Saturday, April 30

A.R.M. Invite

KYSA Tournament Pitcher

KYSA Tournament
Stillwater wins Les Schwab Shootout
COLUMBIA FALLS - Stillwater Christian School won the 10th annual Les Schwab Shootout on Friday night with a final score of 101 points.
Canadian exchange: 'You be ready, because we're coming'
The Flathead Valley has been restored as a prime destination for recreation- and bargain-seeking Canadians, and local businesses can and should do more to ensure the trend will last, according to a panel of speakers at a seminar Friday in Kalispell.

Rumble young man rumble
Anthony "Rumble" Johnson recognized the look in each fighter's eyes as they stepped into the cage on Friday night.

Interactive clickers

Billie Stewart Jay
Gerald Eugene 'Jerry' Miller, 83
Gerald Eugene "Jerry" Miller, 83, passed away Wednesday, April 27, 2011, in Kalispell.

Students relying on remote-control clickers
Hand-raising has gone high tech at Hedges School.
New storm disrupts park plowing
Another winter storm descended Friday on Glacier National Park, disrupting park plowing crews that already have encountered unusually deep snow in some areas.

Billie Stewart Jay, 90
Billie Stewart Jay “left her earthly body and went to be with her Savior” on April 28, 2011.
Kidnap suspect to get mental evaluation
A Flathead District Court judge ordered a psychological evaluation Thursday for a man charged with kidnapping after a six-hour standoff at a Kalispell motel on New Year’s Eve.

Alan W. Opp

FVCC hopefuls square off
FVCC candidates spar over elections, audits, finances
Friday’s Glacier Country Pachyderm forum started out with some sharp jabs with candidates for four Flathead Valley Community College trustee positions as the main event before the Republican group.
Wildkats, Loggers go 2-0 in softball tourney
FRENCHTOWN - Columbia Falls bounced back from its first loss of the season by posting two wins on Friday at the Frenchtown Invitational softball tournament.

Alan W. Opp, 85
Alan W. Opp, 85, died peacefully in his Kalispell home on Wednesday morning, April 27, 2011. He was a longtime resident of Flathead County.
Polson girls earn lone dual win vs. Southwestern A netters
Northwestern A's Polson and Whitefish tangled with some tough competition from Southwestern A on Friday in dual tennis action in the Bitterroot Valley.

FVCC candidates address the Pachyderm Club
Friday, April 29

Kalispell Kombat Ready

Kalispell Kombat Fence

Kalispell Kombat Grit

Kalispell Kombat Punch

Kalispell Kombat Scene

Kalispell Kombat Vertical

Kalispell Kombat Winner

Kalispell Kombat

April Special Olympics

Special Olympics

Snow Removal at Glacier

Stacy Schnebel Profile
SBG geared up for Kalispell Kombat
The night before professional mixed martial arts will be showcased at UFC 129 in Toronto, Kalispell resident Chhi'med Kunzang will step into the ring for the first time for a simple reason.
Eamon Robert Schule
Eamon Robert Schule, son of Travis and Beth Schule of Kalispell, was born March 16 at home.
Amy Adele Sauls
Amy Adele Sauls, daughter of Justin Sauls and Rachael Greenland, was born April 4 at North Valley Hospital.
Paul Matthew Ciganek
Paul Matthew Ciganek, son of Paul and Mary Ciganek of Whitefish, was born April 14 at North Valley Hospital.
Camryn Rose Lorraine Donahue
Camryn Rose Lorraine Donahue, daughter of Kevin and Katie Donahue, was born April 10 at North Valley Hospital.
Pirates' big inning stops Kats
POLSON - You have to be solid all the way around when you play the defending Class A state softball champion Polson Pirates.
Daniel Barton Bessen
Daniel Barton Bessen, son of Aaron Bessen and Kimberly Pettit of Columbia Falls, was born April 5 at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.
Brooke Marie Iverson
Brooke Marie Iverson, daughter of Antonia Iverson of Whitefish, was born April 15 at North Valley Hospital.
Activities cutbacks reduced
Cuts to high school activities won’t be as deep as Kalispell Public Schools officials had feared, after direction from trustees this week.
Bigfork residents learn flood preparation
Some 30 people showed up in Bigfork on Tuesday to learn how to make a 96-hour survival pack in case of a flood emergency.
Marlee Ann Jones
Marlee Ann Jones, daughter of Robert Jones and Ashlee Cates of Columbia Falls, was born April 13 at North Valley Hospital.
Libby Dam scrambles to prevent flooding
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will ramp up releases from Libby Dam, possibly in an unusual way, to ensure that flows can be curtailed during the peak runoff to avoid flooding on the Kootenai River.
Lakoeta Shiye Jetty
Lakoeta Shiye Jetty, son of Joseth Jetty and Tiffany Bruner of Kalispell, was born April 2 at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.
Flood of 2011? Be prepared
Now, it’s getting serious for flood watchers.

Smith Lake Rising
Anthony Blake Clark
Anthony Blake Clark, son of Brad and Jessie Clark of Columbia Falls, was born April 5 at North Valley Hospital.
Ava Hope LaSalle-Floch
Ava Hope LaSalle-Floch, daughter of Bryce Floch and Denise LaSalle of Kalispell, was born April 4 at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.
Jackson Zoll
Jackson Zoll, son of Matt and Liz Zoll of Kalispell, was born April 12 at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.
Deegan Michael Kynett
Deegan Michael Kynett, son of Nicholas Kynett and Cristin Perry of Kalispell, was born April 5 at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.
Sanorah Marie Burling
Sanorah Marie Burling, daughter of Ben and Tree Burling of Columbia Falls, was born April 11 at North Valley Hospital.
Amarri Jade Gneiting
Amarri Jade Gneiting, daughter of Jon and Amanda Gneiting of Whitefish, was born April 14 at North Valley Hospital.
Lily Anne Palin
Lily Anne Palin, daughter of Jeremy and Shannon Palin of Kalispell, was born April 4 at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.
Local flooding threat grows: 'It's going to be hard to avoid'
Snowpack keeps growing, as does flood threat
As the big chill continues, the snowpack across Western Montana and particularly in the Flathead River Basin persists along with continued forecasts for high flood potential.
Claire Olivia Walker
Claire Olivia Walker, daughter of Levi and Bethany Walker of Kalispell, was born April 6 at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.
Xander Joseph Gladeau
Xander Joseph Gladeau, son of Santee and Krystal Gladeau of Columbia Falls, was born April 6 at North Valley Hospital.
Mikayla Kylie Hokanson
Mikayla Kylie Hokanson, daughter of Jackson and Christina Hokanson of Kalispell, was born April 4 at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.
Elly Michelle Davidson
Elly Michelle Davidson, daughter of Jess and Kacie Davidson of Dillon, was born March 17 at Barrett Hospital in Dillon.
Leif Christian Jerde
Leif Christian Jerde, son of Erik and Sally Jerde, was born April 15 at North Valley Hospital.
Kayenta Maxine Nelson
Kayenta Maxine Nelson, daughter of Jeremy and Kina Nelson of Kalispell, was born April 13 at North Valley Hospital.

Man sentenced for helping hide body
A 28-year-old Kalispell man will spend six months in jail for helping hide the body of a man who was bludgeoned to death with hammers in April 2010.

Cody Naldrett sentencing
Vayda Aleena Kauffman
Vayda Aleena Kauffman, daughter of Mark and Jessie Kauffman of Kalispell, was born April 2 at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.
David Angelo Jones Jr.
David Angelo Jones Jr., son of David Jones and Kayla Racine of Kalispell, was born April 14 at North Valley Hospital.
Special Olympics Games to be staged here
More than 200 athletes will represent 13 teams at today’s Special Olympics-Glacier Area Games.
Hannah Marie Erickson
Hannah Marie Erickson, daughter of Bob and Lisa Erickson of Kalispell, was born April 4 at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.
Medical marijuana: A breakdown of laws by state
Thursday, April 28
Boomers & work: Most say age is a plus at the office

Glacier vs. Columbia Falls Tennis

Interactive Clickers Detail

Bigfork Inn
1 dead as storms pound South for 2nd straight day

Eagles Nest Antiques and Crafts
Chernobyl: The nuclear disaster that shook the world
Murder suspect wants extra charges dropped
Attorneys for a man accused of the 2010 bludgeoning death of a Kalispell man argued for the dismissal of recently added charges Wednesday in Flathead District Court.
A tragic loss in the mountains
We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of Walker Kuhl and Gregory Seftick, two young men who fell victim to a tragic accident while on a camping trip in the Grand Tetons of Wyoming. Once again, we are reminded of how fragile and precious all life is, and yet once again we are also reminded how important it is to live your life fully and well — and to enjoy each moment. Kuhl and Seftick were doing what they loved — enjoying the great outdoors — when they perished last week in an avalanche. It is a devastating loss for their families, but we hope all who knew them will be able to think of these two brave adventurers with fond memories in years to come.They lived life well.
August James Young
August James Young, son of Pete and Charis Young of Somers, was born March 27 at North Valley Hospital.
Raquel Abigail Nieter
Raquel Abigail Nieter, daughter of Anthony and Scarlet Nieter of Kalispell, was born March 31 at North Valley Hospital.

