Ellington

Griz softball starts conference play

The Montana softball team, winners of four straight and six of its last nine, will open its Big Sky Conference schedule this weekend with a three-game series at Portland State.

Weekend tennis duals in Helena canceled

Glacier’s tennis team will have to wait a few more days to start its season.

Walburn 5th in decathlon debut for Washington St.

Lee Walburn's Cougar decathlon debut highlighted the first two days of the Texas Relays for Washington State track and field.

Bill to criminalize help for Idaho minors' abortions passes

A bill that would criminalize helping minors obtain an abortion without parental consent won final passage in Idaho's legislature on Thursday and is headed to the desk of Republican Gov. Brad Little.

Committee tables Regier's bill to dismantle adult-use cannabis industry

On Thursday, one day after an impassioned hearing on Senate Bill 546, the Senate Business, Labor and Economic Affairs Committee voted 6-4 to table the bill.

Creston auction set for this weekend

This is a fundraising benefit for Creston’s all-volunteer fire department and is the largest spring event of its kind in Northwest Montana.

Opponents say Regier’s marijuana bill would kill industry, cost Montana millions

Sen. Keith Regier’s bill to repeal adult-use marijuana in Montana is an effort to undo the will of voters, would kill hundreds of small businesses and thousands of jobs, harm sick people who rely on medical marijuana, and cost the state millions of dollars, opponents told a Senate committee Wednesday.

Legals for March, 31 2023

Law roundup: Maybe it’s a sign?

A woman confronted about panhandling in front of a no panhandling sign allegedly responded “with foul language.”

St. Ignatius man wages anti-compact ad campaign

For many, the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes' water compact with the State of Montana and the United States is a success story both politically and practically.

Zinke questions Park Service director on Glacier's reservation system

U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke put his criticisms of Glacier National Park’s vehicle reservation system to the director of the National Park Service during budget hearings in Washington, D.C., this week.

Donald Raymond "Jake" Jacobson, 93

Donald Raymond "Jake" Jacobson, 93

Ann Elizabeth Kempton, 66

Ann Elizabeth Kempton, 66

Bibler Home and Garden tours support student scholarships

Tickets go on sale Friday, March 31 at 8 a.m. for the self-guided tours and Mother’s Day brunch that all benefit student scholarships at FVCC.

Kalispell student competes in constitutional speech contest

Kalispell homeschool senior Ella Pheifer was the winner of the American Legion of Montana High School Constitutional speech contest.

Problems with meters, software left Evergreen water customers with surprise bills

Evergreen’s water and sewer utility has issued a statement to customers after months of water meter and software failures left some finding surprising costs on their monthly bills.

Sports Briefs: Durham retires after 5 seasons at MSU-B

After five seasons back coaching college basketball in Montana, MSU-Billings’ Mick Durham announced Wednesday he is retiring.

Youth hockey coach pleads not guilty to Flathead County rape charges

The youth coach accused of raping multiple boys participating in his private hockey program pleaded not guilty to four counts of sexual intercourse without consent in Flathead County District Court on Thursday.

Donald Trump indicted; 1st ex-president charged with crime

A Manhattan grand jury has voted to indict Donald Trump on charges involving payments made during the 2016 presidential campaign to silence claims of an extramarital sexual encounter, his lawyers said Thursday, producing the first criminal case against a former U.S. president and a jolt to Trump's bid to retake the White House.

Kohl’s to open Kalispell store at end of April

The Kohl’s department store in Kalispell is set to open on Friday, April 28.

Jail inmate shot after hostage situation at Montana hospital

A northeastern Montana sheriff's deputy shot a jail inmate who had taken a hostage at the hospital in Glasgow, Valley County Sheriff Tom Boyer said.

Fiery train derailment in Minnesota prompts evacuations

A train hauling ethanol and corn syrup derailed and caught fire in Minnesota early Thursday and nearby residents were ordered to evacuate their homes, authorities said.

Institutions and constitutions

You will hear people say that we need to protect our “institutions” in America.

Legals for March, 30 2023

Kalispell officials oppose bill that would shake up city government

A bill under consideration in the state Legislature that would require Kalispell to redraw the city’s wards or eliminate half of its City Council seats is proving unpopular among municipal officials.

Author to speak about Chinese Montanans at museum

At one point the Chinese made up more than a tenth of the Montana territory’s population, but their stories were seldom told – until now.

Bail reduced for suspect in Kalispell shooting

Accused of shooting and wounding a man in Kalispell hotel in February, Garrett Drew Murray remains behind bars despite a district court judge lessening his bail last week.

World famous violinist performs with Glacier Symphony

Her contemporaries include the likes of Yo-Yo Ma and Itzhak Perlman.

Hockaday opens student art exhibition

The popular annual exhibition, now in its 24th year, opens with a free artists and public reception April 13.

2023 elk hunting regs in Montana

Montana is usually ranked as one of America’s best elk hunting states. Deer, antelope, mountain sheep, game birds and numerous other wildlife species are the annual targets of over 100,000 Montana hunters.

Celebrated comedy ‘Falstaff’ shown in Whitefish

Giuseppe Verdi’s glorious comedy “Falstaff” will be shown at 10:30 a.m. at the Whitefish Performing Arts Center.

Board sets deadline for decision on McDonald Creek home

The Flathead Conservation Board gave a San Diego couple until April 3 to either apply for a permit to remove a house built along the banks of McDonald Creek in Glacier National Park or seek a declaratory judgment in the matter.

Constitutional amendments will protect the Montana way

This week, the Montana House was focused on passing House Bill 2, the budget bill, and it passed a preliminary House vote on a party line following a day-long floor session.

Spring Mack Days: Second week brings in 8,773 lake trout

Flathead Lake anglers have just completed the second week of the 2023 Spring Mack Days.

Man accused of threatening neighbors with machete hit with stalking charge

A Flathead Valley man is behind bars after allegedly threatening to kill his neighbors with a machete earlier this month.

FVCC alumnus ceramic artist feature of new exhibit

The event is April 4 from 4-6 p.m. in the Arts and Technology Building lobby on campus in Kalispell.

Homeschool Theatre Club presents classic musical tale

Shows are Friday, March 31 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. and Saturday, April 1 at 6 p.m. at the Whitefish Performing Arts Center.

Letters to the editor March 30

Letters to the editor March 30

Many more road trips in store for Stu Pederson

As luck would have it, Stu Pederson was in the Flathead Valley when news broke that professional baseball was coming to Kalispell.

Montana bill to deny care for transgender minors passes

A Montana bill to deny gender-affirming medical care to young transgender residents passed a final vote in the state Senate on Wednesday, which sends the measure to Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte for his consideration.

Senate votes to repeal Iraq War approval many see as mistake

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate voted Wednesday to repeal the resolution that gave a green light for the 2003 invasion of Iraq, a bipartisan effort to return a basic war power to Congress 20 years after an authorization many now view as a mistake.

Sheriff’s Office investigating homicide in Marion

The Flathead County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a March 28 shooting death in Marion as a homicide, officials said Wednesday.

Duo suspected of holding up motorists at gunpoint near Kila

Two men face robbery charges in Flathead County District Court after allegedly forcing a vehicle to stop on Browns Meadow Road and holding the occupants up at gunpoint.

‘Compromise’ bill aims to put $100+ million more toward Montana affordable housing program

Speaker Matt Regier, R-Kalispell, introduced House Bill 927 Tuesday, which cleared the House Taxation Committee in a unanimous vote shortly after its initial hearing. The first proponent to testify for the bill was Minority Leader Kim Abbott, D-Helena.

State wildlife commission to consider Flathead River land exchange

The Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission is collecting public comment on a proposed land exchange as part of a bridge replacement project on the Flathead River.

State announces roadwork in Marion, Whitefish

The Montana Department of Transportation, in partnership with LHC Incorporated, announced Monday upcoming roadwork projects in Marion and Whitefish.

Robert "Bobby" Patrick Dewbre, 21

Robert "Bobby" Patrick Dewbre, 21

MSU freshman from Libby selected for national trading competition team

BOZEMAN – Montana State University freshman Zane Nordwick decided halfway through last semester to change his major from physics to mathematics so he could “skip the middle guy and go straight to math.”

John Allen Phillips, 87

John Allen Phillips, 87

Juanita Louise Sampson, 89

Juanita Louise Sampson, 89

Legals for March, 29 2023

Pizza shop owner stretches for win at World Pizza Games

Joe Ledwidge, owner of Ranger Joe’s Pizza, has been practicing his dough stretch for what his industry calls “the Olympics of pizza.”

Law roundup: Woman tries to escape drones

Drones were allegedly following a woman sitting in a turn-off to a camping area. She told Flathead County Sherrif’s Office they had followed her before.

Clerk and recorder, election workers resign in Lincoln County

With a handful of school board elections around the corner, the Lincoln County clerk and recorder and staff of the county’s Elections Department have resigned from their posts.

MSU’s Darian White drives into transfer portal

One of the most decorated women’s basketball players in Montana State history, Darian White, is going to play her final collegiate season somewhere else.

Sports Briefs: Bannan leaving Griz for pros

Mary hires Schillinger; MSU's Germer in portal

Josh Bannan, a first-team all-Big Sky Conference pick for the Montana Grizzlies last season, is leaving the program to chase a professional basketball career.

Police: Nashville shooter bought 7 guns before school attack

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The person who killed three children and three adults at a Christian school in Nashville legally bought seven firearms in recent years and hid the guns from their parents before the attack, police said Tuesday.

Senate bill would ‘eliminate’ adult-use marijuana dispensaries in Montana

On Friday, Sen. Keith Regier, R-Kalispell, introduced a bill to dismantle the adult-use cannabis industry in Montana.

Helen F. Working, 93

Helen F. Working, 93

Vickie Lee Hanson, 63

Vickie Lee Hanson, 63

Law roundup: Fore! Golfers take aim at horse pasture

A Kalispell resident’s neighbors were reportedly hitting golf balls into their horse pasture and they called the Flathead County Sherrif’s Office out of concern the neighbors were aiming at the horses.

Kalispell hiring new chief of police

Kalispell has posted a job opening for chief of police as current department head Doug Overman prepares to retire June 1 after 23 years on the force.

Schaeffer, Gunlock,Thompson take MCA winter honors

Columbia Falls’ Jessie Schaeffer and Bigfork’s Cortnee Gunlock saw their teams win landmark state championships; now both are Coaches of the Year for winter sports.

Steven Fetveit, 72

Steven Fetveit, 72

Fresh produce is an increasingly popular prescription for chronically ill patients

When Mackenzie Sachs, a registered dietitian on the Blackfeet Reservation, in northwestern Montana, sees a patient experiencing high blood pressure, diabetes, or another chronic illness, her first thought isn’t necessarily to recommend medication.

Donna L. Carie, 86

Donna L Carie, 86

Legals for March, 28 2023

Letters to the editor March 28

Letters to the editor March 28

Brodehl resists requests for C-PACE district at chamber event

Flathead County Commissioner Randy Brodehl resisted calls from members of the business community for a countywide C-PACE district at a chamber of commerce event Friday.

