Friday, December 30
No headline
Even if you aren’t Olympic skiing material, that doesn’t mean you can’t be a part of a world record.
Thursday, December 29
No headline
Next year will certainly start out a cold one. Starting Sunday through next week, a cold wave is expected, with temperatures dipping from 30 to 40 below in some places of Glacier National Park and a gusty wind when the cold air first hits.
Wednesday, December 28
No headline
Richard Spencer says he doesn’t want any negative publicity for Whitefish and that the neo-Nazi marches threatened to take place through the city aren’t actually going to happen.
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Montana public officials have come together in unified opposition of the recent intimidations made against the Jewish community in Whitefish.
Legals December 28, 2016
No. 2354 WHITEFISH PLANNING BOARD NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING The regular meeting of the Whitefish Planning Board will be held on January 19, 2017 at 6:00 pm in the Whitefish City Council Chambers at 1005 Baker Avenue. During the meeting, the Board will hold a public hearing on the items listed below. Upon receipt of the recommendation by the Planning Board, the Whitefish City Council will also hold a subsequent public hearing on Monday, February 7, 2017. City Council meetings start at 7:10 pm at 1005 Baker Avenue in the Whitefish City Council Chambers. 1. A request by the City of Whitefish to add multi-family residential as a permitted use on the second floor in 11-2K-2, Permitted Uses, Secondary Business District, to add multi-family residential and workforce housing as a conditional use in §11-2K-3, Secondary Business District; to add a parking standard for workforce housing in §11-6-2A; and add a definition in §11-9-2 for workforce housing. WZTA 17-01 (Compton-Ring) Documents pertaining to these agenda items are available for review at the Whitefish Planning & Building Department, 510 Railway Street during regular business hours. Inquiries are welcomed. Interested parties are invited to attend the hearing and make known their views and concerns. Comments in writing may be forwarded to the Whitefish Planning & Building Department at the above address prior to the hearing or via email: dtaylor@cityofwhitefish.org. For questions or further information regarding these proposals, phone 406-863-2410. WHITEFISH PLANNING BOARD Steve Qunell, Vice Chair December 28, 2016 MNAXLP
Tuesday, December 27
Fern reflects on school board service, looks to Legislature
When a student enters the classroom, that’s just the beginning of their educational opportunity.
2016 - top headlines that shaped the year
The top headlines that shaped 2016.
Good news of 2016
Whitefish is a community that gets things done and where good things happen.
Conservation group influences Zinke pick
A conservation group with roots in Montana played a role in the nomination of Ryan Zinke as Secretary of the Interior.
Wrestlers split home dual vs. Polson, Browning
The Whitefish wrestling team split its home dual Thursday, falling to Polson but picking up a win against Browning.
Top sports moments of 2016
High-level performances by Whitefish’s women athletes headline 2016’s sports highlights.
Proposal calls for creating seasonal workforce housing
Hoping to begin addressing the city’s workforce housing shortage, the Whitefish City Planning Board on Dec. 12 recommended approval for a new seasonal workforce housing proposal.
Maurice Percy Volkman Sr.
Missoula — Maurice Percy Volkman Sr. 94 ½ passed away Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2016 at The Springs due to natural causes. As a family we are saddened with his passing before Christmas. He loved Christmas time and being with his family. We know he will forever be with us as he looks down upon us from Heaven. He is now reunited with Marion, his beloved wife of 51 years. They once again can float across the dance floor.
Governor says Montana will not tolerate hate
An open letter to Montanans from Gov. Steve Bullock:
Officials offer support to Jewish community
Dear Fellow Americans,
Lady Dogs fall in nonconference game
The Whitefish girls suffered a nonconference loss last week to Eureka.
Council looks at housing proposal; building sale
Whitefish City Council meets Jan. 3 at 7:10 p.m. at the interim City Hall at 1005 Baker Ave. The following agenda items will be discussed, subject to change:
City sets rates for parking leases
Leases for parking spaces inside the city’s downtown parking structure have been set at $30 and $40 per month.
