Ellington

Reservoir, North Fork road closures continue

The West-side Hungry Horse Reservoir Road remains closed for about 11 miles, from the Hungry Horse Dam to the Lid Creek Campground. Crews have replaced culverts, built retaining walls and completed road substructure repairs, and paving is scheduled to begin Oct. 3.

Border bill is a bad bill

Imaging going hunting in the Yaak and finding a new gate blocking your favorite spot. But not a Forest Service gate, a Homeland Security gate. No notice, no public meeting, no explanation, no access.

County to issue doughnut survey

Flathead County Commissioners on Sept. 28 agreed to Whitefish City Council’s request to extend the 90-day deadline for a response to the county’s notice of withdrawal from the Interlocal Agreement.

House interim super in Big Sky

Jerry House is now serving as a school superintendent in Big Sky.

Prescribed burn planned for east side of reservoir

The Hungry Horse District will begin prescribed burning this week on up to 2,000 acres on the east side of the Hungry Horse Reservoir as part of its management plan for the Paint Emery Resource Management Project.

Lady Dogs down Kats

Marrit Marie Kittock

Lady Dogs buzz Loggers

Dogs slip at Libby, look toward Polson

Dogs shut out Loggers

Whitefish man runs across Bob in one day

Debris hampers river cleanup

Construction projects putting locals to work

Schools meet AYP standard

Beck to run for SD-2

Rising Sun takes French fare to Kalispell

Election 2011: Muhlfeld focused on economy

Williams breaks school cross-country record

Derrick Williams shattered the Columbia Falls cross-country school record last week and took fifth at the Missoula Mountain West Classic. For the Wildkats, Jinise Osborne broke the previous senior school record.

Cats lose to Polson at home

Ugh. The Polson Pirates avenged last year's conference loss to Columbia Falls in a big way Sept. 22, downing the Wildcats 36-7.

Five C-Falls golfers head to state tourney

Parker Johnson carded a 77 five-over-par to take third place in the Northwest A Divisional golf tournament in Polson on Sept. 22. Fellow senior Brian Marcille's 97 earned him a trip to state as the 15th-place finisher. The top-15 places get a state tournament berth.

Cats suffer two blowout losses

The Columbia Falls boys soccer team had a rough week, losing two games in blowout fashion.

Wildkats scoring barrage continues

They keep on rolling. The Columbia Falls girls soccer team blew out two opponents last week.

Kats can't get past Dogs

They just can't get over the hump.

Mary Parkhill

Mary "Meme, Rube" Parkhill, 57, died Sept. 15, 2011.

James Elgin Sr.

James E. Elgin Sr., 71, passed away suddenly of natural causes on Aug. 29, 2011.

Gilbert Zimbelman

Gilbert Edward Zimbelman, 93, of Great Falls passed away Sept. 2, 2011.

Russell Hoeldt

Russell J. "Russ" Hoeldt, 61, died Aug. 28, 2011, at his home in Columbia Falls due to cancer.

Brien Pyles

Brien Edward Pyles, 49, of Martin City, passed away Aug. 29, 2011, at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.

Edward Smith

Edward C. Smith, 79, of Columbia Falls, passed away Sept, 23, 2011, at his home in Columbia Falls.

Kelly Greenfield

Kelly Greenfield, 24, passed away Sept. 25, 2011, in Columbia Falls.

Vehicle break-ins

The Flathead County Sheriff's Office would like to notify the public of a recent increase in thefts from vehicles. Over the past week, there have been many reports of valuables being stolen from both locked and unlocked vehicles during both daylight and night time hours. These thefts have occurred in parking lots, on public property and on private property, even with people standing nearby.

Poisoned fish

I am writing to alert your readers to the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks current and on-going program to poison our creeks, streams and lake with rotenone and other poisons.

River trail dream is in shambles

My dad, Loren Kreck, dedicated his life to preserving the glories of Montana's wilderness, often in the face of criticism from corporations and individuals who didn't share his vision of saving beautiful places for future generations.

