Law roundup: When it comes to bears, the nose knows

A Kalispell employee alerted deputies to the presence of a bear, though he was unable to determine the specific species. He said he could smell it and that’s how he knew it was a bear.

The four-wheeling habits of a Kalispell man’s grandson are apparently fueling a neighborhood feud. The man told the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office that a neighbor recently threatened him, warning him to be on the lookout for “flat tires.”

While the grandfather lacked the neighbor’s name, he said the other man lived south of him. He told deputies that he thought the angst stemmed from his grandson riding a four-wheeler in the neighborhood.

A caller told deputies he had possible camera footage of a confrontation at a local fishing pond.

A woman going through a divorce worried that her soon-to-be ex was bugging her home, specifically her bathroom, with surveillance equipment. He seems to know things that he shouldn’t because he is not privy to them, she told deputies.

Someone spotted a group of kids hanging out on a private island and alerted authorities. They were unsure if the group had permission to access the land, but knew that the owners lived out of state.

The employee of a storage rental company asked animal control for help with a dog locked inside one of the units. They told deputies they planned to cut the lock to get the canine out. They were unsure of how long the animal had been trapped inside.

Someone accused a former roommate of stealing personal belongings when they moved out of the house. Among the items taken were power tools and cash.

A Columbia Falls resident told deputies that a neighbor was using his easement. He said someone nearly ran him over trying to get to the neighbor’s house.

A group of transients camped out under an area bridge caused someone a bit of concern. They told deputies they were worried the group was dumping trash in the river and damaging the bridge with smoke from their campfire. They said the campsite had been active for at least a month.

A neighbor with a longstanding motorcycling habit provoked the ire of a Kalispell resident, who wanted to talk options with deputies. He said the neighbor “made a lot of noise” with the motorcycle and that it had been an ongoing issue for two years. Deputies pointed the man to the language of a local noise ordinance.

Someone stole an anvil from a Kalispell yard overnight.

A caller told deputies someone had broken into an empty house. The Kalispell home was on the market and should be vacant.

The owner of a Columbia Falls company wanted a woman apparently camping on his property removed. The business owner reported learning about the interloper’s presence from a third party. She allegedly had been telling people she had permission to stay on the land. Alas, she did not.

Someone came across a toddler wandering in a street leading to Montana 35. They called dispatchers concerned for the child’s safety. Dispatchers promptly instructed the individual to pick up the child and remove him or her from the road. In the middle of all that, someone claiming to be the child’s father arrived and took her away.