Plenty of reasons to be grateful
An alleged thief is singing a different tune after being caught red-handed in gas station casino bathroom last month.
Glacier Symphony and Chorale were performing Oct. 16 in a high school auditorium and members had left their personal belongings in the green room.
While on stage, the suspect slipped into the green room and allegedly pilfered $2,000 worth of laptops, cell phones, keys and cash.
Kalispell Police Department Officer Michelle O’Neil and her partner Officer Danny Williams were on duty that night. Williams took the initial call and headed to the high school to take a report. O’Neil learned that among the stolen items were iPhones and iPads. She knew that the devices have the capability of being tracked if misplaced or lost with the “Find My iPhone” app and received permission to log in with the owners’ passwords. Once logged in she could track their location in real time.
The app led the officer to a gas station about 10 blocks from the high school. Once inside, O’Neil triggered the alert and followed it to the men’s restroom where the suspect was hiding.
While some of the stolen items were found with the suspect in a backpack that matched the description of one reported as stolen, Sr. Sgt. Allen Bardwell was able to recover more from a hiding spot near the railroad tracks where they’d been stashed earlier that night.
On behalf of the Glacier Symphony and Chorale’s musicians, board and staff, a letter of appreciation was sent to the Inter Lake after the incident.
“We would like to offer a heartfelt ‘thank you’ to the Kalispell Police Department for its quick response and resolution of this theft,” it reads. “It is comforting to know that because of the officers’ excellent training and knowledge of technology they were able to apprehend this person. We salute you and honor your professionalism.”
SOMETHING ENTIRELY different was taken from the home of a single mom recently. When she stopped by her house after work on her way to pick up her girl from preschool, she discovered all the leaves in her yard were “missing.”
“Some kind soul (or souls) had raked up all the leaves in my front yard,” Summer wrote. “I was shocked and touched, and more than a little choked up.”
She found a small note on her front door explaining that students from Kalispell Middle School had decided to help out their neighbors by raking their leaves.
“I am a single mom who works full time and the time I spend with my little girl is very precious to me,” Summer said. “This may have been a small act of kindness to most, but it was huge for me. Thank you so much for giving me extra time to spend with my kiddo. I am very grateful.”
Indeed, there are reasons we all can find to be grateful. May you discover yours. Happy Thanksgiving.