Ellington

Man identified in fatal crash near Hungry Horse Dam

A local man who died in a vehicle crash Tuesday has been identified by authorities.

House shooter reaches plea deal in case

A Flathead Valley man who was implicated in a drive-by shooting on the west side of Kalispell four days before Christmas 2019 has agreed to plead guilty.

Teen injured in wreck doing better

A Columbia Falls teen is showing slow signs of recovery in a Seattle hospital after he was struck head-on by an alleged intoxicated driver June 20.

Grant helps club expand to Evergreen

The Boys and Girls Club of Glacier Country recently received a grant of $100,000 from the Whitefish Community Foundation to expand its program into Evergreen.

The Blotter: Someone shot a perfectly good chicken

Report of a car parked on Diane Road for more than a month.

Yesterdays: St. Mary floods

Heavy rain at St. Mary — 2.83 inches in one night — had flooded the east entrance to Glacier National Park. The water ran down the Going-to-the-Sun Road to the St. Mary Visitor Center. Buildings got wet, but there was no major damage. A retaining wall saved the lodge at St. Mary from heavy damage.

Traffic

Without a doubt, summer is the busiest time of the year on the North Fork—at least for the human animals. Before the Fourth of July we have already had a history tour in Glacier Park conducted by the McFarland and Walsh descendants and hosted by Jim and Lorna Rittenburg, a presentation at Sondreson Hall by Tris Hoffman, Forest Service weed specialist, game night, well attended and hosted by Gary and Karen McDonough, a firewise meeting conducted by Allen Chrisman and Gary Mahugh and those are just the social/informational activities.

Opinion: Cat Tales

So at first all I saw was a pair of gray legs as they hopped off the trail into the brush.

GOP defends outdoors record

The rights to hunt, fish, and access our public lands are ingrained in Montana’s Constitution, our state’s heritage, and in the hearts and minds of the people you elect to represent you in Helena.  Republican legislators include landowners, avid hunters, fishermen and women, competitive shooters, hikers, ATV riders, boaters, skiers, and outdoor enthusiasts of all types. Montana’s outdoor heritage is our way of life and policies that impact the outdoor experience are near and dear to our hearts. Montana would not be Montana without the ability to live, work, and play outside.

Heat wave grips Northwest, no open burning

The state Department of Natural Resources is reminding folks that there is no debris burning allowed in Flathead and Northern Lake counties beginning July 1. Each summer over 75% of wildfires in the Flathead are caused by human activity, with top causes being escaped and illegal debris burns. Debris burning is not allowed in July, August, and September due to the increased fire danger during Montana’s fire season. Open burning will begin again Oct. 1 as conditions allow.

City study: Don’t blame vacation rentals for housing shortage

While vacation rentals are a popular way for home and property owners to make some money during the busy tourist season, they’re not really contributing to the housing shortage in Columbia Falls, an analysis by city attorney Justin Breck notes.

River Ambassador training coming up

The Flathead River Alliance, a nonprofit group that is working with the Forest Service as liaisons with the public at popular river access sites, will have a final training session from 1 to 4 p.m. July 1 for folks to be volunteer ambassadors for the program.

Jerry Ray Downing

Jerry Ray Downing passed peacefully on June 16, 2021, after a brief but courageous battle with cancer.

Death Notices

Margaret “Marge” M. Larsen

Swim team takes second against ‘Root

The Columbia Falls swim team traveled to Hamilton this past weekend and came in second to a tough and  full squad of Bitterroot swimmers.

Twins win Ed Gallo tourney

The Glacier Twins stayed undefeated over the Ed Gallo tournament weekend and took down The Crew out of Spokane, Washington on Sunday evening to take the title.

Hungry Horse News wins awards

The Hungry Horse News took first place in several categories in the Montana Newspaper Association 2020 awards.

City looks to use coronavirus funds to upgrade sewer plant

The city of Columbia Falls will leverage about $1.5 million it’s expecting in federal American Rescue Recovery plan funding to upgrade its sewer plant.

