A look back at 2008

It’s an easy trap to fall in, to call each year we just lived through the most important, or the best or the worst. But superlatives might just be in order for 2008. Nationally, we’ve seen body blows to the economy, a continued war in Afghanistan and Iraq and one incredibly long — and mercifully over — election season.

Here in the lower Flathead Valley, it has been an interesting year as well. A man was shot in Ferndale in the last hours of 2007, and the investigation continued through this year. That trial is scheduled for February. Bigfork Schools oversaw the construction of the new portions of the elementary school and a second request for an $11 million bond for the high school was voted down. Times have gotten tough even in this relatively affluent community, first with $4 a gallon gas crimping wallets and more recently with area layoffs and cut backs. The real estate business is slow. Construction is slower.

But with all the negative (we are a newspaper, after all) there’s been plenty to cheer in 2008 in the “Village by the Bay.” BHS graduated a class of the smartest, most motivated, best kids any town could ask for. Tourism was still brisk and Bigfork’s myriad festivals and events were well-attended and blessed with largely excellent weather. Though it seems distant with the recent span of frigid temperatures, 2008 was conspicuously lacking a familiar feature in Western Montana: Smoke. One of the best winters in recent memory (for skiers) and a long, wet spring all conspired to make ’08 almost completely devoid of wildfires.

The face of Bigfork and the accompanying issues have undergone some changes this year as well. Doug Averill’s enormous project on the mountain across from downtown, Saddlehorn, dominated headlines early in the year, if not sales. And whther like the high-dollar market the development appeals to or not, it’s impossible to deny that Saddlehorn has pumped a lot of money into the community via donations and sponsorships. And they spruced up the old bank building on Grand, much to the delight of the many community groups and committees who meet there.

Stormwater runoff has become a big concern, as studies conducted by the Flathead Lake Biological Station showed some popular Bigfork swimming spots, and Flathead Lake at large, are not as healthy as the blue waters may lead one to believe. Flathead County Commissioner Joe Brenneman has helped a local group procure grant money to research the situation, and in years to come solve some of the North Lake’s water quality issues. The Bigfork Neighborhood Plan was supposed to be approved and in the books before summer, but delay after delay has pushed that date to sometime in 2009.

The bowling alley isn’t near downtown anymore and the venerable Chumley’s Double Eagle Bar was razed and replaced with what, it must be said, might be the best-looking building in Bigfork. Businesses are working hard to stay competitive as everyone tightens purse strings, Bigfork Fire has a gigantic new ladder truck and far too many people were killed on the roads around Bigfork. It was quite a year, maybe even one that we’ll tell our kids about. Regardless of whether you and your family met with the time of your lives or tragedy, it’s over.

Bring it on, 2009.