Community news
The 18th annual Columbia Falls High School Summer Jazz Camp will take place through Thursday, July 28, from 9 a.m. to noon for students entering grades 7-12. The camp will include the school's jazz band, small ensembles, improvisation and a barbecue on the last day. Cost is $45. For more information, call Karen Ulmer at 892-6500 ext. 267 or 892-2487.
The Gateway to Glacier Trail group, partnering with Rails to Trails of Northwest Montana, in Kalispell, will host the inaugural Pints for Paths Brewfest on Saturday, Aug. 6, in West Glacier. All profits will go to building the Glacier to Gateway Trail from Badrock Canyon to Glacier National Park and to provide matching dollars for state and federal grants available for trail systems. At this point, a separated trail runs along U.S. 2 from Hungry Horse to Coram. The current effort is to build an 8-mile trail from Coram to West Glacier. For more information, contact Val Parsons at 387-5282, by e-mailing valannparsons@yahoo.com or by mailing P.O. Box 450 West Glacier MT 59936.
To celebrate the Columbia Falls Community Garden's first season in operation, the First Best Place nonprofit organization will hold a family-style dinner from the Palette Cafe at the garden at River's Edge Park on Saturday, Aug. 13, with dinner from 5-7:30 p.m. followed by a concert from 7:30-9 p.m. Cost is $25 per plate, $15 for kids 6-12, free for kids under-6. RSVP by calling 892-1363.
Laura Law, a Native Plant Society member, will be talk about native plant gardening during the band breaks at the Columbia Falls Farmers Market on Thursday, July 28. She will introduce people to the native plant shade garden at the Discovery Square Center, in Columbia Falls, and host a scavenger hunt suitable for children 10-years-and-older to learn how to identify some of the native plants. She will also talk about inexpensive ways to start a native plant garden at home.
Country singer Dave Stamey will perform at the Gentry River Ranch, on the Flathead River off Columbia Falls Stage Road, on Friday, Aug. 5, beginning at 6:30 p.m. Stamey has worked as a cowboy, mule packer and dude wrangler. The Western Music Association several times has awarded him entertainer or the year, male performer of the year and songwriter of the year. Tickets are $20, which includes wine, beer and prizes. For more information, call 892-1464 or visit online at gentryriverranch.com.
Columbia Falls City Court Judge Tina Gordon recently completed the 32nd annual Education Conference of the National Judges Association held in Grants Pass, Ore., on June 20-24.