Saturday, December 28
Training Days
The saying goes, “Life is what happens when you’re making other plans,” and Nicole Heavirland’s picture belongs next to the tapestry.
PHOTOS: 49th annual Sunriser Lions ice fishing derby
Photos from the 49th annual Sunriser Lions ice fishing derby at Smith Lake in Kila on Saturday. The first 100 kids 12 and under to catch a fish received a free ice fishing rod and reel set from the Flathead Chapter of Walleyes Unlimited. The derby serves as a fundraiser for the Sunriser’s family fishing pond programs. The Lions also provided a variety of food and drink to stay warm, including grilled burgers, hot dogs, chili, hot drinks and marshmallows to roast by the warming fire.
Wednesday, December 25
Woman rolls vehicle, rescued after being trapped for 11 hours
A 74-year-old Bigfork woman who spent 11 hours trapped inside her vehicle was rescued the morning of Dec. 12 after she veered off Grand Drive and rolled approximately 100 feet down the hillside. The crash occurred around midnight and was caused by inattentive driving, according to Montana Highway Patrol Trooper Jon Raymond.
Shopping local for Christmas keepsakes becomes holiday tradition
Every year, my family and I carefully select two identical Christmas ornaments that represent the last 12 months. One is placed on our tree and the other is carefully tucked away for our daughter’s future family tree. Over the years we have chosen a ballerina, an English bulldog, a basketball player and a Santa.
Artist's corner: Todd Coats
Name: Todd Coats
Swan River student artist depicts wildlife in holiday card
Ava Hall might seem a little young to be tasked with creating the company Christmas card for Fidelity National Title, but the Swan River School eighth-grader has plenty of experience to draw on.
Driver boasts fake plates, but real threats
Friday, Dec. 13
Female Boy Scout ahead of the pack
At a time when most of her classmates are learning algebra and essay-writing, Gabrielle Thorsen has been learning how to save lives, build a fire and camp in the snow. The seventh-grader at Swan River School is a member of Scout Troop 1916, an all-girl Boy Scout troop in Bigfork.
Bigfork boys, girls basketball teams have big week
EUREKA – A strong defensive effort guided the Bigfork Valkyries to a convincing win in their District 7B girls basketball opener last Tuesday night at Lincoln County High School.
Saturday, December 21
Glacier girls second at Missoula City Invite
MISSOULA – Eden Flake won the 100-meter breaststroke to highlight the Glacier Wolfpack’s second-place showing at a Missoula City Invitational swim meet Saturday.
Friday, December 20
Pair of Flathead gridders headed to Frontier schools
A pair of Flathead football standouts, Max Anderson and Chance Sheldon-Allen, signed letters of intent to join Frontier Conference programs Friday.
Wolfpack drops Hawk boys in OT
BOZEMAN – Drew Engellant scored 20 points, six in overtime, and the Glacier Wolfpack nudged past Bozeman 65-61 in a Class AA nonconference boys’ basketball game Friday.
Thursday, December 19
Wildkats rally to give CFalls the split
Graceanne Sevesind may not show up in the boxscore but she definitely showed up Thursday when Columbia Falls forged a basketball doubleheader split.
PHOTOS: Glacier, C Falls split in boys, girls hoops
Photos as Glacier hosted Columbia Falls in non-league boys and girls basketball at Glacier High School on Thursday. The Glacier boys brought home a 62-38 win while the Wildkats were victorious in the girls’ game, 58-49.
Wednesday, December 18
Glacier's Nuce, Deck make it official with Griz
A pair of Kalispell Glacier standouts, one big and one not so big, highlighted the list of players the Montana Grizzlies welcomed to their football program Wednesday.
Washington man arrested in connection with Bigfork break-ins
A suspect was apprehended in connection with a series of early morning break-ins at multiple Montana Highway 35 businesses Dec. 11. Christopher David Van Natta, of Everett, Washington, was appreheded in Whitefish and booked into the Flathead County Detention Center on Friday, Dec. 12 on a disorderly conduct charge. Flathead County Sheriff Brian Heino said his office was able to link Van Natta to the reported acts of vandalism in Bigfork through a combination of video footage and an interview with Van Natta. According to dispatch logs, multiple parties from Bigfork businesses reported break-ins that morning, including bricks thrown through windows. Sites that were subject to vandalism included Sliters Lumber and Building Supply, Hillside Pub and Grub, El Topo Cantina, Rocky Mountain Cannabis, Conrad Floral and J Scott Couture, Heino said. Investigations into other locations are still ongoing.
Mixed results for Bigfork basketball at tip-off tourney
SHELBY – The Bigfork girls basketball team fell 49-44 in overtime to Malta in the first game of the Coyote Classic Tip-off Tournament in Shelby last Thursday.
Holiday season means high volume for Bigfork post office
It’s Friday morning before 9 a.m. and the Bigfork Post Office is bustling with activity. Rural carriers push flat carts over-laden with packages while others carefully sort letters into their appropriate compartments as Christmas music plays in the back room.
Combative canines, nosey neighbors keep deputies busy
Friday, Dec. 6
Deep Dive into the Flathead Lake Biological Station
If you’ve never had the pleasure of conversing with a scientist, you’re missing out.
Tuesday, December 17
Carson, Bulldogs rebound in triangular
WHITEFISH – Down a couple state-placers, Whitefish wrestling coach Danny Neff figured his Bulldogs had some digging to do in their triangular meet Tuesday.