North Valley Hospital now Logan Health Whitefish

The Board of Directors announced that last week it decided it would fully integrate with Kalispell’s Logan Health, formerly Kalispell Regional Healthcare.

Groups plan to sue state over new wolf regulations

Several environmental groups have put the state on notice that it intends to sue for implementing new laws permitting snaring of wolves and expanding trapping seasons intended to reduce the wolf population.

Legals for June, 30 2021

Young driver dies after car plummets off road near Hungry Horse Dam

A young man from the Flathead Valley was killed after his vehicle went off the Upper Dam Road in Hungry Horse early Tuesday morning.

No injuries after plane crashes near Marion Sunday

No injuries were reported Sunday after a small single-engine plane clipped a power line and crashed into a stand of trees near Round Mountain Loop in the Marion area west of Kalispell.

Van accidentally drives off Glacier National Park's Going-to-the-Sun Road, strikes tree

A passenger van with 13 occupants went off the Going-to-the-Sun Road about 1:30 p.m. Thursday afternoon.

Judge rules in favor of environmental groups in lawsuit against Flathead National Forest over roads

A federal judge ruled in favor of environmental groups Thursday in a lawsuit that challenged the way the Flathead National Forest manages its roads.

Glacier National Park's Going-to-the-Sun Road fully open

Glacier National Park has fully opened the Going-to-the-Sun Road, park officials announced this morning.

Columbia Falls 3-on-3 hoops tourney is now weekend after Heritage Days

The Columbia Falls Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual 3-on-3 basketball tournament for 2021 is scheduled for Saturday, July 31, which is the Saturday after Heritage Days.

Norman  Elsberry and Geri ‘Newberg’  Elsberry

Funeral Services for Norman Elsberry, 72, and Geri “Newberg” Elsberry, 74, of Orchard, Nebraska were Friday, June 18, 2021 at Cornerstone Bible Church in Orchard.  Pastor Troy Watson officiated.  Burial followed in the Page Cemetery.  The couple passed away as the result of a car accident on Friday, June 11, 2021 in Neligh, Nebraska.  Memorials may be directed to the family for future designation.

Community calendar: Free meals, fun run

Columbia Falls Community Kitchen will be serving free meals for two days only this month, June 29-30, in the basement of St. Richard’s Catholic Church at 6 p.m.  Everyone is welcome

Peggy E. Saurey Marantette

A memorial gathering in honor of the life of Peggy E. Saurey Marantette, who passed away on July 3, 2020 in Whitefish, will be held outside on July 3, 2021 at 10 a.m. at Woodlawn Cemetery in Columbia Falls.

CFAC releases feasibility study for cleanup

Marking the end of a five-year long process, the Columbia Falls Aluminum Co. and its parent company Glencore last week released its feasibility study report — a 538-page document that details the best way the company feels to clean up the former aluminum plant site.

An alternative way to Glacier National Park's Avalanche Creek

There is a “back door” and pleasant way to Avalanche Creek that few people hike in Glacier National Park.

About a quarter of Glacier visitors didn’t have a ticket over Memorial Day

Glacier National Park reported last week that its visitation to date through May was a new record. It also said about 23% of visitors over the Memorial Day weekend did not have a ticket, as it implemented its new reservation entry system to access the Sun Road.

Is he from the Deep South or Montana?

I think it was the 1977 Montana Republican state convention, and the speaker standing before the delegates was newly elected Congressman Ron Marlenee. Facing criticism from some of the hard right element of his party regarding his personal life, Marlenee was as dynamic and defiant as I ever saw him.

Thoughts on Inside Road

For years Glacier Park swore that they would repair and reopen the Inside Road. This went on for so long that I, and others, believed they were just kicking the can down the road until they could just abandon the road permanently.

Attorney General won’t file charges in Glacier Park scuba death

The U.S. Attorney’s office of Montana has declined to press criminal charges against a dive instructor who was involved in an incident where a Missoula woman drowned in Glacier National Park’s Lake McDonald.

Columbia Falls man pleads out in sex assault case

A Columbia Falls man accused of two separate sex crimes against a developmentally disabled female and a 6-year-old boy pleaded guilty to one offense Friday afternoon in Flathead County District Court.