Border land security bill is scary stuff

The U.S. House of Representatives is considering a dangerous bill that should have all of us in Montana - and especially those of us in the northern tier - on high alert. It's called the National Security and Federal Lands Protection Act (House Resolution 1505 if you want to look it up yourself), and it gives the federal government sweeping new power to shut down our public lands.

Know your limits when floating on river

Biggest news this week, of course, was the tragic drowning of a 51-year-old out-of-state woman about two miles south of Polebridge.

A fair complaint

Learned ages ago candles have short fuses as flames burn. Learning now same applies to octogenarians. At least that is my excuse for continually having "a short fuse" for various situations.

Timber resources and local counties

The U.S. House Natural Resources Subcommittee recently hosted a hearing in Washington, D.C., on a draft proposal to replace the current Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-determination Act of 2000, which expires at the end of September.

Chinese Wall bones sent to coroner

A search party of 27 people scoured an area near the Chinese Wall in the Bob Marshall Wilderness last week looking for missing soldier Noah Pippin.

Captured griz is brother of Flathead Lake swimmer

A three-year-old male grizzly was captured at Kuhns Wildlife Management Area on Farm To Market Road on Sept. 22 after it had an encounter with a bowhunter three days earlier. Grizzly bears have been known to use the popular youth hunting area in the past, especially during spring and summer.

Rain dampens wilderness area wildfires

A good dose of rain last week helped quell fires in the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex. While the fires aren't dead out, no significant growth is expected, said Seth Carbonari, a fire management officer with the Spotted Bear Ranger District.

A good time to return to fishing

It's one of those "good news/bad news" things. After spending most of June, July and August in an ankle cast, boot and brace, I'm finally back on the water and trying feverishly to make up for lost fishing time.

Outdoor news

Jewel Basin Road closed

Bill could open up Park to Homeland Security projects

Glacier National Park's border with Canada is marked by broad prairies and majestic mountains. A bill in Congress co-sponsored by Rep. Dennis Rehberg could conceivably allow the Department of Homeland Security to put roads and other access venues in areas currently managed as wilderness.

Park treatment plant permit up for renewal

The Montana Department of Environmental Quality is seeking public comments on its proposal to renew Glacier National Park's wastewater discharge permit for its Lake McDonald Wastewater Treatment Plant.

Red Bridge loses $500,000 county commitment

Grassroots efforts to restore the historic Red Bridge suffered a major setback last week when the Flathead County Commissioners voted unanimously to "unencumber" $500,000 in federal funding for the project.

Councilor wants his vote to count

In small-town government, city council is where the decisons are made, incumbent councilor Doug Karper says. He should know. Wrapping up an elected four-year term, Karper is one of the longest serving city councilors, with about 12 1/2 years by year's end.

Teen goes missing at high school dance

A 17-year-old male has been missing since he left a dance at Columbia Falls High School on Saturday, Sept. 24.

Skees enters race for state auditor

Montana state Rep. Derek Skees confirmed Sept. 14 his plans to enter the race for Montana state auditor in 2012.

Community news

Garage sale

School news

Challenge Academy

Dutchman biking 'pole to pole'

Aart Huijg used to be an economist in his hometown of Amsterdam, in the Netherlands. While he loved the math, he hated the lifestyle, stuck behind a desk eight hours a day.

Letter to the editor: Gaisers influential in children's lives

I think it is timely to tell you of the debt I owe Bigfork’s Cathy Gaiser and Bud Gaiser. I would also like to give your readers some idea of the esteem in which they are held here from their 10 years in Australia.

Emergency boxes to accompany search and rescue efforts

As the president of Swan Mission Search and Rescue, Carol Field knows that all it takes is one wrong turn for a hiker to become lost in the wilderness of Lake County.

Drivers unharmed after deer flies through SUV

Seth Campbell will never look at roadkill the same way again.

Students complete GIS project in Jewel Basin

Like many high school students, Abe Malley doesn’t see the point of copying math problems out of a textbook.

Annual tests show growth in student achievement

Although state test scores show across-the-board growth in academic achievement among Bigfork students, Jackie Boshka knows there is still a lot of room for improvement.

