Man allegedly threatened to ‘shoot up' churches, had sniper nest on a property
A rural Columbia Falls man faces felony charges after he allegedly threatened to “shoot up” churches and kill a former partner.
Neighbors unhappy with subdivision near Columbia Falls, but state says developer following law
Members of a rural Columbia Falls homeowners association are raising concerns about a subdivision near Meadow Lake Resort, but the developer says it’s following state law and the state Department of Environmental Quality agrees.
Meals on Wheels seeks volunteers in Columbia Falls
Karene Manus loads the food into her truck and is off. She has deliveries to make on this sunny Friday. Today she will visit nine housebound older folks who rely on her for their weekend meals.
Plane that crashed into Hungry Horse Reservoir last year ran out of gas
A plane that crash-landed into the Hungry Horse Reservoir last November ran out of fuel, according to a National Transportation Board investigation published Oct. 10.
Grain spill near Glacier National Park cleaned up, BNSF says
BNSF Railway says it has removed all the railcars that derailed from its tracks on the border of Glacier National Park and the soybeans that spilled have been cleaned up.
Bill for school flooding in Columbia Falls will exceed $1 million
The cost of flooding at Columbia Falls High School this summer will exceed $1 million in insurance claims, District Clerk Dustin Zuffelato reported to the School District 6 Board at a recent meeting.
Longtime Washington officer takes reins of Columbia Falls Police Department
A veteran law enforcement officer from Yakima, Washington is the new Columbia Falls Police Chief. Chad Stephens was recently appointed to the post by the Columbia Falls City Council.
Freight train derails on border of Glacier Park
Several BNSF Railway train cars carrying what appeared to be corn derailed along the border of Glacier National Park about 2 miles east of the Goat Lick area Saturday.
Man killed in Columbia Falls shop explosion
One man is dead and another injured after a shop exploded and burned on Kokanee Bend in Columbia Falls on Tuesday evening.
Chris Moritz’s eye for bringing beauty to spaces is impeccable
Japanese anemone. Rudbeckia, Forsythia. Hydrangea. Iris. Coral Bells and day lilies. And geraniums, a blanket of them.
Father of man rescued from the Middle Fork of the Flathead River thanks searchers
Ken Card wants to give a big thank you to Two Bear Air, the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office and the Triple G Resort at Stanton Creek for help in rescuing his son.
Former outfitter pleads not guilty to Alaska grizzly killing
A former Hungry Horse guide and outfitter pleaded not guilty on all three counts of an indictment that charged him with illegally killing and transporting a brown bear in Alaska.
Weyerhaeuser plant in Columbia Falls marks 50 years of operation
In 1974, Plum Creek, a subsidiary of the Burlington Northern Railroad, built the area’s first fiberboard plant. The idea was to make sawdust and other wood waste into a usable product using adhesives and high-pressure hot presses.
Iconic Columbia Falls bar closes its doors
An iconic Columbia Falls watering hole is no more. Columbia Bar owner and developer Mick Ruis said he closed the saloon after business hours on Sept. 17.
Study will look at Columbia Falls' housing needs
Columbia Falls will undergo a comprehensive housing study that will not only look at the housing market, but survey employers, study the impacts of vacation rentals and second homes, and a host of other factors affecting the city’s housing needs.
Columbia Falls' budget calls for tax increases
The Columbia Falls City Council approved a 2024-25 budget last week that calls for a tax increase on homes and properties in the municipality owing to the addition of a police officer and a bump -- in some cases significant -- in overall expenses.
Rendezvous bar opens in the Coop in Columbia Falls
Columbia Falls has a new bar and one that takes pains to support local businesses. The Rendezvous bar in The Coop on Highway 2 in Columbia Falls features more than 11 local businesses, including several distilleries, breweries and others. It even has locally made coffee from Uptown Hearth, noted manager Jackie Evans.
Group wants hazardous waste landfill for CFAC cleanup
The Coalition for the Clean CFAC will urge the Environmental Protection Agency to consider a different cleanup plan for the old aluminum plant.
Administrators working to find alternative classrooms after Columbia Falls High School suffers water damage
Columbia Falls High School students could be going to elementary school this fall. They might also end up in the library or the front of the gym.
State wildlife officials say wolf numbers holding fairly steady
The wolf population in Montana remains healthy, according to the 2023 Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Wolf Report.
Columbia Falls selects Utah man for city manager position
The former finance director for the city of Moab, Utah has been tapped to be the new city manager of Columbia Falls.
Lapping it up: Columbia Falls woman logs 50 miles in city pool
By the time you read this story Carolynn Moritz will have swum 50 miles in the Pinewood Park this summer. Catching up with her at the Columbia Falls city pool, she figured she would likely wrap up the effort this week.
Historic North Fork ranch up for sale for $30M
The Rocky Bar O Ranch, founded by the Ladenburg family in the 1800s is being listed for $30 million.
Coalition opposes calls urging EPA forward on CFAC cleanup plan
The Coalition for a Clean CFAC expressed disappointment in a recent Flathead County commissioner letter urging the Environmental Protection Agency to move forward with a Record of Decision on a cleanup plan for the defunct aluminum plant.