New blacktop
Audrey Ann Lowell
Audrey Ann Lowell, daughter of Gary and Mandy Lowell of Columbia Falls, was born March 28 at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.
Health clinics offered for child immunizations
The Flathead City-County Health Department and public schools in Flathead County are teaming up to offer immunization clinics this spring.
Burn permits will be required as of May 1
Flathead County residents who plan to burn natural vegetation between May 1 and June 30 are required to obtain burn permits prior to burning.
Missing girl was just napping in the closet
The
Mason James Hagen
Mason James Hagen, son of Joel and Tiffany Hagen of Bigfork, was born March 28 at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.
Gonzaga grad picked to head Whitefish schools
Kathryn “Kate” Orozco will take over the helm of the Whitefish School District this summer.
Host of young musicians qualifies for state music festival
District No. 1 Music Festival involved 1,500 students
The numbers from the recent District No. 1 Music Festival are staggering.
Gun club activities pick up pace in May
The Bigfork Gun Club is gearing up for a variety of events and matches for rifle shooters young and old.
Ethan James Albin
Ethan James Albin, son of Ean and Coleen Albin of Columbia Falls, was born March 28 at North Valley Hospital.
Wednesday, April 27
This Week in Sports
Obama's birth certificate: President releases long form

Logger Sports Coach Beall

Logger Sports Inspection

Logger Sports Ryan Pearson

Logger Sports

Courthouse Renovations Ladders

Courthouse Renovations
North Korea: Carter, other ex-leaders visit
Gas drilling: Pa. moves to stop wastewater in streams
Gaige Michael Fevold
Gaige Michael Fevold, son of Tera and Blake Fevold of Bigfork, was born March 24 at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.
Bibler tours feature focus on tribal rugs
Kick-off events planned May 7 to 8
Each spring since 2004, the Bibler Foundation has worked with the Flathead Valley Community College Foundation to offer guided tours of the Bibler home and gardens as a scholarship and program fundraiser for the college.

Cool crosstown at Glacier
Strong field events help Wolfpack beat Flathead; Bravettes inch out victory
A third opponent showed up to the crosstown track meet at Glacier High on Tuesday.
Union approves contract
Kalispell firefighters unanimously ratified a new contract with the city on Monday night.
London Valentine Prince Chapman
London Valentine Prince Chapman, son of Curtis Chapman and Desiree Plunkett of Kalispell, was born March 31 at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.
Columbia Falls downs Eureka in tennis
EUREKA - Columbia Falls swept play in singles and split with Eureka in doubles to claim a 6-2 nonconference dual win on Tuesday.
Eden Rose Bowden
Eden Rose Bowden, daughter of Jon Bowden and Amanda Sederdahl of Kalispell, was born March 31 at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.
Man angry at nurse for not giving him pot
College seeks nominees for Eagle Award
Flathead Valley Community College now is accepting nominations for qualified individuals for the prestigious Eagle Award.
Karson Kruz Goicoechea
Karson Kruz Goicoechea, son of Sean and Amy Goicoechea of Kalispell, was born March 15 at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.
Schulz, Berget win at Top 10
MISSOULA - Whitefish freshman Marlow Schulz won the girls 100 at the 13th annual Russ Pilcher Western Montana Top 10 track meet on Tuesday.
Cassia Faith DeZell
Cassia Faith DeZell, daughter of Jason and April DeZell of Kalispell, was born March 15 at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.
Edward James Broad, 72
Edward James Broad, 72, died Sunday, April 24, 2011, at his home in Columbia Falls. He was raised in Kalispell.
Kaia Roz Ridgway
Kaia Roz Ridgway, daughter of Keith and Holly Ridgway of Kalispell, was born March 25 at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.
Parker Donavin Bradley
Parker Donavin Bradley, son of Forrest Bradley and Kaelynn Nelson of Kalispell, was born March 26 at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.
Rylan Grant O'Connor
Rylan Grant O’Connor, son of Lance and Jana O’Connor, was born March 31 at St. Peter’s Hospital in Helena.
Rowan Edward Lanier
Rowan Edward Lanier, son of Jason and Karina Lanier of Bigfork, was born March 23 at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.
Governor, legislators to be featured at May 5 forum
The Whitefish Chamber of Commerce is hosting a forum May 5 that will feature Gov. Brian Schweitzer and Flathead Valley legislators.

Carrying water: Mother Earth Water Walk
Carol Hopkins, far right, hands off a bucket filled with water from the Pacific Ocean to Echo Brown, while Neejig Shognosh gives an eagle staff to Chaney Bell in Woods Bay on Tuesday morning. The items have been carried by multiple participants as part of the western portion of the Mother Earth Water Walk. Both items will be carried on foot from Puget Sound, Wash., to Bad River, Wis.

Water wings

Walter James 'Jim' Moniz
Fred G. Torbergson, 75
Fred G. Torbergson, 75, passed away on Saturday, April 23, 2011, at the Veterans Hospital in Sheridan, Wyo.
Robert D. Germann, 85
Robert D. Germann, 85, passed away April 24, 2011, in Kalispell.
Ski resort surmounts a variety of challenges
Whitefish Mountain Resort has faced some stiff challenges over the last decade, but hard choices and disciplined management practices have enabled a turnaround, Chief Executive Officer Dan Graves, told a business group Tuesday.

Mother Earth Water Walk
Man pleads guilty to train threat
The Minnesota man who made threats that forced the evacuation of about 140 Amtrak passengers near Browning in February pleaded guilty to false information and hoaxes Tuesday.

Walter James 'Jim' Moniz, 71
Jim “was set free to be with the Lord” on Resurrection Sunday, April 24, 2011.
Maxwell McMenamin
Maxwell McMenamin, son of McKay and Dana McMenamin of Kalispell, was born March 30 at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.

Fuller resigns volleyball job
Jackie Fuller, who quickly turned an also-ran Whitefish High School volleyball program into a state power, has resigned as head coach of the Bulldogs.
Variety of city airport sites, options considered
The spokesman for a local group that wants to relocate Kalispell City Airport favors a site farther from the city that would allow larger aircraft.
Tuesday, April 26

Jackie Fuller

Crosstown Track Tess Brenneman

Crosstown Track
Afghan prison break: Taliban free nearly 500 inmates

Kimberly Ann Yost, 36
Kimberly Ann Yost, 36, passed away on Wednesday, April 20, 2011, at Kalispell Regional Medical Center as the result of an automobile accident earlier in the day.

Oran Gordion 'Gordy' McCartney, 80
Oran Gordion “Gordy” McCartney “left our presence here on Earth to be with our Heavenly Father and our beautiful mother” on April 23, 2011. He was born on March 14, 1931, in Browning, to Oran and Emma McCartney.
Daybook
Tuesday
Growling dogs create neighborly discontent
The Flathead County Sheriff’s office got a report Sunday from a woman on Jellison Road who was threatened by a man after she complained about his dogs growling at her children. The parties were counseled by a responding deputy.
Willis 'Bill' Martinson, 85
Willis "Bill" Martinson was born Aug. 24, 1925, in Ismay, Mont., and passed away April 18, 2011, in Spokane Valley, Wash.

Aliesha Lynn Kefauver, 16,
Aliesha Lynn Kefauver, 16, passed away on Wednesday, April 20, 2011, at home in Kalispell.
Posts to be installed to protect Courthouse West
As landscaping is finished at the Courthouse West building (formerly the Blue Building), bollards will be installed in the parking lot near the building’s main door on the east side.
Helen LaVerne Handy, 88
Helen LaVerne Handy, 88, passed away on April 22, 2011, at the Hodgeman County Long Term Care in Jetmore, Kan.

Emily Jo Pfrimmer, 87
Emily Jo Pfrimmer died of a stroke early Saturday, April 23, 2011, “her spirit soaring like an eagle from North Valley Hospital.” She was 87.

kefauver obit
Marion School plans smaller expansion
Voters might have rejected Marion School's bond request, but school officials are pressing on with plans to expand the building.

yost obit

A ring and a prayer: Couple considers recovery a Good Friday miracle
A Thompson Falls couple are rejoicing over what they consider to be a Good Friday miracle, complete with a hospital-room wedding and a stunning medical recovery.

pfrimmer obit

Gladys Doris Eisele Brist, 91
Gladys Doris Eisele Brist, 91, passed away on April 16, 2011, at her home in Whitefish.

brist obit

mccartney obit
Monday, April 25

SBGi MMA Training

Jimi Davis Recovery Hands

Jimi Davis Recovery

Replay Sports Storefront

Lewis Keim
Edward James Broad, 72
Edward James Broad, 72, passed away Sunday, April 24, 2011, at his home in Columbia Falls.

Lewis 'Lew' Keim, 80
Lewis "Lew" Keim, died at his residence in Whitefish on Friday, April 22, 2011.
Oran Gordion 'Gordy' McCartney, 80
Oran Gordion "Gordy" McCartney, 80, passed away on Saturday, April 23, 2011, at his home in Kalispell.
Donald Irvin Stanfield Jr., 63
Donald Irvin Stanfield, Jr., 63, passed away on Saturday, April 23, 2011, in Polson.
Driver harasses other motorists, takes off
Man's sentence for assault deferred
The Whitefish man who used a baseball bat and an electric screwdriver to beat a man he believed was sleeping with his wife received a deferred sentence Thursday in Flathead District Court.
Evergreen firefighters to vote on union
Is unionization in the cards for Evergreen Fire and Rescue?

Doctor has made 3,000 special deliveries
While her decision to leave the world of academic medicine shocked some of her colleagues, Dr. Mirna Bowden has never regretted her choice to leave the south and head to the mountains of Northwest Montana.

Goodwill store gears up for May 5 opening
The shelves are fully stocked. The staff is raring to go. And at 9 a.m. on Thursday, May 5, the doors open wide at Evergreen's new Goodwill store.
Sunday, April 24

Mission of mercy: Local woman on a crusade to help badly burned Chinese girl
Debi Strong of Bigfork remembers her first thought when she caught sight of Ai Liu’s severely scarred face.
HB 198's peculiar politics
It’s a done deal now, but we have to scratch our heads at the strange bedfellows who came together to push House Bill 198 to the governor’s desk.
An ode to Jigsybelle, an Easter bunny for all time
When my middle brother Rodney was about 7 and I was 10, he decided he wanted to raise rabbits.

Aliesha Lynn Kefauver, 16
Aliesha Lynn Kefauver, 16, passed away on Wednesday, April 20, 2011, at home in Kalispell.