Stubborn facts: the reality of government debt

It is said that facts are stubborn things. So are the figures on which facts are based.

Vikings demolish Horsemen in district opener

Vikings soccer team falls to Polson after strong start

Bigfork girls still battling for first win

Valkyries snag two wins on the road

Morley beats more than 300 runners in Missoula

Dog races raise money for children

Woody the wiener dog wasn’t the quickest competitor on the track, but he was definitely the crowd favorite.

Lighthouse Harvest Festival entertains crowd

A stiff wind and cool temperatures didn’t stop plenty of enthusiastic folks from attending the Lighthouse Christian Home’s sixth annual Harvest Festival held Saturday, Sept. 17 in north Somers.  

24/7 sobriety program goes into effect soon

Since launching the 24/7 Sobriety Program as a pilot in Lewis and Clark County in May 2010, we’ve experienced exactly what we hoped for to curb repeat DUI offenses — resounding success.

Local boys participate in guitar festival workshops

Major intersection could open Oct. 4

Good news for Whitefish commuters.

Woman drowns in North Fork floating accident

A 51-year-old Idaho woman drowned in the North Fork of the Flathead River on Sept. 21 after the double-seated inflatable kayak she and her husband were riding in got caught in river debris.

Garden creates outdoor classroom

Homecoming parade route shortened

William Ling

Local songwriter debuts first album

Golfers tune up for divisionals

Columbia Falls golfers had a tough time against Glacier High School in a Sept. 13 match play dual at Meadow Lake Resort.

Girls get two big wins

The Columbia Falls girls soccer team is on a roll. They knocked off rival Whitefish 4-3 in a come-from-behind victory Sept. 15 and then drubbed Bigfork 5-0 the next day.

Library now part of state catalog system

Golf club a model of success

Green takes first in miniature bull riding

Twelve-year-old Wyatt Green, of Columbia Falls, took first place in the Montana Miniature Bull Riding Finals held Sept. 10 in Ronan.

Despite losses, spikers are showing improvement

They didn't get the win, but they still played their hearts out.

Cats blow out Browning

The Columbia Falls football team got back on the winning track last week, dropping Browning 38-0 on Sept. 16.

BNSF homes part of low-income housing plan

Kats top Whitefish at Ronan Invitational

Derrick Williams was once again the top class A runner in the field at the Ronan Invitational last week. Williams clocked a 15:53, good enough for third at the Sept. 17 race. Flathead's Zach Perrin won the event, with a time of 15:21.

Election mailer riles public comment

Tough week for Cats soccer

Columbia Falls coach Peter Browne made some changes in the boys soccer team lineup last week. Mason Gedlaman was in goal, Anthony Correa was in the field, and most of the freshmen were seeing plenty of time on the field.

Menicke takes first at Two Bear Marathon

Richard Menicke, of Whitefish, the Columbia Falls High School cross-country coach, took first place in the fourth annual Two Bear Half Marathon on Sept. 11. A total of 124 women and 67 men finished the half marathon race in Whitefish.

North Fork roads, weeds and toilets

I think almost all North Forkers have been pleased with the use of federal and Flathead County funds on the North Fork Road from Camas Junction to Polebridge.

Fond remembrance of friend Millie Wolfe

Millie Wolfe, my longtime friend, was a plucky little lady. She was 65 years old when we decided to go skydiving but not tell our families. We did not want to listen to their objections. My grandson, Joel Atkinson, was avid skydiver with Fred Sand at Lost Prairie.

Budget amendment not best solution

John Nance "Cactus Jack" Garner was vice president under President Franklin D. Roosevelt. He observed that the vice presidency was about as satisfying as "a pitcher of warm spit." Cactus Jack also declared that New Deal-era Montana U.S Sen. Burton K. Wheeler possessed the single most important attribute of a Senator - "guts."

Canadian oil is safer than Mideast oil

The government estimates that America will require 21 percent more energy in 2035 than we did in 2009. Where will this energy come from? A newly formed group called the Partnership to Fuel America thinks we should develop the energy resources in North America rather than continuing to depend on distant and unstable sources in the Middle East and South America.