Bulldogs get first win over Eureka
The Bulldogs picked up their first win of the season, defeating Eureka 66-46 on Dec. 20.
Thursday, December 22
No headline
The city of Whitefish has hired Adam Hammatt to be its next City Manager.
No headline
One student was taken to the hospital Wednesday afternoon after a Whitefish school bus slipped off the edge of the road and overturned on KM Ranch Road.
Bullock cancels Whitefish event
Gov. Steve Bullock has canceled today’s press conference in Whitefish, a spokesperson for the Governor’s Office said Wednesday.
Wednesday, December 21
School board looking to fill seat after Fern resigns
Longtime Whitefish School Board Trustee Dave Fern has resigned his position with the board.
Whitefish artists collecting supplies for Browning schools
When Susan Fletcher and Sue Cox heard about the lack of art supplies in Browning schools, they thought about their own history with art and wondered if they could have developed their passions without having the right tools.
No headline
The Whitefish Convention and Visitors Bureau had sent out a list of guidelines to Whitefish businesses about dealing with a neo-Nazi internet trolling campaign.
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In the wake of a vicious neo-Nazi online campaign to harass and “troll” Whitefish businesses, its Jewish community and the Love Lives Here advocacy group, community residents today are dropping off notes of support and gift baskets for those targeted by the social media blitzkrieg.
Group ask forest not to add more wilderness
A longtime wilderness advocate is asking the Flathead National Forest to not add any more wilderness to its inventory.
Murray selected to lead Glacier Twins
Scott Murray has been named the new head coach of the Glacier Twins A team.
Parents of alt-right leader say they've been targeted
The national spotlight that continues to illuminate white nationalist leader Richard Spencer and his alt-right movement also has put Whitefish in the limelight in ways that are uncomfortable not only for the town’s residents but also Spencer’s own parents.
Doubts begin creeping in over electoral college
Back in 1969, by a whopping vote of 339 – 70, Democrats and Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives united to pass legislation to do away with the electoral college.
Yes, love does live here
A recent article about Whitefish posted on Medium titled “Does Love Really Live Here?” has given me pause. As a new resident, I feel compelled to share what I see:
Kootenai tree destined for U.S. Capitol lawn in 2017
Northwest Montana will supply an extra member to the Treasure State’s delegation in Washington, D.C., next Christmas.
Environmental assessment released for watershed fuel reduction project
The Flathead National Forest has released the environmental assessment for the proposed fuels-reduction project in Haskill Basin known as the Whitefish Municipal Watershed Fuel Reduction project. It includes 1,114 acres of forestland.
Direct flights launch from metro areas
The holiday flight schedule is up and running at Glacier Park International Airport, bringing new visitors to the Flathead Valley from key metropolitan areas.
Ambulance fees set to increase beginning next year
Ambulance fees in Whitefish will see a substantial increase to cover a projected $180,000 shortfall in the city’s emergency medical services budget.
Dogs fall short against Bigfork
Again the Bulldogs were seconds away from a win, down three with the ball with 8.3 seconds on the clock. Three point attempts by Derek Kastella and Alex Keuylian came up short, however, and Bigfork walked away with the 53-50 victory Friday night.
Lady Dogs drop home opener to Valkyries
The Whitefish girls basketball team dropped its first home game Friday night, falling to Bigfork 55-36.
Swimmers take top 5 in Missoula
Top five finishes for the boys and girls swim teams capped off a solid weekend for Whitefish in Missoula Saturday.
Bulldog wrestlers look to home dual this week
The Bulldogs wrestling team is looking to this week’s home dual after a tough weekend in Eureka.
McCracken, Bestwick inducted into Hall of Fame
Two key figures in Whitefish athletics history were inducted into the Bulldogs Hall of Fame at halftime of the boys basketball game Friday.