Scratching the Teflon prince

Is Ron DeSantis qualified to be president? A small but growing number of Republicans are starting to express their doubts.

A mid-session progress report

Last year during campaign season, many opened their door and took time to share their priorities for our community with me – most touched on infrastructure, housing, education and safety.

State wildlife agency eyes overhaul of wolf regulations

Two decades after first adopting a wolf management plan, state officials are considering overhauling and updating the document.

Tester grills Forest Service chief on Holland Lake Lodge expansion plans

U.S. Sen. Jon Tester of Montana grilled the chief of the U.S. Forest Service last week about its initial decision — since reversed — to give an expansion plan at Holland Lake Lodge an exemption from a thorough environmental review.

FHS student shows compassion for others through community service

Flathead High School student Ivy Gannon is someone who meets people where they are in life with compassion and respect.

Law roundup: Banned shoplifter wants pants back

A man allegedly caught shoplifting was banned from a store but left a pair of pants behind that he later tried to retrieve.

Juanita Louise Sampson, 86

Juanita Louise Sampson of Kalispell went home to be with Jesus March 22, 2023.

Legals for March, 27 2023

Montana officer shoots, kills robbery suspect after pursuit

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — A sheriff's deputy shot and killed an armed robbery suspect after a pursuit and standoff in Montana's largest city over the weekend.

Destination: Spring migration at Freezout Lake

Every year, snow geese in the hundreds of thousands stop at Freezout Lake Wildilfe Management Area northwest of Great Falls, traveling in large groups en route to northern breeding grounds for the warmer months.

George E. Mumm, 90

George E. Mumm, 90

County commissioners commit to constructing septage plant

On any given day between 20,000 and 40,000 gallons of septage waste needs to be pumped from septic tanks and treated, according to the county, but with the rapid growth in the area suitable land for disposal of that waste has become scarce.

Donna L. Carie, 86

Donna Carie was born in Coeur d’Alene Idaho on Oct. 7, 1936, to Floyd and Mae Christopher.

Helen F. Working, 93

Helen F. Working, longtime Kalispell resident, passed away peacefully at her son, Gordon's home in Bozeman, following a brief illness.

Commissioners must stay unified on septage facility

Flathead County commissioners are finally united in support of constructing a regional septage treatment facility.

Letters to the editor March 26

Letters to the editor March 26

Flathead Summer Jobs Program offers opportunities for youth

This program provides an opportunity for Flathead Valley area high school and college students to gain practical experience in a variety of industries.

Business newsmakers

Happenings at Flathead businesses

Owen Sowerwine rich with natural habitat

The Owen Sowerwine Natural Area is a prime example of healthy land.

FVCC culinary students open pop-up barbecue restaurant

The graduating class of Flathead Valley Community College’s Culinary Institute of Montana is launching an international barbecue pop-up restaurant next month.

Ponderosa Pottery provides space for creativity

Ponderosa Pottery in downtown Kalispell is a fully family-owned and operated business.

Critters: Springtime black bears

If you hike enough in the woods of Northwest Montana odds are you will see a black bear. This ubiquitous creature is common across the landscape.

Anti-abortion bills at odds with Montanans

The Legislature is bound by a few simple rules: they must complete their work within the 90 allotted days, they must meet deadlines and they must serve their constituents (yes, all of their constituents), not push their own personal interests or private ideologies.

Timber management project aims to mimic natural process

Forests regenerate on their own naturally, sometimes through wildfire. In 1929, the Half Moon fire burned more than 100,000 acres in the Flathead Valley and Glacier National Park, leaving the woods around Coram and Lake Five scorched black.

SB 458 Will Come with A Moral Cost

For over an hour and a half, over 40 Montanans – overwhelmingly young Montanans – showed up to the Capitol to express in detail the suffering and pain that SB 458 will cause them. Instead of taking seriously the trauma and damage inflicted on so many Montanans, Republicans chose to proceed with this bill that targets one community, making them less before the law.

Dorothy Karper, 91

Dorothy Karper, 91

Law roundup: Individuals find out where the beef is

Kalispell Police Department received a report that two girls who have a beef with another girl allegedly showed up at her location, punched her and threw her into a wall.

Steven Fetveit, 72

Steven Martin Fetveit, 72, of Kalispell, passed away peacefully after fighting a courageous battle with cancer, on Wednesday, March 22, 2023, at Benefis Peace Hospice of Montana; Steven was surrounded by his loving family.

Senate Bill 99 protects the next generation of Montanans

There is a reason Montana is the Last Best Place in the country.

Legals for March, 26 2023

Donald Huggins

Don Huggins passed away peacefully with family by his side on the afternoon of Friday, March 10, 2023.

Taking care of injured and killed officers and their families

In recent years talk of defunding the police has been popular in other states, but our Montana values run contrary to that line of thinking.

Slayer plays the mall

The first time I ventured to the community chess club in the Kalispell Center Mall, the adults outnumbered the kids and just a game or two was under way.

Brunch focuses on assiting retirees entering workforce

The brunch is aimed at providing information about returning to the workforce and employment opportunities for retirees.

AI tool assists with backcountry meals

After finishing California’s long-distance John Muir Trail in 2017, a group of friends, inspired by their epic expedition, decided to share their knowledge and resources with new and veteran hikers.

Try Rogers Lake for rare arctic grayling

Ah, its springtime in the Flathead when a young man’s fancy turns to open water spring fishing, or at least something like that.

Local rock climbers care for Northwest Montana's crags

It was a splitter day at the crags.

Cheryl 'Cheri' Cave, 74

Cheryl "Cheri" Cave, 74

Point of Rocks climbing guidebook

The directions in Montana climbing guidebooks are often more bewildering than helpful, sometimes using things like goats and indistinct creeks as landmarks.

Sprunger tackles liquor license system in hopes of fostering entrepreneurship

Flathead lawmakers have introduced a raft of alcohol-related bills during the Legislative Session, but a recent addition to the mix is already generating a buzz.

Kalispell Public Schools seek general fund levies

Ballot drop-off location changes

General fund levies for Kalispell Public Schools’ elementary and high school districts will be on the ballot in a May mail ballot election.

Flathead Business Watercooler

Business events, trainings and seminars

Polson student D.C. bound after winning state poetry reading contest

As Wica-ta-wi Hoksina Brown inhabits the poem that won him the state Poetry Out Loud championship, he does so carefully, his voice almost conversational at first, then growing in strength and passion.

Flathead boys basketball coach Johnsrud steps down

Flathead High is looking for a new boys basketball coach, after word came Friday that Dirk Johnsrud will no longer lead the program after three seasons at the helm.

Gonzaga beats UCLA 79-76 in Sweet 16 on Strawther's shot

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Gonzaga and UCLA played one NCAA Tournament game that left the Zags' star player bawling, and another game that stunned the Bruins.

Tester calls on Biden to tackle selenium pollution

Ahead of President Joe Biden’s visit to Canada, U.S Sen. Jon Tester raised concerns pertaining to Northwest Montana in a letter sent to the White House, including ongoing selenium pollution in the region’s waterways.

Columbia Falls man booked in county jail following police pursuit in Kalispell

Officers detained Eric Scott Dolence on U.S. 93 South after the police pursuit began about 7:30 p.m., March 23.

US launches airstrikes in Syria after drone kills US worker

BEIRUT (AP) — A strike Thursday by a suspected Iranian-made drone killed a U.S. contractor and wounded six other Americans in northeast Syria, and U.S. forces retaliated with airstrikes on sites in Syria used by groups affiliated with Iran's Revolutionary Guard, the Pentagon said. Activists said the U.S. bombing killed at least four people.

Applications open for NILE Merit Heifer program

Four-H and FFA members have the opportunity to be selected to raise a heifer and build their own herd through the Northern International Livestock Exposition (NILE) Merit Heifer program.

Flu season tapering off in Flathead County, but other outbreaks still an issue

Hospitalizations in Flathead County are declining after a rough start to flu season, but there are many other outbreaks health department officials are keeping an eye on.

Bill creating Western Conservation Commission resurrected in the House

A push to consolidate two conservation commissions focused on Northwest Montana waterways got a breath of new life last week, but it comes with a catch.

Montana State to award honorary doctorate to Robyn Jones

Robyn Jones and her husband, Mark, who split their time between Whitefish and Fort Worth, Texas, made a $101 million philanthropic donation to MSU's nursing college in August 2021.

Barbara Hinsz, 82

Barbara Hinsz, 82

ImagineIF Board puts Gateway Community Center move on hold, for now

The ImagineIF Kalispell branch isn’t moving into the Gateway Community Center just yet, as trustees weigh other options for the library’s new home.

Law roundup: Always pay the painter

Upset at apparently not receiving payment for a house painting job in a timely fashion, the contractor returned to the work site to splash “pay the painter” all over a home.

Columbia Falls postpones decision on subdivision

After a meeting that went past midnight Tuesday, the Columbia Falls City Council held off on making a decision on a proposed 180-unit rental complex on land just east of the Flathead River.

Scott Alan White, 55

Scott Alan White, 55

Suspended sentence handed down to rapist

Judge Robert Allison handed down March 21 a 10-year suspended sentence with the state Department of Corrections to Fabian Alexander Calderon for a rape charge stemming from 2019.

Roundup for Safety funds orange safety vests for Hunter Ed grads

Flathead Wildlife works with Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks to provide each successful area graduate of the Hunter Education program with a hunter orange safety vest.

Legals for March, 24 2023

Warm Springs administrators put on leave

The interim administrator at the Montana State Hospital has been put on administrative leave, a new development in the yearslong struggle to stabilize the beleaguered adult psychiatric facility.

North Idaho hospital to stop baby deliveries, partly over politics

A rural hospital in northern Idaho will stop delivering babies or providing other obstetrical care, citing a shifting legal climate in which recently enacted state laws could subject physicians to prosecution for providing abortions, among other reasons.

Budget bill clears House debate with GOP support

The Montana House’s Republican supermajority voted in near-lockstep Wednesday to rebuff Democratic efforts to amend Montana’s primary two-year budget bill, clearing the way for the bill to advance to the state Senate after a final vote in the coming days.

Prosecutors: Third boy alleges rape by youth hockey coach jailed in Butte

Prosecutors say a third young boy has come forward with allegations that a youth hockey coach from Flathead County raped him by inserting an unknown object in his rectum, an incident they believe occurred at a Butte hotel in January 2021.

Glacier National Park headed for a busy construction season

Several major construction projects are planned in and around Glacier National Park this summer, and officials are encouraging visitors to plan ahead and prepare for traffic delays.

Discussions on education delve into spicy topics

I am so proud of Montana’s voices in the community education discussions that took place during December and March.

Speaker discusses construction of Glacier’s Sun Road

Bill Dakin will be discussing the construction of Glacier’s Going-to-the-Sun Road at 7 p.m. on March 27 at the Northwest Montana History Museum at Central School Museum.

