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HEIDI DESCH | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 9 years, 6 months AGO
DEPUTY EDITOR, FEATURES Heidi Desch is the Deputy Editor at the Daily Inter Lake, overseeing coverage of arts, culture, lifestyle, community, and business. Desch leads reporters in developing stories that highlight the people, traditions, and events shaping Northwest Montana, guiding content across print and digital platforms. With more than 20 years of journalism experience, including serving as managing editor of the Whitefish Pilot, Desch is a graduate of the University of Montana School of Journalism. She has received multiple Montana Newspaper Association awards, including part of the team leading the Daily Inter Lake to Best Daily Newspaper in Montana Award and the General Excellence Award in 2024 and 2025. IMPACT: Heidi’s work connects readers with stories that deepen the understanding of the community beyond daily news. | January 5, 2017 4:06 PM
Despite the fact that The Daily Stormer neo-Nazi website claims its planning a march in Whitefish on Jan. 16, the city of Whitefish has not received an application for such an event.
Whitefish City Manager Chuck Stearns Thursday afternoon said the city had not received an application for a special event permit for a march on Jan. 16 or any other date around that time.
“Therefore, no such permit has been reviewed, approved, or denied,” Stearns said in an email.
The website on Thursday posted a copy of a completed application form for a “James Earl Ray Day Extravaganza” set to take place on Martin Luther King Jr. Day in Whitefish. The post, by Andrew Anglin, says the event is to be a march on Second Street from City Hall to Memorial Park, where a rally will be held with speakers.
The time is proposed for 4 to 7 p.m. with more than 200 expected to participate.
James Earl Ray in 1968 assassinated civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.
Since late December, The Daily Stormer has been threatening to hold a march in Whitefish sometime in January. Previously no date had been specified for the event. The website also created a call to action last month prompting an online “troll” storm directed at Whitefish businesses and Jewish families.
The website said it was defending Sherry Spencer, Richard Spencer’s mother, who claimed that she was pushed into selling her commercial building downtown over her son’s white nationalist viewpoints.
Richard Spencer, a part-time Whitefish resident, is the self-appointed leader of the white nationalist movement called the “alt-right.” Sherry Spencer has said she does not support her son’s views.
In an email to Whitefish residents and the press, Stearns said that the city will notify folks if an application for a special event permit for a march is received and of the nature of the event.
“If a march were ever to happen, please be assured that the Whitefish Police Department has a critical incident plan in place aimed at ensuring the public safety of our citizens and visitors,” he said.
Under city regulations, the city manager is authorized to grant or deny applications for a special event permit for events in the city, and “may decline to consider an application for a special event permit, and refer the application to the city council for consideration, if the city manager determines that an application is significant to the public, or might create unnecessary disruption, congestion, controversy or crowding.”
The decision of the city manager can be appealed to the City Council, which can affirm, deny or modify the city manager’s decision, according to city rules.
City Council meets next on Jan. 17.
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