Wednesday, November 30
Schweitzer
here to talk coal mine
Forty-two
named to
Saturday, November 26
Sports briefs
Two members of the Whitefish state champion volleyball team were named to the all-state volleyball team — Mandy McFadden and Ashley Ferda. McFadden and Ferda were also named to the all-conference first team, and Jessie Conners was named to the all-conference second team.
Michael McNeilly
Michael A. McNeilly, 66, formerly of Whitefish, died suddenly Oct. 30, 2005, at his home in Menlo Park, Calif.
Fairness for school funding
We want our kids to have the best education money can buy. We love our children, they are our future. We honor our teachers. However, it's apparent to Flathead homeowners that we need a new funding formula for schools.
Carl Pershall
The Rev. Carl F. Pershall, 89, a longtime Eureka pastor, died Nov. 15, 2005, at North Valley Hospital in Whitefish.
Honking horns
Honking horns signal the arrival of the state champion Whitefish girls volleyball team as they ride down Central Avenue atop of a city firetruck Wednesday afternoon.
Light problems
According to the Nov. 6 Daily Inter Lake, Whitefish has a light pollution problem. It's so bad, in fact, that a community board has been appointed to look into it.
Hicks signs with UM track team
Whitefish High School senior Chris Hicks has signed a letter of intent with the University of Montana-Missoula, UM track and field coach Tom Raunig announced Nov. 18.
The Pilot's Log
I went to the eye doctor to see why my left eye was killing me. They told me this and they told me that and they must know what they're talking about because they live in million-dollar houses on the river.
Wednesday, November 23
Fall sports
teams hand
A grizzly thank you
I'm sure you all have a lot to be thankful for this year. I'm especially thankful that I didn't become Thanksgiving dinner.
Tuesday, November 22
All aboard-Part 1
In teaming rain, from the platform of Whitefish Train Station, the conductor for Amtrak's Empire Builder called "All aboard."
Stealth
I always find it interesting when the MHRN (Montana Human Rights Network) looks for the "stealth" factor in groups like the Constitution Party (letter to the editor 11/17).
Right to a militia
Thanks to Travis McAdam for his fuller description of the Constitution Party. Had I never heard of the party, I would have been looking to find out where to sign up.
Man drowns in McDonald Creek
Hungry Horse News
Bigfork Eagle letter from the editor
To be thankful
How old is a bear?
A local troublemaker once asked my son, "How long has your dad been out of work?" The boy replied, "Nobody knows. We can't find his birth certificate."
Bull trout counts variable under difficult survey conditions
FWP field crews have completed the 2005 bull trout redd (nest) counts in monitoring tributaries in the North, Middle, and South Fork of the Flathead drainages, and in the Swan drainage. The annual index sections for all three major populations (Flathead, Swan, and Hungry Horse Reservoir) were surveyed this year, but conditions during many surveys were poor, due to drought during the migration period followed by high flows after extensive rainfall. Compared to last year, counts were up slightly in the combined North and Middle forks of the Flathead, and down in the South Fork of the Flathead and Swan.
General big game hunting season set to close Nov. 27
Montana's 2005 general big game hunting season will close Sunday, Nov. 27 at one-half hour after sunset. The general season closure includes hunting for fall black bear, elk, deer, mountain goat, moose, bighorn sheep and mountain lion hunting without hounds. Montana's 2005 general river and stream fishing season will close Wednesday, Nov. 30 in all but the eastern district, which remains open all year.
Thursday, November 17
All about money
There are so many things wrong with this development on Wisconsin Ave., I don't even know where to start. I am only 16 years old, and it seems to be common sense to me that if there is even the potential for negative impact in this sensitive area, it should be avoided at all costs. As everyone has been saying, the wetlands are going to be dramatically affected which mean the animals will be as well.
Michael Sachkowsky
Michael Sachkowsky Sr., 93, passed away Sunday, Nov. 6, 2005, at Kalispell Regional Medical Center in Kalispell.
Many thanks
As the 2005 fall soccer season begins to fade into the past, I find myself doing a lot of thinking. There are postseason clean-up issues, ideas and changes in store for next year. As I reflect upon the past couple of months, what enters my mind first is thankfulness.