The Blotter: Handguns a waving

A man was stalking a woman at work.

Swim team off to a hot start with three wins

The Columbia Falls summer swim team couldn’t ask for a better start to the season — three meets in it’s taken three first-place trophies, with wins in Shelby, Chester and Cut Bank.

Fistfight with a griz

Human conversations are amazing in the way odd or forgotten subjects pop up out of nowhere. That’s the way it is in my coffee chats with Over the Hill Gangers. Someone last Tuesday recalled the Glacier Park hiker lady who drove an attacking grizzly off her husband by slugging the beast with her binoculars.

Credit Union names woman ‘unsung hero’ for actions when man drove into store

Whitefish Credit Union recently named Erin Shappell of Columbia Falls the first Unsung Hero of its eight week campaign to show gratitude and appreciation for outstanding individuals throughout northwest Montana.

Yesterdays: Ridley Scott eyes Glacier Park for 'Blade Runner' scene

On June 11, the area saw 0.9 inch of rain, which had broken the old record for 0.74 inch on the same date in 1901.

Twins dominate Lewistown tournament, host Ed Gallo this week

The Glacier Twins went undefeated last weekend including three shutouts at the Gjerde Memorial Tournament in Lewistown.

UM researcher finds that high country fires more common

“It’s sobering to see that it’s clearly happening, and early in the 21st century – not in 2050, not in 2075, but by 2020,” he said.

Legals for June, 23 2021

Columbia Falls man dies after motorcycle hits deer

A Columbia Falls man was killed Sunday after his motorcycle hit a deer on Highway 206 about 2 a.m.

Man dies in Columbia Falls accident

A local man died Sunday morning after a traffic accident on U.S. 2 East in Columbia Falls.

Farbstein pleads not guilty to vehicular homicide

A Whitefish woman has pleaded not guilty Thursday (June 17) in Flathead County District Court to one count of felony vehicular homicide while under the influence for allegedly striking and killing a Columbia Falls girl with her vehicle on May 20.

Lions Club kicks off all new concert series starting tonight

The Columbia Falls Lions Club will have a host of new bands and has changed its weekly concert series this summer to Friday nights at Marantette Park, which kicks off tonight.

Soccer clinic coming up

Columbia Falls Wildcat Soccer will be hosting its second annual “Striker and Keeper Clinic” June 29-30.

Planning board green lights 102-unit subdivision

The Columbia Falls City County planning board Tuesday approved a 102-unit subdivision off Meadow Lake Boulevard, voting to send it on to the Columbia Falls City Council for final analysis and approval.

Sheriff working with feds, state on possible charges in bus incident

The Flathead County Sheriff’s Department is working with state and federal officials on possible charges stemming from an incident Tuesday where a man got a bus stuck in the Flathead River just downstream from the Blankenship Bridge, Sheriff Brian Heino said Wednesday.

School makes masks optional

The Columbia Falls School District 6 board voted Monday night to make masks for the upcoming school year optional. The move comes as more people get vaccinated against coronavirus and infection rates continue to fall.

Glacier looks to expand cell, radio coverage in developed areas; says it will have little impact on wilderness

Glacier National Park has released an environmental assessment on a new communications plan that could bring cell phone service to places like Many Glacier and Two Medicine, but the Park Service says the service would be limited to developed areas.

Back to drawing board for North Fork land regs

The Flathead County Planning Board indefinitely tabled a petition for a zoning amendment by the North Fork Land Use Advisory Committee last week, claiming that some of the language could get the county into legal hot water.

Of ribs and rescues

A classic G. George Ostrom column from 1994. Beside the trillion wild flowers, billion trees and shrubs, million displays of lichens and moss, hundred thousand rills, riffles, and waterfalls, Glacier Park has ten and a half jillion loose rocks. One of those was accidentally loosened by a fellow Over The Hiller above me on Singleshot Mountain three weeks ago today. We were making a descent from the base of the eastern cliffs after deciding there was too much snow and ice, frequent avalanches, and not enough day left to go higher. Only one guy would admit he was absolutely pooped.

