Ellington

Glacier Institute hopes to purchase 142 acres adjacent to Bad Rock Wildlife Management Area

The Glacier Institute is hoping to purchase a 142-acre property adjacent to the Bad Rock Wildlife Management Area in Columbia Heights that would serve as a new headquarters as well as a year-round nature center and educational facility.

Glacier National Park reached out for employee housing, people responded

Local homeowners answered the call from Glacier National Park officials earlier this year, leasing vacation rentals and apartments to National Park Service seasonal employees. Park officials say the program has allowed them to hire and house 18 additional people.

City will celebrate pickleball courts

The Columbia Falls City Council last week OK’d Heritage Days as an official city function, a formal process necessary to have the parade and other events.

Ellen Opalka, 78

Ellen M. Opalka, 78, died suddenly on June 16, 2023.

The Blotter: Kid runs out of lemonade, so goes to store and steals more mix

A woman said she was assaulted by another person and now was afraid to come to Columbia Falls.

Twins take down Missoula in doubleheader

The Glacier Twins American Legion baseball team took down Missoula twice last week before heading to Helena for the Cloninger Classic.

Columbia Falls swimmers win Cut Bank meet

The Columbia Falls Swim Team was back in the pool last weekend at their third meet of the season in Cut Bank.

This week's death notices

Sue Ella Johnson, 75

Flathead Bull Trout holding their own, biologists say

Bull trout populations in Flathead Lake and the three forks of the Flathead River system are stable, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks biologists are saying.

CFAC cleanup talks get underway

The first public views of the proposed cleanup plan for the Columbia Falls Aluminum Co. Superfund site came to light at meetings last week.

Columbia Falls grad benefits from Co-op scholarship

Elyse Byrd graduated from Columbia Falls High School earlier this month.and soon will begin her nursing education at Montana State University.

West Glacier wildfire meeting coming up

The 2023 West Glacier Area Community Wildfire information meeting is Thursday July 6. At 4 p.m. there’s a home assessment at 535 Sloan Lane, West Glacier  with DNRC wildfire specialists for a house that is being remodeled.  There will be a comparison of the new siding and deck that is “fire resistant” to old siding and wood deck that is not.

Group says state carnivore management a sham

Wolf and grizzly bear management planning is underway in Montana, and the Gianforte administration’s strategy for managing these species could not be more clear: our way, or the highway.

Hertz on reappraisals

Property tax appraisals are currently arriving in the mail. It’s important to review the valuation and appeal it if you do not agree with the valuation. The appeal instructions are in the letter that was mailed to you. You only have 30 days, so do not wait.

State mails reappraisals; values jump more than 40-60% for many homeowners

Property tax reappraisal notices went out last week and assessed values are up substantially over the previous appraisals for single family homes.

Blackfeet release bison at Chief Mountain

On Monday the Blackfeet Tribe released a herd of 24 bison in the Chief Mountain Wilderness. The animals could end up in Glacier National Park, the first herd in the park in almost 150 years.

Lacey Jo Dziuk a.k.a. Lacey Irwin, 38

Lacey Jo Dziuk a.k.a. Lacey Irwin, 38, of Martin City passed away June 2, 2023. She was born September 9, 1984 in Whitefish to Daniel Irwin and Karen “Kiki” Sue Irwin (Mills).

The Highline: This classic Glacier National Park hike offers great rewards (and reservations were easy to get)

Glacier National Park’s Highline Trail opened last week, so we went on a 10-mile round trip stroll down the trail. We decided to approach the trip as if we were tourists, which is to say we got a Going-to-the-Sun Road reservation the day before (there were more than 900 available) and we didn’t start out for Glacier until almost 9 a.m.

Glacier's Highline Trail opens

Glacier’s National Park's popular Highline Trail has opened for the season from Logan Pass to Granite Park. The relatively flat trail is a favorite for many hikers and guests heading to the Granite Park chalet.

Columbia Falls Bookmobile ready to hit the streets

The Columbia Falls Bookmobile, which puts books in kids’ hands during the summer months, will once again be making stops across the district.

Glacier Twins now 7-1

Over the last week, the Glacier Twins improved to 7-1 in the regional American Legion baseball league.

Now people expect to be rescued

When I was leading groups into the Wyoming wilderness in the 1990s, once we left a trailhead we were on our own.