Mildred DeJong
Whitefish tobacco store will be allowed
Students protested shop’s proximity to middle school
A tobacco and cigarette shop that will open in mid-June near Whitefish Middle School is an approved commercial use for that zone and will be permitted, the Whitefish City Council agreed last week.
Driver downs power pole

All People Cyclery

Invite challenges netters
Strickler, Mathison each finish second in singles for Flathead, Glacier
Flathead's Glenn Strickler and Glacier's Cami Mathison both finished second on Saturday in the Main Draw of singles play at the Kalispell Invitational tennis tournament.
4-H crews to clean up camp
Flathead County 4-H youths will tackle their spring cleaning ritual at the Loon Lake 4-H camp at Ferndale on Saturday, April 30.
Airport meeting planned on Monday in Kalispell
The city of Kalispell will host an open house Monday on the Airport Master Plan update.
Birther movement is just one more conspiracy theory
Some people deny that the Holocaust ever happened. Some people deny that the USA actually put people on the moon. Some people believe that President Kennedy’s assassination was the result of a conspiracy. Some people believe that 9/11 was part of a Bush plot. And some people believe that President Obama was not born in the United States and thus not eligible to hold office as president.

Aliesha Lynn Kefauver
Deloris Mae Dayton, 87
Deloris Mae Dayton, 87, passed away April 17, 2011, at Brendan House in Kalispell.

Mildred Ruth Swenson DeJong, 96
Mildred Ruth Swenson DeJong, 96, passed away on Tuesday, April 19, 2011, at Immanuel Lutheran Home.
Planner wants to shelve $325,000 study
Money could be reallocated to county budget
Flathead County officials are considering how they might put an unexpected $325,000 back into the budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1.

Donald Lyght, 89
Donald Lyght, 89, passed away on Wednesday, April 20, 2011, at Kalispell Regional Medical Center in Kalispell.

Rising to the occasion: Bakery serves the Flathead its daily bread, and then some
It’s lunch time on a Wednesday in April, and the crowd at Grateful Bread has shifted from morning pastry-seekers to tables of local diners wanting soup and sandwiches, and perhaps a cookie for dessert.

Parkinson's patient celebrates bike repair career
'Living the dream,' despite disease
Larry Walling, 50, owner of All People Cyclery in Kalispell, just celebrated his one-year anniversary in his new vocation — repairing, tuning up and refurbishing bicycles.

Donald Lyght
New billboards violate county rules
A couple of billboards have sprouted up along the new U.S. 93 bypass west of Kalispell where they aren’t legal, according to the county planning director.

Kenneth Patrick Doty, 75
James Gilbert McCully, 67
James Gilbert McCully was a courageous fighter and after an amazing life, “played his final 7 NT contract, leaving this world on April 4, 2011, with a full deck of memories.”
Saturday, April 23

Flathead Invite Flathead Tennis

Flathead Invite Glacier Tennis

Deer beside Lake McDonald shoreline
Distracted driving leads to two deaths
Two Flathead County women are dead after a pair of single-vehicle crashes in the past four days that both were attributed to distracted driving.

Art is a journey in special Flathead class
Even without a face, the figure is forlorn, with his detached arm next to him.
ATV breakdowns make men late

Wolfpack rolls over Bravettes
Nothing like some early runs to calm the nerves and get the softball juices flowing, especially when the contest is as big as the Flathead-Glacier crosstown doubleheader.

Julie Grace Pulver-Norman, 51
Teen, 16, dies at home
A 16-year-old girl was found dead at her Conrad Drive home Thursday morning after an apparent epileptic episode.
Columbia Falls man sentenced for vandalism
The Daily Inter Lake

The winter that just won't end
Glacier snow keeps piling up
Snow keeps piling up in Glacier National Park and in mountain ranges across Northwest Montana at a time when the snowpack usually is diminishing.
More help sought for graduation party
So far, about 40 parents are working to make sure Kalispell’s all-night high school graduation party becomes a reality.
People urged to prepare for flooding
Local emergency response officials are urging residents of flood-prone areas to plan and prepare for potential flooding.
Amorous pols: Scandals are the downfall of many
Friday, April 22

Crosstown Softball Glacier

Crosstown Softball
MLB Takes Over Operation of LA Dodgers

Flathead International Baccalaureate Art Exhibition

Grateful Bread Detail

Grateful Bread

Goodwill Store clothing

Goodwill Store manager

Goodwill Store stocking
Toolbar bottom slider
Bullied to death: Anti-gay taunts push kids over edge

Marjorie Jean White
Wildkats down Loggers in sofball
COLUMBIA FALLS - No pansies allowed!

DeLoris Rose Ritenour Kimball
C-Falls boys, Whitefish girls capture track titles
LIBBY - Derrick Williams ran the third fastest 1,600 this season, Nate Thompson had the fourth best triple jump statewide and the Columbia Falls boys had another impressive showing in track and field on Thursday along with the Whitefish girls.

Marjorie Jean White, 88
Marjorie Jean White, 88, died peacefully Wednesday, April 20, 2011, in Mena, Ark., of a short illness.
Young runaways found after search
Two boys reported as runaways after disappearing from a Columbia Falls-area school bus stop Tuesday morning were found by search-and-rescue workers that night.
Support pours in for skiers
One was born and raised in the Flathead Valley, the other recently had moved to the area.
Educate yourself about FVCC
Flathead Valley Community College’s trustee election campaign promises to be anything but boring.

DeLoris Rose Ritenour Kimball, 90
DeLoris Rose Ritenour Kimball of Swan Lake, and Ogden, Utah, died peacefully on Wednesday, April 20, 2011, due to incidence of age.
Man reports stroke on Facebook
FVCC Scholars Program taking applications
The Scholars Program at Flathead Valley Community College now is accepting applications for its third class that will begin this fall.
Glacier rolls over Hellgate in softball
MISSOULA - Glacier banged out five doubles, two by Brittany Franklin, and rode a 5-run second inning to an 11-4 Western AA softball victory over Missoula Hellgate on Thursday.
Schools aim to boost recycling efforts
To promote Earth Week and recycling in general, Flathead and Glacier high schools are holding a Crosstown Recycling Challenge today through May 6.
Council positions up for election this year
Candidates sought for city posts
Filing for city elections opens May 2 in Flathead County.
First Best Place sponsors soiree
First Best Place of Columbia Falls sponsors it Showcase fundraising event from 7 p.m. to midnight April 30 at Glacier Discovery Square.

Wilma Elaine Siemens, 62
Wilma Elaine Siemens “was welcomed home to her loving Father and restored to her youthful self” on April 19, 2011.
Court tosses one charge for rapist
The Montana Supreme Court has ordered the dismissal of a felony charge for a Flathead County man convicted of sexually assaulting a 9-month-old boy in 2009
Program to honor top educators
The Kalispell Education Foundation has launched a new program to honor extraordinary teachers.

Foul weather fouls up tennis schedule
COLUMBIA FALLS - The weather stood in the way of Columbia Falls possibly rolling to a perfect score against rival Whitefish on Thursday in a tennis dual.
Polson girls second at Last Chance meet
CORVALLIS - Paige Squire of Corvallis won the 100 hurdles in 14.28 seconds on Thursday at the Corvallis Last Chance track meet.

James Harrell Kanzler, 62
James Harrell Kanzler passed away outside his home near Wilson, Wyo., April 18, 2011.

James Harrell Kanzler

Wilma Elaine Siemens
More ditch wired phones for cellphones
Thursday, April 21

Whitefish vs. Columbia Falls Boys Tennis
If you voted today, would you vote for an incumbent FVCC trustee or a challenger?

Flood Awareness Day
Blagojevich trial: Former governor returns to spotlight

Acer-Iconia
3,200 abandoned, less protected wells found in Gulf

iPad 2

iPads and Tablets

Chinese Girl
Young people poll: Money drives school, career choices

Big revamp planned at hatchery
It’s been cobbled together as an advanced conservation hatchery for more than a decade, and now the Sekokini Springs Westslope Cutthroat Isolation Facility near Coram has the final funding it needs for completion.

New 5-acre pond promises a top-notch fishing experience
Robin Street looked on with satisfaction as a bucket brigade of volunteers delivered lunker rainbow trout to the family fishing pond on land that had been his family’s since 1883.
Aida Rose Bruckelmyer
Aida Rose Bruckelmyer, daughter of Kyler and Samantha Bruckelmyer of Kalispell, was born March 22 at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.
City, police meet over new pay contract
Scheduling and a cost-of-living pay increase are the main items up for negotiation between the police union and the city of Kalispell.
A transaction fee? Really?
There certainly aren’t many options for the city of Kalispell to raise money, and there certainly is a need for improved roads and infrastructure.
Emma Marie Porter
Emma Marie Porter, daughter of William and Sarah Porter of Columbia Falls, was born March 21 at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.
Adalynn Mack Bradley
Adalynn Mack Bradley, daughter of Ryan and Lynnze Bradley of Kalispell, was born March 23 at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.
Adilynn Nicole Lester
Adilynn Nicole Lister, daughter of Jordan and Jessica Lister of Kalispell, was born March 22 at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.
Forest James Ask
Forest James Ask, son of Jim and Kimber Ask of Kalispell, was born March 4 at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.
Whitefish council tangled in curb conundrum
Deciding what kind of curbs to install at the busy Baker Avenue intersection with U.S. 93 was a tall order for the Whitefish City Council on Monday, but after two hours of discussion and two votes the council opted for street-level ramps at the crosswalks.
James Devon Valentine
James Devon Valentine, son of Sarina Tow and Roshaun Valentine of Kalispell, was born March 22 at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.
Pine Grove name has long local history
The Pine Grove Pond will carry on a namesake that goes back to pioneer days in the Flathead Valley.
Women charged with drug offenses
Two Flathead County women pleaded innocent last week during a federal court session in Missoula to charges alleging they distributed methamphetimine.
Lason Virgil Kaski
Lason Virgil Kaski, son of Lars and Kelly Kaski of Lakeside, was born March 22 at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.
Judge asked to rule on marijuana transactions
Related case may go to high court
The Flathead County Attorney’s Office is asking a District Court judge to rule that caregiver-to-caregiver marijuana transactions are illegal under state law.
Lilah Quinn Kulzer
Lilah Quinn Kulzer, daughter of Ross and Miranda Kulzer of Kalispell, was born March 22 at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.
Electronic verification plan becomes law
Gov. Brian Schweitzer signed a bill Monday that requires the state to electronically verify that foreign nationals have a legal presence in the United States before they can get Montana driver’s licenses or state identification cards.
Repeat offender gets sentence for drugs
A Hungry Horse man arrested in July 2010 after selling methamphetamine to an informant was sentenced to more than seven years in prison Wednesday during a federal court session in Missoula.

