Ellington

Effective representation

Bigfork's record of producing talented and effective state legislators - Bob Keenan and Stan Fisher come to mind - is well recognized in Montana and that tradition will continue with the election of Don Loranger to Senate District 5.

Keith Sherman

Keith Sherman, 88, resident of Lacey, Wash., died Feb. 23, 2006, in Providence Centralia Hospital.

Design details for the proposed dog park unveiled

As there have been a number of concerns expressed regarding the proposed Whitefish Dog Park at the Armory Park, this seems to be a good time to list the proposed design criteria and regulations addressed by the Dog Park Group, which consists of a professional landscape contractor, a canine behavior specialist, neighbors and several dog owners.

Albert Stinger

Albert Stinger passed away on March 14, 2006 as a result of a lingering illness.

Travis Fair

Travis Jack Fair, 8, the son of Dean and Kimberly Fair, of Layton, Utah, "stepped onto the most amazing train he had ever seen" on March 17, 2006, "and went to a place where there's no pain and suffering."

Kenneth Bingham

Kenneth George Bingham, son, brother and friend to so many, passed away in Helena on March 15, 2006, from complications following treatment for cancer.

Substance and style

'Tis the season—the political season that is. In the months ahead we will doubtlessly be bombarded by the hopes, dreams, promises, and commitments of current and aspiring politicians. I am one of the latter—a Republican candidate for Senate District 5. I recognize that it is a tiresome process, but it is made much less so by the knowledge that it is a vital component of the best system history has yet produced under which free people can determine their collective fate.

Roadless confusion

The Flathead County Commissioners language for the "Roadless" question that they are placing on the June ballot is totally unclear and ambiguous. It is obvious that the motive behind creating the two questions was to elicit a preconceived response.

Has the Jack Abramoff situation marred Conrad Burns' reputation and threatened his chances for reelection?

A) Yes

Kathleen Foley

Kathleen Elizabeth "Katy" Foley, of Whitefish, died at the Kalispell Regional Medical Center on March 16, 2006. She was 45.

Swingin' success

Thank you so much to the people and businesses who attended and gave to the Lighthouse Christian Home's Swingin' on High concert and dance March 18 at The Lodge at Whitefish Lake.

Like there I … you know … was

Spent too much time last weekend watching the basketball playoffs to the "Final Four." Saw some amazing athletics but it detracted from the game's excellence to hear so many young people during the interviews who were unable to express ideas in even simple English. That reminded me of a piece written in 1991, which was about the time our kids were actively learning to butcher all oral communications.

Personal attacks and extreme allegations

For the last few years I have made personal attacks on our government-our three branches of Montana's government. These attacks I make can be supported by evidence-conclusive evidence, and if any one of our government agencies looked at my evidence they would find beyond reasonable doubt that my extreme allegation is supported by our constitutions and statutory laws.

Senior elections

A Election of officers is business when North Valley Senior Citizens, Inc., meets Friday, April 7, at their Center.

A safe haven

"After the Prom" was a great success and a wonderful opportunity to provide a safe hangout for Whitefish High School students.

Chandler Melton / Whitefish Pilot

The log home on KM Ranch Road where Gov. Brian Schweitzer's children were raised burned to its foundation over the weekend. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Minnie Arnold

Minnie M. Arnold, 76, passed away March 18, 2006, in Nine Mile Falls, Wash.

Bigfork Eagle editorial

Conradisms

A few scenes from the first days of spring in Glacier National Park. All photos by Chris Peterson.

Eminent domain projections

Eminent domain became a major issue in Montana the day after the Supreme Court action in Connecticut (Kelo vs London) took private property as means for economic development. The "compelling public interest" requirement appeared to be minimized or absent. Several weeks ago Sen. Bob Keenan introduced a resolution to the Flathead County Commissioners concerning the eminent domain issue and it is being reviewed for implementation by them at this time.

High energy

Thank you to our member-owners for attending the 69th Flathead Electric Cooperative Annual Meeting. Many of the comments at the end of the meeting focused on how member-owners can stay involved and help us when external influences threaten to create instability in Flathead Electric rates. You can help and we appreciate your interest.

Did you know?

It is said that travel broadens the mind and I found this so on a recent trip to England, the island of my birth.