WTC holds auditions

The Whitefish Theatre Company is holding auditions for “Suite Surrender”, their final show of the 2022-2023 season.

Arts and Entertainment News

Arts and entertainment happenings

Shirley Temple stars in ‘Heidi’ for Movie Night at the Museum

This classic film will be the March feature for Movie Night at the Museum screening at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 28, at the Northwest Montana History Museum.

Law roundup: Spooky sounds heard on open line

Dispatchers were reportedly getting ghost 911 calls from an old gas station building that no longer exists and heard loud humming sounds and static on the open line.

Canary in a coal mine

Over the past two years, Montanans watched the President’s attack on oil, coal and natural gas bring our nation to the brink of an all-out energy emergency.

Flathead Songwriter Festival releases lineup for fall event

The festival recently announced its lineup for the event set for Sept. 14-16.

Legals for March, 23 2023

Let’s tell the truth about those big, bad wolves

The return of wolves to the West has always been contentious, and the deaths last fall of more than 40 cattle really in western Colorado alarmed ranchers.

Banished fairytale misfits take center stage in ‘Shrek the Musical’

Based on the popular (but not always appropriate) DreamWorks movie, the play runs at the Bigfork Center for the Performing Arts on Friday, March 24 and Saturday, March 25, at 7:30 p.m.

Letters to the editor March 23

Letters to the editor March 23

Flathead alum Osweiler seeks happy campers

Second-year Flathead football coach Caleb Aland figured it couldn’t hurt to reach out to Brock Osweiler, the former Braves quarterback who ventured onto an NFL career.

Gallatin County attorney reviewing more than 100 unprosecuted cases

The Gallatin County attorney is creating a task force to look at more than 100 cases — the majority alleging sexual violence — that her predecessor's office apparently did not review to see if charges could still be brought.

Kalispell passes new law targeting panhandlers, motorists

Kalispell City Council approved an ordinance Monday that would criminalize panhandling, selling goods and making donations on roadways in the city.

Browning man sentenced for child sex abuse

A Browning man was sentenced Monday to 18 years and nine months behind bars for sexually abusing two girls on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation about 20 years ago.

Montana pension funds take a $3M loss in banking collapse

After last week’s collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank, public pension systems began reporting that they were part of the collateral damage done by the banks’ implosion.

Registration open for FVCC summer classes

Flathead Valley Community College’s summer semester registration is open and classes begin Monday, May 22.

Jack Mullins, 76

Jack Mullins

‘Intoxicated,’ ‘uncooperative’ woman allegedly admits to attack

Confronted by Kalispell Police officers, a woman allegedly admitted to attacking a man with a baseball bat at a motel in the city during the early morning hours of March 12.

Legislature moves to name highway after Blackfeet chief

Though it took some work, the Legislature passed a bill to rename a section of Montana Highway 89 on the Blackfeet Reservation after the late Blackfeet chief. The bill is currently on Gov. Greg Gianforte’s desk awaiting his signature, which would make the name change legally official.

Donald D. "Curley" Grimlie, 89

Donald D. "Curley" Grimlie, 89 obituary

Gender-affirming care ban for transgender minors has second hearing

A bill to ban gender-affirming care for transgender minors received nearly three hours of testimony Monday in its designated House committee, the first major action on the legislation since it passed out of the Senate in early February.

Law roundup: Fresh paint job vandalized with razor blade

An employee reportedly found the handiwork of some scallywag who took a razor blade to a freshly painted truck and called the Kalispell Police Department.

Biden administration invests $197 million into wildfire defense fund

A $197 million investment into a community wildfire defense program was announced by Vice President Kamala Harris, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and White House Senior Advisor Mitch Landrieu on Monday.

Legals for March, 22 2023

Man sentenced for box cutter attack

Brockton Lorn Ferguson, 36, received 14 years behind bars with the remainder suspended at his March 20 sentencing on a felony aggravated assault charge in Flathead County District Court.

Marion man receives deferred sentence for misdemeanor charge

A Marion man brought up on a felony charge for allegedly pointing a handgun at his then girlfriend’s father in June 2022 received a deferred sentence after striking a plea deal late last year.

Kubi named MVP of Treasure State Classic

A trio of Flathead Bravettes were drafted onto the B West team for last weekend’s Treasure State Classic all-star girls basketball tournament in Billings, and ended up losing in the championship.

Case dismissed against man accused of threatening another with skid steer

A Flathead County District judge in January dismissed a criminal negligence charge against a man previously accused of menacing another individual with a skid steer.

Wolfpack trio makes 2nd-team all-Western AA; Olsen is defensive POY

The Glacier Wolfpack closed their boys basketball season on an 11-3 run and garnered the second State AA trophy in school history thanks to defense, rebounding and 3-point shooting.

Moore, Moy are All-State; Moore top offensive player

The Flathead Bravettes’ sterling basketball season netted them more hardware this week — as in two All-State picks and the Western AA’s offensive player and coach of the year.

Couple faces murder charges in Crow girl's 2019 death

A Montana couple faces charges of murder and tampering with evidence in the 2019 disappearance and death of a 6-year-old girl on the Crow Indian Reservation.

Avelo Airlines brings direct LA flights to Glacier Park International Airport

A new airline is coming to Glacier Park International Airport this summer to offer direct flights to Los Angeles.

Commissioner Brodehl plans to seek second term

The Republican represents District 3 in the western part of the county.

Army of lobbyists helped water down banking regulations

It seemed like a good idea at the time: Red-state Democrats facing grim reelection prospects would join forces with Republicans to slash bank regulations — demonstrating a willingness to work with President Donald Trump while bucking many in their party.

Montana senator wants to block mandatory diversity training

A Republican lawmaker in Montana wants to prohibit mandatory diversity training for state employees with a bill whose language matches a Florida law that is temporarily blocked by the courts.

Suspect in multiple theft cases earns deferred sentences

A man arrested for trying to steal a motorcycle last year and followed it up by allegedly leading authorities on a chase along U.S. 2 in a stolen pickup truck earned deferred sentences last month.

Louis Brainerd Hahn, 81

Louis Brainerd Hahn, 81

Law roundup: Man wants a break, steals candy bars

An employee allegedly saw a man put three Kit Kat bars in his pockets and walk out without paying.

Kalispell man sees felony charge lessened to misdemeanor

A Kalispell man accused of throwing a knife at neighborhood children last year saw his felony assault with a weapon charge downgraded to a misdemeanor after accepting a plea deal in January.

Legals for March, 21 2023

Lakeside man takes deferred prosecution agreement

A Lakeside man brought up on a felony charge in Flathead County District Court after allegedly injuring a child under his care last year inked a deferred prosecution agreement in December.

Letters to the editor March 21

Letters to the editor March 21

China owns little farmland in the U.S., but that still leaves some lawmakers worried

WASHINGTON — Nearly a third of states have laws prohibiting certain foreign businesses and governments from buying agricultural lands within their borders, and more states are looking to join them.

Efforts of shelter organizations are working

Spring is approaching, which means some warming shelters will shut down for the summer.

Bill seeking to cut unemployment eligibility to 20 weeks clears committee

Great Falls Republican Rep. Steven Galloway’s bill to cut Montana unemployment eligibility from 28 weeks to 20, which he says will allow business owners to pay their employees more rather than paying into the unemployment insurance trust fund, saw one of the shortest Appropriations hearings of the session Thursday.

Kalispell City Council poised to vote on panhandling proposal

Kalispell City Council is expected to vote on a proposal to ban panhandling and other transactions in municipal roadways at its Monday meeting.

Letters to the editor March 20

Letters to the editor March 20

Whitefish looks at minor subdivision

Council meets at 7:10 p.m. at City Hall, 418 E Second St.

New executive director leads conservation commissions

From attending undergraduate school in Salt Lake City where she fell in love with camping to volunteering as a marine conservationist in Madagascar, Casey Lewis has focused her life around wildlife and conservation.

Legals for March, 20 2023

Law roundup: Tough cookie threatens to beat employee

Columbia Falls Police Department received a report about a customer in a black SUV reportedly yelling at staff about cookies and threatening to pull an employee through the window and beat him up.

Robbery suspect killed after shooting hostage in St. Regis

A suspect in an Idaho robbery was killed by law enforcement after shooting a hostage near a travel center in western Montana, authorities said.

Mark Leslie Gronley, 64

Mark Leslie Gronley, 64

In Pennsylvania, the ice beneath Donald Trump is cracking

In 2016, then-Reps. Lou Barletta, R-Pa., and Tom Marino, R-Pa., became the first sitting members of Congress to endorse then-candidate Donald Trump for president.

Montana wants freedom from disease

State lawmakers are considering two bills that would put at risk the lives of the most vulnerable Montanans.

Letters to the editor March 19

Letters to the editor March 19

Sherry Frost, 93

Sherry Frost, 93

Lawrence (Larry) Dean Semenza, 78

Lawrence (Larry) Dean Semenza

Aleatha Wells, 87

Aleatha Wells

Kenneth Stuart Beck Sr., 98

Kenneth Stuart Beck Sr., 98

Commissioners must meet the needs of a growing county

Our county is growing and experiencing significant challenges because of this growth. It is the responsibility of our county government to manage the resources taxpayers provide to improve our quality of life.

Michael Bridges, 61

Michael Bridges, 61

Agnes Armstrong, 101

Agnes Armstrong, 101

Community briefs

Kalispell offers one-time spring leaf pickup; Work on Whitefish’s Spokane Avenue resumes; Group holds resource workshop; Fundraiser for new Dayton school

Working Montanans look to lose out?

Montana state legislators are grappling with what to do with the state's historic $2.5 billion budget surplus. This surplus is a result of higher than predicted income tax revenues as well as federal legislation that provided billions in funds to states over the last year.

Legislature should join law enforcement, AG in getting tough on human traffickers

Human trafficking is happening in Montana, and it can happen to anyone at any time.

James Keith DeLong, 76

James Keith DeLong, 76

New Columbia Falls shop offers wide range of goods

Coyote features local art, handmade jewelry, vintage and new clothing, gift cards, and furniture.

Richard L. "Dick" Hillstrom, 84

Richard L. "Dick" Hillstrom

Flathead Business Watercooler

Business events, trainings and seminars

Ronald G. Hoye, 87

Ronald G. Hoye

Law roundup: Arguing former roommates level accusations

A pair of former roommates accused each other of committing crimes and asked the Kalispell Police Department to sort it out.

Telling the truth about those big, bad wolves

The return of wolves to the West has always been contentious, and the deaths last fall of more than 40 cattle really in western Colorado alarmed ranchers. But here’s the true story: Wolves did not kill those cattle found dead near Meeker.

Legals for March, 19 2023

Fighting back — Rock Steady Boxing members go the distance in battling Parkinson’s disease

By mid-morning Monday, members of Rock Steady Boxing — Glacier are stretching, punching, running, balancing, bobbing and weaving, planking and sweating their way around room 26 at the Gateway Community Center in Kalispell.

