Ellington

Annual duck stamp competition is a family affair

Art teacher Lonnie Collinsworth has his ducks in a row, framed and displayed along a wall in his classroom at Whitefish High School.

Study: septic contamination in Whitefish Lake confirmed

Whitefish Lake Institute has released a study that confirms septic contamination in Whitefish Lake, but says the lake is still safe.

Expanded bus routes begin Monday

The pieces fell together sooner than expected, allowing for expanded bus routes in Kalispell and Evergreen to begin Monday.

Fast start for Cats in track

COLUMBIA FALLS — The sun came out and the times went down for the opening track meet of the season at the Columbia Falls Invitational.

Foreclosed home burgarlized

Officers with the

Creston auction opens to bidders

Annual Creston Auction-goers know the unpredictability the weather holds for the event. With rain and snow usually making an appearance, people came prepared, dressed in layers and tall boots Saturday.

Duford HRs in Polson victory over Columbia Falls

POLSON — Pitcher Shalaina Duford hit a 3-run home run in the first inning, then held Columbia Falls to just five hits as the Class A defending champion Pirates downed the Wildkats 14-1 in a nonconference softball matchup on Saturday.

Impressive start for Polson net squads

POLSON — A nice day brought out the best in Polson’s tennis squads Saturday as the Pirates dropped Libby 6-1 in a boys dual and 7-0 in girls action.

Flathead, Glacier 1-3 at softball jamboree

GREAT FALLS — A long day of softball ended with Flathead and Glacier posting 1-3 marks on Saturday at the Great Falls Jamboree.

Flathead boys perfect in singles tennis play

GREAT FALLS — Singles play stood out for Flathead’s boys tennis team on Saturday as the Braves were 8-0 in duals with Great Falls High and C.M. Russell.

Walton, Hernandez lead Glacier tennis vs. CMR, G. Falls

GREAT FALLS — Veronica Walton and Mario Hernandez opened the tennis season for Glacier with victories in No. 1 singles action against C.M. Russell and Great Falls High on Saturday.

Whitefish mall sees surge of new businesses

After weathering the recession, the sun seems to be shining on Mountain Mall in Whitefish, where six new businesses have signed leases and two existing businesses recently expanded.

My official renunciation

This column is dedicated to the people who hate this column (and you know who you are). For once, I am going to write just what you want me to say — crystallized in a series of nuggets that represent the outcome of 100 years of progressivism.

Do pro-lifers just see life from a man's persepective?

Amazing isn’t it that the majority of the pro-lifers, and "anti" the-day-after pill (which by the way does not cause an abortion) and the anti-contraceptive groups are male? Including the male dominated Catholic Church? Men who are terrified of women who want to control their own wombs.

Daybook

Blake A. Whistler, 25

Staff Sgt. Blake A. Whistler, assigned to 4th Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne), died during a non-combat-related incident on March 18, 2012.

Scout camp is worthy cause

It’s ironic that just as the Girl Scouts have kicked off a centennial celebration for the national youth organization, the state of Montana stands ready to pull the plug on a local Girl Scout camp that has helped thousands of girls learn life skills for 50 years.

William Marvin Loudermilk, 74

William Marvin Loudermilk, 74, longtime resident of Bigfork, passed away March 24, 2012, in the Comfort Care Unit of the Brendan House.

Osweiler 'aggressive' on Pro Day

Flathead High School grad and pro football prospect Brock Osweiler held his Pro Day for NFL scouts and executives on Friday in Tempe, Ariz.

Wildkats rally past Wolfpack

Five runs down, C-Falls pulls out 8-7 nonconference victory

COLUMBIA FALLS — It’s takes a lot of effort and a lot of things have to go right — but a team can recover from a five-run softball deficit.

Daybook

Paul Jonathan Wagner, 69

Paul Jonathan Wagner, a loving husband, father and papa, “has “gone to be with his heavenly Father” Tuesday, March 27, 2012. He passed away in the arms of his wife, with his family at his side. Paul was with hospice for the past six months and passed from congestive heart failure and Alzheimer’s.

Brothers win big at state science fair

Give just the facts to the Norick brothers, a pair of burgeoning scientists in Columbia Falls.

Zachariha Dawson

Man faces felony charges for bar incident

Kalispell police officers arrested Zachariha Dawson, 34, Kalispell, after he allegedly tried to run down one or more people in the parking lot of Paddy’s Touchdown Lounge Thursday evening.

City interviews finalists

After more than six hours of interviews on Friday, the Kalispell City Council held a closed session to rank three finalists for the city manager job.

Man ditches ankle bracelet, flees

A probation officer called the

Terry Lee Warmoth Thompson, 61

Blake A. Whistler, 25

Crash on Main

Patrick Cote/Daily Inter Lake Kalispell firefighters remove an injured man from his car after a three-car crash at the intersection of North Main Street and Montana Street Friday afternoon. Friday, March, 30, 2012 in Kalispell, Montana.

Creston Auction

Joann Russell, left, catalogs the tag numbers Bill Nickel, right, and Cynthia Gilbertson attach to items brought in for consignment Friday afternoon in preparation for the 46th Annual Creston Auction & Country Fair.Auction of boats, vehicles and other larger items continues today starting at noon at Creston.

City manager candidates

City Manager candidate Doug Russell speaks with Mark Rice of Kalispell Thursday evening at a public reception for the city manager finalists at the Conrad Mansion.

Sunriser Lion 38th Annual Pancake Supper

Sarah Illi, 10, of Kalispell, helps her grandfather, Warren Illi of Kalispell, left, make pancakes on Thursday afternoon, March 29, at the Sunriser Lion 38th Annual Pancake Supper in the Saint Matthew's cafeteria in Kalispell. This was her second year volunteering with the supper, her grandfather has been helping with the event for the past 30 years. Also in the background is Foster Swan of Kalispell, center.

Daybook

Friday

Man sentenced for drug and robbery convictions

A 29-year-old Kalispell man involved in an Oct. 3, 2011, high-speed chase was sentenced to five years in jail and five years suspended Thursday in Flathead District Court.

Woman 'harassed' by neighbors

An upset Second Avenue West resident called the

Priest's arraignment has been delayed

An arraignment hearing for child pornography charges against the Rev. Rudolph “Rudy” Bullman of Risen Christ Parish was continued Thursday in Flathead District Court.

Whitefish deer shooter charged

Charges have been filed against a 22-year-old Whitefish man for the Jan. 7 shooting of two deer near downtown Whitefish.

Street work resumes in Whitefish

Construction work on the U.S. 93/Second Street project in Whitefish that was begun last fall will start up again Monday, weather permitting.

Columbia Falls vs. Whitefish Softball

Patrick Cote/Daily Inter Lake Wildkats junior Tori Price slides into home plate Thursday evening during Columbia Falls' 21-0 victory at home over Whitefish.

UM fires football coach, athletic director

Facebook prying is yucky mess

It was back in 2009 that the city of Bozeman got in trouble for asking job applicants for their Facebook and other social network passwords.

Spring clearing

Tyler Just, left, loads cut branches into a wood chipper as Aaron Rasmussen uses a chain saw to remove trees from underneath power lines off U.S. 93 near Whitefish Thursday morning.

Input sought for Kalispell 'wayfinding' signs

Two open houses this week will ask for public input on “wayfinding” signs being developed to help visitors find their way around to Kalispell’s many attractions.

Montana Life: Duck Stamp

Patrick Cote/Daily Inter Lake Hooded Merganser. Painted by Carson Collinsworth. Wednesday, March, 28, 2012 in Whitefish, Montana.

Duck stamp contest

Kendyl Collinsworth’s painting of a wood duck earned the Whitefish High School sophomore Best in Show in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Junior Duck Stamp contest for the second year in a row.

Night club offers safe hangout, good music

Causing a scandal

All JJ Holden was looking for was a place to DJ.

Heavy rainfall

Cooks at Latitude 48 Bistro, from left, Dillon Sibson, Tyler Wells and Max Schmidt take a break to watch the rain fall after the power went out in their kitchen Wednesday afternoon in Whitefish. Late afternoon storms caused several power outages in Whitefish and across the Flathead Valley.

Alleged boarding school abuse focus of CNN report

A Lake County boarding school has found itself in the sights of CNN’s Anderson Cooper following accusations of abuse by former students.

Eureka teams excel in problem-solving

Three secondary-level teams from Eureka’s Chrysalis School won first-place awards in three challenges at the Northwest Montana regional Destination ImagiNation competition last week.

A legal case that affects us all

The U.S. Supreme Court is deliberating over what must be considered, on many levels, the most momentous case in decades or possibly the history of the country.

Standoff in Libby ends peacefully

A 19-hour standoff with law-enforcement officers near Libby ended Tuesday afternoon with the arrest of a 53-year-old woman.

Was it the not-so-great train robbery?

A Columbia Falls resident called the

Flathead health officer shares expertise in Dubai

Flathead County Health Officer Joe Russell recently shared his knowledge of food-safety practices at an international conference in Dubai, and got a crash course on the opulent culture of the United Arab Emirates during his down time.

Education legislation focus of forum

Two Republican legislators and a GOP candidate for state superintendent of schools will hold a forum on education legislation tonight at Flathead Valley Community College.

Daybook

Cora L. Jensen, 94

Scandal's schedule

Scandal’s All Ages Night Club and Amusement Center offers several opportunities to hear music every weekend.

Scandal's

Scandal's All Ages Night Club and Amusement Center has a pool table and lounge area for those not inclined to dance — or who need a break from the dance floor.

Brothers win at state science fair

From left, Colin and Colter Norick sit with one of their trophies and their science fair projects Wednesday, March 28, at Columbia Falls High School. The brothers, in seventh and ninth grades, respectively, each took home gold ribbons from this year’s State Science Fair.

Larry Valtinson, 66

The Indian Way

Evelyn Rodewald and Neil Van Sickle, authors of "The Indian Way." Wednesday, March, 28, 2012 in Whitefish, Montana.

Heavy rainfall forecast, flooding possible

The National Weather Service put out an advisory Wednesday predicting heavy rain in Western Montana Thursday through Saturday.

Zvygelskiy, Baumann pace Wildcat tennis

The Columbia Falls boys started the season off with a bang, sweeping Ronan on the road on Tuesday.

