Ellington

Judge limits Montana wolf trapping season over threat to grizzly bears

A federal judge in Missoula issued an order late Tuesday afternoon that will limit Montana’s wolf trapping season to Jan. 1 to Feb. 15 next year in hunting Regions 1 through 5 and three counties along the north-central border, citing the possibility that endangered grizzly bears get caught in wolf traps or snares.

Soccer athletes earn postseason honors

Five players from the Whitefish girls soccer team were selected to the Class A All-State team this year after the Lady Bulldogs won their first state championship in 17 years.

Kelch, Hunt named All-State in football

For the second straight year, Whitefish senior Mason Kelch was named to the Class A All-State football team as a receiver and safety, but he wasn’t the only Bulldog to get accolades for his play this year.

Connelly named Coach of the Year, players earn postseason selections

Whitefish head volleyball coach Addy Connelly was named the Northwest A Coach of the Year after taking her team to the State Class A Tournament this season.

Study says Canadian coal mines put unparalleled pollution in Montana-bound waters

The concentrations of selenium and nitrate entering the Elk River and Northwest Montana’s Kootenai watershed as a result of coal-mining operations in British Columbia are likely without measured precedent, according to a new study authored by U.S. Geological Survey scientists.

Friend of the Fish: Fitzgerald recognized for putting community first

Longtime Whitefish resident and business owner, Rhonda Fitzgerald, has been advocating for the community of Whitefish over the past 30 years.

Housing advocates make voices heard on illegal short-term rentals

Last week over a dozen people clad in yellow tee shirts marched around the entrance to city hall before filing into the council chambers and waiting in line with other members of the public to speak about the housing crisis in Whitefish and share personal stories related to the shortage of affordable housing.

The Quest: Renowned photographer Dr. Richard Buswell releases seventh book

Ask Dr. Richard Buswell how many photos he’s taken and printed over the span of his 51-year career and he can tell you exactly: 534.

MHSA Board makes several changes to high school sports

In its meeting on Nov. 20, the Montana High School Association (MHSA) Executive Board made several adjustments to the state's landscape of high school sports.

As snow and ice melt, Glacier Park seeing new lakes

As global warming continues to shrink glaciers and ice fields in Glacier National Park, another feature is growing on the landscape — small lakes from the melting ice and snow.

Stakeholders weigh in on Glacier’s reservation system changes

Stakeholders and some previous critics of Glacier National Park’s vehicle reservation system are largely in favor of new changes coming next summer.

Zinke's Fill the Lake Act meets mixed reactions

Shortly after Rep. Ryan Zinke introduced legislation aimed at keeping Flathead Lake at full pool during the height of summer, operators of the SKQ Dam called the congressman’s proposal unworkable.

WTC brings ‘A Christmas Carol: The Musical’ to stage

The Whitefish Theatre Company’s holiday production will be “A Christmas Carol: The Musical”.

Alpine Theatre Project presents holiday show, ‘Yuletide Affair Kids’

The community will be treated to a magical holiday experience at Alpine Theatre Project’s “Yuletide Affair Kids”, featuring three special shows running from Friday, Dec. 1, to Saturday, Dec.2 at Alpine Theatre Project in the Whitefish Mountain Center Mall.

Mountain Climber Transit holds annual public meeting

Do you have thoughts on how to improve transit service in our area?

City Council preview for Dec. 4

Whitefish City Council meets on Monday, Dec. 4, beginning at 7:10 p.m. at City Hall.

Bulldog athlete Brooke Zetooney signs with UM

Whitefish High School champion sprinter and multisport athlete Brooke Zetooney on Monday signed a letter of intent to join the University of Montana track and field team.

Streets stuffed with turkey trotters this Thanksgiving

The 14th annual Whitefish Turkey Trot, a fundraiser for the North Valley Food Bank, saw a record number of participants this year, as 860 people covered the 5K (3.1 mile) course.

Norma June Hornbacher, 82

On Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023, Norma June Hornbacher passed away after a brief illness.

Mark Heider, 69

Mark Steven Heider, 69, of McCall, Idaho, passed away peacefully on Nov. 16, 2023, after a courageous fight with cancer and illness.

