Wednesday, July 31
Exchange wrestling team to visit Flathead Valley
The Daily Inter Lake
Fire near Lower Thompson burns 50 acres
Fire crews on Wednesday attacked a new blaze in the Lower Thompson Lake area west of Kalispell.
Missoula Police seek missing woman who may be in Glacier Park
A Missing Endangered Person Advisory has been issued on behalf of Missoula Police Department for Mia Hoffman-Cluchey.
Martin City residents face federal charges
Two Martin City residents are facing federal drug-related charges following an investigation that began late last year by the Northwest Montana Drug Task Force, according to a press release from Sheriff Brian Heino.
Voters OK $4M bond for new Somers Fire Hall
Voters in the Somers Rural Fire District have approved a bond issue of up to $4 million to build a new fire hall at 784 Somers Road.
Alleged thieves arrive with kiddie trailer
Someone told Kalispell Police Department they saw a man and woman “roll up” on a bicycle and “kiddie trailer,” then the woman got out of the kiddie trailer, ran through bushes, returned with chairs and rolling luggage, which she put in the trailer, and took off. The man reportedly left on foot in the area of South Main Street. The person calling in the report believed they stole the items.
Bigfork students, PTA raise money for playground
Bigfork Elementary School students are taking strides to build a new playground — quite literally.
Open house planned for new center as work continues
An open house meet-and-greet session for the new Camp Ponderosa Veterans Retreat and Learning Center in the Swan Valley is set for noon to 3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 10, at the center, 34891 Montana 83 near Condon, about 50 miles from Kalispell.
Victor E. 'Vic' Cordier, 93
Victor Eugene Cordier passed away in his home on Friday, July 26, 2019.
New suspension bridge over Kootenai opens
The new Kootenai River swinging bridge is open and busy with summer tourists streaming across the 220-foot span.
Tuesday, July 30
Firefighter injured on Beeskove Fire
An emergency medical evacuation was requested for an injured firefighter on the Beeskove Fire near Missoula on Tuesday. The firefighter sustained a lower leg injury and was airlifted directly to St. Patrick’s Hospital for medical treatment, the Forest Service announced.
Economic update explores 'silver tsunami'
The Montana Chamber Foundation and Bureau of Business and Economic Research stops in Kalispell on Thursday for the 14th annual Economic Update series.
Cardboard a conundrum for Flathead recyclers
Gloria Schmidt visits Pacific Steel and Recycling in Kalispell every couple of weeks to drop off her recyclables. On Monday morning she deposited a few boxes and newspapers into the appropriate bins, just like usual. Although it’s not a lot, it’s important to her to do what she can to help the environment.
Woman wants to look good before gambling
Kalispell Police Department received a report of a woman sitting in a parking lot “for several hours.” Turns out, she was just putting makeup on before heading in to gamble.
Arleen Alice Macal, 82
Arleen Alice Macal, 82, passed away at her home in Columbia Falls on July 23, 2019.
Students place at national speech and debate
Glacier and Flathead high schools competed at the National Speech and Debate tournament in Dallas, Texas, in June.
Kalispell Vet Center celebrates 40 years of service
For years, Navy veteran Joseph Robinson called an aircraft carrier home.
Monday, July 29
Mission Valley falls to Bucs
FLORENCE — Trevor Lake batted 3-for-4 and Alex Muzquiz was 2-for-4, but it wasn’t enough on Monday as the Mission Valley Mariners fell 9-8 to the host Bitterroot Bucs at the A Montana-Alberta American Legion baseball tournament.
Ten Commandments Park vandalized
The vandal wore a bandanna to cover his face and a cap. The person, who appeared to be male, all but sauntered through a few brief recorded frames — as though he was in no hurry.
Moss Ranch, Beeskove fires continue to burn
The Moss Ranch Fire, burning on the Flathead Reservation about 14 miles southwest of Ronan, was said Monday morning to be about 60 percent contained.
Letters to the editor July 29
I’ve been contemplating the recently revived slogan “America, Love it or Leave It” and would like to share what it means to me.
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- AARP Driver Safety Course, 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Libby Christian Church. $20 fee ($15 for AARP card-holding members.) Call 751-4500.
Parker changes roles but continues fight against trafficking
Imagine family dinner on Christmas. All are gathered together and have just sat down to enjoy their time together when the pagers start going off. Husband and wife do not hesitate. They kiss their children goodbye and head out to someone in trouble, to some emergency where they are needed.
Representative government
The spectacle that took place on the floor of the House of Representatives the other day is just a micro-analysis of what our government has become.
Dad safe and sound after taco night
A mother and daughter were concerned when dad didn’t come home and called Kalispell Police Department. The daughter called back and said her dad just got home safe and sound and had “fallen asleep after eating tacos at a friend’s house.”
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- AARP Driver Safety Course, 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Libby Christian Church. $20 fee ($15 for AARP card-holding members.) Call 751-4500.
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- AARP Driver Safety Course, 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Libby Christian Church. $20 fee ($15 for AARP card-holding members.) Call 751-4500.
Sunday, July 28
Lakers fall to Scarlets at state tourney
BILLINGS — It was a heartbreaker of a day for the Kalispell Lakers at the AA Montana-Alberta American Legion state baseball tournament.
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Brighton Mia Dae Masters, daughter of Justin Masters and Maggie Ronshaugen of Kalispell, was born June 6 at North Valley Hospital.
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Brighton Mia Dae Masters, daughter of Justin Masters and Maggie Ronshaugen of Kalispell, was born June 6 at North Valley Hospital.
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Brighton Mia Dae Masters, daughter of Justin Masters and Maggie Ronshaugen of Kalispell, was born June 6 at North Valley Hospital.
Child's body found in Lincoln County
The search for the 2-year-old child of an Oregon couple who apparently died in a murder-suicide last week near Kalispell has ended tragically.
J.C. Penney celebrates 105th anniversary in Kalispell
J.C. Penney Co. in Kalispell is celebrating its 105th anniversary this year, making it one of the oldest businesses in the Flathead Valley.
A battle of wills - Manpower vs. horsepower
The goal was simple enough. Get the old fishing boat sitting behind the garage, fire up the old boat motor and head to Smith Lake. My husband Jim would tool around fishing for the pike and perch Smith Lake is well-known for, and I’d paddle around the lily pads and beaver dams in my kayak; maybe we’d venture up Ashley Creek together where the great blue herons hang out.
Letters to the editor July 28
Thank you Mark Agather for your letter on July 15 demanding sanity from the Forest Service. You echoed my words that I’ve been preaching for three decades. I was feeling like an orphan out here; a voice in the wilderness don’t ya know.
Kay Evans Scott, 78
Kay Evans Scott passed away Friday, July 19, 2019.
Local man forms extraordinary bond with pet bobcat
“Can I take a picture?” the woman asked, eagerly stepping toward Mike Kiel, arm extended, camera phone already in-hand.
In Trump era, GOP leaders lack courage, integrity
“These are the times that try men’s souls,” as true today as in Thomas Paine’s time. Each day our president trashes something important to the continuation of the longest functioning Democracy in the world.
Business watercooler
Best Practice Medicine of Bozeman, which recently opened an office at 600 Windmill Drive,Suite B, off U.S.2 near Columbia Falls, will hold an open house tour and barbecue from noon to 5 p.m. today, July 28. The medical mobile high-fidelity simulation lab will also be set up in the parking lot for touring.
Travelers losing money to 'Expedia' impostors
Hang up the phone! If you’re trying to call a travel company’s customer service number you found via search engine, read on before dialing. The Better Business Bureau has just learned about a network of scammers using Expedia Group’s name to take consumers for thousands of dollars.
Frank Thomas, 82
Our beloved Frank Thomas passed away on July 22, 2019, after a courageous battle with cancer.
No room for abuse in the mission of Jesus
I hate reading and hearing the news today about Potter’s Field Ministry and MudMan Burgers. While I don’t know all the information, I have personally talked with some who have shared their story with me. Here is how I am responding:
Thelma May Tutvedt Johnson, 92
On Norwegian Independence Day, May 17, 1927, Thelma May was born to Norwegian immigrants Hans and Andora Tutvedt in Kalispell. She was a little early and was baptized right at the hospital, not sure if she was going to survive. She did and welcomed three siblings after herself. Harold in 1929, Paul in 1931, and Doris in 1936. They grew up on a farm in the Stillwater community. Their life was that of a Norman Rockwell Painting — hard work, grow your own delicious food, church at Stillwater Lutheran on Sundays and lots of love.
Time to turn up the heat about selenium pollution
Paul Samycia, owner of Elk River Guiding Company in British Columbia, and his guides and clients have caught dozens of deformed westslope cutthroat trout in the river reaches below four open-pit coal mines operated by Teck Resources.
Affordable housing lawsuit an abuse of legal system
The lawsuit recently filed against the city of Whitefish attempting to invalidate the affordable housing program based on inadequate public process is an unfortunate abuse of the legal system and is contrary to the intent of public participation laws.
'Gentleman' pawnbroker promises honesty, integrity
Jack Jones wore a sweat-stained Stetson. A red bandanna ringed his neck. His drawl betrayed West Texas roots.
Holding Big Pharma accountable in Montana
We all know that some Montanans are forced to go without medication or struggle to afford paying for basic needs like housing and groceries because prescription drug costs are too high.
Columbia Falls Jr. High garden gets gazebo for sun safety
The American Dermatology Association threw some shade at the Wildcat Garden.
Political truth is evasive
Mueller did not clear Trump of obstruction of justice?
Flathead High removes 'grade impact' from attendance policy
Flathead High School students can expect minor changes to the attendance policy this school year.
Tech alliance lists Montana companies to watch
The Montana High Tech Business Alliance has announced a list of eight Montana High-Growth Companies to Watch in 2019.
Jackie Melvin, 90
Jackie Melvin passed away Saturday, July 20, 2019. At her request, no services are planned.