Prescribed burns planned in several forest locations

The Swan Lake Ranger District will carry out multiple prescribed burns over the next few days.

Ellen Simpson, 65

Landlord facing prison time in marijuana case

Jonathan Janetski is a 43-year-old landlord and general contractor.

Murder suspect not fit for trial

A 75-year-old Libby man charged in the shooting death of his daughter has been deemed mentally unfit to proceed in court.

Whitefish marijuana provider pleads guilty

New scanner at the airport

The full-body scanner at Glacier Park International Airport, shown here March 27, 2012, is being removed today to be sent to a larger airport.

Boulder-tossing youths apprehended

An Evergreen man called the

Antenna tests planned from Mount Aeneas

More tests of potential sites for an antenna to boost emergency communications radio signals in southern Flathead County are planned soon as mountain snowpack lessens and avalanche danger drops.

Richard Norman 'Dick' Flaa, 89

Lt. Col. United States Air Force (retired) Richard Norman “Dick” Flaa died peacefully at his home in Bigfork on Friday morning, March 23, 2012.

Ellen Christina Neilsen Engstedt Simpson, 65

Ellen Simpson, 65, of Jefferson City, passed away on Friday, March 23, 2012, after a long and valiant battle with cancer.

Daybook

Wednesday

Charlotte Marie Hales, 97

Horseback Riding in Creston

Jillian Uskoski, 12, of Creston, takes her Quarter horse Pard for a ride along Highway 35 on Tuesday afternoon, March 27, in Creston. She said she took the highway route trying to get Pard accustomed to the sound of the traffic nearby.

Bertha Eblen, 85

Bertha Eblen passed away peacefully with her daughter and son-in-law at her side on Saturday, March 24, 2012. She had come to Kalispell to spend her last days with her family.

Fishing on the Flathead

Jenelle Collier of Columbia Falls helps her son Eldon, 3, as they prepare for an afternoon of fishing on the Flathead on Tuesday, March 27, in Columbia Falls.

Crosswise

Margaret Baylinson, right, works along side Ron Corcoran, center, and Dick Daniels, in background, all members of the church and from Columbia Falls, to raise crosses in front of Saint Richard's Catholic Church on Tuesday afternoon, March 27, in Columbia Falls. The three crosses have been raised along Highway 2 for the past five years. They go up the week before Palm Sunday and are taken down after Pentecost, fifty days after Easter Sunday.

Tha' Southern Skillet

Patrick Cote/Daily Inter Lake Fried catfish, baked beans, bread and tater tots Tuesday afternoon at Tha' Southern Skillet in Kalispell. Tuesday, March, 27, 2012 in Kalispell, Mont.

New Scanners at Airport

Plain-clothes Transportation Security Administration employees demonstrated using the new scanners at Glacier International Airport on Tuesday morning, March 27, in Kalispell.

Daybook

Vicki Rae Brown, 60

Mountain lion killed near Browns Meadow Road

The Flathead County Sheriff’s Office got a report Sunday from a Browns Meadow Road resident who said there was a large mountain lion in the area, and her Pekingese chased it off. A Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks warden later gave the reporting party and deputies permission to shoot the lion if necessary. Another warden later reported that the mountain lion had been shot and killed.

Lease increase may doom Girl Scout camp

The future of a longstanding Girl Scout camp north of Whitefish is in jeopardy after the state recently notified scout leaders of a five-fold cost increase in the camp’s annual lease payment.

Candidate hopes to jump from Utah to Kalispell

Justices moving to heart of health-care overhaul

WASHINGTON — As demonstrations swirled outside, Supreme Court justices signaled Monday they are ready to confront without delay the keep-or-kill questions at the heart of challenges to President Barack Obama’s historic health-care overhaul. Virtually every American will be affected by the outcome, due this summer in the heat of the election campaign.

Students, shelter collaborate on art exhibit

Who cares about homelessness in the Flathead?

Four facing charges for burglary at Kila home

The last of four people charged in a recent burglary on Spring Hill Road in Kila pleaded not guilty March 22 in Flathead District Court after being arrested on a bench warrant earlier in the month.

Apply for interim commissioner's seat by Friday

North Valley Republicans who want to be considered as nominees for interim District 1 county commissioner have until the end of the day Friday to apply for the post.

Camp Westana

Camp Westana, located north of Whitefish, has hosted Scout camps for nearly 50 years.

Tom Steele

City Manager candidate Tom Steele has never been to Kalispell but has heard “glowing descriptions” of the area from a brother who lived in Columbia Falls.

Tele town hall focused on Medicare

An AARP-sponsored tele town hall meeting Friday on the future of Medicare and Social Security focused mostly on Medicare with questions from 11 Montanans and answers from several government representatives.

Roll over

A Bigfork firefighter looks inside the cab of a truck that rolled over off of Highway 83 Monday morning. The driver of the vehicle was transported to the hospital with minor injuries. Monday, March, 26, 2012 in Kalispell, Mont.

March 19-25, 2012

Knutson, Dixon state all-round gymnastics champions

BILLINGS — Flathead Gymnastic Academy’s Rebecca Knutson and Katie Dixon were all-around winners in Level 7 and 5, respectively, at the Montana State Gymnastics Championships at MetraPark Montana Pavilion on Saturday.

Non-traditional student says ride's been worth it

The light at the end of the tunnel is growing brighter every day for Kalispell resident Pat Reilly, one of many valley residents whose life was turned upside down by the economic downturn a few years ago.

Juvenile girls found in trunk during traffic stop

Saturday night, two juvenile girls were returned to their parents after

Doug Russell

Manager hopeful has eyed Kalispell for some time

One of three finalists for Kalispell’s city manager job, Doug Russell sees a chance to move to a beautiful part of Montana and bring his two children closer to their maternal grandparents in Great Falls.

Advice from the last first lady of Whitefish: 'Hard work never hurt anybody'

Whitefish could not have founded a purer role model for its final first lady than Helen Morris, a community-spirited lifelong resident with no bad habits.

Forest proposing cone, seed collection project

The Flathead National Forest is proposing a long-term plan for gathering western larch cones and seeds to meet anticipated reforestation needs on the forest.

A Heart for Haiti

Gerald John Vanden Bosch, 78

Gerald John Vanden Bosch

Wrestling a family affair

Vasquezes win 3 Little Guy championships; Windauers take 2

Wrestling runs in the family — or families, in this case.

A heart for Haiti

Polson couple plans big move to manage children’s home

The emotional tug toward Haiti has been long and persistent for Mike and Tifanni Watkins.

Powza! - Bakery with superhero theme is winning customers

Roberta Bennett may not be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, and she doesn’t own a Batmobile. But ever since she opened Powza! Baking Co. in Whitefish last July, she could be dubbed a real-life neighborhood superhero.

Whitefish's Nelson, Upton in championship form at YSL

Colter is better at the slalom. Liam is better at the giant slalom.

Tributes & memories: An unlikely friendship...

This first day of spring 2012 is a snowy, sad day. I bought a Daily Inter Lake newspaper in Hungry Horse and learned that Jim Dupont had died suddenly. I had planned on stopping by Jim’s office to chat with him later this week.

Daybook

Sunday

Bigfork's Morley off to fast start; Hayes wins 200, 400 at Seeley-Swan Open

MISSOULA — Bigfork’s Makena Morley set a fast pace to start the track season Saturday by flirting with the five-minute barrier in the 1,600-meter run while teammate Ryan Hayes was a double winner in the boys sprints at the Seeley-Swan Open.

Jim Dupont, 1946 - 2012: Community remembers friend, leader

James “Jim” Dupont’s funeral service was filled with as much laughter as sadness.

Grace Louise Blanchet, 85

 Grace Louise Blanchet, 85, passed away Sunday, March 18, 2012, from a heart condition.

Manager candidates visit Kalispell this week

Kalispell residents can meet the three finalists being considered for the city manager job at a reception Thursday and sit in as the finalists are interviewed by the Kalispell City Council on Friday.

Health department to pay county $180,000 for building work

After gathering more information about how the Flathead City-County Health Department will pay the county for money spent to construct a portion of the third floor of the Earl Bennett Building, county commissioners signed off on a memorandum of understanding related to those payments.

Warrant issued for elusive theft suspect

A 23-year-old Kalispell man implicated among a group of alleged thieves is being sought by police on his third bench warrant in nine months.

Dog reported chasing a woman

A woman reported a vicious dog to the

Orwell, the 'truth' and a troubling trend

Ronald Reagan famously joked that “the trouble with our liberal friends is not that they're ignorant; it's just that they know so much that isn't so.”

Man seeks help on crash-prone corner

Flathead County Commissioner Dale Lauman assured a Foothill Road resident that his plea for assistance regarding a road issue won’t be forgotten by county officials.

Columnist still waiting for viral fame

 I’ll have to confess I’m a little jealous of Marilyn Hagerty.

Jim Dupont Funeral

Patrick Cote/Daily Inter Lake Bigfork and Kalispell Fire Department ladder trucks suspend a flag over the entrance to the parking lot of the Christian Center Saturday afternoon at the memorial service for former sheriff Jim Dupont. Saturday, March, 24, 2012 in Kalispell, Mont.

Jim Dupont's funeral

Pictures of Jim Dupont line tables outside his memorial service Saturday afternoon at the Christian Center.

Big Sky trio kicking their way to the top

Cassidy Meade, 15, Adam Bartlett, 10, and Taylor Reed, 14, all have different stories on how their involvement in taekwondo at Big Sky Martial Arts (BSMA) began.

Whooping cough found at Whitefish Middle School

Flathead City-County Health Department officials have confirmed one case of pertussis (whooping cough) in a Whitefish Middle School student, according to a Friday news release from the department.

Daybook

Saturday

Would-be burglar cuts shop lock

A Columbia Falls business owner called the

College selling student-built house

 For $65,000, Flathead Valley Community College will sell the three-bedroom, two-bath,1,450-square-foot house built by students.

State grant to help effort to lower dropout rate

Kalispell Public Schools has set a goal to reduce the high school dropout rate from 4.7 percent to 2.5 percent by the 2015-16 school year.

