Wednesday, June 26
Lake County petitions White House to remedy Flathead Lake’s water woes
Lake County commissioners sent a letter to President Joe Biden June 6, asking him to intercede “on behalf of two counties and affected U.S. citizens visiting this area” and to make compensation for “depredations” by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, mostly pertaining to the low water level in Flathead Lake last summer.
Birch Provisions feeds community spirit
Meyers envisions new culinary and cultural hub for Bigfork
“I think I want Birch to be a community hub where everyone’s welcome. We can be a place where people can keep up on things and get involved with things,” said Stephanie Meyers, owner of Birch Provisions, which opened in downtown Bigfork mid-May.
Sheriffs support Cory Swanson for chief justice
Law enforcement officers dedicate their lives to protecting public safety, maintaining order, and upholding justice. Our jobs are intrinsically tied to Montana’s judiciary. When law enforcement and prosecutors can trust that the courts will handle criminal cases fairly, it gives us and the public confidence that we can keep our communities safe and achieve justice.
Going-to-the-Sun open for the season
Going-to-the-Sun Road officially opened June 22 for the 2024 summer season. The road may now be accessed by motorized vehicles over Logan Pass from both the West Glacier and St. Mary entrances.
New library wraps-up construction, but some work still lies ahead
“This location is going to show the valley what a 21st century library is like, I hope it gets people excited,” Communications and Outreach Librarian Lune Axelsen said.
Blotter: Stolen pistol
A pistol was reported stolen from a vehicle between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m.
Happenings: Fill the Shelves, Ferndale Firefighters fundraiser, 'Legally Blonde'
Fill the Shelves, Ferndale Firefighters fundraiser, 'Legally Blonde'
State Republicans drawing up immigration policy ahead of 2025 legislative session
Montana Republicans say they will push legislation next year to police immigrants in the country illegally, following in the footsteps of GOP-led states like Texas and Iowa.
Coexisting with ease; keeping the garden bear-free
Like so many new Montana residents moving here from elsewhere, we were naïvely unaware of the strong bear attraction to both compost and fruit trees. Luckily, through the advice of neighbors and Swan Valley Bear Resources (SVBR), we learned of the importance of electrifying our planned fence to keep the bears at bay. We proactively worked with SVBR to design and install the electric component of our fencing in advance of planting and composting. Through Defenders of Wildlife, we were able to recoup 50% of our investment, making the project quite affordable.
Pennsylvania woman drowns near St. Mary Falls
Authorities on Tuesday identified the woman who drowned near St. Mary Falls on the east side of Glacier National Park as 26-year-old Gillian Tones of North Apollo, Pennsylvania.
Wednesday, June 19
Bigfork Fire Department receives $8,000 Roundup for Safety grant
The Bigfork Fire Department is expanding its ability to respond to water emergencies and has worked with the Flathead County Sherriff’s Department and local Search & Rescue teams to coordinate those future efforts.
No drama, just llamas — new competition showcases camelids
“Llama shows, who knew?” Nancy Carpenter said with a laugh.
Fund the Fork launches first free shuttle
With the help of the Bigfork Area Chamber of Commerce’s Fund the Fork initiative, a six-seat electric Ryd shuttle launched this June.
State environmental agency halts rewrite of water quality standards
Three years into a legislatively mandated effort to adopt looser standards for two nutrients abundant in Montana waterways, the state has halted rulemaking on the contentious effort.
Fire season forecast for the Flathead
Fire experts and officials with state and federal agencies expect an average fire season in the Flathead Valley this year, although they said that June’s weather and precipitation will be telling.
Kyle Lingscheit, 61
“Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.” — Warren Buffett
You go to your church, I’ll go to mine
A few years ago I was talking with a man who raised an interesting question; “There’s only one God, why do we need so many different churches?”
Piecemakers stitch community together
The Bigfork Piecemaker’s Annual Quilt Show will take place Friday, June 21 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m and Saturday, June 22 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Bigfork Elementary School.
Bigfork among 44 Montana community event grant awardees
The Montana Department of Commerce announced June 11 that over $750,000 of grant funding will be shared by 44 destination events to help grow Montana’s economy through tourism.
Wednesday, June 12
Board of Adjustment approves youth rec facility without traffic study
“The traffic impact studies are helpful, but they will not change the available funding or high priority of other projects,” said Henion, who also lives on the property off Highway 83. “Unfortunately, expanding this half-mile of highway is not a current project.”
Dorothy Peterson, 94
Dorothy Marie (Eide) Peterson was born on Nov. 23, 1929, in Chicago, Illinois to Alvin and Lillian Eide. She passed away peacefully on June 2, 2024, in Laurel, at the age of 94.
The 2024 election will pit ‘geezer’ against ‘sleazer’
Having lost an election, I know it hurts to lose. I know, too, that there is a good life beyond losing because I’ve been living it for the past twenty years.
Local dinosaur hunters bring bones back to the Flathead
Aamon Jaeger’s friends and family tried to dissuade him when he started buying land in Arizona, site-unseen, off of eBay in the hopes of finding petrified wood.
