Ellington

As cases surge, opinions on virus run the gamut

On local streets, people had a variety of opinions about the pandemic.

Wildkat spikers finish regular season undefeated

Wildkat volleyball finished its regular season undefeated on Saturday after two final victories this week against Whitefish and Polson, rounding out the year with a perfect 12-0 record.

The Blotter: Woman missing antique dish

A woman was missing an antique dish from her home; it was unknown who had taken it.

Could testing keep athletes in play?

When school sports started this fall I gave them a slight chance of success.

Mental health of students at stake from unjust quarantines

This letter is to address the quarantine process taking place at Columbia Falls High School.

Growth is coming, which way will city go?

The Columbia Falls City Council last week examined where the city might expand in the future.

FWP moves grizzlies from near town

Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks have been busy with grizzly bear problems over the past two months, including removing a grizzly sow and cub that were in the Columbia Falls area.

Forest Service closer to finalizing Frozen Moose project

The Flathead National Forest has moved forward with a plan for logging and tree thinning up the North Fork.

Early snow at least beneficial for hunters

Plenty of snow for tracking and being quiet.

Girls soccer season comes to a close with a loss against Laurel

The Columbia Falls girls soccer season came to an end Saturday after a tough 5-1 semifinals loss to Laurel, the reigning state champions.

Kay Penny Eaves

On Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2020 Kay Penny Eaves went into the arms of her lord and savior, at the age of 76.

Cats playoff bound

The Columbia Falls football team is heading to the state A playoffs.

Speech, debate, welcomes new coach

The Columbia Falls speech and debate team will have a new head coach at the helm.

Boys stun Central, championship bound

Columbia Falls boys soccer has made it to the Class A State Championship after defeating Billings Central 2-1 in a high-octane semifinals match on Saturday.

Health Department urges folks to do something different for Halloween

Health Department suggests virtual Halloween costume contests

Election 2020: Kristen Larson

As a small business owner, Flathead County Commission candidate Kristen Larson understands the difficulties facing her business and other businesses in the Flathead Valley.

Election 2020: Brad Abell

Brad Abell wants to help protect the Flathead Valley for future generations.

‘Forest Action Plan’ hopes to make forests more resilient

The state recently released a new “Montana Forest Action Plan,” which sets roadmap for future forest management in the state.

Powers sickened by attack ads

I am sickened by the negative ads that have been sent to voters attacking my opponent.

Legals for October, 28 2020

People can now file coronavirus complaints against businesses via online form

Gov. Steve Bullock announced Friday that individuals can now file a consumer complaint form against businesses that appear to be violating coronavirus guidelines.

Cross Country: Girls take second, boys take third at state meet

The Columbia Falls girls cross country team took second at the state A meet at Rebecca Farm in Kalispell Friday.

Football team gets win over Butte as 'no contest'

The Columbia Falls football team won’t be traveling to Butte this Friday to play Butte Central. The game has been canceled because Central doesn’t have enough players to field a team.

Wintry blast expected tomorrow afternoon into Saturday morning

Northwest Montana will see a wintry blast Friday afternoon and into Saturday as an arctic front is expected to spill over the Divide.

Library gets innovative during pandemic

Curbside delivery, laptop checkout just some of adaptations

Wildcats edged by Broncs in the rain and the cold

Columbia Falls football lost to Frenchtown Friday night

Girls advance to semifinals

Girls squad comes back to beat Corvallis on the road

Wildkat girls soccer secured a quarterfinal victory after a 3-1 triumph over Corvallis on Saturday.

Mary Josepha Marantette

Mary Josepha (Josie) Marantette, 91, passed away in Columbia Falls on Oct. 6, 2020.

Locals shine at LeGrizz ultra

This year’s 39th running of the LeGrizz 50-mile ultra marathon had a decidedly local flavor, Saturday, Oct. 10.

Boys advance to Class A semifinals

Boys dispatch top-ranked Frenchtown Broncs in a thriller

The Wildcat boys soccer team has made it to the State A semifinals for the first time in five years after a 2-1 upset over higher-seeded Frenchtown on Saturday.

Girls take Western A crown in cross country

Kat cross country divisional champs

Body of missing man found near Skyland Road

Forest Service employees find body of missing man

Sensory room at school raises ire of parent, but school defends its use

Connie Gneiting fully admits that her daughter, Kiera, has learning disabilities and anger issues, but she said when her daughter went to school years ago at Glacier Gateway, she was once put in a room with padded walls and Gneiting was never notified about it.

