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North Carolina fugitive drowns in Flathead River after on-foot police chase through forest
KALISPELL, Mont. - A fugitive on the run from North Carolina was discovered Friday at a campground in the North Fork area by Flathead County Sheriff Deputies. He ran away from law enforcement, waded into the Flathead River and floated downstream. His dead body was found submerged in the water north of the Blankenship Bridge.
Construction on the Bigfork branch of Flathead County Libraries wraps up
Flathead County Library staff stepped foot inside the newly finished Bigfork branch for the first time last week, marveling at the transformation the space has gone through since construction began last fall.“This location is going to show the valley what a 21st century library is like, I hope it gets people excited,” Communications and Outreach Librarian Lune Axelsen said. There’s still landscaping to perform, furniture to place and, of course, books to put on the shelves. But for those who have been working toward a new Bigfork branch of Flathead County Library for more than a decade, the completed construction...
Fugitive from justice apparently drowns fleeing deputies up the North Fork of Flathead
A North Carolina fugitive from justice apparently drowned last week trying to swim away from law enforcement in the North Fork of the Flathead.Steven Jeffrey O’Shields was reported to be in the Kalispell/Evergreen areas on June 20. O’Shields had extraditable felony warrants for his arrest regarding various crimes, including burglary, theft of services, obstruction of law enforcement, and sexual battery against a child, all out of North Carolina, according to a release by the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office. On June 21, at approximately 7 p.m., the office received a report that O’Shields was at the Big Creek Campground on foot and...
Flathead County nets $3.7M in federal disbursement
Flathead County will take in $3.77 million in federal payments this year under a program that compensates local governments for nontaxable federal land. Montana’s portion of the payments-in-lieu-of-taxes (PILT) payout totaled $43.3 million. With 2.4 million acres of federal land, Flathead County's slice is the largest in the state. Last year, $3.4 million was distributed to Flathead County. In fiscal year 2024, the county allocated $500,000 to Road Department operations and placed $1 million in savings for a future Detention Center project and set aside $250,000 for a future Kalispell library. The preliminary budget for fiscal year 2025 shows the same...
Legals for June, 27 2024
NO. 30392 INVITATION TO BID FOR SEPTIC TANK PUMPING SERVICE (2-Year Contract) NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that sealed bids for Septic Tank Pumping Service will be received by the Flathead County Water District No. 1 - Evergreen at 130 Nicholson Drive, Kalispell, Montana until 1:00 PM local time on July 2, 2024, and then publicly opened and read aloud. At that time the Bids received will be publicly opened and read. SCOPE OF WORK. The Project includes, without limitation, furnishing all necessary labor, materials, equipment and other incidental and appurtenant Work necessary to satisfactorily complete the Project, as more specifically described as follows: 1. Pumping and disposal...
Lake County petitions White House to remedy Flathead Lake’s water woes
Lake County commissioners sent a letter to President Joe Biden June 6, asking him to intercede “on behalf of two counties and affected U.S. citizens visiting this area” and to make compensation for “depredations” by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, mostly pertaining to the low water level in Flathead Lake last summer.The letter references the Blackfeet Treaty, signed in 1855 by the leaders of eight tribal nations including the Flathead and Kootenai, and refers specifically to Article 8, which states in part “that the navigation of all lakes and streams shall be forever free to citizens of the United...
Montana SupCo Affirms Decision to Shutter Whistle Stop Retreat
The Montana Supreme Court in a decision earlier this month upheld a Flathead County District Court ruling that shuttered a property on the west shore of Lake Five, known as the Whistle Stop Retreat, in 2022. The latest decision in the lawsuit, first filed in 2020, affirmed the district court’s...
Blotter: Stolen pistol
Reports from Flathead County Sheriff’s Office, based in Bigfork. June 14 A man was reported threatening the caller outside their vehicle, the parties were separated and counseled. A pistol was reported stolen from a vehicle between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. June 15 No reports June 16 A caller claimed another person was speeding and threatened to kill them.
Candidate filing open for study commission for local government review
At the June 4, 2024, Flathead County primary election, a majority of the electors in the city of Whitefish voted in favor of having a study commission to examine the form of local government.Candidate filing for local government study commission members opens June 18, and closes at 5 p.m. on August 12. The city of Whitefish is seeking five study commission members.Study commission members will be elected at the Flathead County general election to be held on November 5.Interested individuals can file as a candidate for the study commission with the Flathead County Election Office. There is no filing fee,...
Urges folks to attend zoning hearing
If you live within 2 miles of the Columbia Falls city limits please take notice that Flathead County is assuming zoning jurisdiction of the soon to be eliminated 1-mile planning/zoning “donut” around our town. https://flathead.mt.gov/department-directory/commissioners-office/public-notices/public-hearing-columbia-falls-interim-zoning-districtThe interlocal agreement between the City and County which supported the 1-mile planning jurisdiction ends on June 30th. The County Commissioners will hold a public hearing on Thursday, June 27 at 10:15 a.m. in their office, third floor of the Courthouse, 800 S. Main, Kalispell. It’s interesting the county is proposing a 2-mile zoning jurisdiction rather than the 1-mile. While the establishment of the interim zoning district and the public hearing appears to be an administrative step... “It is imperative for an orderly progression of events for interim zoning to be established until the County holds public meetings and conducts studies to establish permanent zoning in the area.” (Quoted from public hearing notice). It’s also important that we show up to give the message to the County Planning Board and Commissioners that we’re watching and we’re not going away. I plan to attend the hearing. Hope to see you there.Shirley FolkweinUpper Flathead Neighborhood Association
Flathead Electric Co-op ‘adaptable’ to wildfire
At the Living with Wildfire seminar in Whitefish last week, there was a discussion about response plans for the area. Courtney Stone, communications and marketing supervisor at Flathead Electric Co-op, said that the Co-op has a comprehensive Wildfire Mitigation Plan that is regularly updated, and that the plans are adaptable.“We can’t have an exact plan … rather, we work with our partners to regularly update our plans and to adapt to each situation or event,” Stone said.The plan gives year-round guidance to the Co-op on preparation, management and how to work with officials in an event. The plan has five...
Trial date set for youth hockey coach accused of rape
Rape charges filed against former youth hockey coach Jami Leslie James in Butte-Silver Bow and Flathead counties have been consolidated into one case that will be prosecuted in Butte. James, 48, was recently transferred from the Flathead County jail to the Butte-Silver Bow Detention Center and on Wednesday, District Judge...
Flathead Co-op members surpass $5M mark in Roundup for Safety
Flathead Electric Co-op’s member giving program this spring exceeded $5 million in contributions.In 1997, Flathead Electric Cooperative doubled down on its guiding business principle of “concern for community” and launched a program to improve safety in its service area. The co-op dubbed it Roundup for Safety and appointed a board to get the program off the ground.Next, cooperative members volunteered to allow their electric bills to be rounded up to support community safety projects. For example, a bill of $55.01 or $55.99 is rounded up to $56. Over each year, most members end up contributing about $6 to Roundup for...
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