Truck driver pulls off panty raid in reverse
The Kalispell Police Department received a report that a driver in a truck dropped a woman off, threw a pair of women’s underwear out the window, and left.
Saturday, July 27
American Legion State Baseball Senators slip by Lakers; Mariners edge Mavericks
BILLINGS — Zach Spiroff, the ninth batter in the order, tripled in the top of the seventh to left field with one out to score Tyler Tenney, who reached on a single, in a 3-2 victory for the Helena Senators over the Kalispell Lakers in the opening game of the AA Montana/Alberta American Legion state baseball tournament on Saturday at Dehler Park.
Liddell's Eye of the Storm
By KATIE BROWN
Montana Chamber names 2019 'Champions of Business'
Rep. Frank Garner, R-Kalispell and Sen. Dan Salomon, R-Ronan, were recognized as 2019 “Champions of Business” the Montana Chamber of Commerce.
Fitbits for horses: Heart-rate technology aids eventers' training
Eventing horses are athletes.
Winds fan small wildfires across state
A crew of 170 firefighters completed a successful burnout operation Saturday on a lightning-caused wildfire burning south of Ronan on the Flathead Reservation.
Grant targets public awareness about child abuse
The Montana CASA/GAL (Court Appointed Special Advocate/Guardian Ad Litem) Association has been awarded a $10,000 Branding Campaign grant from the National Court Appointed Special Advocate/Guardian Ad Litem Association for Children. Funds will be used to tailor a national public awareness campaign about child abuse and neglect for local markets, and to distribute the campaign.
Bullock announces members of grizzly council
Residents of Browning, Columbia Falls, Condon, East Glacier, Saint Ignatius, Troy and Valier are among the 18 Montana citizens selected to serve on the state’s Grizzly Bear Advisory Council.
Road work: County gears up for chip-sealing
More than 40 miles of local roads will get a face-lift next month as part of the Flathead County Road and Bridge Department’s annual pavement maintenance cycle.
Research examines implications of an aging rural physician workforce
BOZEMAN — A paper published this week in the New England Journal of Medicine examines the aging physician workforce in rural areas — a demographic shift with important implications for the future — and offers strategies to forestall the resultant, projected diminishment in access to health care.
Northwest towns concerned about selenium pollution
Elk River fishing guide Paul Samycia cannot say for sure that the deformed westslope cutthroat trout he and others have caught have been affected by selenium pollution from large-scale coal mines upstream in the Elk Valley in British Columbia.
Friday, July 26
Moore up by 6 on Johnston at State Am golf
GREAT FALLS — Joey Moore of Billings had the best round of the day, again, to give him a six-shot lead after 36 holes at the 102nd Montana Men’s State Amateur golf tournament at Meadow Lark Country Club.
Police seek child of couple found dead near Kalispell
Northwest law enforcement officials are seeking the public’s help in trying to locate a 2-year-old boy who is the son of a couple found dead Wednesday in an apparent murder-suicide in Flathead County.
Wildfire near Ronan burns 450 acres
A large burnout operation was planned Friday in an attempt to contain the lightning-caused Moss Ranch Fire burning 14 miles southwest of Ronan, on the Flathead Indian Reservation.
PHOTOS: The Event at Rebecca Farm
Photos from dressage, show jumping and cross-country divisions at The Event at Rebecca Farm. Cross-country and show jumping continue on Saturday with show jumping wrapping up the action on Sunday. See rebeccafarm.org for more details.
Letters to the editor July 25
I write with regard to the George McLeans’s letter to the editor (July 21) “McCarthy-era tactics.” I agree with Mr. McLean that McCarthy-era tactics are being regularly used today in America. I disagree with him with regard to who is using them. It is not President Trump and his supporters who engage in such tactics, but rather people on the left.
Norma Houff, 76
Norma Houff, 76 years old, passed away July 14, 2019.
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- Annual Easthaven Baptist Church rummage sale, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. today; 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, 2010 Whitefish Stage, Kalispell. Half price July 27. Proceeds benefit charitable causes and new church addition.
Kalispell business leader Frank Thomas dies
Longtime Kalispell businessman Frank Thomas, who operated Thomas Printing for 57 years, died Monday at age 82.
Joyce (Strassburg) Bansch, 82
Joyce (Strassburg) Bansch left this earth May 17, 2019, while at a hospital in Indianapolis and surrounded by her family, Pam Dickenson (Jim) and Paula Bansch.
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- Annual Easthaven Baptist Church rummage sale, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. today; 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, 2010 Whitefish Stage, Kalispell. Half price July 27. Proceeds benefit charitable causes and new church addition.
Weekend update
Festival of Art
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- Annual Easthaven Baptist Church rummage sale, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. today; 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, 2010 Whitefish Stage, Kalispell. Half price July 27. Proceeds benefit charitable causes and new church addition.
Peeping Tom flees in creepy van
Someone told Kalispell Police Department they allegedly saw a Peeping Tom with a 9- to 10-inch knife on his waist who was looking in a woman’s windows. When they reportedly asked him to leave, he threatened them and drove off in white van that didn’t have windows in the back.
Laura Virginia Hilton-Peterson, 72
Laura Virginia Hilton-Peterson, 72, went to the arms of our Lord on July 19, 2019, after a five-year journey with lung cancer.
Thursday, July 25
A field of dreams
By KATIE BROWN
Ministries' assets to be sold
The assets of Potter’s Field Ministries, which over the course of 27 years of operation has grown to include multiple properties, vehicles and businesses, will be sold, according to the lead pastor of Godspeak Calvary Chapel, a religious nonprofit based in California that has taken over operations and ownership of the multi-faceted ministry based in Whitefish.
Norma Houff, 76
Norma Houff, 76 years old, passed away July 14, 2019.
Job assistance offered to Potter's Field, MudMan workers
Officials with the Job Service of Kalispell said they are available to help former employees and members of the recently shuttered MudMan restaurants and food trucks and Whitefish-based Potter’s Field Ministries IGNITE internship program find alternative employment and assist with possible relocation.
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- Annual Easthaven Baptist Church rummage sale, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. today and July 26; 8 a.m. to noon July 27, 2010 Whitefish Stage, Kalispell. Half price July 27. Proceeds benefit charitable causes and new church addition.
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- Annual Easthaven Baptist Church rummage sale, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. today and July 26; 8 a.m. to noon July 27, 2010 Whitefish Stage, Kalispell. Half price July 27. Proceeds benefit charitable causes and new church addition.
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- Annual Easthaven Baptist Church rummage sale, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. today and July 26; 8 a.m. to noon July 27, 2010 Whitefish Stage, Kalispell. Half price July 27. Proceeds benefit charitable causes and new church addition.
The case of the mysterious Mustang
A man told Kalispell Police Department a Mustang he reported stolen from a place where he had parked it and left it for five days due to a flat tire, had purportedly reappeared in the same spot with the tire fixed, the steering column “ripped open” and drug paraphernalia in the vehicle, and he couldn’t explain why. He supposedly broke a window to get inside and was going “to try and get the vehicle out of there,” but was advised to wait for officers. He reportedly didn’t want to file a report, just wanted police to know “he would be back to clean up the glass” and would get the car in the morning.
New contractor sought to fix first-phase problems
After months of unreturned phone calls and subcontractors who went unpaid — and then stopped showing up to work — a new general contractor will be selected to fix unsatisfactory construction in the first phase of the H.E. Robinson Vocational Agriculture Center renovation and addition, according to Kalispell Public Schools.
2 found dead after traffic stop
A traffic stop of a sport utility vehicle with Oregon plates in Kalispell Wednesday night ended with a bizarre twist when the vehicle fled and was later stopped again and approached by authorities, who found the male and female occupants dead from apparent gunshot wounds.
Kalispell trail project will benefit from public input
The city of Kalispell is off and running with the first round of design work on the long-awaited trail that will be built on the railroad bed once the tracks are removed.
Wednesday, July 24
Event begins today at Rebecca Farm
The Event at Rebecca Farm kicks off today in Kalispell with dressage for levels CCI2*-L, novice and training three-day (N3D), intermediate and preliminary and cross country for novice and training levels starting at 8 a.m.
Kalispell Regional board gets new members
Three physician members and one community member, all of whom bring with them a wealth of experience, were recently welcomed to Kalispell Regional Healthcare’s Board of Trustees, according to a recent press release from the hospital.
Sarah James, 19
Sarah left this world tragically on July 17, 2019, after enjoying an evening out with friends, near her Louisiana State University campus where she was a sophomore studying biological engineering.
Keith 'Robbie' Robinson, 83
Keith “Robbie” Robinson, 83, died peacefully in his Kalispell home on July 19, 2019, and the first thing he probably said on the other side was “Clear on the right … pressure’s up!”
Breakfast bandits make off with tip jar, too
Transients in tank tops allegedly stole breakfast from a hotel buffet — and the tip jar — before taking off. An employee told Kalispell Police Department the breakfast bandits were captured on video and appeared to be on drugs.
Kim Harmon Olmstead
Lt. Col. Kim Harmon Olmstead (July 24, 1943, to Jan. 8, 2019) would have been 76 today. His sudden passing six months ago was too soon for proper goodbyes. He is survived by his loving wife, daughter and son, and grandchildren, as well as friends, family, and, at least as importantly, his fellow veterans with whom he served in the mid-to-late ‘60s; in messages to the family, these veterans have painted a portrait of a gifted leader who inspired confidence, faith and hope both during and after their time together in Vietnam.
State seeks solution for cheatgrass infestation
Wild Horse Island is a natural gem, known for its bighorn sheep, bald eagles and wild horses.
Tuesday, July 23
Benson named Kootenai Forest supervisor
Montana native Chad Benson, who has been the acting forest supervisor for the Kootenai National Forest since the fall of 2018, is now the forest’s supervisor.