Young experts rate top zoos

These are the must-see zoos as judged by members of Jungle Jack’s Zooniacs.

Zooniacs are loose on the airwaves

Celebrating their second anniversary as an online radio show, Jungle Jack’s Zooniacs chart new territory as they report on animal antics in zoos across America.

Couple appeals animal cruelty conviction

A Kalispell couple convicted of aggravated cruelty to animals last September — following the rescue of 116 cats from their snowbound trailers — are appealing their conviction to the Montana Supreme Court.

Polson kitchen serves soup, hospitality

On a blustery March day, the women at the Wander Inn community kitchen in Polson were serving up more than hot soup.

Big Sky Martial Arts

From left, Taylor Reed, 14, Adam Bartlett, 10, and Cassidy Meade, 15, Friday afternoon at Big Sky Martial Arts in Kalispell.

Gerald John Vanden Bosch, 78

Monday Profile

Helen Morris will be the 65th and final First Lady of Whitefish.

Who Cares? Exhibit

Patrick Cote/Daily Inter Lake Tom Nelesen views the "Who Cares?" exhibit on display at the Museum at Central School Thursday morning. With portraits by Heidi Long and descriptive briefs and essays by Kalispell Middle School seventh graders, the "Who Cares?" exhibit, put on by the Samaritan House, aims to challenge the common stereotypes of homelessness. Thursday, March, 22, 2012 in Kalispell, Mont.

Weather Scenic

Patrick Cote/Daily Inter Lake After a morning of gray skies and scattered showers the sun shines on the Flathead Valley Thurday afternoon. Thursday, March, 22, 2012 in Kalispell, Mont.

Skatepark

Patrick Cote/Daily Inter Lake Picking up speed to perform a trick, Sean McComb rides through the curve of the bowl at the Woodland Park Skatepark Thursday afternoon.

Moving to Haiti

Patrick Cote/Daily Inter Lake Sitting in his fathers lap, Alderson reaches out to the family cat, Rudy, Tuesday afternoon in Polson. Tuesday, March, 20, 2012 in Polson, Mont.

Soup's On

Gerrie Boyle picks up her silverware after getting a bowl of corned beef and sauerkraut soup Tuesday afternoon at Soup’s On in Polson.

Powza! Bakery

Jeremy Potter decorates a row of doughnut bars on Wednesday, March 21, at Powza! Bakery in Whitefish. The bakery also makes circles, bismarcks, fritters, and raised doughnuts as well as cake doughnuts, cup cakes, cookies, meat pies, and frittatas.

Kalispell hosts Little Guy State Tournament

A big venue, MOA officials, 10 full mats — this weekend’s 2012 Little Guy State Tournament and Beginners State Tournament have it all for local wrestling fans.

Whitefish Ski Resort hosts YSL events

Nearly 200 young skiers will take to Whitefish Ski Resort this weekend, competing in the USSA Northern Division Youth Ski League Championship.

Suspected murder victim identified

The 69-year-old man found dead of blunt force trauma in his minivan in Lincoln County has been identified as Ernest Cleon Judd of Libby.

Health board OKs pair of variances

The Flathead City-County Health Board approved two sewage treatment system variances recently.

Final farewell to our friend

Our hearts are heavy as we prepare to say our final farewell tomorrow to longtime public servant Jim Dupont, and yet there are smiles as we remember a life well-lived.

Nine candidates file for commissioner seat

Flathead County voters will decide contested races in both the primary and general elections for two open county commissioner positions.

Winter coating

The calendar may say spring, but winter weather continues in Northwest Montana. The shoreline of Lake McDonald in Glacier Park still has a thick blanket of snow.

Ernest Judd

Legislation would allow pipeline work in Glacier Park

Montana Sens. Max Baucus and Jon Tester are pushing legislation that would affirm the National Park Service’s authority to permit maintenance of a natural gas pipeline that parallels U.S. 2 on the southern boundary of Glacier National Park.

Concerned citizen reports texted photo

A text message sent to the wrong number initiated a concerned call to the

Sunday open house showcases land trust homes

An open house Sunday showcases three of the 16 houses in the Northwest Montana Community Land Trust and promises to help people learn more about this form of home ownership.

County won't seek grant for Red Bridge

Flathead County officials won’t pursue a grant to remove the Red Bridge from the Flathead River near Columbia Falls after determining the county would have to spend too much money to complete the application.

Daybook

Walter Dean Carlson, 69

Erin Amanda Guest-Isles, 35

11th Annual Les Schwab Shootout

Patrick Cote/Daily Inter Lake Photos from the 11th Annual Les Schwab Shootout Wednesday afternoon at Stillwater Christian School. Wednesday, March, 21, 2012 in Kalispell, Mont.

College tops $700,000 for new building

College President Jane Karas announced Monday that Flathead Valley Community College’s nursing/health building campaign has topped $700,000 in gifts and donations.

People needed for Mutual Self-Help Housing program

Six to nine would-be homeowners in Kalispell willing to help build their homes are needed for this year’s Mutual Self-Help Housing program, said Doug Rauthe, executive director of Community Action Partnership of Northwest Montana.

Three Republicans file for commissioner seat

Three Republicans filed for the District 1 Flathead County commissioner seat on Wednesday.

Flathead High School to host 2013 Western B tournament

Flathead High School will host next season’s Western B Divisional basketball tournament, school officials have announced.

Top raffle ticket sellers

115 tickets: Taylor Fortin, sixth-grader, Whitefish Middle School orchestra

Woman wins coveted Springsteen tickets

But more are available through eBay auction

When Wendy Compton-Ring bought two raffle tickets from her daughter, she didn’t expect to win a trip to see The Boss.

Bigfork man pleads guilty to five bank robberies

Jim Dupont

Low-snow winter in the books

Spring officially got under way Tuesday, ending one of the Flathead Valley’s mildest winters in recent memory.

Man's unusual break-in attempt thwarted

A 24-year-old Kalispell man’s attempt to steal items from his own car while it was in the Flathead County impound lot led to his arrest Monday night.

Hand from Jesus statue rescued from lost and found

After going missing for a few days, the left hand of the Jesus statue on Big Mountain is back in the possession of the Knights of Columbus.

Political road rage hits Montana

The

Feds on wrong side of voter fraud

The Obama Justice Department is once again outrageously infringing on states’ rights in its move to block a new voter identification law in Texas, following a similar move that was made regarding a new North Carolina law.

Fantasy world of U.S. near collapse

Let’s face reality. As a nation, we have been living in a fantasy world for decades. We were told that we could afford social welfare, entitlements, retirement programs, free trade with everyone, and an enormous military (along with dozens of other programs and policies) and we’d never have to worry about paying for them.

Daybook

Thursday

Dupont services planned Saturday

A public memorial service for Jim Dupont, Flathead County commissioner and former sheriff, is at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Christian Center in Kalispell.

James 'Jim' Dupont, 65

Jacob Paul Parmenter, 19

Jacob Paul Parmenter, March 2, 1993 - March 16, 2012.

Soup's On

Gerrie and Jim Boyle eat corned beef and sauerkraut soup Tuesday afternoon at Soup's On in Polson. The Soup's On project, located in the Wander Inn, provides free lunch four days a week. Tuesday, March, 20, 2012 in Polson, Mont.

BPA remains a low-cost source of energy based on hydropower

The federal Columbia River Power System has delivered some of the cheapest power to the Pacific Northwest since visionaries created the system 75 years ago.

Man turns in son for stealing from him

An East Evergreen Drive man taught his son a lesson by reporting to the

Power supplier still talking with CFAC

Bonneville Power Administration is having weekly discussions with Columbia Falls Aluminum Co. to negotiate an energy contract that would restart the shuttered plant, BPA Administrator Stephen Wright said last week.

New death may be fourth murder in four months

The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office is investigating its fourth murder in as many months.

Rev. Rudy Bullman

The Rev. Rudy Bullman, pictured here in 2001, faces child pornography charges.

Priest charged for child porn

A Catholic priest who has led Risen Christ Parish in Evergreen for more than a decade is facing up to 10 years in prison if he’s convicted of possessing child pornography.

City to take closer look at Second Ave.

The Kalispell City Council tabled a request Monday to go out for bids for a Second Avenue East reconstruction project and a request for a funding transfer that would pay for the project.

Migration stopping place

A flock of trumpeter swans takes refuge at Smith Lake just east of Kila on Tuesday afternoon. This is migration season for many species of waterfowl.

Good behavior merits a student parade

Helena Flats students are the chiefs of the Montana Behavioral Intiative.

Rail administrator touts commitment to Amtrak

The future is bright for expanding freight and passenger rail service, according to Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph Szabo.

The Retreat at Buffalo Hill

From left, Amy Fischer, Teresa Kropp and Patrick Gulick of Orthopedic Rehab visit the new therapy pool at the Retreat at Buffalo Hill in Kalispell. Also in the photo are Devera Haegele, in orange, Dulcinea Voermans, in green, and Susan Wills in the pool.

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Wednesday

James M. Nevins, 84

Dorothy Jane (Orser) Groose, 91

Eunice Barbra (Olson) Erickson, 82

Eunice Barbra (Olson) Erickson of Kalispell “went to be with her Lord” on March 16, 2012, surrounded by family and friends. She was 82.

Christopher David Atkinson, 33

Memorial services for U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Christopher David Atkinson, 33, from Lakeside will be held at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, March 29, at the Kalispell Seventh-day Adventist Church, 1375 Highway 93 North, with Pastor Casey Higgins officiating.

March 12-18, 2012

Eunice Barbra (Olson) Erickson

Pamela Gene Patterson, 66

Pamela Gene Patterson, 66, of Belgrade, passed peacefully after an eight-month struggle with intestinal cancer, on March 17, 2012, surrounded by her family.

Gregory Douglas 'Greg' Cusick, 66

Daybook

'A legacy most people can only dream about'

Longtime friends and colleagues say they will remember Flathead County Commissioner Jim Dupont as an effective leader, mentor and a man of unquestionable integrity and character.

Deadline Thursday to file for vacancy

Residents of Flathead County Commissioner District 1 have until Thursday to file for the vacancy created on the county commission by the death of Commissioner Jim Dupont on Monday.