Homecoming parade?

It's fall and football season is upon us. Soon it will be homecoming. Flathead, Glacier, Whitefish and Bigfork will all have homecoming parades that involve the whole community in homecoming activities.

Florence McClenahan

Florence Eleanor McClenahan, of Plains, passed away on Aug. 2, 2011, at the age of 85.

Bears frequenting city limits

Mildred Wolfe

Mildred (Ruley) Wolfe, 85, went to be with our Lord on Sept. 11, 2011.

Richard Smith

Richard L. Smith, 91, of Columbia Falls, passed away Sept. 12, 2011, at Kalispell Regional Hospital.

Park visitor numbers continue to be low

Visits to Glacier National Park in August were down sharply over last year, continuing the slower summer trend. According to Park figures, Glacier Park saw 532,718 recreation visits in August, which is 15.8 percent less than last year.

Election 2011 - Mayoral candidate Turner Askew

Web site aims to protect the Park

A new Web site created by the National Parks Conservation Association aims to expose some of the threats facing Glacier National Park.

Lake invaders pose difficult management problems

Positive hit could close down boating in Glacier Park

Lake Five fishing access site opens soon

A fishing access site at Lake Five is now a reality. Signs went up this week on U.S. Highway 2, and the contractor was finishing up final construction at the site late last week. The site should open to the public late this month or early next month.

Haskill Basin grizzly killed

Fish, Wildlife and Parks biologists decided to kill a food-conditioned male grizzly bear that was captured near Haskill Basin on Sept. 14.

Avalanche experts to gather for workshop

Five of the region's most prominent avalanche experts will appear at an avalanche safety workshop at Grouse Mountain Lodge in Whitefish on Saturday, Oct. 1, from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Outdoor news

Jewel Basin Road

Community news

Booster BBQ

Giving back

Neil Baumann remembers how soldiers were treated when they came home from Vietnam - not very well. He didn't want the same thing happening to soldiers coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan.

C-Falls man faces illegal hunting charges

A 53-year-old Columbia Falls man faces a felony charge of outfitting without a license, along with nine misdemeanor charges associated with big game hunting in Montana several years ago.

C-Falls man arrested in Great Falls

A 31-year-old Columbia Falls man was arrested Aug. 28 in Great Falls and charged with driving drunk onto a downtown sidewalk and endangering pedestrians.

Scooter rider convicted of felony DUI

A 49-year-old Columbia Falls man was sentenced to 13 months with the Department of Corrections after he pleaded no contest to a felony DUI charge.

Lions choose Brown as citizen of the year

A familiar face in the Columbia Falls community rose to accept this year's Lion's Club Citizen of the Year award during the Columbia Falls Chamber of Commerce luncheon Sept. 13.

Cottonwoods beneficial during severe weather

The floods of 2011 created devastation for many people across the state of Montana. Reconstruction and repair will continue, perhaps for several years, as we try to bring some semblance of normality back to our precious river and stream corridors. Homeowners and farmers are putting their lives back together and restoring homes and farm infrastructure. Government workers and others are designing fixes to irrigation systems, bridges, riverbanks and roads.

Bone marrow registration drive adds donors, raises awareness

When Bigfork art teacher Sarah Taylor found out last spring that her sister had been diagnosed with two forms of leukemia, she had no idea how difficult it would be to find a matching donor for a bone marrow transplant.

High school gears up for Homecoming

Bigfork High School students will show off their Viking and Valkyrie spirit in a variety of ways next week as part of the annual Homecoming celebration.

Valkyries stopped by Stillwater, Thompson Falls

Sometimes a team learns more from a loss than a win. So last week’s pair of losses — to Stillwater Christian School and Thompson Falls — may have been doubly educational for the Valkyries.

Artist enters international competition

For the last four months, Bigfork artist Sunti Pichetchaiyakul hasn’t gotten much more than four hours of sleep each night.

