Stories for April 2012

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Friday, April 27

April 27, 2012 3:25 p.m.

Commissioner candidate claims city, county experience

One of seven Republicans running for the late Jim Dupont’s seat on the Flathead County Commission, Mike Shepard says the most precious thing government officials are responsible for is “the intelligent use of people’s taxes.”

April 27, 2012 3:22 p.m.

Blue collar candidate wants to be a listener

Flathead County commissioner candidate Glenn Kolodejchuk says he has no agenda and just wants to see county government continue to make efficient use of taxpayers’ dollars.

April 27, 2012 3:18 p.m.

Five candidates compete for two school board seats

Five candidates are in the race for two 3-year positions on the School District 6 board of trustees this year, including the two incumbents.

April 27, 2012 8:22 a.m.

Hyatt drops out of commissioner election

Two candidates have dropped out of a crowded local election field.

Thursday, April 26

April 26, 2012 9:43 a.m.

Sidewalks planned for Sixth Street

April 26, 2012 6:47 a.m.

School district requests $405,000

April 26, 2012 6:31 a.m.

Ryden Klempel

Ryden Klempel was born March 1 at 8:09 a.m. to Vince Smith and Jessie Klempel of Bigfork at Kalispell Regional Medical Center. Ryden weighed 5 pounds, 6 ounces and was 17.5 inches long.

Wednesday, April 25

April 25, 2012 10:24 a.m.

Dot Ann Ricker

April 25, 2012 10:24 a.m.

Elroy Thompson

April 25, 2012 10:23 a.m.

Sharon Brown

April 25, 2012 10:20 a.m.

Golf course hits ground running

April 25, 2012 10:18 a.m.

Lady Dogs edge Dillon at net

April 25, 2012 10:16 a.m.

Health screenings coming to Lakeside

April 25, 2012 10:16 a.m.

Bulldogs split duals

April 25, 2012 10:15 a.m.

Academy part of statewide donation

April 25, 2012 10:11 a.m.

Bike path marred by graffiti tags

April 25, 2012 9:46 a.m.

City stands by infill policy

April 25, 2012 9:32 a.m.

Tutvedt defends legislative record

April 25, 2012 8 a.m.

Boys and girls track teams win at Libby - twice

The Columbia Falls track team took a liking to Libby last week, winning a dual with the rival school on April 17 and then the Libby Invitational on April 21.

April 25, 2012 7:56 a.m.

Johnson and Zvyagelskiy improve at doubles

The Columbia Falls boys tennis team lost to Libby and Glacier high schools last week, but the doubles team of Parker Johnson and Miroslav Zvyagelskiy continue to get better.

April 25, 2012 7:54 a.m.

Kats scratch Lady Loggers

The Columbia Falls girls tennis team downed Libby on April 17 by 5-2, but they had a tough time against Glacier High School, losing 7-1.

April 25, 2012 7:52 a.m.

C-Falls grapplers box well, too

Columbia Falls boxers went 2-3 during the third annual cross-town smoker April 19. The smoker raised funds for the Columbia Falls, Flathead and Glacier high school wrestling teams. Columbia Falls had four boxers in the event.

April 25, 2012 7:49 a.m.

James posting big numbers in college

Amber James is making her mark on the college softball stage. James, a 2009 Columbia Falls High School graduate, turned in some impressive numbers for the Spokane Falls Community College softball program.

April 25, 2012 7:48 a.m.

Marjorie Stevenson

Marjorie Jackson Stevenson, 85, passed away April 16, 2012, at Health Center Northwest in Kalispell.

April 25, 2012 7:48 a.m.

Youth softball blastoff day

The Columbia Falls Youth Softball Association will hold their annual Blast Off Day at the Columbia Falls High School softball fields on Saturday, April 28, with softball games playing from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Parents can pick up uniforms, and team photos will be taken. Scheduling for 2012 season is still underway. CFYSA is a group of coaches, umpires and parents who are actively involved in softball locally and throughout the state of Montana. For more information, visit online at www.wildkatsoftball.org.

April 25, 2012 7:47 a.m.

