Polebridge
Polebridge, MT · Health
Flathead Beacon
Nursing Home Providers Warn of Impacts from Medicaid Reimbursement Rate Plateau
At BeeHive Homes in Kalispell, Assisted Living Administrator Rachel Hershberger balances a delicate act: help keep the doors open and the lights on for the memory care facility, while caring for a growing population of Medicaid patients. Staff at BeeHive Homes care for up to 66 residents at a time...
Flathead Beacon
LCWSD: Support ‘Essential’ Wastewater Infrastructure Upgrades
I wanted to reach out to everyone in the Lakeside and Somers communities who is served by or impacted by the Lakeside County Water and Sewer District (LCWSD). Many of you have likely been following the ongoing discussions regarding the modernization and expansion of our wastewater treatment infrastructure. I would like to provide some context and ask for your support.
Whitefish Pilot
Looking Back: Out of town investor buys former hospital site for $6.4 million
A look back at past Pilot articles by Julie Engler 50 Years Ago June 10, 1976 Members of the Whitefish Government Review Commission traced the history of its stand in favor of switching the local form of government to the council/city manager form of government in preparation for the vote. Voters in the city would cast their ballots for or against the new form of government. When it was formed, the Commission began to study the present form of the city government, which consists of a mayor and City Council which is both executive and legislative in function. It began, as its studies advanced, to seek methods which would simplify the structure of the management of the city. 40 Years Ago June 11, 1986 Some drastic highway changes were in store for Whitefish over the following five years, but residents would have to cope with some less than ideal situations in the meantime. On the calendar was a four-lane highway between the city and Kalispell, scheduled some time after 1990, according to Gary Wicks, Montana's director of the traffic division. First would come a new overpass spanning the Burlington Northern tracks linking the north and south halves of Whitefish, scheduled
Whitefish Pilot
Columbia Falls approves Teakettle Heights, largest single subdivision in city history
The Columbia Falls City Council on Monday approved developer Mick Ruis’ Teakettle Heights subdivision on former Columbia Falls Aluminum Co. lands. The subdivision is located on the CFAC Superfund site, but the Environmental Protection Agency said the 78-acre parcel is suitable for residential use, though no water wells can be dug on the land. There are concerns that if the development starts drawing from the water table it could result in contaminated water from the east flowing into the area. The groundwater, however, has little to do with the subdivision itself, as it will be annexed into Columbia Falls and hook into city sewer and water to serve its residents, which is a separate and approved system already serving the municipality. The meeting on the subdivision lasted about three and half hours and was not without some last minute drama. Councilor Kelly King, who has consistently voted against the development over concerns of the future health of residents, made a motion to add a condition that no building could go forward on the site until remediation of the CFAC property was completed by the EPA and the state Department of Environmental Quality. That was supported by Councilor Marijke Stob, who
Hungry Horse News
Council approves Teakettle Heights; largest single subdivision in Columbia Falls history
The Columbia Falls City Council Monday night approved developer Mick Ruis’ Teakettle Heights subdivision on former Columbia Falls Aluminum Co. lands. The subdivision is located on the CFAC Superfund site, but the Environmental Protection Agency said the 78-acre parcel is suitable for residential use, though no water wells can be dug on the land as there are concerns that if the development starts drawing water from the water table it could lead to contaminated water from the east flowing into the area. The groundwater however, has little to do with the subdivision itself, as it will be annexed into the city and will use city sewer and water to serve its residents, which is a separate and approved system already serving the city. The meeting on the subdivision lasted about three and half hours and was not without some last minute drama. Councilwoman Kelly King, who consistently voted against the development over concerns of the future health of residents, made a motion to add a condition that no building could go forward on the site until remediation of the CFAC property was completed by the Environmental Protection Agency and the state Department of Environmental Quality. That was supported by councilwoman
Flathead Beacon
Mental Health Nonprofit Reduces Barriers with Therapy Scholarships
Years ago, before the pandemic highlighted mental health awareness and before recent major insurance overhauls began further limiting healthcare access, Whitefish psychologist Sara Boilen and her colleagues noticed people in the community were struggling. “We just noticed people were not doing well,” Boilen said. “Some people are not able to...
jems.com
MT Hospital Raising Funds for New Air Ambulance
Taylor Inman – Daily Inter Lake, Kalispell, Mont. A fundraising effort for a new ALERT helicopter is getting off the ground. With $3.5 million already set aside for the estimated $5.5 million Bell 429 helicopter, organizers are seeking the remaining $2 million from the community. Logan Health Foundation President Michael Barth described the forthcoming rotorcraft, manufactured by Bell Helicopter, as a gamechanger for the air ambulance service.
Lake County Leader
Tribal Rec Program focuses funding on waste management
The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes' Wildland Recreation Program is using grant funding to install five vault toilets this year to better manage human waste and expects to receive a total of 30 to install at recreation sites across the reservation. Todd Espinoza, the recreation program manager, explained that the five pit toilets they are replacing with vault toilets this year are “dangerously close to waterways,” primarily in the Jocko area. Most restrooms at recreation sites are pit toilets, also known as outhouses, which can leach waste into nearby waterways. Espinoza explained that most were installed 30 to 40 years ago, with little planning beyond being placed in a convenient location. “Upgrading restroom facilities across the reservation has been a major goal of mine over the past four years,” Espinoza stated in an email to the Leader. “This includes both replacing outdated infrastructure and adding new restrooms where they are most needed, particularly at high-use recreation sites.” Both pit toilets and vault toilets are non-flushable systems, but vaults have a sealed underground tank that contains waste. According to Espinoza, the recreation program will pump these out yearly or as needed. There will still be areas that cannot be accessed by
Fairfield Sun Times
Flathead Beacon
Columbia Falls Continues Assessment of Water and Wastewater Treatment System to Plan for Growth
Engineering firms on Wednesday night continued to lay out a path forward for Columbia Falls’ water and water treatment infrastructure as the city navigates aging systems, population growth and future development in its state-mandated 20-year planning process. Representatives from local firms WGM Group and Morrison-Maierle at an open house...
