Sunday, July 30
Heritage Days parade, in pictures
Friday, July 28
Hungry Horse artist working on mural for bank
Hungry Horse artist Nick Oberling can only work on his latest painting from 7 to about 9 every morning. After that. it just gets too hot — literally.
Glacier Park goat researcher now a bear manager in Conrad
The man who studied mountain goats and grizzly bears in and around Logan Pass now will try to keep grizzly bears out of harm’s way in Central Montana.
Thursday, July 27
Methodist Church celebrates 125th year during Heritage Days
The Columbia Falls United Methodist Church is celebrating its 125th anniversary of ministry to the community during Heritage Days, July 29-30. The church will enter a float in the parade and host an ice cream social, brunch, and special services during the celebration. The goal is to bring together all who remember the church’s past and participate in its present, while looking ahead to the future.
Real estate market in Columbia Falls takes off, again
The real estate market in Columbia Falls is surging.
Wednesday, July 26
Stage II fire restrictions now in place
Government agencies cracked down last week on any outside fire use and off-trail motorized use as the hot and dry weather continues in Northwest Montana and the fire danger ramped up the extreme.
Principal touts school accomplishments
Columbia Falls Heritage Days is a time to celebrate the history of our city. It is also when, as principal, I close the book on the previous school year and focus on the year ahead.
Ode to the Tilley hat
Got a Tilley hat? There might be a better hat to protect your noggin from those damaging rays from the sun, but if there is, I’m not aware of it.
In Memoriam: Liu Xiaobo
On July 13, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo, a political prisoner in China and a champion of democracy, died of liver cancer in a Chinese hospital. The world mourned, but in China his death was barely noted.
Interlocal not very exciting
As usual, the Summer Interlocal was preceded by the annual Firewise Education effort to inform locals on fire risk and how to best protect themselves and their property. Also, as usual, it was an excellent presentation and the Fire Mitigation Committee, especially co-chairs Molly Shepherd and Allen Chrisman, deserve our thanks.
Who was Burr Martin?
Olympics are making sport news lately as several nations fight for the right to host future games. I vividly recall the first post-war Olympics hosted by Switzerland and then London in 1948, because I was still serving in the German occupation.
Cheers to 'The Dude'
Three cheers for “The Dude” and his encouragement to the governors not “to abide” childhood hunger (‘The Dude talked childhood hunger at Governors’ conference last week’ by Lily Cullen, Hungry Horse News, July 5, 2017).
No luck for Glacier Twins in District tourney last week
Bad luck last weekend for the Glacier Twins at the District Tournament.
No headline
Jerome S. DeSanto
Breaking ground for new high school: 60 years ago
On Friday, July 26, 1957, the Hungry Horse News ran a story titled “Start Excavation for New High School,” referring to the current site of Columbia Falls High School. Here’s the original story by Mel Ruder:
A great lineup of events for Heritage Days
Heritage Days 2017 promises to be a great time, with several class reunions, concerts, the annual Wildcats Athletic Endowment Auction, a car show, parade, rodeo and much more.
Parking woes continue in Glacier
Glacier Park continues to see unprecedented traffic this summer with areas filling to capacity.
Facebook founder visits Glacier, controversy ensues
Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg toured Glacier National Park earlier this month, but the tour was not without its controversy after it was found out that President Donald Trump’s Interior Department prevented Park superintendent Jeff Mow and U.S. Geological Survey ecologist Daniel Fagre from meeting with him.
Polebridge path to Glacier Park still a few years out, part of a larger project
The owner of the Polebridge Mercantile would like to see a path along the road from Polebridge to the entrance of Glacier National Park. Will Hammerquist said he’s willing to donate $20,000 to the cause over a four year period.
Hot Stuff at Fifty
The problem with hiking long distances isn’t the sores you might get on your feet or the dehydration you might experience or the cramps you might get in your calves. The real problem is the songs that will pop into your head that you can’t get out.
City looks to stop parking on the grass
Soon it will be illegal to park on the grass in Columbia Falls, even in front of your own house.
No headline
While city leaders in Columbia Falls would like to see the North Fork Road to Camas Creek paved, the state Department of Transportation is giving the idea a lukewarm reception.
