Ellington

Liz Murdock and James Harding

Liz Murdock and James Harding were married Jan. 2 at the First Presbyterian Church of Whitefish. The ceremony was performed by Catherine Lasswell, friend of the bride's family.  A reception followed at the Whitefish Lake Golf Club Restaurant

Aquatic invasive species creeps into Flathead Lake

A reported sighting of Eurasian watermilfoil in Eagle Bend Yacht Harbor waters led to the discovery of large quantities of curleyleaf pondweed in the harbor and waterways that surround it.

Swan River set to be PCB free

The cleanup of two contaminated sites around PacifiCorp’s power plant on the Swan River that began the first week of February is planned to continue today and be completed by the end of week.

Storm buries Big Mountain in powder

It was the deepest day of powder at Big Mountain nearly everyone skiing Sunday could remember. While powder hounds tend to have a short memory, this time the facts back up their snorkel-deep claims.

Cirincione helps set Nevada swim records

Jake Cirincione, 13, of Whitefish, competed last weekend in the Nevada State Short Course Swimming Championships in Carson City, Nev.

Racers look to qualify for regional Junior Olympics

Four Whitefish alpine ski racers attended the USSA Northern Division Junior Olympic Qualifier Series held in Red Lodge, Feb. 24-26. Two giant slaloms and a slalom race were held as the final events of a season long series that will qualify the Northern Division team roster to the Western Region Junior Olympics and the Western Regional Championships.

Glacier Nordic wraps up season

The Glacier Nordic Club prep team capped off their competitve season this month with Junior National qualifiers at Solider Hollow in Utah, and a final race in McCall, Idaho.

Tabish competes in FIS University alpine races

Erin Tabish, 16, from Whitefish scored a great slalom result Feb. 22 at Bridger Bowl in a FIS University competition. The race, rescheduled from Alaska, allowed Tabish an opportunity to compete against a strong field of NCAA women.

Lawsuit filed against Lake County Sheriff

LES needs donations for Dr. Seuss Day

School Board seeks trustee nominations

Lady Bulldogs hang with Columbia Falls

The Lady Bulldogs might have missed out on the state tournament and tallied only a single win all season, but the team clearly finished the year on positive note.

Vacant lots hold no influence on local economics

OES director leaving

Dogs ousted at divisional

Whitefish’s overwhelmingly positive season on the hardwood ended Monday with a resounding thud. The No. 2 ranked Bulldog boys basketball team lost games to Columbia Falls and Polson in the divisional tournament and will miss out on a trip to state for a third consecutive season.

Short-sighted not to secure a new high school building

Decades ago, a legendary Flathead business leader observed during a hospital board meeting that with any beneficial community endeavor, the most support you could ever hope for was about 90 percent. Even if the project concerned parking for cancer therapy patients, 10 percent would find some reason to object. The trick was to ignore the naysayers and march forward.

Come up with a better plan for the high school

With all the hype to pass the Whitefish High School bond, I have a couple of questions. Hasn’t anybody but me noticed we are in a recession? How about double-digit unemployment? Why can Whitefish no longer afford to be a retirement community? How come our taxes keep going up and our city services seem to be declining? Where is all that resort tax money going? I don’t see much street maintenance being done. How come there isn’t a plan B in place for the high school upgrade?

Grant helps increase youth community involvement

Six Bigfork High School seniors are working with the Community Foundation for a Better Bigfork to spearhead three projects designed to increase youth involvement in the community.

Don't strap future with debt, vote against bond

I left Springfield, Vt., to get away from the crazy high property taxes and other social problems. I am a single woman with three kids. I had a small farm, one old barn, one old home, 10 acres of land. My taxes were $8,300 a year. Our school was in the same shape as Whitefish schools. I will vote no on the school bond. I am not going to strap my kids with this. What are people thinking? This is my home town now, not an Eastern state. Vote no.

WHS facilities far below average

Growing up in Whitefish truly was a blessing. As I meet and interact with new people each day, I become more aware of the unique experience the small town provided. Between the beautiful lake, the well recognized mountain, and stunning surrounding areas, Whitefish is filled with opportunities for those growing up in its midst.

For future students, vote yes

We strongly support the proposed rebuilding of Whitefish High School and the associated bond. We encourage other Whitefish area residents to cast a positive vote. There is no question in our minds that it’s the right thing to do.

Education means better jobs

Despite the city’s official website that states Whitefish is a “rapidly growing retirement and resort community,” the town remains “special” largely as a result that families, small businesses and dogs are welcome. Unlike the resort destinations of Vail or Jackson Hole, Whitefish is a town where local people can still work, play and live.

High school project a good investment

     Two years ago, the Whitefish School Board hired us to determine how to gain the community’s support to rebuild the deteriorated Whitefish High School. To find out, we gathered input from more than 1,000 community members and, as you can imagine, we heard a wide range of diverse and often strong opinions.

Invest in our town's future

My wife Sharon and I moved here in 1992 shortly after we were married. We had already developed a love for the Flathead Valley after visiting my college roommate at his family home in Whitefish, and discovering all that this incredible area has to offer. A beautiful lake in the shadow of a world class ski resort, incredible golf, mile after mile of inviting fly water, endless backpacking and hiking opportunities, and, of course, Glacier National Park. With these natural amenities, who wouldn’t want to call the Flathead Valley their home?