Clinic gets $2.5M for asbestos screening
The Center for Asbestos Related Disease, or CARD Clinic in Libby will get nearly $2.5 million in federal funding to help screen for asbestos-related diseases in Libby and its surrounding communities in Lincoln County, U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont. announced Monday.
No headline
- Annual Easthaven Baptist Church rummage sale, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. today, July 25-26; 8 a.m. to noon July 27, 2010 Whitefish Stage, Kalispell. Half price July 27. Proceeds benefit charitable causes and new church addition.
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- Annual Easthaven Baptist Church rummage sale, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. today, July 25-26; 8 a.m. to noon July 27, 2010 Whitefish Stage, Kalispell. Half price July 27. Proceeds benefit charitable causes and new church addition.
No headline
- Annual Easthaven Baptist Church rummage sale, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. today, July 25-26; 8 a.m. to noon July 27, 2010 Whitefish Stage, Kalispell. Half price July 27. Proceeds benefit charitable causes and new church addition.
Montana removes kids from adolescent treatment program
HELENA(AP) — The state removed 27 children from a private adolescent treatment program in northwestern Montana on Tuesday, citing escalating reports of physical and psychological abuse.
Property manager needs bird to fly the coop
A property manager for a store told Kalispell Police Department they had a bird inside the building and wanted advice on how to get it out. They were given advice, but were told that animal control “doesn’t deal with birds.”
It's Heritage Days time in Columbia Falls
Celebrate the heritage of Columbia Falls at the Gateway to Glacier city’s annual Heritage Days Festival.
Chief explains cost for proposed Somers Fire Hall
Voters in the Somers Rural Fire District have just one week left to return their mail ballots for a bond issue of up to $4 million for a new fire hall.
Monday, July 22
Mariners down Twins, 6-4, for district title
LIBBY — One team’s heroism, another team’s heartbreak.
Bears keep Glacier National Park staff busy
Several bear-related incidents inside Glacier National Park have led staff to move some animals and make changes in the status of some of the campgrounds.
Calvary Chapel ends support of Potter's Field Ministries
The Calvary Chapel has broken its affiliation with Potter’s Field Ministries in Whitefish and the ministry’s other associated businesses and nonprofits following allegations from former ministry members who allege the founders of Potter’s Field have long incited a cult-like environment through intimidation, fear tactics and other means.
MudMan, ministry close amid abuse allegations
Whitefish-based Potter’s Field Ministries is closing its MudMan Burgers restaurants and food trucks, and its ministry internship program amid allegations of abuse against the ministry’s interns.
Letters to the editor July 22
My wife and I just spent the better part of a week camping, fishing and hiking in the Spotted Bear Ranger District. I wanted to pen a quick note to give kudos to the staff, both at the ranger station as well as in the field.
Brand USA and tourism in Montana
The tourism industry in Montana is booming and it’s easy to understand why. Montana is the best place to explore over a million acres of wilderness filled with glacier-carved terrain, crystal clear rivers, and 400-foot waterfalls all in between breathtaking mountain ranges. The sightseeing alone draws millions to the state every year.
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- Red Cross blood drives: 1-6 p.m. at the center, 126 N. Meridian Road, Kalispell.; 1-6 p.m. Trinity Lutheran Church.
Kalispell council begins to tackle trail design
The Kalispell City Council will hold a public work session at 7 p.m. today to discuss Phase II of the Core Area trail design.
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- Red Cross blood drives: 1-6 p.m. at the center, 126 N. Meridian Road, Kalispell.; 1-6 p.m. Trinity Lutheran Church.
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- Red Cross blood drives: 1-6 p.m. at the center, 126 N. Meridian Road, Kalispell.; 1-6 p.m. Trinity Lutheran Church.
New director takes reins of adult-child mentor program
Todd Lengacher’s life was shaped by mentors, which led him to step into the role himself. Now, he oversees mentors throughout the Flathead Valley as the new executive director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Flathead County.
Woman cleans up towels from store rack
Someone allegedly witnessed a woman take an armload of what they thought might be towels from a store’s outside rack and put it in the back of her vehicle.
Sunday, July 21
Lakers down Senators in twinbill
The Kalispell Lakers AA know how to bounce back.
Twins force second championship game
LIBBY — The Glacier Twins downed the Mission Valley Mariners 5-0 in the West A District American Legion baseball tournament championship on Sunday afternoon.
May-June births NVH
Ellis Marie Jackson, daughter of Asia Lianne and Jeremy LaRoy Jackson of Kalispell, was born May 30 at North Valley Hospital.
Truth matters: Russia and our endangered democracy
What are we to believe? Truth is under attack. With attacks on the press, campaign ads and pundits telling us what to think, we must become even more scholarly citizens. We must dig for the truth and not be swayed by the latest soundbites splashing across our screens. It’s tempting to come to quick conclusions without going beneath the surface to examine the validity of pronouncements. Having a president who shoots from the hip paying no attention to facts makes it even more challenging to differentiate lies from the truth. We must take the opposite road and follow more scholarly pursuits by weighing evidence before forming conclusions.
Eddie Wayne Luke, 80
Eddie Wayne Luke, born June 12, 1939, passed away June 30, 2019, after a long, courageous battle with cancer.
Apollo mission helped unify a nation
Parents nationwide allowed their children to stay up hours past bedtime to join many thousands of other American households glued to TVs to watch Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walk on the moon.
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- Miracle of America Museum annual Live History Days, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. today and Sunday, Polson. Rides, concessions, exhibitors, demonstrations. Regular admission. Call Gil Mangels, 406-883-6804 or 406-270-7895.
Flathead marksman joins sporting clays hall of fame
Former state senator Michael Taylor of Rollins has been shooting for 70 years.
Tracie Jill Wilhelm, 55
Tracie Jill Wilhelm passed away Wednesday, July 17, 2019, due to complications after surgery.
Letters to the editor July 21
By offering a full-throated defense of some of President Trump’s vilest public statements, spineless Sen. Steve Daines has shown more starkly than ever that he needs to be voted out of office next year.
Laura Galloway, 58
Laura Galloway, 58, of Great Falls, passed away at home on July 15, 2019, after a two-year battle with pancreatic cancer.
Margarette Elaine Bauer, 58
Margarette Elaine Bauer, known to friends and family as Maggie, passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, June 30, 2019.
Ready to get to work
My name is Mike Cooney and I’m running to be your next governor.
Wesley Gene Persinger, 89
Wesley “Wes” Persinger passed away Jan. 27, 2019, peacefully at Kalispell Regional Medical Center surrounded by his family, on his day to go home to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Former home of Babe Ruth's doctor undergoes major renovation
When Ryan Nelson first laid eyes on the white manor on Fourth Avenue East in Kalispell, he found the house in grave disrepair.
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- Miracle of America Museum annual Live History Days, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. today and Sunday, Polson. Rides, concessions, exhibitors, demonstrations. Regular admission. Call Gil Mangels, 406-883-6804 or 406-270-7895.
Dorothy Jean 'Jerry' Buck, 85
Dorothy Jean “Jerry” Buck went to be with her Lord and Savior on July 19, 2019 with her loving husband by her side.
Thomas R. Thiel, 81
Thomas R. Thiel, 81, died peacefully on May 11, 2019, at his home in Butte after a courageous battle with cancer.
Popular Whitefish bakery moves downtown
Fleur is blooming in downtown Whitefish. Even in the midst of a power outage an hour before closing time on Wednesday, a steady stream of customers poured into the bake shop’s new location on Central Avenue.
Robert Richard Collins, 87
1st Sgt. Robert Richard Collins, United States Army, passed away July 8, 2019, at the Montana Veterans Home.
'Norway in a Nutshell?' You betcha!
I’m going to Norway in September with my adventure-seeking daughter (the one who currently is on a 1,000-mile road trip to the Arctic Ocean through the Northwest Territories) and I’ve been trying to put myself in a Norske state of mind.
Canadian mining policy reforms needed
On June 13, eight U.S. Senators sent a
Norma Houff, 76
Norma Houff, 76, passed away July 14, 2019. She was born on May 29, 1943 in Kalispell.
Jane Doreen Belknap Butkay, 88
By the shores of Flathead Lake, Jane Doreen Belknap Butkay was born on July 15, 1931 at Hotel Le Dieu Hospital in Polson, to parents Cassius Belknap and Florence (Turner) Belknap. She joined a sister Louise. On July 16, 2019, Jane passed away peacefully at her Rollins home overlooking her beloved Flathead Lake after celebrating her 88th birthday with her loving husband, Paul Butkay. In between those two dates she had a life story to tell.
William Benjamin Toohey, 91
William Benjamin Toohey, 91, passed away on July 2, 2019, at his home in Whitefish. He was born in Butte on Oct. 9, 1927, to Montana and William Toohey. He was proud of his Irish heritage and lived a rough and tumble life up in Walkerville as a consequence of that heritage. He attended Sherman Elementary School in Walkerville. Bill was an athlete and loved to tell those stories of his school years. After graduation from high school in Butte, he enlisted in the Navy at age 17 and served four years following the attack of Pearl Harbor.
No headline
- Miracle of America Museum annual Live History Days, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. today and Sunday, Polson. Rides, concessions, exhibitors, demonstrations. Regular admission. Call Gil Mangels, 406-883-6804 or 406-270-7895.
Southern border crisis has a direct impact on Montana
Recently I visited the southern U.S. border to see the situation firsthand. I spent time with agents from U.S. Customs, Border Patrol, and Drug Enforcement Administration. I toured ports of entry and unsecured areas from the air and on the ground. It was an eye-opening experience. The situation there is nothing less than a crisis impacting Montana directly.
Saturday, July 20
Senators slide by Lakers, 10-5
The Helena Senators used a strong start and finish to top the Kalispell Lakers 10-5 on Saturday evening in Class AA American Legion baseball action at Griffin Field.