Author crafts historical novel on N.Fork homesteader
Montana native Karen Wills has released her second novel, “River with No Bridge,” which expands on a story idea she’s had for over 20 years.
No easy way up: Columbia Falls climber seeks challenges among common peaks
Denis Twohig has been crafting routes through Glacier National Park’s peaks for decades now.
Family plans Montessori School at Honey Bear
When Crystal Hutchisson and her daughter Heather Jurva talk about Montessori education, their eyes light up.
Monday, July 24
Corvallis man killed in Glacier Park Haystack Creek Fall
A Corvallis man died Saturday in Glacier National Park after he fell into Haystack Creek and was swept under the Going-to-the-Sun Road and over a waterfall.
Thursday, July 20
FAMILY TREES
About 50 yards from the Chrisman family home up the North Fork, there’s a lodgepole pine tree. It isn’t doing very well, at least not compared to the trees near it. The bark is rubbed off in several spots and the tree, quite frankly, has seen better days.
Wednesday, July 19
No headline
The Hungry Horse man whose sparkler bombs allegedly injured a teenage girl on Fourth of July turned himself to the Flathead County Sheriff’s Department Tuesday night.
No headline
Abbie Delaney Jones
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Kasey White Faulk
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Daniel Roman Schellinger
After deal, Kreck Trail is no more
Back in 2010 a host of volunteers got together and made a path through Loren Kreck’s property along the Flathead River near the Old Red Bridge.
District baseball teams to compete this weekend
The 2017 American Legion Baseball Western District Class A Tournament is this week in Whitefish, bringing together eight teams from across Western Montana and British Columbia. All games will be played at Memorial Park, home of the Glacier Twins American Legion Baseball Club.
Twins have week of wins
In a Wednesday doubleheader against the Missoula Mavericks A, the Glacier Twins A snagged an easy 10-3 win in Game 1 and squeaked by in the nightcap with a final score of 13-12.
Really old reporting
The Kalispell Weekly News, which I bought in 1974 and built from the smallest of Montana’s 72 weeklies into the largest, was started in the Flathead Valley not long after the Daily Inter Lake.
Smalley was chillin' at Chelan
My wife and I spent most of last week on Lake Chelan in the state of Washington.
Fire danger is high in Flathead
When I commented on the woods being drier than normal on July 1, I did not expect a two-week hot spell. Fire danger is already very high and we should act as if it is extreme.
Lodge employees plan reunion in September, recall life at Lake McDonald
In September, former Lake McDonald Lodge employees from the 1960s and 1970s will reunite, drawn back to Glacier by the scenic beauty and fond memories.
Trails, timber, fishing pier all wrapped into Hungry Lion project
The Flathead National Forest is proposing a timber, wildlife and trails project around Lion Lake and the Coram Experimental Forest.
A day with the Old Man
“I don’t think it’s going to rain,” I told a fellow camper who was sitting next to Old Man Lake.
No foul play in woman's death
The Flathead County Sheriff’s office is still working on leads regarding the death of Kassy Lynne Browning, also known as Kasey Faulk, but at this point “there’s no reason to suspect foul play,” Sheriff Chuck Curry said Monday.
Bookmobile fosters reading all summer long
Sure, Columbia Falls and Canyon kids are swimming and doing all the fun stuff that goes with summer vacation. But they’re also reading books — hundreds of them.
Glacier Prk takes comments on fish plan
In spring 2016, Glacier National Park conducted public scoping for a proposed Fisheries Management, Aquatics Restoration, and Climate Change Response Plan and draft Environmental Impact Statement. The Park received 16 public comment letters expressing both support and opposition for the proposal, and has summarized and analyzed the comments.
Monday, July 17
South Fork Bridge closed Saturday morning
The bridge over the South Fork of the Flathead River will be closed early Saturday morning.
Man drowns in North Fork 'shelf'; no lifejacket
A Minnesota man drowned in the North Fork of the Flathead River Friday evening. According to the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office, Lee Alan Gebro, 44, of Minneapolis was rafting with friends when their raft flipped on a hazardous section of the river just north of Glacier Rim known as the “shelf”.