Respect the flag

I am a Democrat, proudly exhibiting support by displaying politician banners. A large Bullock for Senate banner was stolen from our property. While replacing signs, a young man stopped, he identified himself as someone who did not agree with my opinion, but distained anyone violating that right of opinion. He had witnessed “two young punks” ripping off our banner

Coronavirus cases continue to zoom upward

School District 6 continues to do pretty well handling the coronavirus, but the pandemic overall is taking a toll on health professionals and people charged with tracing disease contacts countywide.

Brown endorses Cooney

I am supporting Mike Cooney for Governor. It was not a difficult decision to make.

Study: Blue Moon intersection sees about 9 million vehicle trips annually

Columbia Falls may be a small town, but being on the doorstep of Glacier National Park means it also has traffic and lots of it.

School rep suggests spending another $1 million on Ruder

The outgoing owner’s representative for School District 6 suggested to the board last week that the district might want to consider spending another $1 million on the Ruder Elementary renovation and remodel.

Health officials say please avoid crowds

With coronavirus cases continuing to rise in Flathead County, health officials are pleading with folks to avoid large crowds and wear masks to stem the spread of the disease.

Yesterdays: Charlie Wise had a wife and child. They died in the flu pandemic of 1919

Front page photo featured a giant 235,000 pound spiral casing for one of the turbines for the Hungry Horse Dam. It was built in the Allis Chalmers plant in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Chalmers had a $2.15 million contract to build four turbines for the dam.

The Blotter: Nudies sent to boys

Inappropriate photos of females with blurred faces were sent to juvenile boys.

Supports Powers

Campaign flyers for the two candidates running in House District 3 showed up in my mailbox on the same day last week. One from Debo Powers, paid for by the POWERS FOR THE PEOPLE campaign, simply encouraged us to vote and mail our ballots no later than Oct. 24.

Virus concerns cause bakery to close

An open letter to our dear friends, neighbors, and customers of Uptown Hearth: With the first snowflakes gently falling, I hope this finds you well and cozy… not shouting, “ACK! It’s too early for this!!”

Legals for October, 21 2020

Winter weather closes Sun Road down to Lake McDonald Lodge. Inside Road also sees closures

Glacier National Park closed the Going-to-the-Sun Road down to Lake McDonald Lodge over the weekend due to wintry weather, as snow and cold firmly gripped even the low elevations of the Park.

Cats lose to Broncs, 28-21 in the wind and the rain

The Columbia Falls football team lost to Frenchtown Friday night at home in the wind and rain, 28-21.

Winter should be snowier and colder than normal. It looks like it starts this weekend, too

The region could see a significant shot of valley snow this weekend, the National Weather Service is advising, with 6 to 12 inches at higher elevations like Marias Pass. The rain on Friday should change to snow after midnight Friday, with the Flathead Valley proper potentially seeing 1 to 2 inches of snow by Sunday, possibly more if enough cold air spills over the Divide.

City planning board OK's new mixed use development on Fourth Avenue

The Columbia Falls City-County Planning Board on Tuesday recommended for approval to the city council an application by Nitopi Family Trust requesting a mixed use planned unit development on a half-acre vacant lot just north of the new Whitefish Credit Union.

Planning board votes against Rolling Acres subdivision

The Flathead County Planning Board unanimously voted to deny recommendation of the Rolling Acres subdivision preliminary plat in a 5-0 vote Wednesday evening.

Chamber seeks board members

The Columbia Falls Area Chamber of Commerce is seeking up to seven new board members for its 2021 Board of Directors.

Community Thanksgiving dinner canceled

Now it is final. The community Thanksgiving dinner at Sondreson Hall is canceled. We have been concerned about it all summer, but is down to where we had no choice. The Hall will be available for any smaller group of members, as long as they abide by the Covid 19 regulations for serving, social distancing, etc. There was just no way to accommodate the 80 to 100 people that usually attend.

Votes do matter

With emotion, the young army colonel told me that he was convinced that democratic countries were the freest and most prosperous places to live. He wanted his children to live in a democracy “like the United States of America.” It was 1997. I was in the war ravaged west African nation of Angola. I was there as a representative of a program conceived by President Ronald Reagan to use volunteer American experts to “encourage democracy in places where it is absent” and “help democracy become more effective where it is in danger.” I was recommended by Montana House Speaker John Mercer and Senator Conrad Burns to be a part of this effort.

Study: Climate change, severe fires, threaten iconic pines

The range of these forests is already expected to decline over the coming centuries as the mature stands die out and are unable to reestablish themselves due to unsuitable climate conditions, leaving those areas to shift to another vegetation type.

Coram water system to see upgrades, big new water tank

The Coram water and sewer district will see a new water tank and other upgrades in the coming months.