Historic photos preserved: Gilliland collection will be housed, showcased, at museum

A new venture is bringing a treasure trove of historic and fine art photos to the Northwest Montana History Museum in Kalispell.

Firefighters deserve a decent wage

“It’s like having gasoline out there,” said Brian Steinhardt, forest fire zone manager for Prescott and Coconino national forests in Arizona, in a recent AP story about the increasingly fire-prone West.

Real estate market continues at torrid pace

The housing market in Columbia Falls continues to move at a blistering pace.

Cold comforts

So the other day I rolled out of bed early and me and the kid went to Glacier. It was not warm outside, but the sun was shining so it wasn’t bad, either.

Historic road trip

Since I turned seventy years of age I have not been fond of birthdays and now, at 84, I really dislike them. Nevertheless, this year I received one of the best birthday presents I can remember.

Groups ask Forest Service to ban commercial wolf hunts in wilderness

A coalition of groups has petitioned the Forest Service asking it to prohibit commercial hunting and trapping of wolves in wilderness areas in Montana and Idaho.

Patricia Ellen Roberts (Personett)

Patricia Ellen Roberts (Personett), 79, passed away on May 27, 2021 at her home in Columbia Falls.

Twins solid on road trip

The Glacier Twins A team picked up three more conference wins while dropping one last weekend.

Kaylynn Jesse Rey Best, Jenae Lariese Best

Kaylynn Jesse Rey Best, 20, and her sister Jenae Lariese Best, 17, were involved in a fatal car accident that took both their lives on May 3, 2021.

The Blotter: A man driving a pickup truck was swerving across the road after he’d been seen urinating in a parking lot

A tourist driving a camper van couldn’t find his wife after she walked off during an argument they’d been having.

Legals for June, 16 2021

Bus gets stuck in Flathead River at Blankenship

The Forest Service and Flathead County Sheriff’s Department responded to a bus stuck in the Flathead River at the Blankenship Bridge Tuesday afternoon.

Woman who hit girl at bus stop avoids jail time

A Eureka woman who struck and nearly killed a little girl while driving on U.S. 93 near Whitefish more than 18 months ago will serve no jail time.

Moskaloff faces federal drug charges

An investigation by the Northwest Montana Drug Task Force, FBI and the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office has left a local woman behind bars facing federal drug charges.

New restaurant opens in familiar location in Hungry Horse

A new eatery has opened in Hungry Horse. The Great Bear Café, located across the highway from the Huckleberry Patch, celebrated its grand opening last week.

Vain justices?

Do you remember reading The Emperor’s New Clothes in grade school? It was about a vain emperor who gets exposed to his subjects.

Blanche I. (Thompson) Zenz

Blanche I. (Thompson) Zenz

Opinion: Close call unnecessary

I was looking for birds along McDonald Creek the other day when there was this commotion upstream.

Robert Glynn Feenan

Longtime Flathead Valley resident, Robert Glynn Feenan “Bob”, passed away peacefully at home Friday, May 28, 2021. He was 97. Bob was born Nov. 4, 1923, in Columbia Falls on the family farm. The Feenan farm was homesteaded in 1897.

Writing contest winners

Winners of the Authors of the Flathead’s annual High School Writing Contest were announced recently.

With broad support, Bad Rock Wildlife Management Area reaches fundraising goal

The Flathead Land Trust recently announced it had reached its fundraising goal for the proposed Bad Rock Canyon Wildlife Management Area.

In Glacier, the early birds get the worms

They say the early bird gets the worm and that certainly appears to be the case this year with Glacier National Park about two weeks into its ticketed entry system for the Going-to-the-Sun Road.

Class of 2021: Erickson looks to take running, academic success to next level

“I couldn’t go anywhere without cold,” she said. She said she’s concerned about the environment and climate change and hopes to work in that field professionally after college.

The Blotter: A man punched someone at a gas station.

An iPhone was found in the middle of the road.

Class of 2021: Senior looks to career as dermatologist

She was one of the top students in her class. Now she has her sights set on another lofty goal: Becoming a dermatologist.

Yesterdays: 50 years ago, flow of cars into Glacier Park was estimated at about 1,500 a day.

The Great Adventure Bear Park in Coram was waiting for final approval to open its doors.

Whitefish Credit Union welcomes new CFO

Scott Bolster has made a career of working for credit unions because he appreciates the credit union philosophy of putting members first.

City pool will open on Friday, with no restrictions

The city of Columbia Falls will open the pool at Pinewood Park on Friday. The city will use the same punch card system it used last year for most swimmers.

On losing the seat

Thirty years ago, Montana lost one of the seats in the U.S. House of Representatives we had held for 80 years. The mathematical formula that was used to determine the distribution of Representatives after Census counts had worked against us. The result was that Montana lost half our representation in the U.S. House while other states with many members, actually gained representatives.

Grizzlies and flooding

In late May and early June, North Forkers can often be found talking about two usual spring topics. Grizzly bears and spring run off— or more specifically the possibility of a flood.

Folks heading into wilderness should expect plenty of blowdown on side trails

Folks heading into the Bob Marshall Wilderness, particularly off main trails, should expect heavier than normal blowdown, Rich Owens, natural resource manager for the Spotted Bear Ranger District said Thursday.

Glacier National Park plows nearing end of Big Drift

The Glacier National Park roads crew is in the final stages of plowing Going-to-the-Sun Road.

Get one free beer at walk-in vaccination clinics

The clinic on Wednesday, June 9 will be held at Backslope Brewing in Columbia Falls from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. The clinic on Thursday, June 10th will be held at Bias Brewing in Kalispell from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Roslyn D. Kristoffersen

Our beloved and dynamic mother, Roslyn D. Kristoffersen, died of natural causes on May 1, 2021 in Kalispell.  She was born in February 1930 as the fourth and youngest child, to parents Theodore and Florence Stevens in Cleveland, Ohio.  In addition to working at her family’s restaurant, she sang in chorus and played on the girls basketball team in high school.

Building trades program showcases new facilities for Glacier Park

A new employee cabin and a new Camas Road entrance are the fruits of about nine months of labor for the Columbia Falls High School’s building trades program.

Glacier Medical Associates announces data breach

Glacier Medical Associates announced Tuesday the medical practice detected and stopped a data security breach that occurred April 7.

Erickson wins twin titles at state

Lara Erickson took home state A titles in the 1,600 and 3,200 meter races and the girls as a team took third at the state meet in Laurel last week.

More than a gift shop, it’s a Glacier Park Institution

One October day years ago Monica Jungster went to the store and was unloading groceries from her van into the Montana House.

Schweikert second, Getts fourth at tennis

The Columbia Falls girls took fourth and the boys took seventh at the state A tennis tournament in Billings last week.

The Blotter: Report of car on fire with kids inside after a two-vehicle wreck. Everyone got out OK.

Report of car on fire with kids inside after a two-vehicle wreck. Everyone got out OK. Big fight reported at Blue Moon parking lot.

The boomerang effect

As a resident of the North Fork of the Fathead River Valley, I am calling to your attention a serious problem created by a recent, misguided policy of Glacier Park management.

School thanks

We would like to thank the following businesses for their generous donations hosting the Western A Divisional Track meet May 21-22 held in Columbia Falls:

Softball goes .500 at state tourney

The Columbia Falls girls softball team went .500 at the state tournament in Butte last week.

Columbia Falls eyed for 102 unit subdivision

More development could soon be coming to the Columbia Falls area, including a 102 unit subdivision.

Senior looks to a future in welding

Someday you might be hiring Cole Karlin to build your house, or maybe even, your next big bridge. The Columbia Falls senior is a talented welder and could see himself owning his own construction company.

KRH nurses go on strike

Hundreds of Logan Health nurses walked off the job Tuesday morning, marking the start of a three-day strike to protest what they view as the hospital system's unwillingness to budge on union demands for better wages and working conditions.

Arley ‘Jean’ Rohrbach-England

Arley ‘Jean’ Rohrbach-England, 83, passed away on Sept. 23, 2020 while under the loving care of Echo View Assisted Living.