Elizabeth Tarr

Elizabeth Ann Tarr, 74, of Whitefish, died April 15, 2012, at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.

April 25, 2012 7:46 a.m.

Donna Allen

Donna Lee Allen, 66, passed away April 15, 2012, at Kalispell Regional Medical Center in Kalispell.

April 25, 2012 7:46 a.m.

Why run for political office?

I am often asked, “Why run for office given the present political environment of distrust, misrepresentation and personal attacks?”

April 25, 2012 7:45 a.m.

Candidate touts state senate leadership

I am Sen. Bruce Tutvedt. It has been my honor to serve as your Montana state senator for Senate District 3. I live and play in Senate District 3. As a lifelong resident of SD 3, my address and phone number are in the phone book for all to see. I am proud to farm the land my father and grandfather farmed before me.

April 25, 2012 7:42 a.m.

Pardon Joe Cosley - phooey

As always, columns about North Fork homestead days have generated the most positive comments from readers. That included columns this winter about early-day rangers Norton Pearl and Frank Liebig. I have to admit I had a little bit of a hidden agenda in writing about those two interesting men.

April 25, 2012 7:41 a.m.

Foreign relations

National media went wild this month and high ranking U.S. government officials went wilder after reports leaked out regarding Secret Service agents and military personnel bringing prostitutes into their hotel in Cartagena, Colombia.

April 25, 2012 7:39 a.m.

Tax credits should be voted on, not automatic

Good politics is not always good policy. Legislative Referendum 123 is a good example of that.

April 25, 2012 7:39 a.m.

Rehberg's sportsmen bill gets a mixed review

Rep. Denny Rehberg was co-sponsor of a bill in Congress last week that recognizes the right of hunters, fishermen and recreational shooters to use federal lands. But not all sportsmen are happy with the new legislation.

April 25, 2012 7:37 a.m.

Late April fishing sites abound in the Flathead

If you’re looking to get the kinks out of your fishing rod, here’s three spots that should provide good late April fishing action.

April 25, 2012 7:35 a.m.

Nonprofit teams up with Stoltze for summer camps

The Ravenwood Outdoor Center has been getting kids out in the woods for nearly a decade. Now, through a partnership with the F.H. Stoltze Land and Lumber Co., the nonprofit organization is bringing their summer programs to the North Valley.

April 25, 2012 7:35 a.m.

Talk to cover wolf-elk food web

The Crown of the Continent Research Learning Center at Glacier National Park will present a brown-bag lecture talk by Cristina Eisenberg on wildlife interactions at the Community Building in the Park Headquarters complex on Wednesday, May 2, from noon to 1 p.m.

April 25, 2012 7:34 a.m.

Crews plowing Sun Road alpine stretch

Park visitors will be able to travel a little farther this week when Glacier National Park crews are plowing the Going-to-the-Sun Road.

April 25, 2012 7:31 a.m.

Local photographer captures Park's vistas

Whitefish photographer Chuck Haney has made a career out of capturing iconic images of Glacier Park’s rugged landscapes.

April 25, 2012 7:28 a.m.

C-Falls woman gets 21 months for tax evasion

A 58-year-old Columbia Falls woman was sentenced in federal court in Missoula to 21 months in prison after she pleaded guilty on Jan. 4 to two counts of attempting to evade or defeat tax.

April 25, 2012 7:27 a.m.

Felony DUI charge amended

A 40-year-old former Columbia Falls man now living in Kalispell pleaded guilty on April 12 to an amended charge of felony criminal endangerment.

April 25, 2012 7:26 a.m.

Community news

Girl Scout meeting

April 25, 2012 7:25 a.m.

Two forums for judge candidates

• The Glacier Pachyderm Club will host a forum for Flathead County District Court judge candidates running for the position held by Judge Katherine Curtis at the Red Lion Hotel, in Kalispell, on Friday, April 27 from noon to 1 p.m. The candidates include Robert Allison, Bruce Fredrickson and Daniel Wilson.

April 25, 2012 7:25 a.m.

Gubernatorial candidates to debate

Candidates for Montana governor and lieutenant governor will be at the Whitefish Middle School auditorium for a “meet and greet” session and a debate on Wednesday, May 2.

