Thursday, July 10, 2025
63.0°F

Whitefish schools remain closed Friday following threats

HEIDI DESCH | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 7 years, 9 months AGO
by HEIDI DESCH
Heidi Desch is features editor and covers Flathead County for the Daily Inter Lake. She previously served as managing editor of the Whitefish Pilot, spending 10 years at the newspaper and earning honors as best weekly newspaper in Montana. She was a reporter for the Hungry Horse News and has served as interim editor for The Western News and Bigfork Eagle. She is a graduate of the University of Montana. She can be reached at hdesch@dailyinterlake.com or 406-758-4421. | September 14, 2017 8:07 PM

Whitefish schools will remain closed Friday following threats Wednesday evening to several school districts in the Flathead Valley.

All school districts in Flathead County will be closed tomorrow after also canceling school Thursday because of the electronic threats made to multiple schools in the county.

“The safety and best interests of our students and staff remain our top priority,” said Superintendent Heather Davis Schmidt in a release. “We will continue to monitor the situation and update communities as we have more information.”

Local Law enforcement and the FBI feel they have a credible threat, and they are working diligently to apprehend the suspect, according to the Whitefish School District.

The threats originated in the Columbia Falls School District, which announced Wednesday evening that it was canceling school after text or email threats were made, according to the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office.

The threats also extended to Whitefish and Kalispell schools.

“As a precautionary measure, several area schools canceled classes today,” Flathead County Sheriff Chuck Curry said in a press release Thursday morning. “Investigators from all the involved agencies have worked throughout the night, and are continuing to follow up on leads and have identified and are speaking with persons of interest.”

The closures are impacting planned extra-curricular activities and athletics during Whitefish’s homecoming week. Thursday night’s volleyball games against Columbia Falls was canceled.

Any extra-curricular activities or athletic events that need to leave campus prior to 10 a.m. on Friday are also canceled.

If the situation changes, Davis Schmidt said, and the district is able to consider having extra-curricular activities and athletics that occur after school on Friday or that occur on Saturday, a decision will be made by 10 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 15.

Whitefish Police and the Sheriff’s Office asks that anyone with any information to contact the Flathead County Detective Division at 758-5610.

ARTICLES BY HEIDI DESCH

New jail comes with $105 million bond request
July 9, 2025 8:50 a.m.

New jail comes with $105 million bond request

When Flathead County Justice of Peace Eric Hummel decides whether an individual charged with a crime will be held in the Flathead County Detention Center, he starts by checking the capacity of the jail.

Whitefish City Council looks at shift for affordable housing project
July 7, 2025 midnight

Whitefish City Council looks at shift for affordable housing project

Whitefish on Monday will consider an agreement to transfer an affordable housing project planned by the Whitefish Housing Authority to a nonprofit.

Flathead County aims to tackle overcrowding with construction of new jail
July 4, 2025 midnight

Flathead County aims to tackle overcrowding with construction of new jail

When Flathead County Justice of Peace Eric Hummel decides whether an individual charged with a crime will be held in the Flathead County Detention Center, he starts by checking the capacity of the jail.