Ellington

Skier found unconscious in tree well

A 16-year-old skier was transported from Whitefish Mountain Resort to Kalispell Regional Medical Center on Wednesday morning after he was found unconscious in a tree well. The boy was found close to the T-bar 2 lift line near the summit of the mountain, according to resort spokesman Donnie Clapp.

Stranded men make it off Mt. Brown

Avalanche tally six consecutive wins

Food bank donation

'Donut' issue is No. 1 story of 2010

River cleanup No. 2 story

U.S. population growth slowing

New subdivision regs approved

The Flathead County commissioners recently approved new subdivision regulations. Commissioners Joe Brenneman and Jim Dupont approved the regulations, which will go into effect April 1. Commissioner Dale Lauman was absent.

North Fork gravel zoning amendment turned down

For the second time in two months, a zoning proposal to limit the size of extractive industries in the North Fork failed to win approval from the Flathead County commissioners.

Myths and facts about suicide exposed at town hall meeting

True or false? Myth or fact?

Folsom sparks MatCats

Josh Folsom was on his back and in big trouble in the second round of his match against Libby Logger Austin Bailey. Bailey was just an inch or so away from pinning Folsom and giving the Loggers a tremendous amount of emotional momentum in their dual last Tuesday.

Luella Mae (Flint) McFadden

Luella Mae (Flint) McFadden, passed away peacefully at her home in Columbia Falls on Dec. 26, 2010.

Loretta “Marty” (Martin) Schwalk

Loretta “Marty” (Martin) Schwalk, 68, of Columbia Falls passed away Dec. 19, 2010 from cancer.

Christine “Chris” Ann Rupp

Christine “Chris” Ann Rupp, 59, was called home on Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2010 after a long battle with illness, surrounded by her family at the Kalispell Regional Medical Center. She was born on June 22, 1951 in Chicago, Ill., to Bill and Erma (Nuss) Rocksund.

2010: Year of celebration

The year 2010 was marked by both tragedy and celebration in Columbia Falls and the Canyon.

Biologist objects to Swan Crest marathon

The man charged with grizzly bear recovery in the region openly criticized a 100-mile foot race in the Swan Range, saying it goes contrary to everything bear managers preach to the public about how to travel in grizzly country.

Zinke prepares draft bills

Lowering worker’s compensation costs, funding education and loosening restrictions on Montana breweries are a few of the proposals Ryan Zinke is taking to Helena in 2011.

Thanks to Secret Santa

To the editor,

Thanks for the coats

To the editor,

Sparkling Christmas at Sondreson

Christmas Eve was clear and cold and a near full moon gave Santa good visibility for his deliveries. As daylight approached there was more and more freezing fog and visibility was dropping down to less than 100 yards.

Mitigated memories

Two-thousand and ten was a quiet year for the Trailwatcher guy.

Lerum turns love for beads, rings into hobby

Vikes and Vals sweep Bluehawks

The Vikings and Valkyries varsity basketball teams both earned conference wins Tuesday evening in a double-header on their home court against Thompson Falls.

Locals featured in new ski-mountaineering book

Film fest draws ski celebrities

Flying Fish gym a hit with kids, parents

Wrestlers strong at Buzz Lucey

Glacier Nordic sweeps at Essex

Lady 'Dogs drop two

Boys hit rough patch

A student interview with Derek Skees

Anyone who’s ever had a social studies class with me knows my political views. To put it lightly, I am liberal and proud. So, if I were to lock myself in a room with a Republican, a recently-elected, Tea Party Republican for an hour and a half, one could expect no less than fireworks. In fact, I did just that, and surprisingly, the fireworks remained dormant.

Consider adopting pets

Montana drone aircraft program kicks off

Skees outlines draft bills

Group seeks to repeal 'doughnut' agreement

Dennis Eugene Howard

Dennis Eugene Howard, 60, passed away Dec. 12, 2010 at the University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle.

Cats down AA Flathead, Sentinel

Parker Johnson had some key steals and the Columbia Falls basketball team preserved its unbeaten record at 4-0, downing Missoula Sentinel 44-40 last Saturday.

Keep kids warm; donate coats

To the community:

County commissioners delay library funding decision

Flathead County commissioners are considering a request by the Columbia Falls branch library for $268,000 in funding.

Paul Charles Brash

Paul Charles Brash, 49, passed away Dec. 11 at his home in Columbia Falls after a long battle with diabetes.

Christmas fun, past and present

Don’t forget the Christmas Party at Sondreson Hall! Hosts Jan and Alice Caldwell and Mark and Margaret Heaphy will have the building toasty warm by 3 p.m. on Christmas day and dinner will be served at 4 p.m. Turkey, ham, potatoes and gravy will be provided and cooked by the hosts. Everyone else should bring a side dish or dessert. I’ll bet there will be more than 50 people present.