Too many unanswered questions

After reading through the opinion column letters from the Feb. 22 Pilot dealing with the upcoming school bond, I was reminded by Charlie Abell that the Whitefish school district still owes nearly $9 million for Central School and now the proponents want to add another $14 million to the platter.

Clearing up misconceptions

I’d like to clear up some misconceptions regarding the Whitefish High School bond project:

Building now makes good business sense

Yes, build the Whitefish High School now, as it makes good business sense to do so now.

Flathead sailing team to compete in Mexican championship regatta

Bound 4 Glory Racing of the Flathead Valley will compete with 60 teams from around the world for the Regatta Copa Mexico in the J24 sailboat class next week.

Our teachers deserve better classrooms

     During the past month, I have had the opportunity to lead community members through the high school exploring the nooks and crannies of our 50 year old building. Many agreed that it was time to reinvest in a new building. All agreed, regardless of the bricks and mortar, it was the teachers who made the difference in education.

Big victories for Bigfork Little Guy Wrestling

McFeely wins poetry contest

Whitefish High School freshman Micah McFeely stood before her classmates with a smile on her face. She took a breath, and began to recite a poem from memory.

Jill's Jabber: Are you listening to me? Paying attention is hard

North Lake Planing and Zoning makes changes to proposal

County says avalanche emergency shows value of antenna on Aeneas

NFL at Winter Classic

The 27th annual Winter Classic fundraiser will take place on Thursday through Sunday, March 1-4, with about 15 NFL and University of Montana football players.

Snow Joke half marathon

Scott Gaiser, of Kalispell, had the fastest time for men in the Masters Division at the Snow Joke Half Marathon in Seeley Lake on Feb. 25.

Sports news

Babe Ruth

Kats battle back to take third in tourney

After a tough 50-37 loss to Polson in the first round, the Columbia Falls girls basketball team played for pride and took third in the Northwest A divisional tournament last week.

No surprises at interlocal meeting

There were no surprises at this year’s interlocal agreement meeting. There was, however, a good exchange of information from both the private landowner groups and the public agencies.

Boys are Butte bound - again

The Columbia Falls boys basketball team clobbered both Polson and Whitefish last week to take their fourth Northwest A divisional title in a row.

Drunk drivers are responsible

Once again, a government agency chooses to punish all for the crimes of one to exhibit its absolute power. I don’t know any of the officials’ names (and don’t care to) in the Montana Department of Revenue, but I do know they are attacking and punishing a large number of people who had little or no part in the deaths of Montana Highway Trooper Michael Haynes or Likeisha Thibault. The drunk driver is at fault and no one else. I make no excuses for any drunk driver who kills or harms someone else. It is a poor and tragic choice they made.

Burning of the books

Recent stories and films of “outraged” Afghanistan citizens setting fires and rioting in the streets was the result of American troops destroying an enemy stronghold. Part of that destruction involved a building containing anti-American propaganda material which was taken out and burned, along with copies of the Koran, sacred book of Islam. It is believed by many, including this writer, the rioting was started by extremists who are always looking for excuses to arouse public emotions against the “infidels.” This isn’t the first time.

Budget lessons

I am always unhappily surprised by the rhetoric and straw-man arguments presented by Democrats and Republicans in their categorization of the other side’s opinions on issues.

Cabin Fever Days

Cabin Fever Days was successful again. The Gateway to Glacier trail organization would like to thank all those who supported our efforts to raise funds for a paved bike and pedestrian path from Coram to West Glacier. At Cabin Fever Days, we had a vendor table to provide information to participants, and we had some great raffle prizes.

Everett Lundgren

Everett Martin Lundgren, 94, passed away Feb. 26, 2012, at his residence in Whitefish.

Oil drilling

I had wished to attend the recent meeting where Cartwright pontificated on keeping Glacier National Park and its surrounding areas pristine. I would have enjoyed responding with some “stir-em-up” comment or question.

Cameron Cole

Cameron Michael Cole, 13, passed away Feb. 20, 2012, in Gladewater, Texas.

Forest Service's fisheries role

When local fish management issues surface, most of us think the major agency players are the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. But the third player on the team is the U.S. Forest Service, which employs two fisheries biologists locally.

Glacier Park shuttle bus service has its problems

Work on the Going-to-the-Sun Road has topped $110 million and there’s still about $50 million to $60 million left to be completed, Glacier National Park superintendent Chas Cartwright said last week.

Plum Creek is top corporate volunteer for Salvation Army

Plum Creek was named the top corporate volunteer during the Salvation Army’s 2011 Christmas Kettle Campaign.

Red Bridge work held up by glitch

Flathead County’s application for a Federal Emergency Management Agency grant to pay for removing the Red Bridge is being held up by a software glitch.

Abuse case pending

The North Fork man charged last fall with three counts of felony sexual abuse of children has a new lawyer and will be back in court in May.

Plea bargain offered to C-Falls woman

A 21-year-old Columbia Falls woman has agreed to a plea agreement with the Flathead County Attorney’s Office relating to felony drug, burglary and forgery charges.

Man faces revocation for drug charge

A 36-year-old Columbia Falls man faces revocation of a deferred 2008 drug possession sentence after he was arrested for criminal possession of drugs during a traffic stop last year.

