Wednesday, February 28
Columbia Falls High School Talent Show
School board continues talks on center
The Columbia Falls School District 6 board had another round of discussions Monday night on the possibility of building a community center near Ruder Elementary.
After latest shooting, C-Falls students, superintendent, support tighter gun regs
In the wake of a school shooting in Parkland, Florida earlier this month that left 17 dead, Columbia Falls students are saying common sense control measures are needed in this country. They also don’t like President Trump’s idea of arming some qualified teachers.
Land Trust eyes Columbia Falls for affordable housing
The Northwest Montana Community Land Trust is hoping to bring some affordable housing options to Columbia Falls. The Land Trust recently received a $5,000 grant from the Weyerhaeuer Foundation to develop a program here, said Jessica Harmon of the Trust.
City water rates could be going up
City sewer and water rates could be going up, but how much they’ll go up will largely depend on what steps the city needs to take to improve its water system in the coming months.
Seed swap event this Saturday at FVCC
Amidst the heaps of snow covering the Flathead Valley, a reminder of the coming spring returns to Flathead Valley Community College March 3 for the third annual Free the Seeds! event.
Columbia Falls woman killed in accident
A Columbia Falls woman was killed in a head-on crash Monday evening in Evergreen, just east of the Flathead River bridge.
Glacier Gateway hosts annual science fair
The Glacier Gateway Elementary gym was full of amazing models, displays and gadgets last Tuesday as Columbia Falls School District 6 hosted its annual science fair.
Tree by tree, search continues for missing doctor
The search for a skier who has been missing in the backcountry near Whitefish Mountain Resort for 10 days resumed on Tuesday after a winter storm stymied efforts on Sunday.
Debt should be a concern
Thomas Jefferson favored amending the Constitution by “taking from the federal government the power of borrowing.” He also favored a requirement that taxes would have to be sufficient for each generation to pay its own debts. Managing debt has always been a fundamental problem of American Democracy.
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Kenneth Pruett
James E. Swanson
James E. Swanson
Destination Great Falls
Kats headed back to state tournament after third place finish at Divisionals
News from the Interlocal
The crowd at the Winter Interlocal was a bit smaller than usual – I counted 51. I blame the low turnout on the days and days with below-zero nights. Polebridge actually had an official -41F on one chilly morning.
About personal hygiene
It’s bad enough sitting in a dental chair for three hours, but the worst part seemed to be paying $1,300 for the new crown. Yes, that little event did reduce my enjoyment of life last week, however, the crown had to be fixed because it is on my “chewing side.” Naturally, big dental bills worry most of us, but at least I had the money to pay it. It truly bothers me that so many folks out there cannot always afford needed-type expenses, especially on their “chewing side.”
East Glacier Park has seen 235 inches of snow this winter
No doubt, it’s been snowy winter, but some places have been far snowier than others.
A chat with Hilary Hutcheson
An interview with Columbia Falls guide, fishing personality and Lary’s Fly Shop owner Hilary Hutcheson.
C-Falls police having problems with radios
The Columbia Falls Police Department is struggling with dead zones. That’s areas of the city where the police radios either don’t work at all, or have a poor signal.
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From timber interest to environmental groups, a host of objections have been raised on the final draft of the Flathead National Forest plan.
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Baseball signups
Pair roll 300 games at Glacier Lanes
Dauglas Scheeler and Tracy Stevens joined the ranks of the Glacier Lanes elite recently. The veteran bowlers rolled perfect 300 games last month. Stevens rolled his on Jan. 17 and Scheeler on Jan. 26.
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70 years ago
Commission approves special mule deer hunt
The Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission last week approved a new limited draw for mule deer bucks in a section of the Fisher River in Hunting District 103 near Libby. The new permit area will take effect this year with a quota of five draw permits. Applications will be due March 15, 2018. Maps will be available at FWP’s office in Kalispell and online at fwp.mt.gov under “Hunt Planner.”
Wednesday, February 21
Search continues for missing doctor
When Jack Marcial’s youngest son was brought into the world, it was at the hands of Dr. Jonathan Torgerson.