Robert Butch Barber, 76
Robert “Butch” Barber was born on Aug. 31, 1943, in Fairview, Alberta, to Bob and Caroline Barber. He passed away on Dec. 12, 2019, at the age of 76.
Wednesday, December 11
Suspect arrested in Bigfork robbery
A suspected was arrested Tuesday in connection with an armed robbery in Bigfork.
Watching the watershed Area teachers study seasonal changes in Flathead waters
After summer, spring and fall, winter has finally arrived for a group of eight K-12 teachers ready to dive into studying what changes the season will bring to the Flathead Watershed.
Photos: Parade of Lights
Nearly 30 floats brightened up downtown Bigfork at the annual Parade of Lights on Saturday, Dec. 7. First Interstate Bank took home the $350 first place award for their “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”-themed float. The display included a Christmas tree with misfit toys, and iconic characters from the 1964 stop-motion film like the yeti, Rudolph and Yukon Cornelius.
Meals ON a mission Bigfork Meals on Wheels delivers lunch, with a side of companionship, to local elderly
Debbie Petek’s SUV bobbed down a rugged dirt road on the outskirts of Ferndale Friday before the lunch hour. Four sacks, each containing freshly prepared hot lunches, were safely stowed away in her backseat as she wound her way deeper into the countryside.
The sweet taste of victory Grateful Bread Bakery wins best in show award at Republican Women's Chocolate Extravaganza
Grateful Bread Bakery and Cafe owner Gabriele Massie and her daughter Catelyn Smid are the brilliant baking minds behind the show-stopping chocolate creation that took home Best in Show at the Flathead County Republican Women’s Chocolate Extravaganza. Their cake caught the judges’ attention for its creative shape — the entire creation was made to look like a swan, complete with white chocolate feathers tipped in edible gold spray. Beneath the white chocolate buttercream frosting was a dark chocolate cake filled with peanut butter mousse. The chocolate swan’s head was even topped with a miniature crown, adding a fairytale flair to the already otherworldly masterpiece.
Catch A Christmas Story this month
The Bigfork Playhouse Children’s Theatre presents the stage version of “A Christmas Story” on Dec. 13-15, 20 and 21. This classic holiday tale centers on a mischievous, bespectacled boy, Ralphie, who dreams of getting a BB-gun for Christmas. In the weeks before the big holiday, Ralphie, his friends and his family get into all kinds of situations — including run-ins with a bully, a tongue stuck to a flag pole, a bar of soap in the mouth, a garish leg lamp, a major award and a Chinese Christmas dinner.
Bigfork wrestling opens season
Bigfork High School wrestlers face some tough opponents at the season opener held at the Salish Kootenai College in Pablo on Dec. 6. Wrestlers Archie Brevik and Joseph Farrier went 1-2 at the Owen Invitational while the rest of their teammates were 0-2.
Artist's corner: Mya Bessette
Medium of choice: Acrylics
Bigfork swim team has high expectations for new season
The Bigfork all-girls swim team came agonizingly close to earning its first-ever spot in the state finals at last season’s state swim meet in Bozeman.
Mom versus mom in school parking lot drop-off
Saturday, Nov. 30
CATCH “A CHRISTMAS STORY” THIS MONTH
The Bigfork Playhouse Children’s Theatre presents the stage version of “A Christmas Story” on Dec. 13-15, 20 and 21.
Saturday, December 7
PHOTOS: The Kalispell Invitational swim meet at The Summit
Photos from the Kalispell Invitational swim meet at The Summit in Kalispell. Glacier, Flathead, Whitefish, Columbia Falls, Bigfork, Missoula Hellgate, Missoula Sentinel, Missoula Big Sky/Loyola, Charles M. Russell and Great Falls high schools all participated.
Friday, December 6
PHOTOS: Fun Beverage takes on Village Brewery in Craft Brewers Cup
Photos as the Fun Beverage hockey team takes on Village Brewery in the opening game of the Craft Brewers Cup at the Woodland Park Ice Center in Kalispell on Friday. The Craft Brewers Cup is the largest fundraiser of the year for the Flathead Valley Hockey Association. The tournament continues Saturday with games starting at 7 a.m. along with a brewfest from noon to 8 p.m. Seven local breweries will be in attendance Saturday with nearly 20 beers on tap.
Wednesday, December 4
Cursing children given talking-to by local deputy
Friday, Nov. 22
Auditions for comedy 'Naked Bigport' next week
Auditions for the new comedy, “Naked Bigport,” will be held at the Pocketstone Cafe at 7 p.m. on both Tuesday, Dec. 10 and Wednesday, Dec. 11.
No Kid Hungry: Bigfork Rotary supplies 80 students with weekend food
In 2013, the Bigfork Rotary Club approached the Bigfork Elementary School with an idea — they wanted to provide socks and shoes to local kids in the springtime. There were already groups providing winter gear, so they settled on a project to outfit them with spring essentials.
Artist's corner: Francesca Droll
Q: How did you get started in art?
Reducing red-runners Large school bus stop sign arms curtail illegal passing
At least six times each month, a driver illegally passes a Bigfork school bus while it’s stopped during student pick up or drop off.
Monday, December 2
Juvenile arrested in connection with Bigfork High bomb threat
Law enforcement officials have made an arrest in relation to a bomb threat at Bigfork High School that occurred Monday.
