Columbus
Whitefish Pilot
Change in hours for City Beach boat inspection station
Starting August 1st, the City Beach Decontamination Station will be open on weekends, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Decontaminations will be available Monday through Friday by appointment only. Boaters can call 406-212-0750 to schedule an appointment. Boaters can also get a decontamination from the Region 1 Fish, Wildlife, and Parks (FWP) office in Kalispell, except during the week of the fair August 10-18. The FWP Region 1 office is located at 490 North Meridian Road. Call FWP at 406-751-4559 for more information. For more information on Aquatic Invasive Species inspections, please call 406-863-2473 or visit www.cityofwhitefish.org/173/Watercraft-Inspection-Decontamination.
River Design Group joins nationwide firm SWCA
River Design Group, a leader in water resources engineering and restoration based in Whitefish, has officially joined SWCA Environmental Consultants, a leading environmental consulting firm in the U.S. with a growing global presence.“This is an opportunity to grow River Design Group’s legacy of providing high-quality, specialized river restoration services to our clients,” said Matt Daniels, principal engineer and owner at River Design Group. “The supporting infrastructure and expertise of the established SWCA team will allow us to continue to focus on what we do best — designing and building projects that benefit the ecosystem.” SWCA is eager to bring the water...
Glacier Park’s Weed Blitz
The Crown of the Continent Research Learning Center and Glacier National Park invite volunteers for a day of hands-on learning during the Annual Noxious Weed Blitz on July 25. The event will take place from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. in West Glacier. Participants will join Vegetation and Integrated Pest Management Biologist Dawn LaFleur to learn about the ecological impacts of noxious weeds and how to identify and remove five targeted invasive plant species.“Bring your muscles, gloves, appropriate footwear, sun hats, sunscreen and drinking water,” LaFleur said.Glacier National Park Conservancy will provide a complimentary lunch to this year’s weed warriors. The event is free and open to the public. To register, RSVP by July 17 by emailing glac_citizen_science@nps.gov or by calling (406)888-7986.Once registered, participants will receive specific details about meeting location and parking.Glacier National Park Conservancy donors provide all funding for the park’s citizen science events. Visit the Crown of the Continent Research Learning Center events page for more information about other learning opportunities offered to the public this summer.
A life of hang-gliding published in “The Wings of Men”
Newly published “The Wings of Men” dives into 50 years of flying hang gliders and light sport trikes around the world. A third-generation Montanan, author Robert Combs was born in Whitefish in 1947 and now lives in Eureka with his wife Darlene Cercil. “It’s a unique kind of aviation and sport. We jump off the mountains and fly up and down,” Combs said. “I tried to write the book in a way that would be interesting to all people, including pilots.” “We, mere mortals on the ground, could only gaze in awe as we watched the early hang-gliding enthusiasts. These pioneers left...
Ashley Millard and Kit Jeffrey wed
Ashley Terese Millard of Whitefish and Christian “Kit” Atherton Jeffrey of Greenwich, Connecticut, were united in marriage in a celebration of love and commitment on August 11, 2023, in New York City, NY.The bride is the daughter of Kelly West Haverlandt of Whitefish and Mike Millard of Whitefish. Ashley is the granddaughter of Ron Millard and the late Patricia Millard of Whitefish and Karla West and Don West, both of Kalispell. She is a 2012 graduate of Whitefish High School, graduated from the University of Montana Business School in 2016 and earned a Master of Accountancy from UM in 2017. Ashley is currently a CPA with PricewaterhouseCoopers.The groom is the son of Martha Jeffrey and the late Richard Jeffrey of Greenwich. He is a 2010 graduate of Brunswick School in Greenwich, CT, and graduated from the University of Montana Business School in 2015. Kit is a real estate professional with Sotheby’s International Realty.Ashley and Kit began their journey together with a job assignment abroad in Luxembourg and plan to celebrate with friends and family when they return to Whitefish.