Ague plays leading role in local theatre

Orson Dwayne Ague can be seen all around the community of Bigfork, though in the summer, you’re almost sure to find him at the Bigfork Summer Playhouse.

Leader of the pack: Morley takes first in third-straight race

Varsity sports aren’t exactly a level playing field for freshman athletes, but don’t bother sharing that theory with Bigfork’s Makena Morley.

Construction underway on Electric Avenue

Construction on the latest portion of the Bigfork Stormwater Project began this week, but before work crews from Neumann Construction Company were allowed to break ground on Electric Avenue, the contractor met with members of the public last week to answer questions and address concerns.

Vikings soccer team ties Wildcats on the road

It was a tough week for the Vikings soccer team as the boys attempted to overcome missing players while taking on two strong opponents, but they still managed to pick up a 1-1 tie in Columbia Falls and score a couple of goals in a home game with Libby that they ultimately lost 6-2.

Bigfork girls nearly nab first win of the season

It wasn’t a win, but it wasn’t a loss. The Valkyries soccer team, which is currently winless after seven games, finished its home game on Saturday against Libby with a 1-1 tie.

promo-front-header

Canyon power outage scheduled

Flathead Electric Cooperative has scheduled a power outage for Wednesday, Sept. 21, from approximately 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. that will impact about 2,500 Co-op members.

Griz captured, killed near Haskill Basin

Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks biologists captured and killed a four-year old male grizzly bear near Haskill Basin Sept. 14 just north of Whitefish. Grizzly bear management specialist Tim Manley noted that the 370-pound bear approached residences in the Whitefish area and got into cat food, broke into a chicken coop, and killed chickens.

Skees to enter state auditor race

Montana state Rep. Derek Skees confirmed Sept. 14 his plans to enter the race for Montana state auditor in 2012. Skees, a Republican, was elected in 2010 to represent Whitefish’s House District 4 at the state legislative session.

Lady Dogs blast Bigfork, Libby

Whitefish storms back against Browning

Boys soccer earns two shutouts

Ski pass sale ends Sept. 30

Scholars study issues facing Whitefish Lake

2012 budget passes tight council vote

Kats buzz Loggers

Wildkat McKenzie Kiser scored three goals and assisted in two more goals, leading Columbia Falls to a lopsided Northern A victory over the Libby Lady Loggers at home on Sept. 8.

Loggers blank Cats at home

The Wildcats couldn't find the back of the net last week as they fell to the Libby Loggers at home on Sept. 8.

Williams places first among Class A harriers

Columbia Falls' Derrick Williams was the top Class A runner at the Flathead Invitational on Saturday in Kalispell.

Spikers split at Tip-Off Tourney

The Columbia Falls volleyball team had some success at the Northwest-Southwest A Tip-Off tourney on Sept. 9-10 in Hamilton. The Wildkats placed first among Northwest A teams, tied with Polson and Whitefish at 6-6.

Johnson wins C-Falls golf tourney

Wildcat senior Parker Johnson shot an 85 on the par 72 Meadow Lakes Golf Course on Sept. 6, solid enough for first place at the Columbia Falls Invitational. Johnson narrowly beat Hayden Congdon, of Polson, who carded an 87 for second place.

Good start, bad finish for Cats

For the first quarter, the Columbia Falls Wildcat football team dominated Stevensville. Unfortunately, a football game is four quarters long. The Yellowjackets made that clear in a 34-14 drubbing of the Cats at home Sept. 9.

Maxine Ness

A celebration of the life of Maxine Ness will be held in Missoula at 1801 Ernest Avenue on Saturday, Sept. 17, from 2-5 p.m. Maxine passed away on July 16, 2011. Friends and family are invited to participate in remembrance of the life of this exceptional woman.

Mildred Wolfe

Mildred Ruley Wolfe, 85, of Columbia Falls, passed away Sept. 11, 2011, at Kalispell Regional Hospital in Kalispell.

Frances Lokken

Frances Mary Lokken, 93, passed away Sept. 3, 2011, at Spokane's Rockwood South Hill Retirement Community.

Rodney Nicholls

Rodney Gene Nicholls, 58, of Cheney, Wash., passed away at home in his sleep from natural causes on Aug. 15, 2011.

Time to enlarge Waterton Park

It's late summer in Montana and thousands of locals and visitors from around the world have streamed into Glacier National Park every day. Make that Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park. It's an important distinction that illustrates just how special this place is.

Witnesses, victims and citizens of the world

The bottom has fallen out of August and summer is trickling down. A silver half moon twinkles through aspen leaves as smoke from forest fires sets a pink glow on the western edge of a yet starless midnight blue sky. This Montana summer has been glorious.

Close call yet on fire danger

A few weeks ago, I wrote that it looked like there would not be much of a fire season on the North Fork. Like all politicians and most columnists, I did add a disclaimer - unless we have unusually dry weather. So far I am sticking with my original opinion. No big fire season on the North Fork in 2011. However, I'm going to expand on my disclaimer.

Dam construction meant school growth

School District No. 6 school enrollment showed a huge increase in the first year after prime contract for Hungry Horse Dam was let. Grade school enrollment report was 832 students when school started in 1948. This compared to 570 the previous year and 214 in 1944.

Wilderness trails closed by fires

A lightning-caused fire near Marias Pass, another on the south side of Big Mountain and another in Marion ldrove home the point of the Flathead County Commissioners' decision last week in imposing Stage 1 fire restrictions on private property in Flathead County.

Troublesome Coram griz sent to educational center

A three-year-old male grizzly bear recently captured near Coram was transferred Sept. 7 to the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center in West Yellowstone, a not-for-profit educational center.

Gunning down Mole-mar Gadhafi

"Got him!" I yelled to my wife who was watching through the living room window. Mole-mar Gadhafi, the pesky insectivore that had terrorized our garden and lawn for most of the summer, was dead.

Outdoor news

Park photo show

Shortest season yet for Park's Sun Road

In what must be the shortest season yet for Glacier National Park's Going-to-the-Sun Road, the last day for vehicles traveling to Logan Pass by the west side will be Sept. 18.

Machete-wielding man subdued at Nite Owl

A man wielding a machete and a jackknife in the Nite Owl restaurant on Saturday afternoon was subdued, but it wasn't easy.

Apgar pack likely behind pet attacks

Wolves that have recently attacked pets in the Blankenship and Coram areas likely came from a fairly new pack living near Apgar Mountain in Glacier National Park, according to Montana Fish, Wildlife Parks biologist Kent Laudon.

Looks like the end of line for Old Red Bridge

Council talks city parks and trails

School news

College planning

Community news

Fair winners

Walking for a cause - and exercise

Leo Renfrow has a pretty simple reason for wanting to join this year's CROP Hunger Walk in Columbia Falls next month.

Boys soccer team still in hunt for first win

The Vikings soccer team is five games into its 2011 season and still without a win after hosting Stillwater Christian on Tuesday and traveling to Whitefish on Thursday last week.

Vikings demolish Wardens

And they’re back.

Crestivew duplex damaged in fire

Fire crews from both the Bigfork and Creston fire departments responded to a house fire at a duplex in Crestview at approximately 9:15 p.m. Sunday night.

Annual CFBB auction raises more than $26,500

Budgets may be tight this fall, but that didn’t stop the residents of Bigfork from coming out and supporting one of their favorite organizations in a big way last Wednesday night.

Morley claims girls title at Flathead Invitational

Makena Morley doesn’t mind being a front runner, and it’s a good thing, because the freshman Bigfork cross-country runner led the field in the varsity girls race from start to finish Saturday during the annual Flathead Invitational cross country meet at Kidsports Complex in Kalispell.

Vals take down Lions in home opener, lose to Florence

Foundation raises money for fire department

The Flathead Valley has been filled with smoke for several days, but on Friday, the community of Bigfork had fire on its mind for an entirely different reason.

Valkyries making progress on the soccer field

The Bigfork girls soccer team has yet to win a game this season, but the Valkyries are showing improvement.

