Ellington

Kats drop Ronan for Western A crown

The Columbia Falls girls basketball team won the Western A divisional tournament in Butte Saturday night, holding off a late rally by Ronan for a 59-54 victory.

U.S. Highway 2 reopens after avalanche work

Highway 2 was closed from mid morning to 2:15 p.m. The highway has since reopened.

Dwight D. Treat

Dwight, known as Ike to family and friends, was born June 21, 1945 in Wisconsin to Don and Betty Treat. The family moved to Montana when Ike was a young boy.

Connor pleads guilty to charges stemming from driving car through grocery store; running naked through assisted living center

Alan Roger Connor, Jr., 50, pleaded guilty to felony charges of criminal endangerment and criminal mischief. He is being held in the Flathead County Detention Center on $150,000 bail.

Free the Seeds event coming up soon

Free the Seeds welcomes donations of seeds saved by local gardeners to be shared with other growers at the seed swap.

Governor signs bill making it easier to carry guns

HELENA — Gov. Greg Gianforte signed a major ‘constitutional carry’ bill Thursday that will let Montanans carry concealed firearms in public settings including banks and bars without a permit, in addition to limiting university system officials’ ability to restrict firearm possession on college campuses.

Kats cap of regular season, remain undefeated

The Columbia Falls girls basketball team capped off its regular season undefeated at 16-0 as they dropped Ronan 56-38 on the road in the last game of the year Thursday.

Wildcats punch ticket to tourney

The Columbia Falls boys basketball team secured a berth to the Western A divisional tournament Monday night, dropping Whitefish, 58-43.

MatCats tune up for divisonals

Wildcat wrestling had a solid week of competition, finishing their last regular meets of the season with an away dual against Frenchtown on Thursday and a home dual against Libby on Saturday.

The Blotter:

A woman’s boots were stolen, but she got them back.

South Fork bull trout fishery seeing angler increase, but OK so far

Despite increased angling pressure, the bull trout fishery in the Hungry Horse Reservoir and the South Fork of the Flathead continues to hold its own and the take is well below thresholds set by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

51 years a firefighter

Joe Testa joined the Delaware Air National Guard more than 50 years ago, joining the crash crew, where they trained to put out aircraft fires in the event one ever went down.

Librarian responds to mask protests

I’ve heard some concerns about the mask requirement at the library and I’d like to share my thinking as library director with you.

Yesterdays: Woman drives into Plum Creek pond

DaLone Best lost control of her car on 12th Avenue West in Columbia Falls and plunged into a pond at the Plum Creek mill. She rolled down the window of her Dodge Challenger and was able to get out before the car completely sank. She said the car hit a patch of ice.

Buried up to their neck: Plenty of avalanche close calls in past few weeks

Since the death of a Kalispell man in an avalanche earlier this month, there have been several more close-call avalanche incidents in the Flathead Valley, including a couple of reports where people were buried up to their necks in snow.

Critical of Mitchell

It appears that our new representative in Helena has focused his legislative efforts on high school sports, road kill, and helping communities over 500 miles away to keep their 50-year-old coal power plants operational.  Not to take away from the importance of these issues; however, I would suggest that the families in Columbia Falls actually have more pressing concerns.

More thoughts on winter and pigs

Now we really have a normal winter. A snowstorm followed by a frigid below-zero period. Now, to finish the cycle, a chinook.

Residents weigh in on city’s traffic needs

Columbia Falls residents had plenty of opinions on how best to manage car and bike/pedestrian traffic in the future as the city continues to grow and the number of vehicles on the road increases.

Pint by pint, she’s donated about 10 gallons of blood

Just over a gallon of blood swirls through the veins of the average human adult, and over the last two decades Columbia Falls resident Patti Dorlarque has, pint by pint, donated that amount 10 times over.

East side businesses worried Glacier will reopen, but they’ll be blocked from doing the same

After being shut down for nearly a year now, businesses on Glacier National Park’s east side are saying there’s a growing sense of frustration about whether they can even plan to open this summer.