County workers share memories of Dupont

Silence enveloped the commissioners’ chambers at the Flathead County Courthouse at 9:20 Monday morning when Sheriff Chuck Curry delivered the news that Commissioner Jim Dupont had died of a heart attack.

Flood drips through ceiling

Kalispell Police got a report just after midnight Monday from a Second Avenue East resident who reported that water was coming through the ceiling from an upstairs neighbor’s apartment. An officer forced the door open to stop the flooding, which caused damage that will require construction repairs.

Libby man's death 'suspicious'

The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the suspicious death of a man whose body was found in a vehicle in the lower Yaak Valley Sunday afternoon.

DNA 'hit' leads to man's arrest in 2007 rape

A Whitefish man has been arrested for a 2007 rape in Whitefish as a result of DNA evidence collected from a similar, more recent crime in Conrad.

Therese Lowell 'Terry' Smith, 93

Therese Lowell “Terry” Smith of Bigfork “left this world” on March 2, 2012, in Walla Walla, Wash. She was 93.

Courthouse Tribute

The flag on the front lawn of the historic Courthouse flies at half-staff on Monday as a sign of mourning following the announcement that former Flathead County sheriff and current county commissioner Jim Dupont had died of an apparent heart attack. Dupont was 65.

Dupont in 2002

A pensive Sheriff Jim Dupont is pictured at his desk in 2002.

Dupont and Garner

Sheriff Jim Dupont, left, and Kalispell Police Chief Frank Garner retired at the same time at the end of 2006.  

Dupont swearing in

Flathead County Commissioner Jim Dupont and Clerk of Court Peg Allison embrace each other before taking their oaths of office in Flathead County District Court on Dec. 31, 2008. Judge Ted Olympus swore in both officials.

Jim Dupont weapons cache

In 2004, Sheriff Jim Dupont posed with a cache of weapons seized after the arrest of fugitive David Burgert.

Jim Dupont

During his campaign for county commissioner, Jim Dupont, left, shares a laugh with old friend Dale Haarr in 2008 at Nickel Charlie's Casino & Eatery in Evergreen. The two knew each other for more than 30 years through various public offices and Rotary Club of Kalispell.

Loud at the Library 3

Dawn Duane Evans paints a child-sized chair on Thursday, March 14, in her studio in downtown Kalispell. Evans contributed two chairs for the upcoming Loud at the Library fundraiser which will be held from 5:30-8:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 22, at the Flathead County Library in Kalispell. Tickets are $30, 20 of which is tax deductible. Six adult chairs, 2 children's chairs, and a 24 drawer card catalog will be auctioned at the event.

October Baby Coming to Kalispell

Hope Pregnancy Ministries Executive Director Michelle Reimer at the Clear Choice Clinic on Thursday, March 14, in Kalispell.

Helena Flats parade

Fourth-graders in Cheryl Barber’s class make their way along the Spring Fling parade route on Friday afternoon at Helena Flats School. Their theme was birds.

Longtime public servant Jim Dupont dies

Sheriff Chuck Curry delivered shocking news to county officials on Monday morning: Popular Commissioner and longtime former Sheriff Jim Dupont had died.

Sex trafficking discussion overhead in coffee shop

Saturday afternoon, a man asked to talk to a

Life-saving beating

Michael Forkin is undergoing treatment for leukemia, a disease that was discovered while he was being treated for wounds he received during a truckstop mugging.

Beating saved Bigfork trucker's life

In an unusual turn of fate, a savage beating last October may have saved Bigfork trucker Michael Forkin’s life.

Bob DePratu: A lifetime of hard work

Bob DePratu knew one thing to be true during his hardscrabble childhood: Hard work was the gateway to a better life.

Whitefish tackles downtown parking woes

Parking issues will dominate a Whitefish City Council work session at 5 p.m. today.

Kalispell City Airport

Area citizens invited to attend sheriff's academy

 The Flathead County Sheriff’s Office is accepting applications for the Sheriff’s Citizens Academy.

The poetry of pottery

After 40 years, Markle still fired up about ceramics

Looking like a man at ease with his life, veteran potter Robert Markle sits on a big slab table in his Columbia Falls studio with his big black cat Griz curled up next to him.

GHS coach caps season as Coach of the Year finalist

Greg Adkins, head coach of the Glacier High School speech and debate team has been a finalist for the Anne Sullivan AA Coach of the Year Award more than ten times.

Trumbull Creek flood work proposed

Staffers at the Kalispell Department of Natural Resources and Conservation office have applied for a $28,000 departmental grant to pay for rehabilitation of part of Trumbull Creek.

Some races to keep an eye on

The flurry of late filings on Monday brought about a guarantee of an interesting primary season in Flathead County and Montana.

City airport's history stretches for decades

The first recorded aviation use of the land that makes up Kalispell City Airport was June 21, 1911 — well before it was dedicated as an airport in 1929.

Airport at a crossroads - again

Close it, upgrade it or move it?

The Kalispell City Council faces a showdown this spring over what to do with Kalispell City Airport.

'Enslaving Mother Earth'

In listening to all the feigned outrage from “resource interests,” such as those represented by Cary Hegreberg, about the Power Shift conference, one can’t help but wonder what planet they think they are living on.

Politics and Education: Don't be surprised if academic choices have legislative consequences

A recent conference for environmental activists at the UM campus in Missoula entitled “Power Shift” has riled up Montana’s business community, as well as many state legislators. While one-sided, politically charged discourse about environmental issues is not unusual on college campuses, this one was different.

Dog that was shot linked to previous incidents

Agencies kept busy with accidents

Emergency personnel from the

City studies capital improvement funding

Kalispell City Council members are expected to bear down later this spring on the issue of capital improvements funding.

What we know, and what we think we know: Poking around the propaganda factory

The president has started his re-election campaign in earnest recently by touting the wonderful state of the economy, his brilliant energy policy, popular health-care reforms, and respect for American traditions and liberty.

Heselwood selected for Buffalo Hill Golf Club Hall of Fame

Golf course superintendent Jon Heselwood has been named the sole inductee for 2012 to the Buffalo Hill Golf Club Hall of Fame.

Margaret Amalia (Schultz) Howard, 81

Margaret Amalia (Schultz) Howard, 81, passed away on March 9, 2012, after struggling with dementia for many years.

Distillery, brewery produce unique spirit

There was some serious sipping going on at Glacier Distilling Co. last week as the inaugural batch of Wheatfish Whiskey was bottled.

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Flu outbreak brings limits on visitation

Saint Patrick's Day Parade

Dick Brady of the Ancient Order of the Hibernians waves to the people to lined Main Street for the annual Saint Patrick's Day parade on Saturday, March 17, in downtown Kalispell.

First plane in Kalispell

Aviation pioneer Eugene Ely made the first recorded flight in Kalispell on June 21, 1911, putting on a show for spectators at the fairgrounds with his Curtiss biplane and later landing in a field that would become Kalispell City Airport.

Aviation pioneers

Kalispell’s first Civilian Pilot Training class poses for a photo in June 1942. Pictured are: 1. Rudy Bergstrom; 2. Jack McWilliams; 3. Don Riley; 4. Roger Haines; 5. D.C. Dunham; 6. three Air Force advisers; 7. Larry Stockhill; 8. Mope Dickinson; 9. Don Clapper; 10. Russell Diest; 11. Titus Kurtichanof; 12. Bob King; 13. Ace Powell; 14. ground school instructors.

1929 airport dedication

Tom Perry poses with his plane at the dedication of Kalispell City Airport on July 3, 1929.

Flathead students craft backyard lookout

In April, one lucky family will win its own backyard fire lookout built by Flathead High School students.

Filing opens for school trustee candidates

The filing deadline is March 29 for candidates for 39 area school trustee positions.

Police recover hidden explosives

Prom Prep

Fay Wolf works on a black and white corsage on Friday morning, March 16, at Woodland Floral and Gifts in Kalispell. Corsages start at $35 dollars and can go as high as $50 dollars. Each corsage is tied to a decorative, keepsake bracelet. Last year they made more than 100 corsages. According to Wolf she can make about three corsages per hour, she expected the three of them to be there until at least 10 p.m. that night. Wolf also said they always have some last minute requests the day of so they try to have all of their orders completed the night before.

Man jailed after alleged gun incident outside Kalispell bar

A 29-year-old Kalispell man is in jail after allegedly pulling a gun on two people outside Paddy’s Touchdown Lounge late Thursday night.

Schools try to sell two properties

Two Kalispell Public School properties may be for sale in the coming months.

Wolverine spotted at Whitefish ski resort

A handful of skiers had the rare opportunity to see a wolverine Monday on the front side of Big Mountain.

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Mary Callan, 90

The world was diminished by the death of Mary Callan on Thursday, March 15, 2012, at her home in Anaconda. She died peacefully, surrounded by family members, after a short illness.

District 7B honors basketball players

Six local players were named to the Class B All-State team, three each on the boys and girls sides.

Maybe the bathroom line was long

An officer with the

Two plead not guilty to taking girl to California

A pair of California men accused of transporting a 12-year-old Evergreen girl to their home state pleaded not guilty to felony charges Thursday in Flathead District Court.

Edgard 'Eddie' Le

Dennis Nelson

Redistricting commission visits Kalispell

Several dozen people from around Flathead County offered their input on the legislative redistricting process Wednesday night to the Montana Districting and Apportionment Commission.

School head steps down

Whitesell says trustee made racist comments

Whitefish voters approve $14 million bond issue

Whitefish voters gave a resounding yes to a $14 million school bond issue Thursday.

A flavorful blast from the past

Don Andersen of Kalispell is living proof you’re never too old to be an entrepreneur.

Hot Springs reaches clinic funding goal for clinic

In an amazing community effort, the people of Hot Springs have raised enough money to build a $750,000 medical clinic to replace the current crumbling facility.

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Kenneth Wayne Strowbridge Sr., 73

Kenneth Wayne Strowbridge Sr., “was called home to heaven to forever be with the Lord” on Tuesday, March 13, 2012, surrounded by his loving family, after a short battle with cancer.

View from Wayfarer's State Park

View of Flathead Lake from Wayfarer's State Park on Thursday afternoon, March 15, in Bigfork.

