Ellington

Dentist and family making a home in Columbia Falls

The smiling faces of Columbia Falls have a new option when it comes to dental care.

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Mitchell trial postponed until February

Flathead County Commissioner Phil Mitchell’s jury trial has been postponed until Feb. 26, 2018, and a new judge has been called upon to oversee the case.

Hunting season was just about the same as last year

Hunters across Northwest Montana generally had a pretty good year, with numbers overall being down slightly from the previous year.

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There has been some debate about whether to reopen the Inside North Fork Road in Glacier National Park from Camas Creek to Logging Creek.

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Canyon dinners

Hail Finland! Students do great at model UN competition

Several students from Columbia Falls ranked in the top 1 percent at the 52nd annual Montana Model United Nations Conference at the University of Montana November 20-21.

Swim team to open season in Kalispell

The Columbia Falls High School swim team will get its season underway this weekend as it competes at the Kalispell Invitational Saturday.

MatCats looking to improve on last season's strong finish

The Columbia Falls wrestling team will be looking for another strong season as they open their 2017-18 campaign at Polson and Ronan this weekend.

All-state, all-conference football announced

The Columbia Falls football team had several all-state and all-conference selections. All-state offense included center Hayden Falkner, guard Gage Karlin, tackle Jacob Hagen and quarterback Austin Green. All-state defense included lineman Kyler Koski, inside linebackers Colten McPhee and Tanner Gove, safety Ben Windauer, defensive end Logan Kolodejchuk and cornerback Devron Harris.

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Alan Gibson

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James H. Obley

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Harry Torgerson

Changed grizzly advice

There have been about half a dozen incidents this fall where grizzly attack victims failed to use bear spray, although its efficiency is now beyond doubt. Several of these latest victims were seriously injured, but others got lucky or successfully used a rifle. The latest victim happens to be a person closely placed in the Ostrom clan’s family tree.

'Captain Crunch,' others, to lead high school HOSA

Eight Columbia Falls High School students were honored last week as they were inducted as officers in the Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA).

Wildcats to open season at Stillwater Christian

The Wildcats will be looking to rebound from last year’s 4-17 season as they open their 2017-18 basketball campaign Saturday at Stillwater Christian School in Kalispell.

Wildkats ready to defend state basketball title

The Columbia Falls Wildkats basketball team will be looking to fill some key positions early this season as they begin the defense of their first state title since 1983.

Congrats to the football team

We would like to offer congratulations to the football team for making the Columbia Falls High School record books. After a fantastic regular season, the Wildcats won the Class A state title for the first time in our school’s history.

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The Bergs and Heaphys did it again. We had another great North Fork Thanksgiving. Of course, they always tell me that they have a lot of help. I’m sure they do—Ray Brown does a ham, Joe Novak does two gallons of great gravy, Bonny Ogle does a turkey, Trish Walsh does several dozen deviled eggs and the list goes on and on. Everyone brings food but the purchase and delivery of turkeys and ham for cooking is done by the Bergs. When I stop by Sondreson Hall early on Thanksgiving, it is always Bergs and Heaphys who have started the fire and decorated the Hall. Many thanks to them for all of the above and more.

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Nov. 21

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Vernon Edwin Lyngstad

Iraq war veteran, teacher, urges tolerance, peace, in time of war

Andrew Lilienthal has seen the worst of war. He hopes his students never have to.

Westslope cutthroat restoration project near completion

Remember a decade ago when Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks wanted to kill the westslope cutthroat trout in several Flathead South Fork lakes in an attempt to preserve their native genetics?

Columbia Falls woman killed in crash

A Columbia Falls woman was killed in a two-vehicle crash on Montana Highway 35 just north of Creston Thanksgiving night.

Yesterdays: Phones come to Columbia Falls

70 years ago

Health department seeing uptick in hand, foot and mouth disease

Flathead County is currently experiencing an increase in reports of hand, foot and mouth disease in the

Sheriff candidates start the race early

For the Hungry Horse News

Wildcat speech and debate takes first at Loyola tourney in Missoula

A split Columbia Falls Speech and Debate team won the Loyola Invitational Saturday and took second at Browning with a limited squad.

Hungry Horse man wanted for attempted homicide

Authorities are looking for a man wanted for attempted deliberate homicide.

Saying goodbye to a good friend

Last week, we knew that John Frederick’s illness was terminal and that he would be gone soon. His last days were filled with a constant stream of friends who came to say goodbye. I know he recognized and spoke to some and probably was in a coma for much of the time. The biggest thing was that he was kept comfortable, in no pain, and surrounded by friends. Now he is gone and is already sorely missed.

Applicants sought for Soroptimist dental program

The enrollment period is underway for Soroptimist International of Whitefish’s Smile of Hope dental program for women.