What we expect doesn't always happen…

Most of us take our city services for granted. Not anymore! We expect water to flow from our faucet, expect our sewage to go where it is supposed to go and expect our storm and drain water to flow to an environmentally safe place.

Looking Back for Nov. 29, 2023

The rustlers were cut off at the pass by the Whitefish Police department and the Flathead County Sheriff’s office when three men were arrested with the carcasses of a hog and a whiteface heifer in their panel truck.

Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour at FVCC

The Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour is coming to Flathead Valley Community College on Dec. 5 and 6.

Police Calls: Vehicles poorly parked, speeding and smoking

The owner of a Nissan said someone hit her vehicle while it was parked at a location on Highway 93.

Student Art: ‘Just Keep Swimming’ by Witney Workman

The art featured above is called "Just Keep Swimming" and is a Pitt Artist pen drawing by Whitefish High School junior Witney Workman in the WHS Art 1: Drawing class.

Legals for November, 29 2023

Hobby inspires new Columbia Falls rock shop

Christina Moser wasn’t really planning on opening a rock shop when she visited the empty 729 Nucleus Avenue storefront in Columbia Falls.

A new RSV shot could help protect babies this winter — if they can get it in time

Emily Bendt was in her third trimester of pregnancy when she first heard the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had approved a new shot for infants to protect them from the respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV.

Student Art: ‘FLIES’ by Jesse Burrough

The art featured above is called "FLIES" and is a watercolor painting by Whitefish High School senior Jesse Burrough in the WHS Art 2: Advanced Art class.

Grizzly conservation area in Yaak expands to over 500 acres

The Vital Ground Foundation expanded its Fowler Creek grizzly bear habitat conservation project this month with the acquisition of 64 acres in the Yaak Valley of far Northwest Montana.

Accused kidnapper given partially suspended sentence

The Whitefish man accused of holding a woman against her will and beating her with a belt in 2021 received a partially suspended sentence in Flathead County District Court on Thursday.

Two survive plane crash in Hungry Horse Reservoir

Two people survived a plane crash in the Hungry Horse Reservoir Saturday.

Flathead Forest taps Botello as new supervisor

A longtime Forest Service leader is set to take charge of the Flathead National Forest in 2024.

REAL Montana Class V visits Dillon to discuss livestock

Flathead Valley residents Shauna Dunn, Shelby George, Brian Hogue and Cameron Wohlschlegel recently returned from three days in Dillon and Dell, Montana as part of the REAL Montana program (Resource Education and Agriculture Leadership).

In a nutshell: We are the ingredients for well-nourished communities

“Welcome and happy Thanksgiving. Would you like an entire turkey, a turkey breast, or a whole chicken? Would you like to add some kids' snacks to your Thanksgiving box?”

A time of thanks

At this time of year, it is traditional to reflect on what we are grateful for and I want to share a few thoughts of gratitude with our Whitefish School District staff, parents, and the Whitefish community.

U.S. must unite in support of Israel

The most important global issue of the day is that of the middle east conflict. The barbaric evil of Hamas was in full display Oct. 7.

A glimpse into a choice school in the making

Kasey Koehler, has abandoned her job as an administrator in Miles City so she can create a Choice School focused on students with diagnosed disabilities and differential learning needs.

Council approves housing development, several other items

Among the items addressed during a long meeting of the Whitefish City Council on Nov. 6, were annexations with zone changes, amendments to city code and the reconstruction of Karrow Avenue.

FEC retires $3 million in capital credits

The FEC’s board of trustees has retired $3 million of capital credits allocated to member accounts in 2008 and 2009.

FEC board appoints representative for Whitefish district

He will represent members residing in District No. 3, which generally comprises the Whitefish and Big Mountain areas, until the 2024 Annual Meeting.

Whitefish eases food vendor regs in city limits

A request from the City of Whitefish to amend vendor regulations to make them less restrictive was approved unanimously by the council at its regular meeting on Nov. 6. The changes were previously discussed by the council at a work session.