April 25, 2012 7:19 a.m.

Local teachers head for Myanmar

Evan and Gretchen Miller, of Columbia Falls, have a nice house overlooking the Flathead River. Evan is a special education teacher at Ruder Elementary School. Gretchen teaches middle school English in Kalispell. They have two small children, a 10-month-old boy, Lawrence, who they affectionately call Wren, and a charming little girl, Louisa, 3.

Wednesday, April 18

April 18, 2012 12:47 p.m.

Follow the rules

Right now, in a seemingly endless election year, we have lots of candidates vying for the chance to represent us in various government positions that require them to uphold and respect our laws and regulations.

April 18, 2012 10:48 a.m.

Scott chosen as interim commissioner

April 18, 2012 10:35 a.m.

Lady netters off to good start

April 18, 2012 10:34 a.m.

Bulldogs sweep Libby on court

April 18, 2012 10:31 a.m.

David Banning

April 18, 2012 10:30 a.m.

William Ladvala

April 18, 2012 10:21 a.m.

Schools to run levy election

April 18, 2012 10:20 a.m.

Wild hair banned in classrooms

April 18, 2012 10:05 a.m.

Pickup bursts into flames, chars home

April 18, 2012 9:19 a.m.

Voter registration regulations

To vote in this year’s election in Flathead County, a person must be 18 years old or older on or before the next election, be a U.S. citizen, have resided in Montana and Flathead County for at least 30 days, and be registered to vote.

April 18, 2012 9:05 a.m.

Club promotes Bigfork outdoors

April 18, 2012 8:33 a.m.

Glacier Twins program name Murray new manager

Scott Murray has been hired as the new manager of the Glacier Twins AA Legion Baseball club. He replaces Lindsay Fansler who coached the team for two seasons.

April 18, 2012 8:31 a.m.

Wildkat netters go 1-2 for the week

The Columbia Falls girls tennis team was blanked by Polson and Hamilton last week, but they beat Stevensville 5-2.

April 18, 2012 8:30 a.m.

Boys tennis goes 0-3 on the week

The Columbia Falls boys tennis team is playing competitive matches in the early season, but the wins are proving a bit elusive.

April 18, 2012 8:25 a.m.

Track team improving as season progresses

The Columbia Falls track teams are beginning to find their form in this early season. The team competed in the non-scoring Flathead Time Trials in Kalispell on April 12 and traveled either to the Bigfork Invitational for a tune-up or the Missoula Invitational on April 14.

April 18, 2012 8:23 a.m.

Baseball in Montana, just in time

Baseball, like the swallows, is again moving north. It’s spring, and the national pastime, with its civility and elegance, is arriving in Montana just in time.

April 18, 2012 8:23 a.m.

Kats can the curse of the Pirates

The curse of the Pirates is over. The Columbia Falls girls softball team downed Polson on April 12 for the first time ever, 8-3. The Wildkats were helped by a stellar pitching performance from freshman Ashley Trueblood, who went the distance and allowed just five hits.

April 18, 2012 8:21 a.m.

Why run for political office?

I am often asked, “Why run for office given the present political environment of distrust, misrepresentation and personal attacks?”

April 18, 2012 8:20 a.m.

Schools deserve support from OPI

Few things are more important to a community than well-run and locally controlled schools. Virtually all school districts, along with teachers, parents and community leaders, strive to provide the education and training our children deserve with less money than in times past.

April 18, 2012 8:18 a.m.

Describes Columbia Falls in glowing terms

Brochure describing Columbia Falls in the fertile Flathead Valley, on the Flathead River, with majestic Montana mountain scenery, a city not in the mountains, yet of the mountains, was given to me by a friend.

April 18, 2012 8:17 a.m.

Research shows road closure benefits

Regarding the North Fork Views column in the April 11 Hungry Horse News (“Snowcats needed for winter rescue”), there is no debate about the need for snowmobiles for winter search and rescue operations. Snowmobiles have been used successfully in rescuing winter recreationists and can be effective in helping save lives.

April 18, 2012 8:16 a.m.