Studying Flathead Lake

The University of Montana’s biological station is studying the food web in Flathead Lake — seen here from Wayfarer’s State Park in Bigfork Thursday afternoon — for the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes as part of an environmental review for a proposed lake trout netting project on the lake.

Full Cycle Potter: Robert Markle

Robert Markle begins the process of making a pitcher on Thursday, March 8, in his studio in Columbia Falls. Markle has been making pottery for 40 years.

FVCC Faculty Art Show/Student Art Sale

Josh Mohler prepares to hang one of his abstract pieces in the Faculty Art Show/Student Art Sale on Wednesday afternoon, March 14, on the lower level of the Arts and Technology Building at FVCC. To the right of Mohler is a piece he calls Mount One, Mohler describes the abstracts as having a "funness" to them. The Faculty Art Show opened yesterday and will be up until April 13. Today is the last day of the Student Art Sale, located near the main entrance to the building.

Hard times a catalyst for Kalispell band

Despite hard times in the last few years, Marshall Catch hopes to remember the Great Recession as the time its dreams started coming true.

Deadline nears for dust control

The deadline for Flathead County residents to apply for the dust-control program on gravel roads is Friday.

Seeing red over green energy

The story of the green light bulb made by Philips Lighting that was awarded the federal government’s $10 million “L Prize” is a telling parable of the Obama administration’s energy policies.

Benefit helps baby with broken heart

Laura and Michael Matt, parents-in-waiting for baby Monte, had their own hearts broken when they learned their son has a potentially fatal heart defect.

This Week in the Flathead debuts today

In today’s edition, the Daily Inter Lake introduces its new arts and entertainment guide called This Week in the Flathead.

Whitefish bond vote ends today

Today is the last chance Whitefish voters have to cast ballots on a bond request to renovate Whitefish High School.

Planning board backs annexation proposal

The Kalispell City Planning Board on Tuesday voted unanimously to recommend that the city annex 1.35 acres on U.S. 93 that would be developed into a residential treatment facility for people with eating disorders.

County welcomes complaints about mosquitoes

With spring on the way, Flathead County Public Health Officer Joe Russell wants Kalispell residents to report mosquito complaints so they can be handled by the Flathead County Mosquito Control program.

Eating disorder center advances

It’s been four years since a residential treatment center for eating disorders was proposed for the Flathead Valley, just about the time the national recession dug its heels in here.

Slopes with a view

With a view of Glacier National Park in the distance, skiers and snowboarders make their way down Moe Mentum Run at Whitefish Mountain Resort on Saturday afternoon. The resort has 106 inches of snow at the summit of Big Mountain with more snow predicted this week.

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William 'Bill' Ebert, 57

William “Bill” Paul Ebert, 57, passed away March 12, 2012, at his home in Kalispell, with his family by his side.

Decision-making for youths extends to social media

After a family doctor delivered Mac Bledsoe's first child in 1972, he imparted a piece of advice that Bledsoe never forgot.

Marshall Catch

Marshall Catch performs at Scandal's All Ages Night Club and Amusement Center in Kalispell Saturday, March, 10.

Kalispell Airport

Fred Leistiko, Kalispell City Airport manager, talks about the proposed changes to the airport Wednesday morning. Wednesday, March, 14, 2012 in Kalispell, Mont.

Monday Profile

Bob DePratu recently won the esteemed Great Whitefish Award from the Whitefish Chamber of Commerce.

Wheatfish Whiskey

Danny McIntosh of Glacier Distilling keeps an eye on the bottling process of the new Wheatfish Whiskey. McIntosh and Nicolas Lee of Glacier Distilling worked with Joe Barberis, the head brewer at the Great Northern, to create the whiskey.

Pipers Prepare for Saint Patrick's Day

Rob Eberhardy, base drummer for the Montana Highlanders, takes part in a full dress rehearsal on Monday night at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Kalispell. The traditional pipe band will be participating in the annual Saint Patrick's Day Parade on Saturday at 4 p.m. Later that day they will perform at Nickel Charlie's at 5:25, at Del's Bar in Somers at 6, and at Tall Pine in Bigfork at 730.

Glacier, Flathead athletes recognized

After stellar seasons, three local players have been named to the Class AA All-State basketball team. Flathead senior George Sherwood and Glacier junior Ryan Edwards were each named to the boys’ team and Glacier junior Nicole Heavirland made the girls team.

Locals honored for prowess on the court

Four local boys and one girl have been named to the All-State basketball team, capping a tremendous 2011-12 season.

Schedule takes shape for airport decision

The Kalispell City Council is gearing up to try to decide what to do with Kalispell City Airport, a question that has vexed the city for more than a decade.

Whitefish enforcing cellphone ban for drivers

Whitefish enforcing cellphone ban for motorists

The Whitefish Police Department has issued close to 50 citations to violators of the city’s ban on cellphone use while driving within city limits.

Tenant goes on rampage in rental unit

An irate tenant on U.S. 2 in Marion was reported to the Flathead County Sheriff's Office after he broke out all the windows, broke sheet rock and shot through the wall of the rental. The tenant was also reported to be on probation and is not supposed to possess any guns.

Winds snap power lines, trees

A powerful windstorm with gusts up to 70 mph knocked trees down and left more than  1,400 Flathead Electric Cooperative customers without power at midday Tuesday.

Jobless rate back up again

While the state’s unemployment rate continued to improve during January, the jobless numbers for several counties in Northwest Montana increased.

Top young problem-solvers honored at science fair

 The Flathead County Science Fair has brought together young scientists for more than 16 years.

County saves $10,000 in payments to developers

Flathead County will reduce by $10,000 the amount it must pay two developers by paying three months earlier.

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Ronald Leslie Benner 40

Ronald Leslie Benner 40, passed away in his home on March 8, 2012.

Everett Martin Lundgren, 95

Everett Martin Lundgren passed away on Feb. 26, 2012, in Whitefish, at the age of 95.

Power lines downed in storm closing E. Evergreen

The crew from Flathead Electric arrives at the scene of a downed tree that took down power lines and completely blocked E. Evergreen Drive on Tuesday.

Power lines down

Evergreen Fire Rescue Chief Craig Williams and Capt. James Boyce clear a tree that fell and blocked East Evergreen Drive on Tuesday morning. The tree hit a power line, causing a temporary power outage for houses east of U.S. 2.

Northwest Truck Repair

Zeb Schreiber, a mechanic at Northwest Truck Repair, works on cleaning and adding new seals to a fuel injector on Tuesday, March 6, in Kalispell.

Downed power line

Danny Johnson of Flathead Electric Cooperative removes a downed power line from the middle of U.S. 93 near Wyoming Street in Kalispell on Tuesday morning. High winds caused the line to detach from a power pole. 

Backyard lookout

Flathead High School student Seth Hall vacuums out the inside of the playhouse Brock Anderson’s advanced drafting class has been building since December. The playhouse will be shown at this weekend’s home and garden show in Kalispell.

Baby Monte

Laura and Michael Matt pose Tuesday afternoon in the baby room in their Columbia Falls home. Their baby, Monte, will need surgery for a potentially fatal heart defect as soon as he is born.

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Richard Dale 'Dick' Rose, 85

Richard Dale “Dick” Rose, 85, passed away Thursday, March 8, 2012, at the Montana Veterans Home in Columbia Falls.

Mary K. 'Katie' Wilson, 80

Area players named to all-tourney basketball teams

State runner-up Flathead had two basketball players selected to the Class AA boys all-tournament first team.

Blast was intentional

The explosion and fire that reduced a Kalispell home to rubble early Friday morning were intentionally set by the occupant, a Kalispell Fire Department investigation has concluded.

Lynch adds Olszewski on ticket

Jim Lynch, former Kalispell businessman and state Department of Transportation director, filed as a Republican gubernatorial candidate with a veteran Kalispell orthopedic surgeon as his running mate on the last day of filing Monday

Six seek top job in county

Six people have filed for the District 3 commission spot currently held by Dale Lauman. Lauman is not seeking re-election.

Lake County standoff ends peacefully

An early morning law enforcement standoff with an apparently emotionally disturbed man at a Kings Point Road home in Lake County ended peacefully Monday.

Senior calls in alert on medical card scam

After receiving three scam calls, senior Claraellen Anderson of Kalispell got mad as heck and decided she had to do something.

Explosion Memorial

A small cross that reads, "RIP John" was placed outside John Parsons home on Ninth Avenue West. Monday, March, 12, 2012 in Kalispell, Mont.

This Week in Pictures March 5-11

Caller claims youths were injected with drugs

Sunday afternoon, a caller on Third Avenue East asked to talk to a

Lifetime Achievement

Booth Museum of Western Art Executive Director Seth Hopkins presents the Booth Lifetime Achievement Award to artist Fred Fellows.

Cowboy artist gets lifetime honor

Growing up as a boy, Fred Fellows always knew he wanted to be a cowboy and always knew he wanted to be an artist.

Music a palliative for city engineer

Karin Hilding knows firsthand how divisive politics can be.

Redistricting commission headed to Kalispell

Montana’s Districting and Apportionment Commission visits Kalispell on Wednesday for the fourth of 14 public hearings being held around the state this spring.

Pippa Phillips

Pippa Phillips, daughter of Jeramie and Jami Phillips of Marion, was born Oct. 24 at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.

Cheyenne Alexa Rae Roy

Cheyenne Alexa Rae Roy, daughter of Shawa Roy and Erin Hersey of Olney, was born Oct. 18 at North Valley Hospital.

Alice Walters

Alice Walters, daughter of Chris and Megan Walters of Kalispell, was born Oct. 25 at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.

West hangs on, beats Braves

Down by 22 points, Flathead battles back to get within six before losing 61-48 in AA final

BOZEMAN — They nearly did it again.

Kenney, DiGiallonardo hit double figures, but Polson loses to Laurel

BUTTE — Riley Kenney closed out her career with another strong scoring effort, but it wasn’t enough to save Polson.

In April, county's election office switches to fairgrounds

Beginning in early April, county elections office business will take place at the Flathead County Fairgrounds where more space is available.

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Security or just plain nuts?

It’s more than a shame that our relatively convenient and user-friendly Glacier Park International Airport will soon buckle under to another level of “security” imposed on it by the Federal Bureau of Citizen Harassment, otherwise known as the Transportation Security Administration.