Wave Ryders competitive against larger swim clubs
The Whitefish Wave Ryders Swim Club fared well against larger and more established swim teams in the MAC Fall Invitational on Nov. 12 and 13 at the Grizzly Pool in Missoula.
Pension funding
When the railroad engineer sees a train wreck coming, he hits the brakes and tries to quickly set things right.
Vincent Lidstrom
Vincent "Babe" Lidstrom, 74, passed away at his home south of Whitefish after a battle with cancer. He was sent to be with Our Lord and Savior surrounded by all his loving family.
Michelle Lynn Ostrom
Though she had her 37th birthday on the eighth of this month, my beautiful daughter-in-law looked like a child when she died last week in her husband's arms.
Bulldogs slam home another title
Photos and story by SAM KAUFMAN
Is boating safety the real issue?
In the wake of the city council's deadlock vote on allowing drinking while boating on Whitefish Lake, it's worth considering the legal and practical issues of boating on the lake.
Banking on facts
When I first came to Whitefish a few years ago, after wandering for a while around town, one of my first thoughts was that it was a pretty big mistake for someone to be constructing a new bank building right on the corner of Baker and Second.
Study: Government serves the city well
The government review commission has finished its study of the existing form and powers of the Whitefish government and procedures. This information was submitted by the City of Whitefish Study Commissioners, Sarah P. Fitzgerald-Countryman, chair, and Vanice Woodbeck, secretary.
Grace J. Manske
Grace J. Manske, 80, of Stevens Point, WI died at University Hospital in Madison, Wis., Nov.10, 2005.
Guest opinion
Extreme roots
Hunting on the lake
The recent editorial cartoon in Pilot was a tasteless slam on the sportsmen of the Flathead Valley.
Wednesday, November 16
Snowy delights
With 30 inches at summit, Big Mountain will partially open early
Bazaar
Our Redeemer Lutheran Church is having its bazaar and lunch Nov. 19 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the church, 640 7th St. West. Bazaar is hosted by the Lutheran Women's Missionary League. Call Barb Anderson at 892-4053.
The bad eye
I don't know if a fish can come up from 20 feet of water and you give you the bad eye but it sure as heck looked like one did on Sunday.
Thursday, November 10
Michael McNeilly
Michael A. McNeilly, 66, formerly of Whitefish, died Oct. 30, 2005, at his home in Menlo Park, Calif.
Frank Boylan
Frank Edward Boylan, 83, died Nov. 1, 2005, while hunting pheasants near Choteau. He really loved hunting and Montana.
Big changes on Big Mountain
Skiers and snowboarders will find a lot of changes at Big Mountain this winter, and the Winter Sports Inc. management deserves thanks for many of the improvements.
OPI releases Montana test scores
Superintendent of Public Instruction Linda McCulloch recently released 2004-05 test scores for fourth, eighth and 11th-grade students for all Montana schools and school districts. Montana students in all grades scored above the national average in all five subject areas of reading, math, science, language arts and social studies.
Protecting the lake
A big thank you to the planning board for taking the time to get input from the community and address our concerns regarding the request for the huge development in the wetlands bordering Wisconsin Ave.
Knit one, purl two (continued)
Editor's note: We inadvertently lost the end of Barbara Strate's column last week. It concludes here:
Donald Lolli
Donald W. Lolli, 67, passed away Oct. 30, 2005, at his residence in Kalispell. He was born Dec. 1, 1937, in Chicago, Ill., the son of Dorando and Lela (Breed) Lolli.
Jean Holbrook Frasch
On Nov. 2, 2005, Jean joined her beloved husband Walt and faithful companion, Sir, after a long battle with Alzheimer's disease.
Tammie Snavely
Tammie D. Snavely, 50, passed away Nov. 1, 2006, in Olney.
Leona Lenarz
Leona May McManus Lenarz, 97, a former longtime resident of Eureka, died Nov. 1, 2005, in Havre.
Douglas Barnes
Douglas Edward Barnes, 63, of Helena died Nov. 4, 2005, at St. Peter's Hospital in Helena.
Music to my ears
Tuesday evening we had the privilege of attending the High School Choir program at Community Methodist Church. What a treat!