New restaurant in Whitefish offers Mediterranean fare

Last month, Beldi, a new restaurant at 306 Second Street in Whitefish, opened its doors and began serving cuisine inspired by the Mediterranean and Levantine regions.

Apgar Lookout Retreat now open in Glacier Park

After a little over a year’s construction, Apgar Lookout Retreat is open to guests.

Flathead Forest reviews winter permit applications

The Flathead National Forest is considering nine special-use permits that would allow businesses to operate guiding services this winter on federal public land.

FEC awards record funding to support community safety projects

The Roundup for Safety Board awarded over $44,000 – a record amount of funding – to area nonprofits seeking support for community safety projects on Nov. 9.

'Whitefish Review' presents author David James Duncan

"Whitefish Review" will host author David James Duncan for a reading and conversation about his newly released book, “Sun House,” on Thursday, Dec. 7 at 101 Central in downtown Whitefish.

Flathead Valley Ski Education Foundation presents Showcase of the Chefs

The annual Showcase of the Chefs is back in Whitefish on Nov. 30. Kick-off this ski season right with a fabulous evening of food, wine and giving. Join us for the 2023 Showcase of the Chefs.

Whitefish adorned to welcome winter

Whitefish Shines, with help from community volunteers, the Flathead Electric Co-op and the city of Whitefish, decorated the town Sunday morning with green garlands, red bells, lights and the traditional Santa ornament.

Whitefish speech and debate places second in Browning

Whitefish High School speech and debate team took second place behind Columbia Falls at the Browning Invite over the weekend.

High school basketball does away with one-and-one foul shots

Last Spring, the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) struck the traditional one-and-one foul shots from its basketball rule books.

Looking Back for November 22, 2023

Protests on two rezoning petitions were heard during the city council meeting.

Police Calls: Questions raised over bones, mushroom ownership

A male was talking to himself in the bathroom of a business on Highway 93 for an hour and a half.

Legals for November, 22 2023

Vehicular accident leaves over 2,000 without power

A power outage in Whitefish on Thursday morning affected approximately 2,000 Flathead Electric Coop members.

Opera featuring the story of Malcolm X airs in Whitefish

This powerful, swing and jazz-inflected opera will be shown at 10:55 a.m. at the O’Shaughnessy Center in Whitefish.

State Supreme Court rules for Whitefish in hotel denial

The Montana Supreme Court has ruled Whitefish City Council was within its right to deny a proposed hotel along U.S. 93.

Laurel Grady, 59

Laurel Diane Grady, 59, of Whitefish, passed away at Logan Health on Oct. 31, 2023, Halloween evening, a holiday that she loved.

Colleen Ryan Kate Robinson, 71

Colleen Ryan Kate Robinson, 71, after a short time in Hospice Care, passed away on Nov. 3, 2023.

Glacier Symphony hosts celebration of Native American Heritage Month through music and art

The Glacier Symphony Orchestra, conducted by John Zoltek, will present multiple powerful orchestral pieces, including a premiere of a new Montana composition “The Hunting Moon,” and additional layers of concert entertainment during Vision Spirit Land.

Holiday tradition ‘Nutcracker’ ballet returns to stage

The Northwest Ballet Company will be making that happen for the 35th production of this holiday tradition on Thanksgiving weekend at the Bigfork Center for the Performing Arts under the direction of Marisa Roth.

Mysterious light show over Martin City remains unexplained

When O’Brien Byrd woke up to a strange light coming through his bedroom window in Martin City early Wednesday morning, he knew something odd was going on.

Glacier drops reservations at Two Medicine, St. Mary entrances for 2024

Glacier National Park’s 2024 reservation system will look different compared to previous years, with vehicle reservations no longer required for the Two Medicine and St. Mary entrances in the park.

Police Calls: One menacing blonde woman and two curious black bears

Someone had a gun in a safe but can no longer find it. He thinks it may have been stolen.

Student Art: ‘Choppa the Punk Rock Star’ by Douglas Towsend Reed, Jr.

The art featured above is called "Choppa the Punk Rock Star" and is an assemblage sculpture by Whitefish High School senior Douglas Towsend Reed, Jr. in the WHS Sculpture class.