Sustaining everything sustains nothing

Sustainable is the environmental buzz word of the decade. The word is typically coupled with environmental resources regarding their maintenance, stewardship, and long term use. But what does it really mean?

April 18, 2012 8:15 a.m.

Jim Peterson

Jim Peterson, 89, of Lafayette, La., recently died.

April 18, 2012 8:15 a.m.

Canyon bike path fundraiser a success

The Gateway-to-Glacier Trail Steering Committee would like to express our gratitude for a successful fundraiser at the Stonefly Lounge on April 14. Because of the generosity of many business vendors in the north valley, local artisans and community members, the evening was a great success. Thanks to all the people who attended for an evening of good food and great music.

April 18, 2012 8:12 a.m.

Outdoor news

Kids fishing derby

April 18, 2012 8:12 a.m.

Constance Whaley

Constance Ruth Whaley, 100, passed away at Brendan House nursing home in Kalispell on March 31, 2012.

April 18, 2012 8:11 a.m.

FWP considering more liberal mountain lion quotas

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks released proposed quotas for mountain lion hunting in 2013-14 hunting season.

April 18, 2012 8:10 a.m.

Griz study underway

Government biologists are fanning out across Western Montana this month as they start up their grizzly bear pre-baiting and scientific capture operations.

April 18, 2012 8:10 a.m.

Outdoor program wants to get kids off the couch

An outdoor adventure program for children 6-16 years old who aren’t interested in traditional ball sports is moving into its second year in the Flathead.

April 18, 2012 8:09 a.m.

Resort posts record numbers despite December drought

Whitefish Mountain Resort closed their season April 8 with a settled base of 118 inches at the summit and 303 inches of total snowfall for the season — slightly above average and a big change from the dismal start to the season.

April 18, 2012 8:05 a.m.

Park plows are now past Loop on Sun Road

Glacier National Park plow crews are now beyond The Loop on the west side of the Going-to-the-Sun Road. The Camas Road is now open to vehicles.

April 18, 2012 8:03 a.m.

U.S. 2 options presented for Canyon

Proposals for a fix to traffic woes on U.S. Highway 2 through Bad Rock Canyon at a meeting last week ranged from tunnels to a series of bridges, but even if a final design is approved, construction is likely seven or more years away.

April 18, 2012 7:58 a.m.

Scott chosen as interim county commissioner

The Flathead County Commissioners on April 16 appointed Columbia Falls businessman Cal Scott to fill the interim commissioner position opened by the death of Jim Dupont on March 19. Scott, 68, was sworn in on April 17 and will hold the position until the end of the year.

April 18, 2012 7:57 a.m.

Hantavirus case confirmed in the Flathead

The Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services last week confirmed a case of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in a Flathead County resident. This case is one of 35 HPS cases reported in Montana since 1993. Montana typically sees one to two cases a year. This is the third in 2012, and county health officials are advising residents of steps they can take to protect themselves.

April 18, 2012 7:57 a.m.

Clean The Falls moves to Friday

Columbia Falls residents and business owners will meet at Glacier Bank on Friday, April 20, at 11 a.m. to begin a half day of spring cleaning around town.

April 18, 2012 7:56 a.m.

Community news

Talent show

April 18, 2012 7:53 a.m.

Firearms manufacturer likes the Flathead

From high-end hunting rifles and shotguns to precision military sniper rifles, Flathead Valley is growing into a recognized hub in the international firearms industry.

Sunday, April 15

April 15, 2012 4:20 p.m.

The job has never been boring

Ed Cumming retires after 26 years with the Forest Service

Wednesday, April 11

April 11, 2012 9:20 a.m.

Mary Jane Street

April 11, 2012 9:17 a.m.

Board plans for school construction

April 11, 2012 9:13 a.m.

Baldwin lone GOP candidate in HD4

April 11, 2012 9:11 a.m.

No deal on Karrow connector

April 11, 2012 9:10 a.m.

Commercial CUP fees lowered

April 11, 2012 9:06 a.m.

Ski season ends on high note

April 11, 2012 8:25 a.m.

Mack Days on pace to break record

April 11, 2012 7:59 a.m.