Grant funds new skatepark in Columbia Falls
A skateboard park is officially coming to Columbia Falls.
Glacier Drive project nearly complete
The drive to Polebridge is a little easier this summer and should get even better by the end of the month.
Glacier Park seeing high number of no-shows at North Fork
Glacier National Park’s reservation system for the North Fork is working, but not the way the park had hoped, Deputy Superintendent Pete Webster told North Forkers at the Interlocal meeting last week.
Fixing Fifth Avenue top street project for Columbia Falls in upcoming budget cycle
Fixing Fifth Avenue West is one of the top projects for Columbia Falls in the upcoming '24-'25 budget cycle.
New Columbia Falls floral shop a family affair
There’s a new floral shop on Nucleus Avenue, operated by a local family with roots in West Glacier.
Woman lucky to be alive after tree harpoons her car
A lightning strike sent a portion of a tree into Kaitlin Hagadone's Saturn Ion on July 1.
Glacier Park home on market for $15 million
A home on Lake McDonald in Glacier National Park has hit the open market. While other properties in Glacier have been sold in the past few years, none have had the expansive views afforded by the Graff family estate, a modest home at the foot of the lake.
County officially takes over Columbia Falls' doughnut
The Flathead County commissioners on Thursday unanimously voted in favor of interim zoning for the former doughnut of properties around the city of Columbia Falls.
Scientist unlocks mystery of nutrient surge in Lake McDonald
In 2018 the water quality in Glacier National Park’s Lake McDonald had scientists concerned.
Police Chief Clint Peters named interim Columbia Falls city manager
A familiar face in city government will run the day-to-day operations of Columbia Falls – at least for a little while.
Residents still skeptical of CFAC cleanup after tour
Busloads of people toured the Columbia Falls Aluminum Co. Superfund site on June 12 as the company and government officials explained how a slurry wall containment system might work at the site.
Montana Supreme Court upholds closing down of Whistlestop Retreat
The Montana Supreme Court has largely upheld a lower court’s decision that effectively shut down a resort on the shores of Lake Five in West Glacier.
Court gives neighbors say in Glacier National Park inholder lawsuit
A group of West Glacier residents have been given intervenor status in a federal case involving a private home allegedly built illegally on the banks of McDonald Creek in Glacier National Park.
Columbia Falls City Council moves ahead with Railroad Street affordable housing project
The Columbia Falls City Council last week formally voted to move forward with a housing project at the baseball field on Railroad Street.
16 years after buying a slice of paradise, Columbia Heights family learns home is on a toxic site
When the Sterling family bought their home in Columbia Heights in 2008 they figured they had a little bit of paradise.
Juveniles arrested for vandalism at Columbia Falls wrestling academy
The Columbia Falls Police Department recently arrested and charged four juveniles with a rash of vandalism in Columbia Falls, including damaging and destroying property at the Ruis Wrestling Academy and the Boys and Girls Club.
EPA says it would be tough to remove all of the waste at CFAC
The Environmental Protection Agency made its strongest case yet for a “waste in place” solution for the cleanup of the Columbia Falls Aluminum Co. Superfund site during a public meeting last week.
Apgar Lookout: Early season jaunt a great way to get in hiking shape
The Apgar Mountain Lookout Trail is one of those trails to hike first thing in the season because it’s easy to get to and it’s a good conditioning trail, which is to say it exposes you to elevation gain in a hurry over its 3.5 miles.
Vandals ransack Columbia Falls wrestling academy over weekend
Vandals struck the Boys and Girls Club and the Ruis Wrestling Academy over the weekend, doing thousands of dollars in damage.
Columbia Falls city manager candidate had ethics issue at previous job
Columbia Falls city manager candidate Dennis Stark was the subject of an ethics investigation while serving as county manager for Lyon County, Nevada and ultimately was sanctioned $1,000 by the Nevada Commission on Ethics in 2012.
Columbia Falls School District seeks support for roof replacement levy
Columbia Falls Public Schools will make a public push to inform voters about an upcoming building reserve levy request to fix the roof on the classroom wing of its high school.
Columbia Falls will continue to explore affordable housing at Railroad Street
Columbia Falls City Council earlier this month gave the nod to moving forward with an affordable housing project at Railroad Street after hearing some assurances from a Habitat for Humanity representative that the houses would be affordable and would remain that way through their lifespan.
Columbia Falls Boys and Girls Club moves into former school
The Boys and Girls Club in Columbia Falls has moved into a new location at the former Glacier Gateway Elementary School.
Columbia Falls developer Mick Ruis to buy CFAC site
The Columbia Falls Aluminum Co. has agreed to sell 2,400 acres of land it owns to Columbia Falls developer Mick Ruis.
Glacier National Park crews plowing Two Medicine Road
It’s that time of year again — Glacier National Park has started plowing the Two Medicine Road and will begin plowing the Camas Road Monday, April 1.
Columbia Falls outfitter testifies on impacts of climate change to business
Columbia Falls outfitter and guide Hilary Hutcheson testified before the U.S. Senate Budget Committee last week on the effects of climate change to the outdoor industry.