Hateful momentum needs to stop
While I don’t live in Montana, I am compelled to speak out. I am horrified by the boldness of this white supremacist targeting those of another faith in Montana. The Pandora’s box of hate, bigotry, misogyny and intolerance has been opened by the president-elect. It is up to ALL of us to stand up to this. Please support the cohesiveness of your community and stop this hateful momentum in its tracks. I have been a frequent vacation visitor to Montana for skiing, ranch vacations, and natural beauty. If this is tolerated by the populace and not actively refuted by Montana’s media, then I’ve had my last visit.
Couple says they don't share son's views, want out of spotlight
Through a series of fortuitous events in 2004, we discovered Whitefish and the Flathead Valley. On our first trip, we knew this was the place we wanted to build a future for our family. We bought our lot on Big Mountain, began a lasting friendship with our Realtor and his wife, and set our plans in motion to build our home, with dreams of creating many memories for us, our children, and grandchildren: skiing, fishing, hiking, sharing Christmases with friends and family, and enjoying all that this very beautiful part of the world has to offer.
If love really lives here, then let's act like it
If attracting diverse people to the Flathead is the goal of “Love Lives Here,” then I recommend they stop providing pro bono marketing for the white separatist group, the National Policy Institute, and its president Richard Spencer. Their undying efforts to convince the world that Whitefish is racially tolerant is delivering the exact opposite message, and to folks out of state, our wonderful community is now being unfairly portrayed as the Northwest headquarters for hate and intolerance.
Jameson and Sordid Seeds release third album
Jameson and the Sordid Seeds’ third album, “Me and Eugene,” is set for release at the end of the month.
Supreme court upholds most of greenbelt ruling
The Montana Supreme Court has affirmed two portions of a 2013 Flathead District Court ruling that rejected the county’s greenbelt zoning classification.
Tuesday, December 20
Couple builds a better fly trap, eyes distribution
On a hunting trip four years ago, Kory McGavin entered a lodge in Augusta to find thousands of dead flies under an ineffective fly sticky tape above a table. It was one of the most disgusting scenes he’d seen, but it made him think about pest problems in houses sold by him and his wife, Liz, as real estate agents.
'The best Christmas present ever'
NORTH POLE, Lake Coeur d'Alene — Neither the Grinch nor the frigid air stood a chance at spoiling an outing that warmed people's hearts on a cruise to the North Pole on Saturday night.
Friday, December 16
No headline
White nationalist leader Richard Spencer said Friday he is considering running for Montana’s lone congressional seat if the U.S. Senate confirms Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Whitefish, as President-elect Donald Trump’s secretary of the interior.
No headline
Plans to redevelop the commercial property where the historic Frank Lloyd Wright building is located in downtown Whitefish are still moving forward, but the building owner also is exploring whether the 1958 masonry building can be moved.
Thursday, December 15
No headline
An arctic air-mass out of Canada is expected to bring dangerous conditions into Western Montana later today. Blowing and drifting snow is expected to begin this evening around 9 p.m., and get worse through the overnight, the National Weather Service in Missoula warned Thursday.
No headline
Whitefish native and Montana Congressman Ryan Zinke will likely be the next Secretary of the Interior.
Wednesday, December 14
No headline
The Averill family has expanded its group of lodging establishments with the purchase of a Missoula hotel.
Tuesday, December 13
TRACKING the DESERT BEAR
For the better part of the last five years, Doug Chadwick’s mornings began with the soft glow of the sun rising over the hard, tan earth of the Gobi desert. While his Mongolian colleagues slept, Chadwick would hike the hills and mountains alone before returning to camp for a breakfast of noodle soup with dried camel meat.
Hidden Moose and Good Medicine among best ski hotels in country
Giving directions to Glacier National Park, putting out a plate of fresh cookies and stoking the fire for warmth. These and so many more are the daily duties of the innkeepers of the Hidden Moose Lodge and the Good Medicine Lodge.
