Ellington

Park Service green lights ticketed entry for Sun Road travel

Glacier National Park officials announced Wednesday that a ticketed entry system for the 50-mile Going-to-the-Sun Road corridor is officially a go for the 2021 season.

USFWS: Grizzlies should stay on ESA

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is recommending no change to the current listed status of the grizzly bear in the lower 48 states as threatened under the Endangered Species Act following the completion of a five-year status review, the agency said in a release Wednesday.

Against the Odds: Pups survive 10 days lost on Desert Mountain

Earlier this month the two dogs were amusing themselves with toys and the occasional wrestle involving the trademark polar bear-like pounces that earned the youngest pup his name in the Burrell’s yard in Coram.

Kats settle for a split in season opener

The Columbia Falls softball team split the bill in a doubleheader Saturday at a tourney in Polson. The Kats lost to Park 17-10 in the opener, but blanked Butte Central 9-0 in the nightcap. The Kats were down several players after squeezing their first competition onto the schedule just after the requisite 10 days of practice and during the last weekend of the Wildkats’ spring break.

The Blotter: Woman partially pays for pup?

A fight that broke out between five men peaked and began to disperse once a gun was wielded. A woman was concerned someone was walking through her yard.

Boys and Girls Club welcomes new staffers

The Boys and Girls Club of Glacier Country recently welcomed Melissa Dunning as its director of development and Amanda Wilson as its marketing coordinator.

Vaccine now available for all eligible adults starting April 1

Gov. Greg Gianforte recently announced that all eligible adults can now get the coronavirus vaccine starting April 1.

More opposition to Bunker Park cabins

Two more conservation organizations have raised concerns about a Forest Service proposal to build cabins near Bunker Creek on the edge of the Bob Marshall Wilderness, noting the potential impacts to wintering wildlife and the possibility of motorized trespass in the wilderness during the winter.

Neighbors petition against Blankenship camp

Blankenship area residents have started a petition drive, asking the Flathead National Forest to close a de facto campground on the Middle Fork of the Flathead River at Blankenship Bridge to overnight camping.

John “Jack” Kiernan Dunne

John “Jack” Kiernan Dunne passed away on March 19, 2021.

Charlotte Sapa

Charlotte Sapa, 78, died at Kalispell Regional Medical Center on March 23, 2021.

Ronald Lee Gunnels

Ronald Lee Gunnels, 76, passed away peacefully Friday, March 19, 2021.

Tennis squads now under one coach and have good numbers

Columbia Falls tennis has a substantial turnout this year with 45 players looking to compete in the 2021 season.

Yesterdays: Burning garbage at Many Glacier

Work was to start soon on excavating and rebuilding Nucleus Avenue. The city was going to replace and 16-inch water main that ran under the road, as well as generally improve it. A total of 14 people were running for Columbia Falls School Board for four open posts. One post was just for a year.

Legals for March, 31 2021

Charlotte Sapa, matriarch of the Blue Moon Nite Club, dies

Charlotte Sapa, the matriarch of the Blue Moon Nite Club for nearly 50 years, has died just a few weeks after her husband, Dick, passed away.

Daines says he'll introduce bill to delist Yellowstone grizzlies

Republican Montana Sen. Steve Daines Thursday announced he would introduce a bill in Congress that would delist the grizzly bear in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.

Woman enters Alford plea in case where girl was hit by car at school bus stop

A Fortine woman accused of striking a little girl while driving on U.S. 93 near Whitefish more than a year ago entered an Alford plea in relation to the offense Thursday afternoon in Flathead County District Court.

Permits to park, one-way hiking on Highline Trail, just some of changes that could be coming to Glacier National Park

The plan could add more parking spaces inside the park, potentially make a portion of the popular Highline Trail a one-way hike, and ban most overnight parking in the corridor, save for lots near the lodges.

Gianforte gets warning in wolf trapping incident

Gov. Greg Gianforte was issued a warning by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks for having failed to take a required trapping education course after he trapped and killed a collared wolf on private land about 10 miles north of Yellowstone National Park.

Mary Katheryne Hawkins Valentine

Mary Katheryne Hawkins Valentine, known as Katie, passed away after a long, valiant fight with cancer, on Feb. 26, 2021 in Columbia Falls. She was surrounded by her family as she reluctantly left her loved ones. Katie leaves behind her husband, Joseph Valentine; her two children,

Clinton Jack Hoerner

Clinton Jack Hoerner, 68, passed away in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Feb. 20, 2021.

