Spelling savant: Columbia Falls student wins county bee

Columbia Falls Junior High seventh-grader Lily Aveson is the 2024 Flathead County Spelling Bee champion. The winning word was “bereavement.” Runner-up was St. Matthew's School eighth-grader Matthew Bliven. Somers Middle School seventh-grader KorKor Collins placed third at the bee which was held Feb. 21 at Glacier High School. All three advance to the Treasure State Spelling Bee March 9 in Bozeman.