Williams signs with Carroll College

A post on the Carroll College Web site says it all: “We got him!”

April 11, 2012 7:58 a.m.

Arbor Day had humble beginnings

April is the month when many states celebrate a community tree-planting tradition that dates back 140 years. J. Sterling Morton first proposed Arbor Day as a tree-planting holiday on Jan. 4, 1872. The date was officially set for April 10, 1872, and, according to official records, more than 1 million trees were planted in Nebraska on the first Arbor Day.

April 11, 2012 7:57 a.m.

Opposes subsidizing corporations

One of my opponents in House District 3 has taken a stand that draws a clear line between his political philosophy and mine. He believes in subsidizing private industry and I don’t.

April 11, 2012 7:56 a.m.

Just another mouth to feed

I met an old friend of mine at the barbershop yesterday. We talked about time when there were tree huggers, the spotted owl, the eco-terrorists of sabotage. Also, the save our beautiful forests, and Wilderness Act, and forests being trampled by loggers that made locking up useless roads for review.

April 11, 2012 7:56 a.m.

Snowcats needed for winter rescue

Most of the North Fork, north of Canyon Creek, is now closed to snowmobilers. There are some exceptions, where unplowed roads are open.

April 11, 2012 7:55 a.m.

Likes Perry

I want to write something about the candidacy for House District 3. Zac Perry is a good one for the House District 3. Zac knows the public education and health care issues in Montana on hand. He is caring and wants people to tell him the issues. Please vote Zac Perry for House District 3.

April 11, 2012 7:54 a.m.

Six seek interim county position

April 11, 2012 7:54 a.m.

Protect the wild lands

The Wilderness and Roadless Area Release Act will be considered by the U.S. House of Representatives. Rep. Denny Rehberg is a co-sponsor of HR 1581.

April 11, 2012 7:53 a.m.

Canadian help

Many bills which come before the legislature have mutual agreement by both sides of the political aisle. It is only about 20 percent which are sensationalized in our newspapers and on television and usually get the biggest headlines.

April 11, 2012 7:52 a.m.

Joann Overcast

Joann (Braaten) Overcast, 75, died of natural causes on March 31, 2012, at Pondera Medical Center, in Conrad.

April 11, 2012 7:51 a.m.

Maxine Hoffman

Maxine Luce Hoffman, 84, passed away April 1, 2012, at her home in Columbia Falls.

April 11, 2012 7:50 a.m.

Outdoor briefs

Native plants

April 11, 2012 7:45 a.m.

Winter storms in spring a gamble for migrating birds

It’s only early April, still winter in Montana most years. Not this year, however, as spring is headed at us like a high speed freight train.

April 11, 2012 7:45 a.m.

Bull trout on the brink of extinction in the Flathead?

Recently, in opinion pieces published in many area newspapers and on numerous Web sites and blogs, Montana Trout Unlimited once again declared loudly and publicly that bull trout are on the brink of “extirpation” and that gill netting (killing) hundreds of thousands of lake trout will be the only thing that can save them. As I have said in the past, many of these published pieces are long on emotion and short on facts.

April 11, 2012 7:44 a.m.

Lake trout in the Flathead: The other side of the story

The column on non-native lake trout in Flathead Lake by Trout Unlimited in the Hungry Horse News on March 28 is misleading and inaccurate. I feel the “rest of the story” needs to be shared with you, our readers.

April 11, 2012 7:43 a.m.

A close call with ice at Duck Lake

Give it up. Ice fishing for this season, that is. Even if you find an area lake with some ice, chances are good that the ice is rotten.

April 11, 2012 7:41 a.m.

Park seeks comment on parking plan

Glacier National Park has released an environmental assessment on a proposed project to expand the parking lot at the Transit Center near Apgar.

April 11, 2012 7:39 a.m.

Park plows nearing Logan Creek

Glacier National Park plow crews made good progress last week, clearing the Going-to-the-Sun Road on the west side of the Park from Lake McDonald Lodge to beyond Red Rocks.

April 11, 2012 7:39 a.m.