Whitefish Council OKs new parking regs
The five members of the public in attendance outnumbered the councilors at the Whitefish City Council meeting last week. Mayor John Muhlfeld along with Councilors Rebecca Norton and Steve Qunell were absent. Councilor Giuseppe Caltabiano joined online.The agenda was similarly light but the meeting’s two public hearings featured some thoughtful interchanges. The first regarded an alleyway, and the second new parking regulations.The council addressed a resolution to discontinue, abandon and vacate an alley between West Eighth Street and West Ninth Street.Neal Bartleson and Kerry Kvigne were the two homeowners who requested the alley be abandoned. Bartleson told the council he...
Mountain Climber proposes intercity connector service
Mountain Climber Director Elizabeth Wood recently proposed a commuter bus plan that would provide transportation between Kalispell, Columbia Falls and Whitefish. While it garnered needed support from Whitefish in the form of a $60,000 commitment, Flathead County commissioners chose to pass on the idea this year, but Wood will present the plan again next year.The Flathead County Public Transportation’s Mountain Climber currently operates as an on-demand ride service, like Uber or Lyft. People can schedule rides via the app, Mountain Climber by Via, or they can phone dispatch. Riders are picked up at their door and taken wherever they need...
New pollinator gardens and park signs in Whitefish
What happens when the Whitefish Park Sign Plan meets and marries an idea for pollinator gardens? Whitefish Parks and Recreation Director Maria Butts and Community Services Director Carla Belski have been working on the city’s Park Sign Plan since 2020, the same year that Children’s House Montessori School suggested a pollinator garden in Memorial Park. Merging the two projects seemed natural and, recently, a dozen city parks received pollinator gardens and new monument signs.Round rock walls contain native plants including birch-leaved spirea, plains coreopsis, purple prairie coneflower and beebalm to attract butterflies, bees and other pollinators. Monument signs denoting the name of...
Student Art: ‘Icarus’ Lie’ by Cody Blaize
The art featured above is called "Icarus’ Lie" and is a painting with acrylics and artists’ pens by Whitefish High School junior Cody Blaize in the WHS Art 1: Painting class. The Pilot periodically features art from Whitefish High School students.
How do I find the dog park?
Countless visitors with canines ask this question. The simple answer: Go east on E. Second Street and you’ll see it. Of course, they easily find it given the metal letters “DOG PARK” on the concrete culvert lid facing the street. In 2014, the letters were expertly crafted by Whitefish High School students and are colored Bulldog green. Recall, the park included a small pond, fed by artesian water, but was hidden behind overgrown vegetation and surrounded by a high cyclone fence. In 2014, the fencing, excess vegetation and many yards of dirt were removed, to create a significantly larger and deeper...
Annual Big Mountain Run racers brave the heat
One hundred forty runners toed the line at 9:30 a.m. to race up to the summit of Big Mountain on the Danny On Trail Saturday, braving blistering temperatures for the 42nd annual Big Mountain Run. Hosted by the Glacier Nordic Club, the event has a rich history dating back to 1983, before mountain running in the US was trendy and high tech. Local legend Ryan Skotnicki took the 2024 King of the Mountain by over 4 minutes, in a time of 35:17. Skotnicki recently got 16th in the U.S. Mountain Running Championships. Brett Winegar raced to a second place finish with...
Wildfires increase flooding risks
Recent hot temperatures and dry conditions have triggered wildfires throughout the state. While some wildfire effects are predictable, a lesser-known effect can be an increased risk of flooding due to wildfire burns. “It is difficult to think about flooding in the middle of or after a wildfire event. We urge residents to be observant of rapidly changing conditions, especially on uphill slopes, and be prepared for the possibility of flooding,” said Traci Sears, the Montana National Flood Insurance Program Coordinator at the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation. While most flood events in Montana occur as a result of rain on snow...
Roundup for Safety supports traffic education
On July 11, Flathead Electric Cooperative’s Roundup for Safety program approved $19,668 in grants supporting community safety projects proposed by local nonprofit organizations. School District #5 requested $2,400 to purchase dashboard cameras for its eight traffic education vehicles, four at Glacier High School and four at Flathead High School.Instructor Aaron Denney informed the Roundup for Safety Board that traffic education is a self-funded program. Annually, it serves over 600 students in the classroom and behind the wheel. The eight instructional vehicles each have a "chicken" brake and second mirror in the passenger seat for instructors. Denney explained that adding dashboard cameras...