Legion Baseball Mission Valley advances to West A District title game
LIBBY — Gabe Mergenthaler tossed a 2-hitter, Trevor Lake, 2 for 3, drove in four runs and Eric Dolence, 1 for 3, drove in three for the Mission Valley Mariners in an 11-0 victory over top seed Bitterroot Red Sox on Saturday at the West A District American Legion baseball tournament at Lee Gehring Field.
Authorities allege suspect used brick in murder
A Flathead Valley man has been charged with deliberate homicide in the death of a Kalispell man earlier this week.
Ex-Air Force member sentenced for child sex offenses
A former U.S. Air Force service member from Kalispell who admitted to using the internet to coerce minor boys into sending him sexually explicit images and videos of themselves was sentenced Friday to 15 years in prison and 10 years of supervised release.
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- AARP Driver Safety Course, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., The Summit, Kalispell. $20 fee ($15 for AARP card-holding members.) Call 751-4500.
Teens learn how to create stop-motion films
Ready, set, stop.
Forest opens roads for firewood gathering
Flathead National Forest announced Thursday it will open two specific roads for personal-use firewood collection from July 24 to Aug. 15. This will allow temporary access for woodcutting on some roads that are normally closed to public motorized traffic.
Kori Gallagher, 42
On Sunday, July 14, 2019, Kori Gallagher, loving wife and mother passed away at the age of 42.
Bigfork Spartan racer prepares for Kids World Championships
Ten-year-old Jaxon Moore of Bigfork recently qualified for the first-ever Kids Spartan World Championships in California, but he doesn’t train like a lot of other athletes at the global level.
Guy 'Lee' Chapman, 89
Guy “Lee” Chapman went home to his Lord Jesus May 8, 2019, at The HealthCenter in Kalispell. His wife Pat and son David were at his side.
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- AARP Driver Safety Course, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., The Summit, Kalispell. $20 fee ($15 for AARP card-holding members.) Call 751-4500.
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- AARP Driver Safety Course, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., The Summit, Kalispell. $20 fee ($15 for AARP card-holding members.) Call 751-4500.
Friday, July 19
West A District: Mission Valley rallies by Glacier
A nine-run seventh inning rallied the Mission Valley Mariners past the Glacier Twins for a wild 10-7 victory on Friday evening in winners bracket play at the West A District American Legion baseball tournament at Lee Gehring Field.
West roster has 16 players, 1 coach from Valley at Shrine game
Sixteen Flathead Valley players and one coach will be on the sidelines for the West team tonight at the 73rd annual Montana East-West Shrine all-star football game at Montana Tech in Butte.
Sheep-killing grizzly euthanized
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks euthanized a young male grizzly bear Friday, July 19 along the Marias River near the inlet of Tiber Dam due to food conditioning and sheep depredations.
Several badly injured in Montana 35 crash
Two families from the state of Washington were taken to Kalispell Regional Medical Center after being involved in a head-on traffic crash Friday afternoon on Montana 35 near Bigfork.
Police officer serves chicken ordinance
Someone called the Kalispell Police Department with “questions on the rules on having chickens and a rooster.” The caller’s chicken-owning neighbors had recently purchased a rooster to add to their brood, so a police officer left a copy of the city’s chicken ordinance on the caller’s front door.
Montana jobless rate at 10-year low
Montana’s unemployment rate has reached a more than 10-year low, decreasing 0.1 percentage points to 3.5% in the month of June.
Woman injured in Kalispell head-on collision
A woman was taken to the hospital after a head-on collision Friday afternoon in Kalispell.
Shady incident is anything but black and white
A man dressed in all black was seen looking through car windows with a flashlight, according to a report taken by the Kalispell Police Department. The man supposedly took off when someone saw him. The person called police to report the incident and said there was a “shady white van” parked nearby and that their vehicle had been broken into.
Permits loom as North Fork river use increases
If the upward trend of visitors continues, federal land managers could implement a permit system to float the upper end of the North Fork of the Flathead River, Hungry Horse-Glacier View District Ranger Rob Davies reiterated during a meeting with locals July 10.
Tuesday 'Resist Trump' rallies part of national MoveOn movement
Horns blared in apparent support. Other passing motorists offered thumbs-up gestures. Alternately, there were a handful of middle-finger rebukes.
Kalispell cardiac unit earns top recognition
Time is muscle.
Thursday, July 18
Lakers AA bounce back twice to sweep Lethbridge AA
The Kalispell Lakers AA were in a rally mode on Wednesday evening at Griffin Field, battling back twice from deficits to top the Lethbridge Elks 6-5 and 4-2 in American Legion baseball play.
American Legion Baseball Twins rally by Mavs 6-5 in West A District opener
LIBBY — Glacier’s Twins tallied two runs in the bottom of the seven inning to rally by the Missoula Mavericks 6-5 on the first day of the West A District American Legion baseball tournament at Lee Gehring Field.
29th annual Montana 200 Peltier eyes Victory Lane
Preston Peltier of Brighton, Colorado, was the runner-up at last year’s 28th annual Montana 200 at Montana Raceway Park.
Search scaled back for man missing in Glacier National Park
Glacier National Park has scaled back a large search effort for the man who went missing more than a week ago.
CSKT gets $2.8 million for Head Start
U.S. Senator Jon Tester announced Thursday that the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes will receive more than $2.8 million to fund their Head Start and Early Head Start Programs which will provide education, health, and nutrition services to low-income children.
Former teacher admits to sex abuse of minor
An East Glacier woman who taught elementary school on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation admitted Wednesday to sexually abusing two students.
Law officials ID Kalispell homicide victim
The Flathead County Sheriff’s Office has identified a man who was murdered in his Kalispell home Monday afternoon.
Charlo man dies in golf cart wreck
A Charlo man died in a two-vehicle accident Tuesday afternoon.
Letters to the editor July 18
Stillwater project an important milestone
State and federal wildlife officials, along with representatives from Weyerhaeuser and The Trust for Public Land gathered near Olney last week to celebrate a conservation milestone for our corner of the state. It was the culmination of a yearslong collaborative effort that has expanded the Stillwater State Forest by 13,398 acres.
Saylor Grace Martinz, 16
Our daughter and the light of our lives passed away on July 16, 2019 at just 16 years old as a result of injuries sustained from an automobile accident.
Jacob Edmund Shawback, 91
Jacob Edmund Shawback, 91, passed away on July 11, 2019, at his home in Kalispell.
Kalispell picks $1.48 million plan for busy intersection
The Kalispell City Council has chosen a $1.48 million “16th Street Offset” option for traffic improvement at the problematic intersection 18th Street and Airport Road.
Wednesday, July 17
Ruth Unternahrer Kauffman, 89
Ruth Unternahrer Kauffman, 89, died peacefully Friday, June 21, 2019, in the home of her eldest daughter in Lebanon, Oregon.
John Eugene Hansen, 62
John Eugene Hansen (AKA: John Boy; JB) passed away July 14, 2019, from complications of Nuclear Protein in Testis (NUT) Midline Carcinoma.
Mary Jean Schroeder, 76
Mary Jean Schroeder, 76, of Graham, Washington, passed away on July 11, 2019, at home surrounded by her loving family.
Esther Anna (Swallow) Coverdell, 103
Esther Anna (Swallow) Coverdell was born Jan. 5, 1916, at Dumont, Iowa, and went to her eternal rest July 2, 2019. She came to the Flathead Valley in 1931 from Corvallis, Montana, where she had attended school. She married the love of her life Forrest Coverdell Oct.18, 1934, at Echo Lake. They had two daughters Beverly and Shirley. She spent her last few years in Big Timber.
James Gary Sloan, 87
James “Gary” Sloan died on June 11, 2019, at his home in Whitefish with his wife Mary O’Neill Sloan at his side.
Airport moves forward with $100 million expansion
The Flathead Municipal Airport Authority last week approved a draft concept and budget for an expansion of Glacier Park International Airport, a project that will cost nearly $100 million.
No new clues in Glacier search effort
There are no new updates in the case of a Whitefish man reported missing in Glacier National Park last week.
Sheriff's Office continues investigation
Investigators are still investigating the circumstances surrounding the Monday afternoon death of a Kalispell man who appeared to die by homicidal violence at a Lenwood Lane residence.
Court ruling: Flathead Lake bridge to be demolished
A privately built span referred to in recent years as a “bridge to nowhere” on the north shore of Flathead Lake appears to be headed nowhere but down.
Fire damages Main Street building building
Firefighters responded to downtown Kalispell around 6 a.m. Wednesday to battle a blaze in a building at the southeast corner of Main and Center streets.
Tuesday, July 16
American Legion Baseball West A District Tournament in Libby
Glacier Twins, the defending champions, open West A District play on Thursday versus the Missoula Mavericks at 1 p.m.
Farmers raise award-winning Merinos
Throughout history, black sheep haven’t gotten a lot of love.
Just another day on Paradise Loop
Six men were allegedly involved in a physical fight on Paradise Loop in Marion, according to a call received by Flathead County Sheriff’s Office.
Polka Dot Cow Creamery puts new spin on sweet treats
Becky Forbis happily chats away with her sister-in-law, Polka Dot Cow Creamery owner Marnie Forbis, as she fills a waffle cone with a perfect twist of pineapple and vanilla soft-serve. The mobile soft-serve shop opened its doors June 13 and it’s given Becky a whole new purpose in life.
Lawsuit targets city of Whitefish
A community planning consultant is suing the city of Whitefish over alleged open-meeting law violations in connection with the city’s newly adopted inclusionary zoning program for affordable housing.
Regna Marie House, 79
Regna died at her home in Nampa, Idaho, July 10, 2019.
Linda Kathryn (Dombroski) Hamilton, 70
Blessed are those that have known love and given love. Linda Kathryn (Dombroski) Hamilton finished her journey through life filled with love on July 12, 2019.
