Looking Back: Vice President George Bush visits the Flathead
Whitefish Pilot | UPDATED 1 week, 3 days AGO
The Big Mountain had a big year for beargrass in 1996. (Ann Arbor Miller photo)
A look back at past Pilot articles by Julie Engler
50 Years Ago
July 8, 1976
Whitefishes 38th annual Whitefish Lake Regatta, one of the Northwest largest boat competitions, got under way with the coronation of the new Queen of the Waters, a boat show for performance boats both sail and power, and a public dance at the junior high athletic field. Music for the dance would be provided by Sweet Grass, a musical group from Missoula. Admission to the events was $1 plus a regatta button. Five candidates vying for the distinction of Queen of the Waters were Debbie Cadman, Cheryl Crumley. Leaona Fauske, Cindy Gregoire and Bonnie Schlinger.
40 Years Ago
July 9, 1986
Vice President George Bush arrived in the Flathead for his second visit to the area since he took office. Bush came to Kalispell to help raise funds for the Republican Party and voice support for GOP candidates in the state, according to the event Chairman Don Ruby of Kalispell. Ruby is the national GOP committee man for the Flathead Valley. He said the public was invited to welcome Bush at the airport and attend a luncheon at the Outlaw Inn. Tickets for the fundraiser were $100 per person, with the proceeds benefiting the GOP in Montana.
30 Years Ago
July 11, 1996
A black bear who spent the past several weeks gazing longingly at picnic baskets near the Swiftcurrent Motor Inn wandered into the employee showers, sending one man out into the sunshine with nothing but his birthday suit and a handful of towel. According to Bob Adams, bear management Ranger at Many Glacier, park rangers had been looking for an opportunity to capture the bear for several weeks. The animal was becoming habituated to humans, and it was only a matter of time before it began dipping into coolers and sack lunches. When rangers crept around the building, the bear was nowhere to be seen, but an employee was standing there, naked, wild-eyed, clutching a towel. He said, “He went that-a-way!” and pointed to nearby trees.
20 Years Ago
July 6, 2006
The former owner of the Downtowner Motel filed a petition for a rehearing with the Montana Supreme Court in a case involving a sports bar and casino. The city of Whitefish claimed major victory when the court ruled in its favor against Shelley Germann. The court case coincided with discussions by city staff and councilors about further regulation of gambling and Whitefish. Germann sued the city after she was denied a permit in 1999 to operate a sports bar and casino at the motel on Spokane Avenue and Second Street. In the petition, Germann’s attorney Richard Gallagher claimed the court “did not address Miss German's equal protection claims and thus overlooked a decisive question in the case.”
10 Years Ago
July 6, 2016
The Whitefish Airport runway remained closed after the runway was damaged during the skijoring event held there in the winter. It will not be open to air traffic this year. Cindy Martin, executive director of Glacier Park International Airport, said there was significant damage done to the turf on the runway and taxi area by the horses. Flathead Municipal Airport Authority owns and operates the Whitefish Airport, which is normally open from June to October. It also owns GPI. The World Invitational Whitefish Skijoring races were held in January at the airport and were a traditional Whitefish Winter Carnival event.