At Whitefish Mountain Resort, a protest over racism, diversity

A group of about 30 people held a protest at Whitefish Mountain Resort on Sunday for what organizers say was an effort to raise awareness of a culture of racism at the resort.

Track squads down in numbers, but young and talented

espite dwindling numbers in the boys and girls track and field teams this year, with about 30 girls —half of what is typical— and around 60 boys, Columbia Falls head coach Jamie Heinz is full of enthusiasm for the upcoming season.

The Blotter: A juvenile’s glasses were broken after being punched in the face on the school bus

An aunt thought her niece was staying at a big party house. A driver ran through a stop sign, nearly hitting someone. A neighbor kept ripping by a resident’s house on a dirt bike. A woman reported an ongoing issue of a neighbor’s dog using her lawn to “do its duty.” A woman’s ex-boyfriend was harassing her.

Restoring the Sinopah

One of the Glacier Park Boat Company’s craft saw a complete overhaul in the past year, more than 3,000 hours of work under the skilled hands of the company’s craftsmen, working in the company’s nondescript shop in Columbia Falls.

Opinion: Friends have fond memories of Greg Bauska

He could run a business, dominate the low blocks and pour a mean pitcher, but Greg Bauska’s impact on the Flathead Valley is best measured in the friendships he made.

Quilt Guild show and sale coming up

The Teakettle Quilt Guild of Columbia Falls is set to host its annual two-day spring Quilt and Craft Sale from 10 to 7 p.m. Friday, April 9 and from 9 to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 10.

Softball season kicks off this weekend

Wildcat softball is starting out the 2021 season on solid footing with a handful of returning players and a full, albeit young, roster.

Columbia Falls man dies in wreck

Lincoln County officials have released the name of a Columbia Falls man who died in a vehicle crash March 13.

Brochures and potholes

We all look forward to spring. Our members tend to focus on sunshine and green grass and we tend to forget the mud and slush. Every year is pretty close to the same. The calendar says it is spring and the snow is almost gone in Columbia Falls.

Mow lends more clarity to Sun Road resos

Glacier National Park superintendent Jeff Mow last week further clarified some of the details of a proposed ticketed entry system for the Going-to-the-Sun Road corridor this summer in a Zoom meeting with the public last week.

Glacier Park plow crews start clearing roads

In an annual rite of spring, Glacier National Park plow crews have begun clearing roads of snow.

Teacher Price obtains National Board Certification

Columbia Falls High School teacher Jeanette Price recently earned her National Board Certification in English for adolescents and young adults, becoming one of six Columbia Falls educators to have obtained the distinguished credential.

Owner of resort on Lake Five seeks permits for docks

The owner of a resort on Lake Five has asked for a lakeshore permit to build some docks. Whistlestop Retreat is scheduled to have one lakeshore permit go in front of the Flathead County Planning Board in April, according to county planning director Mark Mussman. In one application, owner Susie Dietz is asking for a permit for a T-shaped docked she already once installed without a permit.

Poo report

More people are now adventuring into Montana’s wilderness, so more people are “going” in the wilderness. Talked to Spotted Bear Ranger Deb Mucklow this week to check on current status.

War on Wildlife?

We are Montana residents and professional wildlife biologists and managers with a total of 1,561 years of experience in wildlife management and wildlife habitat management. Among us are 16 retired employees of Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks with 469 years with the agency, and 3 former Commissioners from the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission.

Jeremy Scott Hudson

Jeremy Scott Hudson, 42, passed away unexpectedly on Feb. 17, 2021, in O’Fallon, Illinois. Jeremy was born in Whitefish on Nov. 8, 1978, to Steven and Cindy Hudson.

Carquest in Columbia Falls now under local ownership

The Carquest Auto Parts in Columbia Falls is now locally owned. Andrew Sikveland bought the store on St. Patrick’s Day. He previously owned the Carquest store in Scobey.

City will see about $1.4 million in coronavirus relief

The City of Columbia Falls is expecting to get about $1.422 million from the federal American Rescue Plan Act — the latest round of stimulus funding from the $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief recently passed by Congress.

Legals for March, 24 2021

Planning board OK’s zone change east of town

A request to amend the zoning regulations to allow greater development density of a 10 acre parcel along Highway 2 just east of Columbia Falls and the Flathead River was unanimously approved by the city-county planning board last week after a public hearing on the matter.