Monday, July 15
Authorities investigate death of Kalispell man
The Flathead County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the death of a man in a reported homicide at a residence on Lenwood Lane.
Judge rules neo-Nazi should pay $14M to Whitefish woman
Federal Magistrate Judge Jeremiah Lynch issued a ruling Monday recommending that Andrew Anglin, publisher of a major neo-Nazi website, should pay more than $14 million in damages to Tanya Gersh of Whitefish, who received a relentless barrage of antisemitic threats and messages from Anglin and his followers.
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- Red Cross blood drive, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the center, 126 N. Meridian Road, Kalispell.
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- Red Cross blood drive, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the center, 126 N. Meridian Road, Kalispell.
Kalispell City Council meeting canceled
The second July meeting for the Kalispell City Council has been canceled because there was a lack of agenda items for that particular date, according to City Manager Doug Russell.
Manhole pops sound like gunshots
Some family members called the Kalispell Police Department to report gunshots that they heard from either the east or west side of their house. Perhaps it was none of the above, because there is a loose manhole cover near the house that makes a “loud popping noise” when cars drive over it.
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- Red Cross blood drive, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the center, 126 N. Meridian Road, Kalispell.
Steinkraus leaves legacy of stewardship for Flathead watershed
Visits to grandparents in northern Minnesota nurtured in young Robin Steinkraus a love for clean, cold lakes and wild country.
Whitefish proposes to double water impact fees
Parking, wastewater plant master plan dominate work session
C-Falls budget to include money for new well
The Columbia Falls City Council meets tonight to discuss its preliminary 2020 budget and various city capital improvements, including a $1.3 million project on a new well.
Sunday, July 14
Glacier falls to Lethbridge in championship game
WHITEFISH — Nothing came easily for the Glacier Twins on Sunday.
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Theodore James Stewart, son of Tyler and Samantha Stewart of Whitefish, was born May 20 at North Valley Hospital.
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Theodore James Stewart, son of Tyler and Samantha Stewart of Whitefish, was born May 20 at North Valley Hospital.
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Theodore James Stewart, son of Tyler and Samantha Stewart of Whitefish, was born May 20 at North Valley Hospital.
Jackson, even in June, is worth visiting
Grapple was collecting on the hood of our pickup as we rolled into Wisdom, Montana, on our way to Jackson Hot Springs for a long weekend.
Graphic historian chronicles Apollo 11 lunar landing on its 50th anniversary
Fifty years ago, America sat back in awe as astronaut Neil Armstrong took man’s first steps on the moon.
Whitefish Christian Academy eyes on-site expansion
Whitefish Christian Academy plans to add an 11,000-square-foot addition to its existing school and is asking for approval of a conditional-use permit to proceed with the project.
Donna Rollins, 91
Donna Fae Mefford Rollins was born Feb. 1, 1928, in Missoula, the daughter of Ted and Alberta Colvin Mefford. Her family lived in Ronan and Anaconda before moving to Flathead Lake in the late 1930s.
Demand sanity from the Forest Service
Don’t be fooled by the AP article on smoke from Western wildfires, which attributes more smoke in our region to “climate change” (whatever that is). In reality, the cause is the poor management practices of the Forest Service relative to our forests who fail to realize that first and foremost, there must be a commitment to put the fires out immediately. There is no such thing as “managing” a forest fire.
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This month’s Women Who Wine – Flathead (WWWF) program will benefit the Montana Institute of the Arts (MIA), a nonprofit organization that prepares students for the film industry and promotes Montana-made projects. Actress Kate Bosworth, an MIA instructor, will attend the event and speak about the work of MIA. Bosworth is known for her roles in “The Horse Whisperer,” “Remember the Titans” and “Blue Crush.”
Kalispell mathematician tested parts for Apollo 11 flight
Fifty years ago, as the Apollo 11 lunar module prepared for its return journey from the moon, Frank Tumblety turned his ear to the radio.
Letters to the editor July 14
Our Imagine IF Library is one of Kalispell’s most important cornerstones. It is our public library, a community hub where people of all ages, income, race, gender, and beliefs can gather and access free information. Our library gives our community a strong sense of place by offering all kinds of learning activities through a vast range of resources. Summer and winter reading programs, storytime, job search help, resume writing, interview skills, K-12 school resources, filling out government paperwork for health insurance or taxes are all supported at Imagine If.
Swift action necessary for wasting disease
What seemed inevitable finally happened last month when samples taken from white-tailed deer in Northwest Montana came back positive for chronic wasting disease.
Karl Everet Erickson, 78
Karl Everet Erickson, 78, passed away Thursday, June 27, 2019, at Kalispell Regional Medical Center after a year and a half battle with MDS, a bone marrow cancer.
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- Annual Hockaday Arts in the Park, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Depot Park, Kalispell. Live music begins at 11 a.m. daily. Concessions, beer and wine garden. Admission $4 daily or $5 weekend pass; children 6 and under, free.
Montana will keep fighting to lower prescription drug costs
We must keep working to lower prescription drugs prices in Montana. After conducting a nearly two-year investigation into drug costs, including taking several major players to court in order to access information, my team and I brought forward a bill that we projected would save Montanans about $8 million on medications in the first year alone.
Dorothy Gene Sherman McGlenn, 93
On Friday, July 5, 2019, Dorothy Gene Sherman McGlenn peacefully passed from this world at the Kalispell Regional Medical Center. Dorothy was loved for her generosity, kindness and good humor. She was a wonderful woman, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, great-great-grandmother, friend, and confidant to so many.
Robert T. Borcherdt, 82
With heavy hearts, we announce the death of Navy veteran and longtime Montana resident, Robert T. Borcherdt.
New Bigfork restaurant quickly gains customer base
Two o’clock on a Wednesday afternoon might seem like a slow time for a restaurant, but not for Hillside Pub and Grub. The new restaurant opened the end of May in Bigfork and has been bustling ever since.
State Park Road closure begins July 15
The city of Whitefish will close State Park Road from Lion Mountain Loop Road to Haugen Heights Road on Monday, July 15, to facilitate road reconstruction.
Nancy Lynn Healy, 56
Nancy Lynn Healy, beloved mother, sister, and dear friend, lost her lifelong battle with depression at the age of 56 on Wednesday, July 10, 2019, in Kalispell.
Compromise for the common good
Representative Justin Amash, of Grand Rapids, Michigan, may be the most principled man in American politics. Unfortunately, he is most likely going to wind up in the ash bin of principled politicians, most of whom sacrifice their career and their influence for the small pleasure of being able to sleep well at night. Amash recently left the Republican Party to become an Independent.
Tasting room opens in downtown Kalispell
Julie Davison opened Kalispell’s newest winery with a little help from her friends.
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- Annual Hockaday Arts in the Park, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Depot Park, Kalispell. Live music begins at 11 a.m. daily. Concessions, beer and wine garden. Admission $4 daily or $5 weekend pass; children 6 and under, free.
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This month’s Women Who Wine – Flathead (WWWF) program will benefit the Montana Institute of the Arts (MIA), a nonprofit organization that prepares students for the film industry and promotes Montana-made projects. Actress Kate Bosworth, an MIA instructor, will attend the event and speak about the work of MIA. Bosworth is known for her roles in “The Horse Whisperer,” “Remember the Titans” and “Blue Crush.”
No headline
- Annual Hockaday Arts in the Park, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Depot Park, Kalispell. Live music begins at 11 a.m. daily. Concessions, beer and wine garden. Admission $4 daily or $5 weekend pass; children 6 and under, free.
Saturday, July 13
Three-sport all star
By KATIE BROWN
Sapa-Johnsrud Tournament Late rally lifts Lakers AA over Twins A, 6-3
WHITEFISH — A pair of two-run innings in the late going allowed the Kalispell Lakers AA to rally for a 6-3 victory over the Glacier Twins A on Saturday at the 35th annual Sapa-Johnsrud Memorial Tournament at Memorial Field.
Shooters take aim at biodegradable clay targets
Locked gates on U.S. Forest Service or private timber roads sometimes become gathering spots for activities often associated with litter.
Glacier Park program puts winged mammals in spotlight
Five-year-old Izzy Herreid-Terrill was there and so was 12-year-old Alex Osborne.
Ferret found, but no owner in sight
Someone told the Kalispell Police Department he found a ferret wearing a collar outside Kalispell Center Mall and waited with it until law enforcement arrived.
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- Vivian Akey of Whitefish recently completed her Doctor of Pharmacy degree, Magna Cum Laude, from the University of Montana. She earned several awards, including Outstanding Student in Advanced Pharmacy Practice, Experience for Community Pharmacy Award and the Skaggs School of Pharmacy Faculty Award. Akey is a 2000 Whitefish High School graduate and is employed at Walgreens in Whitefish.
Glacier Park approves night work on Sun Road
Glacier National Park officials have approved night work on the Going-to-the-Sun Road to hasten the time it will take to finish work there.
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- Vivian Akey of Whitefish recently completed her Doctor of Pharmacy degree, Magna Cum Laude, from the University of Montana. She earned several awards, including Outstanding Student in Advanced Pharmacy Practice, Experience for Community Pharmacy Award and the Skaggs School of Pharmacy Faculty Award. Akey is a 2000 Whitefish High School graduate and is employed at Walgreens in Whitefish.
Flathead High construction nearly complete
Flathead High School’s expansion project is about 95 percent complete, according to Stan DeBlauw, site superintendent with Swank Enterprises.
Vo-ag center expansion project progressing
The second phase of construction at the H.E. Robinson Vocational Agriculture Center is taking shape.
Friday, July 12
Area players in Helena for Shodair Soccer Classic
Players from Polson, Flathead, Glacier and Columbia Falls are members of the girls and boys West team today for the 20th annual Shodair Soccer Classic at Carroll College’s Nelson Stadium.