Lacey Jo Dziuk a.k.a. Lacey Irwin, 38

Lacey Jo Dziuk a.k.a. Lacey Irwin, 38, of Martin City passed away June 2, 2023. She was born Sept. 9, 1984 in Whitefish, to Daniel Irwin and Karen “Kiki” Sue Irwin (Mills).

Death notices, June 21, 2023

Timothy “TEE” Eugene Knight, Jr. died June 6, 2023 in Helmville. To send online condolences, please visit www.austinfh.com.

James Roth, 77

James “Jim” Donald Roth, 77, of Columbia Falls passed away June 13, 2023.

Joe Rogers, 81

Joseph Sullivan Rogers of Coram, Montana, died peacefully surrounded by his loving family on Dec. 30, 2022.

Chris Herman Byrd, 75

Chris Herman Byrd, 75, of Martin City, Montana passed away peacefully in his home after a 9 year battle with Frontal Lobe Dementia. His loving wife of 54 years, Maureen, was by his side as he piloted his final flight home to reunite with his parents and siblings.

In split vote, planning board rejects RV Park

The Flathead County Planning Board last week gave a negative recommendation for a proposed 21-space RV Park in rural Columbia Falls.

School Board meeting takes a political turn

The Columbia Falls School District 6 Board meeting last week took a political turn when the time came to vote on whether to renew its membership to the Montana Quality Education Coalition.

Kathleen “Kathy-Red” A. Aspevig, 74

Kathleen “Kathy-Red” A. Aspevig, 74, of Hungry Horse, passed away May 31, 2023. She was born March 15, 1949 in Havre to the late Walter Welsh and Doris Fern Welsh (Wilson).

Bad Rock baseball wins tourney

The Badrock 14U baseball team won the Mother’s Day Tournament in Helena in May and now became the Father’s Day tournament champion this past Sunday in Helena.

Wildcat summer swim team hopes for success

The Columbia Falls summer swim team has kicked off its season. The team has about 100 swimmers this year, said coach Kyle Babcock.

Farming for the Future Academy helps vets and youth; The garden at the Montana Veterans Home is also now powered by the sun

The normally quiet grounds of the Montana Veterans Home were shaken up last week when a hovercraft race was held on the premises — all by design.

Martin City woman killed in alleged hit-and-run

A Martin City woman was killed in an apparent hit-and-run in the rural Flathead County town early Sunday morning.

FWP plans to put parking area near Highway 2 for Bad Rock WMA

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks has released an environmental assessment for a formal parking area in the Bad Rock Wildlife Management Area.

Aquaman: Mike Turner will ‘jog’ the length of the reservoir, for a good cause

I don’t think it’s much more than 30-35 miles going the straight line I’m going to go, but still, it’s a daunting task for an old fart like me.

Planning board deadlocks on West Glacier guest cabin

The Flathead County Planning Board reached a stalemate last week over plans for a guest cabin off Belton Stage Road in West Glacier.

FWP biologist to talk about grizzlies and climate change

Cecily Costello, grizzly bear research biologist for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, will provide a free, educational presentation about how climate change is affecting grizzly bears in Montana and the implications for their continued recovery on Friday, June 23 at 7 p.m. at the Glacier Park Lodge in East Glacier Park.

Bond family says thanks

Dear Family, Friends and Acquaintances of Ron Bond,

Yesterdays: Apgar campground ready to open

The last local remnant of the steam engine era came down in Coram, as Douglas Grob was tearing down a 50,000 gallon water tank made of wood. Grob planned on using the the lumber to build a round house to live in on U.S. 93 six miles north of Whitefish.

The Deck

Contrary to the name Glacier Park Lodge is not exactly in Glacier National Park. Instead it sits on the Blackfeet Reservation a few miles east of the Park’s boundary. It was built in 1913 to serve as the first stop on the main line of the Great Northern Railway closest to the newly created Park.

The Blotter: A male stole a burrito from a store.

A jogger complained that the neighbor’s dog kept chasing him.

Legals for June, 21 2023

Planning board tables Kapoor zone change request

The Flathead County Planning Board Wednesday night tabled a zone change request by Location Ventures on a plot of land between the Flathead River and Columbia Heights.

SEC, FBI investigating Kapoor, Herald reports

Florida developer Rishi Kapoor is reportedly under investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission and the FBI, the Miami Herald is reporting.

Kurt Steele no longer Flathead Forest Supervisor

Steele oversaw the Flathead Forest during a three-and-a-half year stretch marked by contentious debates over use of the forest.