Brian Marotz
Addisyn Taelor Clark
Addisyn Taelor Clark, daughter of Nicholas and Megan Clark of Kalispell, was born March 11 at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.
Allie Mykel Allison
Allie Mykel Allison, daughter of Weston Allison and Camill Copell of Kalispell, was born March 11 at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.
Kambri Faye Becker
Kambri Faye Becker, daughter of Kyle Becker and Kimberly Bland of Kalispell, was born March 16 at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.
Wednesday, April 20
New York Auto Show: The Beetle gets a face lift

Pine Grove Pond Net

Pine Grove Pond Net out of Water

Pine Grove Pond Vertical

Pine Grove Pond Fish & Wildlife

Robin Street
Robin Street points out landmarks at the Pine Grove Fishing Pond in 2011. Street, who received the Kalispell Chamber of Commerce Big Chief award on Thursday, excavated the pond and donated land for the popular fishing site north of Kalispell.

Pine Grove Pond Detail

Pine Grove Pond Fish Bucket

Pine Grove Pond
Gabriella Ruby Alice Burick
Gabriella Ruby Alice Burick, daughter of Joe and Allison Burick of Whitefish, was born March 26 at North Valley Hospital.
Chloe Dare Solum
Chloe Dare Solum, daughter of Erik Solum Jr., and Samantha Harris of Bigfork, was born March 24 at North Valley Hospital.
Emillia Ann Meyer
Emillia Ann Meyer, daughter of Brian and Rachel Meyer of Whitefish, was born March 21 at North Valley Hospital.
Sakoya Elizabeth Lorene Hiebert
Sakoya Elizabeth Lorene Hiebert, daughter of Levi Hiebert and Destiny Odom, was born March 21 at North Valley Hospital.
Mason Oliver Oden
Mason Oliver Oden, son of William and Melissa Oden of Kalispell, was born March 21 at North Valley Hospital.
Owen David Dorpke
Owen David Dorpke, son of Brent and Emily Dorpke of Kalispell, was born March 18 at North Valley Hospital.
Kady Marie Deans
Kady Marie Deans, daughter of Arnold Deans and Marcie Fisher of Kalispell, was born March 19 at at North Valley Hospital.
Jaxen Dean Eixenberger
Jaxen Dean Eixenberger, son of Mat Eixenberger and Stephanie Fosse, was born March 17 at North Valley Hospital.
Gwynavere Keira Hennell
Gwynavere Keira Hennell, daughter of Carl-Johann and Olivia Hennell of Kalispell, was born March 17 at North Valley Hospital.
Ellanora Nichole Moore
Ellanora Nichole Moore, daughter of Wayne Moore and Mary Fisher of Kalispell, was born March 17 at North Valley Hospital.
Camden Douglas Hansen
Camden Douglas Hansen, son of Michael and Angela Hansen of Bigfork, was born March 8 at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.
Zoey Marie VandeKop
Zoey Marie VandeKop, daughter of Johnathan VandeKop and Kassandra Mills of Kalispell, was born March 8 at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.
Molly Jo Hartig
Molly Jo Hartig, daughter of Jon and Sarah Hartig of Bigfork, was born March 9 at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.
Tatum Jean McGuire
Tatum Jean McGuire, daughter of Jason and Tracey McGuire of Kila, was born March 10 at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.
Emmitt Russell Dose
Emmitt Russell Dose, son of Russell and Angela Dose of Kalispell, was born March 10 at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.
Avery Lynn Schliebe
Avery Lynn Schliebe, daughter of Neil and Amanda Schliebe of Kalispell, was born March 21 at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.
Mom drives into river, killing self and 3 kids

All People Cyclery
Royal wedding for heir to British throne
Whitefish brewery signs can stay, council decides
Great Northern Brewing Co. will be allowed to keep signs that exceed the number and square footage allowed under Whitefish sign laws, the City Council agreed on Monday.

FVCC Candidates Forum

Elements challenge tracksters
COLUMBIA FALLS - To quote Glacier girls track coach Jerry Boschee, athletes at Tuesday's quadrangular meet were treated to every season - most of them winter.
Kalispell roosters ban one step closer
Roosters will no longer be allowed in Kalispell after the City Council unanimously approved the first reading of a new ordinance on Monday.
Kelley posts best times in hurdles
MISSOULA - Breanna Kelley was a double winner for the Polson track team on Tuesday, posting event-best times in the 100 (16.27) and 300 (49.49) hurdles.
Local energy projects work in the spotlight at Thursday discussion
On Thursday, April 21, business leaders and experts from the Flathead Valley and beyond will come together to discuss local energy projects.
Wanted Kalispell man arrested at gunpoint
A 28-year-old Kalispell man is in the Flathead County jail after fleeing a deputy who was attempting to arrest him on nearly a dozen outstanding warrants Monday.

Jack Abbotts Carter, 75
Jack Abbotts Carter “went to be with the Lord” on Friday, April 15, 2011, in Azusa, Calif., after a two-year battle with cancer. He was 75.

Jack Carter
Bigfork, Glacier tie in girls tennis dual
BIGFORK - Glacier and Bigfork managed to beat Mother Nature by completing a girls tennis dual, which ended in a 4-4 tie, on yet another gray, wet, snowy and blustry day for spring sports Tuesday
Plan board backs adult care home near hospital
Despite neighborhood opposition, the Kalispell Planning Board last week recommended approval of a conditional use permit for an adult care home near Kalispell Regional Medical Center.
U.S. 93 zone compromise OK'd
A three-year battle over expanding retail uses on the U.S. 93 strip in Whitefish ended Monday with a compromise.
Tuesday, April 19

Libby 110m Hurdles

Glacier 1600m

Flathead 110m Hurdles

Columbia Falls 100m

FVCC Candidates Forum

Animal Clinic of Kalispell
Daybook
Tuesday
Heidi Sharon Soderstrom Barber, 49
Heidi Sharon Soderstrom Barber, 49, of Fond du Lac, Wis., “left this earth to go home to Heaven” on Sunday, April 17, 2011, at Agnesian HealthCare Hospice Home of Hope, Fond du Lac.

Bigfork group begins flood preparations
Bigfork-area residents are organizing to respond to potential flooding, with a community meeting planned Thursday at 6 p.m. in the Bigfork Elementary School cafeteria.
Fire deal will save city $324,000
Fewer days of work and fewer options to work extra days for Kalispell firefighters are expected to save the city $324,000 over the next two fiscal years.
Closed plant seeks tax relief
The economic downturn has prompted Columbia Falls Aluminum Co. to seek relief from its property tax payments through a relatively new provision of state law.

Burt A. Whirry, 55
Burt A. Whirry, 55, died in a tragic, accidental house fire on April 10, 2011, in Las Cruces, N.M.
Options to be considered for Westside TIF funds
The city of Kalispell is considering its options on what to do with $2.1 million in Westside Tax Increment Financing money. And with no immediate candidates for the urban-renewal money, local schools have asked for their share back.
Shortage looms in Whitefish budget
With just one quarter of its fiscal year left, the Whitefish city budget is on track with projections, but could be $142,000 short by the end of June.
Helen Heppner, 88
Helen Heppner, a longtime resident of Reno, Nev., passed away on Monday, March 28, 2011, at the age of 88.

whirry obit
Engine-less car somehow stolen
The Flathead County Sheriff’s Office received a stolen vehicle report Sunday from a man who said he had been working on a truck for another person, but he could not understand what happened to it because there was no engine in it.
Monday, April 18

Foraging along Wisconsin Avenue

Area Mountain Snow Pack Above Average
Get serious now about debt
President Barack Obama's lack of leadership on fiscal responsibility has been striking, mainly because he has talked about the need to reduce deficit spending and the national debt and has done nothing to make that happen.
Whitefish tackles beer signs, strip zoning
Public hearings at tonight's Whitefish City Council meeting deal with typically controversial topics in the resort town: streets, signs and zoning.

Emergency test involves 350 people
The pilot of a regional jetliner with 70 passengers and about 15,000 pounds of fuel on board is reporting smoke in the cockpit.
Gifted-talented conference ahead in Kalispell
There is still time to register for an upcoming conference devoted to gifted and talented education.

Flathead Mass Casualty Exercise
Wife reportedly takes broom to husband
Kalispell Police Department officers responded to the 100 block of Jackson Peak Drive at 6:42 p.m. Saturday after a man said his wife hit him with a broom and her hand.

Longtime teacher closes out career at Bridge Academy
It's with mixed feelings that Teri Palmer considers her upcoming retirement.
Sunday, April 17

Valley Ellingsen, 89
Valley Ellingsen was born to Frank and Verna Heisler on Feb. 27, 1922, in Shannon, Ill. She grew up knowing hard work on the family farm but found time for scholastics, piano lessons and climbing her favorite cherry tree. She graduated from high school as the class valedictorian and promptly joined the Waves, a patriotic and courageously ironic choice, given the fact that she was afraid of water and had never learned to swim.
Cora Ellen Kerestes, 86
Cora Ellen Kerestes, 86, passed away April 12, 2011.

Grace Carson-Marvin
Snow damages 911 radio equipment
Heavy winter snow has resulted in damage to some radio antennas and towers that service the 911 emergency communication system, according to Scott Sampey, director of the Flathead County Office of Emergency Services.

