Here are some of the Eagle’s top stories by views in 2024, thanks for tuning in and we wish you a Happy New Year!

JANUARY 

MDT closes Bridge Street Bridge

The Montana Department of Transportation announced the immediate closure of the Bridge Street Bridge due to structural concerns in late January.  

Paeten Gunlock's rare triple-double fuels Vals over Wildkats 

The Vals got a triple-double from Paeten Gunlock and 20 points from Braeden Gunlock in back-to-back games in early January. 

Paeten recorded 13 points, 10 assists and 10 steals while adding five rebounds as the Valkyries took down Columbia Falls 55-27 at home.  

Treja vu: Braeden Gunlock records Vals' second triple-double in three games 

Just one game after Paeten Gunlock recorded the first Valkyries triple-double in recent history, her sister matched the feat as Braeden Gunlock posted 23 points, 11 rebounds and 10 steals in Bigfork’s 64-36 win at Ronan. 

FEBRUARY 

Finley Point arsonist McCrea found guilty on two charges 

Former firefighter Craig McCrea was found guilty Feb. 8 on two of four counts of arson after a four-day trial at the Lake County Courthouse. 

The jury unanimously determined that McCrea was guilty of starting the approximately 18-acre Finley fire on Evaro Hill and the devastating Boulder 2700 fire, July 31 on the east shore of Flathead Lake. 

Valkyries win 15th straight, lock up Northwest A title 

The Valkyries locked up a Northwest A title as they downed Browning and Polson for their 15th straight victory and a 10-0 mark in conference play. 

MARCH 

Steamboat Landing subdivision calls for more than 250 units in Somers 

A proposed subdivision adjacent to Somers Middle School would result in the development of 252 residential units. 

Later, in August, Flathead County commissioners required environmental testing on the site before considering whether to approve the project   

Valkryies come up just short in state championship 

The Valkyries were seeking to become the first basketball team to win a championship at one classification — they went 24-0 their last season in Class B — and then move up and win another. They came up just short, 41-38 versus Billings Central.  

Bigfork baseball team begins inaugural season

After a huge surge in community efforts and support, Bigfork High School put together their first official baseball team.The team was made up of mostly underclassmen with a few juniors. 

“They’re young, but they are good character kids with a lot of heart,” head coach Dave Romano said. 

APRIL 

Bigfork's iconic pine tree comes down 

An iconic Bigfork tree that stood outside of the Tall Pine lounge, which was itself named after the tree, was cut down April 3. The species was estimated to be four centuries old. 

Property owner Walter Kuhn made the decision to leave 15 feet of trunk in its original location, with plans to carve a mountain goat into the wood. Local Bigfork carver Todd Coats tackled the project.   

Makena Morley fifth at LA Marathon 

Bigfork product Makena Morley, 27, finished fifth at the 2024 Los Angeles Marathon, making her the top American on the women’s side. 

MAY 

State plans to relocate Bigfork fishing access site 

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks planned to relocate the state fishing access site at Sportsman's Bridge to the west side of the river, off Oldenberg Road. 

“Construction of the new bridge is anticipated to begin in 2025, once the new fishing access site has been built,” Bob Vosen, MDT Missoula District Administrator, said in a press release. 

Flathead cherry crop stunted by winter freeze 

Northwest Montana’s January freeze had lasting effects on the area, notably in Flathead Lake’s cherry orchards.  

While some trees will be ready to restart full production again next season, some lost their fruit buds and spurs, which will always be dead and affect the trees production for years until the wood is renewed.   

Hotel permit tabled by Board of Adjustment 

The Flathead County Board of Adjustment unanimously voted to table Bigfork Hotel Group’s request for a conditional use permit to allow for a 64-room hotel in the Fort development north of Bigfork during its May 7 meeting. 

Previously, the Bigfork Land Use Advisory Committee voted to recommend denial of the proposal. Ultimately the board decided to table the request for up to six months in order for the developers to complete their application with answers to questions regarding traffic and sewer concerns. 