Plans for high-tech panel plant moving forward

Economic development money that has been leveraged to more than $1 million through a revolving-loan program since it came to Columbia Falls nine years ago may soon be put to good use purchasing equipment for a new high-tech wood panel manufacturing plant here.

April 11, 2012 7:38 a.m.

School and military news

Music scholarships

April 11, 2012 7:36 a.m.

Challenger says incumbent not conservative enough

Education, jobs and shrinking government are the three planks in Jayson Peters’ Senate District 3 campaign platform. He also thinks it’s important for someone to defeat incumbent Sen. Bruce Tutvedt, R-Kalispell.

April 11, 2012 7:35 a.m.

Border limits raised for Canadian shoppers

New rules for Canadian travelers crossing the U.S.-Canada border will go into effect on June 1. The new rules could help Flathead businesses where Canadian visitors shop.

April 11, 2012 7:35 a.m.

Council gets first look at new chicken regs

Columbia Falls residents may soon be allowed to raise chickens on small city lots, and investors considering a microbrewery here may soon have the needed zoning in place.

April 11, 2012 7:34 a.m.

Glacier Park band to perform at Canyon bike path fundraiser

The Gateway-to-Glacier business group will hold a fundraiser for its proposed bike path from Coram to West Glacier at the Stonefly Lounge, in Coram, on Saturday, April 14.

April 11, 2012 7:34 a.m.

Mack Days could set a new record

April 11, 2012 7:32 a.m.

Community news

Community choir

April 11, 2012 7:30 a.m.

A new life for old bikes

When Vincent Erickson was eight years old, he and a few friends had an old bike they wanted to fix up. The friends eventually abandoned the project, but Erickson ended up with all the parts and finished it. Then he started work on another bike, and another bike.

April 11, 2012 7:29 a.m.

Cyclists to pedal for two charities

April 11, 2012 7:28 a.m.

Barbara Jean Bolles-Meeker-Evans

Barbara Jean Bolles-Meeker-Evans, born May 18, 1927 in San Francisco, Calif. passed away April 2 in Kalispell.  During her 84 years she was the beloved daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Walter E. Bolles; sister of Dr. Robert Bolles; wife of Harry F. Meeker; mother of Sharon (Barnes), Susan (Cabrera), Kerry Meeker and Pamela (Mullens).  Embarking on a life-long wanderlust, she finally settled in Montana with her late husband, Vietnam veteran Arvis Dale Evans, and will be laid to rest alongside him at Lonepine Cemetary behind The Little Brown Church in Bigfork.  Throughout her life she has been “precious in the sight of the LORD.”  Psalm 116:15.

Wednesday, April 4

April 4, 2012 12:20 p.m.

Whitefish Zooniacs explore wild kingdom

A group of Whitefish kids have a passion for animals and zoos that they enjoy sharing in an online radio show.

April 4, 2012 10:03 a.m.

Mack Days enters its third week

April 4, 2012 9:47 a.m.

Potato Olympics held at Muldown

April 4, 2012 9:40 a.m.

Prom was a big success

April 4, 2012 9:39 a.m.

Miller a good choice for governor

April 4, 2012 9:34 a.m.

Melvin Nix

April 4, 2012 9:33 a.m.

Edward J. Ping

April 4, 2012 9:24 a.m.

Council pencils out TIF priorities

April 4, 2012 9:13 a.m.

Helping create new smiles

April 4, 2012 9:09 a.m.

Airport installs full body scanner

April 4, 2012 8:50 a.m.

Ravenwood raises scholarship funds

April 4, 2012 8:49 a.m.

More legacy land becomes public

April 4, 2012 7:56 a.m.

Kats go 2-1 to open season

The Columbia Falls girls softball team opened their season with a 2-1 mark last week. The Wildkats walloped Whitefish on March 29 at home 21-0. On Friday, they got past Glacier High School 8-7 after a four-run rally in the sixth inning, but on Saturday, Polson downed the Kats 14-1.

April 4, 2012 7:53 a.m.

Wildcats win C-Falls invite title

The Columbia Falls boys track team started the season where it left off last year — in first place. The Wildcats edged Thompson Falls by 10 points to win the Columbia Falls Invitational at home March 31.