Chip sealing on Highway 83 begins
The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) and LHC Inc. expect to seal and cover (chip seal) the north and south segments of Montana Highway 83 (MT 83) the week of June 17, weather dependent.
USDA invests in meat processing facility for Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes
USDA Rural Development Montana State Director Kathleen Williams announced the agency is awarding a $7.7 million grant to the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes to expand food processing opportunities on the Flathead Indian Reservation.
Flathead County Library begins summer reading program
The Summer Reading Experience at Flathead County Library launched on June 10 and encourages children and teens to enjoy books, explore science, and discover new adventures all summer long.
Playhouse presents ‘Footloose’
Bigfork Summer Playhouse continues its 65th season with the ‘80s Pop classic ‘Footloose,’ live on stage, beginning June 19 and continuing through the summer.
Summer Choir starts practice
Bigfork Summer Community Choir began its practices on June 10, with meetings continued each Monday at 5:30 p.m. at Community United Methodist Church in Bigfork.
Blotter: Neighbors stealing cat
A caller reported their neighbor stealing their cat by luring it over the fence with treats and locking it inside.
Riverbend Concert Series set up for summer
The Riverbend Concert Series will kick off Sunday, June 23 at Everit L. Sliter Memorial Park in Bigfork. The series has run for over 40 years, with this year’s lineup including tributes to the concerts’ past supporters. A total of 10 local artists will play each Sunday at 7 p.m. through August 25.
Flathead cabins part of $26 million to improve access and recreation opportunities
Eight rental cabins across the Flathead National Forest will receive upgrades, including new floors, windows, and furniture, ensuring they remain enjoyable for future generations.
Wayfarers seeks volunteers for invasive plant removal
As the temperatures rise, the need to manage invasive weeds around Flathead Lake is higher than ever to prevent their seed release and continued spread into next year.
Wednesday, June 5
Grizzly hunting is trophy hunting
A final decision on the petitions to remove the grizzly bear from the list of threatened species and the protections of the Endangered Species Act (delisting) may come in June or early July. Currently, authority over grizzly bear management is vested in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. If the petitions are approved, management will be turned over to the states.
Bigfork High School Class of 2024
The Bigfork High School Class of 2024 graduated 71 students on Saturday, June 1. Valecitorians were Danika Bucklin, Erika Dowling, Wyatt Johnson, Piper Linson, Abigail Pilskalns, Zander TIllman and Evelyn Vigil, with Johnson also speaking as class president. English teacher Caleb Seeton gave the commencement address.
FWP seeking input on proposed suppression of lake trout in Swan Lake to benefit bull trout, kokanee populations
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is seeking public input on a proposal to reduce the lake trout population in Swan Lake to improve bull trout and kokanee salmon populations.
State of the Lake Report shows consistent water quality
In all four of the parameters there were no signs of long-term or even recent deterioration of the lake’s world-class water quality.
Glacier crews grapple with deepest snow in more than a decade
Officials are primarily concerned with new snow hazards in the short-term or during big melting periods where water percolates through the snowpack, releasing larger and deeper avalanches.
Gianforte tours Creston fire mitigation site
Gov. Greg Gianforte emphasized the state’s commitment to aggressively preventing wildfires while visiting a fire mitigations site in the Flathead Valley.
Bigfork Piecemakers Quilt Show
Bigfork Piecemakers Quilt Guild Annual Show will take place Friday, June 21, 10 a.m. to 5.pm. and Saturday, June 22 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Bigfork Elementary School, 600 Commerce St, Bigfork.
Do you ride your horse to school?
Six Swan River School eighth graders took advantage of an old Montana law still on the books May 16, riding their horses to school for administrators to care for over the course of the day.
BLUAC requests traffic study on Highway 83 before allowing youth rec facility
The Bigfork Land Use Advisory Committee saw a request from Paul Henion for a conditional use permit allowing for a recreational facility at his property off of Highway 83 during their May 30 meeting.
Construction underway on Highways 83, 82
The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) and LHC Inc. experienced delays in sign installation on the northern segment of the Swan Lake Pavement Preservation project on Montana Highway 83 (MT 83).
School board moves funds toward facility maintenance and upgrades; elementary test scores above state average
To support the interlocal fund, the board approved moving approximately $54,000 in excess from the elementary general fund and $127,000 from the high school general fund. Across the entire elementary school, 52% of students were at benchmark or above at the beginning of the school year for reading. Over the course of the year, that number rose to 68%, with the number of students below benchmark in the intensive category decreasing from 23% to 14%. Bigfork’s numbers remained slightly better than state averages. Math scores also saw improvement across grades.
History day returns to Bigfork after six-year hiatus
“The main purpose of this program is to promote historical scholarship in secondary students throughout the US and its territories. All the things we value in American society - critical thinking skills, analytical research, originality and creativity - are on full display with this program,” Cynthia Wilondek said.
