Community news

Free meals

The Columbia Falls Community Kitchen, a non-denominational organization, will offer free, hot meals in the basement of St. Richard’s Catholic Church from Tuesday, Jan. 28, through Friday, Jan. 31, beginning at 6 p.m.

Uptown zoning

The Columbia Falls City Council will hold a workshop to review the CB-4 zoning regulations for the uptown Nucleus Avenue business district in the City Hall council chambers on Monday, Jan. 27, at 6:30 p.m. The city has not proposed any changes at this time, but according to city manager Susan Nicosia, “From time to time, we hear comments that the regulations hinder business growth or development.”

Close-Up auction

An auction to raise money to send the Columbia Falls High School’s Close-Up club to Washington, D.C. will take place at the Blue Moon Nite Club on Friday, Jan. 31, beginning at 6 p.m. Dick Taylor will be the auctioneer. For more information, contact Dan Fairbank at the high school.

Chamber meeting

The Columbia Falls Area Chamber of Commerce will hold their monthly luncheon meeting at the Teakettle Community Hall, 235 Nucleus Avenue, in Columbia Falls, on Tuesday, Feb. 11, from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tina Oliphant, from Montana West Economic Development, will talk about new expansion in the Columbia Falls area. Oliphant will a gap financing tool available through a partnership between MWED and the city of Columbia Falls. Lunch is $10.

Free energy audits

NorthWestern Energy will offer free home energy audits in Columbia Falls, Hungry Horse and Browning on Wednesday, Jan. 29. In some cases, experts may, at no charge, install water-heater wraps, low-flow shower heads, low-flow faucet aerators and insulation for hot-water pipes. The free audits can be scheduled by calling 800-823-5995.

Metals class

Rod Cogliati will teach a 10-session Introductory to Metals class at the Columbia Falls High School from Jan. 31 through April 11 on Fridays from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The class will cover brazing, welding and cutting. Cost is $100. Class size is limited to 10. To register, contact Robin White at 892-6500.

Court hours

The Columbia Falls City Court of Record is open on Mondays through Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and closed on Fridays. Arraignments are held on Mondays at 9 a.m. except on federal holidays. Non-mandatory appearances and contract payments can made online at www.citypayusa.com. For more information, call 892-4340.

Lakeshore regs seminar

The Flathead County Planning Office will host a two-hour educational seminar on lake and lakeshore regulations in the Earl Bennett Building second floor conference room on Thursday, Jan. 30, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. The seminar will be tailored to lakefront property owners and contractors who do work on lakes and/or lakeshore protection zones, such as docks, swim platforms, patios, stairways, retaining walls, waterlines, etc. This is not a workshop or meeting on any updates or amendments to the regulations. For more information, contact Abbey Wellemeyer at 751-8200 or awellemeyer@flathead.mt.gov.

Sheriff’s academy

The Flathead County Sheriff’s Office will host two Sheriff’s Citizens Academy classes in 2014. The 10-week course will provide background information and the opportunity to drive fast, shoot guns and meet the officers who patrol the Flathead. The sheriff’s office will gain input from the public at the same time. Applicants must be over 18, live or work in Flathead County and have no criminal record. For more information or an application, visit online at http://flatheadcountysheriff.com or call 758-5602 or e-mail tbruyer@flathead.mt.gov.

Free film series

The Flathead Valley Community College’s Multicultural Affairs Office and the HeartLines Project will present a free two-day Salish and Kootenai film series in the large community meeting room inside the Arts and Technology Building. “Remembering the Songs,” a multi-media project that explores the music traditions of the Salish, Diné and Zuni people, will be shown on Monday, Feb. 3, at 6 p.m. “ReDefined Art & Identity,” which looks at the personal, cultural and professional insights of several Salish and Kootenai artists, will be shown on Tuesday, Feb. 4, at 6 p.m. HeartLines Project executive director Julie Cajune will lead a discussion directly following each film. Raffle tickets sold at each showing for a chance to win a notebook computer will support the FVCC American Indian Student Services Office. For more information, call Mick Stemborski at 756-3945 or e-mail mstembor@fvcc.edu.

Theology class

The Canyon Community Church, in Coram, in cooperation with Contender’s Bible School, will offer an in-depth survey of Christian Doctrine and Systematic Theology beginning Saturday, Feb. 1, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The course will meet most Saturdays through the spring for a total of 20 sessions. Contender’s Bible School equips men and women for ministry through an aggressive two-year program of Biblical and ministry-related subjects. There is no tuition charged for the class, but there is one required and several recommended text books that will need to be purchased. For more information, call 406-387-9452, or e-mail pastorken@canyon-community-church.org, or visit online at www.machias.org/bible-school.aspx.

Scrabble tournament

Literacy Volunteers of Flathead County will hold their annual Scrabble for Literacy fundraiser tourney at the Museum at Central School in Kalispell on Saturday, Feb. 8. Players can form teams of four and compete from 10 a.m. to noon or 1 to 3 p.m. Each four-person team is asked to collect $200 in pledges. To reserve a table, call 257-7323. For more information, visit online at www.literacyflathead.org.

Free tax help

AARP Tax-Aide will provide free help in preparing and electronically filing federal and state income tax returns for low to moderate income taxpayers to anyone of any age at the Gateway Community Center in Kalispell from Feb. 3 through April 15 on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. All volunteers are trained and certified through the IRS and must sign a confidentiality agreement. To schedule an appointment, call 407-8355.

Special Olympics

Special Olympics Montana will celebrate 19 years at Whitefish Mountain Resort with the 2014 State Winter Games on Feb. 23-25. Athletes train for a minimum of eight weeks in alpine skiing, snowboarding, cross-country skiing or snowshoeing to prepare for the games. More than 300 athletes are expected, along with 150 coaches from 25 communities across Montana and nearly 250 volunteers. The Parade of Athletes will take place on Central Avenue in Whitefish on Sunday, Feb. 23, at 4 p.m. Businesses or individuals interested in tournament sponsorship can contact Jim Lawrence at 406-216-5327 or jlawrence@somt.org.