Differing views emerge for Hwy 93
Commercial property owners just outside of Whitefish on U.S. Highway 93 South last week asked the city to support a proposed corridor plan for the area they say would give them more future flexibility for their properties.
Study says 1,000 housing units needed by 2020
Whitefish needs to add almost 1,000 housing units by 2020 to make up for a current shortage of available workforce housing and plan for future needs, according to a recently released study.
Voisin earns second in Dew Tour Slopestyle
BRECKENRIDGE, Colo. — Whitefish freestyle skier Maggie Voisin won the jib section at the Dew Tour Slopestyle competition on Saturday at Breckenridge Ski Resort, finishing second overall after the two-day event.
Cheerleaders visit Disney World
Three Whitefish cheerleaders were part of the second annual Varsity Spirit Spectacular at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando..
Bulldogs fall in Western A Tip-Off Tourney
The Bulldogs got a taste of some top Western A teams at the Western A Tip-Off Tournament in Missoula over the weekend.
Catina, Flannery lead Bulldogs at Superior invite
Strong performances from Travis Catina and Dakota Flannery led Whitefish at the Bob Kinney Classic in Superior on Saturday.
Open for the season
The thermometer hovered around zero Wednesday morning, opening day at Whitefish Mountain Resort, as Garret Caffrey and his friends Cameron Akers and Emmanuel Khodyrev claimed their spot at the front of the Chair 1 lift line.
Resort awards $95,000 to charities
The Whitefish Mountain Resort Fund held by the Whitefish Community Foundation granted more than $95,000 in 2016 to benefit local charities.
Woman admits to stealing stuff from vehicles in Glacier Park
A Whitefish woman admitted Thursday that she stole people’s wallets and credit cards from Glacier National Park last year.
Speech takes second at home meet
The Whitefish speech and debate team finished second in their home invitational tournament Saturday.
Volunteers brave the cold for homeless students
With the thermometer reading 19 degrees and a fresh coat of snow outside, Sunday morning was perfect for curling up in bed just a little longer. But when you don’t have bed or a home to stay warm inside, a morning like that has a different feeling.
Whitefish earns third place in Best Ski Town competition
Whitefish received the bronze medal in the competition for the Best Ski Town in a USA Today’s reader’s choice poll.
Parasites, genetic changes could help mussel control
One of the leading experts on zebra and quagga mussels said he’s working on two methods that could ultimately control the invasive shellfish, but it could take years to develop them and get government approval.
State assessing mussel contamination
The extent to which invasive mussels may have contaminated Montana’s waterways could come within the next few weeks, according to biologists and state officials working to understand and address the state’s first-ever confirmed detection of the destructive mollusks.
JoAnne Lamb
JoAnne Lamb, 73, passed away Nov. 30, 2016 at Providence Medical Center in Anchorage, Alaska, after a brief illness.
Olympic skier Lindh returns to lead ski team
Long before she would go on to become a world champion downhill skier and Olympic silver medalist, a 15-year old Hilary Lindh competed in her very first International Ski Federation race on Big Mountain in Northwest Montana.
Hall of Fame induction Friday
Whitefish High School has announced newest members of the Whitefish High School Hall of Fame for 2016, Mac McCracken and Donnie Bestwick. McCracken and Bestwick will be officially inducted into the Whitefish High School Hall of Fame at halftime of the varsity boys basketball game against Bigfork on Friday, Dec. 16. A reception, sponsored by the Whitefish Credit Union, will be held at Whitefish Lake Golf Course following the game.
Stevensville, Dillon too much for Lady Dogs to handle
The Lady Bulldogs are looking ahead after a tough weekend at the Western A Tip-Off Tournament in Missoula.
FEC safety program hits milestone
Flathead Electric Co-op’s Roundup for Safety program has reached a milestone by granting over 1,000 awards.
