No headline

70 years ago

September 5, 1946

Construction of the 32-unit Montana Veterans home began this week. School District 6 superintendent J. M. Tindall reported that 518 students were enrolled as of the first day, up from 419 the previous year. The rebuilding of the 5.8-mile stretch of Highway 2 from Belton east was underway. Two new Columbia Falls physicians, Dr. John J. Mitshke, Jr. and Dr. John T. Whalen began construction of their new clinic, which was tentatively scheduled to be finished in mid-October.

60 years ago

September 7, 1956

Park travel in the coming weekend was expected to surpass its all-time record of 674,085 visitors, set the previous year. Enrollment at Columbia Falls High School was up 10 percent over the previous year, according to Principal Carl Launer. The Columbia Falls Rifle Club opened a new range, open to members or members with guests. The club had 52 members.

50 years ago

September 9, 1966

School District 6 Superintendent L.E. Scarr noted a 7 percent increase in enrollment, with district-wide enrollment topping 2,000 students. California topped Montana in providing visitors to Glacier National Park, with 11.56 percent of all vehicles entering the park sporting California license plates. The Bank of Columbia Falls celebrated its 75th anniversary.

40 years ago

September 9. 1976

District 6 classes were set to resume after a week of school closures amid rumors of strike. Major negotiations were also to take place between the teachers — who firmly stated they were not striking — and the school board. Teachers had refused to sign individual contracts following months of back-and-forth over changing salary schedules. Tom Reynolds, 79, of Polebridge, was frequented repeatedly by the famed — or infamous — Giefer Creek grizzly. Reynolds lived as far north of Columbia Falls as he could and still be in Montana. His house, where he had lived since 1934, was only a mile from the Canadian border.

30 years ago

September 10, 1986

Elaine Hoagland, 36, of Columbia Falls was charged with mitigated deliberate homicide after her husband, Michael, 42, died of a gunshot wound to the chest. A record of family disputes and allegations of physical and mental abuse were factors in filing reduced charges. Rangers rescued Rory Minster, 25, after Minster spent the night on Chief Mountain. Minster became separated from his companions, injured his knee, and then decided to wait out a storm that dropped 6 inches of snow on the area. He was cold, wet, and hungry but otherwise in good spirits when he was found. Falling rock crushed the car of Hungry Horse News Editor Brian Kennedy’s car on Logan Pass. The car was destroyed and Kennedy’s wife, Carol, suffered injuries to the neck, back, and shoulder.

20 years ago

September 5, 1996

After overwhelming negative public response to proposed Glacier Management Plan alternatives, Park officials were considering adding another step to the process before unveiling the final plans. A grizzly was caught near Many Glacier. The tranquilized bear was airlifted to Glacier’s backcountry. The city of Columbia Falls was to receive $48,000 following the settlement of a lawsuit opposing the 1993 property tax reappraisal.

10 years ago

September 7, 2006

The Sun Dog fire, burning north of Columbia Falls, was 70 percent contained. Curtis Thomas, 28, of Kalispell, faced charges of vehicle homicide under the influence and negligent vehicular assault following a rollover accident that killed passenger Bo Motichka, 30, of Columbia Falls. A development for 212 acres at the junction of Highway 2 and 40, which would add 600 homes to the outskirts of the city was proposed. It was never built and remains a field today.