A conversation with U.S. Sen. Jon Tester

U.S. Sen. Jon Tester sat down with the Daily Inter Lake editorial board last week for a long-ranging conversation about the election and issues facing the nation.

Lorene Mae Dyrdahl, 83

Lorene Mae Dyrdahl, 83

Saluting amazing women entrepreneurs during Women’s History Month

The U.S. Small Business Administration supports the president’s business advocacy by nurturing the entrepreneurial spirit and making sure small business has a voice at the table in Washington, DC. During Women's History Month, and International Women’s Day, we salute women entrepreneurs who take a risk in pursuit of their passions and who see setbacks as steps towards something bigger and better.

Lakeside spin studio aims for health beyond workout

Spin classes are structured and rely on a mix of upbeat music, choreography, and cadence.

Valerie Lynne Sheldon (Maochi), 55

Valerie Lynne Sheldon (Maochi), 55

Flathead Business Newsmakers

Happenings at Flathead businesses

Al (Bo) Edward Vega, 89

Al (Bo) Edward Vega

Revamped Providence House will focus on youth substance abuse

People as young in age as 13 can undergo treatment for substance abuse issues at the Providence Home in Kalispell when it reopens this spring.

UK Treasury chief predicts no recession in Britain this year

The U.K. is likely to avoid a recession this year, Treasury chief Jeremy Hunt said Wednesday, adding a bit of surprise to what had been billed as a boring budget meant to restore confidence and stability in the nation's finances.

Eureka area family seeks to conserve land for grizzlies

Greg and Lisa Levine live on nearly 30 acres of land near Eureka. Hummingbirds, elk, bald eagles, mountain lions, Canadian geese and grizzly bears roam the property where loggers built bunk houses and dug ponds a century ago.

Cleanup of Kaiser Mead plant lends clues into CFAC future

The cleanup at the former Kaiser Mead aluminum smelter near Spokane, Washington could provide insight as to how the Columbia Falls Aluminum Co. plant is ultimately cleaned up as well.

Montana lawmakers propose sending up to 120 inmates to private prison in Arizona

Montana lawmakers gave initial approval to a budget amendment this week that would allow the state to send up to 120 state prisoners to a privately run facility in Arizona operated by CoreCivic to the tune of nearly $8 million over the next two years.

Average long-term US mortgage rates come back down to 6.6%

The average long-term rate hit 7.08% in the fall — a two-decade high — as the Federal Reserve continued to raise its key lending rate in a bid to cool the economy and quash persistent, four-decade high inflation.

Kansas St. tops Montana St. 77-65, 1st March Madness win since 2018

Markquis Nowell had 17 points and 14 assists and No. 3 seed Kansas State held off 14th-seeded Montana State 77-65 Friday night for its first NCAA Tournament win since knocking off Kentucky in 2018 to reach the Elite Eight.

PHOTOS: The St. Patrick's Day Parade in Kalispell

Hundreds of clover-clad revelers lined Main Street in downtown Kalispell for the St. Patrick's Day Parade, hosted by the Kalispell Chapter of the Ancient Order of Hibernians and the Flathead Celtic Festival on Friday, March 17.

US jobless aid claims fell last week as layoffs remain low

Applications for jobless claims in the U.S. for the week ending March 11 fell by 20,000 to 192,000 from 212,000 the previous week, the Labor Department said Thursday.

Biden calls for tougher penalties for execs of failed banks

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Friday called on Congress to allow regulators to impose tougher penalties on the executives of failed banks, including clawing back compensation and making it easier to bar them from working in the industry.

Parent company of Silicon Valley Bank files for bankruptcy

The parent company of Silicon Valley Bank filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Friday, a week after the tech-focused bank failed in a sudden collapse that set off fears of wider problems in the global banking system.

Jury finds Zackary Maas guilty of deliberate homicide

Prosecutors accused the 26-year-old of firing the shot that eventually killed Gabriel Wagoner in the early morning hours of March 13, 2022.

Legals for March, 17 2023

Murder suspect testifies he fired gun to save friend

Accused killer Zackary Matthew Maas held fast to his assertion that he shot Gabriel Wagoner out of fear the other man was about to attack his friend under cross-examination by County Attorney Travis Ahner on Thursday.

Community band holds concert March 22

The Flathead Valley Community Band presents its “Spring has Arrived” concert on Wednesday March 22 in the Flathead High School Auditorium.

Talk looks at legacy of Hungry Horse Dam

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the completion of the Hungry Horse Project by the Bureau of Reclamation.

UM hurling club connects students to Irish culture

At Missoula’s St. Patrick’s Day parade last Saturday, Eilís O’Herlihy was reminded of similar parades in her hometown of Ballyvourney, a village in County Cork, Ireland.

FEC sends students to D.C. for youth tour

Participants go through a competitive application process involving transcripts, essays, and references.

Daines' privacy bill passes Senate

U.S. Sen. Steve Daines’ legislation that would protect the privacy of Americans traveling or moving overseas unanimously passed the Senate on March 9.

Law roundup: Mysterious cry raises concern

The woman told officers she thought the noise could have been a kid calling for “mom.”

Upset-minded Bobcats ready for K-State

A few hours after Montana State’s RaeQuan Battle, Jubrile Belo, Darius Brown II and coach Danny Sprinkle had their press conference in Greensboro, N.C., 15th-seeded Princeton knocked off Arizona 59-55 Thursday at the NCAA Tournament

Federal jury convicts Heron man of kidnapping son, fleeing to Costa Rica

MISSOULA — A federal jury on Wednesday convicted a Heron man of kidnapping his son in violation of a parenting plan and taking him to Costa Rica, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

More child rape charges filed against Flathead hockey coach

A Flathead County youth hockey coach charged with raping a minor in a Butte motel in 2019 now faces five additional rape charges involving children — one filed in Butte-Silver Bow County and four filed in Flathead County.

Board orders California couple to remove home in Glacier

The Flathead Soil and Water Conservation District Board Monday night decided that a home under construction along the banks of McDonald Creek is in violation of state law and ordered it be removed by Nov. 1.

Monica Kay Hanson, 62

Monica Kay Hanson, 62

Letters to the editor March 16

Letters to the editor March 16

Wolfpack Theatre brings classic musical to stage

It's going to be a busy week for the fast-talking, con artist, Harold Hill.

Ski museum shows documentary about World War II Army division

The film, written, produced and directed by champion extreme skier Chris Anthony, was voted Cannes World Film Festival’s Best Historical Film in the April 2021 Edition.

Kalispell Planning Board sends controversial housing developments forward

Residents of Silverbrook Estates and members of the Northern Pines Homeowners Association raised concerns about the proposed development, with some calling for its rejection outright.

Met Opera Live airs romantic drama ‘Lohengrin’ in Whitefish

Richard Wagner’s romantic tragedy “Lohengrin” will be shown on Saturday, March 18 at 10 a.m. at the O’Shaughnessy Center in Whitefish.

Law Roundup: Man puts his feet up in drive-thru

A restaurant employee called the Kalispell Police Department requesting an officer move along a man sleeping in the bushes because his feet were in the drive-thru.

Roll out the reels for Spring Mack Days

It’s time to bring out the reels, poles, and lures and start planning and organizing for Spring Mack Days, starting March 16 and continuing through May 13.

‘Shrek the Musical’ tells story of banished fairytale misfits

Performances will be at the Bigfork Center for the Performing Arts.

Detective details inconsistencies in shooter’s stories

Zackary Matthew Maas, 26, bowed his head and sobbed as jurors reviewed video of his interview with Kalispell Police Department detectives in the wake of the March 13, 2022 shooting on the 700 block of First Avenue West.

Wolf management

Our legislators are busy at work trying to save Montana taxpayers some money.

Pseudo-Montana GOP out of touch with voters

The Montana Republican Party’s executive committee recently approved a resolution rebuking former Montana Republican Gov. Marc Racicot, saying Racicot’s actions in recent years disqualify him from saying he’s a “Republican.”

Bluegrass favorite makes summer stop at Waccholz Center

Tickets go on sale Friday, March 17 at 10 a.m. for the July 7 concert that will take place on the campus of Flathead Valley Community College.

Legals for March, 16 2023

Constitutional witchcraft

The state of Connecticut is thinking of exonerating people it convicted of witchcraft in the mid-1600s.

Arlene Ruth Soderstrom, 85

Arlene Ruth Soderstrom, 85

Browning, C-Falls and Polson have girls, boys picked All-State

Browning, Columbia Falls and Polson each have one All-State player for boys and girls, while Browning ended up with five first-team selections for the All-Northwest basketball teams released this week.

2 each from Vals, Vikings are B All-State hoops

The Bigfork Valkyries and Vikings, who teamed up for a landmark State B girls basketball title and a third-place finish at the boys tournament, each put two players on the All-State team.

Rounding up trophy runs of Wolfpack, Bravettes

Recency bias is a thing, so I have a couple things of note after watching the recent State AA basketball tournaments last weekend at the Butte Civic Center.

3 each from Bravettes, Pack are all-tourney

The Flathead Bravettes and Glacier Wolfpack, who finished second and third at the State AA basketball tournaments, each put three players on their respective all-tournament teams.

Bank fears spread to Europe, drag down shares of big lenders

Fears about the world banking system spread to Europe on Wednesday as shares in the globally connected Swiss bank Credit Suisse plunged and dragged down other major European lenders in the wake of bank failures in the United States.

Social Security income tax bill narrowly moves forward

Around 20 legislators stood up on the House floor Tuesday when Rep. Casey Knudsen, R-Malta, asked those who benefited from a bill that would strike taxes on Social Security income to rise and identify themselves.

Kalispell superintendent offered top job at Missoula schools

Kalispell Public Schools Superintendent Micah Hill has been offered a position as superintendent of Missoula County Public Schools.

Accused killer’s accomplice: Victim never posed a threat

Jerum Auclaire, the only other witness to last year’s shooting of Gabriel Wagoner, testified Tuesday that he did not feel threatened in the moments leading up to the gunshot that eventually claimed Wagoner’s life.

Legals for March, 15 2023

Blacktail Mountain focus of ski documentary

A short documentary film showcasing the story of Blacktail Mountain Ski Area and its legacy will be shown in Bigfork on March 27.

Bruce Allen Hogan, 76

Bruce Allen Hogan, 76

FVCC earns 'military friendly' designation

Flathead Valley Community College has earned the 2023-2024 Military Friendly School designation again for the fourth consecutive year.

John William Martello, 103

John William Martello, 103

Shirley Jane Struck, 88

Shirley Jane Struck, 88

Wildland firefighters fundraiser set for April 15

The public is invited to the third annual Flathead Wildland Firefighters Banquet to help support the many federal, state, local, contract, and volunteer firefighters that train and work to protect public and private lands.

Kalispell's proposed panhandling law draws criticism

Kalispell City Council on Monday debated a proposed panhandling ordinance that would criminalize soliciting as well as donating on city streets.