Letter to the editor: no need to raise county taxes

Recently there have been several newspaper articles concerning the approval of the 2012 Flathead County budget and the potential for property tax increases to pay for higher than expected costs at the 911 Center. For the citizens of Flathead County, this is a reminder of the importance of ensuring our county’s budget is run like a business, not a bureaucracy. 

9/11 Video Header

Resort's new lift brings more zip

Lions spotted roaming town

Residents on the north side of Whitefish are cautioned to keep an eye out for mountain lions roaming the urban landscape.

Lady Dogs bump rival Kats

Lady Dogs drop pair on road trip

Bulldogs pick up win over Broncs

Boys top Locomotives

Soroptimist Club turns 60

Resort tax rebounds for July

Realtors sponsor election survey

Wolf hunt starts with archery season

Cell phone rule starts Sept. 20

Stage 1 fire restrictions go into effect

A fire on the south side of Big Mountain and another in Marion drove home the point of the Flathead County Commissioners in imposing Stage 1 fire restrictions on private property in Flathead County.

Wildkats drop two close matches

Columbia Falls dominated the numbers in their Sept. 2 volleyball match against cross-valley rival Whitefish, but it wasn't enough to get the Northwest A conference win.

Golfers open at Flatfish, Polson

The Columbia Falls High School golf teams opened tournament action last week at the Flatfish Invitational on Aug. 29-30 followed on Sept. 1 by the Polson Invitational.

Girls 2-1 for the week

Pretty soccer led to a Wildkat win against the Livingston Rangers on Friday, Sept. 2.

Cats win home opener against the Blue Devils

Columbia Falls football fans were not disappointed at the opening game of the season. On a gorgeous Friday evening at home, the Wildcats defeated the Corvallis Blue Devils 14-6 in a nonconference Class A contest.

Williams and Osborne take second at Libby

Two Columbia Falls harriers grabbed second place at the season-opening Libby Invitational cross-country race on Friday, Sept. 2.

East-side soccer teams defeat Wildcats at home

Two Eastern Montana soccer teams beat the Wildcats at home last week, but the local boys won their season-opening conference game.

History committee gearing up

The North Fork Landowners Association has established a history committee, and their current project is to do oral interviews with North Fork old timers. It's too bad the project cannot include original homesteaders of the area, all of whom have now passed over the Great Divide. Good thing is that today's old timers knew the homesteaders.

An unusual telephone call

If you haven't seen, talked to or heard from someone for over 65 years, it is quite a start to have them call you out of the blue. That is what happened to me last Friday evening. It was a wonderful half hour for both of us.

Pitbull attack

Thank you to the three or four men who helped my dog escape an unprovoked attack at the Teakettle Fishing Access site in Columbia Falls on Sunday, Aug. 28.

Bertha Gostnell

Bertha Jean Gostnell, 69, of Columbia Falls, passed away Aug. 29, 2011, at Health Center Northwest in Kalispell.

Kevin Kamerer

Kevin Richard Kamerer passed away unexpectedly at Kalispell Regional Medical Center on Sept. 1, 2011. He was 25 years old.

James Valov

Apple-eating griz family relocated

The last of three grizzly bears that had been frequenting the Middle Road area off Highway 206 near the Silver Bullet Bar was captured Aug. 30.

Body of missing hiker recovered

Five days after the search began, the body of a missing seasonal employee at Glacier National Park was located about 2 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 2, on the north side of Peak 8888, in the south end of the Park.

Glacier Park art contest for kids

Elementary and high school students in Northwest Montana are encouraged to submit artwork for a postcard contest sponsored by Glacier National Park and the Glacier Association.

Flowering rush clogging up Flathead Lake

Researchers say a noxious weed has clogged up more than 2,000 surface acres of Flathead Lake and warn that, if left unchecked, flowering rush could change the lake's ecology.

Ski resort's lift could be running soon

Whitefish Mountain Resort recently announced it will have repairs completed on the downed Chair 1 lift sometime in late September. If work goes as planned, passengers could be shuttled to the summit before the summer season ends.