VonLindern was a pioneer in local search and rescues

Jack VonLindern, a longtime volunteer with the North Valley Search and Rescue Association died from natural causes March 6. He was 85.

After being closed a year because of pandemic, Glacier National Park reopens east side Thursday

Glacier National Park announced access to the east side of the park will reopen on March 18 (Thursday) at Two Medicine, Cut Bank and St. Mary for foot traffic, skis and snowshoes. Regular winter closures remain in place. Chief Mountain Road will remain closed at the park boundary until road conditions permit.

Opinion: Concerns about judicial bills

The three of us have known each other dating back a half century when Dorothy Bradley and Bob Brown were young legislators and Marc Racicot was emerging as a top prosecuting attorney. Over the decades we have been fierce competitors as well as staunch allies in the rough and tumble arena of Montana politics. We have maintained our friendship and appreciated our varying commitments, which was once a worthy Montana tradition.

Auction, tours, planned for proposed Bad Rock WMA

Fundraising continues for the proposed Bad Rock Canyon Wildlife management area just east of Columbia Falls along the Flathead River.

Proposed Bunker Park cabins draw immediate fire

A proposal to build four cabins at a former campsite just off the Bunker Creek Road near the Bob Marshall Wilderness has immediately drawn criticism from an environmental group.

Public hearing on work camps coming up next week

lathead County Commissioners will hold a public hearing at 9 a.m. March 25 on a proposed amendment to the Canyon Area Land Use Regulatory System that would allow “work camps” to house seasonal employees.

Blankenship should be addressed

I was surprised the U. S. Forest Service for a second year is willing to continue to allow unlimited and uncontrolled camping along the Flathead River in the Blankenship area.

The Blotter: Rabbit traps missing

Someone’s unlocked vehicle was rummaged through in the middle of the night. A resident who had obtained traps from Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks to capture burgeoning numbers of rabbits on their property reported that someone had stolen the traps. A citizen reported that a chicken was on the loose, and was concerned it might get hit by a vehicle.

Theodore (Ted) Thomas Swanberg

Theodore (Ted) Thomas Swanberg passed away peacefully on March 3, 2021 at his home in Smithfield, Utah after a long battle with COPD.

Writing coaches sought for training

Writing Coaches of Montana is hosting its second online training this year for community members who want to work with students on their writing assignments. Specifically, coaches help students think critically about their writing, so they can become competent and confident writers.

All-state, all-conference hoops

Columbia Falls girls and boys basketball were well-represented in this year’s All-State and All-Conference selections.

Changes coming to North Fork plan

For nearly 20 years the North Fork community was deeply immersed in land use planning. In the early 1980s private landowners, finally, realized that if they did not plan for the future, others would plan for us. This could destroy the North Fork and our special way of living.

Opinion: Please don’t drop your bear off here

Over the course of a career I don’t know how many meetings I’ve sat through. Too many. Most meetings are quick and painless, but others can drag on for hours. The bulk are wholly forgettable, though I distinctly recall a school board “work session” on just a fabulous sunny, warm evening where a person went over a curriculum for what seemed like hours.

Businesses raise concerns about Sun Road ticketed entry; Public can weigh in this week virtually

“If they don’t think they’ll be able to get in, they’ll cancel,” the business owner, who asked not to be identified, said.

Lions Club Easter Egg hunt is on this year

The Columbia Falls Lions Club will hold its annual Easter egg hunt on Sunday, April 4 at 1 p.m. at Marantette Park. The event goes off promptly at 1 p.m.

Three Mitchell bills die in House committees

Three bills drafted by freshman legislator Braxton Mitchell, R-Columbia Falls, are all but dead in the state Legislature this session.

Glimm’s religious bill draws fire, support

Greg Gianforte has publicly endorsed a bill in the Montana Legislature that is receiving intense debate among proponents of religious expression and advocates for LGBTQ civil rights. Senate Bill 215, the Montana Religious Freedom Restoration Act, sponsored by Sen. Carl Glimm, R-Columbia Falls, would allow individuals and entities to claim exemption from laws and policies if those rules substantially burden the expression of their religious beliefs.

Tippy Taps put to quick use in Guatemala

Money raised earlier this year by Columbia Falls students to construct handwashing stations at rural schools in Guatemala has already been put to use.

City objects to CFAC’s cleanup plan

The Columbia Falls City Council Monday night voted to send a sharply worded letter to the Environmental Protection Agency and several other elected officials saying it doesn’t just want the Columbia Falls Aluminum Co. site waste contained, it wants to the waste removed entirely.

Governor says every adult eligible for vaccine April 1

After months of calculated and incremental expansions in vaccine eligibility, all Montanans 16 and older will be allowed to sign up to receive inoculations beginning April 1.

Legals for March, 17 2021

Firefighters battle early morning blaze

Columbia Falls firefighters battled a blaze early Sunday morning near Falcon Lane. An RV and other structures on the sprawling property caught fire. Flames 20 feet high were shooting out of the RV at one point.

Lion Lake Dam will see repairs

Flathead National Forest officials are seeking public input on a number of repairs that have been proposed for an aging dam on Lion Lake near Hungry Horse.

Photos: Backstage at Beauty and the Beast

Last week, the Columbia Falls High School put on the musical "Beauty and the Beast." Here's a few shots from backstage at the Friday performance. (Chris Peterson photo)

Bigfork man accused of sexually assaulting Columbia Falls girls, others

A Bigfork man has been accused of sexually assaulting two young girls. Brian Christopher Emerson, 41, is lodged in the Flathead County Detention Center on felony charges of sexual assault of a minor and sexual intercourse without consent.

Glacier seasonal employee admits to raping woman

A seasonal employee accused of raping another seasonal worker in Glacier National Park admitted to the charges Wednesday.

Fire put out quickly at airport hangar

Emergency responders with the Glacier Park International Airport fire rescue crew, assisted by all units of Columbia Falls and Evergreen fire rescue, responded to a report of smoke billowing from an airplane hangar at GPI Airport at 9 a.m. on Friday morning.

Opinion: The lighter side of poop

My wife was watching a couple of kids the other day and they’re right around age 2, potty trained a few months now, at least when they feel like it.

Thoughts on Interlocal

DeMers gravel pit this summer and fall and will be used on phase two of the FLAP grant in 2022. This phase will rebuild the road from Polebridge townsite to the Polebridge entrance of Glacier Park. In effect, it will be a paved road and will later be chip coated by Flathead County.

Mitchell talks session

We are officially halfway through the 67th legislative session, and we are fulfilling the Conservative-Republican mandate that House District 3 and Montanan’s set in November.

Glacier Park Backcountry resos start next week

Things should get back to relative normal in Glacier National Park’s backcountry this season. The park anticipates that all backcountry campsites should be available, with the exception of the Goat Haunt shelters.

Windauer takes second, team seventh at state

The Columbia Falls wrestling team took seventh at the state A wrestling meet in Miles City last week. The MatCats were led by Justin Windauer who took second at 126 pounds, losing in the final match to Zander Dean of Sidney, 6-1.

Bob Marshall Film Festival coming up

The Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation is once again bringing the Mountainfilm on Tour film festival to Montana – but this time, to the comfort of your living room. Mountainfilm on Tour showcases a selection of culturally rich, adventure-packed and incredibly inspiring documentary films curated from the annual Mountainfilm festival held in Telluride, Colorado.

Girls have tough go at state as the shots don’t drop

A good season came to a rough ending for the Columbia Falls girls basketball team last week.

Hamilton a 'Hometown Hero'

Hamilton lives in her grandmother, Marie Coulson’s, former home in town. Coulson was a well-known school teacher here.

Plenty of road projects on tap this summer

Folks visiting Glacier National Park or just trying to get around the east side of the valley can expect traffic delays this summer and a portion of the west side Going-to-the-Sun Road will close entirely on Oct. 1 and remain closed through the winter.

Yesterdays: Roscoe Black announced he would build the “Great Bear Lodge” at St. Mary

A blizzard put the damper on the national downhill races at Big Mountain. The blowing snow limited visibility to the finish line and little else. The Forest Service was putting up 17 million board feet of timber for sale up Hungry Horse Creek as part of the Hungry Horse Dam project. The lake behind the dam at the time was called Kelly Lake.

Comprehensive River plan still in the works, Davies says

The Flathead National Forest recently received funding to finish a Comprehensive River Management Plan for the three forks of the Flathead River, Hungry Horse/Glacier View District Ranger Rob Davies told people attending the North Fork Interlocal last week.