A campfire grizzly story

Last week, in this famous newspaper, Editor Chris Peterson ran the “second most” terrifying story of a grizzly bear trapping mishap I can remember. It was the kind a reporter and his readers can never forget. That incident was all too real and there were pictures to prove it. The victim, veteran Game Warden Louis Kis, was badly injured and was lucky to have lived through it. I got chills while he was telling me about it 30 years ago.

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Jesse B Pogue

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Joyce Elaine Steele

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John Frederick, Jr

Odds and ends

Got a call from an alert reader the other day. She said that one of the photos we ran for the “Yesterdays” column had an incorrect photo caption. The caption said folks were square dancing on Nucleus Avenue during Progress Days.

THE BLOTTER

Nov. 14

Council denies permit for Columbia Mortuary crematory

After hearing nearly two hours of testimony both for and against plans for a crematory at Columbia Mortuary, the Columbia Falls City Council Monday voted 5-0 to deny the mortuary a conditional use permit for the facility.

Police shoot dog, arrest owner, after pit bull attacks another dog near the Montana Veterans Home

A Columbia Falls man is facing charges of resisting arrest, obstructing a police officer and owning a vicious dog after an incident Friday in which officers were forced to shoot and kill the animal.

Columbia Falls Wildcats win first ever state A football championship

The Columbia Falls football team made school history Saturday at Satterthwaite Field, winning its first ever state A championship over Hamilton, 26-14.

For distillery, a winning whiskey just seven years in

A small distillery in Coram has received international recognition for one of its whiskeys. Glacier Distilling earlier this year won a gold medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in the craft whiskey class for its North Fork Whiskey.

Glacier tops 3.276 million visitors for the year

Continuing a yearlong trend, Glacier National Park visitation in October was up over last year by 11 percent. The Park saw about 84,000 visitors in October and has seen more than 3.276 million visitors for the year — an all-time record.

Elk poaching case cracked by FWP near Lewistown

Twin brothers have been charged with 16 crimes, including eight felonies, stemming from what Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks officials describe as years of poaching activity on a Fergus County ranch.

As Legislature tackles budget woes, prison plays a big role

By AMY BETH HANSON Associated Press

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Booster Club Dinner

Planning board approves crematory

In a 4-2 vote Tuesday night, the Columbia Falls planning board approved a conditional use permit for an 800-plus square foot addition and crematory at Columbia Mortuary on Fourth Avenue West, much to the chagrin of neighbors who oppose it.

John Frederick, the 'Mayor of Polebridge' dies

John Frederick, a North Fork icon, died Nov. 15 after a long illness. He was 74.

School hopes for big crowd for game; lost money on Miles City quarterfinal

School District 6 is hoping for a good crowd for the state championship football game this Saturday. The school actually lost money after the playoff game against Miles City.

Sperry Chalet investigation, report, in the works

A final report on the Sperry Chalet Fire could be months in the making, a spokeswoman for Secretary of Interior Ryan Zinke said last week.

Village Inn roof damaged

The Village Inn in Glacier National Park will likely see repairs starting this week, Park spokeswoman Lauren Alley said.

Hockey players could attend school at Columbia Falls next year

Columbia Falls High School could have about 19 hockey players from the Whitefish Hockey Academy attend school here next year.

Speech team does well against AAs in Bozeman

Columbia Falls traveled to Bozeman High School for the biggest speech and debate tournament of the season. More than 800 competitors from all over the state - most from Class AA schools, came for an intense two-day matchup of words and wills.

An ill friend, a car in the ditch, the constitution and hunting season

My friend John Frederick is not doing well. In fact, he is very ill, but has opposed having it broadcast. He is currently at Brendan House and has close friends keeping him almost constant company. I’m sure he is happy to have visitors but he tires very quickly. Please, wish him well and keep visits short.

Cats ground Eagles

Columbia Falls punched its ticket to a second consecutive Class A football championship Saturday, downing Sidney 17-0 after a long trip across the state.

Annual Night of Lights Parade is December 1 down Nucleus Avenue

The annual Night of Lights parade and celebration is Friday, Dec. 1 in Columbia Falls with the parade starting at 6:30 p.m. down Nucleus Avenue. Parade forms are available at columbiafallsrotary.com

Clean energy talk this week at Lodge

Transitioning Montana to a future of renewable energy will be the final topic of Climate Smart Glacier Country’s community climate conversations.

Time to take climate change seriously, outdoor enthusiasts say

The streams and mountains of northwest Montana — the lifeblood for many who live here — are at risk, and the time to act is now.

Berne stories

My memory isn’t completely shot after 89 years; however, it does get a little blurry at times. Please excuse a possible slip this week. A real history-loving character I have coffee with on a regular basis asked me a question sometime back. Don’t remember how long ago. He wanted to know what I knew of early Columbia Falls pioneer Mike Berne. Maybe I dug out the information at that time. Maybe I didn’t. It is far too interesting not to run again ... just in case.