More condos planned for Nucleus
The housing boom on Nucleus Avenue continues. Compass Construction owner Bill Goldberg broke ground on a new development just south of the Bandit Bar last week.
Polebridge dips to 34 below
Another winter storm pummeled the region over the weekend. Heavy snow fell in West Glacier on Friday and Saturday, with blizzard conditions late Saturday as another arctic cold front spilled over the Continental Divide.
Weyerhaeuser sells land for easement
The first phase of the Whitefish Lake Watershed Project has been completed protecting more than 7,000 acres of forestland north of Whitefish.
Where would we be without Gore-Tex? And other fishing innovations
Fishful’s 10 Biggest Fishing Innovations in the Past 70 years
Wildkats to open divisional play against Butte Central
The Wildkats will open the divisional tournament against a familiar foe Thursday as they open against the third seed from the Southwest Conference, Butte Central.
Meeting on Sperry Chalet rebuild next week
Glacier National Park leaders will give the public a first look at its vision for rebuilding the Sperry Chalet next week at a meeting in Kalispell.
FWP Commission: No grizzly hunt near Yellowstone this year
The Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission last week voted to not have a grizzly bear hunt near Yellowstone National Park this upcoming hunting season.
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Sherry C. Shortell
Wildcats drop pair to Ronan, Libby at district tourney
The Wildcat basketball season game to a close at the Northwest A District Tournament in Ronan over the weekend as Columbia Falls lost to the host Chiefs and the Libby Loggers.
Kats finish second at district tournament
The top-seeded Wildkats had to settle for second place at the Northwest A District Tournament in Ronan over the weekend as they defeated the host team in the semifinal Friday before falling to second seed Browning in the championship game Saturday.
Finding Brandon
Probably because of a life-long love of art and an awe of artistic talent, I was stopped by a display of school kids’ drawings in a bank lobby about 28 years ago. Among those art works from Peterson Grade School was an excellent rendition of a bighorn ram, so I stood and studied it. Got to wondering if the boy who drew it had ever actually seen a wild bighorn. Perhaps it was an early association with the Big Brothers organization, but for some reason I had to find out about that young artist.
'Bleed Blue' week at high school
Columbia Falls High School invites the community of Columbia Falls to be part of our second annual Bleed Blue Week, Feb. 26-March 2.
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Barbara Beth (York) Grilley
Cold is cold
It is definitely winter in Columbia Falls, with more and more snow, low temperatures and a cool breeze moving the snow around. It is even more so on the North Fork. Trail Creek, without a doubt, has more snow and lower temperatures than Columbia Falls. One night last week, residents were competing for who had the coldest night. First reports were -19, but the next report was -20 and it finally bottomed out at -23.
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Lonnie LaMar Hill
Glacier's glaciers featured in big book
When the last of Glacier National Park’s glaciers are gone, there will be a some big books to remember them by.
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Free meals
Objections raised to Flathead National Forest Plan
The objection period for the new Flathead National Forest plan came to a close last week, marking another chapter in the process for a new Forest Plan. Planner Joe Krueger said the Forest will post the written objections on its web site Thursday.
Perry files for reelection
Columbia Falls’ incumbent representative Zac Perry of Hungry Horse has filed for re-election for House District 2, which includes the City of Columbia Falls and the Canyon. If elected, this would Perry’s third term in office.
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Feb. 13
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70 years ago
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Robert Dale Potter
Monday, February 19
Search continues for missing Columbia Falls doctor on Big Mountain
By PEREGRINE FRISSELL
Friday, February 16
Sperry chalet still standing
So far, so good for the remains of the Sperry Chalet.
Wednesday, February 14
The week in pictures...
Forest, Swan View at odds over special permit
A conservation group continues to raise objections to commercial use of Dickey Creek Road in the Middle Fork of the Flathead, the but Forest Service maintains it wants more people to recreate on its lands in the winter.
Nearly two dozen MDT plows have collided with rigs this year
A whopping 23 vehicles have collided this winter with Montana Department of Transportation snowplows. One accident last week in the Bad Rock Canyon resulted in a vehicle hitting a plow head-on after it lost control on the icey highway.