Francis Ernest (Rip) Riepl

Francis Ernest (Rip) Riepl, age 85, died on Friday, March 17, 2006 at Brendan House in Kalispell. He was born on June 22, 1920 in Herndon, Kansas the son of Matthew & Suzanna (Pingetzer) Riepl.

Many thanks

We extend a huge thank you to everyone in the community who participated in this year's Winter Classic events. Visiting NFL football players and celebrities thoroughly enjoyed the warmth of the local community, and many contributed generously to help our local kids.

Preserving water rights

I'm convinced one of the concerns for the majority of small towns and rural Montanans is their water. Over 70 percent of Montanans live in lightly populated areas. We depend on wells, canals or streams for our water. Many isolated homeowners still haul their water to their property.

Take a hike

I had to chuckle the other day when I read a quote in the newspaper from a leader in the local motorized use group, saying we need to spend more tax dollars bulldozing roads in the back country. He said something to the effect, "the rapidly growing and aging population has less leisure time for recreation and they demand more motorized access, not less, in the future…"

Dr. Frank J. Laird III

Dr. Frank J. Laird died peacefully at his home in San Diego, Calif., on Friday, March 10, 2006, in the presence of his loving family. Although cancer had weakened his once vital body, he remained to the end a man of great strength and dignity, demonstrating even in his final days his trademark concern for others and his limitless love for his family.

Vivian (Jill) Murphy

Vivian (Jill) Murphy, age 81, passed away March 19, 2006, at Kalispell Regional Medical Center. She was born Vivian Zunft on May 15, 1924, in Albany, N.Y. She was raised in New York and Florida. She was married to Jack Murphy for 54 years prior to his death.

Minnie Arnold

Minnie Mae Arnold passed away March 18, 2006, at her home in Spokane, Wash.

Must love dogs

I am writing to clarify a simple point. First, just a note: I've owned and loved dogs all my life, and this is not a personal issue about me. I am a citizen of the U.S., fourth-generation Montanan and a long-time active resident of Whitefish.

Norma Duff

Norma Doreen Duff, 80, passed away of natural causes March 12, 2006, at the Colonial Manor in Whitefish.

Where were all the teens after the prom?

The new Teen Center at the Armory opened this past weekend for a post-prom all-night party.

Marie Barge

Marie Lorraine Barge, 83, passed away March 15, 2006, at the Immanuel Lutheran Home, in Kalispell, after a long battle with Parkinson's disease.

Log the LeBeau

The LeBeau Research Natural Area — what a cruel joke to pull on the residents of Flathead and Lincoln counties.

Macijunas signs with Northern

Senior Greg Macijunas has signed a letter of intent to play football for Montana State University Northern.

Joan Barber

Joan C. Barber, 70, passed away March 15, 2006, at the Brendan House in Kalispell of lung cancer.

Classic success

We extend a huge thank you to everyone in the community who participated in this year's Winter Classic events. Visiting NFL football players and celebrities thoroughly enjoyed the warmth of the local community, and many contributed generously to help our local kids.

Local freeheelers take to the hills

Elite skiers Kelsey Schmidt-Sommer and Reid Sabin were the number one finishers in the overall U.S. Telemark National competition at Big Mountain, finishing off three days worth of events with first-place finishes in Sunday's Classic competition.

Donald Dornfeld

Donald Dornfeld, 78, passed away March 15, 2006, at St. Patrick's Hospital in Missoula.

Monsour help

Skiing just outside the Big Mountain Ski Resort area, 46-year-old Robert (Bob) Monsour was caught in an avalanche on March 9, 2006. Bob sustained serious injuries as a result of the accident and was flown to Harbor View Medical Center in Seattle where he underwent eight hours of surgery to repair his broken pelvis, leg and internal injuries that occurred during the avalanche.

Save the fish

If Barbara Elvy Strate's granddaughter, Janel, had watched her son slowly starve the family dog or cat, she would be facing cruelty to animals charges ("Spike the fish," March 8). But because a fish was treated so callously, Ms. Strate gets a "funny" story to share with her readers.

