Looking Back for April 12
A look back at past Pilot articles by Julie Engler.
50 Years Ago
April 12, 1973
Evidence of massive pollution of the Whitefish River by the Whitefish city sewage lagoon was disclosed in a letter to the Whitefish city council and mayor from David Nunnallee, P.E., of Montana State Department of Health. The letter began: I am writing with regard to water quality in the Whitefish River below Whitefish. Routine sampling at a point near the international airport during the past six months has indicated abnormally high bacterial and nutrient levels in the river. The bacteria levels, measured as Coliform organisms, consistently have been in violation of levels established in the State Water Quality Standards for the Whitefish River.
40 Years Ago
April 14, 1983
A committee of the Whitefish Chamber of Commerce was trying to gather tales about the condition of Highway 93 to present to the Highway Commission. The main emphasis of the meeting was the condition of Highway 93 and what can be done to improve it. Bern Bogern, district engineer of the Montana Highway Department from Missoula, said 60 percent of the “critically deficient” roads in Montana were in northwest Montana and that Highway 93 was one of those under that classification. The road was also described as being in “deplorable condition.”
30 Years Ago
April 15, 1993
Lloyd A. “Mully” Muldown, long-time educator, former superintendent of the Whitefish Public Schools, ski pioneer and member of the Winter Sports Inc. board of directors, died at North Valley Hospital. He was 86. Muldown came to Whitefish in 1928. For the next 33 years, he taught chemistry, physics, biology, mathematics and physical education, and coached football, basketball, track, tennis, golf and skiing at Whitefish High School. He took a short break to serve with the Red Cross during World War II.
20 Years Ago
April 10, 2003
Whitefish Police Chief Bill Dial speculated on the cause of the numerous recent crashes in or around the city. “It could be inattentiveness. It could be the time of year. With the sun shining, maybe people aren’t used to driving in the sun,” Dial said. The first crash occurred at 11:45 a.m. on Highway 93 South near Happy Valley, when a Ford truck swerved into the left northbound lane and struck a vehicle. Another accident occurred later that day and yet another happened the next day.
10 Years Ago
April 10, 2013
Flathead County was the seventh healthiest county in Montana, according to a study that looked at health factors, access to clinical care and other social and economic factors. Gallatin was ranked No. 1 for the fourth straight year with the lowest obesity rate and one of the lowest smoking rates. Glacier, Lake and Lincoln counties were ranked near the bottom, 45th, 37th, and 35th, respectively. Joe Russell, Public Health Officer at the Flathead County Health Department, said the county was working with local hospitals and was putting strategies in place to address some areas of concern noted in the rankings.