Looking Back: Dense fog delays airline travelers
Whitefish Pilot | UPDATED 9 hours, 9 minutes AGO
Pacific Power and Light crews were donated to the city of Whitefish to erect the traditional Christmas tree on Central Avenue. Ray Barnes, foreman, Bob Sunde and Marlow Clark helped with the project in 1975.
A look back at past Pilot articles by Julie Engler
50 Years Ago
Dec. 24, 1975
Whitefish, as the only incorporated community in Flathead County adjacent to a lake, was the site of a hearing on proposed lake and Lakeshore protection regulations at the community room. Steve Petrini, director of the Area Planning Office, announced the date and place at a meeting of the county planning board. Regulations to be discussed at the meeting were nearly identical to those approved for Lake County to regulate development on and around Flathead Lake. The regulations would limit what can be done on the Lakeshore and within 20 feet of the shore and would affect only natural lakes and not man-made bodies of water such as reservoirs.
40 Years Ago
Dec. 25, 1985
Dense fog presented a challenge to some travelers in the Northwest eager to come or go for the holidays. Glacier Park International Airport has had few schedule setbacks because of the fog. With the exception of a Western Airlines flight last Thursday. Travelers hoping to fly into Missoula have found themselves on a bus for three hours instead because the fog has restricted flights into that community. A spokesman for Western Airlines said Sunday that 500 to 600 people have ridden charter buses to Missoula in the past four or five days. “People have been pretty good ... pretty cooperative,” he said of the travelers who have had to wait for luggage to arrive or have been forced to sit on a bus. He said Seattle is also shrouded in fog.
30 Years Ago
Dec. 21, 1995
Whitefish officials were requesting permission from the state to expand the city's building jurisdiction north to Big Mountain and west to Lion Mountain. The Whitefish City Council voted unanimously to make the request, which would extend the city's authority 4 1/2 miles north and west. If approved, the request would require developers on Big Mountain and Lion Mountain to purchase building permits and abide by city building codes. Developments would also be subject to city building inspections. Outgoing Mayor Jimmy Welsh argued that expansion was needed to protect white fish from fouled water and. Fire danger. “Someday Big Mountain is going to burn,” Welsh said. “If the buildings up there tend to have a propensity to burn, then I think you as a council would have the authority to explore getting the public health and safety hooked in.”
20 Years Ago
Dec. 22, 2005
The school funding package hammered out by the Legislature in a special session did not address issues raised in a lawsuit brought to the Montana Supreme Court by the state schools, said School District 44 Superintendent Jerry House. The $71.2 million funding package includes $36.7 million in ongoing funding and $34.5 million in one-time spending. “How will this $71.2 million play out for the Whitefish School District?” House asked. “It will take the Montana Office of Public Instruction a few weeks to develop budget formulas for the school districts. Until then, we really don't know the impact this special session has on us.”
10 Years Ago
Dec. 23, 2015
Eight state owned lakefront properties were set to go on the auction block in February. Properties on Beaver Lake west of Whitefish, Echo Lake near Bigfork and Lake Rogers west of Kila. Properties ranged in size from 1 - 4 acres, and some were developed with cabins and other improvements. Minimum bids started at $110,000 for 1.2 acres on Rogers and went up to $430,000 for 8 acres on Echo Lake. Four cabin sites are available on Beaver Lake. Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation Director John Tubbs described the auction as a unique opportunity to purchase “some outstanding waterfront properties.”