Edwin B. "Sonny" Boon

Edwin B. "Sonny" Boon, age 84, of Somers, passed away on Saturday, March 11, 2006 at Health Center Northwest in Kalispell. He was born in Somers on July 15, 1921, the son of Clarence Merle and Albina (Anderson) Boon.

Chrysler mistaken

Mr. Chrysler should check his facts before writing letters to be read by the public. In a recent letter printed in valley newspapers he stated that my husband, Rep. Verdell Jackson, and I do not live in Senate District 5. This is not true! Verdell is a senate candidate for SD5. State law requires that a candidate live in the district, if that district includes parts of more than one county.

Would you like to repeat your high school years?

a) No way

Retraction

After my letter to the editor was published on March 9, 2006, I learned that Mr. Verdell Jackson does in fact live in Senate District 5. I apologize to Verdell Jackson for the errors that were in the last two paragraphs of that letter.

Letter from the Editor

Self discovery

Additional information

Your article on the Roadless Rule Task Force report left out many details that seem to need clarification. To correct that, may I submit some further information.

Bears, barristers and booze

We are not going to mention her name here because we "sorta" feel sorry for her. On the other hand, her lawyer's name should be used because that is the person we hunters are all disgusted with; however the AP stories last week didn't carry the attorney's name. I'm talking about the case of the widow of a man who was killed by a grizzly bear a couple years ago on the Clearwater Game Preserve south of Seeley Lake.

Oops!

Really Verdell, let's be serious. My recent questioning of your voting record and legislative performance on the water rights issue was not a personal attack. Rather, it was a serious look at your performance as a legislator—the voters deserve no less. Though I earlier refrained from mentioning your affirmative vote on Senate Bill 468, which closed new water rights on the Montana portion of the Clark Fork River Basin, I will do so now. As you recently revealed on the local radio show, "KOFI Talk," you did not know what the bill did until you were subsequently denied approval for your request to actually increase the head capacity of your own pumping equipment. Oops! We may not always agree with everything our legislators do, but cannot we agree that they should at least know what they are doing?

For the people

My name is Ric Smith, and I am a candidate for Senate District 5. I have decided to run for this office because I have an intense passion to give back to a state and people that have given so much to my family and me. Living here since 1981, I have had the opportunity to raise a family and run a small business, allowing me to understand the unique needs, challenges and opportunities we have and will face.

Dogs need fun

We were surprised at the tone of Jill Evans' letter last week in opposition to the dog park, and we feel we can address her concerns.

Norma Duff

Norma D. Duff, 80, passed away Sunday, March 12, 2006, at Colonial Manor in Whitefish.

Conners to play volleyball for Montana Tech

Whitefish High School senior volleyball player Jessie Conners has signed on to play with the Montana Tech Oredigger's volleyball team.

Thanking people who 'Care'

Thanks for your great coverage of CARE and the Whitefish Community Center. It gives us great pleasure to provide programs and positive environments to meet the needs of our communities youth and families.

William Reimer

Dr. William G. Reimer, 79, of Ontario, Ore., passed away Feb. 17, 2006, in Ontario.

Anderson and Mallams place at nationals

After a season of exorbitantly intense level of training, Whitefish High School skiers Ian Mallams and Erik Anderson can feel some relief and satisfaction for their efforts after competing at the National Cross-Country Junior Olympic Championships in Houghton, Mich., this past week.

Dog park an asset to community

We read Jill Evans' letter to the editor in last week's Pilot regarding her opinion on the proposed dog park. We are guessing that Ms. Evans doesn't own a dog, nor has she ever traveled with one.

Dog park good for tourists

Whitefish is tourist town; it is crucial to our economy. We have thousands of visitors here every year, and many hundreds (maybe thousands) of dogs come with them. Wouldn't it be great to point visitors to a safe and welcome place for them to walk and play with their dog?

Big Brothers and Sisters say thanks

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Flathead County would like to thank the community for a successful select dinner and auction on March 4 at the WestCoast Hotel. Many wonderful auction items were donated by area artists and merchants.

Teen talk

Dr. Kristin Veneman, pediatrician, is presenting a free community education program on the topic of Teen Health Issues in North Valley Hospital's Glacier Room on Thursday (today), March 16, at 7 p.m. Parents and teens are invited to attend; refreshments will be served. Call 863-3630 for more information.