Outdoor news

Free Web site

Community news

Park forum

School news

Congressional art

Gubernatorial candidate goes to bat for Blue Moon

Republican gubernatorial candidate Neil Livingstone stumped at the Blue Moon Nite Club last week, claiming the establishment was the victim of a “great injustice.”

High school drama club to perform whimsical musical

The Columbia Falls High School Drama Club will perform the musical romp “When in Rome.”

Be prepared for avalanches ahead of time

In response to the recent avalanche activity and the elevated current avalanche conditions, the Flathead Nordic Backcountry Patrol asks winter backcountry travelers to take a moment and review some avalanche safety tips.

Snow biker killed near Marias Pass

A man from Cut Bank was killed by an avalanche on Saturday, Feb. 25, while he was traveling by snow bike on the Skyland Road snowmobile trail near Marias Pass.

Avalanche conditions worsen, remain high

Forest Service avalanche specialist Stan Bones issued a special backcountry avalanche warning on Feb. 26 for mountains in the Flathead and Kootenai national forests and Glacier National Park.

Snowpack near normal, avy danger elevated

Mountain snowpack is finally gaining on a slow start to winter, but with the added snow comes elevated avalanche danger.

Avalanche conditions rated high

Forest Service avalanche specialist Stan Bones issued a special backcountry avalanche warning on Feb. 22 for the Flathead and Kootenai national forests and Glacier National Park.

Bigfork man pedals from Montana to Florida

Rumble strips and gravel.

Dirt Bags meet at bowling alley, Bag-ettes meet at Flathead Lake Lodge

The Dirt Bag-ettes meet in the same place they have on Fridays for the last 18 years, the main lodge at Flathead Lake Lodge.

County street sweep replaces street wash

The new storm water system drove organizers of Bigfork’s annual street washing to replace the 30-40 year tradition with county street sweepers.

Sports news

All state, all conference

'Iron man' tourney draws a crowd

Columbia Falls held its first Junior High Iron Man wrestling tournament on Feb. 18.

Girls' hopes hinge on Polson game

The Columbia Falls girls basketball team's season could come down to one game this Friday. They face Polson at 4 p.m. in a game that will likely see the winner head off to the state tournament in Butte next month.

Boys season could come down to Friday night

The Columbia Falls boys basketball team just needs to keep its focus on the game at hand. On Feb. 18, the boys beat Libby 53-31 away to cap an unbeaten conference record.

Oral Williamson

Oral Leoan (Loftus) Williamson, 93, died Jan. 31, 2012, with her family by her side, in Missoula.

Bowler rolls a perfect game

Dave Jones was sure he blew it. He was one strike away from bowling a perfect 300 game, but the ball was headed straight for the head pin

Timothy Attard

Timothy J. Attard, of Kalispell, passed away unexpectedly as a result of a car accident early on the morning of Feb. 18, 2012.

Mitchell Stempin

Mitchell Floyd Stempin, 60, of Columbia Falls, died Feb. 12, 2012, in Billings.

Florence Borgen

Florence Beatrice Steele Borgen, 92, passed away Feb. 19, 2012, at the Immanuel Lutheran Home, in Kalispell, joining her husband Norman on their anniversary.

Blackfeet oil drilling raises questions

The National Park Service recently requested that the Bureau of Indian Affairs conduct a comprehensive environmental impact statement to address the growing number of oil drilling rigs on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, instead of less comprehensive environmental assessments for individual well sites.

The story behind 'median' prices

As hometown Realtors, we'd like to provide some additional information regarding the decline in the "median price" of Columbia Falls homes in the widely-publicized 2011 Flathead Valley look-back real estate summary in the Feb. 1 Hungry Horse News.

The steno instructions

Last week, "First Wife Iris' received a copy of a letter she wrote years ago to a woman who worked with her in the Great Northern office at Whitefish. That woman is Pat "Owen" Porter, who now lives in Arizona. With the copy was this note:

Favorite fish books

For fly fishers, winter is time for tying flies, dreaming about new gear, and reading books. The fall 2011 issue of Trout, the official magazine of Trout Unlimited, featured a story called "The Chosen Ones, The Twelve Best Trout and Salmon Fishing Books." The list was compiled with "input of readers, volunteers, TU staff and others."

Between the seasons

As outdoor enthusiasts, most of us are in the doldrums right now, just like professional sports which seem to dominate our lives and language.

Open house

On Saturday, Feb. 4, Timber Creek Village celebrated the completion of their new assisted living facility in Columbia Falls with an open house from 1-3 p.m. Food was catered by Cimarron Cafe, and wine was provided by Flathead Lake Winery. Joel Fetveit graced the event with acoustical guitar and song.

Dusty roads

I have lived in the valley for 45 years, and the dust gets worse every year. It is very hard to find hay for my horse that does not threaten his health from the dust in the hay.

Vicious dogs

I would like to express my thanks to you for your good reporting on the city council's review of the vicious dog ordinance.

Passionate support for Bob Marshall Foundation

People love the backcountry wilderness for many reasons. For Joe Franchini, it's the people he meets in the woods.

FWP reports on wildlife at interlocal meeting

Wild country draws plenty of wildlife news, and Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks officials had plenty to offer last week at the North Fork interlocal meeting.