Looking Back: Kurtz is citizen of year, bypass mulled, inclusionary zoning OK'd

House Bill 465 provided that the department of Health and Environmental Sciences “shall adopt reasonable rules…” to enforce the new law chapter.

City Council preview for Nov. 20 2024

Whitefish City Council meets on Monday, Nov. 20, beginning at 7:10 p.m. at City Hall.

Ride your horse, rope the calf

If you were to see him riding one of his roping horses on the hills behind the Majestic Valley Arena with several of his trained cow dogs, you might think you’ve seen another ordinary cowboy. But…

Whitefish speech and debate takes top spot at invitational

Whitefish High School speech and debate captured first place at the Polson Invitational over the weekend.

Colleen Robinson, 71

Colleen Robinson, 71

Barbara Goguen, 92

Barbara Goguen, 92

Donald "Don" Petersen, 91

Donald "Don" Petersen, 91

Whitefish OKs annexation of south gateway property

Developers proposing a mixed-use apartment project at Whitefish’s south gateway received approval from Whitefish City Council on Nov. 6 for the annexation of the vacant property, as well as a zone change.

Whitefish volleyball drops two matches at State A

Whitefish’s incredible 2023 season came to an end last weekend at the Class A State Championships as the Lady Bulldogs dropped two games.

Incumbents reelected to Whitefish City Council

The three incumbents seeking reelection to Whitefish City Council handily retained their seats in the Tuesday Nov. 7 municipal election.

Legals for November, 15 2023

Whitefish Schools to survey voters about high school expansion project

Whitefish School District will conduct a survey of residents regarding proposed plans to expand the high school and build an activities complex.

Montana must keep teacher licensing fees low

Should Montana increase teacher licensing fees? The answer is simple, no. Why would we consider shifting the burden of covering the cost of licensing to our teachers who are struggling to make ends meet?

Flathead Lake's low water levels are avoidable

Flathead Lake is one of the most beautiful places on earth; however, this summer’s low lake levels severely impacted residents, irrigators, fishermen, recreationists, marinas, land and dock owners, and many other businesses directly or indirectly.

Veterans Day presentation at Whitefish High School

The Veterans Day Community Event is held at Whitefish High School on Thursday, Nov. 9.

Police Calls: Machete-toting man bums a smoke

An Apple watch was causing issues and was blamed for the accidental call to 911.

Student Art: ‘Human Contact’’ by Rook Arakaki

The art featured above is called "Human Contact" and is a color pencil drawing by Whitefish High School senior Rook Arakaki in the WHS Art 1: Drawing class.

History - Looking Back for November 8, 2023

A meeting was held to discuss Whitefish Lake stabilization in the community room of the city hall.

Whitefish earns spots at state volleyball tournament

Whitefish will be taking a road trip to Bozeman after placing third at the Western A Divisional Tournament over the weekend.

Legals for November, 8 2023

Affordable housing bill is a win-win, but for whom?

Contrary to Nathan Dugan’s assertion (Montana Land Use Planning Act makes city planning more inclusive, Oct. 25), Senate Bill 382 contains no secrete sauce, magic potion, or any other way to make community planning “more inclusive” or to include “marginalized” citizens.

Hospital Corner: Winter Injury Prevention

November 18 is designated National Injury Prevention Awareness Day which is no surprise to me because: winter.

Nate Chute Foundation opens search for executive director

Whitefish-based Nate Chute Foundation is seeking a new executive director to lead the nonprofit following the departure of Kacy Howard.

Laurel Diane Grady, 59

Laurel Diane Grady, 59, died Oct. 31, 2023 in Kalispell.

Kenneth Edward Stenger, 85

Kenneth Edward Stenger, 85, died Oct. 30, 2023 in Whitefish.

Lori "Sue" Susan Marino, 68

Lori "Sue" Susan Marino, 68, died Oct. 29, 2023 in Kalispell.

Travis J. Kohlbeck, 53

Travis J. Kohlbeck, 53, died Nov. 1, 2023 in Columbia Falls.

Carpenter builds comfort and convenience into vans

If you’ve ever wanted to have a decked-out van to use for camping or for full-time living, a new custom van building company in Whitefish is able to help make that dream a reality.