Legion Baseball Twins A 2-0 at Sapa-Johnsrud
WHITEFISH — Jack Schwaiger and Coby Clark-Dickinson both tripled and drove in two runs as the Glacier Twins A used a five-run third inning to pull away for a 9-1 victory on Friday at the 35th annual Sapa-Johnsrud Memorial Tournament at Memorial Field.
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RONAN — Dave Edington remembers well how Ronan High School got its start with organized wrestling.
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RONAN — Dave Edington remembers well how Ronan High School got its start with organized wrestling.
Nurses vote in favor of unionization
The majority of registered nurses and other affected employees from Kalispell Regional Medical Center, Brendan House and The HealthCenter voted in favor of unionization following a two-day union election — an upshot decided by a wide margin of those who cast their ballots.
Search continues in Glacier for missing hiker
The search continues in Glacier National Park for a 66-year-old Whitefish man who was last seen Monday afternoon on the Highline Trail at Rimrocks headed west.
Ax-wielding kids flee scene on bikes
Two young kids were seen “bashing out” vehicle windows with an ax on Council Bluffs Drive in Columbia Falls, according to Flathead County Sheriff’s Office logs. When confronted by someone, the kids reportedly claimed it was their house, shouted some expletives and left on bicycles.
Northwest Montana towns get block grants
Lake County and the cities of Libby and Plains will get a slice of funding from nearly $6.5 million in federal funding through the Montana Department of Commerce’s Community Development Block Grant program for local infrastructure, housing and job creation.
Winning Kalispell bike-rack designs unveiled
The Kalispell Downtown Association on Monday announced the winners of its bike-rack design competition. The creative, locally inspired bike racks will be the first project for the Kalispell Art on the Streets program.
Kalispell eyes $32.6M in wastewater facility upgrades
An updated wastewater facility plan for the city of Kalispell that anticipates roughly $32.6 million in improvements over the next five years was the focus of the Kalispell City Council’s July 8 work session.
Linderman school upgrade about half done
A $5.8 million renovation of Linderman Education Center on Third Avenue East in Kalispell is about 45 percent completed.
Kalispell attorney charged with child endangerment
A Kalispell attorney has been charged with one felony count of criminal child endangerment after police allege he drove drunk and crashed a vehicle with his son inside.
Thursday, July 11
American Legion Baseball Lakers, Twins win Sapa-Johnsrud tourney openers
The Daily Inter Lake
Whitefish woman testifies in neo-Nazi internet troll lawsuit
MISSOULA (AP) — A Whitefish real estate agent said Thursday she still feels the emotional and financial effects nearly three years after the publisher of a neo-Nazi website told his followers to unleash a “troll storm” on her family.
Fire damages Lower Valley home
Fire heavily damaged a Lower Valley home Thursday morning, but firefighters kept the blaze mostly inside the residence.
Montana State employee detained after lockdown
BOZEMAN (AP) — A Montana State University employee who was about to be fired from his job said he was suicidal and threatened to kill others, prompting a campus-wide lockdown Thursday until police found him and placed him in custody.
Variety of accidents keep first responders busy
Glacier National Park’s latest news release advised, in a phrase approaching understatement, that park rangers and emergency response personnel “are responding to a significant number of incidents this week.”
Whither the whitefish
Lake Superior whitefish are back!
Ruth Marie Soderstrom, 82
Ruth Marie Soderstrom passed away peacefully on June 23, 2019, at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.
John Allen Wilson, 66
John Allen Wilson, 66, has passed away May 28, 2019, at home.
Dead skunks reek of suspicion
A caller on Rhodes Draw in Kalispell thought it was suspicious how seven skunks ended up dead in the same spot on the roadway, according to a report given to the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office.
Letters to the editor July 11
Nurses have a unique role in health care in that we are a frontline in care. A significant part of our training and vocation is advocating for patient care and safety.
RVers trade the comforts of home for life on the road
Valery and Danny Howard have spent the last three years in a home on wheels.
Jack Ernest Staub, 70
Jack Ernest Staub passed away unexpectedly at his home on July 8, 2019.
History of the Bill of Rights and Second Amendment
While I enjoyed Warren IIIi’s “Flathead Outdoors” and the sentiment expressed about our nation’s independence and birthday celebrated on July 4, his praise of Thomas Jefferson is misplaced.
Two-day nurses union election underway
A union election involving 650 registered nurses, charge nurses and other employees at Kalispell Regional Medical Center, the Brendan House and the HealthCenter got underway at 5:30 a.m. Thursday morning and will continue through Friday evening.
Montana ceramic artist and painter featured at Whitefish Pottery
Whitefish Pottery and Stillwater Gallery present an exhibition of work from ceramic artist Courtney Murphy and painter Linda Katsuda for Whitefish’s First Thursday’s Gallery Nights July 11.
Good Neighbor forest project a win-win
The first Good Neighbor Authority timber harvest to take place on the Flathead National Forest was finalized this week. Work on the Liger timber sale will take place southeast of Hungry Horse and Martin City, and is expected to produce about 1.6 million board feet of timber.
Wednesday, July 10
Legion Baseball Sapa-Johnsrud, Harp tourneys on schedule this week
The final regular season tournament action for the Glacier Twins A and Kalispell Lakers AA and A American Legion baseball teams before district and state action later this month takes place this week with the 35th annual Sapa-Johnsrud Memorial Tournament in Whitefish and the 18th annual John R. Harp Tournament in Kalispell.
Whitefish man reported missing in Glacier Park
Rescue crews scoured Glacier National Park by ground and air Wednesday in an effort to locate a missing Whitefish resident.
Coram man sentenced for meth distribution
A Flathead County resident who escaped prosecution for a murder he was accused of in 2018 in Martin City was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison for drug dealing.
Family man describes rocky afternoon
A man and his family were sitting in the living room on Saturday afternoon when he saw four to six young men walk by who allegedly threw rocks at the door. He told Kalispell Police Department he recognized one of the individuals.
Sandra Deann Rhodes, 79
Sandra Deann Rhodes, 79, passed away Saturday, July 6, 2019, at her group home in Missoula.
Marjorie D. (Cameron) Worth Coryell, 92
Marjorie D. (Cameron) Worth Coryell, of Kalispell, passed away on July 6, 2019, at the age of 92.
Alice (Dennee) Barten, 59 Katie McKenna Dennee Barten, 31
Alice (Dennee) Barten, 59, and her daughter, Katie McKenna Dennee Barten, 31, passed away suddenly in Kalispell on July 4, 2019. Loved ones have been remembering their special bond in life and now in eternity.
Esther A. Coverdell, 103
Esther A. Coverdell, 103, of Big Timber, formerly of Kalispell, died July 2, 2019, in Big Timber.
Thomas James Driscoll, 69
Tom Driscoll passed away July 4, 2019, in Tucson, Arizona, from complications of Agent Orange Parkinson’s disease, surrounded by his family.
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- Red Cross blood drives: 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Leaders Save Lives at the center, 126 N. Meridian Road, Kalispell; noon to 5:30 p.m. Church at Creston.
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- Red Cross blood drives: 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Leaders Save Lives at the center, 126 N. Meridian Road, Kalispell; noon to 5:30 p.m. Church at Creston.
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- Red Cross blood drives: 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Leaders Save Lives at the center, 126 N. Meridian Road, Kalispell; noon to 5:30 p.m. Church at Creston.
Krakauer: Court ruling on privacy hurts right to know
HELENA — Author Jon Krakauer said he feels “a moral obligation” to fight a recent court ruling against him as he tries to obtain records detailing how the expulsion of a University of Montana quarterback over a rape allegation was overturned.
State, county officials preparing for 2020 census
The 2020 census count may be 265 days away, but Montana and Flathead County officials already have launched multiple efforts to ensure every citizen is part of the tally.
Meeting set July 19 to discuss Chronic Wasting Disease
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks’ first public meeting in Libby about chronic wasting disease is scheduled for Friday, July 19.
USS Montana crew wowed by Big Sky support
Montana may be a landlocked state, but the USS Montana submarine is bringing the Big Sky to the sea.
Tuesday, July 9
Glacier Twins A top Bitterroot Bucs A twice
The Glacier Twins matched hits for runs in the opening game of a Class A American Legion baseball doubleheader at Memorial Field Tuesday evening, winning 11-1 over the Bitterroot Bucs.
FWP supports conservation easement near Libby
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is recommending the Fish and Wildlife Commission approve the purchase of a conservation easement on the Kootenai Forestlands Conservation Project in Lincoln County.
Whitefish man jailed after Kalispell shooting
A Kalispell man is in the Flathead County Jail after police alleged he shot another man during a dispute last week.
Glacier Park vehicle crash injures three
A motor vehicle crash on the Going-to-the-Sun Road halted traffic for nearly three hours Monday evening, Glacier National Park officials said in a press release issued Tuesday morning.
Timber sale part of new initiative
The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation announced last week it has awarded the winning bid for the Liger Good Neighbor Authority timber sale to a Kalispell-based logging company.
Drive-thru is convenient drug drop-off
A man supposedly went through a Ninth Street drive-thru and gave an employee “edible drugs.” The employee wasn’t certain what kind of drug it was, but it reportedly came in the form of gummy bears and they wanted Columbia Falls Police Department to pick it up.
Bail reduced for Kalispell murder suspect
A Kalispell man accused of murdering his boyfriend in August 2018 had his bail significantly reduced during a Monday morning hearing in Flathead County District Court.
Officials tackle e-cigarette 'epidemic' in schools
Youths and cigarettes are a time-tested relationship that has adjusted over the years to trends in the tobacco industry, from unfiltered and filtered cigarettes to the vapes and electronic cigarettes that dominate the market today.
Monday, July 8
Kalispell residents identified in fatal July 4 crash
The identities of two people who died in a head-on vehicle crash July 4 on Montana 35 have been released by the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office.