Outdoor news

Park talk

Park art contest winners announced

Maggie McKeon, of West Glacier School, and Cailtyn Long, of Columbia Falls Junior High School, were among the 12 winners of Glacier National Park's postcard and annual park pass artwork contest.

Park proposes bolstering Quartz Creek fish barrier

Glacier National Park biologists would like to build up an existing fish barrier on Quartz Creek to keep more non-native lake trout from entering the Quartz Lake drainage.

Belly River ranger cabin damaged by storm

Fierce winter winds have heavily damaged the historic Belly River Ranger Station cabin in Glacier National Park. All told, about a quarter of the cabin's roof and nearly half of the shingles were blown away.

Cities squeezed by approaching water quality regs

Protecting Flathead Lake water quality is high on most people's list here in the Flathead, but how to do that while not putting the damper on economic growth is the multi-million dollar question.

Local man faces two counts of sex abuse

A 27-year-old Columbia Falls man faces two felony counts of sexual abuse to children after he was charged with eliciting photos from a 15-year-old boy.

Polebridge arson case is pending

The case of the Polebridge man charged with setting fire to a neighbor's yurt and outhouse in September 2010 is still pending in Flathead County District Court.

C-Falls man dies in rollover in Somers

A 28-year-old Columbia Falls man died Saturday, Feb. 18, in a one-vehicle rollover accident on U.S. 93 in Somers.

Community news

Jazz songs

Johnson named NPS wilderness champion

When Kyle Johnson wasn't playing sports at Columbia Falls High School, he was out in the woods hunting and fishing with his friends and family.

Snowmobiler killed near Hungry Horse Reservoir

A 33-year-old Washington man was killed by an avalanche in the Lost Johnny area on the west side of the Hungry Horse Reservoir Feb. 20.

U.S. Supreme Court overturns state election law

SuperPACs could be coming to Montana

County road dust program returns

Once again, residents living on unpaved county roads will have a chance to participate in a cost-share program to control dust from passing vehicles.

NFL celebrities at Winter Classic

The 27th annual Winter Classic fundraiser will take place on Thursday through Sunday, March 1-4, with about 15 NFL and University of Montana football players.

Recession continues to dog state's timber industry

According to researchers at the University of Montana's Bureau of Business and Economic Research, recovery of the state's timber products industry continues to be impacted by the national recession.

Avalanche advisory moderate

Glacier Country Avalanche Center issued its backcountry avalanche advisory Friday, Feb. 17. The report calls the avalanche danger above 5,500 feet “moderate.”

Vikings end season undefeated in district play

Bigfork’s Vikings edged out a 47-46 win against Florence in the final seconds of Friday’s game and pulled off a come from behind 55-46 victory versus Thompson Falls on Saturday.

Valkyries take district 7B's no. 1 spot for third year in a row

The Valkyries basketball team fought hard last Friday in Florence only to come up two points short of a tie, 60-58, and pulled it back from Thomspon Falls with a 54-18 win at home on Saturday.

Blacktail celebrates 14 years with snow and sales

Despite the hard-time many Montana ski-resorts are having with low snow-pack, Blacktail Mountain Resort is having no trouble at all.

Lakeside plan to remain on hold

All that remains before the Lakeside Plan can be implemented is a consideration by the court and a ruling to lift the preliminary injunction granted by Judge Stewart Stadler in February 2011.

The Wendy and George team

Something that has never happened before will take place at Flathead Valley Community College at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 21. It may not seem a big deal to the average citizen, but it is big to me.

Keenan runs for lieutenant governor

Ducks in the oven, the fire place blazing, and the tables are set at the Bigfork Inn. Owner Bob Keenan has a lot of plates spinning at once, and on Feb. 8 he added one more when he announced his candidacy as lieutenant governor with Republican gubernatorial candidate Corey Stapleton.

Sportsmen defend global warming as fact

The hot button issue of global warming takes roots in Bigfork with the formation of Conservation Hawks, a non-profit group of hunters and anglers that aims to protect the future of hunting and fishing.

Letter to the editor

Just another example of how out of touch America's leadership can be when it comes to affairs in the Middle East.  I recall former president Bush standing up there after "9/11", all puffed up and angry, saying how we would take out Osama Bin Laden and crush al-Qaeda.  Then he took it upon himself to start two wars.  Most praised him for his "high resolve".  Boy, how far off-track can someone in leadership go?  And many people familiar with Middle East affairs were speaking out and writing about what a huge mistake this would be.  But our compliant national media stuck those things on the back pages and ramped up the anger.

Political hardball

Are you a Democrat or a Republican?

“Leading Ladies” a tough to act in comedy

Four years ago she was a Jewish mother, this weekend she will be a young girl in love—with both a man and a woman.

Dorothy Nagy

Dorothy Nagy, 72, passed away Wednesday, Feb. 8 at Kalispell Regional Medical Center due to complications related to a kidney transplant. Visitation was Monday, Feb. 13, after 1 p.m. at the Whitted Funeral Chapel in Shelby where a vigil was held at 7 p.m.  Funeral Mass was 11 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 14, at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in Sunburst with burial to follow in the Sunburst Cemetery.  Condolences may be sent to the family at www.whittedfuneralchapel.com.

Hamilton-Boll

Joe and Denise Hamilton of Bigfork announce the engagement of their daughter, Jillian Hamilton to Brock Boll, son of Jeff and Danelle Boll of Bigfork and Yvonne Boll of Kalispell.

