Yesterdays: Wild turkeys
Five-year-olds Keith Shirley and Ann Curtis pet a wild turkey with district supervisor for Montana Fish and Game Department Don Brown (center). (Mel Ruder photo)
70 years ago
Feb. 26, 1954
A HHN survey found that 41 out of 57 Columbia Falls sixth graders could not swim 40 feet, a problem for a community surrounded by water bodies. As solutions, Columbia Falls Lions Club was looking to build a concrete pool with the help of the Works Progress Administration, and a bus schedule was suggested to get kids to Lake Five, Lake Blaine, or Whitefish Lake during the summer.
60 years ago
Feb. 28, 1964
Twenty-eight wild turkeys were captured in Roundup and transplanted in Eureka by Montana Fish and Game. The hope was to have a turkey hunting season within four years, similar to a project in Ekalaka in 1954, where 16 turkeys obtained from Colorado and Wyoming turned into a 2,000-member flock.
50 years ago
March 1, 1974
Montana school districts, due to new legislation, would be mandated to provide special education programs. “Our social system strives to see that no one is neglected, much in contrast to some years ago,” HHN read.
40 years ago
March 1, 1984
Six newborn babies were born on Leap Day in the Flathead’s hospitals, including the baby boy of Melanie and Jan VanHoven of Columbia Falls. Nineteen-year-old Steve Charging of Clinton, Montana survived an airborne car crash after charging down Nucleus Avenue at 60 mph and up Hungry Horse News’s lawn, launching the vehicle 33 feet and into a birch tree. Marks on the tree showed impact 10 feet in the air.
30 years ago
March 3, 1994
Columbia Falls lost its chance to host the Montana Snowmobile Racing Association’s Ice Drags on Lake Five when there was not enough ice to support it. Across the state, temperatures in the 50s had melted lakes earlier than usual. Meanwhile in Glacier National Park, NASA scientists were studying ice in Bowman Lake in an attempt to understand radar readings of polar ice that could help monitor global warming.
20 years ago
Feb. 26, 2004
Hungry Horse arson suspect Kelly Zuhlke, after being arrested the week prior, was found to have a stash of stolen antiques including some belonging to 99-year old Hungry Horse resident Walt Little. The Wildcats basketball team was looking to defend their state title.
10 years ago
Feb. 26, 2014
Columbia Falls Aluminum Company’s wastewater system permit was 11 years out of date. Staff shortages at DEQ delayed the permit update process, and the permit was continued by administrative action.