Girls have tough time against Flathead, Missoula

The Columbia Falls girls basketball team had a tough time with two AA opponents last week. The Wildkats lost to the Flathead Bravettes last Thursday 52-41 and to Missoula Sentinel last Saturday 66-39.

A quieter Christmas

Our four offspring and three grandchildren will be at the elder Ostrom’s house Christmas Eve for a few hours to exchange presents, then they will go home. The next day will be a lazy relaxing time for Iris, Shannon and I. The only actual “little kid” in our family right now is great-grandson, Novio, who lives in Santa Cruz, Calif., and is not here for the holidays; however, I will not get to feeling lonely Christmas Day because I have this documented report from Christmas 1965:

Honor Death with Dignity Act

To the editor,

Christmas store helps kids shop for families

Every year, a few weeks before Christmas, the children at Canyon Elementary flood into a classroom filled with toys, books, camping gear, tools, Hot Wheels cars, spatulas, frames, board games and calendars.

LETTER: Opt to adopt

Joedy Byrd

Joedy Byrd, 83, “left the bounds of this life to touch the hand of God.”

Fines issued for dumping in Flathead Lake

Bulldogs win two at Tip-off tourney

Lady Bulldogs go cold at Tip-off

Davenport to sign book

Locals make Regional U.S. Telemark team

Comments requested for Chair 5 project

Emma Liberty Comes At Night

Streetscaping asphalt defective

GPI looks to purchase Grouse

No definitive agreement yet

Consultants to take on U.S. 93 strip zoning

Variance granted for mural

Golf course lease approved

Grapplers go 2-3 at Butte duals

The Columbia Falls wrestling team went 2-3 at the Mining City Duals in Butte last weekend.

Cats bag two wins at Tip-Off Tourney

The Columbia Falls boys basketball team opened its season with a flourish, downing Stevensville 57-32 last Friday and then hammering Hamilton 66-47 Saturday at the Western A Tip-Off tourney.

Wildkats open the season with two looses

The Columbia Falls girls basketball team opened the season with two losses at the Western A Tip-Off tourney, but coach Dan Fairbank said he saw some nice progress between the first and second games.

A rocking horse-making machine

If Pete Darling had his way, every two-year-old child in the valley would get one of his hand-crafted rocking horses.

CFHS student not expelled for gun violation

Columbia Falls High School junior Demari DeReu, who inadvertently brought a rifle to school, is back in class Tuesday after School District 6 trustees voted not to expel her.

GPI in talks to purchase Grouse Mountain

The company that runs the major lodges in Glacier National Park confirmed last week that it has been in talks to purchase Grouse Mountain Lodge in Whitefish, though a final deal hasn’t been struck.

Carol Jean Rowe Hagen

Carol Jean Rowe Hagen, 59, passed away peacefully at her home in Columbia Falls Dec. 9, 2010.

Kenneth Joseph Morrison

Kenneth Joseph Morrison died on Dec.1, 2010 at the Montana Veterans Home in Columbia Falls at the age of 86.

Wolves were here first

To the editor,

Keep guns out of our schools

Let me begin by saying this: The rights guaranteed by the Second Amendment are vitally important. Guns rights allow us as a people to protect ourselves from a government that would behave in an unjust way. Gun rights grant us self-sufficiency, the ability to provide meals for ourselves and our families.

Mrs. Buckett's underwear

Latest project is trying to write an autobiography about my very rural childhood during the “Great Depression.” One of my favorite memories was recalled here in December 1965, and because I’m having trouble with my old computer we are running that account from 45 years ago.

Sports commentary: Winter: It's all down hill fun from here

Get to know Bigfork: Santa Claus

Efforts continue to raise funds for Sliter Park memorial project

Blacktail Mountain Ski Area to open Friday

Nielsen earns All-State football honors

Grapplers open season

Lady 'Dogs have new attitude

Strength in the post

Kober bowls perfect 300

Christmas Stroll

Grand opening

Fire engulfs Mountain Harbor duplex

Commissioners unanimously approve new donut agreement

District now has three cases of whooping cough

The Bigfork School District has three confirmed cases of pertussis, or whooping cough, as of Wednesday morning.

Girls working hard as season approaches

The Columbia Falls girls basketball team will rely on a squad of six seniors in its bid to make it back to the state tournament this year. Leading the Wildkats this season is Kayla DeWit, who has signed to play basketball with Montana State University when she graduates.

Cats drop Whitefish, Ronan

Justin Whitman went undefeated last weekend and the Columbia Falls wrestling team won two duals against Whitefish and Ronan.

Mary Louise Harner

Mary Louise Harner, 84 of Columbia Falls, died Nov. 30, 2010, at the Whitefish Care & Rehabilitation Center. She was born on May 5, 1925, in Carrington, N. D., to William and Maude Reuter.