Plans take shape for luxury golf club in Lakeside 

Conceptual plans for a members-only club showed an 18-hole golf course with 361 housing units across 1,500 acres just west of the existing Lakeside Club. 

The developers behind a proposed golf club hoped to begin construction as soon as next summer if the permit process went as planned. Full buildout would take place in three phases over approximately six to seven years. 

Parole denied in Ferndale murder case 

A Flathead County man who shot and killed his father in Ferndale nearly 20 years ago was denied parole. Terry Charles Olson, 34, was only 14 when he shot his father Edwin John Olson in the head in his Ferndale home May 20, 1998. Olson previously was paroled in June 2009, but landed back in prison by late 2010 after he violated terms of parole by beating his girlfriend and consuming alcohol. 

Fund the Fork

After Bigfork’s downtown bridge closure, some local businesses began to think about a shuttle service. With the help of the Bigfork Area Chamber of Commerce’s Fund the Fork initiative, a six-seat electric Ryd shuttle launched in June. 

The project was made possible through the Fund the Fork initiative, which asks retailers and restaurants to add an optional 2% line item and lodging facilities a 1% line item to their guests’ checks.   

Birch Provisions feeds community spirit 

Stephanie Meyers opened her Birch Provisions cafe and retail shop in the Double Eagle building in downtown Bigfork mid-May. 

JULY 

Driving change: New owners clean up Bigfork’s car wash 

Steve Davis and Liana Orsolini purchased Bigfork Powerwash off of Montana 35 in Bigfork and turned it into High Caliber Car Wash. 

Search expands 

Emily Rea of West Glacier disappeared on July 16, prompting a search effort involving the Flathead County Sheriff's Office and Two Bear Air with assistance from state and federal agencies. Though investigators found her vehicle at the Riverside Boat Launch parking lot and later recovered her paddleboard, found upside down in the Flossy Creek area, her whereabouts remain unknown.   

AUGUST 

New Bigfork Library receives warm welcome from community 

The new Bigfork branch of Flathead County Library opened Aug. 6 after years of hard work from dedicated community members, library and foundation staff.   

A donation of an undisclosed amount from Bert and Kari Arnlund put the Bigfork Capital Campaign over the fundraising goal of $3.2 million for the project.  More than 420 individual donors contributed to the fundraising campaign through the library foundation.  

Storm batters Bigfork 

Bigfork and the surrounding areas received some rough weather in an August thunderstorm, with wind tearing up Flathead Lake and taking out power lines serving about 14,000 Flathead Electric Cooperative customers.     

SEPTEMBER 

Vitek sentenced to 100 years for murder of Tammi Jordan 

Matthew Vitek of Bigfork was sentenced to 100 years in Montana State Prison on Sept. 18 for the deliberate homicide of Tammi Jordan in Ferndale in late 2023. He was also convicted for two attempted deliberate homicide charges, each a 100-year sentence. 

Jordan ran Little Paws Pet Salon on Cayuse Lane in Ferndale. Many knew and loved her, and a celebration of life was held at the A Bar Montana.   

“Everybody loved Tammi... everyone who met her loved her, she was a hard person to get in with, but she liked everybody, she just had no bad words for anybody,” friend Heather Kislewski said in an interview with KPAX. 

Chemical fire puts Bigfork man in burn unit 

Bigfork native Ken Williams was severely burned when his buffer caught fire in an asbestos removal project in Polson. 

Williams was flown to the Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center burn unit in Idaho Falls for his injuries.  

A GoFundMe for Williams raised $4,260, an update in late September by organizer Brittney Bradford stated he was, “good as new” thanks to the stem cell treatments.  

High school students onboard Flathead Maritime Archaeology Project 

Bigfork High School students joined Fugro and Bigfork Arts & Cultural Center, working to identify, locate, and document underwater cultural heritage sites in Flathead Lake, Montana, as part of the Flathead Maritime Archaeology Project.  