Boys and Girls Club unveils hopes for $5 million community center at Ruder
Don Bennett wants to see a new Boys and Girls Club facility in Columbia Falls, and his hope is to start on it sooner, rather than later.
Trails in Sprague Fire area will take time to clear, repair, Park Service notes
Glacier National Park is predicting it will take a couple of seasons to fully repair trails and clear downed trees from last summer’s Sprague Creek Fire.
Wild and Scenic: Stories from the mighty Middle Fork
This is the story of a bear mauling that put the Middle Fork of the Flathead to the forefront of the early American conservation movement.
Guide helps the Blackfeet
Glacier Adventure Guides owner Greg Fortin recently showed some kindness to the Blackfeet Tribe.
Swim team competes at state
Several Columbia Falls swimmers set their best times of the season at the state meet in Great Falls over the weekend as the both the boys and girls teams finished fourth among Class A competitors.
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Debbie Ann Taylor (Zygmond)
Wildcats win at Whitefish, fall at home to Browning
The Wildcats will be entering this weekend’s district tournament as the No. 4 seed after picking up a win at Whitefish last week.
Kats to enter district tournament as top seed
Despite splitting the final two games of the regular season, the Wildkats will enter this weekend’s district tournament as the top seed.
Windauer earns state title, Matcats 8th
Ben Windauer needed only just over eight minutues to earn a state wrestling title this weekend as he pinned all four of his opponents to earn the Class A 170-pound championship in Billings.
Man charged with felony partner-family assault
A Kalispell man was charged with felony partner-family member assault after he allegedly had an altercation with a family member Feb. 10 at the Cedar Creek Lodge.
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Two charged with burglary
Two Columbia Falls men have been charged with felony burglary after they allegedly illegally entered a home on Seventh Street West and assaulted a resident inside.
Thoughts on the Interlocal
We are rapidly approaching the Winter Interlocal. It will be held Feb. 21 at Glacier National Park in the Community Building. By now, individuals and private residents should have sent their concerns to Bill Walker so that he can give advance notice to the responsible government agency.
A grizzly spray memory
If you check the 911 reports in the Daily Inter Lake, or any other state news source, you know it is getting fairly common for a few crooks and some “off center” dingbats to use bear spray for other purposes. It is a growing “weapon of choice” in wild domestic fights as well as occasional attempted criminal activity.
Through the ice at Duck Lake is an adventure
Ice fishing on Duck Lake makes lifetime memories. Most times we remember the adventure, not the fish.
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70 years ago
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Women meet
Peddlers Post offers unique combination of furniture and firearms
Kim Best is glad to finally have her store, the Peddlers Post, in Columbia Falls.
Archer wins silver at National Championships
Columbia Falls archer Miranda Lauria earned a silver medal this weekend as she competed at the United States Intercollegiate Indoor National Championships in Las Vegas, Nev. She won the gold medal for the University of the Cumberlands in the women’s recurve competition at the Mid-South Conference Indoor Championships last month.
Legals February 14, 2018
No. 1629 PUBLIC BID NOTICE Bids for leased lit internet services will be received by the Clerk of School District Six, 501 6th. Ave. West, Columbia Falls, Montana until 10:00 AM [MST] February 28, 2018, publicly opened and read aloud on the same day and time in the Conference Room, and taken under advisement. All bids must be plainly marked "bid response for Leased Lit Fiber Internet Services or Networking Equipment". Non-mandatory site visits will be offered by appointment. To make an appoint for a non-mandatory site walk-through please contact Bob Mears by emailing Bob Mears (b_mears@cfmtschools.net). Scheduled walk-thrus will meet at Columbia Falls School District, 1805 Talbot Rd., Columbia Falls, MT 59912. No site walk-thrus after Feb. 21st, 2018 4PM MST, February 21, 2018 Questions submitted on or before this date to Nicole Jones at njjrwj@midrivers.com The current Internet Service is provided with a 500 Mb symmetrical OC-24 Fiber connection. The District is seeking bid options for Leased lit fiber internet services of 500 Mb, 700Mb, and 1 Gb download speeds with Service Level Agreement (SLA) guarantees. The solutions must be scalable to meet demand including 1:1, BYOD, and/ or guest access. Bids should demonstrate a scalable solution to meet future demand. District currently has approximately 2039 students. The new service is being planned to begin on July 1, 2018 or as soon as feasible after receipt of a Funding Commitment Decision Letter and / or a State Matching Award Notification. All respondents must be capable of providing telecommunication/ internet including access services under the Universal Service Support Mechanism. Price quotes are requested 12 months, 36 months, and 60 months' terms of service. Dated this 29th day of January, 2018 Dustin Zuffelato Clerk/Business Manager February 7, 14, 2018 MNAXLP __________________________
Friday, February 9
Mooring View Lane home destroyed by fire
No one was injured but a house on Mooring View Lane in rural Columbia Falls was destroyed by fire in a spectacular blaze Friday afternoon.
