Looking Back for Feb. 22

A look back at past Pilot articles by Julie Engler.

50 Years Ago

Feb. 22, 1973

A report from an alert citizen resulted in a major drug haul. Whitefish Police Department Patrolmen kept the suspected house under observation with binoculars. They observed the suspects with a large paper bag and small plastic bags evidently bagging up what appeared to the officers to be marijuana. The pair were placed under arrest and advised of their constitutional rights.

40 Years Ago

Feb. 24, 1983

Regular self-serve gas was selling for 95.9 cents in part of the Flathead Valley. Unleaded was 3 to 5 cents more. The lowest price found in Whitefish was 98.9. The price was expected to fall more during the week. Dafe Tonjum, president of City Service in Kalispell, a leading bulk supplier, said the lower prices were due partly to decreased prices from major oil companies and partly to a local price war.

30 Years Ago

Feb. 15, 1993

Bill Leonard, general manager of the Whitefish County Water & Sewer District Board said the problem of Whitefish’s sewer system being pushed to capacity is compounded because adding existing homes around Whitefish Lake to the system is necessary. The lake’s natural balance could change if contaminated water from faulty septic systems continually seeps into the lake. Leonard believes getting existing homes into the system is the No.1 priority. “Flathead Lake has had algae blooms because of the water quality. Whitefish Lake is almost exactly the same type of lake and blooms could happen,” he said.

20 Years Ago

Feb. 20, 2003

The Whitefish School District bond election mailed out 7,156 ballots and 33 percent had already been returned, making the election valid, since they needed 30 percent to do so. Voters were deciding if they wanted to approve $10.375 million to renovate Whitefish High School and $10.2 million to almost completely rebuild Central School.

10 Years Ago

Feb. 20, 2013

About 80 people converged in downtown Whitefish to call for action on climate change. The event coincided with a rally at the National Mall in Washington D.C. attended by an estimated 35,000 people. Event organizer Steve Thompson called the local rallies a success. "People were energized,” he said. “It’s time to start action and stop talking about it. We know the science, it’s very clear. The threats are real and solutions are feasible.”