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Columbia Falls outfitter testifies on impacts of climate change to business
Columbia Falls outfitter and guide Hilary Hutcheson testified before the U.S. Senate Budget Committee last week on the impacts of climate change to the outdoor industry.Hutcheson is a longtime fly fishing guide in Northwest Montana and owns Lary’s Fly and Supply in Columbia Falls.She is also the outfitter of record for Glacier Raft Co and Glacier Anglers in West Glacier which has 185 employees and 100 river guides.“My career is one of the 29,453 jobs directly supported by outdoor recreation in our state,” she said.She noted that more than 700,000 people a year book a guided trip while in Montana....
Columbia Falls drop Chiefs in a chilly home opener
The Columbia Falls baseball team got a pair of wins last week, squeaking in its first home game Thursday night under threatening skies, as they thumped Ronan 14-4. Earlier in the week they came from behind to beat Polson 18-10 on the road.The Wildcats are now 3-0 on the young season.Against the Chiefs, Ronan scored four runs in the top of the first inning, but the Cats responded with six runs in the bottom of the stanza. they added two more in the second and capped the game off with six in the bottom of the fourth to 10-run rule...
Cost to remove CFAC waste could be more than $1 billion, EPA estimates
Responding to calls to remove toxic waste from the former Columbia Falls Aluminum Co. plant, the Environmental Protection Agency said it estimates it would cost anywhere from $624 million to $1.4 billion to haul the waste away from the Superfund site.The cost estimates are based on trucking the estimated 1.2 million cubic yards of waste from the site to an approved landfill in Arlington, Oregon.The EPA outlined the costs and other concerns in a March 7 letter to the Coalition for a Clean CFAC, a local group advocating for removal of waste from the site.The letter is also part of...
IJC will look at Kootenai River pollution from coal mines
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — The U.S., Canada and several indigenous groups announced a proposal on recently to address pollution from coal mining in British Columbia that officials say has been contaminating waterways and harming fisheries on both sides of the border for years.The proposal would be executed through a century-old U.S.-Canada boundary waters treaty, establishing independent boards to study the pollution’s extent and make cleanup recommendations.The proposal comes after indigenous groups in British Columbia, Montana and Idaho lobbied for more than a decade for the federal governments in the U.S. and Canada to intervene and stop the flow of pollution.Scientists...
Sharon “Sherri” J. Wendlick, 74
Sharon “Sherri” J. Wendlick, age 74, of Columbia Falls passed away March 17, 2024. She was born May 31, 1949 in Colorado City, Texas to the late Albert Cain and Frances Cain (Key). Sherri was a Columbia Falls High School graduate. Her mother owned a café in Hungry Horse known as “Fran’s Place.” Sherri worked alongside her mother in the service industry as a waitress for most of her working career. Outside of work, her grandkids were her world. She was a sitter for them and a supportive team grandparent during their baseball and football seasons. Sherri was a member of Columbia Falls Assemblies of God Church. She was very outspoken and could certainly tell you how it is. Sherri loved and was a proud fanatic of the Dallas Cowboys. Sherri is survived by husband of 52 years, Jerry A. Wendlick; children: Anji Huntley (Wes), Monya McCully, and Jarrod Wendlick (Cassie); 8 grandchildren: Kyla, Cody, Bryan, Brandon, Brady, Xavier, Waylon, and Essence; and a brother and sister. Services will be held privately at the convenience of the family. To send online condolences, please visit www.columbiamortuary.com.
The birds are back: Migrating flocks settle at Freezout
My favorite color is yellow, but I was good and tired of it by the time I made it past Choteau last Tuesday night. Driving from Columbia Falls, you basically head east on Highway 2, turning once in Browning to get on 89 and drive through three hours of rolling golden fields, the kind you’d imagine buffalo roaming through. But now those fields are pretty empty, and the drive is pretty boring. Chris had told me I couldn’t miss the birds. Reluctantly I will admit that he was right. For one, they have monopolized the only spot of blue in miles...