John Musser

John "Jack" Musser died of natural causes Feb. 26, 2006.

Spike the fish

Strate Talk by Barbara elvy Strate

Bigfork beach bash will be a blast

In Bigfork, the month of March makes you think of St. Patrick's Day, springtime, Cowabunga! and the annual Rotary Bigfork Beach Party and Chili Feed.

Pay attention

On Friday, Feb. 17, I had the great misfortune of having to call the ambulance for my extremely ill daughter. The Bigfork QRU responded immediately and were absolutely amazing. They were a big part of the reason she is still with us and for that I am extremely grateful.

Fall 714 miles per hour?

Captain Kittinger "reached a record speed of 614 miles per hour" while falling over 16 miles from a balloon in 1960, at Tularosa, New Mexico. That is what I, George Ostrom, said in this very column last week. Ironically, the Wall Street Journal has just done a story on falling and in there they state Kittinger hit 714 miles per hour on his famous jump and thus became "the first person to break the sound barrier without a vehicle." I hope the Wall Street Journal is right and I was wrong on that 100 miles per hour difference. We'll see.

Special Olympics on Big Mountain a success

Whitefish Pilot

Hero continues to inspire

Sports Column by FAITH MOLDAN

Rose Schroeder

Rose M. Schroeder, 89 passed away March 5, 2006, at the Immanuel Lutheran Home in Kalispell. She was born 12 miles north of Glen Ulllin in Mercer County, N.D., on Aug. 23, 1916, to Henry and Dorothea (Mormon) Holler.

Dog park not needed

I am writing to voice my vehement opposition to a recently proposed dog park in Whitefish. The desired location is in the Armory park area and encompasses all five acres of the last open space.

Protect small business

I believe small businesses are the economic engine of Montana. They employ the majority of people and pay the bulk of the taxes. These taxes are collected directly from the business or indirectly through the people the business employs.

Public lands up for grabs

Well, it's official. President Bush plans on selling off our forests to raise money for our schools and other programs he has cut the budgets on so he can give even more tax reductions to his already fabulously wealthy cronies.

Jack May

Jack Archie May, of Martin City, passed away March 3, 2006, at the Veterans Home in Columbia Falls.

James Parker

James Weston Parker, 88, of Pahrump, Nev., a retired hotel, restaurant and tavern owner who had previously lived in Whitefish, Cut Bank, Shelby and Malta, died of natural causes on Feb. 18, 2006, at Nathan Adelson Hospice of Las Vegas.

Park plans underway

Residents from the Lakehills and Crestview subdivisions are finishing up design details for a 7.8-acre county park in the Lakehills/Crestview area. The committee is attempting to improve the county owned land, or "green space," as it is now called. The land is bordered by Lakehills Drive homes and O'Brien Terrance Road.

Kenneth Hanson

Kenneth W. Hanson, 79, of Whitefish, went home to be with the Lord on March 4, 2006, at North Valley Hospital with his family by his side.

Removing trees

We commend the Whitefish Pilot and Whitefish Lake Protection Committee for the non-condemning explanation in the March 2 Pilot for the decision to deny a property owner's request to remove two mature "beetle infested" trees within the lakeshore zone.

Carpetbagging

Mr. Verdell Jackson's letter last week complained of a personal attack by Don Loranger in his letter about water rights that appeared in the Eagle a few weeks ago. Don Loranger's letter was, in actuality, a thoughtful analysis of Mr. Jackson's inconsistencies in dealing with the water rights issue. It is a common ploy of politicians when they find themselves on the wrong side of an issue to claim they are being attacked by their opponent. Don't be fooled.

Remember when we used to have a Forest Service?

The Forest Service in Region 1, encompassing Montana, North Dakota and Idaho, is losing about 110 jobs in a move to downsize and reorganize the department. Missoula alone will lose 35 positions in the first round of a multi-year plan to reduce the Forest Service.

Jopek on Maedje

Whitefish is the fastest growing city in Montana. In five years, we grew our tax base by 63 percent. That's a whopping 18 times that of Eureka. It's also roughly three times that of Kalispell or Bozeman or Billings. And it's a staggering 12 times the pace of Helena.