Health and wellness tips for the holidays
The holidays are an exciting time to gather with friends and family and be grateful. In order to make the most of the festive season, we’ve gathered some tips from experts to address common holiday issues so that we can all enjoy this wonderful time of year to the fullest extent.
Public meet and greet on Thursday for finalists for City Manager
A meet and greet with the five finalists for Whitefish’s City Manager job is this Thursday, Dec. 15.
City amends contract for design of new wastewater plant
Whitefish City Council has approved an amendment to its contract with Anderson-Montgomery Consulting Engineers for engineering services related to planned upgrades to the city’s wastewater treatment plant.
Monday, December 12
No headline
Central Avenue was busy Friday night for the Whitefish Chamber of Commerce’s annual Christmas Stroll.
Friday, December 9
No headline
Santa visited The Springs at Whitefish recently. Children of all ages got to visit with Santa during the Breakfast with Santa event.
Tuesday, December 6
Community stalwart
Jake Heckathorn has worked for more than six decades supporting his community as a donor and volunteer.
Resort opens with fresh powder
After weekend storms blanketed Big Mountain with fresh powder, Whitefish Mountain Resort will open for the season today.
Whitefish puts out 'welcome' mat
Community leaders in Whitefish want the world to know that all are welcome here — including the visitors who provide a boost to the local economy.
Legacy Partners focus efforts on Haskill Basin trail
Whitefish Legacy Partners has long been working toward a vision of creating a recreational loop circling Whitefish Lake.
Proposal looks to place restrictions on Whitefish River
The use of motorized watercraft on the Whitefish River may become even more limited if proposed regulations are approved by the state Fish and Wildlife Commission.
Options emerge for Muldown school
Three top options have emerged for Muldown Elementary School’s redesign — ranging from necessary facility updates to construction of a brand new school.
Christmas Stroll Friday downtown
Central Avenue will be transformed into a Christmas festival this Friday, Dec. 9 for the Christmas Stroll.
City Manager finalists announced
The search for a new City Manager for Whitefish has once again been narrowed to five finalists.
Glacier Logan Pass goat study wraps up
A three-year study of mountain goats at Logan Pass wrapped up this fall and Glacier National Park hopes to do a park-wide study of the iconic creatures starting in a couple of years.
Vacuum cleaner carelessly tossed into Cow Creek
Monday, Nov. 28
Bullock declares natural resource emergency
Montana Gov. Steve Bullock on Wednesday issued an executive order declaring a statewide natural resource emergency for Montana water bodies due to the detection of larvae of invasive aquatic mussels at Tiber Reservoir, and suspected detection at Canyon Ferry Reservoir and the Milk and Missouri rivers.
No headline
Montana’s outdoor recreation industry is frequently cited as a top economic driver in the state, but aside from a scattering of privately funded studies and location-specific economic impact reports, the sector’s full scope remains largely unknown.
No headline
Hearing one lone person, playing just two different notes, isn’t much of a musical experience.
Plan emerges for seasonal worker housing
A proposal to change the former Whitefish Independent High School building into a boarding house could provide housing for seasonal workers.
Down to the final seconds
After leading nearly the entire game, the Bulldogs boys basketball team fell in a 52-51 heartbreaking season opener against Flathead.
Whitefish makes waves in Kalispell
The Whitefish swim team opened its season with a solid performance in Kalispell over the weekend.
Lady Dogs fall to high-scoring Braves on the road
It was a rough start for the Lady Bulldogs basketball team Saturday, losing 76-15 to Flathead in the season opener.
Speech and debate takes 3rd
The Whitefish speech and debate team finished third overall in Belgrade over the weekend.
Doorn, Hemmingson selected to All-State volleyball team
Two Whitefish volleyball players received All-State honors.
No headline
The Whitefish wrestling team got its first taste of action at a Polson tournament this weekend.
Thursday, December 1
No headline
Snow lovers, rejoice.