Property tax recommendations to the Governor's Office
In Flathead County, property taxes have increased well beyond inflation for residential homes and businesses. I was appointed to the Governor’s Property Task Force to dig deep into the cause of such escalations and provide recommendations for reforms for the 2025 legislature. In my eight years in the legislature, I’ve been a member of the minority party, nevertheless, willing to work collaboratively with the majority to address Montana’s solvable problems. I was assigned to serve on the Tax Fairness Sub-Committee under the leadership of Rep. Llew Jones, Conrad, the Chairman of House Appropriations. So, here’s how we define the problem in...
Police Calls: Dogs left in hot vehicles
The police calls section is presented for entertainment purposes and does not reflect the nature or the volume of the calls received by local law enforcement.July 4The person who called 911 accidentally was trying to figure out how to shut off the phone.Someone lost a black leather wallet, possibly near the Skyles trailhead.A dark green pickup truck was seen speeding and swerving all over the road on Highway 93.The brown Labrador who was running around City Beach was taken to the kennel and returned to the owner.Someone was shooting off fireworks over the buildings on Locarno Drive and the caller...
Land to Hand thanks high school graduates
Land to Hand extends heartfelt thanks to the graduating Whitefish High School Class of 2024. Their generous senior gift donation will directly benefit food-insecure children in our community.We were incredibly honored to be chosen by this amazing group of young adults as they embark on their next chapter. Whether entering the workforce or pursuing higher education, we wish them a future filled with the bounty of local produce.Their thoughtful contribution ensures weekend meals for countless children who might otherwise struggle. This act of generosity embodies the spirit of our community, and we are deeply grateful.Land to Hand is a 501c3 nonprofit whose mission is to build a strong community food system that fosters socially just ways of accessing food. landtohandmt.org— Gretchen Boyer, Executive Director of Land to Hand, Whitefish
Huckleberry picker shoots grizz north of Columbia Falls
A man was hospitalized after an encounter with a grizzly bear on Thursday evening approximately 2 miles north of Columbia Falls.A 72-year-old man was alone picking huckleberries on Flathead National Forest lands off the North Fork Road when he reported encountering a bear that charged and attacked him. The individual shot and killed the bear with a handgun.FWP wardens and bear specialists responded to the incident and confirmed that an adult female grizzly bear was killed. FWP is working to verify if any cubs are present. FWP determined it to be a surprise defensive encounter.The man’s name and state of injuries have not been released.
Looking Back: Whitefish’s ‘doughnut’ decision
A look back at past Pilot articles by Julie Engler50 Years AgoJuly 25, 1974Two boats collided near City Beach resulting in four injuries: three sustained by three Great Falls persons and one by a Whitefish resident. Michelle Guon was the driver of one boat containing three other passengers who were all from Great Falls. Donald Sponheim, the owner of the boat, was not injured, but Joyce Sponheim was flown by air ambulance to Great Falls for treatment of severe facial injuries. Kim Fields from Whitefish was the operator of the other boat which contained three passengers and was pulling a...
Rainy June stymies Whitefish occupancy rate
Whitefish’s occupancy for traditional lodging in June landed at 59.1%, dropping 6% compared to 2023. However, Whitefish headed into June about 11% behind the same time in 2023, according to Explore Whitefish’s June market report. Short-term rentals, meanwhile, had a 3.5% increase since June 2023, even with an added supply in the 59937 ZIP code of nearly 10%. However, the rate for short-term rentals dropped for the month by double digits. “June was rainy and with the majority of our visitation based on outdoor recreation, these results reinforce the need to build additional beneficial visitation through the development of meetings, live events,...
Whitefish Pilot
3K+
Posts
2M+
Views
The first edition of the Whitefish Pilot rolled off the press Jan. 23, 1904. For more than 100 years, the Pilot has provided Whitefish with local news, sports and features, and has played an integral role in documenting the city's transformation from a railroad town to a bustling resort community.
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.