Law roundup: Man fears girlfriend was kidnapped

A man allegedly thought his girlfriend was kidnapped after she went to the bathroom at a business and never came out.

Lucas William Felts, 16

Lucas William Felts, 16

Charles Sackett Johnson, 74

Charles Sackett Johnson

Author to speak about Chinese Montanans at museum

Northwest Montana History Museum will host author Mark T. Johnson on April 10 for a talk about the "Chinese experience" in Montana.

North Valley Music School debuts plans for new building

When developing the building plans for the new North Valley Music School in Whitefish, the building committee prioritized creating flexible multipurpose spaces that would not only serve the students but the community as a whole.

Fair-Mont-Egan will move to a four-day school week

It’s the fourth school in Flathead County to do so, following in the footsteps of other rural schools including West Glacier, Olney-Bissell and Pleasant Valley.

Joshua Ryan Ware, 36

Joshua Ryan Ware, 36

Barbara Willoughby, 105

Barbara Willoughby

Biden on gun control: 'Do something, do something big'

President Joe Biden is expected to sign an executive order on Tuesday aiming to increase the number of background checks to buy guns, promote better and more secure firearms storage and ensure U.S. law enforcement agencies are getting the most out of a bipartisan gun control law enacted last summer.

Commissioners reject property purchase in Lower Valley for septage plant

Commissioners Brad Abell and Randy Brodehl voted against the purchase of 36.9 acres on Wiley Dike Road, while Commissioner Pam Holmquist voted in favor.

Board of Public Ed formally adopts new school quality rules

The Montana Board of Public Education Friday unanimously approved a raft of changes to state regulations governing the quality of K-12 public schools, officially bringing to a close a multi-tiered process that began nearly three years ago.

Trial underway for accused killer Zackary Maas

Prosecutors laid out their case against accused murderer Zackary Matthew Maas in Flathead County District Court on Monday, alleging he waited months to take vengeance on his one-time stepfather Gabriel Wagoner in Kalispell last year.

Planning board considers shelter expansion

The board meets in the City Council chambers at 6 p.m. in City Hall, 201 First Avenue West.

Law roundup: Not a clean getaway for toothbrush thief

A man possibly seeking a healthy smile was detained for trying to steal a toothbrush.

Stop the politics and do what’s best for Montana

For eight years, I had the honor of representing Kalispell in the Montana House of Representatives. When I ran for office, I pledged to the voters of Kalispell that I would do what is best for the people of Montana.

Lakeside man brought up on felony charge for harassing deputy

Allegedly drunkenly threatening a Flathead County Sheriff’s Office deputy outside of a Lakeside saloon last week earned James Scott Mende a pending felony charge.

Montana considers new wave of legislation to loosen vaccination rules

In 2021, Montana passed House Bill 702 — the first of its kind in the nation — which prohibited discrimination based on vaccine status in settings like employment, education, and health care. In effect, it banned private businesses and local governments from requiring employees to be vaccinated, not just against covid-19 but any disease.

Legals for March, 14 2023

Letters to the editor March 14

Letters to the editor March 14

LaRance free throws lift Montana Tech in NAIA Round of 16

Camdyn LaRance hit two free throws with 24 seconds left in overtime, and Montana Tech edged William Penn of Iowa 79-78 at the NAIA men’s basketball tournament Monday.

Gianforte signs $1B Republican tax rebate, tax-cut package into law

Flanked by dozens of Republican lawmakers on the steps of the state Capitol, Gov. Greg Gianforte signed a tax cut, rebate and spending package totalling more than $1 billion Monday.

Biden OKs Alaska oil project, draws ire of environmentalists

The Biden administration said Monday it is approving a huge oil-drilling project on Alaska's petroleum-rich North Slope, a major environmental decision by President Joe Biden that drew quick condemnation as flying in the face of his pledges to slow climate change.

21-year-old pedestrian killed near Columbia Falls

A Columbia Falls pedestrian is dead after he was hit by a vehicle at the intersection of U.S. 2 and Montana 40 about 2:07 a.m. Saturday morning.

Tailor transforms youthful love for fashion into career

It was after a lonely four-month spell at sea that he realized nautical life wasn’t for him, so he came to San Francisco to get a master’s degree in fashion.

Letters to the editor March 13

Letters to the editor March 13

Legals for March, 13 2023

Kalispell City Council work session focuses on panhandling ordinance

Kalispell City Council is expected to debate a proposed ordinance aimed at further discouraging panhandling on public roadways and public parking lots at its Monday work session.

Law roundup: Lost man asks police to find his location

A man allegedly called the Kalispell Police Department asking if they knew his location.

State AA girls: Flathead falls short

Billings West overtakes Bravettes in fourth quarter for AA girls title

A three-point play by Sydney Pierce and a 3-pointer from Kourtney Grossman fueled a late run for the Billings West Golden Bears, who rallied past the Bravettes 48-43 and their first outright title since 2011.

State AA boys: Wolfpack beats Bozeman in third place game

Glacier is young as Montana high schools go, and while its boys basketball history includes the 2017 State AA championship, that’s the only trophy the Wolfpack had. Until Saturday.

State B girls: Vals win first ever state title

The undefeated Bigfork Valkyries capped off their final season playing in Class B by beating Big Timber 49-37 to win their first ever state championship on Saturday.

State B boys: Vikings clamp down on defense for third place finish

The Bigfork Vikings capped off their final year competing in Class B with a third place finish at state after beating Red Lodge 45-36 on Saturday.

A letter to Montana Republican Party leaders

It’s not that the Constitution does not contemplate dynamic tension precipitated by differences of view.

Law roundup: Customer detains combative milk drinker

A customer allegedly detained a combative man who was trying to fight employees after he was seen drinking chocolate milk in the store and carrying a propane bottle in aisle 11.

Flathead Business Newsmakers

Happenings at Flathead businesses

Flathead Youth Conservation Corps taking applications

YCC is a program designed to accomplish needed conservation work on public lands, provide gainful employment for students from all segments of society while gaining an appreciation of natural resources and cultural heritage.

Helen Lenore Jorgensen, 94

Helen Lenore Jorgensen, known as Lenore, spent most of her adult life in the Flathead Valley.

Stanley Stroisch, 71

Stanley Stroisch, 71, passed away on Feb. 21, 2023 at his home in Kalispell.

Joyce LaDeane Newland Siers, 89

Joyce LaDeane Newland Siers was born Jan. 15, 1934, on the family wheat farm in Burleigh County near Driscoll, North Dakota. She passed away on March 1, 2023, at the Montana Veterans Home in Columbia Falls with her loving daughter, Sheila at her side.

Montanans frustrated with Legislature wasting time

The 2023 Legislature has made it to the session’s halfway point.

Legals for March, 12 2023

Japan revises GDP to nearly flat, showing fragile recovery

The annual rate shows what the growth would have been if the on-quarter rate continues for a year.

Service provides childcare for Flathead Valley visitors and residents

Seeking a way to keep herself in the beauty of Northwest Montana, Rachel Jessup used her many years of childcare experience to land babysitting and nannying jobs.

Silicon Valley Bank swiftly collapses after tech startups flee

Regulators stepped in and seized it Friday in a stunning downfall for a lender that had quadrupled in size over the past five years and was valued at more than $40 billion as recently as last year.

New Columbia Falls shop features local, regional artists

Persimmon was a well-received shop in downtown Bigfork for 14 years featuring local and regional artists and craftsmen, but two of the owners retired and it closed a couple of years ago.

Organizations partner to assist blind veterans in pushing to new limits on ski slope

The helpers are instructors with DREAM adaptive and the Whitefish Veterans Support Team, which partnered for the first time this winter to bring adaptive ski lessons and access to a group of six veterans, who are blind and members of the Blinded Veterans Association.

Flathead Watercooler

Business events, trainings and seminars

Students show out science acuity at county fair

Science lovers of all ages packed into the Expo Center at the Flathead County Fairgrounds to take a look at projects from students in third grade and up.

Whitefish applies for grant to improve pedestrian safety downtown

City Council recently authorized a grant application with the U.S. Department of Transportation for work on the Whitefish Promenade concept designed to move non-motorized traffic through town.

Kalispell, are you ready to walk?

Use it or lose it, right?

Floyd 'Red' McClanahan, 84

Floyd "Red" McClanahan, of Columbia Falls, passed away on March 2, 2023, at the age of 84.

Bison rewilding plan a vast overreach

On March 3, Interior Secretary Haaland issued Secretarial Order 3410 that announced the department’s intent to restore wild bison herds in the West.

Community briefs

Home buyer education classes; Rain garden workshop; Columbia Falls Women’s Connection luncheon

Voting open for sticker design scholarship contest

Two student-created sticker designs are in the running for a chance at scholarships.

Judge allows Google antitrust case to move ahead in Virginia

The ruling Friday from U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema in Alexandria, Virginia, is a victory for the Justice Department and several states, including Virginia, that sued Google earlier this year and wanted to keep the case in the commonwealth.

Letters to the editor March 12

Letters to the editor March 12

Kalispell targets motorists in new panhandling law

Kalispell motorists take note. A simple offering of spare change to the needy could soon cost far more than you bargained for.

Another US hiring surge: 311,000 jobs despite Fed rate hikes

The unemployment rate rose to 3.6%, from a 53-year low of 3.4%, as more Americans began searching for work but not all of them found jobs.

Stocks tumble as Wall Street wonders what will break next

The S&P 500 dropped 1.4% to cap its worst week since September.

State A boys: Unbeaten Lewistown tops Dillon for boys crown

The Lewistown Golden Eagles capped off an unbeaten season with a State A championship after defeating the Dillon Beavers 54-47 on Saturday at MSU’s Brick Breeden Fieldhouse.

State A girls: Blue Ponies repeat as champs

Havre got 20 points from Yelena Miller and 18 from Amaya Jarvis to repeat as the State A girls champions with a 74-57 win over Hardin on Saturday at the MSU Brick Breeden Fieldhouse.

Silicon Valley Bank collapse felt worldwide

It was called Silicon Valley Bank, but its collapse is causing shockwaves around the world.

Bigfork man sentenced for attacking police officer

A jury found Paul Kermit Gysler guilty on a single count of felony assault on a peace officer in December following a trial in Flathead County District Court.

Bill to open more walkup campsites in Montana sailing through

House Bill 440, which would limit the number of reserved campsites at 80% in order to allow more walkups, passed unanimously in committee, and then it passed unanimously in the House.

Pagans member denies leadership role in outlaw motorcycle club

Michael Allan Murphy, 49, who faces a felony count of issuing a bad check in Flathead County District Court, said the Pagans boast too few members in the area to warrant a chapter.

State AA girls: Bravettes make title game

Kennedy Moore’s 20 points and 10 rebounds stick out in Flathead’s 51-43 defeat of the defending state champion Skyview Falcons, in the late semifinal game at Civic Center. But there was so much more that fueled a dominant second half in which the Bravettes outscored Skyview 28-14.

