Looking Back: Water quality, resort tax, earthquake
Sker Tommy Moe, who won gold and silver medals at the 1994 winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway, spoke during a press conference at The Big Mountain. Moe lived in Whitefish as a child and learned to ski at The Big Mountain. (Photo by Mark Goldstein)
A look back at past Pilot articles by Julie Engler
50 Years Ago
Nov. 21, 1974
The Whitefish City Council signed an agreement with the Environmental Protection Agency which made Whitefish part of the EPA's proposed Water Quality Study. The study would deal with point and non-point pollution areas, point areas being specific areas of pollution such as city or area, lagoons, entering rivers, lakes etc., and non-point areas being less obvious sources of pollution such as private drain fields and other pollutants seeping into water tables, rivers, lakes, etc. The proposed Whitefish sewage treatment and disposal system study was allocated funds by the EPA in the amount of $45,000 to complete phase I.
40 Years Ago
Nov. 22, 1984
A final report on tests conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency on Whitefish Lake was expected to be completed by early January. When they were finished, the Whitefish Water and Sewer District would know much more about the condition of the lake. The most recent tests on the lake were done when a sophisticated plane from the EPA flew over the lake, taking aerial photos and electronically scanning the light reflected from the water. At the same time the plane was flying over the lake, Jon Jourdannais and Jack Sanford from the University of Montana Biological Station were taking water samples from the lake which would be used to calibrate the aerial data.
30 Years Ago
Nov. 17, 1994
A study of the city's economy indicated the largest source of the city's revenue comes from retirement income, according to Whitefish Mayor Jimmy Welsh, who said the news will affect the city's effort to enact a resort tax. The findings could make things more difficult for the city council, who commissioned the study in hopes of proving that the city is a “resort community” and is eligible to adopt a resort tax. The limited sales tax on restaurants, inns and “luxury items” has been touted as a way to pay for rebuilding the city's aging streets. The study indicated that Whitefish benefits most from investment retirement income.
20 Years Ago
Nov. 18, 2004
Deputies of the Flathead County Attorney advised Flathead County Commissioners to turn down several subdivision applications, saying that the applications violated state and county law regarding major subdivisions. The violations, according to the attorneys, would cause the public to lose its right to a public hearing on the applications by putting subdivisions that should be considered major into the category of minor subdivisions. Subdivisions on less than 160 acres with more than five new units were considered major and require a public hearing.
10 Years Ago
Nov. 19, 2014
The loud boom and quick shake of a moderate earthquake rattled many Whitefish residents awake. The 3.5 magnitude quake, downgraded from 4.5, was centered 3 miles northwest of Columbia Falls and was about 8.4 miles deep, according to the US Geological Survey. Residents across the Valley reported feeling the rumble, as far away as Missoula. No one reported damage or injuries, just a few broken eggs, toppled plates and some cracked drywall. Still, the land jolt was the talk of the town.