Janet Sandefer

She is survived by her three sons, Gary Sandefer, Lynn Sandefer, and Michael Sandefer.

Brawlers drop Bulldogs, Ronan in duals

Wildcat wrestling competed once last week in a double dual against Whitefish and Ronan on Saturday in Whitefish after Thursday’s home dual with Eureka was canceled.

Kats now 15-0

The streak continues.

Yesterdays: Freight train pileup dumps cars into Middle Fork

A 57-car freight train pileup five miles east of West Glacier dumped several cars into the river.

Last week saw coldest temps of the winter season

The region saw the coldest temperatures of the year last week.

With coronavirus impacting enrollment, school district eyes deficit

The Columbia Falls School District 6 board last week voted to have a levy election in the spring, with the idea it could cancel it if it so desires.

Thoughts on CFAC

As expected, the draft feasibility study for the cleanup of the former aluminum smelter site near Columbia Falls, Montana, calls for leaving hazardous materials on the property even though potliner contaminated with cyanide was required to be hauled away to an approved out-of-state hazardous waste landfill when the plant was operating.

North Fork travel

For sure we are experiencing a “normal” winter.

Life at 20 below

There is something about being out in weather that is colder than 20 below that is both alarming and exhilarating.

Planning board votes against apartments

The Columbia Falls City-County planning board last week denied a 36-unit apartment complex planned by developer Toby Gilchrist of Whitefish and landowner Thomas Hyon Su of Washington state.

After storm, local vet lends helping hand to cemetery

Sgt. Brady Wassam of the Army National Guard cleaned up storm debris at Montana Veterans' Home Cemetery last week.

The Blotter: Stolen property found in pawn shop

A man found some of his stolen property in a pawn shop.

How many roads is too many roads?

A lawsuit that could determine the future of road management on the Flathead National Forest is coming to a head in federal court.

The name has changed, the excellence is still the same

After 66 years of working on numerous major construction projects in and around Columbia Falls, B&F Excavating is no more. It is now Pedro’s Properties Excavating Services.

Protect Habitat Montana

I’ve lost three hunting spots on corporate timberlands in the last two years.

Wildcats bested by Vikings at home

Columbia Falls boys basketball dropped last week’s game against Bigfork, 64-52, at home Tuesday evening.

Fish art contest

Artists in grades K-12 are invited to submit entries to a Montana State-Fish Art contest.

Gianforte visits vaccination clinic, lifts mask mandate

Gov. Greg Gianforte met with healthcare workers at the Flathead County vaccine clinic Friday morning as they began administering nearly 1,000 additional COVID-19 vaccine doses acquired this week.

CFAC draft cleanup plan looks to largely contain, not remove, contaminants

The Columbia Falls Aluminum Co. and the Environmental Protection Agency Thursday released a draft plan that largely leaves the pollutants at the former Columbia Falls Aluminum Co. Superfund site, but looks to shore up the landfills where they’re buried instead.

Gianforte says he'll lift mask mandate this week

Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte said Wednesday he will lift Montana’s statewide mask mandate this coming Friday, fulfilling a pledge he made last month to end the mandate as the state enacts a COVID-19 liability shield law and makes progress vaccinating Montanans against the virus.

Man faces assault charge after allegedly threatening to 'shoot up school'

Kalispell man faces charges of assault and disorderly conduct after he allegedly threatened to “shoot up Columbia Falls Schools” including Glacier Gateway Elementary on Tuesday.

Junior High students support Guatemala water project

The middle schoolers rallied earlier this month to raise funding to provide hand washing stations to several rural Guatemalan schools lacking adequate water and sanitation facilities.

Columbia Falls girl part of scouting history

Columbia Falls sophomore Kaylee King made history by becoming part of the world’s inaugural female class of Eagle Scouts earlier this week.

Glacier expects east side opening this summer

Glacier National Park, the Blackfeet Tribe and the state are planning to have the east side of the Park reopened by this summer’s tourist season.

Winter camping

OK, now we have real winter.

Don’t bust unions

For much of our history Montana has been one of the most unionized states in America.