Swan River schools dip into reserves

The Swan River School Board adopted a budget amendment to use roughly $20,000 from their reserve funds for teaching equipment, repairs around the building and expenses that aren't already in their budget at their Feb. 7 meeting.

Babe Ruth baseball gearing up

Glacier Babe Ruth Baseball will start workouts for players ages 13-15 at the Whitefish Armory on March 4 at 3 p.m. led by the Glacier Twins coaches.

DeWit nearly posts triple-double for Orediggers

Former Columbia Falls Wildkat basketball standout Kelsey DeWit nearly posted a triple-double during Montana Tech's victory over the University of Great Falls on Feb. 10.

Kats get back on the winning track

They're getting help from everyone, and that's good news for the Columbia Falls girls basketball team.

Cats take season conference title

The Columbia Falls boys basketball team extended its winning streak to nine games last week, handily beating Ronan and Whitefish.

Jessie Ball

Jessie M. Ball, 91, of Columbia Falls, died at North Valley Hospital on Feb. 9, 2012.

Roberts takes 98 pound state A title

Shonn Roberts made Columbia Falls athletic history when he came home a champion from the state Class A wrestling tournament in Billings last week.

Winnie Bean

Winnie Maie Bean, 73, of Coram, died of a heart attack in Greeley, Colo., on Feb. 4, 2012.

Leslie Stringfellow

Leslie Martin Stringfellow, 57, passed away Jan. 9, 2012, at his home in Turlock, Calif., after a year-long battle with pancreatic cancer.

Walsh saga continues up North Fork

Very few of the original homesteader families still have ties to the North Fork, let alone still own land here. Ones that easily come to mind are Huck, Newton, Glover and Holcomb. There is one family with North Fork property that was actually on the North Fork before there was much, if any, homestead activity.

Candidate supports renewable energy

Two weeks ago Rep. Jerry O'Neil described his "quandary" with the tax reform pledge. In this editorial, he voiced his opposition to tax incentives for renewable energy.

A trapper's response

I read Marion Foley's guest opinion. My husband and two of my sons have taken the trapping education course and received their certificates. They do not trap, yet.

No solutions

These days many say Republican politicians live in a bubble, a fantasy world of groupthink where all believe and speak exactly the same.

Trapping is wrong

With much aggravation, I have followed the continuing dispute about Marion Foley and her traumatic experience with the irresponsible placement of traps near the road on which she, her pets and her grandchildren were walking.

Obama administration sets new forest planning rules

The Obama administration recently announced new rules for creating management plans for National Forests, but don't expect work on a new Flathead National Forest plan anytime soon.

Wind, wildlife and winter

Wind - there's no shortage of it in Montana east of the Continental Divide. The big blow the other day was the talk of the town. Every town. And for everyone who is complaining this winter about the wind, you must have loved last winter with lots of snow and little wind. More on that later.

The new plan, same as the old plan

It has been a busy week in the arena of federal forest policy. One of the most significant announcements was the release of the final environmental impact statement for a new National Forest System land management planning rule.

Outdoor news

DREAM fundraiser

Park wants closer scrutiny of oil drilling

Glacier National Park is calling for a more thorough environmental review of oil and gas exploration on Blackfeet Tribal lands.

FVCC lecture features newroom veteran Ostroms

George Ostrom and Wendy Ostrom-Price will team up to kick off Flathead Valley Community College's President's Lecture Series on Feb. 21 with their free presentation on "Local Media: Past and Present" in the Arts and Technology Building beginning at 7 p.m.

C-Falls man sues Bank of America

Claims bank did not follow state's foreclosure laws

Community news

Park talk

School and military news

FVCC dean's list

Council looking at vicious dog ordinance

Three residents made their case to the Columbia Falls City Council on Feb. 6 that the city's vicious dog ordinance and its enforcement does not adequately protect people and pets.

C-Falls man sentenced following eighth DUI arrest

A 48-year-old Columbia Falls man was sentenced to five years with the Montana Department of Corrections after pleading guilty to felony DUI.

C-Falls grad is youngest state librarian in U.S.

Jennie Stapp says she grew up in libraries - first attending summer reading programs as a child, then doing research in junior high and high school, including for the high school speech and debate team.

Young grant writer helps win $8,000 for Deer Park

Colin Norick wanted to do real chemistry experiments at Deer Park School - the sort where you mix chemicals and watch the reaction. But the school didn't have the necessary equipment.

ATP and symphony compromise on auditorium scheduling

Futsal league keeps Armory bustling

Popular weather man to host Chamber awards

Powder, inversion beacons denied

State high court says corporate spending ban will remain in effect

The Montana Supreme Court ruled Feb. 8 in an important election financing case saying the state's ban on corporate spending for candidates will remain in effect. That ruling, however, could be overruled by a federal court.

FWP Commission meets

The Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission will meet Thursday, Feb. 16, in Helena at FWP headquarters, 1420 East Sixth Avenue, beginning at 8:30 a.m.

losing my cool made for a hot, smokey night

I poured cream in my orange juice Tuesday morning. It doesn’t seem like a big deal.

Valkyries nab two more wins on the road

The Bigfork Valkyries continue their winning season last week with a 45-41 over Columbia Fall’s Wildkats on Thursday and a 42-25 win over Troy on Friday.