Louis Byron Gates
Taxes need to be mailed Monday
Tax Day is Monday, April 18, this year.

Sunken treasure: Looking for logs in Flathead Lake
Operation retrieves historic submerged wood
There’s nothing particularly conspicuous about the two pontoon boats bobbing on Flathead Lake’s Somers Bay on a mid-April day, but that’s only because the unusual activity surrounding those boats is happening underwater.
Don't fear the women warriors! They are here to help
The usual complaints were heard about my column last week from the usual suspects — How dare I! What was I thinking? How could I! What kind of an idiot am I?

Haiti
Senator: A wolf policy that makes sense for Montana
Last week we put an end to the hard-fought battle to delist wolves in Montana and return them to state management. It’s a huge victory for Montana and a common-sense solution that will give certainty to our ranchers, farmers and hunters once and for all.

Valley Ellingsen

Louis Byron Gates, 88
Louis Byron Gates, 88, passed away on Wednesday, April 13, 2011, at Brendan House in Kalispell.

A second visit to Haiti gives Kalispell woman a sense of hope for country
Pat Freebury arrived home in mid-March smiling instead of crying for Haiti.

Grace Carson-Marvin, 93
Grace Carson-Marvin “passed into the arms of her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” on April 13, 2011.
Man arrested after reported spat
Ski resorts report banner year
Ample snowfall early in the season and throughout the winter is getting much of the credit for a banner ski season at both Flathead Valley ski resorts.
Whatever happened to sacrifice?
It’s not often that I find myself in a melancholy mood, but with Easter fast approaching I began to reflect on its significance and relevance within our world today.
Hot, cold bats give Glacier a split in softball
Chilly, blustery and rainy weather didn't slow the bats at Kidsport Complex on Saturday afternoon.
Glacier boys first, Flathead girls 3rd in track
MISSOULA - Kalispell flexed its track and field muscles on Saturday.
Saturday, April 16

Flathead Mass Casualty Exercise

Logger Sports at FVCC

Wheelchair Basketball Kalispell Fire vs. Flathead County Sheriff's

It's festival time for young musicians
Annual event features 1,500 students for three days of music
This week, 1,500 high school students from across Northwest Montana descended on the Flathead Valley to test their musical chops.
Getaway driver gets four-year term
The man who drove a getaway vehicle — after his sister’s failed attempt at stealing an elderly woman’s purse caused the woman serious injuries — was sentenced Thursday.

Bravettes roll past Bulldogs
Just over three innings of work amounted to seven strikeouts, two hits and one walk for Flathead sophomore pitcher Sidney Alberts on Friday.

FVCC trustee candidates

Theadore R. Jeffers, 91
Theadore R. Jeffers, a man of wisdom, integrity and intense love for his family, friends and fishing, peacefully “left this earth to fly amongst the clouds and wild birds” on April 8, 2011.
Trustee candidates support college direction
Trustee candidates Tim Baldwin, Ed Berry, Michael Hebert, Roland Horst and Glenn Wehe take issue with the conduct of the Flathead Valley Community College elections — but most support the direction President Jane Karas has taken the college.
Dead, stinky deposit left in driveway
The

Theadore R. Jeffers

Challengers critical of FVCC election
After the last two Flathead Valley Community College trustee elections had no contested races, this year’s May 3 election has awakened more interest.

Irene Enger, 84
Irene Enger “broke the bonds of this world to be with her Lord and Savior” at the age of 84, on April 13, 2011.

Irene Enger
Friday, April 15

Flathead vs. Whitefish Softball

Ski Season Wrap-up Blacktail Lift

Ski Season Wrap-up Big Mountain

Tax Day Rally

Lake Logging Boats

Lake Logging Brand

Lake Logging

Music Book

Glacier Vocal Duet

Flathead Vocal Duet

Bigfork High Band

Kalispell City Firefighters Agreement
Fire deal averts layoffs
By JIM MANNThe Daily Inter Lake
Police continue to find bodies near beach
Man charged with pan assault
A Kalispell man has been charged with felony assault with a weapon after allegedly hitting a 15-year-old boy with cooking pans in January.
Budget cuts proposed for activities
To help alleviate a minimum $574,415 shortfall in the high school district, Kalispell Public Schools officials are recommending $100,000 in cuts to the activities budget.

Another slugfest success
Glacier boxers win six of 16 matches at second annual event
Ali had Frazier. Tyson had Holyfield. Nicole Heavirland has Cera Lau.

LaVerne Marie Strodtbeck, 74
Keep it civil in negotiations
Kalispell firefighters showed a poor choice of words and a poorer choice of targets last week during one of their orchestrated media events to protest upcoming layoffs.
Kalispell firefighter pay
This chart shows the current pay (under a new three-year contract) for Kalispell firefighters, including the annual pay plus benefits and the number of hours worked for each firefighter.

Leona Ida Ciresi, 86
Leona Ida Ciresi, 86, passed away in Kalispell on Thursday, April 14, 2011, of cancer.
Victor Lohn, 91
Victor Lohn, 91, passed away Thursday, April 14, 2011, at Kalispell Regional Medical Center. Vic had been a longtime resident of Kalispell and loved Montana.
Teenagers arrested in 'bottle bomb' explosions
Three teenagers have been arrested in connection with a rash of so-called “bottle bomb” explosions reported in and around Kalispell over the past month.
Chase suspect pleads innocent
The man who led law enforcement officials on a nine-mile chase from near Somers to north of Kalispell on March 25 pleaded innocent to two charges Thursday in Flathead District Court.

Rough day for local golfers
Loyola, Cut Bank claim team titles at Bigfork Invite, Vikings are third
The home course was no advantage for Bigfork's golfers on Thursday.
Libby, Whitefish netters split
WHITEFISH - Libby won at No. 1 singles - Kaya Hardgrove - and doubles - Kyla O'Brien and Allissa Buti - but Whitefish claimed three wins in singles play and at No. 3 doubles to escape with a 4-3 Northwestern A dual tennis win on Thursday.
Man accidentally shot by friend
Firefighters' Kelly Days make for complicated budgeting
Kelly Days are complicated. That’s the word from Kalispell Fire Chief Dan Diehl.
Firefighters offer new plan for scheduling
Renegotiations on Kelly Days made to try to avert layoffs
Kelly Days and Kelly Work Back Days were at the center of the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 547’s request to re-enter collective bargaining with the city of Kalispell on Thursday.
Montana, Idaho wolves delisted by Congress
Congress passed legislation Thursday removing Montana and Idaho wolves from the Endangered Species list and returning management to the state, as part of a budget bill to continue federal funding this year.

Flying over the Flathead
Flood watch extended to local rivers
The National Weather Service has raised the likelihood for flooding on rivers and streams in Northwest Montana, but flooding is not expected for weeks because of continued cool weather.

Douglas Everett Potts, 86
Douglas Everett Potts, 86, “went to be with the Lord” on April 11, 2011, at Heritage Place, with his family by his side.
Polson whips Hamilton in softball
HAMILTON - Kylie Knutson and Ashley Johnson both went 2-for-3 to power Polson to a 12-1 nonconference Class A softball victory over Hamilton on Thursday.
Thursday, April 14

Crosstown Smoker

Crosstown Smoker Main Event

Crosstown Smoker Intensity

Crosstown Smoker Winner

Crosstown Smoker Wide

Crosstown Smoker Eyes Up

Crosstown Smoker Solo

Crosstown Smoker Punching Eyes

Crosstown Smoker Punch Up

Crosstown Smoker Throwing Punches
Athletes and steroids: Playing a dangerous game

Thomspon Falls Golf

Eureka Golf

Bigfork Golf
everything

Gliding over the Flathead
who can help marketplace iframe
Wolf delisting? It's about time
It appears that Congress will soon take action to remove wolves from protection under the Endangered Species Act, and the environmental groups that have fought delisting for years should not be surprised.
School cuts studied amid funding uncertainty
Kalispell Public Schools officials still don’t know what their 2011-12 budget will look like.
Disaster drill to test emergency response system
If you happen to see smoke billowing above Glacier Park International Airport and some 50 bodies strewn across its grounds Saturday, be not afraid.
Woman charged with embezzling $11,000
An arrest warrant has been issued for a former Columbia Falls bank teller accused of stealing $11,000 from customer accounts between 2008 and 2009.
City keeping ambulance service
Kalispell has decided to keep its ambulance service.

Referendum organizers meet deadline
Supporters of a referendum to give Whitefish voters a chance to keep or reject a revised governance agreement for the two-mile “doughnut area” delivered 1,020 signatures to the Flathead County Election Department by Tuesday’s deadline.
Daybook
Union session off to a slow start
A bargaining session between the city of Kalispell and its firefighters union didn’t get very far Wednesday.
Thieves take American flag
Northwest Fuel Systems owner Burl French hoisted a large American flag above his south Kalispell business in the days following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

A new coin of the realm
Kids flip over park quarter
With the Columbia Falls High School jazz ensemble setting an upbeat tone for the event, several hundred people gathered Wednesday for the official launch of Glacier National Park’s commemorative quarter.
Driver supposedly was brandishing pistol
Vo-ag supporters show up in force before board
There was a sea of blue jackets at the Kalispell school board meeting Tuesday night.
Man pleads guilty to assaulting girl, 10
A 65-year-old Flathead County man has pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a 10-year-old girl in 2008.
Jim 'Jimmy' Schulz, 51
Jim “Jimmy” Schulz, 51, “passed to his well-earned reward” on April 7, 2011, after a short battle with cancer.
Wednesday, April 13

Glacier National Park Quarter

Glacier National Park coin
April 11, 2011 - Plowing on the Going-to-the-Sun Road

Doughnut Referendum Proposal OK'd
France first country to ban veils in public
Kalispell looks at fee to pay for streets
The city of Kalispell is considering a 5-cent retail transaction fee to help pay for street maintenance.
Sentinel, Big Sky hitters unload on Glacier
Too many hits and too many home runs spelled trouble for Glacier's softball team on Tuesday in two Western AA outings at Kidsports Complex.
Glacier rules in crosstown tennis dual
It was almost all Glacier as the Wolfpack lost just one outing in a tennis dual with Flathead on Tuesday at the Flathead Valley Community College Courts.
Landfill collects hazardous waste Saturday
The monthly household hazardous waste collection day in Flathead County is Saturday, April 16.