Bigfork Eagle
Lakeside residents frustrated over hurried wastewater treatment project assessment
Concerned Lakeside residents say the Montana Department of Environmental Quality has rushed the review of the new wastewater treatment facility under construction in Lakeside. The state agency held a public hearing on April 23 at the Lakeside QRU regarding a draft environmental assessment for Phase II of the project, which includes the construction and operation of a new wastewater treatment facility in Lakeside. At the hearing, residents expressed frustration over what they felt was an insufficient public comment period. Initially, the timeframe was set at 14 days but was extended for an additional seven days, concluding on April 30. Many residents felt they did not have enough time to seek out independent professional assessments of the project and its impacts on Flathead Lake. “Public participation means not only the right to stand up and speak your mind; it means the right to do so knowledgeably,” said longtime Lakeside resident Chris Swanberg. “And when a professional engineer has prepared a document, there's probably not another professional engineer in this room that can stand peer to peer with them. That means we need to find other people, professional engineers.” Swanberg also expressed disappointment that the draft assessment examined the impacts of a
NBCMontana
Logan Health holds 48th annual ALERT banquet
KALISPELL, Mont. — On Saturday, the community came together in Kalispell to support the 48th annual Logan Health ALERT banquet. The banquet is a fundraiser supporting the ALERT medical flight program that has been saving lives across the Flathead Valley for more than 50 years. ALERT Director of Operations...
Flathead Beacon
DEQ Extends Public Comment Period for Phase Two of Lakeside Sewer District Project
As officials with the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) review the second phase of an expanded wastewater treatment facility just north of Flathead Lake, residents from across the valley gathered alongside environmental groups Thursday night to share their thoughts in a public hearing hosted by the state agency. The...
Char-Koosta News
St. Luke Community Healthcare Invites Mission Valley Residents to Participate in 2026 Community Health Needs Assessment Survey
St. Luke Community Healthcare is inviting Mission Valley residents to share their voice and help shape the future of local healthcare by participating in its 2026 Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA). Conducted every three years, the CHNA is a vital tool used by nonprofit hospitals to better understand the most...
Montana Outdoor Radio Show
Restoration Efforts Set to Begin at Salish Point: Protecting Flathead Lake’s Shoreline
The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and Polson City will begin the Salish Point Shoreline Restoration Project on April 13 to combat erosion and preserve local ecology while maintaining public access.
Hungry Horse News
Study: CFAC cleanup will have no lasting impact on Endangered Species
A supplemental biological assessment on the Columbia Falls Aluminum Co. Superfund site cleanup found the effort is not expected to have any long-term impacts on several endangered species. The assessment, prepared by Morrison Maierle, was required by the Environmental Protection Agency under the Unilateral Administrative Order for Remedial Design, which delves into the cleanup at the site that is expected to start next year. The report looked at possible impacts to threatened bull trout, grizzly bears, Canada lynx, monarch butterfly, wolverine, suckley’s cuckoo bumblee and spalding’s catchfly and other species. The report noted that it may affect some of those species, but wasn’t likely to adversely effect any of them. In the case of the catchfly, which is a plant, it would have no effect, as none are on the site and there is no suitable habitat. The company previously has done some work in the Flathead River, removing old backwater ponds adjacent to the river. The assessment found that if anything, removal of that backwater would likely be beneficial to bull trout. It determined that it was not a bull trout spawning area and that the fish would likely be just moving through en route to typical spawning streams
NBCMontana
Flathead Warming Center receives $15,000 grant to expand health services
KALISPELL, Mont. — A local nonprofit in the Flathead Valley is getting a boost to help some of the community’s most vulnerable neighbors. The Flathead Warming Center has received a $15,000 Blue Impact grant from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana. The funding will help provide critical...
The Western News
Montana Professional Nurses Re-Certify Union Representation at Cabinet Peaks
LIBBY — The Montana Nurses Association (MNA) proudly announces the successful re-certification of MNA Local 22, with nurses overwhelmingly voting to maintain their union representation. The unit, established in the 1980s, represents dedicated professional nurses employed at a rural critical access hospital, delivering vital healthcare services to Libby residents and the surrounding community. The vote affirms the nurses’ continued commitment to a strong collective voice in advocating for safe working conditions, fair wages, and the resources necessary to recruit and retain high quality healthcare professionals at Cabinet Peaks Medical Center in Libby. “These nurses have once again demonstrated the strength of solidarity and the importance of having a unified voice at the table,” said Vicky Byrd, MSN, RN, CEO of MNA. “For decades, MNA Local 22 has played an important role in ensuring that patients in this rural community receive safe, high-quality care while supporting the nurses who provide it every day.” One MNA Local 22 nurse shared, “We feel an overwhelming sense of relief knowing our collective voice has been preserved. We are deeply grateful to MNA for standing with us and for the protections and support this professional nurse union provides. It allows us to focus on what