Guin Beller

Guin Beller passed away on Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2010 at the Immanuel Lutheran Home in Kalispell.

Claudia P. Higson

Claudia P. Higson, 85, passed away at Mountain View Nursing Home on Nov. 28, 2010 after a brief illness. She was born May 12, 1925 to Tom and Alice Price and graduated from Lincoln County High School in Eureka.

Velva LaVon Newhouse

Velva LaVon Newhouse, 85, of Page, Ariz., passed away Nov. 15, 2010 in Lone Tree, Colo. She was born on June 26, 1925 in Jackson Township, Iowa, the daughter of Albert Jones and Meryle Jones-Wineinger.

Helmeth Christian “Windy” Christman

Helmeth Christman, 85, long-time resident of Columbia Falls, passed away peacefully in his sleep at the family home in the early morning hours of Nov. 29, 2010.

Local man freezes to death in car

A Columbia Falls man who was living in his car was found frozen to death early Monday morning. Jeffery Tolson, 56, was found severely hypothermic without a pulse in his car about 6 a.m. Monday morning by Columbia Falls Police officer Craig McConnell in the parking lot of Cardinal True Value Hardware.

Tester urges power agreement for CFAC

Columbia Falls Aluminum Co. continues negotiations with Bonneville Power Administration, and the company is getting Montana’s congressional delegation behind it.

Youth curfew starts next year

Starting next year Columbia Falls youth will have to be home by 11 p.m.

Welcome to the banana republic

While driving to work Tuesday morning, I switched my radio dial to National Public Radio. Over the airwaves came the announcement of President Barack Obama’s “compromise” (read: re-election ploy) with the Republicans to extend the Bush-era tax cuts another two years.

Misdemeanor details

Once upon a time in the olden days long ago, local newspapers wrote many details on misdemeanor arrests. As media productions costs soared, so did criminal activity. Results? Daily and weekly papers alike these days, can only give short reports on crime except for bigger felonies.

BLUAC appoints new member

Big Mountain opening day

Bigfork gets new fire grant

LETTER: Thank you for Holidayfest support

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Whooping cough case confirmed in Bigfork

A case of pertussis, or whooping cough, has been confirmed in the Bigfork School District.

Neighborhood plan approved

The Flathead County Commissioners gave final approval to the revised Lakeside Neighborhood Plan on Wednesday.

Shop to support schools at Holidayfest

Local ski boot technician goes high-tech

Many new faces on wrestling team

Runners donate 675 lbs. of food

New Fishbowl supervisor named

Resort schedules pentathlon race

Regulations

Judge Johnson requests hearing over charges

Groups sue state over election laws

Drinking bills head to Helena

Whitefish Mountain Resort lifts open Saturday

With more than three feet of snow already blanketing the slopes, Whitefish Mountain Resort is prepared to open nearly all of its terrain on opening day Saturday. This would mark the first time in recent memory that’s even been a possibility.

Boys basketball team should be tough

This year’s boys basketball team has the potential to be a very good squad.

R. Keith Granrud

R. Keith Granrud, 73, died at his home in Ryegate, Wednesday, Nov. 10, 2010.

Patricia Ann Gardner

Patricia “Pat” Ann Gardner passed away Nov. 26, 2010, at her home in Columbia Falls, after a long battle with cancer.

John (Jesus John) Cochran

John (Jesus John) Cochran, 51, passed away peacefully Saturday, Nov. 6, 2010 at his Coram residence.

Snow helps hunters in waning days of season

Frigid temperatures and heavy snows may have made driving treacherous but they were exactly what hunters needed in the last week of the season. The snow and cold drove deer and elk to lower elevations and also made for good tracking snow, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks biologists noted.

Nucleus stop sign hearing set for January

The Columbia Falls City Council is taking a step back from requesting a stop sign on Nucleus Avenue.

PSC evaluates CenturyLink, Qwest merger

The Montana Public Service Commission continues to evaluate a possible merger between CenturyLink and Qwest.

Good for you, Larry Wilson

What’s the big deal? Larry Wilson is often controversial. He sometimes ends his column with “What do you think?” I usually disagree with his views. People think he was wrong in expressing his opinion about the Sondreson Hall Christmas party? Well, I think he was right! So whose side should be taken? Good for you, Larry Wilson!

Traditions, some old, some new

This is an area known for strongly held traditions.

Advice and advising

The hottest places in Hell are reserved for those who in a time of moral crisis refuse to take a stand.” Don’t ever forget that.

Obituary: John Cochran

Low voter turnouts can be dangerous

Little Hoopsters pack Bigfork gym

QRU holds open house for work on new facility

Vikes clean up in All-Conference honors