Vikes take tough loss at home, win on the road

Bigfork’s Vikings played a hard fought game against top-ranked class A Columbia Falls only to lose 55-38 in the fourth quarter, but bounced back against class B Troy for a 51-44 win.

Wild Horse sheep take a ride to the Tendoy Mountains

A helicopter ride away from Flathead Lake’s Wild Horse Island is Big Arm State Park, where Fish, Wildlife and Park biologists waited with horse trailers last week to take 50 bighorn sheep to the Tendoy Mountains south of Dillon.

Dogs scratch out win over Libby

Six wrestlers go to state

Lady Dogs have tough night

The state of Whitefish High School

Residential parking lot denied

Board rejects teacher union's grievance

Group to sue over Jesus statue decision

Depot Park plans move forward

Lakeside man contests fourth DUI

A 57-year-old Lakeside man pleaded not guilty to what would be his fourth offense over a span of 23 years of driving under the influence Thursday during Flathead District Court.

Lakeside plan unaffected by Stradler's retirement

The status of the Lakeside Plan will be unaffected by the retirement of Judge Stewart Stradler. Implementation of the Lakeside Plan has been prevented since Feb. 2011 when Stadler placed it under preliminary injunction following the 2008 lawsuit where all but two accusations are closed.

Racing and music at Cabin Fever Days

The 34th annual Cabin Fever Days will take place Friday through Sunday, Feb. 10-12, in Martin City, Coram and Hungry Horse.

Orville Ivar Nagelhus

Orville Ivar Nagelhus, 85, passed away on Monday, Jan. 30 at home in Somers. He was born on Sept. 11, 1927 to Ingvald and Borghild (Mona) Nagelhus. 

New pastor arrives at Crossroads

Bigfork will grow a little bigger this week when pastor Mel Haug begins work at Crossroads Christian Fellowship on Feb. 5. Haug is moving to Bigfork along with his wife, Denise, from the tri-cities in Washington and is bringing 29 years of music education and a lifetime of ministry work with him.

MatCats win three divisional championships

Three Wildcat grapplers won divisional crowns as Columbia Falls hosted the Northwest A divisional tournament Feb. 4. The MatCats came in fourth as a team but put seven grapplers into the finals.

New café coming soon to Bigfork

Overturned tables, empty booths, ladders, and tools clutter the front half of an empty restaurant with a new sign outside that reads “Tammy's Café.” In the back, booths and tables are neatly lined up as two women sit at a table surrounded by notes, a laptop, and their “mascot,” an American Pitbull named Buster at their feet. “

Cats take care of business

The roll continues. On Feb. 2, the Columbia Falls boys basketball team downed Bigfork 53-38. Two days later, they snuck past conference-rival Polson 43-42. Both games were on the road.

Soroptimists use romantic fundraiser to help women

Chocolates and champagne are synonymous with Valentine's Day, and for the Soroptimist International Club of Bigfork they are also a great way to raise funding for organizations that help women all over the world and help local couples have a romantic evening together.

Wildkats drop a pair

The Columbia Falls girls basketball team had a tough week. The Wildkats lost to Bigfork 45-41 in a valiant comeback attempt on Feb. 2 and then to conference rival Polson 48-39 on Feb. 4.

Babcock signs to play football for Saints

Columbia Falls High School Wildcat Jacob Babcock is now a Saint. The 6-foot-2 senior signed with the Carroll College Saints in Helena last week to play defensive line.

Cyril Sladek

Cyril George Sladek, 96, died Jan. 27, 2012, at his home in Columbia Falls.

FVCC Dean's List

Flathead Valley Community College officials have announced the names of students who made Dean's List for the fall 2011 semester. 

Gloria Austin

Gloria Rose Austin, 83, passed away Jan. 30, 2012, at Whitefish Care and Rehabilitation Center, in Whitefish.

Ernest Weaver

Ernest L. Weaver, 87, of Columbia Falls, died Friday, Feb. 3, 2012, at the Montana Veterans Home in Columbia Falls.

North Fork interlocal meeting previewed

The North Fork Interlocal Agreement meeting will be held Feb. 15 at the Glacier National Park Community Hall at Park Headquarters. Host will be Glacier Park, and MC will no doubt be Polebridge District Ranger Scott Emmerich. The meeting will begin at 10 a.m. and is scheduled to end at 1 p.m.

Braille American flags donated by DAR

A flag for the visually impaired was presented to Montana State Veterans Home by Carol Nicholson, past regent of Bird Woman Falls Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution. Renee Lennick accepted the flag on behalf of the Veterans Home.

A note from a nagger

The Montana Highway Patrol last week issued their annual traffic fatality report for 2011. Don't have it in front of my but recall rough figures hard to understand: "Seventy five (75) percent of victims last year were not wearing seat belts. Of 19 December fatals, 17 were not belted."

High school football players sign with colleges

Three Bigfork High School seniors will trade in their Viking helmets for college football careers in the 2012 season.

How to stay out of a cat fight

There once were two cats of Kilkenny.

Heart-felt thanks

To the staff and students at Columbia Falls High School:

Close-up

I would like to thank all of the businesses that once again contributed to our Close-Up auction.

Wildcat boosters

The Wildcat Athletic Endowment Association is accepting requests for any interested individuals to serve on the board of directors. Please submit your name to be considered as a member of our team ASAP.