'Zombies' invade - again

Kalispell man markets special drink flavoring

Grumpa’s Zombie Flavoring, an unusual drink flavor enhancer that was all the rage in Kalispell more than 30 years ago, is back in a big way.

Broken hands, broken hearts

An historical and legal perspective on the Jesus statue controversy

The Freedom From Religion Foundation has filed a lawsuit challenging the U.S. Forest Service decision to allow a Jesus statue to remain on Big Mountain in Whitefish.

Glacier boys fall to Hellgate

BOZEMAN — For the second straight game at the Class A state basketball tournament, the Glacier boys played a team they handled easily twice before, only to fall to a hot-shooting opponent.

A special day for a special lady

From the desk where I am writing this column, I can see eight or 10 shiny balloons, plus tinsel and streamers, hovering above another desk less than 100 feet away.

Roosevelt's legacy: The rest of the story

Last month I wrote a story about Teddy Roosevelt’s many connections to the Flathead Valley and the remnants of those relationships here that still exist, from his cattle brand to a well-worn pair of leather chaps.

Climate science not 'from the left'

In his letter of Jan. 27, Mark Agather suggested that my scientific recommendation concerning global warming and those of all of our country’s leading scientific organizations are not credible because they come from the “far left” of the political spectrum.

UFO spotted flying over highway

The

On the cutting edge: Acutech expands waterjet, ironwork capabilities at new facility

A  business initially built on cutting-edge waterjet technology has expanded into a new facility on Montana 40 with broader capabilities and a new name.

Berne Road paving work planned

Two special improvement districts to fund road improvements in Flathead County are moving forward.

Winners of Leap Year contest announced

The Inter Lake is happy to announce the winners of our Leap Year Digest Sweepstakes contest.

Braves to play for state title

George Sherwood scores 18 points as Flathead upsets Western AA

BOZEMAN — On Friday night, the Kalispell crosstown game with the greatest implications turned into the greatest game in the series.

Golden Gloves title hopes high for Kalispell's Guzman

This time, Kenny Guzman wants to take it one step further.

Rausch, Kenney lift Polson over Havre

BUTTE — Polson lives on to play another day.

Columbus rallies past Vals in loser-out play

BUTTE — Columbus rallied past Bigfork for a 35-32 victory in loser-out play at the Class B state girls basketball tournament on Friday afternoon.

Billings Senior eliminates Glacier at AA state girls basketball tourney

BOZEMAN — The Glacier girls fought hard against Billings Senior but fell a few points short, losing 35-30 to end their season Friday afternoon in loser-out action at the Class AA state basketball tournament.

Longtime AOA office administrator steps down

The local Agency on Aging lost its director two weeks ago; now its office administrator has resigned.

Health video a winner for local school team

A Kalispell Middle School team won $600 for its school through a “Focus on Health” contest.

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Young racer aims to drive for a cause

Motocross and car racer Devin Clayton recently woke from a dream that gave him a new drive in life: to help families dealing with cancer.

Talent show

An International Baccalaureate student and staff talent show is planned at 7 p.m. April 17 in Flathead High School auditorium. Admission is $5.

Fire in field west of Kalispell covers 50 acres amid record heat

A field fire off Whalebone Drive west of Kalispell quickly grew to 50 acres before it was stopped by multiple fire departments Friday afternoon.

Unique IB program still flourishes at Flathead High

The focus of the International Baccalaureate Programme is a rigorous curriculum with a world vantage point.

White to resign as undersheriff

Flathead County Undersheriff Jordan White is hanging up his badge to go to work in the private sector.

State officer aids in man's arrest

The

Fire on Whalebone Drive

Patrick Cote/Daily Inter Lake A fire burns through 50-acres of a field off of Whalebone Drive west of Kalispell Friday afternoon. Friday, March, 9, 2012 in Kalispell, Mont.

Fire near Whalebone Drive

Grumpa's Zombie Flavoring

Grumpa's Zombie Flavoring adds a touch of color to a glass of Sprite. According to Don "Grumpa" Andersen, the flavoring was originally added to cola drinks, but he said they can be added to just about anything.

Fatal House Explosion

Kalispell Fire Chief Dave Dedman and Capt, Rob Cherot work at the scene of a fatal house explosion on Friday morning at 725 Ninth Ave. W. in Kalispell.

Peggy Glass

Peggy Glass knits a scarf Friday morning in her home outside Whitefish.

Devin Clayton

Motocross and car racer Devin Clayton with his car on March 6, west of Kalispell. Clayton's next motorcross event is the Arena Cross tonight at the Majestic Valley Arena.

This Week in the Flathead: Scandal's

The band Delta-9 playing at Scandal's on March 3, in Kalispell.

Explosion kills 1 man

‘I thought it was the end of the world’

A Kalispell man was killed in an earth-shattering explosion and subsequent fire that reduced his home to rubble early Friday morning.

Montana Golden Gloves Saturday night

The 2012 Montana Golden Gloves boxing championships will take place Saturday at the Red Lion Hotel.

Flathead to battle Glacier in state semis

Coach Mark Harkins shook his head at the thought of it. Glacier will be playing Flathead tonight for a chance to play in the state finals of the Class AA state boys basketball tournament at Montana State University. “Wow,” Harkins said.

Townsend topples Bigfork in Class B state basketball

HAMILTON — Bigfork failed to recover from a slow start, falling to Townsend 44-40 on Thursday in opening-round play of the Class B state girls basketball tournament on Dale Berry Court at Hamilton High School.

Tech upgrades for court put out for bid

A project to improve the audio and video technology in Kalispell Municipal Court was put out for bid on Wednesday.

Dillon upends Polson in state basketball opener

BUTTE — Dillon knocked off Polson from long range, draining eight treys en route to a 48-40 victory Thursday afternoon in opening-round play of the Class A state girls basketball tournament at the Butte Civic Center.

Wolfpack falls to undefeated Bozeman

BOZEMAN — The Glacier girls knew it wouldn’t be easy opening with No. 1 ranked Bozeman at the Class AA state basketball tournament.

Cop shoots, kills dog that attacked man

A police officer shot and killed a dog after it attacked a man near downtown Kalispell Wednesday.

Lawsuit over Whitefish library settled

Litigation related to the Whitefish library’s split from the Flathead County Library System has been settled.

Domestic wolf shot by rancher

After spotting a wolf harassing his horses early Wednesday, a Ferndale-area livestock owner shot and killed the animal.

Get your ballot in for bond

A very big piece of Whitefish’s future hangs in the balance as Whitefish School District voters decide whether or not to approve a $14 million bond request to renovate Whitefish High School.

'Virtuoso Violins'

Karen Leigh, one of several artists creating work for the upcoming “Virtuoso Violins,” a fundraiser for Glacier Symphony and Chorale, puts the finishing touches on her violin Thursday afternoon at her studio in Kalispell. According to Lakeside resident Margene Berry, one of the auction organizers, the artists have donated 100 percent of the proceeds to the symphony. The other artists participating in the Virtuoso Violins auction are Nancy Cawdrey, Nick Oberling, Jennifer Li, Rochelle Lombardi, Mark Ogle, Rob Akey, Jeff Manion, Jeffrey Funk, Marla Edmiston, Susan Guthrie, Tara Moore and David Secrest.

Jazz bands from seven schools perform Monday

 Young musicians from seven local schools will come together Monday for a fundraising concert in Glacier Kiwanis’ “Nite of Jazz.”

Lincoln Electric announces sizable rate increase

Higher wholesale power rates to blame, co-op says

Lincoln Electric Cooperative will raise its rates by nearly 11 percent later this spring to offset substantial increases in wholesale power rates.

An extreme solution to a hazard

A curious cyclist flagged down a

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Youths get breakfast boost before tests

It’s breakfast on the house for Flathead Valley students, courtesy of McDonald’s.

Hell Week Secured

Tammie Fedor looks over the shoulder of her son Dillon Larson as he cuts into a graduation cake at a surprise "commencement ceremony" held for Larson and three of his friends on Saturday, May 14.

"Virtuoso Violins" An Upcoming Fundraiser for the Glacier Symphony and Chorale

Detail of the Virtuoso Violin painted by Karen Leigh. Leigh said she drew her inspiration for the violin from listening to Ravel's Daphnis and Chloe on NPR. She said the music had her thinking of other star-crossed lovers which eventually lead her to paint a rendition of famous painting The Kiss by Gustav Klimt.

Jordan White

Flathead County Undersheriff Jordan White at the scene of a fatal accident on U.S. 2 in Nov., 2011.

Tebow a hit with Kalispell crowd

Winter Clark was in heaven — or close to it — Wednesday night. The seventh-grader from Ronan Middle School made the trip to Kalispell with her mother, Shari, to hear Tim Tebow speak. It was a dream come true for Clark — a chance to see her idol in person.

Bigfork, Polson look to make state basketball a yearly habit

For Bigfork, advancing to state is beginning to look like an annual event.

No. 1 Hawks up first for Glacier

The Glacier girls haven’t received much of a welcome gift heading into their first Class AA state tournament this weekend. In their first game at the state level, the Pack will be squared off against undefeated and top-ranked Bozeman in front of the Hawks’ home crowd in the final game of the opening day.

Glacier, FHS ready for state

When the Glacier boys take the court on Thursday at the Class AA state tournament in Bozeman, they’ll share the court with a team all too familiar with the underdog role.

Woman terrorized by boyfriend

A fight between a man and his girlfriend on U.S. 2 East in Coram ended when the man was arrested by deputies with the

Tim Tebow

Tim Tebow, quarterback for the Denver Broncos, speaks Wednesday evening at a banquet hosted by Stillwater Christian School in Kalispell.

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Free speech for dummies

Let’s say it plainly: Rush Limbaugh was wrong to use the language that he used to describe a woman with whom he disagreed.

Fishing line stayed in finger 36 years

 John Attanasio of Kalispell was plagued by an odd jabbing sensation in the middle finger of his right hand for years — but he finally figured it out.

Gubernatorial hopeful aims to transform Montana

Republican gubernatorial candidate Neil Livingstone says “a radical political transformation” is necessary to bring about meaningful changes for Montana, and he contends that his main opponents are about “business as usual” for the state.