Delores Evelyn Hersman, 96
Delores Evelyn Hersman, 96, of Libby, died Friday, April 8, 2011, at Brendan House in Kalispell after an extended illness.

Betty Young, 91
Betty Young of Bigfork passed away Friday, April 8, 2011, at the Immanuel Lutheran Nursing Home in Kalispell.
Your say:
People may submit written comments on the U.S. 93 Alternate Route project until May 11.

Betty Young
Free entry next week to Glacier National Park
Entrance fees to Glacier National Park will be waived during National Park Week, April 16-24.

Herbert Oliver Ludvig Knutsen, 77
Herbert Oliver Ludvig Knutsen, 77, of Missoula, passed away April 5, 2011, at Hillside Manor.

Striping on U.S. 93 Alternate Route

Delores Evelyn Hersman

Clearing the fields

Herbert Oliver Ludvig-Knutsen

Crowd hears crossing options for north bypass
Kalispell-area residents weren’t shy about sharing their comments about proposals for the north half of the U.S. 93 Alternate Route at a public hearing Monday.

Marian Janet White, 76
Marian Janet White, 76, of Kalispell, passed away surrounded by her family at home on Thursday, April 7, 2011, following a battle with pancreatic cancer.

Boschee's Big Day: Glacier athlete shines at Class A Invite
In an already stellar high school track and field career that includes three individual state championships, Tuesday was by all accounts Lexy Boschee's best overall day.
Robert Clark 'Bob' Thomas, 61
Robert Clark “Bob” Thomas, 61, passed away on April 6, 2011, following a brief illness. Bob completed his journey on this earth, leaving behind friends and family who will remember him for his keen sense of humor and willingness to help anyone at anytime, with anything that he was able to provide.
Heelers flown to Wyoming
On Sunday morning, the heeler orphans Fred, Ethel, Ricky, Bandit and Zorro flew to Wyoming on a charter airplane from Red Eagle Aviation.
School board positions filled in most local districts
School board trustee elections in all but four public school districts have been canceled this spring.
Townhome owners vexed by flooding
Some people just north of Somers are confounded by recent flooding of their townhouses.

Marian Janet White
$100 times two minus none equals double trouble
The
Bravettes settle for split in softball
One thing is sure.
Tuesday, April 12
BP's money: Governments ran up questionable bills

Class A Invite Libby High Jump

Class A Invite Glacier High Jump

Class A Invite Long Jump

Young Four Wheeler
Ivory Coast: Forces storm bunker, capture Gbagbo
Growing case backlog strains immigration court
Do you support Kalispell's decision to lay off seven firefighters because of budget constraints?
Asking about Obama's citizenship is just racism
After reading Frank Miele’s latest rant in his "Editor's 2 cents" column of Feb. 27, I could not hold myself back any longer and had to add my own two cents’ worth to counter the rubbish he has published the last couple of years.

Bitneys Logo

Southside Drive Flooding
King of the Mountain
Jay Foster turns in second most productive ski season recorded
On his 48th birthday on Monday, Jay Foster woke up and, like a lot of people in the valley, was stuck looking up at the white ski runs on Big Mountain.
Troy officials divided over hiring city attorney
A rift between the mayor of Troy and its council members over hiring a city attorney apparently is not close to being resolved.
Man abuses woman, door and truck
The Flathead County Sheriff’s Office got a report of a physical disturbance at a Cayuse Lane residence Sunday night that involved an intoxicated man who had pushed and shoved a woman, broke a door before leaving and wrecking his truck off Lake Blaine Road.

Tennis teams tune up
The weather was bothersome and there were not enough players for an official dual, but the Glacier and Bigfork tennis squads went ahead with it anyhow.
Teen charged with arson for Whitefish fire
Whitefish Police have charged a 15-year-old Whitefish boy with arson related to a fire that was set April 3 at the Stumptown Thrift store on Baker Avenue.
Teakettle show features dedicated quilter
Rita McClanahan describes herself as not much of a joiner, but she kept coming back after attending one meeting of the Teakettle Quilt Guild in 2006.
Berne Road paving approved
Flathead County commissioners heard from one supporter and one opponent Monday of the county’s plan to create an improvement district to pave about three-fourths of a mile of Berne Road.
FVCC logger sports on a roll
Flathead Valley Community College might be the smallest school competing in logger sports across the Northwest, but the local program is doing more than holding its own.
Daybook
Tuesday
Monday, April 11

Glacier Bigfork Tennis

Bigfork Glacier Tennis

K9 Tracking Class
Yaak man pleads guilty to sex abuse
A suspended Episcopal priest who owns a bar in the Yaak in Northwest Montana pleaded guilty Friday to two counts of child sexual abuse as part of a plea agreement.
Skull Church pushes youths not to text while driving
Not many people would close their eyes and drive the length of a football field at 55 mph.

Crane flight
Ex steals cash, SUV
Woman reflects on art destruction incident
Six months after she walked into a Loveland, Colo., art gallery and smashed a controversial display with a crowbar, Kathleen Folden's life largely has returned to normal.

Breast-feeding awareness

Mom speaks out on breast-feeding rights
Angie Carlson's face still flushes as she recalls a confrontation with a pool area manager over breast-feeding at The Summit Medical Fitness Center.
State board investigates Troy chief
TROY — Troy Police Chief Bob McLeod may be facing disciplinary action from a state board.
Sunday, April 10
Braves, Bravettes post dual wins in track
For the first time this season, the Flathead track teams heard the gun go off.
Nellie Shiflett, 87
Nellie Shiflett, 87, died Wednesday, March 30, 2011, at the home of her daughter in Rock Springs, Wyo.

Wildcats defend track title
COLUMBIA FALLS - Derrick Williams took Justin Whitman's advice to heart.

Charles E. 'Chuck' Trush, 85

Saigon Garden
Schools hope for shortfall of only $617,575
Kalispell school board trustees meet Tuesday to hear proposed cuts to alleviate the deficit the district anticipates in 2011-12.
Columbia Falls rolls past Whitefish
COLUMBIA FALLS - Niki Birky was 2-for-2 with a double and two RBI and Erika Nelson and Shaun Rowe added one double each as the Columbia Falls Wildkats downed Whitefish 11-1 in a Northwestern A softball matchup on Saturday.

Chris A. Holden, 52
Chris Allen Holden passed away Tuesday, April 5, 2011, in the Philippines, following a heart attack.
Melba Thelma Burau, 90
Melba Thelma Burau, 90, of Whitefish, and a longtime resident of Columbia Falls, died Wednesday, April 6, 2011, at North Valley Hospital.
Lloyd 'Wayne' Peeler, 71
Lloyd “Wayne” Peeler passed away on Friday, April 1, 2011, surrounded by his loving family in Cheyenne, Wyo., his home for the past year.
Softball: Wolfpack, Bravettes lose twice
GREAT FALLS - The Glacier Wolfpack had a big day with the bats on Saturday.
Pursuit yields stolen barbecue grill
The
Glacier girls start tennis season 3-0
MISSOULA - The defending Class AA state champ Glacier girls opened the tennis season Saturday with three dual victories.
Glacier Knights claim opener
BOULDER - The Glacier Knights opened the Rocky Mountain Football season with an impressive win, beating the Helena Bearcats 30-0 on Saturday.

Family values: Vietnamese relatives arrive to help at new Charlie Wong restaurant
The reason Charlie Trinh works 15-hour days, seven days a week

Performance poets: Local writers give voice to their words at open-microphone events
In her autobiography, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” Maya Angelou shares something she learned from a woman named Bertha Flowers, who once told the young girl:
With zealous husband, the garden plot thickens
We have babies at our house — lots and lots of little babies.
Athena is a fitting symbol for Tea Party
Where did the Tea Party come from?
Grant sought for Lakeside bike path
Another step toward developing the Lakeside-Blacktail trail system was taken by Flathead County commissioners last week.
Hard times, hard choices
The increasingly fractious world of public-sector unions has come even to the Flathead Valley.
Meeting to consider bypass changes
The Montana Department of Transportation is conducting an informational meeting Monday night on the northern half of the U.S. 93 Alternate Route.
Saturday, April 9

Columbia Falls Invite High Jump

Pond Skimming

Pond Skim Tigger

Pond Skim Snorkel

Pond Skim Spiderman

Pond Skim Green Man

Pond Skim Gladiator

Pond Skim Pose

Pond Skim Face Forward

Pond Skim Balance

Pond Skim Flip Sequence 4

Pond Skim Flip Sequence 3

Pond Skim Flip Sequence 2

Pond Skim Flip Sequence 1

Columbia Falls Invite 100m

Columbia Falls Invite
Firefighters question city numbers
Kalispell firefighters contend that laying off seven firefighters is unnecessary because the city is overbudgeting the cost of firefighter compensation.

Shauneen Garner accompanies the Flathead High School Concert Choir
Polson pounds Whitefish in softball
POLSON - When it rains, it pours.
Glacier Park was ready to close down
Uncertain whether a deal would be struck by last night’s deadline for a federal government shutdown, Glacier National Park officials were ready to shut down the park today.
Police can't find stabbing victim
The Kalispell Police Department was unable to find the victim of a stabbing who walked out of Kalispell Regional Medical Center at about 5:15 p.m. Wednesday. The man, who has several warrants for his arrest, was last seen wearing blue shorts and a white shirt. He reportedly still had staples in his stomach and an IV in his arm.