Friday, July 14
Firefighters battle MDF sawdust fire for hours
Columbia Falls and a host of other fire departments worked until 1 a.m. Friday morning to put out a sawdust fire at the Weyerhaeuser Medium Density Fiberboard plant.
No headline
Days of decorating and baking came to fruition last week as students from the Culinary Institute of Montana at Flathead Valley Community College showcased their wedding cake creations.
Thursday, July 13
Fire danger very high; firefighters save homes on Stage Road
A host of fire companies and a state Department of Natural Resources helicopter were able to put out a fire in the woods before it burned any homes Thursday afternoon.
WFCU breaks ground on $3 mil office
The Whitefish Credit Union broke ground Monday morning on a new 5,000-square foot building at the corner of U.S. Highway 2 and Fourth Avenue West in Columbia Falls.
Wednesday, July 12
After bear encounter, C-Falls teen a bear spray believer
Hunter Dana is a big believer in bear spray.
Planning board approves Ruis downtown apartment plan
The Columbia Falls city-county planning and zoning board unanimously approved a plan for new apartment building in downtown Columbia Falls Tuesday night after a public hearing on the project.
Feds warn against drones near wildfires
Federal, state, and local wildland fire management agencies and the Federal Aviation Administration urge members of the public not to fly Unmanned Aircraft Systems or drones over or near wildfires. Unauthorized drone flights pose serious risks to firefighter and public safety and hinder wildfire suppression operations.
Candidate hopes to become full-time mayor
Columbia Falls mayoral candidate John Rallis wants to see some significant changes in city government if elected. Rallis, 78, wants to go back to a full-time mayor form of government and says he can attract businesses to Columbia Falls.
DeSanto, noted Glacier Park ranger, author, climber, dies
Noted Glacier National Park ranger, botanist, author and mountain climber Jerry De Santo died last week. He was 89.
Dirts piles at CFAC for basement fill
The large piles of soil on the south edge of the Columbia Falls Aluminum Co. site will be used to eventually fill in the basement of the plant once its torn down, Montana Department of Environmental Quality spokeswoman Jeni Flatow confirmed last week.
Swim team off to a good start, will be home this month
The Columbia Falls summer swim team is going well, said first-year coach Harry Bagley. The squad has 67 swimmers and will showcase its talent at home July 29-30, Bagley said.
Mayoral candidate wants full-time mayor
I am running for mayor so the people in their 20s, 30s, and 40s can get good, high-paying industrial jobs to stay and raise their families here, not a thousand miles away.
Twins show promise, lose in semis
Several AA and even AAA American Legion teams were present for the Sapa/Johnsrud Memorial Tournament, hosted by the Glacier Twins A squad last week.
Babe Ruth tourney this week
Glacier Babe Ruth is hosting the 2017 Montana Babe Ruth Tournament for all age groups, with 17 teams coming to play. The 13-year-old and 14-year-old teams will play mainly at the Sapa Johnsrud Field and the 15-year-olds will play in Whitefish at Memorial Field. Schedules are available online at the Glacier Babe Ruth website. Visit http://glacierbaberuth.org and click “State Tournament” on the menu.
About secret stuff
Can’t remember, but two years ago I either did or did not send in a column about long-ago activity involving what had been a very hush-hush arrangement between the Forest Service Smokejumpers at Missoula and the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency.
Bird brain
So I was wandering around in a Glacier Park backwater the other day, trying to get a photo of a bird that’s tough to get a photo of — at least in Glacier.
Fourth of July in North Fork
Wow! As you could tell by Chris Peterson’s great pictures last week, we had another great parade in downtown Polebridge on the Fourth of July. My favorite floats were the North Fork Outhouses and the Redneck Red Bus. Both were prizewinners, so obviously others liked them as well. Actually, every entry helped make the parade a success.
Mainstem Flathead should be good fishing, according to Smalley's research
Gotta be honest. My first version of this week’s column was a “whine-fest” about writing a hot weather story so early in July.
No headline
Jay B. Hill
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Robert B. Walton
Small brewers hoping for some tax relief
Local breweries and distilleries are doing more than crafting beer and spirits. They’re carving out a social and economic niche.
Tuesday, July 11
No headline
A Columbia Falls teen is recovering in the hospital after he jumped into the Flathead River and nearly drowned.