Captain guides helm of Montana's only sailing school
There’s nothing quite like a sailor’s life. The phrase alone begets visions of adventure, of pristine white boats cruising the open sea, exploring new shorelines wherever the wind may blow — and let’s not forget the rum.
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- Red Cross blood drive, 1-6 p.m. at the center, 126 N. Meridian Road, Kalispell.
Apartments proposed on Woodland Drive
The Kalispell Planning Board will hold a public hearing Tuesday to consider a proposed apartment complex on Woodland Drive.
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- Red Cross blood drive, 1-6 p.m. at the center, 126 N. Meridian Road, Kalispell.
A chance to support the rights of elderly
We are making progress, but we are still trying to figure it out decades later.
Letters to the editor July 8
Shortly after the hospital moved from its Fourth Avenue East location to Buffalo Hill area, nurses wished to be unionized. There was a great effort to suppress their wishes.
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- Red Cross blood drive, 1-6 p.m. at the center, 126 N. Meridian Road, Kalispell.
Man found in 'birthday suit' after revelry
Flathead County Sheriff’s Department received a call from someone on Montana 206 in Columbia Falls who requested a welfare check for a naked man passed out in a vehicle in a parking lot. The man, who was supposedly visibly intoxicated claimed he went to a river to celebrate “national nudist day.”
Sunday, July 7
Cut Bank's Conway named All-Around Cowboy at Bigfork rodeo
BIGFORK — The best was saved for last, at least in three events of the second annual Bigfork Summer Pro Rodeo.
Twins fall to Senators
HELENA — Forrest Kobelt hit a two-run double in the bottom of the fourth inning, but the Glacier Twins couldn’t overcome the four runs they spotted the Helena Senators in the first three innings on Sunday. They fell 5-2 to the host team at the Keith Sell Tournament.
Lakers split with Bucks
Perseverance paid off on Sunday for the Kalispell Lakers AA.
Kalispell prospector's book offers insight on techniques
The word “nugget” grabs attention.
Dealers fill booths of antiques market
What’s new in antiques?
Union will test faith and moral convictions
As a registered nurse currently employed with The HealthCenter at Kalispell Regional Healthcare, I am writing to explain my opposition to SEIU unionization of nurses employed at KRH.
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Whitefish Community Library invites the public to the lawn east of the library at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, July 11, to see Montana Wild Wings Recovery at the organization’s annual visit.
Leila May Renfrow Samuelson, 94
Leila May Renfrow Samuelson left this world on Saturday, June 29, 2019. She was preceded in death by her parents, Clyde Merlin Renfrow and Ruby Robison Renfrow, older brothers Dean and Leo, her twin brother Lyle, and on Oct. 9, 2012, by husband James N. Samuelson.
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Whitefish Community Library invites the public to the lawn east of the library at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, July 11, to see Montana Wild Wings Recovery at the organization’s annual visit.
Alternative to nurses' union
After almost 26 years of nursing here in the valley, much research, and many discussions with coworkers, union reps, management and attorneys, I feel compelled to voice my opinion regarding the upcoming nurse’s union vote. Simply stated, I do not feel a union is the right solution.
Nurses' union? Yes, and why
This is in support of voting yes to nurses who are trying to locally organize a union in part in response to corporate decisions from Kalispell Regional Healthcare. I am a working medical health-care professional in Montana since 1983 and a past union bargaining representative.
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Flathead Area Young Professionals will meet for their monthly Espresso Yourself series from 8 to 9 a.m. Wednesday, July 10, at the Kalispell Chamber of Commerce, 15 Depot Park, Kalispell. The focus is plans for Kalispell.
Mom's diaries chronicle minutia of life
I was in Minnesota for a week the end of May to spend time with family and make daily visits to my mother at the memory-care facility where she resides. One of the ongoing tasks has been to sort through the boxes of Mom’s stuff that have accumulated at my brother Rodney’s house, the result of Mom’s downsizing over the past few years from her apartment, to assisted living, and a year ago to one-half of a nursing-home room.
Bigfork, Evergreen get school resource officers
A cooperative effort has resulted in two new student resource officers in Flathead Valley schools.
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- Artists and Craftsmen of the Flathead summer show, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Trade Center, Flathead County Fairgrounds. Free admission.
Thomas 'Tom' Bernard Heatherington, 68
Thomas “Tom” Bernard Heatherington, 68, died peacefully with family at his side at The HealthCenter in Kalispell on June 15, 2019, after being diagnosed with metastatic cancer on May 23.
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Flathead Area Young Professionals will meet for their monthly Espresso Yourself series from 8 to 9 a.m. Wednesday, July 10, at the Kalispell Chamber of Commerce, 15 Depot Park, Kalispell. The focus is plans for Kalispell.
'Lassie' dodged trouble to make it home safely
A border collie avoided disaster after it was seen running in and out of traffic on U.S. 93 as cars swerved to avoid it. The canine was eventually found by its owner and made it home safely.
County board to consider major lakeshore variance
A public hearing to consider a request for a major variance to Flathead County lake and lakeshore protection regulations headlines a packed agenda for the Flathead County Planning Board’s meeting Wednesday, July 10.
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- Artists and Craftsmen of the Flathead summer show, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Trade Center, Flathead County Fairgrounds. Free admission.
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Whitefish Community Library invites the public to the lawn east of the library at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, July 11, to see Montana Wild Wings Recovery at the organization’s annual visit.
Library must choose new path forward
Flathead County commissioners last month made it clear that they have no intention of owning any library facilities as county property. In a unanimous vote, the commission decided to remove future funding for library facilities from the county’s capital improvement plan — a decision that may impact the county library system’s goals of opening a new library in Bigfork and eventually moving the Kalispell library to a new location.
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Flathead Area Young Professionals will meet for their monthly Espresso Yourself series from 8 to 9 a.m. Wednesday, July 10, at the Kalispell Chamber of Commerce, 15 Depot Park, Kalispell. The focus is plans for Kalispell.
J.W. Hammock, 88
J.W. Hammock, 88, of Kalispell, passed away Tuesday, July 2, 2019 at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.
Letters to the editor July 7
As a retired individual, I found the comments made at this past week’s Democrat candidate debates to be most interesting. Montana history tells us that in the early 1900s, political candidates often stood outside of the community voting area and handed out money in an attempt to influence the voters before they cast their ballots.
C. Diane Thomas, 79
Camilla Diane Thomas passed away July 1, 2019, in Whitefish, with her husband Anthony by her side.
Union process explained as KRH heads into vote
As 650 nurses with Kalispell Regional Medical Center, HealthCenter and Brendan House prepare to cast their votes during a two-day union election this week, both hospital and union officials are campaigning for the majority vote and working to explain the unionization process.
Gary O. Overman, 61
Gary O. Overman, 61, of Seeley Lake, passed away on May 23, 2019, while surrounded by loved ones, in Kalispell.
Kalispell Flotilla of U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary seeks volunteers for boat patrols
The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary boat motored slowly through Flathead Lake’s cold chop near Melita Island. The lake’s waters were still frigid enough in late June to quickly incapacitate anyone who wound up in the water.
Forest Service encouraging reckless behavior
Flathead Forest Supervisor Chip Weber ignores the advice of his own staff and grizzly bear experts, suggesting we consider all recreational activities to have an equal basis of risk when deciding whether to promote them. His staff and other bear experts note in their Board of Review recommendations against trail running and mountain biking that negative encounters between bears and bikers are “disproportionately high” compared to those with hikers.
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- Artists and Craftsmen of the Flathead summer show, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Trade Center, Flathead County Fairgrounds. Free admission.
Arlene E. Keller (Bailey), 86
Arlene was born to Oran and Emma McCartney March 14, 1933 in Browning on the Montana Sheep Company Ranch. She passed away and into the loving arms of Jesus on July 3, 2019 at the Health Center in Kalispell.
Saturday, July 6
New leaders after 2nd night of Bigfork Summer Pro Rodeo
BIGFORK — The show must go on, even when it’s raining.
Legion Baseball Bucks rally in 9th to edge Lakers, 4-3
Kelher Murfitt singled in the game-winning run in the top of the ninth inning as the Bozeman Bucks defeated the Kalispell Lakers 4-3 in American Legion AA baseball play Saturday evening at Griffin Field.
Schulz 4th of July champ
The Daily Inter Lake
Police investigate shooting in Kalispell
One man was in critical condition after a shooting in South Kalispell on Friday evening.
After accident, Kalispell man charged with his sixth DUI
A Kalispell man with several DUI convictions dating back nearly a quarter century recently was arrested after he caused a traffic accident on West Reserve Drive.
WWII veterans revisit historic aircraft during Wings of Freedom Tour
Bonnie Savage wheels 96-year-old Evelyn Richardson beneath the massive wing of a B-24 bomber late Friday morning.
Shriners to open pediatric clinic in Kalispell
Shriners Hospital for Children in Spokane is launching a pediatric orthopedic outreach clinic in collaboration with Montana Children’s at Kalispell Regional Healthcare in an effort to mitigate patient travel between Kalispell and Spokane.
Chip-sealing planned on roads near West Glacier
Travelers in the West Glacier area will have to endure delays beginning next week with the Montana Department of Transportation planning on chip-sealing roads.
Construction progressing on new design
Construction on the $15.8 million Somers Middle School project is in full swing.
West Valley School earns AdvancED accreditation
West Valley School District has earned accreditation from AdvancED following an extensive evaluation process.
Friday, July 5
Glacier Twins top Eastside 14-5 at Sell Tournament
HELENA — Leadoff hitter Jack Schwaiger, 1 for 3, drove in five runs and Austyn Andrachick, 2 for 4, had two RBIs for the Glacier Twins A in a 14-5 American Legion baseball victory over Eastside on Friday at the Keith Sell Tournament.