The Blotter: Bullet holes in the ceiling

A woman woke up in her apartment to find a bullet hole in the ceiling, and gouges on the door and wall marking the bullet’s trajectory; the bullet was found on the floor and she had not heard the shot in the night. Someone was cited for a negligent discharge of a firearm. A man began punching a truck presumably because he was angry that it was parked in a walkway.

Corinne A. Barthel

Corinne A. Barthel, 68, of Columbia Falls, passed away on Feb. 25, 2021. Corinne was born in Whitefish to William Hartigan and Ruth Anne Greene and raised in Columbia Falls. She graduated from Columbia Falls High School. Later, she obtained her Associate’s Degree from Flathead Valley Community College.

City will look to expand its TIF district to Cedar Palace lands

The Columbia Falls City Council last week OK’d a contract with Community Development Services of Montana not to exceed $20,000 to expand its urban renewal and tax increment finance district to include a block of land that’s part of the Cedar Palace Medical Center. The expansion of the district could allow the city to help the Medical Center with a business park expansion in the future.

Jordan critical of Mitchell

So far, 32 of those Republican peers have pulled their sponsorship from the bill. Others said they’d consider supporting the bill if it were extended to include other groups. Mitchell appeared adamant that the legislation only address “antifa.”

Richard Bruce Sapa

Richard Bruce Sapa

Richard Bruce Sapa, 78, of Columbia Falls passed away peacefully at his home with family by his side on March 4, 2021.

Kartheisers to celebrate 50th anniversary

Glen and Yvonne Kartheiser were married in St. Richard’s Catholic Church in Columbia Falls on March 13, 1970. They celebrate 50 years of marriage.

Legals for March, 10 2021

Dick Sapa, co-owner of iconic Blue Moon Nite Club, dies

Dick Sapa, the co-owner of the iconic Blue Moon Nite Club in Columbia Falls has died. He was 78.

Fiery crash near Creston

Three people died in a fiery head-on collision on Montana 35 in the Creston area.

Reservation system back on the table for Sun Road this summer

Glacier National Park could institute a "ticketed entry" system for the Going-to-the-Sun Road this summer, superintendent Jeff Mow said Thursday during the North Fork Interlocal meeting.

Cheff champ at state swimming, boys take third

The Columbia Falls swim team came home from the state A swim meet in Polson over the weekend with a third place overall finish for the boys team and a sixth place finish for the girls. The Wildcats were led by Connor Cheff who was the champion of the 200 yard IM with a time of 2:19.32; Adam Schrader who took second in the 500 yard freestyle with 5:38.26; and Emerald Templin who took third in the 500 yard freestyle with 6:04.48 Cheff also took second in the 100 yard breaststroke with 1:10.04. Thane Borgen took third in the 200 yard IM with 2:30.93. Peyton Malmberg took third in the 100 yard breaststroke with 1:10.67 and fourth in the 50 yard freestyle with 24.97. Johnathan Blankenship took sixth in the 500 yard freestyle with 7:10.26 and ninth in the 100 yard backstroke with 1:24.28.

Havre bests Kats

The streak is over. The Columbia Falls girls basketball team lost to the Havre Lady Blue Ponies in the semifinals of the state A basketball tournament Thursday, 59-28, in Great Falls.

The Blotter: A woman in a domestic dispute stated her husband wanted to kick her out of the house.

A man’s bank card was stolen at Paul Bunyan’s and charged shortly after at Packer’s Roost.

Journo camp at MSU

Registration is now open for Montana State University’s Rural Journalism Camp, to be held July 11–16 on MSU’s campus.The camp, presented by the Yellowstone Writing Project and the MSU Continuing, Professional and Lifelong Learning program in Academic Technology and Outreach, is a weeklong residential experience immersing rural high school students in the theory and practice of daily journalism.

Dale Conrad Bedford

Dale Conrad Bedford, 77, passed away Feb. 8, 2021, surrounded by his family following a short battle with cancer. Dale was born Jan 3, 1944 in Seward, Alaska to Daniel and Barbara Bedford. The family later moved to Joliet where he attended most of his school years. At 18, he joined the Navy and did a tour in Vietnam. After, he went to work building bridges. In 1967 he married Della Richardson.

Yesterdays: Glacier Park building new headquarters

Big Mountain would host the national downhill and slalom ski races. There were 80 contestants expected to compete. School District 6 teachers wanted a $500 across the board increase in annual pay. The minimum salary at the time

Dream Adaptive auction is this Friday

The first 200 registrants will receive a special gift bag for the evening including a DREAM mug, hot chocolate, marshmallows and a nip of Glacier Distillery Whiskey.

MatCats take second at Western A divisional tourney

Columbia Falls wrestling took home the second place trophy at the Western A Divisional Tournament in Libby on Saturday. The Wildcats boasted three divisional champions in Justin Windauer (126), Isaiah Roth (145) and Lucas Thacker (160) for 13 placers in total.

Self-described ‘writing junkie’ pens another entertaining tale

Local author Debbie Burke has recently published her latest novel “Flight to Forever” as the sixth book in her thriller crime series featuring the harrowing adventures of the kind, intuitive and quick-witted investigator Tawny Lindholm. Burke, who moved to Kalispell from San Diego nearly 30 years ago, is a prominent writer within the valley. She was a founding member of the local writers group Authors of the Flathead, established in the late eighties, and is instrumental in planning the annual Flathead River Writers Conference which hosts literary talent from around the globe.

Conservancy continues giving, despite pandemic blow

Retail sales down 56%. Philanthropy down 8%. Total revenue down 32%. The numbers sound like a nightmare for any nonprofit, but the Glacier National Park Conservancy still expects to support just about $1.8 million in Glacier Park projects this year, despite suffering rather severe losses in 2020 due to coronavirus shutdowns.

Columbia Falls native finalist in beer can competition

“I am in love with desert landscapes and architecture. I worked in Zion National Park in 2015 and that’s when the infatuation started,” explained Covill on her Instagram page. “Cacti, red sand that sticks in your clothes, climbing

Janet York Sandefer

Janet York Sandefer, 82, of Columbia Falls, passed away peacefully at Brendan House with family at her side on Feb. 18, 2021. Janet was born in Plentywood to Lynn and Viola York on April 22, 1938. Janet’s brother Eddy soon followed. She met Bryant Sandefer who was working in the oilfields around Plentywood and they were married in 1954.

Ruder wing should be done in June

The new addition to Ruder Elementary School should be completed by June, contractor Swank Enterprises told the School District 6 board last week.

Welcome to the North Fork

North Valley Search and Rescue has been providing free service to the North Fork and Flathead County since 1970.

Wildcats go 0-2 at Western A tourney

Despite a 27- point loss against the Beavers at 65-38, the Cats held their own during the first half, ending at the break with a fairly even score of 26-21.

Schools credit preventive measures for keeping doors open

“It’s been extremely important,” she said. “I can’t overstate the importance.” She said not only does in-person teaching help her run her business, it’s also important to her that her child has interactions not only with classmates, but with adults.

Former councilman urges city to reject CFAC ‘cleanup’ plan

A former Columbia Falls city councilman urged city leaders Monday night to write a letter opposing the Columbia Falls Aluminum Co.’s cleanup plan for the Superfund site north of town.

Man dies in tree well accident on Big Mountain

Gilman and his friends reportedly had planned to ski the out-of-bounds terrain and meet at the base of Chair 5 on the East Rim. CPR was performed at the scene and Gilman was transported to North Valley Hospital’s Base Lodge Clinic, and from there Big Mountain ambulance transported the patient to the hospital. Two Bear Air and ALERT helicopters were dispatched, but it was determined that ground transportation via toboggan was the most efficient mode of transport.

RUI

I recall a hunting trip in the South Fork wilderness where our normally trusty packer-guide somehow “found” a full bottle Kentucky straight bourbon in a hollow log.

Lake monitoring volunteers sought

Love to spend time on lakes? Interested in water quality? The Northwest Montana Lakes Network is looking for lake property owners and/or homeowners, 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:

West Glacier vision plan released for public view

A draft vision plan for West Glacier has been released for public review. The plan was developed over the course of more than a year to create a framework for how the gateway to Glacier National Park’s west entrance will look into the future. Organizer Mary McClelland said the idea of the plan is not to be regulatory, but to develop common goals among a wide variety of interests in the small town.

Coronavirus deaths jump to 81 total in county

The Flathead City-County Health Department has confirmed seven additional Covid-19 related deaths of individuals in Flathead County. The deaths occurred over the course of the past month, and five of the deaths are associated with residential care facilities.