State B boys: Mustangs burst out the gates to beat Vikings

Malta pushed the pace early and often to take a 47-41 win over Bigfork in a State B semifinal Saturday afternoon. Bodhi Brenden made three 3-pointers and finished with a game-high 17 points for the Mustangs.

State B girls: Gunlock has double-double, Vals seal ticket to state title game

It was the Braeden Gunlock show Saturday night at the class B state semifinal with Gunlock notching a double-double in the first half on her way to a 33-point, 17-rebound performance and most importantly for the Vals star, trip to the state title game with a 56-47 win over Huntley Project.

State A girls: Hardin, Havre to meet in chipper

Hardin and Havre will meet Saturday in the State A girls final, while four other teams will battle for a place in the third place game.

State AA boys: Golden Bears’ surge turns away Wolfpack

Up 40-30 late in the third quarter, the Bears (19-4) held off the Wolfpack for a 52-43 win at the Butte Civic Center. They’ll take on Missoula Hellgate for the state championship Saturday around 8 p.m.

State A boys: Wildcats bow out of tourney

Glendive toppled Columbia Falls Friday by building on a 26-point second quarter and 19 points from Micheal Murphy. The Wildcats finished the season 17-7.

Feds: Proud Boys deployed foot soldiers in sedition plot

Federal prosecutors are employing an unusual strategy to prove leaders of the far-right Proud Boys extremist group orchestrated a violent plot to keep President Joe Biden out of the White House, even though some of the defendants didn't carry out the violence themselves.

Tester highlights prescription drug cost savings during Kalispell stop

U.S. Sen. Jon Tester touted the significance of health-care savings from the Inflation Reduction Act during a stop at Logan Health Medical Center in Kalispell on Friday.

Wetzel, co-founder of Montana Indian Athletic Hall, dies, 74

Don Wetzel Sr., a championship-winning athlete, coach and co-founder of the Montana Indian Athletic Hall of Fame, has died. He was 74.

Judge approves $1.4M in attorneys’ fees from $4.3M Logan Health data breach settlement

The class-action attorneys who reached a data breach settlement with Logan Health are entitled to around $1.4 million in attorneys’ fees – one-third of the $4.3 million settlement – despite objections from the current and former mayors of Kalispell, a Cascade County District Court judge ruled Thursday.

Legals for March, 10 2023

Law roundup: Suspicious behavior is actually a man doing a favor

A man rummaging through a vehicle left parked in an area lot raised the suspicions of an officer with the Kalispell Police Department.

Summit focuses on protecting against fraud

The partner organizations want to increase awareness and education to reduce and eliminate the theft that can greatly impact their older clients.

Spring load limits for county roads in effect next week

Restrictions will remain in place until conditions warrant, but usually mid- to late-April, according to the county.

Browning man sentenced for assaulting teenager

Jasper Ryan Rattler, 20, pleaded guilty in October to assault resulting in substantial bodily injury in U.S. District Court.

Don’t give the IRS access to more of your data

Turn on cable news and you would think that Republicans and Democrats can’t agree on anything, and that bipartisanship is nothing but fantasy.

Suspected outlaw motorcycle club president pleads not guilty

The man authorities identified as the leader of the local chapter of an outlaw motorcycle club pleaded not guilty Thursday to a felony charge for allegedly writing bad checks to an area business.

Accused drunk driver picks up felony charge after police chase

An alleged drunk driver who struck a pickup truck while fleeing Kalispell Police officers Wednesday evening faces multiple charges in Flathead County District Court.

Republican roots and the politics of party

“The Democrats killed two of my brothers.” That was the reply my 9-year-old father received from his great-grandmother on her rural Iowa front porch when he asked her why she was such a strong Republican.

Letters to the editor March 10

Letters to the editor March 10

State AA girls: Bravettes use early lead to beat Bozeman

After the Flathead Bravettes put the finishes on a 48-37 win over Bozeman, they didn’t look all that happy. Then their cheering section let them hear it, and some smiles went up.

State A girls: Browning bounced by Havre

Amaya Jarvis and Yelena Miller scored in double digits to lift the Havre Blue Ponies to a 73-53 win over the Browning Lady Indians in the first round of the State A Girls basketball tournament on Thursday.

State B girls: Vals rally, top Baker 52-38

A 14-0 run bridging the third and fourth quarters carried the unbeaten Vals past Baker 52-38 at the State B girls basketball tournament at Four Seasons Arena.

State B boys: Vikings beat Rams 55-48 in comeback fashion

The Bigfork Vikings held off a hungry Red Lodge team to win 55-48 in a game that featured 11 lead changes Thursday during the first round of the Class B State tournament in Great Falls.

State A boys: Maroons topple Wildcats

Dougie Peoples scored 14 points and helped the Butte Central Maroons hold off the Columbia Falls Wildcats 53-44 in a State A Boys Basketball quarterfinal on Thursday. Down 10 after the first quarter, the Wildcats battled back to cut the Maroons lead to five twice.

Kalispell snow streak hits top-10 mark

While this winter in Northwest Montana has not been significantly snowy, it has been long.

MSU's Battle named Big Sky tourney MVP

Montana State guard RaeQuan Battle was the easy pick for Most Valuable Player of the Big Sky Conference tournament, which the Bobcats won for a second straight season on Wednesday.

State AA boys: Wolfpack trounces Falcons

Kaidrian Buls scored 15 points and he and Adam Nikunen combined on seven 3-pointers Thursday to lead Glacier over Billings Skyview 65-48 at the Butte Civic Center.

Battle, Montana St. beat NAU, win 2nd straight Big Sky title

RaeQuan Battle scored 25 points and Montana State beat Northern Arizona 85-78 Wednesday night to clinch its second consecutive Big Sky Conference title and an automatic bid to the 2023 NCAA Tournament.

Letters to the editor March 9

Letters to the editor March 9

Legals for March, 9 2023

Entertainment and Arts Events

Hockaday features young artists; WTC hosts adult prom; Free concert; College speaker series; Mountainfilm on Tour in Whitefish

Whitewater rafting and rescue clinics offered this spring

Montana River Guides based in Alberton is offering a variety of two-day rafting clinics, three-day swiftwater rescue classes and five-day Whitewater Raft Guide Schools in April, May and June on the Blackfoot and Clark Fork rivers.

Area 406 Festival holds launch party in Whitefish

As both a producer and vocalist with hip hop roots, Megan Hamilton mixes hypnotic bass, funky ruffs and house grooves to push the envelope with each track.

Schools struggle with lead in water while awaiting federal relief

PHILIPSBURG — On a recent day in this 19th-century mining town turned tourist hot spot, students made their way into the Granite High School lobby and past a new filtered water bottle fill station.

Flathead Lake Cinemafest honors films

About two-dozen filmmakers traveled from across the U.S. to attend the festival, and the regional FLIC audience in attendance was enthusiastic and supportive.

Performance features music of legendary composers

Renowned violinist Wai Mizutani will be joined on stage by several musicians at the Wachholtz College Center for his next concert.

KMS presents ‘The Lion King Jr.'

The production includes a cast of 45 who will bring the audience into the story of Simba, a young lion learning to make his way through life’s ups and downs.

Stakes are high for second half of 2023 legislative session

Growing up, team sports was a way of life for our family and one that garnered many valuable lifetime lessons.

Republican rebuke of Racicot short sighted

This letter is in response to the State Republican Party’s absurd proclamation that Marc Racicot is no longer considered a republican. I have known Marc since the mid-1980s.

Bill would remap state's Public Service Commission

The Montana Senate last week passed a redraw of the state’s Public Service Commission districts that, if enacted, would replace a court-ordered map drawn last year.

Tester joins senators in urging Biden to boost drug interdiction efforts

U.S. Sen. Jon Tester is petitioning the Biden administration to allocate more dollars toward interdicting fentanyl at the nation’s southern border.

Law roundup: Employee spots ballooning bag

A woman’s bag suspiciously got bigger and bigger as she perused the home decor and grocery aisles in a store.

Bigfork double homicide case continued

Derrick James Jackson, 37, faces two counts of deliberate homicide in Flathead County District Court as well as charges of tampering with or fabricating evidence and criminal possession of dangerous drugs.

Lego posts boost in profit, sales as it raised some prices

The Danish toy company said net profit rose to 13.8 billion kroner ($2 billion) from 13.3 billion kroner. Sales were up 12%, while revenue grew 17% to 64 billion kroner ($9.2 billion).

Wolfpack Theatre takes audience to River City with classic musical

The Wolfpack Theatre Company presents one of America’s most beloved musicals, “The Music Man.”

Flathead Bio Station ecologist studies 'river metabolism'

FLATHEAD LAKE – Rivers are critical for Earth’s ability to sustain life. They serve as the connective transport system, much like the circulatory system in the human body, delivering water, energy and matter from the mountains to the oceans.

Montana watercraft inspection stations open

Several watercraft inspection stations begin operation in early March to check snowbird boat traffic returning from mussel-positive areas such as Lakes Mead, Havasu, Pleasant and Powell.

Big Sky City Lights set to return home for evening of song

The indie folk duo emerged as a partnership between New York City-based Susan O’Dea and Montana-based Nick Spear, creating unique covers of well-known songs during the 2020 lockdown.

Hard Knocks, Golden Gloves under (sky) lights

Before he racked up a 9-4 record as a professional fighter, Jesse Uhde honed his skills at a place called Kalispell Boxing.

Bravettes, Vals lead 6 teams into state tourneys

The Flathead Valley is well-represented at this week’s state basketball tournaments, and at least a couple teams are in it to win it.

No damage or injuries after locomotive derails near Trego

Ice on the tracks likely caused the slow-moving Mission Mountain Railroad locomotive to derail about 11:30 a.m., March 6.

First grizzly bear of season spotted in Yellowstone

A Yellowstone National Park wildlife biologist on a radio telemetry flight on Tuesday observed the first grizzly bear of 2023 to emerge from hibernation.

Biden budget aims to cut deficits nearly $3T over 10 years

President Joe Biden's upcoming budget proposal aims to cut deficits by nearly $3 trillion over the next decade, the White House said Wednesday.

Robert E. ‘Buzz’ Berry, 79

Robert E. “Buzz” Berry, 79, of Kalispell, Montana, passed away on March 1, 2023, in Phoenix, Arizona.

Flathead lawmakers see successes in first half of legislative session

Among the bills pitched by local lawmakers that survived the first half of the legislative session are a revision of forest taxation laws, legalization of the sale of pre-made Jell-O shots, the combination of two Northwest Montana conservation commissions and the creation of a new veterans cemetery in the area.

Ruby P. Palmer (Stratton), 91

Ruby P. Palmer (Stratton), 91

Flathead National Forest, POWDR, worked ‘hand in hand’ on Holland expansion proposal

For more than one year before the U.S. Forest Service announced a controversial proposal to expand operations at Holland Lake Lodge, it was working hand in hand with POWDR, an “adventure life” company that aims to take full ownership of the resort on public land.

Glacier speech and debate student named Student of the Year

Glacier High School senior Mac Adkins received top accolades from the National Speech and Debate Association.