Golf Tournament Schulz takes 4-shot lead into last round of 4th of July
WHITEFISH — Coral Schulz, who had the best round of the day on Thursday with a 3-under 69 on the North Course, followed with a 2-over 74 on the South Course on Friday to push her lead to four shots after 36 holes at the 83rd annual Earl Hunt Memorial 4th of July Tournament at Whitefish Lake Golf Club.
Nasty night for bull riders
By Katie Brown
Thousands without power after utility pole crash
A power outage left about 3,300 Flathead Electric Cooperative members without electricity late Friday afternoon in the Whitefish and Columbia Falls areas.
Two dead, one injured in Fourth of July crash
Two people died in a head-on vehicle crash late Thursday on Montana 35.
Sue happily reunited with his owner
A male Pomeranian and Yorky mix named Sue was reported missing to the Columbia Falls Police Department. It had super long hair and a large red and black halter. Eventually, the animal was returned to its grateful owner.
Study reveals Montana media usage
MISSOULA – Montanans are increasing their news consumption and trust local news over national news sources, according to a new study by the Bureau of Business and Economic Research at the University of Montana.
June was deadly month on Montana highways
The month of June was the deadliest on Montana roadways in a decade.
Summer meal program expands to C-Falls, Canyon
North Valley Food Bank and Farm Hands-Nourish the Flathead have teamed up with the Whitefish School District this summer to bring free lunch to children in Columbia Falls, Hungry Horse, Martin City, and Coram.
Plan revised for saving Kootenai River white sturgeon
BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Federal officials are revising a 1999 plan as part of a strategy to recover endangered white sturgeon in the Kootenai River in northern Idaho and western Montana.
Boys and Girls Club gets $1M grant to expand programs
The Boys and Girls Club of Glacier Country recently received a more than $1 million federal grant to start programs for junior high and high school students in Columbia Falls.
More white-tailed deer suspected of CWD in Libby
Samples from three additional white-tailed deer in the Libby area are suspected to be positive for chronic wasting disease.
Thursday, July 4
Schulz leads ladies field at 4th of July golf tourney
WHITEFISH — Thunderstorms interrupted part of the first day of the 83rd Annual Earl Hunt 4th of July Tournament at Whitefish Lake Golf Club on Friday but golfers managed to finish all 18 holes, albeit a bit later than they may have expected.
Amy Basham, 49
Amy Basham passed away at the Kalispell Regional Medical Center one year ago today, on July 4, 2018. She was surrounded by her three children.
Glacier Symphony gives 'American Salute'
The Glacier Symphony’s annual “Symphony Night at the Farm” concert is Friday and Saturday, July 5 and 6.
Items down the pants set off store alarms
A store customer called police to report seeing a man stick multiple items down his pants, which allegedly set off alarms when he tried to leave. The caller told the Kalispell Police Department the man was still in the store, but then left and got into a vehicle with a female driver. The caller said a second man with ratty hair also came out of the store and got into the vehicle and believed they cut the tags off of several items and stashed them to steal later.
Kelly Lenore Tiensvold, 56
Kelly Lenore Tiensvold was born in Kalispell on March 16, 1963, to Arthur and Sharon Anderson.
Weekly events July 4-10
THURSDAY, JULY 4
Montana Children's worth celebrating
Montana Children’s Medical Center officially opened on Monday as the staff welcomed its first patients with a parade of cheers and smiles. The jovial scene marked a milestone for the $60 million facility that has been in the making for more than three years.
Hometown troubadour Mike Murray puts his own riff on Under the Big Sky
Singer/songwriter Mike Murray has honed a lasting — and luminous — musical career right here in the Flathead Valley.
Letters to the editor July 4
Flathead Forest Supervisor Chip Weber has provided a thoughtful response to the controversial foot races that are being proposed for Big Mountain and the Foys-to-Blacktail trail (June 30). I’m not particularly opposed to either proposal, since the former would occur on a heavily used recreation site, and the latter would occur in low quality habitat that presumably is only rarely visited by grizzly bears. However, where does one draw the line in light of our burgeoning population and changing recreational tastes? For example, Supervisor Weber undoubtedly is aware that runners and bikers have also been casting hungry eyes on wilderness lands, including heavy political lobbying by organized mountain bike groups.
Go find your fun this Fourth of July weekend
Parades, pyrotechnics, art festivals, theater, rodeo, even vintage aircraft —the Flathead Valley is jumping this Fourth of July weekend. Whatever floats your boat, consider yourself personally invited to a host of entertaining happenings.
Bigfork Playhouse opens 'The Wedding Singer'
Bigfork Summer Playhouse continues its 60th summer season with the opening of “The Wedding Singer.”
Herman B. Evans, 95
Only a few weeks after being featured in the November issue of the U.S. Navy Fleet Reserve Association, (FRA), magazine, Chief Petty Officer Herman B. Evans, surrounded by his family, passed away peacefully at a local hospital in Oxnard, California, on Dec. 11, 2018, at the milestone age of 95.
Wednesday, July 3
C-Falls woman helped build WWII bombers
A historic formation of World War II aircraft is on track to touch down at Glacier Park International Airport today, and within the field of fighters and bombers is the iconic B-17.
Forest Service issues permit for marathon event
The Flathead National Forest granted a special-use permit Tuesday for the Whitefish Trail Ultra-Marathon scheduled for October.
Where to watch fireworks tonight
Star-spangled displays of fireworks will commence at dusk today to celebrate Independence Day. Here’s a run-down of the public shows:
Author Krakauer denied records on rape case against player
HELENA — Author Jon Krakauer’s five-year quest to find out how and why Montana’s top higher education official intervened to prevent a star college quarterback’s expulsion over a rape accusation stalled Wednesday when the state Supreme Court denied him access to those records.
Montana lieutenant governor joins governor's race
BUTTE (AP) — Montana Lt. Gov. Mike Cooney entered the race for governor on Wednesday, joining a field of candidates seeking to extend Democrats’ control of the office that was last won by a Republican when Cooney sought the post 20 years ago.
Grateful Nation Montana hosts 5k to help children of fallen servicemembers
Forty-three Montana service members have lost their lives fighting in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Hit-and-run driver also made rude gesture
A woman called Kalispell Police Department and said a man backed into her vehicle, got out, looked at the car, flipped her off and drove away. Police said they would attempt to get any video footage.
Voters to decide $4 million bond request
The Somers Rural Fire District is asking for voter approval of a $4 million bond issue to build a new fire hall, with ballots to be sent out to registered voters in the district on July 12 for a July 30 mail-ballot election.
Family of hit-and-run victim wants jail time for perpetrator
A Kalispell family is seeking justice after a beloved patriarch died in a hit-and-run crash last fall.
Doris Jean (Burch) Hall, 96
Doris Jean (Burch) Hall was born March 11, 1922, in Joplin, Montana, to Roy and Edna Marie (Holmquist) Burch.
Kalispell council OKs $78M preliminary budget
The Kalispell City Council on Monday approved a $78 million preliminary budget for the coming fiscal year, which is about $12 million under last year’s budget.
Tuesday, July 2
Restaurant reports alleged drug dealer
The manager of a restaurant told Kalispell Police that someone in a black Audi coupe sold drugs to members of the wait staff. The manager said one of her servers was “high” while working. The manager thought the seller had sold methamphetamine and heroin. The manager said he didn’t want anything done to the server, but hoped the dealer could be arrested.
Celebrate July 4 at one of many Flathead events
The Fourth of July is all about fireworks, festive parades and farmers markets. So unfurl your American flag and go find a spot to celebrate America’s birthday with your family and friends.
City of Whitefish to hold downtown parking forums
The city of Whitefish is developing a Parking Action Plan to address current and future parking challenges in the downtown and adjacent residential neighborhoods, and will host two public forums July 16 to get input.
Bullock order creates climate council
Montana Gov. Steve Bullock issued an executive order Monday morning establishing the Montana Climate Solutions Council — a group that will be tasked with providing options for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and proactive methods for handling climate-change impacts statewide, the Governor’s Office said.
Public piano builds community in Bigfork
Three children discovered the piano one afternoon. The lot of them squeezed onto a solitary bench, pounding out songs of their own creation. The eclectic melody bounced down Electric Avenue accented with their laughter. Nearby shopkeepers propped their doors open to listen and tourists paused their meandering to take in an idyllic slice of small-town life.
Where Flathead Valley revelers can and can't use pyrotechnics
Authorities are sounding the alarm when it comes to fireworks use in the Flathead Valley.
Monday, July 1
Letters to the editor July 1
I am writing this letter in solidarity with the nurses and hospital employees who have joined together to form a union.
Kalispell proposes $78M budget for 2020
The Kalispell City Council will hold a public hearing tonight to consider a $78 million preliminary budget for fiscal year 2020.
Whitefish plans ahead for next economic downturn
Because the current growth spurt in Whitefish won’t last forever, the Whitefish City Council is planning for the next economic downturn with a Financial Sustainability Plan that addresses how the city can handle the next recession.
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- Red Cross blood drive, 1-6 p.m. at the center, 126 N. Meridian Road, Kalispell.
Total exoneration
On the morning of April 18 I was sitting in front of the television, watching MSNBC. Attorney General William Barr was scheduled to make a statement and possibly answer questions at a press conference, during which he would announce the release of the so-called Mueller report.
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- Red Cross blood drive, 1-6 p.m. at the center, 126 N. Meridian Road, Kalispell.
Ice cream truck jingle spooks couple
Kalispell Police Department received a report from a man requesting extra patrol after purportedly hearing “super creepy” sounds like music coming from an ice cream truck driving around the neighborhood.” He claimed his girlfriend also heard it and he thought it was strange that an ice cream truck would be driving around at 12:30-1 a.m.
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- Red Cross blood drive, 1-6 p.m. at the center, 126 N. Meridian Road, Kalispell.
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