Friday, March 29
Man who dodged homicide charge now faces federal prison time in drug plea
A Martin City man who dodged a homicide charge for allegedly shooting a man in Hungry Horse will still end up in prison on federal drug charges.
Thursday, March 28
As bears awaken, the usual precautions are urged
They’re back.
Wednesday, March 27
Spring ice can be most treacherous
Spring ice is the most dangerous ice of the year.
The Blue Moon, way more than a night club, it's an institution
Dan Danner and Alice Infelise sat a table at the Blue Moon Nite Club last week. On their plates were sausage made from venison and elk, fish nuggets of northern pike, venison roast, a smoked salmon dip, and yep, even a sliver of mountain lion.
C-Falls tennis looking to have big year
The Columbia Falls High School tennis teams are hoping for big things in 2019 as the teams will host both the divisional and state tournament this season.
The diplomat's tour
Here’s a classic column that G. George Ostrom picked out from August, 1970.
House passes main spending bill
By Shaylee Ragar and Tim Pierce
Bearfoot Reflexology opens its doors on Nucleus Avenue
Columbia Falls residents have a new option when it comes to wellness therapy as Bearfoot Reflexology has opened its doors on Nucleus Ave.
Enjoy those huckleberries? Thank a wild bumblebee
The next time you grab a handful of huckleberries, you just might want to thank the bees — bumblebees that is. Research by Montana State University and the U.S. Geological Survey has found that there’s about six species of bumblebee and one Andrenidae species of bee that pollinate Montana’s huckleberry bushes.
In Glacier Park, plows begin the long job of clearing roads of snow
Glacier National Park’s annual rite of spring gets underway this week and next — the clearing of its roads of winter snows.
Glacier Gateway girls tops at science fair
Is industrial timber ash an effective liming agent for farm fields? Can you have fun with frequencies? Instrumental music versus songs with lyrics: Which helps with concentration the most?
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Patsy Moller
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Youth Soccer
Bullock to establish grizzly advisory council
Montana Gov. Steve Bullock today last week that he will establish a Grizzly Bear Advisory Council to help initiate a statewide discussion on grizzly bear management, conservation and recovery. The Council will be selected through an application process that ends April 12.
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March 19
West Glacier students raise $1,200 for food bank
West Glacier School students put away their tablets, shut off their phones and turned off their televisions and picked up books last week as part of the school’s REDA (Read, Earn, Donate, Achieve) challenge.
Cats track looking for another strong season
Head coach Jamie Heinz and the Columbia Falls High School track teams will be looking to have another successful year in 2019 as the season opens in Frenchtown April 6.
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70 years ago
School tech levy serves a variety of needs
Staff and administrators at School District 6 over the next few months will get together to determine the best way to advance the elementary and high school’s technology needs.
Tuesday, March 26
Arizona man recovered from Glacier Park's Lake McDonald; identity released
A 48-year-old man from Arizona was recovered from Lake McDonald March 26, Glacier National Park officials said. He was later identified as Wei Liu of Tempe.
Wednesday, March 20
LC Staffing opens office in Columbia Falls
Those seeking employment in the area now have a new resource as LC Staffing has opened its newest location in downtown Columbia Falls.
Wildkat softball to open season in Polson this weekend
Head coach Dave Kehr and the Wildkats softball team will be looking to earn another trip to the state tournament this year as their season gets underway in Polson this weekend.
Frozen water service lines a problem in Columbia Falls
At least 10 residences in Columbia Falls suffered from frozen water service lines in the past week. The lines generally went to older homes, noted public works director Tyler Bradshaw.
To model a cell, students made cool models, some even baked a cake
From three-dimensional models to intricate drawings to even a cake or two, Columbia Falls sixth grade students found inventive ways to illustrate the parts of plants and animal cells as part of a science project over the past few weeks.
The average reduction in Glacier's glaciers? 39 percent, study shows
Glaciers are melting as a result of climate change, that most can agree on. However, how fast they melt remains to be seen and will likely be impacted by how society reacts to climate change.
Many Glacier in March
I’d like to say we skied into the Many Glacier valley over the weekend, but that would be a lie. We started out OK. After skirting a bulldozer that was plowing through the big drift at the Sherburne Dam, it was obvious the best route was going to be skiing the lake itself, rather than the road.
Who is old?
Here’s a classic column that G. George Ostrom picked out from July, 1973.
Swedish Pimples and maggots are a great combo for Kokes
Year in and year out, the most consistent “fish bite” in the Flathead Valley is kokanee salmon on late ice.
Time to make the 6-mill levy permanent
In 1947 thousands of WW II veterans eligible for G.I. Bill higher education benefits were overwhelming the university system. The feeling in Montana and the rest of the country was that nobody was entitled to a living, but that everybody should be entitled to a fair chance to earn one. Education makes opportunity possible. Those who benefit from it can take advantage of opportunities, and create them for others. Those without an education are often left behind.