Bighorn ram from Wild Horse Island likely a world record
A 9-year-old ram whose skull was found on Wild Horse Island is poised to break the record for world’s largest ram.
Fierce winter storm pummels the valley; sends tree through trailer home
A fierce winter storm pummeled the Flathead Valley Feb. 8 as an arctic front spilled over the Continental Divide, bringing snow, ice, wind, accidents and numerous trees down with it.
Thursday, February 8
Remembering the early days of Martin City
Except for the hubbub of Cabin Fever Days in February and the upsurge in traffic during the summer and hunting seasons, Martin City is a bastion of peace and quiet these days.
City council OK's bigger garage apartments, allows vacation rentals
The Columbia Falls City Council Monday night approved a zone change that would allow a homeowner to add a garage or basement apartment up to 800 square feet in size.
Wednesday, February 7
Fire heavily damages Martin City rental home
Firefighters from Martin City and Bad Rock battled a house fire Feb. 7 about 8:30 a.m. on Sixth Street North in Martin City.
The week in pictures
Something to grouse about
I dug the snow out of my ear and wiggled my shoulder back into place and wondered what had happened.
I love you?
Got to talking things over with “First Wife Iris” last week and it came up that we are approaching our 60th anniversary in April. I often tell people the secret of our long marriage is simple. If Iris says “jump,” I say “how high?” That story is not completely true, but one thing is true: we often, sometimes several times a day, tell each other “I love you.”
Thanks for the support
We would like to thank the following businesses for their generous donations hosting the divisional wrestling tournament: The Backroom/ Nite Owl Restaurant, Cajun Design, Design Expressions, Domino’s Pizza, Freedom Bank, Glacier Bank, Laurie’s Deli, Northfork Pizza, Pizza Hut, Smiths, Stageline Pizza, Super 1, Tiens Place, Parkside Federal Credit Union, Vaqueros and Whitefish Credit Union. The community and Columbia Falls High School appreciates you and your support to Wildc/kat activities.
Keep Partnership vision intact
There’s a lot of bad news about divisiveness in America. Here’s a local good-news story: Folks with very diverse interests in the Flathead Valley met over a 13-month period, got way past “No!” and achieved a unanimous agreement on national forest management. Sound impossible? No, not really. The Flathead Forest has formally adopted most of the Whitefish Range Partnership’s recommendations in their recently released revised forest plan, proving that local input matters, and that people who work together in good faith can have a positive impact.
Tying the wireworm
I read recently that February has not always existed.
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Joan Alice Morine
Larry Sanford
Larry Sanford
Wildcats down Polson, fall to Libby in OT
The Wildcats came up just short of picking up two wins last week as they defeated the Pirates in Polson Tuesday but fell at home to Libby in overtime Thursday.
Matcats take second at Divisionals
The Matcats made a strong push for their sixth straight divisional wrestling title Saturday but came up just short as Columbia Falls hosted the Class A Western Divisional Tournament.
Wildkats overcome slow start in Polson, down Libby
The Wildkats overcame a slow start in Polson Tuesday and survived a good test at Libby Thursday to stay undefeated in conference play with a pair of wins last week.
