Wednesday, December 25
Christmas dinner at the VFW
The Bigfork VFW Post 4042 will host a free Christmas Dinner Wednesday, Dec. 25 from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. There will also be a raffle for an Oculus gaming system, with proceeds going to fund future community programs at the post.
Flathead Electric Co-op hopes to encourage new linemen with two $5,000 scholarships
Flathead Electric Cooperative’s Board of Trustees recently established two $5,000 scholarships to support local students interested in attending the Pre-Apprentice Line Program at Highlands College at Montana Technical University – better known as Montana Tech in Butte. These scholarships are funded by the member-owned, not-for-profit cooperative’s unclaimed capital credits.
Staying ahead of human-bear conflict
Recently in the Swan, an adult female grizzly bear was caught and collared for flipping dumpsters. The bear, identified in MT Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) records as #1180, was first captured in the summer of 2023 as a non-target bear and radio collared as part of an effort to determine if she had a history of conflict. The collar unfortunately malfunctioned shortly thereafter and FWP was unable to determine where she moved.
Flathead County has until Dec. 31 to approve state-backed housing program
Funds available to Flathead County through a state program are desperately needed to address a shortage of workforce housing, advocates say, but with the clock ticking county commissioners appear unlikely to approve it.
The scenery tax
Remember the “scenery tax”? We used to joke that it was the tax we paid in the form of low incomes for living in a place as remote and beautiful as Montana. Well, now we are paying higher property tax because our scenery has become a marketable commodity for the people who have been buying up our state.
PHOTOS: Bigfork Schools Christmas carolers
Photos from Bigfork Schools' Christmas choir performances
Bigfork’s Lake View Care Center reopens under new management
“There is a huge aging population in the Valley. Bigfork, Kalispell and even in our surrounding areas like Libby and whatnot; just generally in the entire world, the aging population is getting older and needs some place to go if they can’t live at home anymore,” administrator Amber Gray said.
BLUAC discusses future Neighborhood Plan meetings
Bigfork Land Use Advisory Committee discussed how future Bigfork Neighborhood Plan meetings will be held during their Thursday, Dec. 19 meeting.
Wednesday, December 18
Watch your wallets
Here we go again. Guess they thought that 2023 didn’t hurt the middle class enough.
Rotary Club bringing ‘Pad Party’ to Guatemala
A group of Montanans is helping bring feminine hygiene education to Guatemala next month, a “Pad Party.” They’re looking for more participants and donated materials.
Draft EA and discharge permit for new Lakeside wastewater facilities released
Lakeside County Water and Sewer District is seeking to expand their operations to handle aging infrastructure and an influx of population, with hopes to begin construction in 2025.
Man killed in rollover crash on Highway 35
The 50-year-old from Layton, Utah was driving a Hummer H2 northbound on Montana 35 near mile marker 28 when his SUV crossed the centerline and ran off the roadway, according to a Montana Highway Patrol accident report.
PLC hard at work in Bigfork schools, elections upcoming
Second grade teachers Mandy Fausset and Jennifer Gustavson presented with high school science teacher Vicki Heupel as part of a professional learning community designed to improve teaching and learning.
Lake County at ‘breaking point’ for housing prisoners
Lake County released a person from jail who later went to a relative’s home, set it on fire with gasoline and tried to fire a crossbow at a person because the former prisoner was convinced his relative was possessed by the devil.
Fishing community says 10-year rafting and outfitting permits deserve more input
The Forest Service received more than 30 comments on its plan to renew special use permits for commercial rafting and fishing outfitting on the Middle and North Forks of the Flathead River.
Swimmers dive into season with new head coach
“I am excited for the season,” new head coach Chad Cummins said. “We are a pretty young team, so I think there is lots of nervousness and excitement all around.”
HAPPENINGS: Elementary caroling, Swan Valley bird count, BLUAC
Elementary school caroling at Christmas tree downtown, 1 p.m.
BLOTTER: Truck catches fire with ammo inside
A truck with ammunition inside was reported on fire in Marion, dispatchers could hear shots going off.
Wednesday, December 11
PHOTOS: Parade of Lights
Pictures from Bigfork's Parade of Lights Saturday, Dec. 7. (Avery Howe/Bigfork Eagle)
There is no simple solution to property taxes
Property tax rates don’t work like income taxes or sales taxes. If you have a 25% income tax rate and you make an additional $10,000 of income, your additional income taxes would be $2,500. Simple. And you get similar results in a sales tax.
