LATEST NEWS
Whitefish tennis wins big over Columbia Falls
Whitefish picked up the all important Cat-Dog rivalry win, as the boys and girls tennis teams defeated Columbia Falls handily on Tuesday, April 30. The Whitefish boys won 6-1, led by No. 1 singles player Jack Oehlerich, defeating C-Falls’ Jax Ramage 6-1, 6-1. Owen Erickson won his No. 2 singles matchup, while Walt Seigmund won at No. 3, and Logan Hyland won at No. 4. In doubles action, Whitefish faired nearly as well, with the No. 1 team of Dane Hunt and Buren Brust defeating Columbia Falls’ Logan Heupel and Will Pickard 7-6 (4), 6-1. Mason Kelch and Aaron Anderson won their...
Dark money interests: May 8 letters to the editor
Dark-money interestsMy great-great grandpa took the train from Kentucky to Whitefish in 1914, and we’ve been in Western Montana ever since. Our family is made of schoolteachers, railroaders and lumber workers, and we always loved Montana because of its quiet beauty and its friendly people. But now those neighbors and us can barely afford to live here anymore.I am so tired of Republican multimillionaires moving here from out of state, buying 5 mansions on Flathead and in Big Sky, then getting elected and saying “trust me - I care about lowering your housing prices!” I am talking about Jersey Gianforte...
Whitefish baseball notches wins over Browning, Troy
Florence-Carlton scored nine runs in the final two innings of its 12-1 victory over Whitefish on Tuesday, April 30. The Bulldogs were held to three hits in the loss.Brady Howke started the game, pitching the first two innings and striking out three, and Florence-Carlton went up 2-0. They would add another run in the third and then had a four-run rally in the fourth and five runs in the fifth. Florence-Carlton finished the game with nine hits.Ryan Conklin went 2-for-3 in the game, with a double and an RBI, while Calvin Eisenbarth also had a hit for the Bulldogs. At Florence-CarltonFLORENCE-CARLTON 12,...
Whitefish community blood drive at The Wave
The American Red Cross will host its spring Whitefish Community Blood Drive on Thursday, May 16 at The Wave, 1250 Baker Ave., from 11 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. The entire donation process takes about an hour. This includes check-in, a brief health review, drawing the blood and snacks afterward. Appointments are highly recommended and walk-in donors are appreciated. A blood donor card or a driver license is required at check-in. To schedule an appointment for May 16, call Merry Lynn at 406-250-0146 or go online to redcrossblood.org and search for blood drives in the 59937 area. It is suggested that people eat a hardy meal and drink plenty of water prior to giving blood. Snacks, water and juices will be provided at the blood drive.Every 27 minutes someone in Montana will need blood. A donation helps accident and burn victims, heart surgery and organ transplant patients and those receiving treatments for leukemia, cancer or sickle cell. Blood cannot be produced or manufactured; it can only come from donors. For further information about the American Red Cross Blood Donation Program and why blood donations are important, go to redcrossblood.org.
Kalispell Police Arrest Man for Alleged Kidnapping Attempt
Kalispell police on Wednesday night arrested 38-year-old Aaron Douglas Kupka who they say attempted to “physically pull” a 16-year-old boy into a vehicle at the Town Pump gas station located at the intersection of Cemetery Road and U.S. Highway 93. According to a press release from the Kalispell...
The ecology behind sidewalk murals
Paintbrushes, frog wizards, pollution and Whitefish Lake — if you’re wondering what the missing link is here, a Whitefish High School advanced art student might be able to tell you. For the past few weeks, unpredictable spring weather pending, advanced art students have spread out across downtown Whitefish to revitalize sidewalk murals that were painted above storm drains in 2022. The murals can be found on Railway, First and Second streets.The murals are meant to bring attention to nonpoint source pollution. This type of pollution includes trash, oil, pet waste, fertilizer and natural debris that flows into storm drains and is...
Habitat Flathead seeks to engage more volunteers by providing free RV parking spots
Habitat for Humanity of the Flathead Valley’s goal is to increase the number of houses they build from three houses per year to over 10. To achieve this goal, Habitat Flathead needs to substantially increase their number of volunteers. One key source of volunteers for Habitats all over the United States is a group of volunteers called Care-A-Vanners, who are volunteers that travel from one Habitat home build site to the next in their own RVs at their own expense. Most Care-A-Vanners are retirees with extensive construction experience. They usually stay for a couple weeks at a time at a local...