Berry picker has harrowing encounter with sow griz at Lion Lake
Hunter Dana, 17, had a nerve-wracking encounter with a grizzly bear sow and three cubs at Lion Lake Tuesday morning.
Monday, July 10
No headline
Glacier National Park visitation in June was up a whopping 28 percent over last year, setting a new record for the month. This year,620,962 people came to the park in June.
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70 years ago
Friday, July 7
Glacier Park easing motorboats back onto Lake McDonald
Glacier National Park has allowed some inholders to use motorized boats on Lake McDonald, park spokeswoman Lauren Alley confirmed last week.
Fire danger rated 'high' as blazes brew west of here
The fire danger in Northwest Montana has been moved to high after several weeks of hot, dry weather.
No headline
Some men are just made for the woods.
Thursday, July 6
No headline
Dennis Dean Powell
5.8 magnitude earthquake rattles western Montana; no one hurt
If your house shook the morning of July 6, you were not alone. A 5.8 magnitude earthquake happened about 6 miles south-southeast of Lincoln at about 12:30 a.m., according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
No headline
A new book that examines death and survival in Glacier National Park has found that falling, not drowning, is the leading cause of death in the Park.
Wednesday, July 5
'The Dude' talked childhood hunger at governors' conference last week
When it comes to childhood hunger, The Dude does not abide.
No headline
The Glacier Twins beat Kalispell 7-3 last Wednesday after capturing the lead in the first inning. Greyson Bistodeau and Terek Bistodeau each collected multiple hits.
Shake it up
So there I was the other day thinking to myself, “Self, you know what? You haven’t had a good test of your gastrointestinal tract since you had that boilermaker for Christmas breakfast back in 2008.”
Robust fire season still possible
I know that a lot of people think we will have a light fire season since we had such a wet spring. It is not necessarily so.
Shannon Ostrom
Not doing a regular column this week. My family will be holding a memorial service with family and friends for son Shannon on Thursday, July 6 at 3 p.m. in the Buffalo Funeral Home, followed by a dessert reception.
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“Do you all have cell phones?” I asked the party in front of me.
Ladenburg, Sandelin to wed
Samantha Ladenburg of Columbia Falls and Tarn Sandelin of Whitefish are engaged to be married Sept. 2 at Stillwater Landing in Whitefish. Ladenburg is the daughter of Tom and Carol Ladenburg of Columbia Falls. She works at Glacier Bank in Whitefish. Sandelin is the son of Jay and Kylanne Sandelin of Whitefish. He works at Great Northern Powder Guides.
Updates from FWP commissioners
Guest speakers for the final FWP Citizen’s Advisory Committee for 2016-2017 were Tim Aldrich and Kevin Podruzney.
No headline
Jesslyn Tipton Ross
C-Falls author pens new children's book
Columbia Falls author Ellen Horowitz is no stranger to natural history writing for kids.
Subject of May manhunt pleads not guilty to stabbing
A Columbia Falls man accused of stabbing a family member with a knife plead not guilty to felony assault with a weapon in Flathead County District Court last week.
Huck study aims to map them across the West
A National Science Foundation graduate student is training computers to recognize what huckleberries look like, with the hopes of mapping the native berry on a landscape level across the West.
Glacier adds two new webcams at Logan Pass
Can’t get to Logan Pass? Now you can watch it from your desk.
Legals July 5, 2017
No 1617 PUBLIC NOTICE In accordance with Sec. 106 of the Programmatic Agreement, T-Mobile West, LLC proposes to install a new antenna structure at LAT: 48°22'23.9 Long: 114°12'10.4, Columbia Falls, MT 59912. Please direct comments to Gavin L. at 818-898-4866 regarding site MT01094A. 6/28, 7/5/17 CNS-3024488# June 28, July 5, 2017 MNAXLP
Tuesday, July 4
No headline
Monday, July 3
No headline
The Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park completely opened June 28 and the crowds responded in force over the weekend. Parking along the Sun Road was at a premium and even places that don’t normally fill were full. By 12:25 p.m. Sunday there wasn’t a parking spot to be had at Apgar Village or the Apgar Visitor Center. The Avalanche parking lot filled at 10:25 a.m. and the Logan Pass parking filled at 10 a.m.