SRO on Top

Many years ago after making a frigid, stormy climb of a high peak in Glacier Park with the late Hal Kanzler, I recall meeting three other men just as we started down.

Janet Lee McFadden

Janet Lee McFadden, 69, went to sleep on Jan. 31, 2020.

Frederick J Richmond

Today, Feb. 2, 2021, my friend, my partner and father to our wonderful children made his final ride into the sunset.

The Blotter: Person throws rocks at neighbor's security cameras

Someone having an ongoing dispute with a neighbor put up security cameras; some of the first footage was of the neighbor throwing rocks at the cameras.

CFAC virtual meeting Thursday

Folks interested in the continued work at the Columbia Falls Aluminum Co. Superfund site can get a project update and hear about the draft feasibility study at an online meeting this week.

Berube Physical Therapy opening

Berube Physical Therapy will have a grand opening of a new Kalispell location Feb. 17 from 4 to 5 p.m.

Sheriff says that property owner justified in shooting dog

A Columbia Falls woman is mourning the death of her two dogs after they were shot by a neighbor, who said the animals were on his land chasing cattle and chickens.

Yesterdays: Senators support North Fork as major route to Canada

Montana Senators said they supported extending the North Fork Road so it would become a major route to Canada and Waterton Lakes National Park. The road was never built, however. Both Sens. Mike Mansfield and Lee Metcalf supported it.

Nicosia looks to make her mark at Montana State

A familiar face was competing in Worthington Arena recently when the Montana State track and field program hosted Idaho State in its first event in nearly a year.

Wildcats drop three in a row

Columbia Falls boys basketball finished a rough run last week after dropping three consecutive games against Polson, 64-47, Whitefish, 57-46, and Libby, 52-47.

Kats dump Bulldogs, now 12-0

The Columbia Falls girls basketball team remained perfect on the season at 12-0 after downing three conference rivals last week.

MatCats did well in duals in Ronan last week

Wildcat wrestling traveled to Ronan Saturday for a double-dual event that featured a mix of competitors from Dillon, Butte Central, and Stevensville.

Mitchell drafts bill that would require hand count of ballots

State Rep. Braxton Mitchell, R-Columbia Falls, has introduced a bill that would prohibit electronic tabulation of votes in future elections.

Microbakery, coffee shop opens this weekend at Super 1

Columbia Falls and surrounding communities will soon be able to taste Morse’s croissants and many other baked goods when her new microbakery and coffee shop, Flitter Bee Buzz, open in the parking lot of Super 1 Foods just off U.S. Highway 2 on Feb. 13.

Dick Downen

Our much-loved father, grandfather and great-grandfather has gone to the great fishing hole in the sky.

Snowmobiler killed in avalanche identified

The man who was killed in an avalanche Saturday in the Swan Mountains near the west side of the Hungry Horse Reservoir has been identified as David Cano, 59, of Kalispell.

Snowmobiler dies in Swan Range slide

One snowmobiler was killed in an avalanche while riding in the Swan Range east of Kalispell on Saturday, the Flathead Avalanche Center reported Sunday morning.

Man sentenced for tearing out 10 Commandments monument

A man convicted of vandalizing a Ten Commandments monument at the Flathead County Courthouse in Kalispell last summer was recently sentenced in Flathead County District Court.

Demand much higher than supply for Covid-19 vaccine

Demand for Covid-19 vaccination is far outweighing supply, the Flathead City County Health Department said on Wednesday.

Wintry blast on its way

The honeymoon is over.

Reward bumped up for information on dead grizzlies

The potential reward has increased to $6,750 for anyone with information about the death of two grizzly bears found near Bigfork last November.

State A hoops tourney still slated for Butte, same with divisionals

Butte will remain the home for class A postseason basketball.

Cats can’t overcome sluggish start in loss to Frenchtown

Columbia Falls boys basketball fell to Frenchtown 65-56 at home court last Tuesday in a game that marked the halfway point of the 2021 season, bringing the Cats’ overall record to 5-4 and ranking them third in the conference.