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Bumblebee talk
Park formally releases plan for utilities to Kelly's Camp in Glacier
Glacier National Park has formally announced that it intends to allow the extension of electric and telephone service to Kelly’s Camp in Glacier National Park.
Yep, it's chick season, but please don't kiss the birds
With virtually every feed store in the valley selling live chicks, the state Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Livestock is again reminding folks that birds can carry illnesses and disease that can make people sick, or worse, if the birds are not properly handled.
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March 12
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The bad news about trout and their brethren is about 73 percent of the species worldwide are threatened with extinction.
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Dr. Joseph DeFlyer
Local vets recognize Legion's 100th birthday
Columbia Falls Freedom Post No. 72, American Legion, celebrated the Legion’s 100th anniversary Monday, March 11 at the Veteran’s Home in Columbia Falls.
Friday, March 15
School board: District won't float levy. Pitch made for soccer fields. Parent unhappy about blanket
They won’t float a levy. Soccer folks pitched new soccer and ball fields. And a parent wasn’t happy about how a peace blanket was given to the Blackfeet by the girls basketball team.
Thursday, March 14
Man pleads not guilty to Coram homicide
During his arraignment Thursday morning, Martin J. Chandler pleaded not guilty to charges of felony deliberate homicide and felony use of a firearm following a Feb. 14 shooting in Coram that left another man dead.
Wednesday, March 13
Trump budget looks to cut Park Service spending, zeros out LWCF
At a time when places like Glacier National Park are seeing record crowds, President Trump’s proposed 2020 budget looks to cut the Park Service budget and it zeros out the Land and Water Conservation Fund.
Gangster argument on social media resulted in school lockdown
A 17-year-old male who posed with what appeared to be a gun on social media forced a lockdown at Ruder Elementary School Tuesday afternoon.
Locals do well at skijoring event
Several Columbia Falls competitors were among the top finishers at Rebecca Farm March 4 as Montana Equestrian Events sponsored a skijoring event there.
C-Falls basketball players earn post season honors
Six Columbia Falls basketball players picked up post season honors this week as the All-State and All-Conference teams were announced.
Kats bounce back from loss, take third at state
The Wildkats saw their hopes for a state title dashed after the opening game of the Class A State basketball tourney, but battled their way back through the bracket to win three games to earn the third-place crown for the second consecutive year.
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Toastmasters
Overcrowding, age main issues at elementary schools
Leaky roofs, cramped classrooms, 140-degree crawlspaces and security issues were among the concerns highlighted as School District 6 administrators took the Hungry Horse News on a tour of all three area elementary school campuses Feb. 27.
Highline apartments ahead of schedule
The first phase of the new Highline Apartments at the end of Bills Lane in Columbia Falls are expected to open in August, well ahead of schedule.
The paradox of improved access
Main concerns on the North Fork remain the same from year-to-year, can only be solved by government agencies and are most often controversial.
Prayers after the Cleveland tragedy
Editor’s note: In December, 1969, Clare Pogreba, Ray Martin, Jerry Kanzler, Jim Anderson and Mark Levitan, all Montana men in their late teens and early 20s, died in an avalanche on Mount Cleveland in Glacier National Park. It was the worst tragedy in Glacier Park history. Their bodies were recovered the following summer in June. This story by Larry Stem in the Daily Inter Lake July 5, 1974, was submitted by G. George Ostrom instead of his column this week. It lends further insight into the tragedy.
Biologist does some wolf Mythbusting
Wolves live in family groups. They don’t think twice about traveling long distances. They’re territorial. They make a lot of noise. And some have no qualms about capturing and killing their foes.
No fan of Medicaid expansion
If money grew on trees, government involvement improved healthcare, and fraud and abuse was minimal — I could support Medicaid expansion.
Students do well at school, county, science fairs
Columbia Falls students did well at recent science fairs, both at the school and county levels. Top placers included:
Lake McDonald freezes over; Flathead almost
After a frigid start to March, Glacier National Park’s Lake McDonald has frozen over in its entirety, save for a few holes here and there.
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March 5
Snowpacks improve across the state, but Flathead is still below average
Above normal snowfall in February and December-like temperatures have led to an improvement of snowpack totals for March 1 in river basins across the state, according to snow survey data collected by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Former Wildkats pick up Frontier Conference honors
A pair of former standout Wildkat basketball players are making waves at the college level as Sydney Hovde and Peyton Kehr recently picked up conference honors at Montana State University-Northern in Havre as the team went 13-18 this season.
Monitors sought for area lakes
Love to spend time on lakes? Interested in water quality? The Northwest Montana Lakes Volunteer Monitoring Network is looking for lake property owners and/or homeowners, summer cabin owners, recreationists, and just people who are interested in lakes to become volunteer monitors. There are currently 41 lakes in the program, and many are in need of a volunteer including:
Doesn't support school renovations
To whom it may concern (this means you the tax payers!).