Toastmasters host open house

The Columbia Falls Toastmasters will have an open house Tuesday, Oct. 20 from noon to 1 p.m. in the basement of Freedom Bank.

Because everyone needs a mother

Amy Ream has had it in her heart to take care of displaced children ever since she was first able to read the “Anne of Green Gables’’ and “Elizabeth Gail” novels she was drawn to as a child growing up in Columbia Falls. Nearly 30 years later, Ream has followed her heart to spend over a decade taking care of children through Kalispell’s emergency placement foster care system.

The Blotter: Bear trapped near Waterslides

A woman thought she knew who took her gold Toyota Highlander. Two teenage shoplifters were detained. A backpack was turned in containing an unknown white substance, it was determined to be salt after a male tasted it. A woman was caught on video damaging a new automatic car washer.

Glacier visitation down ... but also up

Glacier National Park’s September visitation was 343,911, which was down about 30 percent over last year. Having said that, visitation to the entrances that were actually open was higher than last year and over Labor Day weekend, the Park had to turn people away because it was full.

Novak claims bias

In the profile of Debo Powers candidate for HD3 editor Chris Peterson wrote that Debo said “since she retired in 2011, she’s been a full-time Montana resident.

Mitchell on Turning Point

Turning Point USA is an organization filled with millions of students and young people across the country, and is rapidly growing worldwide.

Weather doesn’t bode well for Logan Pass reopening

Glacier National Park closed access to Logan Pass via the Going-to-the-Sun Road over the weekend due to snow and the prospects of it reopening to motor vehicles this season is highly unlikely.

Shelli (Russ) Howell

Shelli (Russ) Howell passed away at his home in Columbia Falls on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020.

Girls also end season with victories, will also travel south, but to Corvallis

Wildkat girls soccer celebrated a 9-0 win against Libby during senior recognition night on Tuesday.

FWP seeks comments on easement

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is seeking public input on a proposal to purchase a conservation easement to protect approximately 7,256 acres of timberland and wildlife habitat in near Marion.

New documentary features longtime ranger Doug Follett

Four filmmakers from Chapman University recently completed a documentary on Doug Follett — the longtime Glacier National Park interpretative ranger and Columbia Falls school teacher.

Feds say wolverine doesn’t warrant listing, lawsuit promised

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service last week said the wolverine did not warrant listing under the Endangered Species Act.

Cats win two to end regular season, travel south for playoffs against Frenchtown

Wildcat boys soccer beat the Libby Loggers 8-0 during senior recognition night on Tuesday.

Harriers tune up for state at Rebecca Farm

The Columbia Falls girls won the state preview cross country meet at Rebecca Farm on Saturday. The meet was hosted by the Wildcats and replaced meets that had been canceled due to coronavirus concerns. It gave the teams another race on the course, as the state meet will be held there this year.

Spikers extend winning streak as they drop Libby in three

Wildkat volleyball easily handled the Libby Loggers in straight sets, 25-16, 25-15, 25-18, during Thursday’s match at home.

Legals for October, 14 2020

Wildcats blank Corvallis on the road, face Frenchtown at home

The Columbia Falls football team got back on the winning track last week, downing Corvallis 32-0 on the the road.

Columbia Falls looking for public input on transportation plan

Columbia Falls is developing a transportation plan that includes a 20-year planning horizon, evaluating growth to the year 2040 and is looking for public input.

Sun Road won't likely be open to Logan Pass this weekend as storm expected

The Going-to-the Sun Road will temporarily close between Avalanche Creek and Rising Sun this evening due to inclement weather forecasted, Glacier National Park said a release.

County crests 1,000 coronavirus cases. School District 6 releases quarantine data

As Flathead County crested more than 1,000 cases of coronavirus on Friday, Columbia Falls School District 6 also released more information on the number of staff and students that have been quarantined as of Oct. 8.

Cross country: Boys win in Whitefish, girls in Pablo

The Columbia Falls boys cross country team won a triangular meet at Whitefish last week and the girls won down in Pablo on Saturday.

Golf results from state tourney

Cody Brothwell shot a two-day score of 174 to take 25th at the state A golf tournament in Butte last week.

County now has almost 900 active coronavirus cases

Gov, Steve Bullock called on county leaders to do more Wednesday during a press conference, the Associated Press reported. "If the leaders of Flathead County aren't discussing additional steps that they should be considering, they're not serving their communities as well as they could," he said.

Two more die of virus; first death reported at Montana Veterans Home

Two more people have died of coronavirus, the Flathead City-County Health Department said Thursday. That brings the total number of deaths countywide to 23,5 fifteen of which are associated with long-term care facilities.

