Community news
Fire season extended
The Flathead County Commissioners have voted to extend the fire season through the month of October. Open burning is prohibited throughout the county, except within the cities of Columbia Falls, Whitefish and Kalispell. Recreational campfires are allowed but must be no larger that four feet in diameter and must consist of materials less than three inches in diameter. For more information, call the county health department at 751-8130.
Chamber meets
Columbia Falls Area Chamber of Commerce will hold their general membership meeting at the Teakettle Community Hall on Nucleus Avenue on Tuesday, Oct. 9, from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. School District 6 superintendent Michael Nicosia will be the guest speaker, and the district’s new teachers will be introduced. Lunch costs $10. Reservations are not needed. For more information, call Carol Pike at 892-2072 or e-mail cpike@centurytel.net.
Chamber function
The Columbia Falls Area Chamber of Commerce will hold a nine-hole scramble and after-hours social at Meadow Lake Resort on Thursday, Oct. 11. The scramble will begin at 3 p.m. with a shotgun start. Cost is $20 with a cart. To RSVP, all 892-8729. The social will be hosted by ERA Lambros at Meadow Lake, National Parks Realty and Meadow Lake Homeowners Association at the Truby’s restaurant from 5 to 7 p.m. with appetizers and beverages.
Flu clinics
The Flathead City-County Health Department will hold a flu shot clinic at 3 Rivers EMS, 31 Seventh St. West, in Columbia Falls, on Tuesday, Oct. 9, from 9 a.m. to noon. Cost is $25. No child will be refused vaccine due to inability to pay. Regular clinics are held at the health department office in the Earl Bennett Bldg., 1035 First Ave. West, in Kalispell, on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. and on Wednesdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Free dinner
The United Methodist Church, 117 Second Street West, in Columbia Falls, will hold their free annual harvest dinner on Saturday, Oct. 6, from 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. with turkey and all the trimmings. Donations are accepted.
20th anniversary
Citizens for a Better Flathead will hold its 20th annual meeting with a celebration in Flathead Valley Community College’s Arts & Technology Bldg. on Friday, Oct. 12, from 6-9 p.m. Dinner will be prepared by The Culinary Institute of Montana at FVCC, and dance music will be performed by Andre Floyd and Mood Iguana. The watchdog group champions democratic principles, sustainable solutions, water quality and planning. Tickets are $30 per person until Oct. 8 and $35 after that. For reservations, call 756-8993.
W. Glacier trustee
The West Glacier Elementary School board of trustees is accepting letters of interest for an seat vacated by Harold Price. The appointee will serve until the May 2013 election, at which point an elected trustee will fill the seat through May 2014. For more information, call 888-5312.
Pet blessing
All Saints Episcopal Church, 2048 Conn Road, will celebrate St. Francis Day with their annual Blessing of the Pets on Saturday, Oct. 6, at noon. The church also pledges to pay half of the adoption fees for five adult dogs and five adult cats from local shelters. For more information, contact All Saints Episcopal Church at 862-2863.
Bake sale
The Columbia Falls Women’s Connection will host a crafts, baked goods and home-canned goods sale to benefit Stonecroft Ministries at the Columbia Falls Teakettle Community Room, on Nucleus Avenue, on Saturday, Oct. 6, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Homemade soups with bread will be served for $3 and pie for $2 a slice. All donations are welcome. For more information, call Sherry at 892-5990.
Poetry reading
Native American poet Lois Red Elk will present her poetry at Flathead Valley Community College’s Blake Hall, Room 140, on Monday, Oct. 8, at 3 p.m. FVCC published Red Elk’s book of poems, “Our Blood Remembers,” in 2011. She lives in Wolf Point and has been a television talk show host, radio broadcaster, actress, freelance writer; high school English, poetry and Native American language teacher, and currently an adjunct professor at Fort Peck Community College. For more information, contact Lowell Jaeger at 756-3907 or ljaeger@fvcc.edu.
IONS meets
The local Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS) community group will meet at the Bohemian Grange, 125 Blanchard Lake Road, in Whitefish, on Thursday, Oct. 11, at 7 p.m. Deborah O’Connor, an evolutionary astrologer, will present “Alchemy is afoot” and address theories about the nature of the year 2012. She was the editor and designer of “Northern Lights” magazine for 17 years. For more information, call 862-9591 or 862-7711.
Tourist workshop
The Crown of the Continent Research Learning Center and the National Parks Conservation Association will host a free sustainable business workshop at Glacier National Park’s Community Building in the Park Headquarters area on Wednesday, Oct. 10, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Lunch will be provided. Pre-register by calling Dylan Boyle at 406.599.7929 or e-mailing dylan@geotravelconsulting.com. For more information, visit online at http://glacierbusinessworkshop.eventbrite.com.
Judge forum
The Glacier Pachyderm Club will host two candidates for Flathead County District Court Judge for Department 3, Heidi Ulbricht and Vanessa Ceravolo, at the Red Lion Inn, in Kalispell, on Friday, Oct. 12, beginning at noon.
Metals class
Rod Cogliati will teach a 10-week adult class on “Introduction to Metal Working” on Friday evenings from Oct. 5 through Dec. 21. The class will cover safety, oxyacetylene brazing, cutting and welding, with some aluminum foundry. Classes will be held at the Columbia Falls High School metal shop from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Cost is $100. For more information, call Robin White at 892-6500.