MatCats shake off Bigfork loss to drop Browning, Polson

Wildcat wrestling took a slightly unexpected hit after closely losing to Bigfork, 36-33, Thursday evening before returning to claim back-to-back victories in a double-dual against Browning, 42-27, and Polson, 59-18 on Saturday.

Practitioners donate sports physical proceeds back to school

Columbia Falls healthcare practitioners Laura Hall of Heaven’s Peak Healthcare and Dulcie Berube of Berube Physical Therapy presented Columbia Falls High School with a $1,120 check derived from money earned through sports physical fees, late last week.

Streak ends, as speech takes second at state

Cats make the best of a tough season, tough competition

The streak is over. The Columbia Falls Wildcat Speech and Debate team took second at the state A tournament Saturday, falling to rival Whitefish, 200-167.

The Blotter: Pistol possibly stolen at Cabela's

Someone wanted to report that their friend may have had their pistol stolen at Cabela’s.

Historical society sets up CFAC exhibit, still wants a permanent home

Rick Prestbye remembers working in the Columbia Falls Aluminum Co. plant in the 1970s. He worked in process control, writing software for the computers that controlled the pots. The computer was bigger than your living room.

Yesterdays: Citizens debated library relocation

Different factions in the city were squabbling over whether to move the library from city hall to the Glacier Discovery Square (currently Hellroaring Fitness on Nucleus Avenue).

School begins to explore ways to pay for field maintenance

When the voters passed a $37 million school bond in 2019, included in the measure were plans for new athletic fields between Ruder Elementary and the junior high.

Help Gianforte fight climate change

In reading Governor Gianforte’s recent State of the State address, I appreciated his emphasis on getting our Montana economy going again with the opening of businesses and with good-paying jobs.

About muscular fat

A year and a half ago, the editor of the Hungry Horse News went with the Over the Hill Gang to photograph our shoveling and opening of the Highline Trail in Glacier. He took that opportunity to snap an unflattering picture of the “Oldest Living Reporter.”

The weather and an Interlocal update

As usual, our normal winter has a few abnormalities which is, after all, normal.

Podcasts worth a listen

Now you can listen to podcasts on a variety of subjects produced last summer and fall by seasonal Glacier National Park rangers Michael Faist and Andrew Smith.

Montana’s latest invasive threat? Feral pigs

The possibility of feral pigs becoming Montana’s latest invasive threat has concerned state officials enough that the Montana Invasive Species Council as part of the Feral Swine Transboundary Workgroup, released a report concerning the issue recently.

More apartments planned for Columbia Falls

More apartments could soon be coming to Columbia Falls and even more subdivisions are likely in the pipeline as the summer of 2021 promises to be a busy construction season.

Kracher, Wildcat and Bobcat Hall of Famer, returns to help coach

A familiar face from days gone by is back on the sidelines at Columbia Falls sporting events.

Kathryn (Kitty) Bump

Kathryn (Kitty) Bump, 78, of Columbia Falls, left this earth to join her lord and loved ones on Jan. 29, 2021.

Bonham featured speaker for Audubon program

Flathead Audubon will offer a special Zoom presentation on Monday, Feb. 8 at 7 p.m. featuring Doug Bonham.

Wildcat swimmers do well at meet in Havre

The Columbia Falls swim team had a good individual showing at the Havre Duals Swim Meet on Saturday after five Wildcat swimmers took first in their events.

Spiker Finberg-Roberts named setter of the week

Cydney Finberg-Roberts of the University of Providence volleyball team was named the Frontier Conference Setter of the Week on Monday.

Kats drop Frenchtown to get to 9-0

The Columbia Falls girls basketball team extended their winning streak to nine games last week, dropping Frenchtown on the road, 43-34.

He bleeds blue — been photographing Cats for more than 50 years

For the last half-century, even the most die-hard of Columbia Falls basketball fans would be hard-pressed to remember a game played on home court where local photographer Randy Bocksnick was not on the sidelines snapping pictures of the action.