Flathead speech coach receives Assistant Coach of the Year award

Flathead High School speech and debate coach Sean O’Donnell has been named “Assistant Coach of the Year” for the Western District of the National Speech and Debate Association.

Full agenda before county planning board

The board meets at 6 p.m. in the South Campus Building, 40 11th St. W., in Kalispell.

Alleged nude prowler enters not guilty plea

The man allegedly found naked in a Columbia Falls area home trying to steal a motorcycle pleaded not guilty to felony burglary in Flathead County District Court last week.

Libby to lose another police officer

Mayor Peggy Williams announced the impending departure of the officer at a Feb. 21 Libby City Council meeting. The officer's exit comes after three other officers resigned in November 2022.

Felony child endangerment case dismissed against drunk driver

A Flathead County District Court judge dismissed a felony criminal child endangerment case against a Kalispell woman in January after she agreed to plead guilty to a misdemeanor drunk driving charge.

Legals for March, 8 2023

Law Roundup: Woman wants her car and husband back

Law Roundup: Woman wants her car and husband back

Convicted thief earns six-year stretch in state prison

A Kalispell man earned a six-year stint in Montana State Prison after allegedly getting caught stealing tools from a utility trailer just weeks after receiving a deferred sentence for felony theft.

Sharron Kay (Kirkland) Brearey, 78

Sharron Kay (Kirkland) Brearey

Kalispell Mayor suggests city should plan to grow to north

In his closing remarks, Johnson said that Kalispell should consider taking the lead when it comes to urban planning by annexing land that is north of current municipal boundaries.

2 Americans dead, 2 rescued after violent Mexico kidnapping

CIUDAD VICTORIA, Mexico (AP) — A road trip to Mexico for cosmetic surgery ended with two Americans dead — and two others found alive in a rural area near the Gulf coast — after a violent shootout and abduction that was captured on video, officials said Tuesday.

Rosendale condemns hate groups after taking fire for posing in photo with white nationalists

Congressman Matt Rosendale, a Republican who represents a wide swath of Montana, is coming under fire for posing for a photo with a group of white nationalists, who claim they met with him recently while visiting the Capitol in Washington D.C.

Vernon Knoll, 93

Vernon Knoll, 93

County board looks at request for family cemetery

The property is just over 20 acres in size and contains a single-family dwelling, a guest cabin, a horse barn and an equipment barn.

Montana Senate passes public record request bill

Most state agencies presented with public records requests will have clear deadlines for compliance if Senate Bill 232 clears the Legislature and the governor’s desk.

Suspect in assault cases pleads guilty after federal grand jury indictment

Jose Angel Estrello, 40, pleaded guilty by way of an Alford plea Feb. 24 in one of two separate assault with a weapon cases brought against him over the summer.

Alleged meth, fentanyl dealer lands in federal court

Justin Jose Romo pleaded not guilty to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

Legals for March, 7 2023

Law roundup: Woman not a happy camper with alleged break-in

The Columbia Falls Police Department followed up with a woman who claimed someone got inside her camper, hid under her bed and “maced her” although she did not see anyone nearby.

Letters to the editor March 7

Letters to the editor March 7

Control of short-term rentals must remain local

The issues surrounding short term rentals are not going away. To the contrary, the problems are increasing as STR growth explodes across the country.

Dozens face domestic terrorism charges in Georgia incident

ATLANTA (AP) — More than 20 people from around the country faced domestic terrorism charges Monday after dozens of young men in black masks attacked the site of a police training center under construction in a wooded area outside Atlanta that has become the flashpoint of conflict between authorities and left-leaning protesters.

Columbia Falls High School boosts police presence after threatening email received

The Columbia Falls High School saw an increased law enforcement presence Monday morning after the school received a threatening email late Sunday night.

Longtime Montana political reporter Chuck Johnson dies

Charles S. “Chuck” Johnson, one of the state’s longest-serving statehouse journalists and widely known as the “dean of Montana political reporters,” died unexpectedly at his home in Helena on Saturday.

Thomas Caughlan, 71

Thomas Vaughn Caughlan, physician, friend, and family man, died at home of natural causes on Oct. 24, 2022. He was 71.

Law roundup: Coworker whacks man with a chair

Kalispell Police Department received a report that a man’s intoxicated coworker reportedly grabbed a chair during an argument and hit him with it, hurting their wrist.

Letters to the editor March 6

Letters to the editor March 6

Legals for March, 6 2023

Kalispell city council to weigh housing developments, labor agreements

The meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. at City Hall, 201 First Ave. E. Residents can also attend via Zoom.

Whitefish looks at next step for river path connection

City plans have long called for constructing an extension of the trail between Kay Beller Park north toward a section of the trail that runs between the river and the BNSF railyard.

Kehoe's Agate Shop owner talks gems, jewels and family history

Jack and Louise Kehoe opened the store in 1932.

Amazon pauses construction on 2nd headquarters in Virginia

The Seattle-based company is delaying the beginning of construction of PenPlace, the second phase of its headquarters development in northern Virginia, Amazon's real estate chief John Schoettler said in a statement.

Janis Hoffman, 72

Janis Hoffman, 72, stepped into the presence of her Saviour Feb. 25, 2023, after a courageous battle with ovarian cancer.

Lighting up the night sky

The aurora borealis lit up the skies of the Flathead Valley last week to the delight of both photographers and sky gazers.

China looks to consumers to drive economic rebound

Chinese leader Xi Jinping's agenda for this month's meeting of the ceremonial national legislature: Revive the economy by encouraging consumers to spend more now that severe anti-virus controls have ended.

Law roundup: Woman heated over gas fireplace issue

A woman allegedly thought a tenant in the process of moving out of a property that had a new gas fireplace installed, was tampering with or adjusting it, causing gas leaks.

Legals for March, 5 2023

Applications open for Montana State’s $75K Venture Competition

Applications are now being accepted for the $75K Venture Competition, which will be hosted April 20 by Montana State University’s Jake Jabs College of Business and Entrepreneurship and the MSU Blackstone LaunchPad.

Flathead Watercooler

Business events, trainings and seminars

Community briefs

West Valley Naturalists Program features photos; Learning Center holds fundraiser; Spring burning season opens; Community fundraiser for Lonepine Hall in Hot Springs; Community meals set; Kalispell Senior Center annual tea party

Nonprofit provides vehicles for those in need

Robert and Lacy Bradford, founders of the nonprofit Driving Hope, are fixing up donated vehicles and getting as many people as they can back into the driver’s seat.

Information blackout shrouds new reports of deaths, injuries and abuse at Montana State Hospital

BUTTE, Mont. — Jennifer Mitchell remembered getting a call nearly two years ago that her 69-year-old husband, Bill, had crashed his car and had been committed to the Montana State Hospital, the state-run psychiatric hospital for adults about 20 miles from their home in Butte.

Elton Ross Hoyt, 84

Elton Ross Hoyt, 84, passed away on Jan. 23, 2023, at St. Luke Community Hospital in Ronan. He was born June 21, 1938, in Polson to Edward E. Hoyt and A. Blanche (Howell) Hoyt.

Letters to the editor March 5

Letters to the editor March 5

No easy solution for Glacier’s crowding

Congressman Ryan Zinke raised some ears last week when he took to social media to publicly air his grievances with Glacier National Park’s ticketed entry program, flat out calling the online system “a total scam” that stacks the deck against locals.

Conservative legislation moving forward

The Leadership of the Montana House of Representatives is proud of the accomplishments the Republican led Legislature has achieved on behalf of the people of Montana in the first half of the legislative session.

NorthWestern Energy must be held accountable

On Aug. 8, 2022, NorthWestern Energy filed to increase retail electricity rates by 25%.

Stocks jump as Wall Street cruises to best day since January

Stocks rallied to send Wall Street to its best day in six weeks.

Dismantling of Bigfork’s ‘bridge to nowhere’ underway

After seven years of legal battles, Bigfork’s ‘bridge to nowhere’ is coming down.

Vernon Knoll, 93

Vernon Knoll, 93

New forest technology offers alternative to burning slash piles

Forest management activities are a major part of life in Northwest Montana; they create valuable products like lumber and employ many across the region.

Wildcats work OT for State A berth

Columbia Falls girls ousted with loss to Laurel

Hunter Goodman scored 15 points, including the go-ahead free throws in overtime, and the Wildcats beat Havre 82-74 Saturday at the Butte Civic Center.

Golden Triangle Brewing Co. makes move to new home in Bigfork

A love of good beer led the couple to open up their brewery in 2017 after having a landscaping business in Bigfork.

Thomas Caughlan, 71

Thomas Vaughn Caughlan, physician, friend, and family man, died at home of natural causes on Oct. 24, 2022. He was 71.

Co-op energy savings totaled $800,000 in 2022

Since 2009, the co-op’s efficiency programs have realized significant energy efficiency gains, totaling about 128,086-megawatt hours.

Ford to raise production as US auto sales start to recover

To help increase production, Ford last year said it would add a third shift and 1,100 jobs at its full-size van plant in Claycomo, Missouri, near Kansas City, and another 3,200 jobs related to building the F-150 Lightning which is made in Dearborn, Michigan.

The fatal flaw in community input

In conversations about government, it’s almost cliche to say, “The government closest to the people works best.”

In dry West, farmers balk at idling land to save water

With drought, climate change and overuse of the Colorado River leading to increasingly dire conditions in the West, the federal Bureau of Reclamation is looking at fallowing as a way to cut water use.

New life planned for Ol’ River Bridge Inn in Columbia Falls

The building is going through massive renovations under new ownership.

Loyal Murer, 88

Loyal "Pinky" Murer, of Bigfork, passed away Feb. 21, 2023. He was the eldest of four children born to Marion "Cy" and Florence Murer in 1934. He lived all his nearly 89 years in the Flathead Valley.

Carol Porter, 82

Carol Porter, 82

Hot Bulldogs cruise to boys consolation win

The Butte Bulldogs may have started slow at the Western AA boys basketball divisional, but they certainly got hot after that.

Chouinard, Bravettes win Western AA at buzzer

The Flathead Bravettes’ won a landmark Western AA title Saturday, on a buzzer-beating shot by Avery Chouinard that didn’t look good when it hit the rim. But then it hit the rim again. And again.

Big Sky girls upend Sentinel for third

The script got flipped on Missoula Sentinel’s girls Saturday: They started out with a rally, then lost to the comeback-minded Missoua Big Sky Eagles 43-39 in the Western AA third-place game.

Hellgate boys dominate first half, beat Glacier

The Missoula Hellgate Knights got a certain measure of revenge Saturday, beating Glacier 57-33 for the Western AA boys divisional basketball title at Flathead gym.

Wolfpack beats Helena, sets eyes on Western AA Title

The Glacier Wolfpack won a hard-fought battle with Helena 48-41 Friday night to clinch a spot in the Western AA divisional title game.