Columbia Falls fish pond project hits a snag
Sometimes simple ideas get complicated in a hurry. Such is the city’s plan to put a fish pond in at River’s Edge Park.
Project brings a little inspiration to student life
Hayleigh Bayee is hoping to make a difference in the halls at Columbia Falls High School. Taking a page from a project at Kalispell Regional Medical Center, the junior has organized “180 Days of Inspiration.”
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The first hunter and bowhunter education classes of 2018 are open to registration across northwest Montana. Hunter education courses are currently scheduled in Bigfork, Whitefish, Libby, Plains, Somers and Trout Creek. Bowhunter education courses are scheduled for Plains and Columbia Falls. Online registration is open by visiting fwp.mt.gov/education/hunter and selecting “Find a Class or Field Course.”
Public meeting on river use in March
Columbia Falls will host the first of several meetings on a new comprehensive river management plan for the three forks of the Flathead River.
Glacier will allow small boats with electric motors on more lakes this summer
Glacier National Park will allow non-trailered, non-water cooled boats with electric motors on Bowman, Two Medicine and St. Mary lakes this summer.
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Legion news
Cabin Fever Days is set for this weekend
Cabin Fever Days marks its 40th anniversary this year, with the famous bar stool races scheduled to start at 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Two school board seats up for re-election
Two school board seats are up for re-election this spring. School board President Jill Rocksund is up for re-election as is Jim Henjum. Both are three-year terms. People interested in filing for the election must do so by March 29.
On Nucleus, something new, condos with great views
Nucleus Avenue is now a player in the Columbia Falls housing market.
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70 years ago
Legals February 7, 2018
No. 1629 PUBLIC BID NOTICE Bids for leased lit internet services will be received by the Clerk of School District Six, 501 6th. Ave. West, Columbia Falls, Montana until 10:00 AM [MST] February 28, 2018, publicly opened and read aloud on the same day and time in the Conference Room, and taken under advisement. All bids must be plainly marked "bid response for Leased Lit Fiber Internet Services or Networking Equipment". Non-mandatory site visits will be offered by appointment. To make an appoint for a non-mandatory site walk-through please contact Bob Mears by emailing Bob Mears (b_mears@cfmtschools.net). Scheduled walk-thrus will meet at Columbia Falls School District, 1805 Talbot Rd., Columbia Falls, MT 59912. No site walk-thrus after Feb. 21st, 2018 4PM MST, February 21, 2018 Questions submitted on or before this date to Nicole Jones at njjrwj@midrivers.com The current Internet Service is provided with a 500 Mb symmetrical OC-24 Fiber connection. The District is seeking bid options for Leased lit fiber internet services of 500 Mb, 700Mb, and 1 Gb download speeds with Service Level Agreement (SLA) guarantees. The solutions must be scalable to meet demand including 1:1, BYOD, and/ or guest access. Bids should demonstrate a scalable solution to meet future demand. District currently has approximately 2039 students. The new service is being planned to begin on July 1, 2018 or as soon as feasible after receipt of a Funding Commitment Decision Letter and / or a State Matching Award Notification. All respondents must be capable of providing telecommunication/ internet including access services under the Universal Service Support Mechanism. Price quotes are requested 12 months, 36 months, and 60 months' terms of service. Dated this 29th day of January, 2018 Dustin Zuffelato Clerk/Business Manager February 7, 14, 2018 MNAXLP __________________________
Tuesday, February 6
Snowpack now 135 percent of average
Another week of snowstorms has boosted the Flathead River Basin snowpack to 135 percent of average and even more is on the way.
Friday, February 2
A quick blast of cold air expected Saturday night, with heavy snow
Folks heading out to the Whitefish Carnival this weekend might want to bundle up. An intrusion of arctic air is expected to swipe the Flathead Saturday, with 8 to 12 inches of snow by Monday.
Thursday, February 1
Glacier National Park looks at leasing historic cabins on Lake McDonald
Imagine living in a historic cabin on Lake McDonald in Glacier National Park.
MDT announces plans for U.S. 2 bike path
The Montana Department of Trans-portation is looking for public input on another piece of the bike path pie in Columbia Falls.
