Community news
Phone scam
Flathead Electric Cooperative advises the public that some members have received fraudulent phone calls from people posing as Co-op employees. The imposters ask the consumers to provide credit card or other financial account information over the phone and say that their service will be shut off unless payment information is provided immediately. This scam is of particular concern, because the Caller ID lists the number as belonging to Flathead Electric. It is not the policy of Flathead Electric to call and threaten members with immediate disconnect if there is a balance on their account. The Co-op follows a comprehensive series of procedures with regards to delinquent accounts to find an equitable solution for all concerned. For more information about protecting oneself from identity theft, visit online at www.ftc.gov/idtheft.
Merit scholarship
Ciera Finberg was recently named a commended student for the 2015 National Merit Scholarship Program. More than 34,000 students were named nationwide, and Finberg was in the top 2 percent in the nation. Finberg, a senior, is also a key member of the Columbia Falls volleyball and basketball teams.
The Wizard
Students at West Glacier Elementary School will perform the Missoula Children’s Theater musical “Wizard of Oz” at the school on Friday, Oct. 24, at 6 p.m.
Parents meeting
School District 6 will hold a Title 1 parent meeting for all parents and families at Columbia Falls Junior High School on Thursday, Oct. 23, starting with a spaghetti dinner at 5:30 p.m. Parents are asked to RSVP to their child’s school by Thursday, Oct. 16.
Pete Seeger tribute
Local musicians and folk music enthusiasts will honor the late folk singer and activist Pete Seeger in a public sing-along event at the Glacier Art Academy in Kalispell’s KM Building on Thursday, Oct. 23, at 7 p.m. Scheduled to perform are the Grin & Bear It String Clan, Dave Streeter and Bill Rossiter, along with some surprise guests. Admission is free, but donations will be accepted to offset costs of the event. Some of the songs Seeger popularized include “This Land Is Your Land, This Land Is My Land,” “If I Had A Hammer” and “Goodnight Irene.” Seeger passed away in January at age 94 after a long career that saw him as a fixture on national radio in the 1940s, included a string of hit records in the 1950s, mostly as a member of the Weavers, and followed up by five decades as a singer of protest songs and supporter of progressive causes.
Geocaching
Flathead Valley Community College and students in the Natural Resources Conservation and Management program will offer their second annual Geocache Adventure on the FVCC campus on Saturday, Oct. 18, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Geocaching is an outdoor recreational scavenger hunt using global positioning system (GPS) coordinates. The course will be designed for families and children ages 12-and-under with 10 caches hidden around the immediate campus. For more information, contact Relyea at 756-3946 or crelyea@fvcc.edu. More information on geocaching can be found online at www.geocaching.com.
Toastmasters
The Columbia Falls Speaks Toastmasters club will hold an open house meeting in the Freedom Bank basement conference room on Tuesday, Oct. 21, at noon. The club is dedicated to helping community members improve their leadership and communication skills. Refreshments will be provided. Regular meetings are held on the first, third and fifth Tuesday of every month from noon to 1 p.m. For more information, contact Kristi Hatfield at 892-2868 or visit online at http://798772.toastmastersclubs.org.
Senior docs
The Flathead Agency on Aging will offer a clinic on legal documents for citizens 60-and-older at the Whitefish Community Center, 121 East Second Street, in Whitefish, on Wednesday, Oct. 22, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Free legal assistance will be provided for beneficiary deed, durable power of attorney, declaration of living will, declaration of homestead and simple will. For reservations, call 758-2471.
Meals On Wheels
The Flathead County Agency on Aging is seeking volunteers of all ages to deliver Meals On Wheels to seniors who live in Flathead County from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on weekdays. For more information, call 758-5711.
Smorgasbord
Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, 401 Seventh Street West, in Columbia Falls, will hold a smorgasbord on Saturday, Oct. 25, from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. with turkey and dressing, meat balls, mashed potatoes with gravy, baked beans, fresh salads, homemade lefse and Scandinavian treats. Cost is $10 adults, $4 children 7-12, $2 children 3-6, and free for children under 3.
Economic development
The Columbia Falls Area Chamber of Commerce will hold its regular Economic Development Roundtable at the Backroom/Nite Owl in Columbia Falls on Tuesday, Oct. 21, at 7 a.m. SmartLam will make a short presentation. For more information, contact Carol Pike at 892-2072 or cpike@centurytel.net.
Water quality
The Montana Department of Environmental Quality will hold a public meeting to seek comments for its draft “Flathead-Stillwater Planning Area Nutrient, Sediment and Temperature TMDLs and Water Quality Plan” at the Red Lion Hotel in Kalispell on Thursday, Oct. 30, at 6 p.m. For more information, contact Christina Staten at 406-444-2836 or CStaten@mt.gov.
Trunk treats
North Valley Baptist Church, 1750 Talbot Road, in Columbia Falls, will hold its annual Trunk or Treat event on Halloween, Friday, Oct. 31, from 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Vets Home treats
The Montana Veterans Home will welcome trick-or-treaters on Friday, Oct. 31, between 6 and 7 p.m. Please no early arrivals.
Election on TV
MontanaPBS will present an in-depth documentary of U.S. House candidates Ryan Zinke, R-Whitefish, and John Lewis, D-Helena, on Saturday, Nov. 1, at 5 p.m. The documentary will explore their past, their characters and their politics. It also will discuss what the candidates hope to accomplish in a gridlocked Congress if Montana voters give them a chance to be the State’s lone representative. MontanaPBS also will present a documentary about U.S. Senate candidates Steve Daines, R-Bozeman, and Amanda Curtis, D-Butte, on Sunday, Oct. 2, at 10:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. The show will follow the two candidates on the campaign trail as they delve into issues they consider important to Montanans.