Columbia Falls Homecoming Royalty, in pictures

Homecoming royalty

In response to pandemic, a new school

A new childcare education program, Riverside Learning Camp, is opening in Columbia Falls later this month. The camp will offer free educational sessions for at least 30 fourth-through eighth-graders in a twomonth program funded through a Coronavirus Relief Fund grant offered by the state.

Many Glacier Road work on schedule

The one big change in the road is a 380-foot retaining wall at sheep’s curve, where a wall didn’t exist previously. The wall is done in stone masonry like the Going-to-the-Sun Road.

SD6 will need new owners rep for projects

School District 6 is currently searching for a new owner’s representative for its three building projects, after Dow Powell, the current representative, recently told the school he would have to rescind his contract due to family issues.

Christina Anne Vlieland

Christina Anne Vlieland, 58, passed away on Sept. 26th, 2020 in Hungry Horse. Chrissy was born April 15th, 1962 in Arock, Oregon to Walter and Pauline Baltzor. In July of 2004 she married the love of her life Jeffery Vlieland.

Arthur J. Hoiland (Duke)

Arthur J. Hoiland (Duke), 87, longtime resident of the North Fork passed away peacefully on Friday Oct. 2, 2020.

Run will help Maverick Bench, family, with expenses

The Columbia Falls Lions Club is putting on a virtual 5K race on Oct. 17 to help raise funds for 8-year-old Kalispell youngster Maverick Bench.

Babe Ruth baseball says vandals keep damaging new grandstands

Glacier Babe Ruth has rising concerns about vandalism at the Sapa-Johnsrud field grandstands.

The Blotter: A man was irritated by a mosquito infestation from a “swamp” created in a construction zone by his house.

Complaints of arson. A man was irritated by a mosquito infestation from a “swamp” created in a construction zone by his house.

Cigarette caused house fire

The mulch caught the front deck on fire, which, in turn, set the home on fire, Weeks said

Soccer teams drop Polson twice, but lose to rival Bulldogs

Columbia Falls had an up and down week in soccer. Last Tuesday the teams dropped Polson with the girls winning 6-2 and the boys 5-2, at home.

Opinion: Bookstore needs help

Maybe you first visited Bad Rock Books on Nucleus Avenue in Columbia Falls when you were a kid.

Opinion: Choo-choo

I got a letter the other day from Donald J. Trump asking me to vote for him for president. I found this to be a bit ironic, considering that this is the same guy who claims that the U.S. Postal Service is fraught with scandal and cheating when it comes to actually sending my ballot back.

Opinion: Remembering Duke

Just as the sun was about to peak over the mountains on Friday morning the North Fork lost an icon. Duke Hoiland, 87, passed over the Great Divide. Duke and Naomi Hoiland became year-round North Forkers in 1993 but their roots in the North Fork were in place long before that.

Body of missing man found near Marias Pass

The body of a man who went missing several weeks ago near Marias Pass has been found. Flathead County Sheriff Brian Heino said Forest Service employees found Byron Crow on Tuesday.

Columbia Falls Junior High welcomes new principal

His wife, Jenny teaches kindergarten at Glacier Gateway and the couple have twin girls in the fifth grade, also at Gateway.

Broncs handle Wildcats at home, 35-7

The Hamilton Broncs showed why they’re ranked the best football team in the state Friday night, as they dropped Columbia Falls at home, 35-7.

Yesterdays: Griz drinks motor oil, eats a box of sugar cubes

Media mogul Ted Turner was the top buyer at the annual bison sale and roundup at the National Bison Range. Turner paid $1,150 for 21 yearling cows.

Kats remain undefeated, drop defending state A champs

Wildkat volleyball remains undefeated after a double-header against Hamilton and Corvallis on Saturday

County rescinds permit for Whistlestop Retreat on Lake Five

The Flathead County Commissioners Wednesday voted to rescind a major land use permit for the Whistlestop Retreat on Lake Five.

Griz hit by car, some claws removed

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is seeking information on the illegal removal of claws from a grizzly bear struck and killed by a vehicle on U.S. Highway 2 southwest of East Glacier Park Village, on U.S. Forest Service land.

Soccer teams drop Polson twice in three days

Columbia Falls soccer teams dropped Polson twice this week. On Tuesday, the Wildcats ended the night victorious, with the girls winning 6-2 and the boys 5-2. Both teams had slow starts, ending their halftimes in ties, only to come back strong in the last half.

USFWS seeks info on grizzly bear poached near Babb

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is seeking information on the illegal killing of a sow grizzly bear in northern Montana. The bear, collared by Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks, was last known to be alive on May 4, 2020. Law enforcement agents believe the bear was killed on or around May 4 near Paisley Road, on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation.