Long-distance farm oversight is no easy task

It’s time for another conference call with my three brothers. We’ve been conducting these long-distance sessions periodically for the past couple of years as decisions need to be made about our mother’s care and what to do about various maintenance issues on the farmstead.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 10 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Smart PJs no substitute for storytelling

I came across something the other day that was so appalling to me I have to tell you about it. They’re called Smart PJs, and an advertisement for these high-tech “jammies” tells parents their children now can slip into the “world’s first and only interactive pajamas.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 10 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Terror expert: 'It's their problem'

The solution to stopping the expanding grip of the Islamic State must come from the Middle East itself, an international terrorism expert told Kalispell Rotary Club members on Thursday.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 10 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

Giving in to an urge to purge

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 10 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

Are lutefisk challenges the next big thing?

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 10 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

Leather craftsman embraces 'old school' technique

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 10 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

Teachers quietly help kids in need

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 10 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

TV reruns a blast from the past

We subscribe to one of the popular satellite TV services and have hundreds of channels at our disposal. How is it, then, that we can never find much to watch on TV?

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 10 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Getting a kick out of cows

I grew up on a Minnesota dairy farm so I know all about cows and calves and their ability to kick you when you’re least expecting it.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 10 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO

The power of one woman is astounding

I was puttering around the kitchen Friday morning, getting my coffee, when I stopped abruptly and listened. The TV in the next room was announcing that Malala, the Pakistani teen who was shot in the head by the Taliban for her efforts to promote education for girls, had won the …

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 10 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO

Stark differences revealed in House District 4 race

Whether it’s the state’s cash reserve or the issue of expanding Medicaid, contenders for the House District 4 seat have viewpoints that are night-and-day different.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 10 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO

Businesswoman says she offers fresh perspective

Stacey Schnebel said she will ask the tough questions no matter what issue she’d tackle as county commissioner, and has the leadership skills to get the job done.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 10 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO

Nome an unlikely spot for birthday celebration

My oldest daughter, Heather, will celebrate her 30th birthday next week in a far-flung place — Nome, Alaska — where she’ll be doing some feature stories for the CBS affiliate in Anchorage.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 10 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO

Frost sprouts garden blues

It’s always a little bittersweet for me when the gardening season comes to an end as it did so abruptly two days ago when the frost claimed anything that wasn’t cocooned in bed sheets and blankets.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 10 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO

Luther Leaguers learned to love the mountains

Summers and reunions go hand-in-hand, and I was able to catch a double-header during my recent stay in Minnesota.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 10 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO

Name game a bit insane in Iceland

Here’s something you may have missed in the national news last week. It’s against the law in Iceland to name your baby girl Harriet.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 10 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

Feed-sack fashion ruled in hard times

One of our faithful Inter Lake readers sent me a poem the other day titled “Flour Sack Underwear,” along with a note saying “hope this little poem brings back some fond memories.”

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 10 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

Dad-daughter bond a special connection

“Newborn babies are really kind of ugly,” my husband, Tim, asserted more than once before we had children.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 10 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO

Backpacking through Europe was rite of passage

I’m kicking off my summer reading with Bill Bryson’s “Neither Here Nor There,” an entertaining and irreverent account of his travels through Europe in the 1970s and again 20 years later as he retraces his earlier journeys.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 10 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO

Church OKs plan for $1 million gift

After six months of prayer and careful consideration, the congregation of Christ Lutheran Church in Whitefish has decided how it will use a $1 million gift left to the church by a longtime Whitefish resident.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 11 YEARS AGO

Pussy willows are nostalgic part of spring

There’s no other plant that evokes past memories of spring for me than the pussy willow.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 11 YEARS AGO

More on idioms, but just 'don't have a cow'

I was surprised by the number of comments I got from readers about my last column, which focused on some of the idiomatic expressions in different parts of the country.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Idiomatic expressions reflect our geography, 'Dontcha know'

My husband has a favorite saying for when he hasn’t accomplished much during the day: “I feel like a pea picker with a hole in his sack.”

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Local artist's bold, brilliant work receives big recognition

Becoming recognized as one of the top Western artists in the country is no easy feat, Nancy Dunlop Cawdrey can attest.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Sauerkraut: 'An ambrosia of mankind'

James Perez sent me an email last week that started like this: “Sauerkraut deserves more attention.”

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Life's a beach for fleeing Minnesotans

I got in on the tail end of the first Polar Vortex that gripped Minnesota a couple of weeks ago when I went home for my mother’s 85th birthday celebration.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

Engaging Canada: Business leaders see opportunities across the border

By LYNNETTE HINTZEThe Daily Inter Lake

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

Thankfully, my waitress career was short-lived

I ran across a couple of statistics recently that made me remember my short-lived career as a waitress during college.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

A few pet peeves trump resolutions

Instead of making a list of New Year’s resolutions I’m certain to break before the month is out, I’ve decided instead to itemize some of my biggest pet peeves.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

Shining Starla: Young paraplegic dreams of walking again

Hope, peace and joy.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

The ghosts of Christmas past come calling

Every year about this time things happen that prompt flashbacks to those Christmas memories of yesteryear.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

On one fine day, the skating was simply perfect

Do you ever wonder if your childhood memories are as idyllic as you remember them?

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Vocabulary lessons can be didactic

The first newspaper editor I had as a cub reporter in the late 1970s always encouraged us to use “big” words in our stories.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO

Thunderbirds: Kalispell makes bid for air show

The Kalispell Chamber of Commerce hopes to bring the U.S. Air Force’s elite Thunderbirds to the Flathead Valley next summer for an air show.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO

Intern raises eyebrows among the 'church ladies'

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO

Canning mania still in full swing

Canning mania still in full swing

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO

Board looks at Whitefish downtown update

The Whitefish Planning Board has one of its heaviest agendas in months as it meets tonight, with six public hearings that include a proposed update of the downtown master plan.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO

If the high heel fits, proceed with caution

My oldest daughter used to have a real passion for high heels when she lived in the Lower 48. Now that she’s officially an Alaskan — she gets her first Permanent Fund dividend this year — the stilettos have been sidelined in lieu of sensible snow and hiking boots for …

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO

'He is forgiven' - Kalispell woman finds peace after sexual abuse

As a lawsuit against the Boy Scouts organization by women who were molested and raped decades ago by a local Scout leader continues to make headlines and moves closer to trial, the painful memories come to the surface again for Terry Harter of Kalispell.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO

Craziness over fair food runs rampant

I’m in Plains this weekend for the Sanders County Fair, soaking up the last of the fair season as I help my husband and his business partner peddle bratwurst and barbecue to the masses.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO

The girl who kicked the yellow jacket/wasp/hornet's nest

Dear readers, I stand corrected. Apparently the winged warriors I wrote about two weeks ago are not bees; they’re yellow jackets. At least that’s what several people have told me, based on the fact that the swarm of stinging insects are holed up in what appears to be an underground …

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO

A man of valor: WWII salvage diver, 100, recalls 'Seabee' days

On a grassy hilltop off McMannamy Draw, Ken Hartle spent his 100th birthday Thursday just as he had seen it in his dreams several years ago, surrounded by family with his great-grandchildren holding a festive poster declaring well wishes for “Papa.”

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO

Fair enough: Annual event has solidified the Flathead for 111 years

Not many local events have had the staying power of the Northwest Montana Fair and Rodeo.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO

Angry bees: A new game in the garden

Sting me once, shame on me. Sting me twice and it’s all-out war.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO

Going buggy over ticks

I was so smug when I arrived in Minnesota a few weeks ago and discovered I’d arrived before mosquito season, at least for the most part.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

Boating has always meant good times on Whitefish Lake

Beautifully restored antique and classic wooden boats will bring back a lot of memories for those attending the Whitefish Woody Weekend II show next weekend.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

Old jail had laid-back atmosphere

A story I wrote recently about Flathead County making plans to renovate the old jail south of the courthouse prompted a telephone call from Irma Cook Wells of Kalispell, who worked at the jail from 1947 to 1952.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing

For swing-dance zealots, Ella Fitzgerald said it best: “It don’t mean a thing, if it ain’t got that swing.”

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

One fine day with mom to cherish

The train was running five hours late when I stepped onto the depot platform in Fargo, N.D., two weeks ago and immediately knew I was home.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO

Are we getting dumber?

Do you ever feel like your cellphone or computer are smarter than you?

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO

New law helps Whitefish woman battle cancer

A Whitefish woman who was diagnosed with cancer two months ago is the first Montanan to tap into a new state law requiring insurance coverage for patients participating in clinical trials.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO

Spoken or not, love binds us

There’s rarely a phone conversation with my two daughters that doesn’t end with a tender “love you,” on one end, echoed by a “love you, too,” on the other end. We declare our terms of endearment easily and often, and it soothes a mother’s soul.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 12 YEARS AGO

Spotlighting senior services: Local agency serves thousands of people

A few vocal opponents of Flathead County’s quest to build a new Agency on Aging facility have tossed out the notion that AOA only serves a couple of hundred senior citizens.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 12 YEARS AGO

Agency on Aging building project shelved

Two of the three Flathead County commissioners voted Wednesday to pull the plug on a Community Development Block Grant application that, if approved, would have given the county $450,000 toward a new Agency on Aging facility.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 12 YEARS AGO

Digging in: Girl Scouts get a workout at farm

Who knew digging up Jerusalem artichokes could be so much fun?

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 12 YEARS AGO

New test reveals how smart your dog is

Here’s something from the “what will they think of next?” department.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

For the love of beer: Experimentation the name of the game for home brewers

When it comes to brewing beer at home, there are as many stories as there are varieties of stouts, ales and porters.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Small-town life detailed in N.D. columns

Every year state press associations throughout the country dole out their annual newspaper awards for the best feature stories, breaking news, business coverage — you name it, there’s a category for it.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Youthful puppy love dies hard

Tucked into the boxes of my childhood stuff I recently sorted through in Minnesota were a couple of big envelopes of Valentine’s Day cards from grade school, dozens of those little mass-produced cards with hokey sentiments.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

Lodge owners propose boutique hotel

The owners of The Lodge at Whitefish Lake want to build a boutique hotel in downtown Whitefish at the corner of Third Street and Central Avenue where a city parking lot now is located.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

First-time plunger raises almost $15,000

Mark Kuhr will make his inaugural jump in today’s Penguin Plunge for Special Olympics by doing something, shall we say, outside the ice box.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

School days: Merely a legend in my own mind?

Here’s what I realized after poring through five boxes of my old school papers last week in Minnesota: My perception of my childhood doesn’t jive with what those papers revealed.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

Recalling a ride on the 'freedom' train of youth

One of the topics that came up more than once at the all-school reunion I attended in Minnesota last summer was how fortunate we were to have grown up in an era when kids, for the most part, were left to their own devices and imaginations to entertain themselves.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

Losing Mom, one memory at a time

Memory loss is an insidious thing. It works quietly and stealthily, chipping away the most benign thoughts at first. And when that’s no longer enough, it commandeers whole thought processes and memories you’d swear were so deeply embedded they were untouchable.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

Subdivision with water features planned north of Kalispell

A subdivision featuring two man-made lakes for water-skiing is proposed on 154 acres of farmland north of Rose Crossing.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

Pranks must follow 'do no harm' rule

The recent suicide of the nurse who responded to a prank call at the London hospital treating Princess Kate is a sad turn of events and an unfortunate example of the unintended consequences created by a practical joke gone horribly wrong.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

Gateway trail project gets county funding

The Gateway to Glacier Trail planned along U.S. 2 from Coram to West Glacier will get Flathead County’s entire allocation of federal trails money.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Probing the past is new pastime

Something has happened that I would never have thought possible back in high school when I was dozing off in Mr. Roos’ American History class. I have become a history nerd.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Brotherly advice taken to heart

Sometimes life’s lessons are learned not so much with that figurative slap up alongside the head, but with more of a splash of fresh water across your face that gets your attention and somehow leaves you revived.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Old concepts: chamber pots, head cheese

I’ve had several conversations this week that have left me feeling like I’m older than dirt.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO

Senators seek Medicare waiver for asbestos victims

Montana Sens. Max Baucus and Jon Tester are working to get a full waiver of Medicare liens that have been placed on pending settlements for Libby asbestos victims.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO

House of cards: Bridge aficionados savor the competition at regional tourney

The concentration was palpable among the hundreds of bridge players huddled around nearly 100 card tables.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO

Packing in many pecks of peppers

Can anyone tell me why my husband planted 120 pepper plants this year?

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO

Guns and poses: Schweitzer part of Dems' 'in' crowd

Now I’ve gone and done it. A couple of days ago I “liked” Gov. Brian Schweitzer’s Facebook page and am now privy to what he’s been up to these days, namely, his spirited participation and endless cavorting at last week’s Democratic National Convention.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO

Recycling extended to major events

When thousands of spectators and participants gather at Flathead Lake next week for the Montana Dragon Boat Festival, they will have recycling containers for all those plastic water bottles and aluminum cans, thanks to a new effort by the WasteNot Project.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO

Flathead County growth policy update moves toward completion

The Flathead County commissioners on Wednesday moved a step closer to approving a revision of the 2007 growth policy by passing a resolution of intent to approve the update.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO

Cheating crisis a sad sign of times

As another school year begins, I was interested to learn that scores of teachers across the country are now forced to use what essentially amounts to digital spy programs to catch students who are cheating.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO

Local jobs number the best in four years

Flathead County’s unemployment rate improved to 7.9 percent in July, the best report since before the recession began four years ago.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO

Reunion let us remember 'way we were'

I’ve been awash with nostalgia since returning from the all-school reunion in Hawley, Minn. a few weeks ago. The reunion coincided with the town’s 140th anniversary, so it meant big “doings.”

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO

One day, the handwriting won't be on the wall

I am a dinosaur. I know this because I not only receive the AARP Bulletin every month; I find much of it pretty interesting.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

A father's influence is far-reaching

It occurred to me at 4 a.m. the other morning (I do a lot of early-morning tossing and turning as I think of ideas for this space) that it took a lot of different fathers to raise our two daughters.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

GHS senior aspires to cure diseases

Finding a cure for cancer is a “lofty goal,” Josiah Bumgarner realizes, but he has always set his bar a little bit higher than most people.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO

Will anyone in politics take the high road?

My introduction to politics came in 1968 when I was in the seventh grade. More specifically, politics showed up on my radar screen during a road trip with my family to Port Wing, Wis., to visit my grandmother that year.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO

Plot thickens for online novel

Every now and again conversations in Whitefish circle around to “The Whitefish Novel,” the anonymous online novel that’s as much a social commentary about Whitefish issues as it is a murder mystery.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS AGO

Waiting for justice: Mother still grieving murder of only son

Two years after her son was murdered in his sleep at a Louisiana Army base, Billie Eisinger still feels the hole in her life.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS AGO

No Easter baskets for you this year

After 27 years of being a parent, I made a big decision this year: I’m not giving my two grown daughters Easter baskets.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Whitefish mall sees surge of new businesses

After weathering the recession, the sun seems to be shining on Mountain Mall in Whitefish, where six new businesses have signed leases and two existing businesses recently expanded.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

A heart for Haiti

The emotional tug toward Haiti has been long and persistent for Mike and Tifanni Watkins.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Powza! - Bakery with superhero theme is winning customers

Roberta Bennett may not be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, and she doesn’t own a Batmobile. But ever since she opened Powza! Baking Co. in Whitefish last July, she could be dubbed a real-life neighborhood superhero.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Columnist still waiting for viral fame

I’ll have to confess I’m a little jealous of Marilyn Hagerty.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Roosevelt's legacy: The rest of the story

Last month I wrote a story about Teddy Roosevelt’s many connections to the Flathead Valley and the remnants of those relationships here that still exist, from his cattle brand to a well-worn pair of leather chaps.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Encounters on the trail

Imagine my unease and downright trepidation when my daughter — the one who lives in the moose-infested wilds of Alaska, namely Anchorage — leaves the following voice message on my cellphone:

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Raymond Dominick

Raymond Dominick of Bigfork is ready to launch a national marketing campaign for Dynamic Investment Pro, a software program he developed with John Kyle.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Lawsuit seeks to void Whitefish 'doughnut' vote

Four Whitefish-area residents have sued the city of Whitefish, asking the court to throw out a recently passed referendum that repealed a 2010 planning agreement for the two-mile “doughnut” area outside of Whitefish.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

Whitefish wayfinding sign project under way

Whitefish is embarking on a wayfinding project to create new and additional signs for major amenities in the resort town.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

Free clinic responds to growing need for health care

No job, no money, no insurance.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

A lady named Max made me into a singer

After a long hiatus, I have rejoined the alto section of the choir at Christ Lutheran Church in Whitefish.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Couple celebrates 50th anniversary

Jerry and Jo Lynn Yenne are celebrating big-time on Friday — 11/11/11 — and not just because it’s their 50th wedding anniversary.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO

Longtime coach gets 'Spirit of Whitefish' award

Terry Nelson succinctly remembers a statement made by one of his Whitefish High School boys golf team standouts a few years ago: “Our coach never talks about winning.”

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO

Assisted-living center takes shape

A new 39-unit assisted-living facility in Columbia Falls will be ready for occupancy in February.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO

Panel suggests axing some city charges

Citing continued economic challenges in Whitefish, a committee tasked with reviewing the resort town’s impact fees has recommended dropping some of the fees.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO

City, county begin to chart options for governance

The committee that drafted a revised interlocal agreement last year for the planning “doughnut” around Whitefish will meet Thursday to discuss how to move forward as the question of who will govern the doughnut area hangs in the balance.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO

Injured man among world's elite skydivers

The Whitefish skydiver who suffered severe injuries when he crashed prior to a University of Montana football game in Missoula on Saturday is one of just eight skydivers worldwide who have participated in all of the World Team’s record-setting jumps.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO

Whitefish townsfolk: City Hall should stay

The majority of people at a town meeting Thursday to study site options for a new City Hall in Whitefish believe a new facility should be rebuilt on the current City Hall site.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO

Whitefish High School could get money from city

The Whitefish City Council is willing to consider using a portion of the city’s tax increment finance district revenue to help make improvements to Whitefish’s aging high school.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO

Critical areas law changes proposed

Several key changes to Whitefish’s critical areas ordinance will be considered during a public hearing at the Whitefish City-County Planning Board meeting on Thursday.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO

Passion for percussion: Longtime local drummer opens retail store in Kalispell

Rob Spencer’s lifelong love of drumming has turned into a full-time business.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO

Control of 'doughnut' area uncertain

A referendum aimed at repealing a 2010 planning agreement will be part of the Whitefish city election that begins this week when registered city voters get their ballots in the mail.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO

A work in progress: Cooper's dining room open; second-floor project under way

After six years and 10 different building designs, Cooper’s Eatery & Drinkery has emerged as a prominent downtown Whitefish “upscale casual” restaurant and lounge in the former Truby’s Wood Fired Pizza location.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO

Askew concerned about Whitefish's lack of growth

Whitefish City Council member Turner Askew has spent the past four years cautioning fellow councilors to be mindful of the “unintended consequences” of their decisions. It’s a practice he aims to continue if elected mayor of Whitefish.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO

Candidate pushes economic development

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO

Catering to convenience

With a close ear to the ground about what the community wanted in a convenience store, Kim Dutton has opened a new business in the old Local Joe’s gas station in Bigfork.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO

Lift lines: Chairlift work progressing at Whitefish Mountain Resort

Work is well under way on two lift projects at Whitefish Mountain Resort — one to repair a slump above Chair One’s Tower Six and the other to complete the new Bad Rock lift.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO

Whitefish aims to simplify critical areas law

With a directive to simplify Whitefish’s critical areas ordinance, the Whitefish City-County Planning Board tonight will hold a work session to begin tweaking the comprehensive drainage law to make it more user-friendly.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO

Court OKs $43 million settlement for asbestos victims

The District Court in Helena has approved a $43 million settlement with the state for 1,128 people sickened by asbestos exposure linked to the former W.R. Grace & Co. vermiculite mine at Libby.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO

Airport security checks now a way of life

TSA — it’s an acronym that’s become synonymous with airport security, and not always in a good way.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO

Covering 9/11 took severe emotional toll

It started as a day like any other.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO

Airport taxiway construction starts

With a $6.4 million federal grant finally in hand, Glacier Park International Airport began work Thursday to reconstruct a portion of the taxiway before winter weather sets in.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO

Comment period ends for CFAC power deal

Today is the last day to comment on Bonneville Power Administration’s proposed electric power deal that could provide service to the dormant Columbia Falls Aluminum Co. for up to 4 1/2 years.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO

New Mindset List makes me feel old

One of my esteemed colleagues shared an interesting bit of information the other day when he alerted me about the newly released Mindset List at Beloit College, a private school in southeastern Wisconsin.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO

'Everybody's talking about it'

The boys from Billings are the talk of the town.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO

Jobless rate dips

Flathead County’s unemployment rate improved a full percentage point in July as the effect of seasonal summer hiring finally kicked in.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO

Building, jobs needed

Economic growth in Flathead County and Montana continues to improve at a snail’s pace, but a prolonged construction slump and lack of job creation still are major obstacles to overcome, economists said Thursday during their midyear economic outlook seminar in Kalispell.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO

Whitefish bookstore expanding to Kalispell

Bookworks in Whitefish is opening a new chapter by adding a store in Kalispell.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO

Whitefish mourns loss of snowboarding phenom

Condolences poured out over Facebook and other social media sites Tuesday as the global snowboarding community learned it had lost one of its own when the death of snowboarding champion Aaron Robinson came to light.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO

Whitefish 'doughnut' lawsuit dismissed

The city of Whitefish’s lawsuit against Flathead County over control of Whitefish’s two-mile planning “doughnut” has been dismissed in a court ruling that also denies requests by various intervenors and proposed intervenors.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

New Whitefish gallery showcases area artists

A new art gallery has opened in Whitefish, encompassing the second floor of the prominent Piney Creek Interiors building at 100 Central Ave.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

Local tech company on cutting edge of eye care

For centuries, traditional eye exams have relied on the repetitive mantra, “Which is better, one or two?” as patients are asked to identify which trial lenses help them see more clearly.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

Glacier Park is more than just Going-to-the-Sun Road

Last winter’s extraordinary, lingering snowfall has yielded some scenic side effects in Glacier National Park this summer, including spectacular waterfalls, stunning beargrass and other wildflowers and more wildlife at lower elevations.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

Campaign complaint dismissed

The state Commissioner of Political Practices has dismissed a complaint by former Flathead County Commissioner Joe Brenneman against the property rights group American Dream Montana.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

Obama not visiting, but Laura Bush is

President Barack Obama has canceled a trip to Montana and will not be in Whitefish later this week, Whitefish Police Chief Bill Dial said Tuesday.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

Gravel mission turned out to be gem of a trip

I’m in love with gravel.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

New book showcases artwork of 'Van Gogh of Montana'

In the swirled clouds, deliberate brush strokes and vivid hues, a hint of “Vinnie” shows up in a lot of James Bakke’s paintings.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

Fair-trade focus: New shop features African baskets, international decor

Seven years ago, Irene Zuehlsdorff set out to start a “giving” business that would personally benefit those making the products she sells.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

Sweet NO Wheat: Whitefish couple finds niche for gluten-free bakery

It’s taken three years of painstaking trial-and-error research, but Jennelle Cassidy finally has a loaf of bread that tastes like “real” bread.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

CPR for cellphones: Evergreen business is major repair hub for electronic devices

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

Talks begin on transaction fee proposal

A proposal to establish a 9-cent transaction tax to pay for street maintenance will be formally introduced at a Kalispell City Council work session on Monday.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

County aims to pull out of Whitefish doughnut deal

Anticipating the effect an upcoming city ballot referendum could have on control of Whitefish’s two-mile planning “doughnut,” the Flathead County commissioners on Wednesday began the process of scrapping the 2010 revised interlocal agreement.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

Railway revival: Trendy Whitefish neighborhood now seeing signs of recovery

Two years after the threat of contaminated property derailed growth in Whitefish’s Railway District, the historic mixed-use neighborhood has made strides toward recovery.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

Applied Materials on track for record year

When Applied Materials acquired Kalispell-based Semitool about 18 months ago, the idea was to leverage the strengths of both companies to create a competitive edge in the manufacturing of processing equipment for the semiconductor industry.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

Life lessons learned from my father

It’s going on two years since my dad died, and hardly a day goes by that I don’t think of him in some small way. His words and wisdom are so intricately woven into me; I realize that more now than when he was still alive.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

New branding effort touts Kalispell as hub of visitor paradise

With a new logo and a new message, the Kalispell brand has been launched.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

Snow day? Resort opens for summer: Snowshoes are optional

Whitefish Mountain Resort’s summer opener on Saturday has an unusual offering this year — lots and lots of snow.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

Polson development billed a success

It’s been 15 years since Polson’s Mission Bay partnership began with piles of dirt and the promise of a first-class development.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO

Whitefish Order of the Moose reaches 100-year mark

In the early 1900s, the Loyal Order of the Moose was already reinventing itself from a men-only fraternal organization founded in 1888 to a community group driven to help children in need.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO

What I learned during anguish on Amtrak ride

It could be worse.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO

Gib Burk, 94

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO

Taxi service finds niche serving elderly, disabled

Jeanne Herron has always had a passion for helping people who need medical care. Thirty years as a certified nursing assistant attest to that.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO

Valley Ford set for June 1 opening

Valley Ford is on track to open June 1, breathing life back into the former Kari Dodge facility in Evergreen that was vacated earlier this year.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO

Story emerges of long-lost cowboy hero

History is kind of my bag. I’ve always enjoyed writing about the cast of characters who left their mark on the annals of places such as the Flathead Valley.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO

Mark Weed expands used-car dealership in Evergreen

Mark Weed Auto Sales has moved to the other side of the street in Evergreen and tripled its highway frontage in the process.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO

Whitefish board considers sign exceptions

Whitefish turns its attention yet again to signs on Thursday for a public hearing over changes in city law to better accommodate historic or iconic signs.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO

Group looks at redevelopment options

Discussion about the potential for building a community or event center in Kalispell continued Thursday with a focus on how the city can utilize federal grant funding and Westside Tax Increment District revenue as tools for city core redevelopment.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 12 MONTHS AGO

Whitefish plans pay raises

With an improving economy and better-than-expected increases in resort-tax revenue last year, the city of Whitefish has proposed a 3.3 percent pay increase for city workers.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS AGO

Letters detail a mother's concern in long-ago war

There is perhaps no greater burden for a mother than to have her children put in harm’s way, especially during times of war. The worry and anxiety must at times be excruciating for these mothers; I can only imagine.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS AGO

Rising to the occasion: Bakery serves the Flathead its daily bread, and then some

It’s lunch time on a Wednesday in April, and the crowd at Grateful Bread has shifted from morning pastry-seekers to tables of local diners wanting soup and sandwiches, and perhaps a cookie for dessert.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS AGO

Whitefish tobacco store will be allowed

A tobacco and cigarette shop that will open in mid-June near Whitefish Middle School is an approved commercial use for that zone and will be permitted, the Whitefish City Council agreed last week.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS AGO

An ode to Jigsybelle, an Easter bunny for all time

When my middle brother Rodney was about 7 and I was 10, he decided he wanted to raise rabbits.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS AGO

Whitefish council tangled in curb conundrum

Deciding what kind of curbs to install at the busy Baker Avenue intersection with U.S. 93 was a tall order for the Whitefish City Council on Monday, but after two hours of discussion and two votes the council opted for street-level ramps at the crosswalks.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS AGO

U.S. 93 zone compromise OK'd

A three-year battle over expanding retail uses on the U.S. 93 strip in Whitefish ended Monday with a compromise.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS AGO

Whitefish brewery signs can stay, council decides

Great Northern Brewing Co. will be allowed to keep signs that exceed the number and square footage allowed under Whitefish sign laws, the City Council agreed on Monday.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS AGO

Ski resorts report banner year

Ample snowfall early in the season and throughout the winter is getting much of the credit for a banner ski season at both Flathead Valley ski resorts.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS AGO

With zealous husband, the garden plot thickens

We have babies at our house — lots and lots of little babies.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Family values: Vietnamese relatives arrive to help at new Charlie Wong restaurant

The reason Charlie Trinh works 15-hour days, seven days a week

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Brewery earns top business award

Renewed community involvement and a stepped-up marketing campaign have earned Great Northern Brewing Co. one of the top business awards in Whitefish.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Made in the U.S.A.: Company's vintage signs get national exposure

Meissenburg Designs makes vintage wood signs in a rather low-profile manner off the beaten path near Bigfork, but a recent episode of ABC World News’ “Made in America” series put the small company in the national limelight.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Zinc Air prepares to launch storage batteries

A Kalispell company that has developed a one-of-a-kind grid energy storage system expects to ship its first battery system by year’s end.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

State facing $43 million payout: Asbestos-victim money would come from general fund

The entire $43 million payout proposed to settle claims by Libby asbestos victims will come from the state’s general fund, the Legislative Fiscal Division confirmed this week.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Flathead women featured at U.N. conference

Two Flathead Valley women shared their personal stories of Montana ingenuity and entrepreneurship to a worldwide audience this month as part of the U.N. Commission’s Status of Women meetings in New York.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Plum Creek real estate revenue detailed

With more than 900,000 acres in seven Western Montana counties, Plum Creek Timber Co. remains the largest private landowner in the state, but over the past three years 310,000 acres have been sold for conservation easements and working forests through the Montana Legacy Project.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Don K breaks ground on new Subaru showroom

Construction has begun for a 2,200-square-foot Subaru showroom at the Don K Chevrolet/Subaru/Chrysler-Dodge dealership in Whitefish.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Plum Creek manufacturing stabilizes

Plum Creek Timber Co. had a dramatic turnaround in profit from its Flathead Valley manufacturing facilities in 2010, an indicator the company is beginning to stabilize after being sucker-punched by the Great Recession and one of the worst housing markets in U.S. history.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Italian brothers to reunite on Rome TV

A reunion between Calogero “Todd” Iannelli of Kalispell and his older brother Antonino will play out next month on a television station in Rome, Italy.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Masonic Lodge transformed into event center

One of Whitefish’s landmark brick buildings has a new lease on life, this time as an event center.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Evergreen dealership offers cars, boats

One of the top Nissan dealerships in Montana has carved out its niche on U.S. 2 East in Evergreen alongside a sister business that offers both boats and vehicles.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Teaching is not for the faint of heart

I’ve been thinking a lot about teachers lately because they seem to be caught in the crosshairs of so much debate, both at the national and local levels.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Paint firm relocates to old Dollar Store

Sherwin-Williams Co. has relocated its Kalispell store to the long-vacant Dollar Store building next to the downtown Super 1 Foods, a move that will nearly double the floor space for the paint store.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Jobless rate hits record 14.1 percent

Flathead County’s unemployment rate jumped to an all-time high in January when it reached 14.1 percent, compared to 12.1 percent in December 2010.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Bigfork pizzeria competes with the best

Bigfork pizza makers Kaleigh Brook and her husband, Engjell Vrapi, were considered the underdogs by many when they arrived in Las Vegas last week for the International Pizza Challenge.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Montana negotiating $43 million asbestos settlement

The state of Montana is in the final stages of negotiating a $43 million settlement with Libby asbestos victims, according to legal papers obtained by the Daily Inter Lake.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Local economy benefits from neighbors to the north

The number of Alberta license plates in retail, hotel and restaurant parking lots tells the story at a glance. Canadians are spending time and money in the Flathead this winter, and they’re coming in droves.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Hospitals in Flathead County woo Canadian patients

Canadians who don’t want to wait several months for elective or non-emergency surgery are traveling across the border in increasing numbers to Flathead Valley hospitals ready and waiting to deliver expedient care.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Group questions Spencer timber sale

Concerned that the proposed Spencer Lake timber sale west of Whitefish doesn’t fully consider the recreational uses of that area, the Friends of Spencer Mountain group has organized a meeting on Tuesday to “take the pulse of the community” on the issue.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Time for wine?: Kalispell Chamber promotes grape research initiative

Are there varieties of cold-hardy grapes that could generate enough fruit to sustain a number of wineries around Flathead Lake?

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Cherry growers plan trip to Washington orchards

The next step in an effort to study new cherry varieties for the Flathead Valley is a road trip to Washington’s Yakima Valley.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Musical lifeline: Guitar owned by POW takes a place in history at Canadian war museum

During the endless hours as a prisoner of war in World War II, Alfred “Alf” Binnie’s guitar was an instrument of survival.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Lakeside plan put on hold

The embattled 2010 Lakeside Neighborhood Plan has been put on hold until a lawsuit challenging the neighborhood planning process goes to trial in December.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Local horse racing still on track

Horse racing appears to have moved out of the starting gate for this year’s Northwest Montana Fair, even though it’s not clear yet how the funding will play out for two days of racing.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Don K adds four new vehicle lines

Don K Chevrolet/Subaru of Whitefish finalized its purchase of Kari Dodge on Tuesday, making it the most diverse car dealership in the Flathead Valley.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

'Doughnut' legal wrangling continues

Two members of a committee that drafted a revised interlocal agreement for the Whitefish two-mile planning “doughnut” area have asked the court to grant a joint city-county motion to dismiss a related lawsuit.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Airport launches $8 million upgrade

Glacier Park International Airport will embark on nearly $8 million in airport improvements this summer as part of a new 20-year master plan for the airport.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Panel targeting Veterans Home

A legislative subcommittee amendment adopted Thursday could be the first step in either closing down or privatizing the Montana Veterans Home in Columbia Falls.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

County planning director overhauls fee structure

In an effort to increase user-friendliness and clarity of planning fees, Flathead County Planning Director BJ Grieve has overhauled his office’s administrative fee schedule.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Valentine gift ideas border on the bizarre

I can always tell when Valentine’s Day is drawing near. My e-mail inbox fills up with all kinds of gift ideas. Some are rather intriguing.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Terms of endearment: Conrad correspondence details early years of couple's marriage

On Valentine’s Day in 1881, Charles and Alicia Conrad were newlyweds.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Whitefish library group works toward 'seamless' transition

With less than five months to go, a newly appointed Whitefish Community Library board of trustees is in the throes of establishing an independent city library in Whitefish by July 1.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

Resort-tax revenue shows strong turnaround

Whitefish resort-tax collections for the last quarter of 2010 indicate a dramatic economic rebound in the resort town.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

The force is with him: Young actor in Super Bowl ad has ties to Whitefish

A 6-year-old boy featured in today’s Super Bowl advertisement for the Volkswagen 2012 Passat has ties to Whitefish.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

Two rural fire chiefs step down

Two rural fire chiefs whose volunteer departments have had contentious relationships with the Kalispell Fire Department over mutual-aid issues have stepped down.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

New local coalition watchdogs Legislature

A proposed Senate bill that would allow some local government entities to demand coordination from the federal government before imposing federal policies drew support on Tuesday from the new Flathead County Coalition.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

Berne Road paving project proposed

A stripped-down version of an earlier plan for a Rural Special Improvement District to pave portions of Jensen and Berne roads has been proposed, and will include only three-quarters of a mile of Berne Road.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

'Tiger mother' spurs parenting debate

If you’ve tapped into the national news at all lately, you’ve no doubt heard about the controversy that’s swelled up over Amy Chua’s book, “Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother,” in which she explains with a huge dose of Western political incorrectness, why Chinese mothers and their children are superior.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

A future for trash: County evaluates landfill options

How much garbage will Flathead County produce 100 years from now? And where will we put it all?

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

Courthouse renovation bids open

Martel Construction was the low bidder among five firms vying for a major renovation of the main Flathead County Courthouse.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

West Glacier Lodge passes one county hurdle

The Flathead County commissioners on Wednesday unanimously approved a major land-use permit for Glacier Guides Lodge near West Glacier, paving the way for the lodge to wrap up a licensing issue in time for the summer tourist season.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

Col. Falls library relocation raises questions

The Columbia Falls City Council has scheduled a special work session on Monday to discuss the proposed relocation of the Columbia Falls branch library from City Hall to Glacier Discovery Square.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

Epic reunion: Sicilian brothers connect on Facebook after 52 years

It’s easy to imagine Calogero “Todd” Iannelli’s life as an epic movie, one that spans generations and cultures, from the ancient castle city of Caccamo, Sicily, to the urban jungle of Chicago and finally to the mountains of Montana.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

'Crazy' Finns and their spirit of competition

Let me just say there’s nothing like a good old ethnic feud to get people revved up.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

New coalition forms to push for business

Making good on a campaign promise, new Flathead County Commissioner Pam Holmquist on Friday announced the creation of a local coalition that will watchdog the state Legislature and work to improve the county’s business climate.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

'Doughnut' referendum proposal approved

A proposed referendum aimed at throwing out a revised interlocal agreement for the Whitefish “doughnut area” has been cleared for takeoff by Whitefish City Attorney Mary VanBuskirk.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

West Glacier mulls commercial expansion

A meeting will be held Tuesday in West Glacier to get community input about expanding or altering the commercial area in West Glacier.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

Legal questions raised about 'doughnut' initiative

A Kalispell attorney representing various individuals and groups concerned about governance of Whitefish’s two-mile planning “doughnut” is challenging a citizens initiative effort proposed to create an elected community council of doughnut residents.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

Water concerns stall county decision on lodge

Citing overriding concerns about potential groundwater contamination, the Flathead County commissioners on Tuesday tabled a decision on a major land-use permit for Glacier Guides Lodge near West Glacier.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

County to determine fate of W. Glacier lodge

The Flathead County commissioners will hold a public hearing on Tuesday to consider a major land-use permit involving a lodge near West Glacier.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

Whitefish's new ethics policy now ready for review

An expansive new ethics policy for the city of Whitefish is ready for review after being drafted by an ad hoc ethics and conflict of interest committee.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

Board selections cap bumpy year for county fair

Flathead County Fair Board member Ted Dykstra Jr., who served as interim fair manager for several months earlier this year, has stepped down from the Fair Board.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

Brenneman proud of collaboration

Joe Brenneman doesn’t hesitate when asked what his biggest accomplishment has been during his six years as Flathead County commissioner.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

County OKs new travel policy

A new travel policy approved last week by the Flathead County commissioners better clarifies the reimbursement process for county employees who travel as part of their job, the commissioners and county department heads agree.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

Longtime airport board member not reappointed by county

The Flathead County commissioners on Monday declined to reappoint longtime Flathead Municipal Airport Authority board member Tim Grattan to another term because he does not live in the Flathead Valley year-round and often attends board meetings via conference call or Skype.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

North Fork zoning proposal rejected again

A zoning proposal to limit the size of extractive industries on private land in the North Fork has failed for a second time to win approval from the Flathead County commissioners.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

County OKs addition to Herron Park

Flathead County’s popular Herron Park just got bigger.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

Peace on Earth found in the quiet moments

When I think back to Christmases past, it’s not big celebrations that first come to mind. The memories I cherish are those slivers of quiet time, slipped in at the end of the night on Christmas Eve or at dawn on Christmas Day while everyone else was sleeping.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

County studies C.F. library funding

The First Best Place nonprofit group wants $268,000 in county funding to help relocate the Columbia Falls branch library to Glacier Discovery Square in downtown Columbia Falls.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

Effort to rescind growth policy stalls

A push by the American Dream Montana property-rights group to get a ballot referendum to repeal the Flathead County Growth Policy has stalled, at least for now.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Subdivision rules ready for final review

Finalizing subdivision regulations for Flathead County has been a long, tedious process, but a Dec. 16 public hearing could give the county an early Christmas present.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Game plan emerges for update of growth plan

The Flathead County commissioners on Thursday gave the nod to begin updating the 2007 County Growth Policy.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

County offices begin move this week

Several Flathead County departments will begin moving this week from temporary quarters in the Earl Bennett Building to refurbished office space in the former Blue Building now known as Courthouse West.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Cutbacks hit county Planning Office again

Faced with a projected shortfall of $52,000 in planning-fee income by the end of the fiscal year next June, the Flathead County Planning Office has laid off another planner and is faced with further belt tightening as a construction slump continues.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Whitefish struggling with drop in projects

Among Flathead County’s three incorporated cities, Whitefish has faced the biggest cutbacks in the planning arena.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

There's snow place like home

You can sing along to the tune of that popular Christmas song as I say to my chagrin that “It’s beginning to look a lot like ... the winter of 1996-97.”

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Lakeside plan crosses the finish line

Applause broke out Wednesday when the Flathead County commissioners gave final approval to an update of the Lakeside Neighborhood Plan, bringing an end to a three-year process fraught with controversy, delays and litigation.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

County OKs 'doughnut' deal

Acknowledging it’s not a perfect document but “a good start on the road to recovery,” the Flathead County commissioners on Tuesday unanimously approved a revised interlocal agreement for the two-mile planning “doughnut” outside the city of Whitefish.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Brenneman outspends Holmquist

Democratic Flathead County Commissioner Joe Brenneman outspent Republican challenger Pam Holmquist by more than $7,300 in his unsuccessful bid for re-election.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Judge wants hearing over ethics allegations

Whitefish Municipal Judge Bradley Johnson has asked the Montana Judicial Standards Commission for a full hearing on the merits of a complaint filed in July by a Columbia Falls woman over a confrontation at the Columbia Falls Post Office.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

West Reserve land-use proposal put on hold

With a fair amount of public opposition and no buy-in from the Flathead County Planning Board, the Planning Office has opted to withdraw a proposal to change the land-use designation on a stretch of West Reserve Drive and continue working on the plan.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Longtime Red Cross volunteer left quite a legacy

It’s not often an organization gets a volunteer who commits 70 years of service to that cause. That’s an extraordinary effort.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Bigfork rallies for big game

Arnie Aklestad bought some toe warmers the other day in preparation for Bigfork’s state-championship football game on Saturday, and that’s a good thing.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Bypass 93 opens after decades of planning

It’s been a long time coming.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Whitefish approves 'doughnut' deal

At midnight on Monday, the Whitefish City Council found closure — just barely — to the long-running “doughnut” dispute over planning control of the two-mile area outside city limits.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

State of the county: Flathead in good shape, but threats loom

Flathead County government is in good shape on many levels, but there are threats on the horizon, Flathead County Commissioner Joe Brenneman told business leaders on Tuesday.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO

County ponders options for fairgrounds uses

Could the Flathead County fairgrounds be used as a recreational vehicle park during the facility’s down time?

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO

Honor veterans on Thursday and all year long

It was George Washington who acknowledged during America’s infancy that “if we desire to secure peace ... it must be known that we are at all times ready for war.”

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO

Agency on Aging still favors Gateway center

After a thorough review of relocation options, a committee tasked with looking at alternative sites for the Flathead County Agency on Aging has recommended the Glacier Community Center.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO

State wants zone exemption for fishing pond

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks plans to own and manage a family fishing pond being developed by Robin Street near Rose Crossing.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO

'Doughnut' decision delayed again

A proposed agreement over control of Whitefish’s two-mile planning “doughnut” has been tabled again and will go through yet another public hearing on Nov. 15.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO

Rolling in the dough

How many Norwegians does it take to make lefse from 100 pounds of potatoes?

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO

Regents impressed with FVCC work

Flathead Valley Community College’s partnerships with the local business community got high marks during a public forum with members of the state Board of Regents on Thursday in Kalispell.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO

Revamped Blue Building to get a new name

Unless the county commissioners can come up with a jazzier name over the next couple of days, the new name for the former Blue Building will be Flathead County Courthouse West.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO

Whitefish to leave county library

Whitefish will have its own independent library, the Whitefish City Council decided Monday.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO

County backs away from North Fork zoning

A zoning proposal to limit the size of extractive industries on private land in the North Fork failed to win approval Tuesday from the Flathead County commissioners.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO

State scores above average

Montana economic development guru Evan Barrett didn’t assign a letter grade to the state’s newly released economic development report card, but based on his presentation in Kalispell on Friday, Montana is heading toward the top of the class.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO

County picks Grieve as top planner

Flathead County Interim Planning Director BJ Grieve took the reins Thursday as the new county planning director.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO

Holmquist backs lower taxes, property rights

Pam Holmquist’s campaign message is straightforward: she’s a conservative who believes in less government, lower taxes and fewer regulations.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO

Oktoberfest a one-of-a-kind experience

I wonder if anyone has ever calculated how much beer has been consumed at the Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany, since it began 200 years ago?

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO

Lakeside considering new zoning

A proposal aimed at creating one-family residential zoning on 87.4 acres of unzoned land in the Lakeside area is the focus of a public hearing Oct. 13 before the Flathead County Planning Board.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO

Brenneman proud of problem-solving

As Joe Brenneman sees it, the ability to collaborate with other local governments is just as important as leadership in being an effective Flathead County commissioner.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO

Complaint filed against property-rights group

Flathead County Commissioner Joe Brenneman filed a complaint with the state Commissioner of Political Practices on Friday, charging that the property rights group American Dream Montana misrepresented him and broke state law by what it said in a full-page advertisement in The Daily Inter Lake.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO

Whitefish 'doughnut' agreement stalled

The Whitefish City Council on Monday stalled a decision on a proposed compromise for planning control of the city’s two-mile “doughnut” area after it was discovered that language in a revised interlocal agreement essentially would have wiped out all regulations in the doughnut.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO

Brenneman cherishes farming's link to land

Joe Brenneman figures he was about 6 when he and his younger brother started driving tractor on the family dairy farm.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO

Skees, Hammerquist vie for open Whitefish seat

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO

Legal opinion backs library secession plan

If the city of Whitefish decides it wants to create its own city library, it can do so, according to a draft opinion from Montana Attorney General Steve Bullock.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO

Lakeside issues debated at forum

Discussion about a lawsuit and settlement agreement for the proposed North Shore Ranch subdivision near Somers showcased a fundamental difference between Flathead County commissioner candidates at a forum hosted Monday by the Lakeside-Somers Chamber of Commerce.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO

Stuff was sold, but not the memories

My first baby shoes — plaster-filled booties glued to a wooden stand and spray-painted to appear bronzed — were in the trash, but I plucked them out seconds before the bag went into the bonfire.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO

Polish equestrian team training in Whitefish for World Equestrian Games

Whitefish equestrians Mark and Shirley Schmidt have added some Polish pizazz to Team Montana for the upcoming World Equestrian Games in Lexington, Ky.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO

This 'Phy-ed' teacher made a lasting mark

My high-school physical education teacher, Leona Anderson, died a couple of weeks ago. This came as a surprise to me because we all thought she’d live forever.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO

New fair manager hired

A Washington man with 25 years of experience in managing fairgrounds has been hired as the Flathead County fairgrounds operation manager.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO

Texas couple wed on summit of Mount Aeneas

No one minded when a mountain goat crashed the wedding.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO

Whitefish 'doughnut area' talks favor joint control

A committee tasked with finding a solution to governance of Whitefish’s two-mile planning “doughnut area” is leaning toward a plan that would give the county voting power for new zoning and land-use planning legislation in the doughnut.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO

Community council proposal surfaces

A new proposal to create a community council for Whitefish’s two-mile planning area was introduced Tuesday night during a city-county “doughnut” meeting.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO

Growing up 'Where the West Begins'

I don’t care much for rodeos.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO

Local medicine take-back day a success

A prescription drug take-back day held earlier this summer yielded 215 pounds of waste pharmaceuticals in Flathead County and was the second-biggest collection in the state.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO

U.S. 2 green-box plan being reconsidered

The Flathead County Solid Waste Board is rethinking a plan to permanently close all of its green-box garbage-collection sites in the remote U.S. 2 corridor, and this week directed Public Works Director Dave Prunty to investigate keeping a small site at Nyack.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO

Horse racing boosts fair attendance

Attendance at this year’s Northwest Montana Fair was the highest in recent years, and horse racing gets the credit for a big boost in crowd numbers.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO

'Doughnut' draft ready for review time

Attorneys representing the city of Whitefish and Flathead County have drafted a new interlocal agreement for Whitefish’s “doughnut” area that includes three options for county participation in decisions affecting the two-mile planning area outside Whitefish.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO

Whitefish businesses enjoy busy summer

Whitefish motels and restaurants had more business this June than they did the same time last year, according to resort-tax collection data compiled by the city of Whitefish.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO

Whitefish planning fancy lights at west entrance

It will cost an extra $353,737, but Whitefish will have decorative street lights along the city’s west entrance on U.S. 93, the Whitefish City Council decided Monday.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO

Whitefish may appeal sign ruling

The Whitefish City Council has not yet decided if the city will appeal a recent District Court decision in the Mrs. Spoonover’s ice-cream cone sign lawsuit against the city, City Attorney Mary VanBuskirk said.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO

Whitefish changes course on highway zoning focus

The Whitefish City Council on Monday backed away from a controversial proposal to expand retail uses along the U.S. 93 strip and instead will focus on enforcing the zoning already in place along the highway corridor.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO

Whitefish tackles vendor issue again on Thursday

Should the city of Whitefish revise its regulations for mobile food vendors or simply repeal the vendor ordinance altogether?

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO

Summer camp a rite of passage

I was listening to the local public radio station the other day during my lunch hour and became intrigued with a wonderful narrative about summer camp experiences. It was so entertaining I sat in my car an extra few minutes to listen to a number of colorful stories from former …

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO

Accused teen sues dead woman's estate

In an unusual legal maneuver, Justine Winter — the Evergreen teenager charged with deliberate homicide in the traffic deaths of Erin Thompson and her 13-year-old son — has sued Thompson’s estate and the construction company that built the U.S. 93 overpass at Church Drive where the accident occurred.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO

What I did during my summer vacations

It may be time to pull the plug on summer vacations for school kids.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO

Collector in love with Model T's

David Cooley got his first Ford Model T in 1955 when he was just 17.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO

Whitefish board backs more retail on U.S. 93

A zoning text amendment that expands the retail uses along U.S. 93 South in Whitefish has been recommended for approval by the Whitefish City-County Planning Board.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO

Shop wins legal right to mural

Mrs. Spoonover’s owners Joel and Judy Scallen have prevailed in their legal quest to keep a colorful ice-cream cone mural on the side of their Whitefish restaurant.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO

Making hay while the sun shone

It’s funny how certain smells can transport a person to different times and places.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO

Probe details cause of blast

A broken gas-line connection caused by a Flathead Electric Cooperative backhoe operator was to blame for a May 6 natural-gas explosion in Columbia Falls that killed a man and destroyed a home, a NorthWestern Energy investigation has determined.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

Smokin' hot: BBQ duo ready for a challenge

David Gassaway and Greg Dulin’s secret weapon just might be the Ugly Drum Smoker. Or is the secret in the sauce?

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

Monster of a job

Rich Gordon’s heavy-equipment skills got him exactly what he wanted about 15 years ago: a foot in the door of the monster-truck world.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

West Valley gravel-pit batch plants approved

The Flathead Valley Board of Adjustment has approved a conditional-use permit that will allow Gary Krueger to operate concrete and asphalt plants at his West Valley area gravel pit.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

County revisits large-tract zoning classification

A proposed large-tract rural zoning classification aimed at protecting continued natural resource-based uses in rural locations is the focus of a public hearing before the Flathead County Planning Board on July 14.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

Inter Lake co-workers live on in our hearts

Our hearts are heavy and hurting here at the Inter Lake as we mourn the loss of our co-workers Erika Hoefer and Melissa Weaver, who died in a plane crash a week ago during a Sunday afternoon sightseeing trip.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

'They're not lost any more'

Shock, then sorrow reverberated through the Daily Inter Lake newsroom Wednesday afternoon as word came in that two colleagues were among the four people who perished in a plane crash Sunday afternoon near Dixon.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

Asphalt batch plants proposed for West Valley

A proposed concrete batch plant and an asphalt batch plant in the West Valley area are the focus of a public hearing Tuesday, July 6, before the Flathead County Board of Adjustment.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

Whitefish revisits ethics policy

The Whitefish City Council is forming a committee to review the city’s ethics and conflict-of-interest policy.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

Woman faces loss of suspended sentence

Less than a month after Diane Pickavance was convicted for her involvement in serving the drunk driver responsible for a fatal crash, a warrant has been issued for her arrest for violating a condition of her sentence.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

'Something bigger than yourself'

Emily von Jentzen, a deputy county attorney for Flathead County, faces a big challenge on July 17, but it won’t be in the courtroom.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

Early ads show times have changed

Oh, the difference a half century or so can make.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

Canyon green boxes on chopping block

Flathead County is moving forward with plans to permanently close three of its smallest green-box garbage-collection sites at Essex, Nyack and Glacier Haven (formerly known as the Denny’s site).

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

Whitefish library deadline extended

The Flathead County Library Board on Thursday agreed to give the city of Whitefish more time to decide if it wants to terminate the interlocal agreement that binds the county and city together in operating the Whitefish Public Library.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

Horse racing returns to Kalispell

After a four-year hiatus, horse racing will return to the Northwest Montana Fair in August.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

County employees won't get pay raises

Flathead County employees won’t get cost-of-living raises this year, the county commissioners decided Tuesday.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

Japanese settler given Hall of Fame honor for his role in Whitefish history

One of Whitefish's most accomplished early Japanese immigrants has earned a place of honor in the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame & Western Heritage Center.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO

A tribute to a man who always made us laugh

America lost a gem of a man and entertainer when Art Linkletter died May 26 at age 97. He made us laugh and we loved him for that.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO

County delays decision on flood-plain regs

After taking testimony from just two citizens, the Flathead County commissioners on Thursday delayed until later this month a decision on the overhaul of county flood-plain regulations.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO

Clean-up firm has ties to Whitefish

A water engineering and environmental services company with strong ties to Whitefish is deploying equipment to the Gulf to help clean up the BP oil spill.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO

Commission candidates differ on consolidation, N. Shore Ranch

Voters who choose the Democratic slate of candidates in Tuesday’s primary election will decide whether to pick incumbent Flathead County Commissioner Joe Brenneman or challenger Noel Gorton to represent the party in the November general election.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO

Three Republicans vie for District 2 seat

Republicans have three choices for Flathead County commissioner in Tuesday’s primary election.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO

Heroic mother had a profound impact

Some people are born stars. They arrive on this Earth as white-hot light, like the tip of a Fourth of July sparkler, and shine so brightly people can’t help but notice.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO

Recharged Glacier Street Rod Association still going strong

After reorganizing the club two years ago and revamping its annual classic car show, the Glacier Street Rod Association is back in the limelight, celebrating its 30th anniversary.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO

Processing of claims remains a concern

An audit of Flathead County’s financial records has turned up a concern about how claims are processed, mirroring the same issues cited in an internal audit last year.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO

County OKs dog day-care land use in West Glacier

Dog day-care facilities will be allowed in the West Glacier area, the county commissioners decided Thursday.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO

Clerk and recorder candidates tout experience

There’s no shortage of experience in this year’s Flathead County clerk and recorder race.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS AGO

Upswing in bullying is appalling

Bullying is not a new phenomenon, but the viciousness woven into many recent acts of violence by students against other students is nothing short of horrifying.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS AGO

Former commissioner wants job back

Howard Gipe says there’s one big thing that puts him head and shoulders above most of the candidates vying for the District 2 county commission seat: He’s got experience. Lots of it.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS AGO

Candidate backs planning, property rights

Pam Holmquist doesn’t see property rights and planning as adversaries. In fact, just the opposite is true, the longtime Evergreen businesswoman contends.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS AGO

Two appointed to Fair Board seats

Longtime 4-H leader Wes McAlpin and downtown Kalispell businessman C.M. “Butch” Clark were appointed to the Flathead County Fair Board on Tuesday by the county commissioners.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS AGO

Contractor eyes county post as 'civic duty'

Patrick Nickol has operated his own contracting business for the past decade and believes that small-business experience gives him a good foundation for being a county commissioner.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS AGO

Spring in his step

April 15 was an important day for Dale Lauman, and not because it was Tax Day.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS AGO

Flood-plain rules get Planning Board OK

The first major overhaul of Flathead County flood-plain regulations since 1984 got a green light from the Planning Board following a public hearing on Thursday.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS AGO

County won't impose marijuana rules

By LYNNETTE HINTZE

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS AGO

County streamlines road maintenance network

Proposed belt-tightening in the Flathead County Road Department includes eliminating all maintenance and snow removal on portions of 21 county roads.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

No deal yet for North Shore purchase

Prospective buyers for the North Shore Ranch property near Somers failed to meet a 30-day extension included in a lawsuit settlement, but a deal still could be in the works.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Planning director supporters rally

Supporters of Flathead County Planning Director Jeff Harris pleaded with the county commissioners on Thursday to renew the contract for a planning director they say has been a skilled leader in land-use planning.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Supporters want fair boss reinstated

Supporters of ousted Fair Manager Jay Scott made their case to the Flathead County commissioners on Wednesday, reiterating demands they’ve publicized over the last several weeks.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Shooting-range ruling reversed

The Montana Supreme Court has reversed and remanded back to Flathead District Court an earlier decision to dismiss a lawsuit over a shooting range west of Whitefish.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Rate increase approved

Flathead Electric Cooperative members will see bigger monthly bills starting May 1.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Co-op stalls vote on power proposal

A clearly divided Flathead Electric Cooperative board of trustees on Friday tabled a proposal to join a Portland-based power cooperative.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Whitefish, county start doughnut discussions

The city of Whitefish and Flathead County took a step forward in the “doughnut” dilemma on Tuesday by agreeing to set up a committee and begin discussions about the fate of Whitefish’s outlying planning jurisdiction.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Late-night food fight

Deciding how to regulate temporary food vendors has proven to be a tall order for Whitefish City Council members, one they’re still trying to digest.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Another Fair Board member resigns

Flathead County Fair Board member Susan Munsinger resigned on Wednesday, leaving two vacancies for the county commissioners to fill.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Flathead Electric looks for future power

With a 2011 deadline looming to find new sources of low-cost power, the Flathead Electric Cooperative Board of Trustees is considering joining a multistate cooperative of other electric utilities.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Airport Board still supports privatizing security force

The Glacier Park International Airport Authority Board remains committed to its decision to privatize the airport security force, even though a newly appointed board member wants to revisit that decision.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Living richly in Richey

Liz Murdock remembers exactly what was going through her mind as she drove into Richey for the first time.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Supporters fight firing of fair manager

With a groundswell of support for ousted Fair Manager Jay Scott, a group of about 150 Flathead Valley residents has vowed to do whatever it takes to get justice for a man they say was one of the best fair managers ever.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Baucus defends Medicare provision

Responding to a purported move to omit asbestos-related Medicare assistance for Libby residents from the final health-care reform bill, Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont. on Thursday said the provision he fought to include is about “stepping up to fulfill a promise” made long ago.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Hold on road money defended

Flathead County and the city of Columbia Falls should know by mid-April whether they will get road infrastructure money that was anticipated but now has been put on hold as the state analyzes a deteriorating revenue situation.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

County offers dust control program

Flathead County once again is offering a dust-abatement program for rural residents.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

County mandate: 'Make tough choices'

The Flathead County commissioners issued a pre-emptive directive last week, asking department heads to cut more fat from their budgets.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

New ideas pondered for 2010 fair

Interim Fair Manager Ted Dykstra Jr. has come up with some new ideas for this year’s Northwest Montana Fair, including a suggestion to eliminate the $5 gate fee.Dykstra said he wants to streamline fair admission fees so participants don’t feel they’re getting “nickeled and dimed.” As it is now, fair-goers …

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

'Old Man' rests after raising $240,000

With fire-truck sirens blaring, a knighting from the Whitefish Winter Carnival king and a street full of followers marching in an impromptu parade, Richard Atkinson could not have scripted a better ending to his “Old Man Walking” campaign.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Ski resort taking comments on uphill policy

After an outpouring of opposition to a new policy that restricts winter uphill traffic at Whitefish Mountain Resort, the resort has opened a one-month public-comment period on the hiking restrictions.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Door still open for horse racing

Flathead County has not completely ruled out horse racing at the fairgrounds, but the mantra remains: Show me the money.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Mandated cleanup begins on Whitefish River

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO

A whinny and a prayer

Winning a horse is girl's dream come true

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO

Clarity sought in neighborhood planning

Somers plan remains on hold

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO

Lakeside plan advances despite suit

Planning Board sets Oct. 7 workshop

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO

Training days

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO

New property assessments in the mail this week

Reappraisal means higher taxes for many in Flathead

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO

Kiley's courage

Family rallies to care for 6-year-old leukemia patient

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO

Attendance dips sharply at fair

Rodeo, exhibits are high points

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO

Local census committee forming

Planner Dianna Broadie will be Flathead County's liaison on the Complete Count Committee that's forming locally to provide assistance as the U.S. Census is conducted next year.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO

Audit finds fault with county claims process

Report says no money was misappropriated

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO

Board considers overhaul of subdivision rules

The first major rewrite of Whitefish subdivision regulations since 1995 goes under the microscope at a Whitefish City-County Planning Board public hearing on Thursday.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO

Lakeside park plans progressing

Park would offer 190 feet of lake frontage

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO

County recycling program losing money

'But it's the right thing to do,' director says

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO

County ready to begin green-box consolidation

Merger of Marion, Kila collection sites first on the list

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO

Investments still slipping for county

Flathead County isn't losing money on its investments, but it's not getting rich, either.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO

The Blue Building to change hue

Outdated steel building to get $619,000 upgrade

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO

Paving district gets green light

The county commissioners on Tuesday unanimously approved the creation of a rural special improvement district to pave 3 miles of Mennonite Church Road, calling the project a "bargain" because construction bids came in well below earlier estimates.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO

Dry conditions cut hay yields

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO

County pavement job facing final hearing

A controversial rural special improvement district proposed for Mennonite Church Road will be considered by the county commissioners on Thursday.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO

Planning director to be investigated

County hires detective agency; Harris expects to be exonerated

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO

'Broken' process examined

One way to eliminate the confusion with starting a neighborhood planning effort may be to establish tiered-percentage guidelines that allow community support to build as a plan is drafted.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

Audit cites Whitefish court-case backlog

A backlog in processing citations at Whitefish City Court was noted as a significant deficiency by auditors who just finished a review of city records.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

Citizens push planning changes

Citing a lack of transparency in neighborhood planning and the way county expenses are handled, former Flathead County Commissioner Dale Williams on Wednesday suggested the commissioners ask Planning Director Jeff Harris to resign - or fire him if he doesn't resign.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

Planning supporters want process to continue

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

County defends plan expenses

Flathead County officials have rebutted American Dream Montana's allegations of inappropriate spending by the county Planning Office.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

Planning director reacts to criticism

Flathead County Planning Director Jeff Harris, the main focus of American Dream Montana's campaign to correct alleged wrongdoing by the Planning Office, said it's difficult to respond until he knows exactly what he supposedly has done wrong.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

Group alleges planning missteps

Alleged wrongdoing by the Flathead County Planning Office is the focus of a public forum on Monday hosted by American Dream Montana.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

Future of Somers plan effort is cloudy

School won't allow neighborhood meetings

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

Siren call silenced

Whitefish stops longtime 10 o'clock curfew whistle

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

Landowners sue to stop planning

Somers/Lakeside group seeks injunction

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

'Majority' rule not always clear

Growth-policy criteria confuse neighborhood planning efforts

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

Restricted Web site raises a flap

A Web site set up two years ago for committee collaboration on the Lakeside Neighborhood Plan was shut down Tuesday at the request of the Flathead County attorney because of public-access concerns.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

Kalispell manager deal rejected

Kalispell's top pick for a new city manager has declined to take the job.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

County workers will get pay raise

Flathead County employees and elected officials will get a 1.9 percent pay raise starting July 1.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

Paving district clears one more hurdle

A resolution of intent to create a rural special improvement district for Mennonite Church Road paving won unanimous approval from the county commissioners on Tuesday.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

Somers meeting turns ugly

A meeting of Somers-area property owners was shut down and the Sheriff's Office was called for backup Monday night when audience members became unruly.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

Cats enjoy new room to roam

Cats have new digs at the Flathead County Animal Shelter, and they're loving it.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

Whitefish considers mobile-vendor rules

New regulations for mobile food vendors are the focus of a Whitefish City-County Planning Board hearing on Thursday.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

United Way plans blitz to offset shortfall

A substantial increase in local requests for basic-need services has prompted United Way to stage a midyear fund drive to make ends meet.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO

County gets big insurance refund

Improved safety record worth $402,000

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO

Master plan completed for county parks

Board meets Monday to review document

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO

Fifty years of frivolity

Whitefish marks golden anniversary of legendary Winter Carnival

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO

Tinker toys

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO

Citizens push for downtown referendum

A citizen-initiated proposal to allow a referendum vote on the Central Avenue reconstruction project will be considered tonight by the Whitefish City Council.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO

County approves Badrock Drive upgrade

A plan to create a Rural Special Improvement District to double chip-seal a mile of Badrock Drive won unanimous support from the Flathead County commissioners on Thursday.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO

Rural paving project revised

Creston Road removed from East Valley plan

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO

Emergency services expansion near

Whitefish going to 24/7 protection

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO

State takes comments on fire-sprinkler regulations

Fire-sprinkler requirements for all new construction by 2011 is the focus of a meeting on Thursday at the Kalispell City Council chambers.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO

New owners revamp old Whitefish nightclub

A former nightclub with a dominating architectural presence in downtown Whitefish is getting a face lift and a new lease on life from new owners.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 12 MONTHS AGO

Women's dental program expands

A free dental care program for low-income women has expanded and is taking applications for a second round of dental work.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS AGO

License network switch off to rocky start

County, state plead for patience

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS AGO

Shooting range case goes to high court

A group of neighbors west of Whitefish has appealed a District Court decision over a shooting range to the Montana Supreme Court.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS AGO

Railroaded?

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS AGO

Rail yard has history of pollution

There's a long history of contamination at the Whitefish rail yard's 90-acre fueling and repair facility that has operated since the 1890s.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS AGO

Top court ruling may affect railroad liability

A 2006 Montana Supreme Court decision involving Texaco and the Sunburst School District is the likely impetus for BNSF Railway Co.'s pursuit to buy property on the fringes of its railroad fueling sites across the state.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS AGO

Tinker toys

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS AGO

Whitefish delays decision on The Banks

Building height, stormwater management and road widths were sticking points for the Whitefish City Council on Monday as it weighed the worthiness of a subdivision planned near the Whitefish River at the former North Valley Hospital site.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS AGO

New licensing system goes online Monday

If you're planning to renew your vehicle registration or complete a title transaction at the Flathead County Motor Vehicle Department on Monday, you'd be well advised to stay home.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS AGO

Passports required at border on June 1

Kalispell Acting Postmaster John Sistok expects a little deja vu as the number of people seeking passports ramps up in coming weeks.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS AGO

Bridge with a view

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS AGO

Paving project proposed along Jensen, Berne roads

A proposed Rural Special Improvement District to pave portions of Jensen and Berne roads near Columbia Falls will have the benefit of some extra technical help, thanks to Linda Smith and Barbara Strouse.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS AGO

Dust Storm

East Valley paving proposal has neighbors all stirred up

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS AGO

County gets takers for dust program

More than 24 miles of Flathead County roads will get dust abatement this summer through a new cost-sharing program.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Whitefish loses chance for medical facility

A $4.6 million eating disorder clinic that had been slated for groundbreaking this spring in Whitefish instead will be built in Missoula.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Man's sewer quest finds no answers

For a full decade, Bill Myers has been trying to convince the Bigfork County Water and Sewer District Board, county and state officials that there's a sewer-line leak on his Bigfork Bay property.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Local rodeo queen pageant revamped

Organizers of the Northwest Montana Fair Pro-Rodeo Queen program are rolling out a new format this year aimed at completing pageant activities by the end of June.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

In it for life

Rain hasn't dampened spirits at 40-day vigil

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

'He lived his dreams'

Friends, colleagues remember popular Whitefish veterinarian

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Stumptown summer

Whitefish offers first-ever full-day camp program for children

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Kohl's pulls out of Kalispell project

Retail giant tells developer its focus 'on other markets'

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Project narrowly approved

The Aspen Group's plan to redevelop the former North Valley Hospital site narrowly won approval from the Whitefish City-County Planning Board last week.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Whitefish downtown redesign studied

Open house planned Wednesday evening

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Local agency gets $4 million

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

County still hoping for stimulus money

The Flathead County commissioners on Monday gathered department heads together to discuss priorities for the forthcoming federal stimulus money, but there's no consensus yet on which projects should top the list.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

BNSF plans Montana track work

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Jail work, library on Flathead wish list

A $32 million expansion of the Flathead County Justice Center and jail is the most expensive item on the county commissioners' wish list for federal stimulus money coming to states through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

New subdivision regs prompt paving questions

New subdivision rules that impose minimum design and construction standards could affect the amount of county road paving that developers are willing to pay for in new subdivisions.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

When the rubber hits the road

Shoe-repair business flourishes in recession

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

City of Whitefish budget faring well so far

Halfway into Whitefish's budget year, the city's finances 'remain in generally very good condition," Whitefish City Manager Chuck Stearns said.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Planning effort for Evergreen takes first steps

The seeds have been sown for a future Evergreen neighborhood plan.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

County needs dust program partners

March 27 deadline looming for cost-sharing effort

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Montana still a bright spot in housing crisis

Jacqueline King explained the national housing crisis with a simple analogy: "It feels like two trains on the same track - one northbound, one southbound - and neither knew they were on the same track" until it was too late.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Booked up

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Recession hits auditorium pledges

Fundraisers scramble to raise last $1 million

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

State drops Marion land case

The state Department of Environmental Quality has dismissed its pending enforcement action against a Marion landowner who excavated a hillside and used the dirt to fill a big hole on another portion of his land.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Provocative perspective

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Dupont, 'doughnut' resident ask to join lawsuit

Flathead County's newest commissioner and one more "doughnut" resident are the latest people to ask the court for permission to intervene in the city of Whitefish's lawsuit against the county over planning control of the two-mile area around Whitefish.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Thinking outside the (green) box

Neighbors weigh in on county's plan to merge Kila and Marion sites

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

County planning activity takes a nosedive in 2008

Subdivision lots down 65 percent

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

County may tap Whitefish lakeshore regs

Once the revised Whitefish Lake and Lakeshore Protection regulations have won city and county approval, the county may use them as a model to fine-tune county lakeshore regulations, two planners told the county commissioners on Tuesday.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Brew's clues

Polson beer historian assembles impressive collection of artifacts

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

HOPPED up on HISTORY

Kalispell's early beer-brewing days were full of flavor

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Rewrite of lakeshore rules halted for more study

The Whitefish Lake and Lakeshore Committee on Wednesday agreed to take a step back and work through some remaining issues in a proposed rewrite of lakeshore regulations.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Alliance with feds proposed

Flathead County, U.S. Forest Service would collaborate

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

Overhaul of lakeshore rules nearly finished

The most significant update of Whitefish Lake lakeshore-protection regulations in more than a quarter century is nearly ready to hand off to the city of Whitefish and Flathead County for final approval.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

Aspen Group tackles Whitefish project

Townhomes, houses planned at old hospital site

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

Rock bottom

Whitefish Lake Institute rekindles rock-watching tradition with fundraiser

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

Low rates affect county investments

Plummeting interest rates are cutting into income earned by Flathead County's pooled investment program and likely are indicative of what's to come this year, Treasurer Adele Krantz told the county commissioners on Tuesday.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

Realtors want a say in lawsuit over 'doughnut' jurisdiction

The Northwest Montana Association of Realtors has asked Flathead District Court for permission to file an amicus or "friend of the court" brief to provide supplementary information in Whitefish's "doughnut" lawsuit against Flathead County.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

Fifty years of frivolity

Whitefish marks golden anniversary of legendary Winter Carnival

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

County tackles maintenance plan for new bike path

The Flathead County commissioners on Wednesday agreed that maintenance of the new pedestrian and bike path on East Evergreen Drive ultimately is the county's responsibility and vowed to come up with a plan for long-term maintenance.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

Tax reappraisals in hands of lawmakers

New assessments coming this spring

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

Whitefish drafts new building standards

For the first time in 12 years, the city of Whitefish is proposing substantive changes to design and construction standards for building projects in Whitefish.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

'Back to the future'

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

Proposed law would give small towns a voice

Legislation proposed by Flathead County Commissioner Joe Brenneman would give unincorporated communities the opportunity to create a village government without the costly process of incorporation.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

Former Whitefish finance director Mike Eve dies

Recently retired Whitefish Finance Director Mike Eve lost his battle with cancer on Monday.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

There's no business like snow business

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

Greenhouse caves under heavy snow

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

Road-access issue delays Lakeside project

The Flathead County commissioners wrapped up 2008 business on Wednesday by approving a 30-day extension for the Marco Heights 2 subdivision north of Lakeside.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

Shades of '96? Not hardly

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

Family loses belongings in home fire

A Ferndale family will celebrate Christmas with very little after losing everything in a Sunday morning fire that destroyed their rental home on Wapiti Lane.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

County staff shortage affects snowplowing

If you live in the far reaches of Flathead County, don't hold your breath waiting for the snowplow to come.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

'Dr. Phil' to detail Servo case

The unsolved 2002 murder of Columbia Falls native and television reporter Jennifer Servo remains in the news, this time with a segment on Monday's "Dr. Phil" TV show.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Whitefish city manager finalists selected

The search for a new city manager in Whitefish has been narrowed to a slate of six finalists, mostly from Western states.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO

Expert: Outlook gloomy

America is on 'unsustainable path'

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO

House District 6

House District 6 voters may feel a little sense of deja vu on Nov. 4. Two of the three candidates vying for that seat ran against each other two years ago. And the third candidate is taking his fourth run at a legislative seat.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO

House District 4

House District 4 candidates agree on one thing: Government and politics are about relationships and working with all sorts of people.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO

Election Department in home stretch for Nov. 4

Nearly $92,000 worth of accessibility improvements completed at 23 precincts. Check.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO

EPA: Cost derailed asbestos declaration

Sen. Baucus still fighting for public-health emergency status

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO

Construction begins on new youth home

Flathead Youth Home will break ground Monday on a $1.1 million youth shelter in a northeast Kalispell neighborhood.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO

Whitefish tightens belt on budget

The city of Whitefish is poised to handle an economic slowdown with a three-pronged approach for its budget: Freeze spending and hiring, raise some fees and use cash reserves as a cushion.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO

Landowners prevail in slope lawsuit

City of Whitefish will appeal decision

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO

Whitefish sewer plant revamp a smelly job

Residents on the eastern edge of Whitefish are crying foul over the rotten smell coming from the city's sewer plant during the past week.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO

Author takes readers on time travel through Glacier Park

Sharon Randolph found inspiration for a series of four books in an unlikely place - filing cabinets containing old reports from past Glacier National Park superintendents.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO

Natural-gas use spurs expansion plan

The Flathead Valley's natural-gas consumption has more than doubled over the last decade, and expectations for continued growth have put NorthWestern Energy on track for a major pipeline expansion.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO

Collector auctions off treasures

Ray Miller's father - who once brought home Napoleon Bonaparte's bedroom set - passed on a philosophy about antique collecting early on in his son's life.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO

Ice-cream sign needs valid permit

Zoning head issues ruling

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO

Killing stuns Polson

Victim, suspect part of four-generation local family

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO

Polson standoff resolved peacefully

After a 48-hour standoff, area SWAT teams on Monday evening arrested a Polson man wanted in connection with the death of his father.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO

Polson standoff resolved peacefully

After a 48-hour standoff, area SWAT teams on Monday evening arrested a Polson man wanted in connection with the death of his father.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO

New tax credit aims to help housing industry

New federal legislation that offers first-time home buyers a $7,500 tax credit is aimed at helping both new home buyers and struggling builders who need to spur home sales in a weakened economy.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO

Lawyer marshals mural defense

Zoning administrator to issue decision in one week

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO

Fewer attend fair this year

Attendance numbers at the Northwest Montana Fair were down across the board this year.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO

Report: Expect cancer epidemic

An epidemic of mesothelioma - a rare but deadly asbestos-related cancer - will descend upon Libby in the next 10 to 20 years, according to a report in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO

Whitefish EMS ballots in the mail

Ballots for a tax levy to provide around-the-clock emergency medical services in Whitefish will be mailed today to city residents.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO

Whitefish tightens retail-store rules

Requiring ground-floor retail space for new construction and banning chain-store franchises from downtown Whitefish are two of several recommendations the Whitefish City-County Planning Board approved Thursday in an effort to improve the vitality of the downtown shopping district.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO

Whitefish begins city-manager search

The city of Whitefish has hired a Seattle consulting firm to find a new city manager.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

Site work begins for new Kohl's store

Building permit not issued yet for planned $3.9 million store

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

Safeway rebuild prompts 8-month closure

Staff of 57 will be out of work during $17 million project

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

Whitefish may lighten drainage law

The Whitefish City Council is taking steps to make the city's critical-areas ordinance more flexible as it relates to existing lots and subdivisions.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

County proposes 'doughnut' committee

The Flathead County commissioners want an advisory committee that includes Whitefish representatives as the county moves forward to take control of the two-mile planning "doughnut" around Whitefish.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

Lemonade had people on the run

There are stories that make the history books and those that don't.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

McGrew committed to retaining Whitefish character

Martin McGrew sees himself as a moderate, and that's a good thing, he says, because moderates have the ability to see both sides of an issue.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

Askew wants chance to build consensus, plan for future

Local government is about "the big picture," Whitefish City Council candidate Turner Askew says, not about micromanaging the little things.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

Palmer ready to take mayoral reins as a "negotiator by nature"

If the Whitefish City Council were a basketball team, Nick Palmer would be the point guard.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

Coughlin touts experience in both mayor, council roles

The philosophy that guides Whitefish Mayor Cris Coughlin's votes on the City Council is this: "Make sure we make decisions today that are for the benefit of Whitefish in the long run and not for the short-term gain of a few."

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

Ex-mayor says institutional memory, experience are assets

Mike Jenson has long been an advocate of citizen involvement in city government - that's why he's returning to local politics with a bid for mayor.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

Muhlfeld brings water expertise to council

John Muhlfeld is the Whitefish City Council's go-to guy when it comes to water issues.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

They'll be late but juicy

This year's Flathead cherry harvest will be lighter and later than typical, but that means bigger profits for growers.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

EPA curtails dust at Libby mine

In response to citizen complaints, the federal Environmental Protection Agency is taking immediate steps to curtail excessive dust at the former W.R. Grace & Co. vermiculite mine near Libby.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO

Elvis-clad dads strut their stuff

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO

Meadow Gold closes Kalispell plant

Dairy to become distribution hub

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO

Whitefish OKs school drug-test plan

The Whitefish School Board on Monday cautiously moved forward with a drug-testing program for the district, approving the first reading of two policies - one for extracurricular participants and the other for the full student body.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO

Whitefish to large landowners: Can we talk?

Meeting June 9 includes biggest property owners

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO

Stack, Muhlfeld resign from watchdog panel

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO

Whitefish questions 911 funding

The Whitefish City Council on Monday agreed in theory that a consolidated county 911 center is a good idea, but took no action to support it until funding issues can be worked out.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO

Kalispell pastor gets time with Obama

Darryl Kistler got something Monday night that few others in the Flathead Valley can claim: one-on-one time with Democratic presidential contender Sen. Barack Obama.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO

Whitefish to ask for fire staff expansion

Acknowledging a drastic drop in the number of volunteer firefighters in recent years, the Whitefish City Council on Monday agreed to call for a levy election to fund around-the-clock fire and emergency-medical service.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO

Whitefish eyes tax levy to expand EMS services

Whitefish voters likely will get a chance to decide if they're willing to raise taxes to pay for the city's planned conversion to around-the-clock emergency medical services.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 16 YEARS, 12 MONTHS AGO

Whitefish tightens budget

Spending, hiring freeze proposed

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 17 YEARS AGO

Realtors seeking protection from law

As the city of Whitefish and Flathead County battle in court over authority for the two-mile "doughnut" area around Whitefish, a local real-estate group is taking steps to provide legal protection for its members as they deal with the interpretation of Whitefish's new critical-areas law.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 17 YEARS AGO

Grace to continue medical program

W.R. Grace & Co. said this week it will keep operating its medical program for asbestos victims in Libby even though the company has proposed a $2.9 billion bankruptcy settlement with all claimants.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 17 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Project Linus hands out 3,000th blanket

The local chapter of Project Linus reached a milestone recently, handing out its 3,000th blanket to someone in need.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 17 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Grace ruling a victory for Libby claimants

A bankruptcy judge°¯s refusal to shield the state of Montana from asbestos lawsuits is good news for hundreds of victims still awaiting compensation for illnesses linked to the defunct W.R. Grace vermiculite mine at Libby, a Kalispell attorney said Tuesday.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 17 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

'Full steam ahead' for Glacier Town Center

1,500 construction jobs planned for first phase

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 17 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Hoppy ending

When "A Plumm Summer" premieres April 20 at the renowned Mann's Bruin Theatre in Los Angeles, "Happy Herb" McAllister and his marionette Froggy Doo will be in the audience.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 17 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Judge restrains county in 'doughnut' showdown

Flathead District Judge Kitty Curtis on Tuesday issued a temporary restraining order that prevents Flathead County from taking further action to eliminate Whitefish's two-mile planning "doughnut" until a court hearing is held April 23.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 17 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Grace funds would go to future cleanup

New details emerged Wednesday about W.R. Grace & Co.'s proposed $250 million settlement for Libby asbestos cleanup, including immediate plans to put $11 million into an operation and maintenance fund that can't be tapped until 2017.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 17 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Whitefish 'won't tolerate' doughnut divorce

If Flathead County decides on Thursday to sever its interlocal agreement with Whitefish for the two-mile "doughnut" planning area, the city won't recognize the action, Whitefish City Attorney John Phelps said.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 17 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

no guts no glory

Karaoke crooners in the spotlight at Whitefish VFW

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 17 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Whitefish stalls downtown decision

A decision on conceptual designs for the Whitefish downtown street reconstruction and parking garage was postponed for a second time on Monday because the entire City Council wasn't present.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 17 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Critical-areas law a done deal

The Whitefish City Council on Monday gave its final blessing to the beleaguered critical-areas ordinance, although questions lingered with many in the audience about the drainage law's far-reaching effects.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 17 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Whitefish confident of doughnut pact

Whitefish City Attorney John Phelps said on Tuesday that he's confident the city's interlocal agreement giving Whitefish planning control in the two-mile "doughnut" area is a valid agreement.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 17 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Court won't force Whitefish to issue building permit

Flathead District Judge Ted Lympus ruled last week that the court cannot force the city of Whitefish to issue a building permit to the couple who sued the city for the right to build on a steep slope.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 17 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Validity of Whitefish 'doughnut' questioned

Lawyer claims pact may be void

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 17 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Water law clears hurdle

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 17 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Last chapter unfolds for drainage law

It's reckoning time for Whitefish's embattled critical-areas ordinance.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 17 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Hall issues ultimatum for Whitefish 'doughnut'

Flathead County Commissioner Gary Hall has asked the Whitefish City Council to exempt the city's two-mile planning "doughnut" from the proposed critical areas ordinance or face a lawsuit from the county.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 17 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Residency question could force change

The Whitefish City Council may have a new council member on Monday.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 17 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

McGrew's Whitefish residency questioned

Another residency issue has surfaced for the Whitefish City Council, this time calling into question whether newly elected Martin McGrew is a city or county resident.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 17 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

Whitefish studying township proposal

Whitefish Mayor Mike Jenson began his term on Monday with a proposal to explore the idea of creating townships to give residents of the city's 2-mile planning area more representation.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 17 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

Muhlfeld's residency questioned

A Kalispell law firm representing Common Sense in Whitefish Government and its founder, Rick Blake, has asked newly elected Whitefish City Council member John Muhlfeld to show proof of his city residency prior to the election.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 17 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

2007 a year of ski transformation

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 17 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

Community embraces debt education course

Free to Choo$e classes filling fast

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 17 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

Vote ends in a draw

Critical-areas ordinance goes to council without recommendation

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 17 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

Whitefish family rebounds after fire

Four days before Christmas and three weeks until the due date of their second child, Joseph and Shana Watson of Whitefish are dealing with the aftermath of a house fire on Tuesday evening that destroyed their personal belongings.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 17 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

Never been picked

Animal adoption center tries to find homes for 'longtimers'

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 17 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

Banking on bingo

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 17 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Whitefish unveils parking complex plans

Downtown revamp also proposed

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 17 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Whitefish OKs rental amnesty for rental violators

The Whitefish City Council on Monday approved a resolution to give temporary amnesty to violators of the city's short-term rental regulations - with a few caveats.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 17 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Christian Center stages 'Wonderful Life'

A beloved Christmas movie comes to life as a musical when Kalispell's Christian Center debuts its annual holiday production on Friday.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 17 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

House detectives

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 17 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Food bank needs help in a hurry

Critical van out of commission

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 17 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Attorney: New Whitefish council should break tie

Whitefish City Attorney John Phelps has recommended that the City Council seated in January should break the tie between council candidates Turner Askew and Martin McGrew.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 17 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Fire chief battles cancer with stem-cell transplant

There's a clarity that comes from staring down death as cancer refuses to give up its grip.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 17 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Finance director fighting cancer, too

Mike Eve's cancer came with little warning, just a nagging cough that refused to go away.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 17 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Confessions of a bona fide band geek

I don't recall why I chose the flute in sixth grade as my cadet-band instrument of choice.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 17 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Fixing election glitches

Flathead County office still 'working to get it right'

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 17 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Critical-areas debate continues tonight

The Whitefish City-County Planning Board will consider another round of revisions to the beleaguered critical areas ordinance as it concludes a public hearing tonight on the drainage legislation.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 17 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Candidate to seek recount

Whitefish City Council candidate Turner Askew said Friday he will file for a formal recount of votes in the race he first won by four votes and later lost by two votes.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 17 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO

McGrew by 2 - for now

After two recounts on Wednesday, Whitefish City Council candidate Martin McGrew has emerged the winner by a two-vote margin in a tight race with Turner Askew.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 17 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO

Coughlin touts experience in both mayor, council roles

The philosophy that guides Whitefish Mayor Cris Coughlin's votes on the City Council is this: "Make sure we make decisions today that are for the benefit of Whitefish in the long run and not for the short-term gain of a few."

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 17 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO

Palmer ready to take mayoral reins as a "negotiator by nature"

If the Whitefish City Council were a basketball team, Nick Palmer would be the point guard.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 17 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO

Muhlfeld brings water expertise to council

John Muhlfeld is the Whitefish City Council's go-to guy when it comes to water issues.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 17 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO

McGrew committed to retaining Whitefish character

Martin McGrew sees himself as a moderate, and that's a good thing, he says, because moderates have the ability to see both sides of an issue.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 17 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO

Arctic Circle closing after 40 years

If you haven't stopped by for one last Ranch Burger or a lime squeeze, time's a wasting.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 17 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO

Ex-mayor says institutional memory, experience are assets

Mike Jenson has long been an advocate of citizen involvement in city government - that's why he's returning to local politics with a bid for mayor.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 17 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO

Askew wants chance to build consensus, plan for future

Local government is about "the big picture," Whitefish City Council candidate Turner Askew says, not about micromanaging the little things.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 17 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO

Valley grapples with growth

Economist Tony Prato doesn't have a crystal ball foretelling the Flathead's future. But he does have startling predictions about how soon the valley could run out of developable land.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 17 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO

Mail call

Vote dynamics shift as mail-in ballots take hold

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 17 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO

Whitefish working on dog-park pact

The city of Whitefish hopes to have a construction agreement for a dog park in place by the end of the year.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 17 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO

Marketing begins for Baker Commons

Eight lots available in new business park

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 17 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO

Critical areas: Planners ponder what's 'reasonable'

It's difficult to define a subjective word such as "reasonable," the Whitefish City-County Planning Board agreed Thursday as discussion continued on the proposed critical areas ordinance.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 17 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO

Coughlin touts experience in both mayor, council roles

The philosophy that guides Whitefish Mayor Cris Coughlin's votes on the City Council is this: "Make sure we make decisions today that are for the benefit of Whitefish in the long run and not for the short-term gain of a few."

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 17 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO

Ex-mayor says institutional memory, experience are assets

Mike Jenson has long been an advocate of citizen involvement in city government - that's why he's returning to local politics with a bid for mayor.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 17 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO

Palmer ready to take mayoral reins as a 'negotiator by nature'

If the Whitefish City Council were a basketball team, Nick Palmer would be the point guard.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 17 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO

McGrew committed to retaining Whitefish character

Martin McGrew sees himself as a moderate, and that's a good thing, he says, because moderates have the ability to see both sides of an issue.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 17 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO

Askew wants chance to build consensus, plan for future

Local government is about "the big picture," Whitefish City Council candidate Turner Askew says, not about micromanaging the little things.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 17 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO

Trail's pace

A relaxed afternoon on horseback offers chance to reconnect with nature

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 17 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO

Battle rages over drainage proposal

In the ongoing battle over the proposed critical areas ordinance in Whitefish, the Sensible Land Use citizens group has fired the latest shot - a flier with input from two local engineers who debunk the drainage law.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 17 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO

The house of history

Mansion carriage house lives on as private homes, tattoo parlor

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 17 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO

History in the making

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 17 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO

Council reacts to criticism

The Whitefish City Council's eight-page response to criticism about the proposed critical areas ordinance should hit Whitefish mailboxes next week.

DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 17 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO