She was born on January 11, 1922 in Boulder, Colorado the older of two children of Caroline (Kirby) and Bayne Vogel.

September 18, 2008 11 p.m.

City budget hikes property taxes about $20 per average home

By HEIDI DESCH / Hungry Horse News

September 18, 2008 11 p.m.

Positive attitude about economic development

Despite the downturn in the economy and drop in the stock market earlier this week, attitudes were positive during the Columbia Falls Area Chamber of Commerce monthly economic development meeting Tuesday morning at the Back Room.

September 18, 2008 11 p.m.

Judge denies motion in steep slopes case

By RICHARD HANNERS / Whitefish Pilot

September 18, 2008 11 p.m.

Drew Coco wins Flathead Invitational

By DAVID ERICKSON / Whitefish Pilot

September 18, 2008 11 p.m.

Carlson finishes fifth in Flathead meet

By JORDAN DAWSON / Bigfork Eagle

September 18, 2008 11 p.m.

Harriers run well at Flathead Invite

Shawn Whitman earned 11th place, leading Columbia Falls to seventh place in the varsity boys division of the Flathead Invitational on Saturday at the Kidsport Complex in Kalispell. The Wildcats were the second best Class A team, beaten only by Hamilton.

September 18, 2008 11 p.m.

Whitefish woman beats Olympic gold medalist

By DAVID ERICKSON / Whitefish Pilot

September 18, 2008 11 p.m.

Cats edged by Maroons, 26-19

By JOE SOVA / Hungry Horse News

September 18, 2008 11 p.m.

FWP holds meeting on proposed North Shore park

By ALEX STRICKLAND / Bigfork Eagle

September 18, 2008 11 p.m.

Wildcats shut out by Loggers, 2-0

By JOE SOVA / Hungry Horse News

September 18, 2008 11 p.m.

AG candidate wants to break Democrat hold

By RICHARD HANNERS / Whitefish Pilot

September 18, 2008 11 p.m.

Lady Bulldogs win home conference opener

By DAVID ERICKSON / Whitefish Pilot

September 18, 2008 11 p.m.

Bulldog strikers plunder the Pirates

By DAVID ERICKSON / Whitefish Pilot

September 18, 2008 11 p.m.

Lady spikers lose extra-game thriller to Bigfork

By DAVID ERICKSON / Whitefish Pilot

September 18, 2008 11 p.m.

Take a ride or walk on our trails

This has been a wonderful summer in Whitefish — mild weather, no forest fires and a special year for the introduction of new bike and pedestrian trails.

September 18, 2008 11 p.m.

City Beach bond election turned down

By RICHARD HANNERS / Whitefish Pilot

September 18, 2008 11 p.m.

The Insect Incident

It looked as if someone had dropped a brilliant bejeweled broach on my garage apron. The early morning sun made it shimmer and gleam like something expensive in a Tiffany window. It was a large dragonfly, brought to earth in a dangerous spot by the chilled predawn air. I cannot exaggerate its brilliance. The 2-inch-long body was entirely a mosaic of tiny incandescent turquoise and cobalt sapphires from head to tail… indescribably intricate. The shimmering translucent wings were stretched over an unbelievable delicate and elaborate frame of veins.

September 18, 2008 11 p.m.

How Montana's legislature works

By Jim Elliot

September 18, 2008 11 p.m.

Flathead Lake Protection Association donates $20,000 to station

By JACOB DORAN / Bigfork Eagle

September 18, 2008 11 p.m.

Bulldogs can't find endzone in Frenchtown

By DAVID ERICKSON / Whitefish Pilot

September 18, 2008 11 p.m.

Getting ready for the big time

By JORDAN DAWSON / Bigfork Eagle

September 18, 2008 11 p.m.

Letter from the editor

Don't make the race about race

September 18, 2008 11 p.m.

Many Glacier winter caretaker dies

By CHRIS PETERSON / Hungry Horse News

September 18, 2008 11 p.m.

CFBB auction nets more than $30,000

By ALEX STRICKLAND / Bigfork Eagle

Thursday, September 11

September 11, 2008 11 p.m.

Project will create 'speedway'

A new city is about to rise on the hill. While your eyes were blinking, Whitefish approved another massive PUD for the Wisconsin strip.

September 11, 2008 11 p.m.

Bigfork teen hoping to paddle to graduation

By ALEX STRICKLAND / Bigfork Eagle

September 11, 2008 11 p.m.

New world record set on Whitefish Lake

By DAVID ERICKSON / Whitefish Pilot

September 11, 2008 11 p.m.

Vikes fall short against bigger competition

By JORDAN DAWSON / Bigfork Eagle

September 11, 2008 11 p.m.

Cross-country off to good start

The 2008 high school cross-country season began with an upbeat performance by both the boys and girls teams from Whitefish High School at the Libby Invitational this past weekend.

September 11, 2008 11 p.m.

Schools head back to court against State

By JOE SOVA / Hungry Horse News

September 11, 2008 11 p.m.

Peck officially removed as BHS principal

By ALEX STRICKLAND / Bigfork Eagle

September 11, 2008 11 p.m.

Biden to Montana:Change is needed

By DAVID ERICKSON / Whitefish Pilot

September 11, 2008 11 p.m.

Vice Presidential candidate Biden stumps in Kalispell

By DAVID ERICKSON / Northwest Montana News Network

September 11, 2008 11 p.m.

Local contract mail carrier nets coveted award

By JACOB DORAN / Bigfork Eagle

September 11, 2008 11 p.m.

Marie Antonsen, 93

Marie Antonsen, age 93, of Bigfork, passed away on Saturday, August 30, 2008 at Lakeview Care Center in Bigfork, Montana. She was born on August 14, 1915 in Denmark.

September 11, 2008 11 p.m.

Boys and girls are champs at Ronan golf tourney

Both the Whitefish boys and girls golf teams won the Ronan Invitational last Thursday at Mission Mountain Golf Club. The field included all Western Class A teams, from Hamilton to Libby, plus squads from Browning, Glacier and Flathead. A total of 13 teams competed in the one-day event.

September 11, 2008 11 p.m.

City moves ahead with parking plan

By RICHARD HANNERS / Whitefish Pilot

September 11, 2008 11 p.m.

Four more, what for?

To the editor,

September 11, 2008 11 p.m.

Bulldogs upset Butte Central

By DAVID ERICKSON / Whitefish Pilot

September 11, 2008 11 p.m.

Sewage issues

A troublesome situation has come to my attention that needs to be given some serious consideration. An application is being processed for a State permit to allow raw sewage to be dumped on the ground very near to a well developed residential area. Should this permit be granted, the owners of the adjacent and nearby properties will experience very negative impacts to their expectation of a clean living environment, as well as a decrease in their property values. I find this very disturbing.

September 11, 2008 11 p.m.

Vals come close, but go 0-2 over the weekend

By JORDAN DAWSON / Bigfork Eagle

September 11, 2008 11 p.m.

Senate candidate wants smaller government

By RICHARD HANNERS / Whitefish Pilot

September 11, 2008 11 p.m.

Harold Mohn

Harold R. Mohn, 92, of Kalispell, passed away on Friday, Sept. 5, 2008, at the Montana Veterans' Home in Columbia Falls. He was born on July 3, 1916, in the Flathead Valley, the son of the late Alfred and Bertha (Lee) Mohn.

September 11, 2008 11 p.m.

Win or lose; it's still a great game

By JORDAN DAWSON / Bigfork Eagle

September 11, 2008 11 p.m.

Condos with a view offered in online auction

By RICHARD HANNERS / Whitefish Pilot

September 11, 2008 11 p.m.

Kindness will lead the way

Leadership matters, it always does. We as a community have the courage to look past our own agendas and care for others, to serve.

September 11, 2008 11 p.m.

Glacier National Park Fund to make former Sunrise Bakery its new home

By CHRIS PETERSON / Hungry Horse News

September 11, 2008 11 p.m.

Road Dust: A real and spreading problem

By Steve Qunell

September 11, 2008 11 p.m.

School's decision on Peck mystifying

The Bigfork School District's decision to abruptly part ways with Bigfork High School Principal Thom Peck the Friday before the first day of school makes little sense, not least because of the district's insistence on keeping mum over the circumstances.

September 11, 2008 11 p.m.

CFHS harriers win JV boys, girls titles at Libby

Columbia Falls captured both the junior varsity boys and girls titles at the Libby Invitational on Friday to open the cross country season. Freshman Justin Whitman was the winner of the JV boys race, and sophomore Madison Stolte took top honors in JV girls.

September 11, 2008 11 p.m.

Logan Arnst

Logan Daniel Arnst, 16, left this world on Sept. 5, 2008, although his gift remains. Words seem minimal to express his life.

September 11, 2008 11 p.m.

School, sewer department agree on hookup

By ALEX STRICKLAND / Bigfork Eagle

September 11, 2008 11 p.m.

Wildkat spikers swept by Polson

By JOE SOVA / Hungry Horse News

September 11, 2008 11 p.m.

Council is right

In my opinion the Whitefish mayor and city councilors made the proper decision when they voted to use tax-increment financing (TIF) money to fund the construction of the Emergency Service Center, instead of using this money to fund the building of a three-story parking structure. The emergency center will house the fire and police departments and a new jail.

September 11, 2008 11 p.m.

Vomit sounds, pika poop: just another day in Glacier

This summer I've volunteered for a couple of projects in the Park. One is the citizen science loon survey and the other is the pika, goat, and Clark's nutcracker surveys. The idea is to get baseline data on all the species and then, later on, see how the critters are doing 5, 10, 15 years down the line.

September 11, 2008 11 p.m.

Learning People to Write Good

"How to Write Good" was the headline over a humorous item in our last Reader's Digest. That kind of grammatical tom-foolery has been around for a long time. A regular feature in my Kalispell News reported on people helping others and was titled "Done Good". At first a few readers said, "George, you shouldn't say people 'done good'." A favorite grade school teacher called laughing to say, "George. I learned you better than that." Eventually the idea was accepted for what it was… having fun with bad grammar. I didn't invent "done good", but got inspiration for its use from one of the funniest books I ever read.

September 11, 2008 11 p.m.

Vikings get new basketball coach

By JORDAN DAWSON / Bigfork Eagle

September 11, 2008 11 p.m.

To lower gas prices, all options on the table

By Denny Rehberg

September 11, 2008 11 p.m.

Short-handed Lady Bulldogs split two games

By DAVID ERICKSON / Whitefish Pilot

September 11, 2008 11 p.m.

Billings Central gives Whitefish a scare

By DAVID ERICKSON / Whitefish Pilot

September 11, 2008 11 p.m.

Bigfork PTA back in action after hiatus

By ALEX STRICKLAND / Bigfork Eagle

September 11, 2008 11 p.m.

Baumgartner leads Cats to 42-0 blitzing of Browning

By JOE SOVA / Hungry Horse News

September 11, 2008 11 p.m.

County speeds up 'doughnut' zoning change

By RICHARD HANNERS / Whitefish Pilot

Friday, September 5

September 5, 2008 11 p.m.

Zone change could pave way for Columbia Falls subdivision.

By HEIDI DESCH / Hungry Horse News

Thursday, September 4

September 4, 2008 11 p.m.

Young CFHS boys open at Park High

By JOE SOVA / Hungry Horse News

September 4, 2008 11 p.m.

Council OK's big subdivision east of town

By HEIDI DESCH / Hungry Horse News

September 4, 2008 11 p.m.

'The whole place went nuts'

Montanans played key roles in convention

September 4, 2008 11 p.m.

Mural art

Oh give me a break. The city of Whitefish is going to make Mrs. Spoonover's remove its mural sign while not enforcing its restrictions on illegal billboards placed within Whitefish by national advertisement firms.

September 4, 2008 11 p.m.

Proposes traffic solutions

I have been coming to Whitefish since 1993. I have seen it grow from a sleepy resort town to a bustling city.

September 4, 2008 11 p.m.

Third car may have caused triple fatal

By RICHARD HANNERS / Northwest Montana News Network

September 4, 2008 11 p.m.

Hungry Cats host Browning in season opener

By JOE SOVA / Hungry Horse News

September 4, 2008 11 p.m.

Lady spikers look sharp at Tip-off Tourney

By DAVID ERICKSON / Whitefish Pilot

September 4, 2008 11 p.m.

Kat spikers post 6-4 mark in WF tourney

By JOE SOVA / Hungry Horse News

September 4, 2008 11 p.m.

There is no excuse for cruelty to animals

To the editor,

September 4, 2008 11 p.m.

The Name Game

Started a column about my latest adventures in home plumbing repair but got too distraught to finish it before going through additional "mild brandy rehabilitation" treatments. No use whimpering to good readers about my pain and mental suffering. So! Using the hand that still works pretty good, I've typed out (stolen) some interesting history on the naming of Flathead settlements.

September 4, 2008 11 p.m.

Road dust litigation ill-advised

In an Aug. 28 letter to the editor, Mr. Dennis Groebe stated, "at the last meeting of the North Fork Landowners' Association, it became very clear that a 'small vocal minority' has decided to portray the position that the North Fork property owners do not want any steps taken to control the road dust, while the NFLA Board acknowledged that in their own recent poll, 77 percent of the respondents stated that they desired the road to be maintained and some form of 'dust control measures' to be implemented."

September 4, 2008 11 p.m.

Charles Quimby

Charles Ray Quimby, 89, passed away at his home in Kalispell on Aug. 26, 2008, of natural causes with his friend, companion and wife, Geraldine, of 66 years at his side. He was born Aug. 11, 1919, to Charlie Jared Quimby and Ollie (Thomas) Quimby in a log cabin behind the East Glacier Inn in Glacier National Park.

September 4, 2008 11 p.m.

Bulldog boys sting Yellowjackets on the road

By DAVID ERICKSON / Whitefish Pilot

September 4, 2008 11 p.m.

Bulldogs lose late lead to Blue Ponies

Whitefish football team looks to be very competitive in conference

September 4, 2008 11 p.m.

Ride bike? Wear a helmet

You don't always think you need to wear a helmet to ride a few blocks across a small town on (relatively) quiet streets. The threat is cars, right?

September 4, 2008 11 p.m.

Leave train noise alone

With all the controversy going on regarding the trains, I feel compelled to express my views.

September 4, 2008 11 p.m.

Wayne Pennecard

Wayne C. Pennecard, 84, left this world for a new adventure on Aug. 27, 2008. Wayne passed at his home in Whitefish, with his son and daughter at his side.

September 4, 2008 11 p.m.

City and county sit down at the table

'Doughnut' transition team finds some common ground

September 4, 2008 11 p.m.

Still no sign of missing man in Glacier

By CHRIS PETERSON / Hungry Horse News

September 4, 2008 11 p.m.

Whitefish golfers do well at opening tourney

The Whitefish High Bulldog golf teams got into full swing with their first tournament of the year at the Meadow Lark Country Club and Eagle Falls Golf Club in the Great Falls Invitational.