Kis recalls one of Montana's most memorable griz attacks

Louis Kis had a long and distinguished career as a game warden for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. He also probably has one of the best grizzly bear attack survival stories as well.

Miller, Friske married

Erica Paige Miller and Nicholas Gerald Friske, both of Columbia Falls, were married July 22, 2017 at the Diamond B Ranch in Kalispell. The couple’s brother-in-law, Jordan Venezio, performed the ceremony.

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Nov. 7

New ISP looks to bring cheaper Internet to C-Falls

A new Internet service provider is looking to provide high-speed, low cost Internet to Columbia Falls and other rural locations in the Flathead Valley.

Partnering to Preserve Glacier Park

What a summer we had in Glacier National Park. Just look at the numbers. Before the Going-to-the-Sun Road opened, June visitation was up 28 percent from 2016.

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70 years ago

Roush lobbied for four-lane U.S. Highway 2

War veteran Glenn Roush considers himself one of the lucky ones. He was drafted during the Korean War, but after basic training, at Fort Ord in California, he stayed home.

Home, fifth wheel destroyed in Thursday night fire

By BREEANA LAUGHLIN

The Rocky Hoerner Picture Show

On May 22, 2000, Rocky Hoerner had the scariest night of his life. The artist was with then girlfriend Eileen Holmquist in his Nucleus Avenue studio when he saw Joseph Aceto parked nearby.

Clark and Lewis! : Glacier Gateway musical performance spans a generation

If you’ve ever seen the fourth-grade musical “Lewis and Clark” you can’t help but leave the performance humming the title tune.

Lake whitefish on the move

Second week in November and the lake whitefish are in the Flathead River.

More on the War

Tis a hazy recollection but nevertheless a fact, it was over 70 years ago I was sent to Europe as a teenage soldier for the de-Nazification of Germany. Though it was a depressing subject, last week I did a column on military desertion. I know from talking to a few readers the figures used there were shocking; however, to the best of my knowledge, they were correct.

City will begin search for new judge

The City of Columbia Falls will begin the search for a new city judge this month, something it hasn’t had to do for 30 years. Longtime judge Tina (Susan) Gordon is retiring at the end of the December. City council on Monday night approved a job description for the post, and will begin taking applications through November.

Masons working on final walls of Sun Road reconstruction

On a cold morning late last month, mason Alex Gladstone heated a new stone headwall on the Going-to-the-Sun Road with a propane torch.

The Inside Road

After being surprised at finding several locals opposed to reopening the Inside North Fork Road in Glacier Park, I decided maybe we all need more information about the road. My research included Park comments at Interlocal meetings, old interviews with North Fork Old Timers and a great summary which appeared in the Flathead Beacon by Tristan Scott.

In Glacier, C-Falls, Whitefish students learning the GIS ropes

Gone are the days of student field trips in Glacier National Park where kids just romp around in the woods, looking for squirrels. Today’s field trips are about real science.

Local firm to guide ski trips near Essex

A Columbia Falls-based guide company has been issued a temporary special-use permit to lead backcountry ski trips near the Izaak Walton Inn in the Flathead National Forest.

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Wreaths Across

Dorothy Johnson

In this troublesome era of anger, violence and blame, it’s well to look back to a kinder time, and the good and heart-warming story of a remarkable Montana character.

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Oct. 30

Thanks to Conservancy grant, Polebridge ranger station goes solar

The historic Polebridge Ranger Station in Glacier National Park has turned to the sun for some of its power. The Park Service, with a $98,000 grant from the Glacier National Park Conservancy, recently installed three large solar panels through contractor Solar Plexus out of Missoula.

Wildkats come up short in divisional playoffs

The Columbia Falls volleyball team came up short for a state A championship playoff berth at the Western A divisional tournament in Butte last week.

Cats clobber Cowboys

Give the lines a big hug. The offensive line created big holes and the defensive line squashed the run, as Columbia Falls pounded Miles City in the quarterfinals of the state A playoffs at home Saturday, 48-8.

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Mary Irene Compton

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Sandra “Sandy” Lundstrom

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Dan Schellinger

All-state, all-conference soccer

Columbia Falls soccer squads had several all-state or all-conference players this season.

Barnhart wins re-election in a landslide

Columbia Falls incumbent mayor Don Barnhart won re-election by a landslide over challenger John Rallis Tuesday night. Barnhart received 562 votes, while Rallis got 75.

Fire destroys Martin City home

A Martin City home was destroyed, but no one was injured at the Mundel residence on the South Fork Road Wednesday morning.

Pheasant hunter shoots, kills, charging grizzly

A pheasant hunter shot and killed a grizzly bear Nov. 4 near Pendroy along the Rocky Mountain Front that charged him after it was surprised by the hunter’s bird dog, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks said Monday.

Glacier Park sees about 9 inches of snow down low from storms; upwards of three feet already in Jewel Basin

So long fall, hello winter. A series of winter storms last week dumped about nine inches of snow in West Glacier and in St. Mary in Glacier National Park, with even more falling in parts of the Canyon.

Photo gallery: Columbia Falls Wildcats down Miles City, 48-8 in quarterfinals of state A playoffs

Big fire destroys townhome on Big Mountain

By Breeana Laughlin

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70 years ago

The North Fork tourist dilemma

I am not often surprised by opinions concerning the management of the North Fork’s public lands. I was mildly surprised when I was informed of opposition to reopen the inside road. I was not surprised by some folks being against toilets at Sondreson Meadows.

SmartLam expansion a $20 million investment here

The expansion of the SmartLam facility in Columbia Falls is a $20 million investment, president and CEO Casey Malmquist said during a presentation last week to members of Montana West Economic Development.

Cats will face Cowboys on what promises to be a frozen field

Capping off a 5-0 Northwest A conference record, the Columbia Falls football squad will host Miles City this Saturday on what’s likely to be a frozen field in the quarterfinal round of the state A playoffs.

Wildcat speech, debate team rocks it in first tourney

The Columbia Falls speech and debate team opened its season with a victory in Stevensville, outpacing rival Whitefish by 114 points to open the season.

Kats take second at tourney

The Columbia Falls volleyball team is peaking as the postseason begins. On Saturday, the young Wildkat squad narrowly lost to Libby in the championship match of the Northwest A tourney, 22-25, 23-25, 25-23, 25-20, 15-12.

Puerto Ricans cancel Whitefish Energy contract

Facing scrutiny, Puerto Rico’s power company announced Sunday that it will cancel a major contract with a Whitefish firm to restore electricity on the island following Hurricane Maria.

Tester outright opposes Park Service fee hike, GOP has concerns, too

Montana’s congressional delegation isn’t enthused about a proposed hike in entrance fees to large national parks like Glacier and Yellowstone.

About Shooting Deserters

Making headlines lately is news about this month’s finding of an American Sergeant from Idaho guilty of deserting his unit in a combat area of the Middle East where he was held by the enemy for years before being traded for prisoners America was holding. President Donald Trump made off the cuff remarks on national TV that the sergeant should be shot with no monkeying around ... like right now.

CFAC makes first payment to feds for plant investigation costs

Columbia Falls Aluminum Company has reimbursed the federal government for some of the costs of investigating its former Columbia Falls plant.

Shocking developments

Back in my sophomore year I took electric shop, which was probably not the best move I’ve ever made.

At new coffee house, it's a gathering of family and friends

The new Odd Fellows Coffee House in Columbia Falls is about friends and family. Diane Smith, Dave Pickeral and their daughter Ally along with longtime friends Triana Bouillon and Courtney VonLindern have made Columbia Falls’ newest hang out spot a success since it opened in July.

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Sandra K. Chopper

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Richard Raymond Greenwald

For big fish, drag a streamer this fall

Fly fishermen, don’t put away those fly rods yet.

City settles $3 million lawsuit for $25,000

The City of Columbia Falls has settled a $3 million lawsuit brought by a teenager who was injured in a high speed chase for $25,000.

City files suit against drilling company after U.S. 2 sinkhole

The City of Columbia Falls has filed suit in Flathead County District Court against a contractor that drilled a water line under U.S. Highway 2 that ultimately caused a sinkhole that the city had to pay to get fixed.

Forest Service also proposes several fee hikes

The Flathead National Forest is looking to boost fees for several of its rental cabins and campgrounds.

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In a lot of ways, the Cut Bank drainage is the poor man’s Many Glacier. It doesn’t have as many lakes. It doesn’t have a big lodge, or massive campground. But it also doesn’t have the crowds and in a lot of ways, it’s more interesting, and just as beautiful.

Legals November 1, 2017

No. 1622 Notice is hereby given that in Flathead County, on November 7, 2017 a Columbia Falls City Municipal General Election will be held at the Council Chambers of Columbia Falls City Hall for voting on Mayor and Council and Municipal Judge. Said political subdivision election will be conducted by voting at the polling place and by absentee ballot. Absentee ballots are available in person or by applying by mail to the Flathead County Election Department, 40 11th St West Suite #230, Kalispell, MT 59901. The polls will be open at 7:00 a.m., and continue to be open until 8:00 p.m., on Election Day. DATED this 19th day of October, 2017. Debbie Pierson Election Administrator October 25, November 1, 2017 MNAXLP