Return performance
Bigfork golfers Parker, Weimer, Keenan finish in top five
MISSOULA - Bigfork had three individuals finish in the top five at the Loyola Sacred Heart Invitational golf tournament on Friday at the Missoula Country Club.
James D. Urquhart, 84
James D. Urquhart passed away at home in Santa Rosa, Calif., at the age of 84, on Sept. 28, 2010.
Glacier Knights start football season with road game
The Glacier Knights kick off their eighth season today against Helena in a Rocky Mountain Football League game in Boulder.
Columbia Falls rallies for another softball victory, this time over Glacier
The situation was dire ... again.
Glacier boys start strong in track
MISSOULA - The boys track team at Glacier High is already looking strong early in the season.
Local students bring home science awards
Brandon Ly wasn’t the only big winner at this year’s state science fair.
C-Falls splits with Libby in tennis dual
LIBBY - Columbia Falls and Libby split a Northwestern A tennis dual on Friday.

Passion for percussion pays off
W. Valley student’s drum project wins top honors in state
Brandon Ly didn’t even bother with the science fair last year.
Man faces charges after long road chase
A South Dakota man is facing felony charges after leading law enforcement officials on a sporadic chase that stretched from Columbia Falls to Missoula County.
School flood cost $250,000
Steps taken to prevent other broken pipes in B pod
Recent flooding at Glacier High School caused up to $250,000 in damage, and it’s not yet certain who will foot the bill.
Friday, April 8

Kila Cranes

Glacier Columbia Falls Softball Swing

Glacier Columbia Falls Softball
Royal wedding for heir to British throne
Brazil school shooting leaves 12 children dead

Silverbrook Glacier Landing

Dr. Mirna Bowden

Gateway to Glacier

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Shauneen Garner accompanies the Flathead High School Concert Choir
Nuclear power: Most Americans oppose new plants
Audrina Jadelynn Hale
Audrina Jadelynn Hale, daughter of Titus Hale and Tabitha Smith, was born March 21 at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.
Maverick Vann Estes
Maverick Vann Estes, son of Dirk Estes and Karla Dreyer of Kalispell, was born March 18 at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.

Nina Ellen Pomeroy-Hames, 89
Nina Ellen Pomeroy-Hames, 89, of Sandpoint, Idaho, died Tuesday, April 5, 2011, at her home.
Wyatt Zachary Turk
Wyatt Zachary Turk, son of Jesse Turk and Stephanie Symes of Kalispell, was born March 17 at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.
Erasmus Whitaker Gladden
Erasmus Whitaker Gladden, son of Nicholas and Elizabeth Gladden of Kalispell, was born March 19 at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.
Pinwheels planted for child awareness
With the long-term impact of positive parenting in mind, the Nurturing Center is commemorating National Child Abuse Prevention Month by planting “pinwheel gardens” throughout the community in April to represent children who have been served by a prevention program in the Flathead.
Valkyries win track invitational
The Bigfork girls, led by individual winners Quinci Paine, Chelsea Olson and Mallery Knoll and the first-place 1,600 relay team, claimed the team title at the Florence/Darby Invitational track meet on Thursday.

Nurturing Center's Pinwheel Project

Nina Ellen Pomeroy-Hames
Woman wins tobacco-related fight
The
Alexandra Marie Monk
Alexandra Marie Monk, daughter of Michael and Melissa Monk of Kalispell, was born March 19 at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.
Harsh winter hammers county roads
Flathead County roads are in bad shape this spring, the county’s public works director told commissioners Tuesday.
Time for terror trials to start
The Obama administration has finally decided to try 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four accomplices in a military tribunal rather than a civilian trial in New York City.
Whitefish schools to hold levy
District asking for operational funds
Whitefish schools will ask voters in May for $271,600 to alleviate next year’s budget crunch.
Hungry Horse Dam to release more water
Water releases from Hungry Horse Dam have been bumped up over the last week to make room for runoff from a persistent, well-above-average snowpack.

Killer sentenced to 100 years
Justin Calbick: ‘I spend every waking minute haunted by what I’ve done’
A 31-year-old man was sentenced to 100 years in Montana State Prison Thursday for the 2010 shooting deaths of his father and brother and the hostage situation that followed the murders.
Scientists study rare Glacier stonefly
A decision to preclude an obscure stonefly species from protection under the Endangered Species Act was announced this week, just as one of the first studies on the species was published in a journal on climate change.
Thursday, April 7

GET POETRY

Softball: Columbia Falls vs. Ronan

JCalbick Sentencing

Justin Calbick Sentencing
GOP after pyrrhic victory?
Gov. Brian Schweitzer has promised to veto the state’s general fund spending bill, partly because legislative Republicans have chosen to reject federal funding for social service programs as a matter of fiscal principal.
Kalispell gets tougher on what pets leave behind
The Kalispell City Council on Monday passed a “pooper scooper” amendment to the animal ordinance but postponed action on chickens.
Park plowing crews expect deep snow
Spring snow plowing is under way in Glacier National Park, with crews expecting to encounter deep snow in some areas.

Judge imposes 110-year sentence on murderer
Robert Allen Lake was sentenced to 110 years in Montana State Prison on Wednesday after emotional testimony from the sisters and mother of the man he beat to death with a hammer in 2010.
Firefighters' pay compared with others in state
Base pay for Kalispell’s firefighters is generally lower than those in Bozeman, Helena and Missoula.
Ceiling, pipes add to courthouse costs
The first change order associated with the renovation of the original Flathead County Courthouse was approved last week by county commissioners.
Flood planning begins
Local emergency service officials and residents are beginning to prepare for potential flooding, with well above average snowpack and streamflow forecasts for the Flathead Valley.

Bob Orsua

Flathead presents challenges, rewards
Mint rolls out Glacier Park coin
A piece of Glacier National Park worth 25 cents soon will be available as the United States rolls out a commemorative quarter for the park.
Angry religious man removed from train

Learning the tricks of the big lake: Flathead presents challenges, rewards
There are those who go fishing.

Layoffs ahead in Kalispell
Union fights to save seven jobs
The International Association of Fire Fighters Local 547 is not taking news of impending layoffs in stride.
Wednesday, April 6

Green Machines

Saigon Garden Food

Saigon Garden Generations

Kalispell Firefighters Facing Layoffs

At Robert Lake sentencing.

Robert Lake sentencing.

Composting Toilets
Seven firefighters to be laid off
The city of Kalispell plans to lay off seven of its 30 firefighters on May 15.
Haiti: a political history scarred with corruption
Whitefish street work resumes
The next phase of downtown street reconstruction in Whitefish began Monday in the 100 block of Central Avenue.
Killer's bid to back out of plea rejected
Robert Allen Lake said he thought he was agreeing to a possible prison sentence of 110 months, not 110 years, when he admitted to the 2010 bludgeoning death of a Kalispell man.

Henry 'Hank' Walter Burrows
Public sounds off in support of firefighters
Kalispell residents are fired up about a potential change in city ambulance service.

Marie Florence 'Flo' Adrignola, 78
What people make: Kalispell
Public interest in what government workers are paid has been heightened by the controversy surrounding a new pay deal for Kalispell firefighters.
Kalispell FFA students bring home state awards
Twenty-one students from Flathead and Glacier high schools competed during spring break at the State FFA Convention in Billings.

Storm brewing

William John 'Bill' Henry, 66

Henry 'Hank' Walter Burrows, 87
Hank Burrows died Friday, April 1, 2011, at Brendan House in Kalispell.
City raises sewer rates
Kalispell residents will begin paying more for the city sewer soon after the City Council decided to increase rates Monday night.
Columbia Falls scales back bike path
Plans for a paved walking and bike path from Columbus Park to River’s Edge Park took a primitive turn Monday night after the Columbia Falls City Council learned of the project’s cost.

Glacier gamble pays off in victory over Hellgate
Sometimes you just take your chances and hope it works out.
Tuesday, April 5
Five 9/11 suspects to face military tribunals

Glacier Missoula Hellgate Softball
Wave Chroma Key video
GOP possibilities: Obama's potential 2012 challengers
silverbrook estates chroma key video

Teri Palmer Profile
Jaxen Dean Eixenberger
Jaxen Dean Eixenberger, son of Mat Eixenberger and Stephanie Fosse, was born March 17 at North Valley Hospital.
Soren Powell Hubble
Soren Powell Hubble, son of Cody and Vo Hubble of Whitefish, was born March 5 at North Valley Hospital.
Bentley Michael McFate
Bentley Michael McFate, son of Jessica McFate of Kalispell, was born Feb. 16 at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.
Zack August Jouppe
Zack August Jouppe, son of Kent and Nikki Jouppe of Marion, was born March 16 at North Valley Hospital.
Marshall Dean Fitzpatrick
Marshall Dean Fitzpatrick, son of Russell and Vanessa Fitzpatrick of Kalispell, was born Jan. 31 at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.
Daybook
Tuesday
Lame duck causes park argument
Kalispell Police responded after a woman argued with a man over a wounded duck outside a bar in the Woodland Park area at 5:22 p.m. Saturday. The duck had a bloody head and twisted leg.
Morgan Rae McCulley
Morgan Rae McCulley, daughter of Carmon and Tabitha McCulley of Columbia Falls, was born Feb. 7 at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.
Contractor fined $40,000 in roofing scam
Former Flathead Valley contractor John Mulinski and his company, Sunrise Quality Construction, must pay the Montana Department of Labor and Industry $40,000 for violating contractor registration laws.
Riley Quinn Taylor
Riley Quinn Taylor, son of Vincent and Kayla Taylor of Columbia Falls, was born March 16 at North Valley Hospital.
Drake Ira Burk
Drake Ira Burk, son of Eric and Laci Burk of Whitefish, was born March 15 at North Valley Hospital.

invasive species picture
Ellanora Nichole Moore
Ellanora Nichole Moore, daughter of Wayne Moore and Mary Fisher of Kalispell, was born March 17 at North Valley Hospital.

