New theaters make big entrance

Starting today, the Flathead Valley's moviegoers are entering into a new era which promises to be more comfortable and more expansive.

Today is opening day for Signature Theatres' new Stadium 14 Cinema at Hutton Ranch Plaza, a $12 million facility that features everything from roomy seating to expanded concessions to a 2,200-seat capacity for the 14 screens.

And movie tickets will cost only a quarter to 50 cents more than they did at the Gateway, Strand and Liberty theaters that are being replaced by the new theaters. Quite a bargain for the added luxury.

Signature Theatres managing partner Phil Harris promises that "there's nothing better than this anywhere in Montana."

Congratulations to Harris for putting together a noteworthy venture that is sure to please movie fans.

It has been a distinguished architectural feature on Kalispell's Fourth Avenue East for almost a century.

The house known for its distinctive portico and Christmas angel is now up for sale. And separate from the house sale, a treasure trove of antiques and collectibles from the mansion will be auctioned off Saturday.

For more than 60 years, the house was home to the Himsl family - Matt and Lois and their five children.

Now it's available to a new family to enjoy its opulence from the past century.

Some of the furnishings up for auction have interesting historic connections, such as the chimney-pot dresser that once belonged to Clara Barton, a founder of the American Red Cross.

One unique item with plenty of local interest that will be at the auction is the Christmas angel that so often graced the portico during the holiday season.

Tomorrow's auction promises to provide an interesting glimpse into the past.

Barry Bonds, meanwhile, provides an interesting contrast with the past.

The San Francisco slugger is about to surpass Hank Aaron as the No. 1 home-run hitter in history, but he won't surpass Aaron as a beloved sports legend.

Aaron beat out Babe Ruth's longtime record through years of persistent and dedicated effort. Bonds, on the other hand, allegedly got to the pinnacle of achievement via chemicals - steroids that bulked him up and turned him from a good home-run hitter into a bloated home-run machine.

The gentlemanly Aaron is making "no comment" on Bonds' assault on his record, but "no comment" says it all.