Duck Lake ice fishing derby

The Babb/St. Mary Volunteer Fire Department will hold their annual ice fishing derby at Duck Lake on Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 11 and 12.

Outdoor news

Elk Foundation

Letter to the editor - Candidate with most money will win race

"One party is as bad as another"! Is it? The Republican Party is still the party of less

Northwest Montana wolf hunt winding down

Northwest Montana hunters put a significant dent in the regional wolf population and in one instance likely harvested an entire pack.

Wolf populations had humble beginnings

The revival of wolf populations in Northwest Montana likely had its genesis with a single pack just north of Glacier National Park.

Biomass plant to be online by 2013

Flathead Electric and Stoltze sign historic power agreement

Community news

Chamber lunch

School news

Honor roll

Judge won't dismiss charges in home invasion case

A motion by the Flathead County Attorney's Office to dismiss charges against one of the four suspects in a Happy Valley home invasion last year was denied by Flathead County District Court Judge David Ortley.

C-Falls man cycles in and out of prison

A 34-year-old Columbia Falls man who's been in and out of prison several times since he was sentenced for forgery and theft in 1997 could be heading back to prison now that his original sentence has been revoked for the second time.

C-Falls couple face felony child abuse charges

A young couple in Columbia Falls has pleaded not guilty to felony assault on a minor relating to serious injuries to the woman's 16-month-old daughter.

Wick honored by national distinguished principal award

Columbia Falls Junior High School principal David Wick was recently selected as the 2012 National Distinguished Principal for Montana.

Broken cornice triggers deadly avalanche

Backcountry skier killed in Jewel Basin avalanche

A backcountry skier hit by an avalanche in the Jewel Basin Hiking Area on Wednesday, Feb. 1, was found dead by search parties the following day.

Somers sixth grade science fair

Somers Middle School gymnasium was packed from wall to wall for students, parents, teachers and judges for the fourth annual sixth grade science fair on Jan. 26. Twenty-four Flathead High School baccalaureate students volunteered to be judges and six of them were previous students of SMS.

All dogs require registration

All dogs in Flathead County require registration, including those in the country and unincorporated towns. Between intake fees of $30 and $25 per day for kenneling, a lost dog taken to Flathead County Animal Shelter would cost $130 after four days. The fees and the distress of losing a pet can be avoided with registration through the county and includes having the lost animal returned to its owner's home.

Losing weight takes patience

The fitness center where I work out is looking pretty empty lately compared to when I moved to Bigfork about a month ago. I'm guessing the post-New Year's trend of giving up on resolutions to lose weight, get in shape or just make a healthy lifestyle change is starting to take effect, so I'm going to let you all in on a slightly embarrassing, but mostly encouraging, story to re-ignite those fires and get the motivation going again.

Resort gets new owners

Marina Cay Resort in downtown Bigfork changed hands for an undisclosed amount on Jan. 17.

Milk builds strong bones and igloos

After three weeks of collecting 530 milk jugs, Bigfork Elementary's kindergarten class completed their milk jug igloo this week for their winter themed lessons. Kindergarten is taught by themes, and winter typically has an arctic theme, so the class had to get creative due to this year's lack of snow.

Aeneas antenna could address safety concerns

Putting a repeater antenna on Mount Aeneas is one of the solutions Flathead County has to safety concerns caused by radio signal gaps south of Kalispell.

Local artist's "beautifully dark" creations

“My dog, my phone, my jeans, everything has paint on it; I'll buy something nice and say I'll keep it nice, but within two days it will have paint on it,” local artist Shana Smith said while chiseling pieces of paint and other debris from her studio off her laptop.

Housing market changes, realtors optimistic

The housing market in Bigfork isn't what it was in it's peak, but last year was a good year and 2012 is looking to be even better.

Robert Lee “Bob” Lindborg

Robert Lee “Bob” Lindborg, 85, passed away on Friday, Jan. 20, 2012 at Kalispell Regional Medical Center in Kalispell, Montana with his wife and son by his side. He was born on Feb. 22, 1926 to Carl Johan and Hilma (Lahtinen) Lindborg.

Shirley Sue Brown Weed

Shirley Sue Brown Weed passed away Dec. 28, 2011 in Florence, Ore.  Shirley was born July 22, 1926 in Harvard, Neb. to Daryle and Eliza Brown.  They later moved to Montana.  Shirley attended Bigfork High School and graduated in 1944.  She then attended the University of Montana where she was a member of Alpha Chi Omega.  She graduated in 1948.  She married Larry Weed in 1948 and lived in Kalispell unitl moving to Oregon in 1989.  She is survived by her husband Larry in Florence, her sister Anne Sorte of Missoula, and niece Eliza Sorte of Kalispell.  Cremation has taken place and at the family's request no services will be held.

Len Eldon Patterson

Democrat files for HD4 seat

Couple dies one day apart after 66 years of marriage

Direct flight to Oakland offered

Martin City columnist wielded a witty pen

Bon Whealdon, Martin City columnist, was always entertaining in early Hungry Horse News editions. News columns were full of stories about below zero weather and deep snow in 1950. Bon wrote icy roads prevented him from returning home, adding they "took the trip in spirit, inexpensive, comfortable, way to travel during wintry weather."