Road limits start Monday

With warmer weather thawing county roads, Flathead County commissioners agreed to implement annual spring weight limits for trucks.

Students link up with U.S. senator

In a classroom of 37 seventh-grade students, 28 raised their hands when asked if they had ever used Skype. When asked who had talked with a U.S. senator before, five raised their hands.

Woman guilty of theft charge

A 19-year-old Kalispell woman charged in a Nov. 14, 2011, chase from Kalispell to Polson pleaded guilty to a reduced charge in a different case  in Flathead District Court.

Election filing deadline coming up

With Monday’s filing deadline nearing for the June 5 primary election, several more people have filed for offices representing Flathead County or Montana.

Montana steps back from lake trout work

Just over a week after the Confederated Salish-Kootenai Tribes decided to expand an environmental review process for a controversial lake trout netting project on Flathead Lake, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks has withdrawn its support for the process.

Robert William Hurly, 89

Ronald J. Malone, 79

Ronald J. Malone, 79, passed away Wednesday, Feb. 29, 2012, at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.

James Preston Slack, 79

James Preston Slack, born Oct. 22, 1932, in Fort Wayne, Ind., “passed on to the greater existence” on Feb. 23, 2012, in Yorba Linda, Calif. He was 79. 

Donald Ferdinand Schwegman, 85

Donald Ferdinand Schwegman, 85, died on Monday, March 5, 2012, at the Grand Lake Villa in Grove, Okla.

Lester S. Coffman, 97

Lester S. Coffman, 97, a lifelong resident of Troy, died Thursday, March 1, 2012, at St. John's Lutheran Hospital from natural causes.  

Monday Profile

Karin Hilding poses with her flute Wednesday afternoon at the Community Monument in Woodland Park.

Acutech

Josh Boyce, co-owner of Acutech, cuts mild steel into short pieces to be used as support straps at the new Acutech building outside  Columbia Falls on Tuesday.

Quilting for Caleb

Glacier students Audrey Sullivan, from left, Josh Loyda, Bea Ventosa and Dumitra Baker get instructions from Kim Stemerg, right, as they help with a quilt for Caleb Speed during lunch hour on Wednesday at Glacier High School. Students were invited to sew red yarn through the black and white checker pattern and then tie the quilt. Those who participated also got to sign their names to the quilt.

Skyping with Senator Tester

Sen. Jon Tester answers questions from Brian Fox’s class via Skype on Wednesday morning at Kalispell Middle School.

College planning a Titanic building benefit dinner

Flathead Valley Community College has a Titanic building fund benefit planned for Friday, April 13, in honor of the 100th anniversary of the last meal served on the maiden voyage of the Titanic on April 14, 1912.

Alone on the slope

A skier makes his way down Radar Run at Blacktail Mountain Ski Area last week.

No one bids on house at fairgrounds

In spite of the low price tag, no one submitted a bid to buy a house and two outbuildings from Flathead County.

Events planned this Sunday

Who: Chiropractors Oliver Whipple and Delaney Carlson invite the public to a benefit for Susan Bennett, a veteran amputee single mother needing financial support as she waits to receive her prosthetic right arm. Suggested cover charge donation of $5.

Romney edges Santorum in Ohio campaign showdown

WASHINGTON — Mitt Romney said Wednesday he’s “prepared to fight all the way” to become the Republican presidential nominee after padding his delegate count on Super Tuesday. Supporters of his chief rival, Rick Santorum, tried to elbow Newt Gingrich out of the race in an effort to give conservatives a clear alternative to the GOP front-runner. 

Witness worried about pedestrian's safety

The

Benefit to help woman waiting for arm

Bigfork veteran and mother Susan Bennett has waited 10 years for a prosthetic right arm, living on resolve but little else.

Council extends life of West Side TIF District

The Kalispell City Council voted Monday to extend the West Side Tax Increment Finance District, passing a resolution that authorizes a $500,000 revenue note.

Kalispell man pleads guilty to bomb threat

A 51-year-old Kalispell man on Thursday changed his plea to guilty to felony intimidation for making a bomb threat in an Evergreen bar.

Daybook

Lawrence A. White, 88

Lawrence A. White, 88, passed away on Saturday, March 3, 2012, in Kalispell.

Gary Wayne Warner, 62

Gary Wayne Warner, 62, passed away Feb. 23, 2012, in Kalispell.

Ann Evertz, 84

Ann Evertz passed away on March 1, 2012, at Kalispell Regional Medical Center, after a short illness related to complications from a previous surgery.

W. Bruce Dochtermann, 62

Tyra J. Baughn, 30

Jeannie Cook

Jeannie Renee Cook, 48

Jeannie Renee Cook, 48, passed away peacefully at home in Columbia Falls, of natural causes, on Wednesday, Feb. 29, 2012.

Don Souther

This Week in Pictures February 27 - March 4

Airport scanners coming soon

The body scanners are coming.

Special Olympics Montana State Winter Games

Nathaniel Mycroft of Kalispell makes his way down the course in the novice class of the Giant Slalom event on Monday morning at Big Mountain. Mycroft was one of 284 athletes to compete in the Special Olympics Montana State Winter Games. Two competitors will advance to the 2013 World Winter Games in Pyeong Chang, South Korea.

Youth gets six months of probation for assault

Charles Calobeer, one of three youths charged for an incident on a Glacier High School freshman football bus last fall, has agreed to six months’ probation for misdemeanor assault.

Fair manager to head Agency on Aging

Flathead County Fairgrounds Manager Mark Campbell will do double duty for the next several months, serving as the interim director of the county Agency on Aging.

Iron gate gone; hinges remain

The Flathead County Sheriff’s Office got a report Sunday morning about a large iron barn gate stolen “right off the hinges” at a property on Livermore Flats in the Whitefish area.

Man pleads innocent to assaults on man, vehicle

A 20-year-old Kalispell man pleaded not guilty to felony charges in two cases Thursday in Flathead District Court.

Award honors Women Helping Women

Leah Lindsay will be presented with Soroptimist International of Kalispell’s Ruby Award for Women Helping Women at the club’s annual dinner March 22 at the Red Lion Hotel Kalispell.

Dispose of documents at local 'shred-a-thon'

Flathead Valley residents can bring up to two boxes of documents to a “shred-a-thon” on Wednesday in conjunction with National Consumer Protection Week.

Special Olympics Montana 2012 State Winter Games

Detail shot of the Special Olympcs torch on Monday morning on Big Mountain.

Band Festival Rehearsal

Joaquin Vargas of Bozeman and members of the combined Flathead and Bozeman band practices Sanctuary by Frank Ticheli on Monday afternoon in Kalispell.

Bigfork merchants voice concerns

From a purported “blacklist” for dissidents to secret financial information, the list of allegations made by some business owners against the Bigfork Chamber of Commerce is sizable.

Monday Profile

Steve Levesque has several of his paintings, including "Lesson in Color," right, and "Freeways of Possibilities" on display in a gallery at Flathead High School.

VFW in driver's seat for Bigfork car show

Bigfork’s Rumble in the Bay car show will have new leadership this year as the Bigfork VFW Post 4042 takes the reins of the Labor Day weekend event.

Driver in accident at store found shopping inside

Sunday afternoon, officers with the

FHS custodian 'moonlights' as artist

Artwork on display at school gallery

Underneath the neutral color palette of work clothes, a brown button-up shirt and pants, Steve Levesque’s creative spirit peeks through in touches of color — a tie-dye undershirt and turquoise shoelaces.

Whitefish considers $2.5 million park plan

A $2.5 million master plan to renovate and preserve Depot Park in Whitefish will be considered during a public hearing at tonight’s Whitefish City Council meeting.

Entertainers to perform to help out mission

Well-known local singer and musician David Merkel headlines a benefit talent show at Epworth Methodist Church for the Haiti Mercy Mission on Sunday, March 11.

Keith Lawrence Grice, 86

Keith Lawrence Grice, 86, passed away Friday, March 2, 2012, in Whitefish.

Robert R. Richards, 83

Robert R. Richards, 83, passed away due to an automobile accident Friday, Feb. 24, 2012. 

Rough finish for Wildcats

Dillon leads the entire way en route to 54-39 Class A state title

BUTTE — There was no run this time.

New book available for sale in June

“Alone with the Past” will be available for sale in June and will be available locally at Bookworks in Kalispell and Whitefish, and Parkland Books in rural Kalispell. The book also will be sold at Gene Allen Books in Helena.

The Shipping News: Kalispell man receives top industry award

With more than 25 years of work in the transportation industry, Peter Saunders knows a thing or two about shipping.

Daybook

Sunday

New rail park a big step toward revitalization

Plans to revitalize Kalispell’s railroad corridor saw an interesting turn last week, with word that a new rail-served industrial park will be taking shape at the city’s edge.

Roland Reed

Photographer Roland Reed is pictured in Kalispell in 1912.

Reed's Indians

Reed’s photography studio in Kalispell became home to a business venture known as Reed’s Indians. “Reed promoted his new business in parades and other community activities in the Kalispell area,” author Ernest R. Lawrence writes in his new book about Reed.

"The Eagle"

“The Eagle” is one of the many Roland Reed photographs included in “Alone in the Past,” a soon-to-be-released book about the early 20th century photographer. Many of Reed’s photo scenes were staged in Glacier National Park.

Portraits of the past

Pioneer photographer’s work chronicled in new book

A century ago the American Indian culture in Montana straddled two worlds: Life on government-imposed reservations and life as it had been for centuries.

'Alone with the Past'

Most of these images by early day photographer Royal W. “Roland” Reed were taken in the early 1900s.

Charlie Russell

Charlie Russell portrait, courtesy of Doc and Leila Losik, Angles Camp, Calif.

Curley Bear

Curley Bear, courtesy of Kramer Gallery Inc., St. Paul, Minn.

"Waiting for the Hunters"

“Waiting for the Hunters.” Photo courtesy of Kramer Gallery Inc.

Vehicle mirrors reported broken

En route to Iceberg Lake

American Indians are pictured en route to Iceberg Lake in Glacier National Park in this vintage Roland Reed photo.