Outdoor news

Raptor day

Boat inspections catching on

Fishing business and a trip to an Osprey baseball game were reasons for two trips down U.S. 93 to Missoula about two weeks ago. A few miles south of Ronan I noticed a Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks boat inspection station.  

Man charged with trading drugs for sex

A 32-year-old Columbia Falls man faces up to life in prison if convicted of having sex with a 13-year-old girl in exchange for drugs.

Yesterdays

60 Years Ago

School news

Certifications

Community news

Chamber luncheon

Scout paints playground maps

Boy Scout Logan Carr spent a good chunk of his summer on painting projects for both Glacier and Ruder elementary schools.

Vikes drop season opener to Ronan

Friday night’s 32-12 loss to Ronan was not quite the way that the defending Class B State Football Champions had intended for their first game of the season to go, but every team has to start somewhere and the Vikings learned some lessons from the defeat.

Valkyries top Maidens, Lady Wardens in doubleheader on the road

The Valkyries volleyball team officially started its season Saturday with back-to-back matches in Ronan against the Maidens and the Deer Lodge (Powell County) Lady Wardens, both of which Bigfork was victorious in.

Boys soccer team winless after first week

The Bigfork boys soccer team came out of its first three games of the season without a win.

Girls soccer team hit hard by tough opponents

Bigfork’s girls soccer team opened its season Tuesday, Aug. 30, and it’s been a rough road since.

Construction on next phase of stormwater project to begin this month

Crews wrapped up construction on the first phase of the Bigfork Stormwater Project earlier this summer, and if all goes according to plan, work on the second phase of the project will begin Sept. 19.

Senior center in need of community support, membership

People might come for the liver and onions, but they stay for the camaraderie.

Bigfork runners dominate in Cut Bank

The members of Bigfork’s boys and girls cross-country teams have started their season off with the right foot forward.

Partnerships put 'public' in public lands

Would Lewis have made it to the Pacific and back without Clark? Without Hewlett, would Packard have founded one of the world’s largest information technology companies? Frodo without Sam? The consequences would have been dire!

Kalispell oil painter featured in museum exhibit

For artist Karen Young, patience is part of the creative process.

Guitarists rock Bigfork

Last week, Bigfork residents and guests were treated to a flurry of musical entertainment as the village hosted the second annual Crown of the Continent Guitar Festival, which included workshops and classes for registered participants, as well as concerts and events open to the public.

Sheriff's office increases boat patrol on area lakes

In an effort to promote water safety, the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office has ramped up its patrol of area lakes this summer.

ALERT helicopter team practices tow rescue

With water levels throughout the Flathead Valley running higher than normal this summer, it’s been a busy season for Flathead County Search and Rescue.

No-cost birth control a benefit for women

In July, the Department of Health and Human Services made history when it categorized birth control as a preventative medication, therefore requiring insurance companies to cover 100 percent of the cost, with no co-pay.

Annual auction helps fund food bank

The West Shore Food Bank held its annual luncheon and auction last month and now that all of the numbers have been calculated organizers can officially relax and deem this year’s event a success.

Downtown detours to snarl traffic

Get ready for some downtown gridlock.

NVH opens mental health office for seniors

North Valley Hospital recently launched an outpatient mental health program called Embrace Health for adults 55 and older who suffer from emotional, behavioral or mental health disorders.

Man sentenced for bomb hoax

The man whose threats caused the evacuation of an Amtrak train near Browning during a blizzard in February was sentenced to 15 months in prison and ordered to pay $310,089 in restitution.

Forest projects to be decided Sept. 27

The Flathead County Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will meet at the Flathead National Forest Supervisor's Office, 650 Wolfpack Way, in Kalispell, on Sept. 13, 20 and 27 from 5-8 p.m. to review and recommend funding for proposed forest projects. It is anticipated that the committee will distribute about $299,000 in funding for natural resource projects.

Foul weather hampers search for missing Park hiker

The search for a missing seasonal employee at Glacier National Park entered its fourth day on Thursday, Sept. 1, after a weather front brought lower temperatures and rain and snow in the mountains.

Safety communications: failure not an option

Less than two weeks remain until the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.