Unload the gun

Many of you will remember that on July 23, 2005, we received a chilling wake-up call from the United States Supreme Court in its decision on Kelo v. London (Connecticut) as to the vulnerability of our private property rights to unwarranted government seizure. To be sure, The Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution grants governments the right to take private property with just compensation in furtherance of the public good. Prior to Kelo, most people wrongfully concluded that a government's access to this power would be limited to those very isolated circumstances when a private citizen stood in the way of an overwhelmingly compelling requirement to improve public infrastructure—highway, school, public building, etc. And even then, we wrongfully assumed it would only be exercised after exhausting all other reasonable alternatives to meet the public need in another way. The Kelo decision was different, and expanded beyond our wildest fears the ability of a government to stomp unimpeded on our private property rights. In it, the court granted to a city government the right to use eminent domain as a means to further the economic interests of a developer on the thin basis that the area would benefit economically from the developer's private project. This approach rivals the money changers in the temple for being an alarming notion. We should not let it stand unencumbered by common sense and respect for an individual's right to control the destiny of his or her private property.

Vision for a better future

Primary political campaigns in the Flathead have traditionally concentrated on issues and avoided personal attacks. Unfortunately, Don Loranger, who is my Republican opponent for Montana Senate District 5, is a Johnny-come-lately to Flathead Valley politics and seems oblivious to our tradition. In a recent letter, published in local newspapers, it was apparent that he learned his negative political tactics in Washington, D. C., and not in Montana. In that letter concerning the "adjudication of water rights," he specifically accuses me and generally all legislators of creating the "mess of water rights fees." He completely ignores the fact that the bills sent out on water rights were under the complete control of the Democrat legislature and bureaucracy. His deceitful diatribe is not only an offense to me but also to the many Republican legislators who have worked with great diligence to protect the water/property rights of all Montanans. During the last Special Legislative Session, I and my Republican colleagues attempted to pass a bill which would have paid the cost of water rights adjudication. The Democrat-controlled Legislature slammed the door on this bill. If elected, I will sponsor similar legislation to solve this problem.

Has Image

Eric Sjoden

John Pate

John Graham Pate, 61, passed away Feb. 18, 2006, at his home in Whitefish after a long illness.

Maedje on Jopek

I just finished reading that Rep. Mike Jopek (D-Whitefish) and some other Democrat candidates for state legislature announced they are going to introduce bills in the next legislature, if elected, to reform eminent domain and protect property rights.

Falling information

I read this morning that the seventh is the most dangerous building floor for a cat to fall from. The article said that more cats live through a fall from eighth, ninth and tenth stories than from number seven. Personally, I doubt it; however there are incidents of cats falling great distances and surviving.

Dog saved from icy death

Brandy, a 16-year-old female chocolate Lab owned by John Kavanagh, of Whitefish, is alive today because of the quick thinking and heroics of two Canadians who rescued her after she fell through the ice on Whitefish Lake last week.

Bulldog pride

On behalf of the Whitefish High School wrestlers, I would like to extend a big thank you to the fans, parents and businesses that contributed to the success of our divisional tournament. With your generosity, Bulldog spirit and the enormous amount of hard work, the Bulldogs had a season that we all can be proud of.

Swan Valley Youth Academy closes its doors

Cornerstone Programs Corporation of Denver, Colo., the parent corporation of Swan Valley Youth Academy, recently announced closure of the residential treatment center program it has operated for over six years near Swan Lake.

Personal agendas

In reading your editorial of Feb. 2 you had some good points and some bad points and some incomprehensible points. It was difficult to understand what your purpose was in writing the editorial until your last paragraph. You used lots of good "buzz" words but I think perhaps you missed the main points of why two members of BLUAC were dismissed. They didn't fulfill their obligations they had agreed to when appointed.

Winter hangs on to make things hairy

Railroad blasts avalanches in Glacier

Planning will not stop with new growth policy

Seems like a lot of people are talking about growth policies and what they could mean to Whitefish. Recent comments made by city councilors and planners might help clarify a few points and either lower people's high expectations or allay ungrounded fears — depending upon one's point of view about growth and development.

Guest opinion

History and perspective

The good and the bad

Political campaigns are getting increasingly expensive and disturbingly negative. Local legislative races over the past 25 years have been the exception, but I fear change is coming.