Be prepared for winter travel

I guess it's human nature to worry about the weather, or at least talk about it. Even so, I can't help but wonder why people don't think, talk and worry about things that would save them time, money or even lives.

About aging and autographs

Life surely does change as the years go slipping by. Last Tuesday, I put on my coat to walk the 75 yards to our mailbox. The driveway was icy in spots, so I told Iris, "I'm taking the cell phone. If I fall down and break my leg, you'll get a call."

Survey shows Democrats and Republicans are left of center

A majority of Republican legislators in Montana stand to the left-of-center based upon their voting records, according to an analysis called Taxpayer's Advisory Bulletin (TAB) compiled by the Montana Conservatives organization.

Swan River Honor Roll

Swan River Honor Roll

Bigfork ahead of the game for Shape Up Montana

Montana's Big Sky State Game's three-month-long interactive team competition to encourage healthy eating physical activity called Shape Up Montana begins Feb. 1 and goes until May 1. Bigfork's schools are already ahead of the game thanks to changes in cafeteria food, yoga classes, health fairs, and improved nutrition education brought on by the Wellness Committee. A healthy vending machine will be coming soon in addition to other changes to improve Bigfork's health.

Charles Fulton

Charles Dulane Fulton, 96, died Jan. 15, 2012, in Kalispell.

Follow-up on trapping incident

This is a follow up with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks regarding the incident of my dogs being trapped. Back in November, while walking with my grandchildren on a gated Forest Service road, my dogs encountered spring traps less than 5 feet from the road and 100 feet from the gate. My grandchildren had just run over the area and fortunately missed getting their legs crushed. My dogs were not as lucky and did get caught. One still has a crushed paw.

Len Patterson

Len Eldon Patterson, 54 of Columbia Falls, passed away Jan. 27, 2012, at St. Patrick Hospital in Missoula of complications following heart surgery.

Floyd Kile

Floyd Harvey Kile, 83, passed away on Jan. 23, 2012, of natural causes at his home in Columbia Falls where he resided with his constant and faithful companion Freckles.

County approves Meissenburg's Expansion

Despite an economy that has bred cautious investment trends, the owners of Meissenburg Designs decided now is the time to build for growth.

Cats wrestling well as they host divisional tourney

The Columbia Falls wrestling team had a good night against Frenchtown and Polson on Jan. 21. Frenchtown edged the Wildcats 43-37, but C-Falls then beat Polson 43-36.

Wildcats dispatch Lions, Loggers

They're officially on a roll. On Jan. 24, the Columbia Falls boys basketball team walloped Class B Eureka 78-43, and on Jan. 26, they hammered conference foe Libby 73-25.

Girls notch two victories, face Pirates, Vals

The Columbia Falls girls basketball team grabbed a couple of wins last week. At home Jan. 24, the Wildkats edged Class B Eureka 40-31 and then on Jan. 26 against Libby, they downed the Loggers 53-35.

USAW youth wrestlers do well in Helena

The Columbia Falls USAW Club youth wrestling team had a good showing at a tournament in Helena on Jan. 28.

Some unfinished business…

As noted in an earlier column, for a week in early December my wife and I baby-sat our niece's kids on Bainbridge Island, Wash.

FWP Commission to look at raising hunting, fishing fees

The idea of raising the cost of hunting and fishing licenses was broached at the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission's Jan. 19 meeting in Helena.

Important hunting deadlines

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks has posted important dates for hunters in Montana. The biggest change this year is the deadline for residents and nonresidents to apply for deer and elk permits - now March 15. Drawings for those permits will take place in mid-April as opposed to July. Other important dates include:

Outdoor news

Park trips

Photographer's eyes on reservation oil rigs

In 2009, the first new oil exploration on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation began, just a few miles from Glacier National Park and the Rocky Mountain Front.

Bird counters encounter low snow

A red-necked grebe, a few green-winged teal - those were just some of the more unusual bird sightings during Glacier National Park's Christmas Bird Count held in late December 2011.

Draft growth policy goes to county planning board

The Flathead County Planning Board will review and take comment on the recently completed draft Flathead County Growth Policy Update during a public hearing on Wednesday, Feb. 15. The meeting will take place at the Earl Bennett Building, 1035 First Avenue West, in Kalispell, beginning at 6 p.m.

Tester, Rehberg disagree on campaign reform

The race for Montana's Senate seat between incumbent Democrat Jon Tester and Republican Rep. Denny Rehberg has already drawn significant corporate campaign spending, and much more cash will be dumped into the race in the coming months.

Judge rules medical marijuana providers can be prosecuted

A federal judge in Missoula ruled Jan. 20 that federal drug laws trump Montana's medical marijuana law.

Cabin Fever Days

The 34th annual Cabin Fever Days will take Friday through Sunday, Feb. 10-12, in Martin City, Coram and Hungry Horse.

River ranch goes to sheriff's sale

Flathead River Ranch Estates, a 320-acre gated community on the Middle Fork of the Flathead River across from Hungry Horse, will be up for bid at a sheriff's sale on Feb. 14, now that the owners have defaulted on two loans totaling $4.9 million.

Wildcats win seventh-straight speech title

The Columbia Falls High School speech and debate team won its seventh state Class A title in a row last week, downing second-place Billings Central by 50 points for the victory.

School news

UM grads

Community news

Close-up auction