No longer shopping C. Falls

To the editor,

I have lived in the Columbia Falls area for 12 years. I have always been a supporter of a revitalized downtown corridor for Columbia Falls both on Highway 2 and Nucleus Avenue. I have been pleased to see Montana Coffee Traders open a store, the new Three Forks Grille restaurant is getting rave reviews along with the new businesses that have opened on Nucleus Avenue.

Unfortunately I had tended to stay away from Columbia Falls businesses because the area has had a national reputation as a speed trap with overzealous enforcement practices. As time went by and I had heard less about Columbia Falls moving violation enforcement issues I began to look to Columbia Falls businesses for my purchasing needs. I had started shopping at Smith’s for groceries, had changed my habit of going to Whitefish’s Coffee Traders and now was getting my coffee from the Columbia Fall’s store. I had even had some computer/website work done at the local computer store on Nucleus Avenue.

That all changed on Feb. 11. After leaving Coffee Traders I headed west on Highway 2. Almost immediately I was pulled over by Columbia Falls Police and given a ticket for doing 34 mph in a 25 zone. I do not debate that I was speeding. But I will tell you I am no longer going to patronize these Columbia Fall’s businesses because of this. Hope the $20 that the city of Columbia Falls got out of me makes up for the lost business revenue.

David Smith

Columbia Falls