Whitefish band students set sights on New York City

Start spreading the news, the Whitefish High School band is preparing for a trip to New York City. The group’s small town blues will melt away as they enjoy three days, April 24-28, in the Big Apple.

Event marks release of novel about 1970s rock tours

A launch party for author Glenn Schiffman’s autobiographical fiction novel titled "Life in the Fast Lane: Truckin' on the 1970s Rock & Roll Road” is Friday, Nov. 10.

Blues rock sensation Albert Cummings performs in Whitefish

The Whitefish Theatre Company hosts this music virtuoso is known for melding the chunky, rave-up R&B stylings of Albert King and Stevie Ray Vaughan to the boundary-less blues-rock improvisation of Jimi Hendrix and Freddie King, all while maintaining a distinct, genre-bending style and sound all his own.

Whitefish Theatre Co. stages dramatic comedy

This dramatic comedy, called "astonishing and daring” by the New York Times, has performances on both nights at 7:30 p.m. at the O’Shaughnessy Center in Whitefish.

Flathead Valley sees a lack of services for homeless individuals outside of Kalispell

Officials from Flathead County’s three municipalities have confirmed interest in participating in a summit to discuss each city’s role in addressing the valley’s growing homelessness crisis.

Council reviews traffic impacts of proposed gateway development

The developer of a proposed mixed-use apartment complex at Whitefish’s south gateway met with Whitefish City Council Oct. 16 to review potential impacts to traffic and a nearby neighborhood.

Lady Bulldogs claim Class A State Championship with 3-1 win over Columbia Falls

Getting to the top of the mountain of Class A girls soccer can be quite a journey.

Debra Lee Younggren, 69

Debra Lee Younggren, 69

Beth Ann Repke, 65

Beth Ann Repke, 65

Anastasia M. Follett, 95

Anastasia M. Follett, 95

Anastasia M. Follett, 95

Anastasia M. Follett, 95

Whitefish volleyball top seed for conference tourney

Whitefish put an exclamation mark on a regular season that earned them the No. 1 seed in the Northwest A Conference Tournament this weekend, as last Tuesday they defeated rival Columbia Falls with a comeback five-set victory at home.

Whitefish edges Billings Central for 10th State A soccer title

While one goal was the game-winner, there was a whole season of work that went into Whitefish's victory on Saturday.

Columbia Falls shuts out Whitefish in playoffs

Whitefish battled back from an 0-3 start to the season to not only earn a berth in the state playoffs for the second straight year, but also to defeat rival Columbia Falls 20-14 in overtime on Sept. 15.

Local student heads to Alaska to teach skiing

Lots of kids in Whitefish start skiing when they start walking. One local skier who learned to ski on the slopes of the Big Mountain is heading north to teach skiing in Alaska.

Letters to the editor Nov. 1

Letters to the editor Nov. 1

Looking back: Quake shakes town, new hospital plans OK'd

Looking back: Quake shakes town, new hospital plans OK'd

Tech hub designation is great news for Montana

The recent announcement that Western Montana has been selected as a federally-designated technology hub is great news for our state.

Whitefish responds to inflammatory rhetoric

In his letter to the editor (Class action suit against Whitefish moves forward, Oct. 26) Paul Gillman made numerous misrepresentations of fact and even went so far as to publicly disparage a city of Whitefish employee.

Community band presents Dances and Folk Tunes concert

The concert will open with “Esprit de Corps,” an original march written by Rober Jeager. Based on “The Marines' Hymn,” this work is a kind of fantasy-march, as well as a tribute to the United States Marine Band, whose group had commissioned the work.

MET Opera season opens with ‘Dead Man Walking’

This harrowing and contemporary opera will be shown on Saturday, Nov. 4 at 10:55 a.m. at the Whitefish Performing Arts Center.

Voters to decide change for resort tax, contested Council race

Election Day is Nov. 7.

Music school hosts weekend events with musician Jack Gladstone

Two community events will bring music education, performance, and music appreciation to Northwest Montana. An evening concert on Friday will be paired with a youth-centric matinee on Saturday.

Legals for November, 1 2023