Counties look at water quality district
County commissioners in Flathead and Lake counties are exploring the possibility of creating a water quality district that would focus on keeping aquatic invasive species out of Flathead Lake.
Rare fly won't get endangered listing
A rare stonefly found only at high-elevation locations in Glacier National Park is eligible for endangered-species listing — but the listing is precluded because the species is not a high priority.
Ski resort names new PR manager
Christina “Riley” Polumbus has been hired as the new public relations manager at Whitefish Mountain Resort, replacing Donnie Clapp. She began the job March 30.
Monday, April 4

Fire at Stumptown Thrift in Whitefish

Glacier National Park

Doctor happy with new medical home
Dr. Judy Rigby, a neonatologist at Kalispell Regional Medical Center, couldn't be happier with her medical home of more than a year.

Evergreen would consider ambulance expansion
Evergreen Fire Rescue would be interested in providing ambulance service in Kalispell if the city decides to get out of the ambulance business.
Customers reportedly taking over store
Whitefish still mulling short-term rental proposal
A proposal to create overlay zones for nightly and weekly rentals in Whitefish will be considered during a public hearing at the Whitefish City Council meeting tonight.

Dean Raymond Sprinkel

Lewis Duane Card, 81
Lewis D. Card passed away on March 30, 2011, surrounded by his loving family. He will be remembered for his sharp mind, love of family and friends, wit and his love of people and life.

Dr. Judy Rigby

Dean Raymond Sprinkel, 89
Dean Raymond Sprinkel, 89, passed away on Sunday, March 27, 2011, at the Montana Veterans Home in Columbia Falls.

John Kessler

John A. Kessler, 82
John A. Kessler, 82, passed away March 31, 2011, of natural causes.

Lewis D. Card
Sunday, April 3
Wildcats' Emerson to walk-on with Griz
Nick Emerson was not afraid of taking the game-winning shot in the divisional championship game.

Brewery earns top business award
Renewed community involvement and a stepped-up marketing campaign have earned Great Northern Brewing Co. one of the top business awards in Whitefish.
Kalispell's Weber named scholar athlete playing for Montana Western
Coltin Weber, a 6-foot-2, 210-pound senior linebacker at Montana Western, has been named a scholar athlete by the Montana Chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame.
Polson, Belgrade split in softball season opener
BELGRADE - Polson softball coach Larry Smith learned a few things about the 2011 edition of the Pirates on Saturday.
James E. Cuffe, 84
James E. Cuffe died on March 23, 2011, in Casa Grande, Ariz., after an extended illness, with his wife of 25 years, Beverly, at his side.

Once upon a time ...
A little girl’s memory lives on at Princess Ball to benefit Angel Flight West
Candy Faith, mother of Valicity Faith, center, dances with the crowd on Saturday night at the Princess Ball benefit in Kalispell. The event was a fund raiser for Angel Flight West, a non-profit organization that frequently took Valicity and her family to Seattle for treatment.
Bad weather cancels tennis, track outings
For some spring sports teams, they will just have to wait until this week to kick off their seasons.
Connolly, Voisin at snowboard, ski National Championship
Two members of the Whitefish Mountain Resort Freestyle Ski and Snowboard Team are headed to Copper Mountain in Colorado for the USASA National Championship.

Princess Ball

Creston Auction: Annual event draws buyers, onlookers
While meandering through organized piles of merchandise ranging from antiques and furniture to sporting equipment and home fixtures, Robert Fiereisen paused to closely analyze a wooden clock Saturday at the Creston Auction and Country Fair.
Is a slow news week the quick path to enlightenment?
I spent the last week trying to pick a topic for this column, and finally decided to write about not picking a topic for this column.

Julie Mackey Pittsley Komenda
Wield budget ax carefully
As Kalispell Public Schools officials peer into the budgeting abyss, it might be advisable for them not to try to find a single “sacrificial lamb” as one trustee put it.
Zinc Air prepares to launch storage batteries
A Kalispell company that has developed a one-of-a-kind grid energy storage system expects to ship its first battery system by year’s end.

Julie Mackey Pittsley Komenda, 83
Julie Mackey Pittsley Komenda, 83, of Polson, “went to her long-awaited meeting with our Lord” on April 1, 2011.
Man upset about lack of cigarettes
The

Made in the U.S.A.: Company's vintage signs get national exposure
Meissenburg Designs makes vintage wood signs in a rather low-profile manner off the beaten path near Bigfork, but a recent episode of ABC World News’ “Made in America” series put the small company in the national limelight.
New county fee schedule nearly done
A new fee schedule for services and work done by the Flathead County Planning and Zoning Office is nearing final approval.
Saturday, April 2

45th Annual Creston Auction
Thinking green: Augusta Masters

Lewis Duane Card, 81
Lewis D. Card passed away on March 30, 2011, surrounded by his loving family. He will be remembered for his sharp mind, love of family and friends, wit and his love of people and life.
Man falls prey to Internet scam
The
Landowners invited to join forest stewardship
Forest Stewardship workshops for landowners and forest managers are scheduled this summer in Kalispell, Yellow Bay on Flathead Lake, and Condon.
Glacier, Flathead, Eureka open softball season
GREAT FALLS - Glacier managed to pick up one victory in four outings while Flathead posted a tie in four outings on Friday as both teams opened the AA season at the 2011 Softball Jamboree at the Great Falls Multi-Sports Complex.

Lewis Duane Card

Dress a Girl Around the World

Joyce N. (Daggett) Olson
Teenage boy charged with assault on girl, 4
A 17-year-old Kalispell boy has been charged with felony sex crimes after allegedly having sexual contact with a 4-year-old girl.
New method may provide better wolf estimates
Monitoring wolf populations has never been easy and it’s gotten more difficult in recent years with an expanding wolf population in Montana, but now there’s interest in putting a new method to work, possibly as soon as this year.

Joyce N. (Daggett) Olson, 92
Joyce N. (Daggett) Olson “slipped the surly bonds of earth to touch the face of God and her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” on March 31, 2011, at her home in Kalispell. She was 92.

Dresses that make a difference
Hearing the hum of sewing machines in Dianne Gronley’s classroom is normal at this time of year. Students in her Textile Designs class start working on their first sewing projects, usually bags, in February.

Soft stuff
State facing $43 million payout: Asbestos-victim money would come from general fund
The entire $43 million payout proposed to settle claims by Libby asbestos victims will come from the state’s general fund, the Legislative Fiscal Division confirmed this week.
Sentencing moved in murder case
Stop delay tactics, judge tells defense
Flathead District Judge Katherine Curtis has rescheduled a hearing triggered by a young Evergreen woman’s request for a new trial on two counts of deliberate homicide.
Friday, April 1

Breast Feeding Awareness

New Born Lambs
DIL AP News Social Network 2p

Invasive Species Boat Check

Evergreen ambulance
April Fools' Day storm pranks the Northeast
Campaign finance: Key regulation efforts and dates
Aspen Rose Malczynski
Aspen Rose Malczynski, daughter of Tony and Janell Malczynski of Kila, was born March 6 at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.
Keeden Joseph Schmuck
Keeden Joseph Schmuck, son of Jerry Schmuck and Kristina Tumlin of Kalispell, was born Feb. 26 at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.
Lake monitors sought
Love to spend time on lakes? Interested in water quality?

Bears, fire and weather delays
She’s been the public liaison for Glacier National Park through 22 years and six park superintendents until today — Amy Vanderbilt’s last day on the job.
Fighting couple prompts cop call
Ayden Ryder Kindle
Ayden Ryder Kindle, son of Jesse Kindle and Megan Hall of Columbia Falls, was born March 1 at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.
June Raneece Milner
June Raneece Milner, daughter of Joshua Milner and Chantelle Campbell of Kalispell, was born March 6 at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.

Polson's softball sisterhood
Calm, collected and fiery emotions worn on a sleeve.
More signs pegged for construction zone in Bigfork
Additional signs are planned to help direct traffic around detours in downtown Bigfork as construction resumes this spring on the storm sewer improvement project.

Herbert W. Hanson, 72
Herbert W. Hanson, 72, of Kalispell, devoted husband, father and
School superintendent interviews start Monday
Three finalists seek Whitefish position
The Whitefish school board will interview finalists for the district’s top administrative position next week.
Man pleads guilty to tampering with evidence
A man charged with accountability to robbery after an apparent botched drug deal resulted in his friend suffering multiple gunshot wounds pleaded guilty to a lesser charge Thursday in Flathead District Court.

Amy Vanderbilt
Good news in the mail for troops
Rapist's sentence rejected
Judge overrules plea deal, sends man to prison for 10 years
Flathead District Judge Stewart Stadler ignored a lenient plea agreement Thursday for a Kalispell man who admitted sexually assaulting a girl for several years, telling Anthony Joseph Clouse “you can’t commit a more horrible offense.”

Herbert W. Hanson
Man pleads not guilty to kidnapping, theft charges
A 33-year-old Kalispell man pleaded innocent to five felony charges related to the March 12 armed robbery of Evergreen Pharmacy Thursday in Flathead District Court.
Accused murderer repeats innocent pleas
The man accused of the Christmas Day shooting deaths of his ex-girlfriend and her teenage daughter pleaded innocent to two counts of deliberate homicide Thursday in Flathead District Court.
Theo Bradford Kanter
Theo Bradford Kanter, son of Eric Kanter and Kate Berry of Whitefish, was born March 1 at North Valley Hospital.
Kaliah Lorraine Imperato
Kaliah Lorraine Imperato, daughter of David and Cami Imperato of Kalispell, was born Feb. 25 at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.
Camryn Ruby Abern Flanigan
Camryn Ruby Abern Flanigan, daughter of Russell Flanigan and Halie Abern of Kalispell, was born March 2 at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.
Enya Nicole Lampinen
Enya Nicole Lampinen, daughter of Todd and Emily Lampinen of Kalispell, was born March 5 at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.
Cool weather may delay expected flooding on area rivers
The service’s online hydrographs showed predictions of some area rivers rising to near flood stage levels this weekend.