The origin of the Sapa-Johnsrud baseball tournament
The Sapa-Johnsrud tournament marks the end of the regular season for Columbia Falls and Whitefish baseball, but many folks don't know the origin of the tournament or what it means to the communities.The tournament honors two young baseball players killed in a tragic car-train collision on Aug. 6, 1984. On the fateful night, 16-year-old Jim Sapa tried to cross the railroad tracks past the gate in Columbia Falls at 12th Avenue West. His car was hit by an Amtrak train. Sapa and Ray Johnsrud, a 16-year-old passenger and Sapa’s best friend, was also killed.The two were headed home after Glacier...
Do You Want Your Children to be Able to Afford Montana?
My great-great grandpa took the train from Kentucky to Whitefish in 1914, and we’ve been in Western Montana ever since. Our family is made of schoolteachers, railroaders, and lumber workers, and we always loved Montana because of its quiet beauty and its friendly people. But now those neighbors and us can barely afford to live here anymore.
Big Mountain Road pavement preservation project resumes
The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT), in partnership with Knife River, is resuming construction on Big Mountain Road north of Whitefish. Last summer, crews dug out the top layer of the roadway on two targeted segments of Big Mountain Road. This year, work will occur between Smith Road and Glades Drive and include pavement overlay activities and additional digouts for sections of the road that are in need of repair. Construction is expected to begin in early June and continue through the fall. “As we improve Big Mountain Road with a larger pavement overlay, we appreciate your continued understanding and...
We’re not done yet: Over half a million to local nonprofits
Grants and special awards totaling $520,300 were presented to 68 Flathead Valley nonprofit organizations May 2 at the Whitefish Community Foundation's annual community grant awards celebration.Recipients were joined by volunteers, donors and community members alike in a celebration of generosity across the valley. After handing out $385,000 in community grants, followed by $14,500 in special awards, Alan Davis, President and CEO of the Foundation said, “but wait. We’re not done yet,” before announcing a final $120,000 to Northwest Montana Community Land Trust for the acquisition of four affordable homes that will provide permanent housing to first-time homebuyers. “The growing generosity of our...
Hospital Corner: May is Mental Health Awareness Month
Spring brings a mixed bag of weather, along with the promise that summer is near. As we transition from the dark days of winter to the long, bright days of summer, May is a good time to prioritize our mental health through self-care.Mother Nature is ready to help! Exposure to sunlight produces a chemical reaction in our bodies that makes us feel good. Being outside in the sunshine helps in the production of serotonin, which some people call the ‘happy hormone.’ A mere 10 minutes in the sun can boost our mood. In addition to serotonin, sunlight increases levels of...
Whitefish Council Approves 21-Unit Development at Iowa Avenue and Edgewood
The City of Whitefish could revisit a 2019 program intended to incentivize the development of affordable housing after members of the council at a recent meeting expressed confusion and dissatisfaction with how the program currently operates. The Legacy Homes Program dominated conversation during a May 6 hearing regarding a 21-unit development proposed for a .54-acre piece of land along Iowa Avenue and Edgewood Place, which the council ultimately voted to approve, with the requirement that the developer deed restrict two units for affordable housing.
Incumbent Kalispell Councilors Prevail in Redo Election
After a clerical error by the Flathead County Elections Department invalidated the Kalispell city council election last fall, two incumbent councilors have been in a state of limbo. The mistake that sent incorrect ballots to roughly 8% of the city’s voters led to an annulment of results for the Ward 1 and Ward 2 elections, even though the nullified results tipped the positions in favor of the sitting councilors.
Major expansion proposed for The Springs senior housing development
The Springs at Whitefish is planning a major expansion to its senior housing development on River Lakes Parkway that would include 120 additional units.The company is seeking approval to build the project on vacant land to the south of its current facility. The Whitefish Community Development Board is set to review the project at its May 16 meeting.A new three-story building would include 80 independent living units that would be connected to the existing building at the ground level.Also proposed on the property is a separate two-story building with 44 "active adult" multi-family units varying in size and number of...
Legals for May, 1 2024
NO. 2753 CITY OF WHITEFISH NOTICE OF PRESENTING TO THE VOTERS A PROPOSAL TO AMEND THE CITY CHARTER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that at its regular meeting to be held May 6, 2024, at 7:10 p.m., in the Whitefish City Council Chambers at 418 East Second Street, the Whitefish City Council will consider an ordinance presenting to the voters of the City of Whitefish a proposal to amend Article II, Section 2.01(4) of the Whitefish City Charter to allow members of the City Council to receive compensation, such as a salary, stipend, health insurance, per diem, and mileage allowance, all as set...
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