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70 years ago

Oct. 28, 1949

A park ranger conference focused on how Glacier National Park had escaped any serious fire damage, despite a dry summer season. There had been 27 fires reported, destroying a total of 3.15 acres. Seventeen of the fires were caused by lightning, while 10 were human-caused, including four by smokers, three by campers and two by fireworks. A shortage of berries in the mountains was leading to bears causing trouble around the park headquarters.

60 years ago

Oct. 30, 1959

The Red Measles epidemic that had been causing high absenteeism in the Columbia Falls Grade School was waning, according to Principal Phil Nelson. Earlier in the month, the first grade had seen 60 of 122 students absent, including 21 of 30 in one classroom. The annual school census showed continued slow growth. The census showed 1,572 persons under 21 years old in and around Columbia Falls, up from 1,554 in 1958 and 1,517 in 1956.

50 years ago

Oct. 31, 1969

Rising taxes in the Flathead Valley were attributed to increased spending on schools and higher county government costs. Despite the increase, a survey of 24 cities around Montana found that Columbia Falls had the lowest tax rate at $187.81 per $1,000 of taxable valuation. Kalispell ($198.56) and Whitefish ($219.50) were also below average. Alberton was the highest in the state at $337.58.

40 years ago

Nov. 1, 1979

The county dedicated what was at the time the largest park in the Flathead when it opened Herron Park. The 120-acre park, named for former land owners Iven and Vivian Herron, was christened with a brief ceremony near Foys Lake. Fifteen-year-old Jordan Sorenson was accidentally shot and killed by his 14-year-old neighbor after the two had been out hunting earlier in the day. The accident occured at the neighbor’s home nine and half miles west of Whitefish.

30 years ago

Oct. 26, 1989

Despite there being more hunters in the woods than the year before, hunter success on the opening day of big game hunting season was down. Hunters had only an 8.1 percent success rate in Region 1 as the 3,658 hunters reported taking 43 elk, 74 mule deer, 179 whitetail deer and three black bears. A Columbia Falls man was in jail after he had been spotted shooting out a street light with a .308 caliber rifle.

20 years ago

Oct. 28, 1999

Three new Global Positioning collars were recovered near Marias Pass after being attached to a trio of bears for three and a half months. Scientists said the new tracking system could change the way bear movements are studied forever. Columbia Falls voters were preparing to vote on a proposed $11.9 million bond issue for the construction of a new junior high school. The bond passed. Studies showed no cases of Chronic Wasting Disease in animals in Montana. There have been 11 cases near Libby this year.

10 years ago

Oct. 29, 2009

The Columbia Falls High School boys cross country team celebrated its first-ever state championship in Missoula. The Wildcats won the title again in 2018 and 2019. Columbia Falls resident Randy Hauk pleaded guilty and was ordered to pay fines totaling $1,135 for poaching two wolves near Whale Creek in the North Fork.