Swiftcurrent Lake and Many Glacier

American Indians along Swiftcurrent Lake with Many Glacier Hotel in the background. Photo courtesy of Kramer Gallery Inc.

Blackfeet Indians at Iceberg Lake in Glacier National Park

Blackfeet Indians at Iceberg Lake in Glacier National Park. Photo courtesy of Kramer Gallery Inc.

From 'Alone with the Past'

Photo courtesy of Minnesota Historical Society.

New Steinway piano in the Whitefish Performing Arts Center

Whitefish Middle School students got a first look Tuesday morning at the new Steinway piano in the Whitefish Performing Arts Center. A special fund has been set up to purchase the 2003-model nine-foot concert and artist series piano, which will belong to the Whitefish School District. Purchased new, the piano could cost upwards of $138,000; the community will be able to buy the instrument for about $79,000. Don K Subaru, the Daily Inter Lake, the Lodge at Whitefish Lake and other local donors have made the down payment possible, but more fundraising will be needed. An upcoming concert by New Zealand jazz pianist Alan Broadbent will raise money for the piano. The Broadbent show starts at 8 p.m. March 10. Tickets are $20 to $35 and are available at www.whitefishgrand.com or www.alpinetheatreproject.org.

Medicine Owl and Dawn Mist

Medicine Owl and Dawn Mist souvenir postcard, courtesy of Kramer Gallery Inc.

Heart disease more deadly to women

At Kalispell Regional Medical Center’s recent Heart Health Fair, Dr. Thomas Amidon drew looks of surprise when he said heart disease kills more women than men and that more women die from heart disease than all forms of cancer.

Health fair draws big crowd

More than 220 people braved a snowstorm recently to attend Kalispell Regional Medical Center’s second annual Heart Health Fair.

New rail park is the real deal

Economic development isn’t always an easy thing to measure.

Do not's and the Whitefish Doughnut

Citizens for a Better Flathead recently wrote concerning Whitefish’s problems with land use planning and zoning legislation that sometimes regulations have to be “amended numerous times in an ongoing effort to get it right.”  

Bill of Rights is now Bill of Wrongs

The noose around the neck of liberty just got noticeably tighter.

Grandstand improvements planned

New doors and a ramp soon will be installed at the entrances to the grandstands at the Flathead County Fairgrounds.

Congress gets paid for what?

Wow! I must say that I am impressed with the creativity of those who hate or dislike the president. The labels such as socialist-dictator-Marxist-unAmerican-rigger-racist, to name a few, and the blame for everything imaginable.

Flathead, Glacier in same bracket for state AA boys basketball

Following completion of the final Class AA play-in games Friday night, the field is set for the boys and girls state basketball tournaments in Bozeman.

Harriet McCord Paris, 91

Harriet McCord Paris, died peacefully on Sunday, Feb. 26, 2012, surrounded by her family at Kalispell Regional Medical Center. She was a remarkable 91-year-old woman, who believed that she had lived an incredibly full and happy life.

Thomas Mack Bell, 69

Thomas Mack Bell, 69, passed away from natural causes at the home of his brother, Britt, on March 1, 2012. 

William N. “Bill” Chilton, 84

William N. ‘Bill’ Chilton, 84, passed away Thursday, March 1, 2012, at Kalispell Regional Medical Center, with his family by his side. 

Play 60

Miami Dolphins placekicker Dan Carpenter, formerly of the University of Montana, takes a moment from the Play 60 Challenge to sign an autograph for Ethan Wallace, 7, of Kalispell.

Downtown Bigfork

This view looks down Electric Avenue in Bigfork on Friday afternoon. Some business owners have raised concerns about the operations of the Bigfork Chamber of Commerce.

Wild times for Wildcats

C-Falls pulls away to beat Billings Central in state A semis

BUTTE — It wasn’t pretty, but it didn’t need to be.

Roland Reed

Roland Reed explores photo locations.

Daybook

Saturday

Bands gather for AA festival at Flathead

The AA High School Band Festival is a gala event where area bands combine to perform once a year.

Bravettes fall to Big Sky in Western AA play-in contest

MISSOULA — Emily Russell scored 12 points and Jenessa Heine pulled down seven rebounds, but it wasn’t enough for the Flathead Bravettes as they fell 62-44 in Friday’s Western AA state play-in girls basketball game to the Missoula Big Sky Eagles.

Last chance for tickets to Tebow

Those hoping for a chance to see Tim Tebow speak in Kalispell have another chance to purchase tickets.

Harriet McCord Paris, 91

 Thomas Mack Bell, 69

Victim's parents sue over school bus assault

The assault of freshman football players on a Glacier High School bus is once again in the spotlight.

Offensive woes eliminate Polson at Class A state basketball tourney

BUTTE — The Polson boys struggle to score cost them again.

Col. Falls man pleads innocent to 3 charges

A 21-year-old Columbia Falls man pleaded not guilty to one felony and two misdemeanors Feb. 23 in Flathead District Court.

Stillwater math wizards win in first try year

After winning first place at their first MathCounts competition, the Stillwater Christian School Jedi “Math”ters will take their top mathletes to state.

Scroggs, Milner, Bouda state event winners for KATS

Three members of the Kalispell Aquatic Team (KATS) were event winners at the 2012 Montana Swimming Shortcourse State Championships in Butte Feb. 24-26.

Man pleads innocent to $172,000 theft

A 25-year-old Columbia Falls man pleaded not guilty to a felony charge of theft Feb. 23 in Flathead District Court.

Slick roads cause spate of accidents

Slippery roads caused by a burst of winter weather led to several vehicular accidents Friday morning. Five accidents were reported between 7:53 and 8:42 a.m. They occurred on Hawthorn Avenue, Whitefish Stage Road, Seventh Avenue East North, U.S. 2 East and an unlisted location. Responding personnel came from the

Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!

Julie Miller, a computer lab technician, reads Dr. Seuss’ “Green Eggs and Ham” to Margaret Jones’ preschoolers Friday afternoon at East Evergreen Elementary School. The entire week, the school has been having a “Seusstacular” celebration in honor of the author’s birthday. The celebration also recognizes Read Across America, a national reading motivation and awareness program.

The piano

Whitefish Middle School students got a first look Tuesday morning at the new Steinway piano in the Whitefish Performing Arts Center.

Cats blow out Jackets

BUTTE — For three quarters the Columbia Falls boys found themselves in a slugfest with Stevensville in the first round of the Class A state basketball tournament on Thursday.

Braves hold off Spartans

For the Flathead’s boys basketball team, it’s back to state.

Glacier girls dump Bruins for trip to state

HELENA — The Glacier girls basketball team is going to the Class AA state tournament.

Eagles ahead for Bravettes in AA play-in match

Today is the day for which the Flathead Bravette basketball team has been waiting for all season — the chance to play for a spot at the Class AA state basketball tournament.

Dillon rolls over Polson in state basketball opener

BUTTE — The Polson boys hung shot for shot with Dillon in the first half of an opening round Class A state boys basketball tournament game on Thursday, but couldn’t find the basket after halftime, losing to the Beavers 47-27 at the Butte Civic Center.

Man sentenced to five years in jail

A 20-year-old Hungry Horse man was sentenced to five years in jail Feb. 23 in Flathead District Court after having pleaded guilty to felony charges of burglary and criminal possession of dangerous drugs.

Pharmacy program now open for applications

Students interested in the fall 2012 Pharmacy Technology Certificate may now apply at Flathead Valley Community College at the Admissions Office inside Blake Hall on the Kalispell campus.

Woman worries about kids next door

A resident of Sixth Avenue West called the

Architects working on FVCC health center design

Architects have produced preliminary designs for Flathead Valley Community College’s $5 million Rebecca Chaney Broussard Nursing and Health Sciences Center.

Young EMT joins in special delivery

Tim Koenig’s first experience of the miracle of childbirth was an unexpected one.

Flathead Basketball

Flathead junior Matt Tokarz (14) lays the ball in as a Missoula Sentinel player trails on the play Thursday night at Flathead High School.

Valley welcomes six Leap Day babies

Leap Day 2012 marked the arrival of five boys and one girl in the Flathead Valley to begin their lives as leaplings who never grow older than their 20s but face the frustrations of computers refusing their birth dates and official birthdays only in years divisible by four.

Kalispell water-line project put out for bid

Kalispell is asking for bids for a tax increment-funded water line project on West Colorado Street. It has an estimated price tag of $250,000.

Man gets 11th DUI

A 55-year-old Kalispell man has been given a five-year suspended sentence for his 11th conviction for driving under the influence.

Bucking horse event coming to Kalispell

Majestic Valley Arena near Kalispell will host the World Class Bucking Horse Association’s World Finals Event on Oct. 27.

Don't panic over wandering wolf

Having a confirmed wolf in Kalispell near the middle school over the weekend was the first encroachment of its kind we can recall, but the reality is that wolves, bears, moose and other wildlife are roaming the periphery of the Flathead Valley and from time to time they wander into town.

Park taking comments on fish barrier

Glacier National Park is soliciting public comments on a proposal to improve a barrier downstream from Quartz Lake that is aimed at preventing non-native fish from entering the lake.

Special Olympics staged on Big Mountain

 The 2012 Special Olympics Montana Games kick off Sunday in Whitefish and continue through Tuesday at Whitefish Mountain Resort.

Daybook

Tim Koenig

Tim Koenig, West Valley volunteer firefighter and emergency medical technician, helped deliver a baby Sunday night in Kalispell.

Frank L. 'Cec' Caferro, 89

Lifelong resident of Whitefish, Frank L. “Cec” Caferro, 89, passed away at home Sunday, Feb. 26, 2012.

Kalispell Middle School presents Disney's Mulan

Abby Van Allen as Mulan and Christine West as Mushu, left to right in front, in the dress rehearsal of Disney's Mulan on Wednesday afternoon at Kalispell Middle School. The play opens tonight at 7 p.m. in the cafetorium.

Big night for Braves, Wolfpack

If a packed gym and a hard-fought, high stakes basketball game is your cup of tea, you might want to consider swinging by Flathead at 7 p.m. tonight for the Flathead Braves-Missoula Sentinel Class AA state play-in game.

State A tournament tips off today

Plenty has changed since the season started.