All state softball announced

Maddie Moultray, Haden Peters and Sydney Mann were all named class A all-state softball players this season. They were also named first team all-conference.

Unhealthy Snacks

In this week’s newspaper we feature author Bob Love’s book, “Pathfinder” a fine collection of poems, stories and essays that Love has been working on for the past 50 years.

Jerry A. Knudson, 80

Jerry Knudson was born in Becida, Minnesota.

Death Notices for June 14, 2023

Lee Schrader died June 5, 2023 in Kalispell. Schrader, of Coram, is survived by his wife Sharyn and his children: Kristyn and Eric. A private service will be held at a later date. Arrangements are under the care of Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home.

Students awarded Winslow Nichols Scholarships

Five Columbia Falls seniors have been awarded Winslow Nichols Memorial Scholarships. The Winslow Nichols Memorial Scholarship was established to honor Winslow Nichols, a 2021 graduate of Columbia Falls High School.

Aurora

Editor’s note: “Aurora” is one of the stories in Bob Love’s new book, “Pathfinder.” We republish it here with his permission.

The Bard of Blankenship: To many folks, Bob Love is known as a logger, but he also shines as a writer and poet

For Bob Love, the art of poetry and all of writing, for that matter, isn’t always the words on the page, but the spaces in between.

Goat Haunt reopens after 5 year closure

Hikers and boaters will once again be allowed to travel between Glacier National Park and Canada’s Waterton Lakes National Park in the Goat Haunt area.

Yesterdays: Glacier Park ranger bitten by griz

North Fork subdistrict ranger Jerry DeSanto was bitten and clawed by a grizzly bear after he encountered her and her cubs on the trail to Upper Kintla Lake.

CFAC liaison panel to meet, talk cleanup

The Columbia Falls Aluminum Co. liaison panel will have its own meeting before a round of meetings by technical advisors and the Environmental Protection Agency.

Last chance to file for city elections

This is the last week to file for the Columbia Falls City election. Those who want to file for three open seats must have their paperwork in by June 19 (Monday).

Co-op raises rates slightly

Flathead Electric Cooperative’s democratically elected Board of Trustees recently approved an overall rate adjustment of 1.11% effective with bills issued on or after June 1.

The Blotter: The chickens are just fine

A disorderly driver followed a Doordash delivery driver and threatened to pull a gun on him, and then attempted to run over a resident on 6th Avenue. A person reported to police there might be a GPS tracker in their mother’s car left by her ex boyfriend. Report of a reckless driver speeding on their phone on 11th Avenue.

Bills make healthcare more attainable

The United States’s health care system is a mess of complex regulations and layers of bureaucracy. It’s also expensive. But Republicans in the Montana Legislature have made great strides in recent years to address what problems we can at the state level.

CFAC should have to haul away waste

On June 1, 2023, the Environmental Protection Agency publicly released its proposed action for cleaning up the CFAC Superfund site in Columbia Falls.

Columbia Falls passes bear law that centers on securing garbage

The new section states, “It is unlawful for a resident, association of residents, or a business to act or fail to act in such a way that results in the accumulation of uncollected refuse, garbage, or rubbish in or on areas of their owned or leased property such that it is readily accessible to undomesticated large predator animals, ncluding but not limited to black bears or grizzly bears.”

Lacey Jo Dziuk a.k.a. Lacey Irwin, 38

Lacey Jo Dziuk a.k.a. Lacey Irwin, 38, of Martin City passed away June 2, 2023. She was born Sept. 9, 1984 in Whitefish, MT to Daniel Irwin and Karen “Kiki” Sue Irwin (Mills).

Jennifer Hogan

Jennifer Ione Hogan, 51, passed away unexpectedly on June 6, 2023, at her family home, “Bony Fingers Ranch” in Polson.

Delayed by high school baseball, Twins season under way

Another Glacier Twins season is now underway — only a bit delayed from its usual start in previous years. The Twins last week began with two wins, one over Libby and one over Cranbrook, B.C., while a third game was delayed by rain in the sixth inning. Glacier will host its first home games this week on Thursday when they play Libby at Memorial Field in Whitefish.

Sun Road opens for the season to vehicles

Going-to-the-Sun Road officially opened Tuesday morning for the 2023 summer season. The road may now be accessed by motorized vehicles all the way through from both the West Glacier and St. Mary entrances. This is the earliest the road has opened since 2005.