Bigfork Fire Department to seek bond for new station on May ballot
Bigfork Fire Department will attempt to get a new fire hall on the May ballot in hopes of beating an ongoing struggle with funding.
State Supreme Court upholds ruling on Flathead Reservation criminal jurisdiction
The Montana Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld a district court ruling against Lake County, which had argued the State of Montana should reimburse the local government for federal criminal oversight on the Flathead Reservation.
BLOTTER: Paid to clean someone else's house
A caller in Bigfork reported fraud, claiming they paid to have a residence cleaned and arrived to find another family living there.
Wreaths Across America in Bigfork, CFalls
Bigfork area community members are invited to participate in Wreaths Across America, on Saturday, Dec. 14. Volunteers will meet at the Little Brown Church at 125 Swan Hwy at 9 a.m. to help place wreaths on local veterans’ graves. A
Blacktail ski area to open for season on Friday
The ski area will be open Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., with the Olympic Chair, Thunderhead Chair to the midway station and the Magic Carpet scheduled for operation. The Crystal Chair and additional terrain will open as conditions permit, a press release stated.
SVC teaches winter tracking and sign classes
Participants will learn about gait patterns, measuring the stride and straddle between tracks, signs other than tracks to be on the lookout for, and gain knowledge of some of the common behaviors of local wildlife.
Wrestling sees fresh faces on the mat, new head coach
Bigfork wrestling opened their season at Polson’s Owen Invitational last week with new head coach Clay Woll.
Basketball’s first varsity games on the road Friday in Frenchtown
There are high hopes for the hoopers this year at Bigfork High School, with the Valkyries coming off a second-place finish in their first year of Class A play.
Bigfork Playhouse Children’s Theatre presents ‘White Christmas’ this week
Performances will be held Dec. 13, 14, 20, 21 at 7:30 p.m. and Dec. 15 at 2 p.m.
Ho Ho Ho project back in action
Distribution day is Tuesday, Dec. 19, and Ingram plans to take donations up until the day before.
Ray B. Keller, 90
Ray B. Keller, 90, a cherished third-generation resident of Bigfork passed away on Nov. 28, 2024.
Wednesday, December 4
Local woman killed in head-on collision, two others injured
A Kalispell woman was killed in a head-on crash Monday, Nov. 25 on Montana 35 near Bigfork.
Don’t say Democrats weren’t warned
“There is one important minority that the Democratic Party is ignoring,” he says, “the white working man.”
Robin Wall Kimmerer keynote speaker at SKC climate symposium
A regional climate symposium held at Salish Kootenai College on Nov. 21 gathered representatives from state, federal, tribal, and non-government organizations to discuss climate efforts and projects.
Parade of Lights Saturday
Bigfork’s annual Parade of Lights will light up the night Saturday, Dec. 7, starting at 6 p.m.
Christmas concerts around the corner
The grade 5-8 choir concert will be held Tuesday, Dec. 17 in the Middle School gym at 6 p.m.
Intoxication, speed suspected in fatal crash near Bigfork
Alcohol, drugs and speed are all suspected factors in a head-on crash that killed a Kalispell man Sunday evening near Bigfork.
Bigfork man accused of firing assault rifle
A Bigfork man is accused of firing rounds from an assault rifle during a domestic disturbance with his girlfriend. Andres Michael Russell pled not guilty in District Court in Polson Nov. 19 to misdemeanor partner or family member assault and felony criminal endangerment.
HAPPENINGS: Avalanche awareness, Bell Ringing Competition, Shopping Spectacular
City Bell Ringing Competition at Harvest Foods, 10 am. to 6 p.m. Time to show the Flathead Valley who gives the most, Bigfork!
Bigfork athletes receive All-State, All-Conference honors, Putman named Coach of the Year
The Bigfork Valkyries volleyball team was honored for a hard-fought season with three All-Conference picks, along with coach Ariel Putman being named Coach of the Year.
Returning to the forge — New Agrarian School in Bigfork revives the ancient trade of the blacksmith
The New Agrarian School in Bigfork, a nonprofit, teaches the ancient craft of blacksmithing to a new generation of hobbyists, professionals, and instructors.
Barrow’s goldeneye: The quiet bird
As other ducks boisterously announce their presence quacking, whistling, and peeping in the small, forested lakes and ponds of northwestern United States, Canada, and Iceland, the handsome black and white Barrow’s goldeneye, a diving sea duck, floats silently upon the water.