OCTOBER 

Contract in place for Holland Lake Lodge sale 

Eric Jacobsen, a private equity investor, announced in October that he has secured a contract to purchase Holland Lake Lodge near Condon. 

A spokesperson for the Flathead National Forest confirmed that on Oct. 11 the office received notification of a purchase agreement between Jacobsen and current Holland Lake Lodge owners Christian Wohlfeil and POWDR. 

Bigfork’s bank building gets new owners  

Bigfork Wine and Whiskey owners Dustin and Molly Cumming closed on Bigfork’s “bank building” and started construction, determined and excited to bring a new set of businesses to the 100-year-old downtown fixture.   

Northshore Woods preliminary plat moves forward 

Flathead County Commissioners approved Northshore Woods housing development’s preliminary plat on Tuesday, Oct. 1, despite resounding disapproval received in public comment.   

The plat would allow for 51 single family homes on 43 acres of land in Bigfork, with the main access coming from Peaceful Drive and additional connectivity to Bigfork Stage Road.  

Northshore Woods arrived back before commissioners in 2024 after being initially turned down in 2023, following settlement of a lawsuit where Longbow alleged its application was illegally denied. The first proposal had suggested 125 single-family homes on 105 acres.    

Lost piece of art found in Bigfork church 

A piece of history, lost for 90 years, turned up in the back of the sanctuary at Community United Methodist Church in Bigfork. Aaron Street, a lawyer, internet entrepreneur and internet researcher based in Minnesota spent four years tracking down the lost artwork of sculptor Oskar J.W. Hansen to create an archive of his largely forgotten work. The journey to find Hansen’s first ever sculpture, a bas-relief of the head of Christ, led him to Norway, Illinois, and finally, Bigfork, Montana.    

Sonder Montana Co offers a place for local women’s work to shine 

Carly Reedy and Amy Herman, whose parents owned the Echo Lake Cafe outside of Bigfork for 20 years, started their own venture next door in June: Sonder Montana Co, a coffee shop and retail store that seeks to highlight and uplift local women.    

NOVEMBER 

Bigfork bridge replacement to begin 

Montana Department of Transportation hosted an open house on Bigfork’s Bridge Street Bridge replacement, with the project slated to begin in early December.    

Bigfork Fire lieutenant faces sexual harassment allegations 

Bigfork Fire Department lieutenant Sean Reffner faced accusations of misconduct, including sexual harassment against female coworkers, in early November. 

His employment with Bigfork Fire was later terminated in a unanimous vote by the district board in a separate meeting.  

Local nonprofit finds and fundraises new baseball field  

Last spring, Bigfork’s baseball teams lost access to the field at Bear Creek following an increase in insurance requirements for the landowner.  

Bigfork Youth Baseball Association started leasing the new field between Saint John Paul II Catholic Church and Rising Mountains Assisted Living and got straight to work, with plans to begin practicing and playing on the field this season.  

DECEMBER 

Bigfork athletes receive All-State, All-Conference honors, Putman named Coach of the Year 

Fall All-State and All-Conference picks were released, with Bigfork’s players claiming several titles, along with volleyball coach Ariel Putman being named Coach of the Year. 

Bigfork Fire Department hopes for bond for new station on May ballot 

The Bigfork Fire Facilities committee held a meeting Dec. 3 to discuss plans for a new fire hall near the intersection of Highway 35 and Chapman Hill Road.   

Architects were set to send in completed designs by the end of December, leaving the committee to review them in early January. The district would then ask for local bids and must determine a final price on the building by Feb. 10 to meet the County Elections Office deadline.   

Bigfork’s Lake View Care Center reopens under new management 

Lake View Care Center will house seniors in Bigfork once again after closing its doors in late 2022. Lake View officially reopened on Oct. 30, with five residents moving from Kalispell to Bigfork.