Second person dies as result of multi-vehicle crash; victims identified

A second person has died as a result of a seven-vehicle accident on U.S. Highway 2 in Coram near the intersection of Old Highway 2 Monday, Montana Highway Patrol confirmed.

Woman camping near Nyack injured by black bear

One person was injured Wednesday morning in an encounter with a black bear along the Middle Fork Flathead River near Nyack, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks said in a release.

Free summer camps for kids on tap

Framing for the Future Academy at the Montana Veterans Home Garden has announced its summer steam camps.

Vacation Bible School coming up

First Baptist Church of Columbia Falls will be holding their annual Vacation Bible School June 12-16 from 9 a.m. until noon.

EPA releases proposed CFAC cleanup plan

Plan looks to contain and treat waste, but not haul it away

The Environmental Protection Agency June 1 released its proposed action for cleaning up the Columbia Falls Aluminum Co. Superfund site.

More than 1,000 Izaak Walton Inn items up for sale

About 1,200 pieces from the historic Izaak Walton Inn will go up for sale.

Bike path is coming to Railroad Street; 12th Avenue almost complete

Columbia Falls will eventually have a new bike/pedestrian path from the Third Street intersection of Fourth Avenue West and up Railroad Street.

Brown points out some bills

There were many bills passed in the legislative session which ended last month.

Yesterdays: 1963 building the Logan Pass and Dam visitor centers

Glacier National Park was gearing up for a Hollywood film, called “The Glacier Story.”

The Blotter: 30 abandoned cats found in 4th Ave house

Three cows were spotted walking along the road just north of Stoltze Lumber Company.

Kapoor seeking zone change on 12 acres east of town

The Flathead County Planning Board will soon take up a zone change request for just over 12 acres of land between the Flathead River and Columbia Heights.

RV Park proposed off Highway 2 near Jellison

A new RV Park could soon be coming to Columbia Falls.

PHOTOS: 2023 High School Graduation

Scenes from the Columbia Falls High School graduation held June 3 in the high school gymnasium.

She’s a steward of the Rivers

Sheena Pate is a busy woman.

State discus title a special one

He did it for grandpa.

Columbia Falls Junior High announces year-end awards

The Columbia Falls Junior High had its year-end awards ceremony last week.

Rebecca Ann Braunig

The North Fork lost a valued member of the community on May 29, 2023, with the passing of Becky Braunig, 68.

Valerie Marcella Merical, 77

Valerie Merical passed away unexpectedly Jan. 7 in Kingman, Arizona, daughter of Harold and Fern Cosner, beloved wife and mother, survived by her adoring husband of 60 years Larry Burton Merical, and three children, Keersti Jacobson and husband Brian, Kord Merical and wife Heather, Kate Nelson and husband Eric.

Allen Jacobson, 87

Allen A. Jacobson, 87, of Columbia Falls, passed away peacefully on Jan. 8, 2023, one day after what would have been the 66th wedding anniversary to his wife, Sharon Rae Hileman Jacobson.

Ronald Bevz, 75 “Ronnie Rockit”

We had a love story.

Sailing captains needed for camps

The Montana council of the Boy Scouts of America Montana Council has as one of their summer camps, Melita Island on Flathead Lake.

Woman allegedly shoots at dog in Martin City, resulting in lock down of Sugar Hill

A woman allegedly shot at a dog after a dispute in Martin City, prompting a lockdown of Central Avenue (Sugar Hill) by Flathead County Sheriff’s deputies Monday for several hours.

Judge upholds Columbia Falls Community market lease, for now

Flathead County District Court Judge Robert Allison on Friday issued a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction against O’Brien Byrd, Three Byrds Properties and North Fork Intuition that upholds a lease on Byrd’s property at O’Brien’s Liquor and Wine held by the Columbia Falls Community Market.

Multi-vehicle accident on Highway 2, one dead, at least three injured

An eastbound semi truck hauling a load of lumber flipped over on Highway 2 in a multi-vehicle fatal accident about 4 p.m. Monday just outside Coram.

Byrd responds to Market suit

Many Columbia Falls community members know of the disagreement between the Columbia Falls Community Market and my businesses. I have nothing but love for our town, and for our Market, so I am issuing this statement to set the record straight.

Lease dispute over Columbia Falls Community Market results in lawsuit

The Community Market and O’Brien Byrd are at odds, and the market’s lease on his property at O’Brien’s Liquor and Wine has been canceled, according to documents filed in Flathead County District Court in the past few days.