Guest opinion
Forest Service plan fails
Water quality
My husband Don and I have been long, long time Whitefish residents. We live on the west shore of the lake.
Forever grateful
On behalf of my wife and children, I would like to give out a heartfelt thank you to those involved in organizing, recognizing and contributing to the Hurricane Katrina-Moser Family benefit.
Remembering Rancid Crabtree
Could Rancid Crabtree have been right about avoiding baths in order to build up "the protective crust?"
Message in a bottle
If you could put a message in a bottle and know that at the end of its journey thousands of people from your own community would read it and ponder its meaning as it applied to their lives, what would you write?
Wednesday, November 9
The Letter
Most people have their mailbox in front of their house or at least at their driveway or across the street.
Plevel wins write-in seat on city council
As it turned out, there was a mini-race of sorts in the Columbia Falls City election. Councilwoman Julie Plevel ran as a write-in and folks wrote in other candidates against her. Plevel won with 23 votes. Allen Solenberg had six votes, Dick Skees one, Mary Ellen Getts, five, Barbara Proctor, one, Don Barnhart, one, Crystal Marie Huetcher, one. It wasn't clear if Plevel would run as a write-in. She was just recently appointed to council to fill a spot left vacant by Tad Rosenberry, who resigned.
Twins rehire Helber, plan meeting
The Glacier Twins American Legion Baseball organization recently negotiated a 2006 contract for Jack Helber, Head Coach of the Twins AA team.
Thursday, November 3
George Milford Ellis
The beloved George Milford Ellis passed away surrounded by his family at the Montana Veteran's Home in Columbia Falls on Wednesday, Oct. 26 at the age of 73.
Patti Mason
Whitefish planners added to their understanding of responsible growth recently at a workshop at the Flathead County Health Department.
Sports05
Flathead Cycling, a competitive cycling team, will host the sixth annual Herron Park Cyclocross Race on Sunday, Nov. 6, at Herron Park in Kalispell at 11 a.m. Cyclocross is a 1 1/2-mile long bicycle race on a short circuit where racers encounter obstacles. The course consists of a mix of terrain — grass, dirt trails, gravel and paved roads, and it takes place in all kinds of weather, including rain and snow.
The Deer Widow's curse
Letters to the Editor are part of the entertainment within weekly and daily newspapers. Quite a few of the letters are "shoot from the hip" opinions that become a telling…and sometimes shocking look at our fellow human beings, short on facts or common sense yet displaying wild and colorful imaginations.
Comment period extended on lakes poisoning
Hungry Horse News
New developments at the Montana
Veterans Home
Where's Waldo?
Where is Waldo Winchester, the tongue-in-cheek conscience of Whitefish? Waldo would be handing out roses to the trails committee, the skateboard committee, The Wave, the farmer's markets, the ice skating rink and the cast and production crew of Whitefish Theater Company's "Our Town".
Brett Carver
I would like to let the town of Whitefish know what a class act they have in their football team and coaching staff.
Charles Schumacher
Charles O. Schumacher, 79, of Minot, N.D., died Oct. 25, 2005 in his home.
Way to go Cats!
Columbia Falls wins state soccer championship! More photos in photo gallery and complete story in sports.
Jane Cichock
Jane Frances Cichock died Oct. 22, 2005, in Provena Cor Mariae, Rockford, Ill.
Bigfork Eagle editorial
Good move
Chandler Melton / Whitefish Pilot
Rev. Louis Stoker is the new interim pastor at the Whitefish Presbyterian Church. Stoker, who has nearly 50 years of experience, will help fill the position of Rev. Andy Kennaly, who stepped down in April. Stoker says he plans to stay in Whitefish after his year-long position ends.
Ski club to hold fund-raising sale this weekend
Big Mountain Ski Club's annual ski sale will take place Saturday, Nov. 5, at the Whitefish Armory.
Wednesday, November 2
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Flathead Publishing Group
The Flathead Publishing Group publishes the Hungry Horse News, Whitefish Pilot, Bigfork Eagle, West Shore News, Lake County Leader, and NW Advertiser. All our papers are long standing in each unique community and distributed on a paid subscriber basis.