Glacier Park International Airport gets $7.3M for expansion project

Glacier Park International Airport is landing about $7.3 million in a grant from the Federal Aviation Administration, the funds slated to go toward the second phase of its expansion project.

Longtime liftie nears 50 years on The Big

Generations of skiers and snowboarders on the Big Mountain have enjoyed the same friendly face and warm smile when Chair 1 took them to the lift shack at the summit.

Glacier girls push Helena, bow out of Western AA

The Glacier Wolfpack made a push at the end of their Western AA girls basketball loser-out game Friday morning, but the Helena Bengals held on for a 54-50 victory.

Bravettes hold off Sentinel for trip to Western AA chipper

It was another tense victory for the Flathead Bravettes Friday, but with a wrinkle.

Butte ends Braves season

Butte and Big Sky moved on to loser-out semifinals by winning Friday at the Western AA boys divisional tournament.

U.S. to focus bison restoration on expanding tribal herds

U.S. officials will work to restore more large bison herds to Native American lands under a Friday order from Interior Secretary Deb Haaland that calls for the government to tap into Indigenous knowledge in its efforts to conserve the burly animals that are an icon of the American West.

Authorities arrest suspected leaders of local Pagan Motorcycle Club chapter

Flathead County authorities announced Friday the arrest of two men thought to be leaders of the local chapter of a motorcycle club linked to last month’s brawl in the Majestic Valley Arena.

Suspect in summertime attack given deferred sentence

errad Raymond Merrill, 30, pleaded guilty to felony criminal endangerment and misdemeanor partner or family member assault in December.

Opinions differ, but folks cordial at Columbia Falls growth workshop

So far this year there have been just a handful of building permits, as subdivisions have been completed over the years and the number of lots in the city has dwindled.

Legals for March, 3 2023

Sunburst mental health clinic closes amid Medicaid fraud investigation

Sunburst Mental Health’s Kalispell clinic closed its doors last month amid a Montana Department of Justice investigation into allegations of Medicaid billing fraud, nonprofit officials say.

Free the Seeds event cultivates agricultural learning

One of the featured speakers Alissa LaChance is the owner and operator of Dirt Rich Compost, an industrial scale compost company, where the focus is on regenerative agriculture.

Kalispell ag center hosts district competitive events

More than 200 FFA students from a dozen high schools around Montana recently converged at the H.E. Robinson Agricultural Education Center in Kalispell for a chance to earn a spot at state in March.

Zinke calls for end to Glacier’s reservation system

Montana Congressman Ryan Zinke has concerns about Glacier National Park’s reservation system, claiming it locks out locals.

Assault with a weapon charges in C-Falls case dropped

The two entered not guilty pleas at their subsequent arraignments, setting the stage for eventual jury trials.

Whitefish puts pause on new marijuana dispensaries

The ordinance prohibits the approval of new applications for administrative conditional use permits for marijuana dispensaries.

Law roundup: Tire change arouses suspicion

A man changing the tire of a pink bicycle while allegedly talking to himself drew the suspicion of a passerby, who called the Kalispell Police Department.

Covill, Knights stymie Glacier girls

It was a great start the Glacier girls put together Thursday morning, in the first game of the Western AA Divisional basketball tournament at Flathead High School.

Confident Wolfpack downs Big Sky again

Glacier’s boys again made pretty short work of Missoula Big Sky Thursday, defeating the Eagles 54-31 to make the semifinals of the Western AA Divisional at Flathead High School.

Flathead falls to Hellgate despite strong start

Missoula Hellgate fought off a scrappy start from Flathead to win 66-45 on the opening day of the Western AA basketball tournament at Flathead High School on Thursday.

Bravettes find a way

The Flathead Bravettes were up against it Thursday evening, trailing 47-40 to a feisty Butte squad intent on serving up the Western AA Divisional’s biggest upset.

Montana Legislature passes $1B in tax relief, rebates

Montana's Legislature has passed bills totaling over $1 billion in tax relief and rebates for state residents.

Flathead Lake north shore closed for seasonal waterfowl production

A seasonal closure started March 1 along a large portion of the north shore of Flathead Lake between Bigfork and Somers to support migrating and nesting birds, according to a release from Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.

Committee votes on four wolf bills as legislative deadline nears

The House Fish, Wildlife and Parks Committee voted on four wolf-related measures Feb. 28 ahead of a key legislative deadline. The committee narrowly approved two bills that would codify wolf trapping season dates and trappers’ ability to use neck snares in state law. The committee also tabled two wildlife advocate-backed measures related to a controversial hunter and trapper reimbursement program and the hunting and trapping of wolves near national parks.

Pennsylvania unseals more search warrant in Idaho killings

STROUDSBURG, Pa. (AP) — Law enforcement officials have revealed more details regarding items seized from the Pennsylvania home where they arrested a graduate student charged with stabbing four University of Idaho students to death.

House to consider harsher penalty for fentanyl trafficking

A bill that would level harsher penalties on convicted fentanyl traffickers passed the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday.

AA hoops: Bravettes' Moy fights back from knee injury

She played in every game as a freshman, and as a junior was critical to the Flathead Bravettes’ first State AA basketball trophy in 15 seasons. So when Maddy Moy went down with a torn ACL and meniscus at Gonzaga’s basketball camp in late June, she was determined not to stay down long.

Show celebrates work of artist Nancy Dunlop Cawdrey

The show Peaks, Plains, and Beyond celebrates Nancy Dunlop Cawdrey’s extraordinary career.

Rocky Mountain goat shatters world record

A special judges panel convened by the Boone and Crockett Club has confirmed a new world record Rocky Mountain goat.

Crisis stabilization facility in Polson closes

Western Montana Mental Health Center has announced the closure of Lake House, a facility in Polson that provides stabilization for patients undergoing mental health crises.

Phillips Gallery features abstract portrait artist

Her interest in art started at a young age and she was soon enrolled in art classes.

Grammy award-winning bluegrass band comes to Wachholz Center

The 2017 Grammy award winner for Best Bluegrass Album, Rhonda Vincent & The Rage, is coming to Kalispell in April.

Letters to the editor March 2

Letters to the editor March 2

Law roundup: Man just out enjoying the sunshine

A man lying on his back in the snow was reportedly thought to be unconscious by someone who reached out to the Columbia Falls Police Department.

Vocal supergroup Accent performs in Whitefish

An ensemble of six highly accomplished musicians from five different countries, Accent will perform on Thursday, March 9.

Malice, lies and market share

In a Montana Viewpoint article a month ago called “Marketing Anger” I wrote about the prevalence of anger as an economic force as well as a political force, saying, “There is also the economic aspect of anger such as increasing a show’s TV ratings and market share, not to mention increasing the salaries of individual anger merchants.”

‘Pickles’ rises to the top

We received a significant number of responses this week to our call for comic strip suggestions to replace “Dilbert.”

Mountainfilm on Tour comes to Flathead Valley

The tour will visit the Flathead Valley thanks to the Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation.

WTC double-feature theater enters closing weekend

The event includes “The Velveteen Rabbit” and “Bedtime Stories (As Told By Our Dad) (Who Messed Them Up).

Final speakers wrap up college series

An artist and creative director, an award-winning photojournalist and the creator behind a popular comic strip are the final three speakers for the Wachholz College Center Speaker Series.

Entertainment and Arts Events

WTC hosts adult prom; Ninepipes Museum opens for spring; Free concert; Conrad Mansion hosts fortepiano concert

Underground coal mine collapse injures 3 in Montana

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — Three workers were injured when part of an underground coal mine with a history of safety violations collapsed in southern Montana, authorities said Wednesday.

Kalispell superintendent to interview for top job in Missoula County Public Schools

Kalispell Public Schools' top administrator is expected to interview March 7 for the Missoula County Public Schools superintendent position.

Hunter who mistook dog for a wolf given deferred sentence

Amber Rose Barnes initially pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor count of cruelty to animals, but struck a deal with prosecutors in time for a Feb. 28 hearing in Flathead County Justice Court.

China dismisses FBI statement on COVID-19 lab leak theory

BEIJING (AP) — For the second day in a row, China on Wednesday dismissed U.S. suggestions that the COVID-19 pandemic may have been triggered by a virus that leaked from a Chinese laboratory.

12-week abortion ban and other restrictions surge through House committee

Republican lawmakers on the House Judiciary Committee greenlit bills to ban most abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy, add reporting requirements for medication abortions and increase medical interventions when non-viable infants are born alive — legislation all introduced within a week of a critical Friday deadline for transferring bills between chambers.

Bullying, tax breaks and ‘alien’ ballots: bills pass House hurdle as transmittal closes in

A bill that would give a tax break to top earners in the state looks likely to land on Gov. Greg Gianforte’s desk soon.

Samuel Leo Brandt, 73

Samuel Leo Brandt

Gary Heinrichson, 74

Gary Heinrichson

James LeRoy Hamilton, 82

James LeRoy Hamilton, 82

Law roundup: Gym patron not working out

The behavior of a male gym member left other patrons feeling uncomfortable, prompting an employee to contact the Columbia Falls Police Department.

Montana Indian Child Welfare Act passes key House vote

A legislative bill that would solidify protections for Native American children in Montana has gained support from the state’s House of Representatives, which approved the bill during its second reading Monday afternoon.

Kila fourth-grader places in Energy Share art contest

An award ceremony was held at Kila School honoring Kannin Crawford on Feb. 24.

Kalispell City Council debates tougher panhandling ordinance

Looking to Florida and Utah laws that fine both drivers and solicitors as potential examples, Kalispell City Council discussed Monday beefing up the municipality’s panhandling ordinance.

Bill banning vaccinated blood donations would ‘decimate’ blood supply, opponents say

A bill to ban donors who have received the COVID-19 vaccination from giving blood will “decimate” blood supply in Montana and leave patients at risk of even death, said opponents of House Bill 645.

Kalispell man accused of threatening Tester remains behind bars

Federal Magistrate Judge Kathleen DeSoto found that authorities had no way of guaranteeing the public’s safety were Kevin Patrick Smith, 45, released from custody following a Feb. 27 detention hearing in Missoula.

Man convicted of armed holdup gets 40 years in prison

A jury found Grant Alan West, 38, guilty of felony robbery, aggravated kidnapping and criminal possession of dangerous drugs in Flathead County District Court in December.

Legals for March, 1 2023

Eureka woman pleads not guilty to assault with a weapon charge

Chelsie Marie Morrison, 33, was arraigned Feb. 23 before Judge Danni Coffman on a single felony count of assault with a weapon.

Whitefish firefighter steps up to a challenge for cancer fundraiser

The annual Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Firefighter Stairclimb attracts 2,000 volunteer, career and retired firefighters from across the country and around the world.

Lady Griz survive 40 by Bea; Bobcats lose finale

MISSOULA — Idaho’s Beyonce Bea went off but the Vandals’ 3-point shooters did not, and the Montana Lady Griz pulled out an 85-82 Big Sky Conference basketball win Monday on Selvig Court.

Ashley Clay Drollinger, 60

Ashley Clay Drollinger