April 4, 2012 7:51 a.m.

Boys tennis rolls over Ronan, girls have tougher time

The Columbia Falls boys tennis team rolled over Ronan Chiefs on March 27, winning 7-0.

April 4, 2012 7:50 a.m.

Summer swim league welcomes new coach

The Columbia Falls summer swim team will see a changing of the guard this season. Mike Nelson, who coached the team last season, has stepped down.

April 4, 2012 7:49 a.m.

Gated Forest roads help wildlife

In the North Fork News column of March 7, Larry Wilson wrote that search and rescue (SAR) training has been “limited in recent years due to Forest Service closure of most public lands in the area.” Unless the Forest Service has been closing all access to large blocks of public lands, this statement is a gross distortion of facts.

April 4, 2012 7:48 a.m.

House stalling on needed bill

A decision in the U.S. House of Representatives may have a disastrous impact in Montana that could result in teachers and road workers across our state losing their jobs.

April 4, 2012 7:47 a.m.

Bear meat was his main diet

Even before Norton Pearl made his snowshoe circuits of Glacier National Park, Frank Liebig was there. They must have known each other since Liebig worked for the Forest Service for 33 consecutive years, from 1902 until 1935, when he retired.

April 4, 2012 7:40 a.m.

Revisiting Harper's Index

Missed getting in a column last week. Not a sign of aging, I hope, but rather a very busy time on other matters. Think it might be the first “forgot” in more than 10 years. Still hectic this week, including excitement of preparing income tax. Please enjoy an “oldie” from 20 years ago with personal comments on Harper’s Annual Index Report:

April 4, 2012 7:33 a.m.

Vicki Rae Brown

Vicki Rae (Matthews) Brown, 60, passed away March 25, 2012, at her home in Coram after fighting a courageous battle against cancer.

April 4, 2012 7:30 a.m.

Montana's national parks buck U.S. trend

A pair of Montana State University researchers say they were surprised at how much growth and development has taken place around national parks across the U.S., but they point out that the numbers are much lower for Glacier and Yellowstone national parks.

April 4, 2012 7:28 a.m.

Glacier National Park plows hit the Sun Road

Glacier National Park crews have begun the annual task of clearing its roads of snow. Crews began plowing the west side of Going-to-the-Sun Road on Monday starting at Lake McDonald Lodge.

April 4, 2012 7:27 a.m.

Outdoor briefs

Park talk

April 4, 2012 7:24 a.m.

Zipline project proposed for West Glacier

A proposal to build a zipline system and ropes course in West Glacier is scheduled to go before the Flathead County Planning Board on April 11.

April 4, 2012 7:21 a.m.

C-Falls man sentenced for vehicular assault

A 22-year-old Columbia Falls man was given two seven-year sentences with the Montana Department of Corrections last week for felony criminal endangerment and probation violation.

April 4, 2012 7:19 a.m.

Candidate says he has the needed background

Columbia Falls businessman Kirk Gentry says he was reading the newspaper two weeks ago and saw the filing deadline posted for candidates interested in running for the late Jim Dupont’s county commissioner seat.

April 4, 2012 7:17 a.m.

Candidate wants to stop abortions

Suzanne Brooks, a Whitefish candidate for Senate District 2, says she was raised a Democrat.

April 4, 2012 7:16 a.m.

Second man sentenced in Hungry Horse assault case

The second man charged in the May 2011 assault of a man in Hungry Horse over an alleged drug debt and a high-speed pursuit in October was sentenced last week to felony robbery and drug charges.

April 4, 2012 7:16 a.m.

Shaw leaves public works job in Kalispell

Former Columbia Falls city manager Bill Shaw left his new job as Kalispell’s public works director on March 30 after less than one year on the job.

April 4, 2012 7:15 a.m.

School and military news

Outer space

April 4, 2012 7:14 a.m.

Community news

Cancer fundraiser

April 4, 2012 7:11 a.m.

Noricks garner top state science fair awards

They say that great minds think alike. In this case, those minds are Colter and Colin Norick. The Columbia Falls brothers recently won the state science fair in their age categories.