High school, Glacier to team up on cabins
Columbia Falls High School and Glacier National Park are teaming up as their new School-to-Park program will gain students valuable workforce experience while battling the housing shortage inside the park.
Tuesday, March 12
Threatening message on Snap Chat results in soft lockdown at elementary school
By HILARY MATHESON
Monday, March 11
New technology at schools making a difference, teacher says
New equipment purchased by School District 6 through last year’s technology levy is making a difference in the classroom.
Saturday, March 9
Kats defeat Laurel in overtime, earn third at state tourney
The Wildkats survived a strong comeback bid from the Laurel Locomotives in the Class A Girls State Consolation game in Great Falls Saturday to earn a 46-44 overtime victory and the third-place trophy.
Kats down Rams to advance to consolation final
The Wildkats are headed back to the consolation final at the Class A State Basketball Tournament for the second year in a row after picking up a 43-38 win over Billings Central Saturday morning.
Friday, March 8
Wildkats down Libby to advance at state tourney
The Wildkats season continues after Columbia Falls picked up a convincing win over Libby in a loser-out contest at the Class A State Basketball Tournament Friday morning, 48-33.
Thursday, March 7
Woman identified in Martin City House Fire
The identity of a woman who was killed in a house fire Feb. 28 off Central Avenue in Martin City has been identified as Karen Short, 54.
Glacier backcountry reservations going to a lottery system; no longer first-come first-serve on opening day, March 15
Glacier National Park has announced a key change in its backcountry camping advanced reservation system this year. The system, which will go live on March 15 will now use a “modified lottery system” on opening day that will process requests “in a randomly sequenced order,” the Park announced on its website.
Kats fall to Laurel in state tourney opener
The Wildkats had a tough outing in their opening game of the Class A state basketball tournament Thursday, committing 30 turnovers in a 58-29 loss to the Laurel Locomotives.
Wednesday, March 6
Wildkats ready to rumble at state tourney
The Wildkats quest for their second basketball state title in three years continues Thursday as the team begins play at the Class A state tournament in Great Falls.
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Wildcat Tennis
Columbia Falls bull rider makes professional debut
Columbia Falls resident Cody Sorenson realized his dream of becoming a professional bull rider last month as he made his debut on the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) circuit in Kalispell.
Time to check those fly boxes
If you act now, there’s still plenty of time to inventory your flies, tie what you need, and maybe even order some of the harder-to-tie varieties.
As city updates its codes, jail time being expunged as a penalty
As Columbia Falls city staff updates its municipal code, one thing they’re taking out is the jail sentence penalty where possible.
Thoughts on school expansion
Over the course of the past few months I’ve watched plans unfold for both the Columbia Falls elementary schools and the Boys and Girls Club’s plans for a new facility.
LWCF bill now on President Trump's desk
The U.S. House passed a key piece of land use legislation last week. Montana Republican Congressman Greg Gianforte supported the Natural Resources Management Act, which passed the House with a bipartisan vote of 363-62.
She loved to be read stories, now she's passing it on
Kyla Johnston had no idea that her love of reading would help pay for her college education someday.
Glacier Park's Lake McDonald freezes completely over
After a frigid start to March, Glacier National Park’s Lake McDonald has frozen over in its entirety, save for a few holes the size of a school bus.
A cold, but rewarding trip
Boy! What a winter! Thank goodness March is here and spring is only about two weeks away.
Seventh grader helps Special Olympic team gain new equipment in time for competition
The Columbia Falls Special Olympics team has 10 new pairs of snowshoes, thanks to the efforts of junior high student Hope McAtee and Sportsman & Ski Haus of Kalispell.
The Cleveland tragedy
Editor’s note: In December, 1969, Clare Pogreba, Ray Martin, Jerry Kanzler, Jim Anderson and Mark Levitan, all Montana men in their late teens and early 20s, died in an avalanche on Mount Cleveland in Glacier National Park. It was the worst tragedy in Glacier Park history. Their bodies were recovered the following summer in June. This G. George Ostrom column from 1970 recalls the incident...
Wilderness grants for creatives available
The University of Montana Wilderness Institute is now accepting proposals for grants that support historical research, creative writing and wilderness studies projects that explore Montana’s land and people.
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Feb. 25
Brown Bill that would curb de-icer likely dead
A bill sponsored by Senate District 2 legislator Dee Brown, R-Coram that would require the state to reduce its use of liquid chloride de-icers was tabled by the Senate finance committee recently. A tabled bill typically dies in the state legislature.
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Linda Daniels Bailey
Things are looking up for Columbia Falls Boys and Girls Club
It’s shed some significant debt. It’s hired a director of development with years of fundraising experience. And now it’s looking to build a new center in Columbia Falls with the help of a leader in the Columbia Falls’ financial sector.
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70 years ago
North Fork Road improvements won't happen anytime soon
Work on the upper end of the North Fork Road and the access road to the Polebridge entrance to Glacier National Park is still a few years away.