Ruder Elementary will welcome new principal
Ruder Elementary welcomes Allison Hawes as its new principal for the next school year. Hawes is currently the principal at Helena Flats School, a position she’s held for the past three years.Helena Flats is K-8 and has just under 300 children. Ruder has more than 500 students.Hawes grew up in the Flathead Valley near Lake Blaine and graduated from Flathead High School. She has a master’s degree in counseling and was previously a teacher and a counselor as well.She received her master’s degree in education and a master’s degree in psychology and counseling from the University of West Alabama and...
Scouts seeing success as they reach for the highest rank
Three Columbia Falls Scouts are have had academic and performance arts success lately. Boone Shanks, Merrick Fairchild and Lauren Rogers did well during the recent speech and debate season, helping lead the Wildcats to a state A title.Juniors Shanks and Rogers, who are teammates in Policy Debate, recently qualified for the National Speech and Debate Tournament in Des Moines, Iowa June 15-16, edging out teammates Kynsleigh Gould and Eleanor Hollingsworth for the honor.Fairchild, a sophomore, recently performed at Carnegie Hall in New York City with the Columbia Chorale and Coreen Duffy, director of choral activities at the University of Montana...
Man commits suicide after shooting incident
A man apparently took his own life last Wednesday after a disturbance in Columbia Falls. According to a release from the Flathead County’s Sheriff’s Department, at 10:07 p.m. Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a disturbance with a weapon in the 100 block of South. Hilltop.Deputies were advised a subject had come to the residence and shot at them before leaving the residence. Deputies and the Columbia Falls Police Department located his vehicle on the 500 Block of 10th Avenue West just outside Columbia Falls city limits.Law enforcement attempted to contact the male, who reportedly had several firearms and intended to “shoot it out with police.” according to the release.The Northwest Regional SWAT Team responded to the home and deployed gas munitions as well as noise flash diversion device, but there was no response from the man.They then deployed a drone into the home and located the man, who had taken his own life.The Sheriff’s Department requested the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation further investigate the incident. The man was not identified. The Hungry Horse News does not identify suicide victims unless there are extenuating circumstances.
The Blotter: Gunshots reported
March 16A gate was reported kicked in on Scenic Drive and two dogs missing. Two panels were kicked out of a fence on Evening Star Lane. A caller reported her ex was at her house stealing things on Fifth Avenue, she and the kids were staying at a friend’s house. A disturbance was reported on Martha Road after a neighbor heard a male hit something and say, “Get the — up,” with kids screaming in the apartment next door. March 17A woman reported her son was driving with a suspended license and got pulled over in her car and asked what...
Yesterdays: Trap the tree
70 years agoMarch 19, 1954The Flathead National Forest was going to try a “trap the tree” program to battled spruce bark beetle. The idea was to cut down trees, leave them there for beetles to infest, rather than the live standing trees. The down trees were more attractive than the standing live ones. The down trees would then be removed by logging, sprayed with chemicals or burned to kill the beetles.60 years agoMarch 20, 1964The Columbia Falls basketball team went 0-2 at the state tournament, losing to Billings West, 64-62 in a game that was tied in the final minute...
Police get kudos from council, public for service
The Columbia Falls Police Department got some thank-yous at last week’s city council meeting.Councilman John Piper, who also works as a supervisor at the Montana Veterans Home, thanked Police Chief Clint Peters for the way the department handled a resident that had left the home and had an alcohol issue. Police were able to get the resident back to the home without incident.Separately, resident Shirley Folkwein said she narrowly missed colliding with a pickup truck on the Highway 2 bridge across the Flathead River. The truck took out a big section of guardrail on the bridge. She said police were...
Man admits guilt in slaughter of eagles
A Washington man admitted last week of conspiring to hunt and kill bald and golden eagles on the Flathead Indian Reservation and then selling them on the black market across the United States and elsewhere, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.Travis John Branson, 48, of Cusick, Washington, pleaded guilty to conspiracy, two counts of unlawful trafficking of bald and golden eagles and violation of the Lacey Act, which prohibits interstate trade in wildlife that has been taken, possessed, transported or sold in violation of federal or state law.The Lacey Act also prohibits any person from making or submitting any false record,...
Community choir concert on tap
The Columbia Falls Community Choir has been hard at work preparing for their spring concert at the Columbia Falls High School Little Theater on Saturday, April 13 at 7 p.m. The performance will feature traditional choral music as well as songs folks will want to sing along with.This year’s concert theme is Song for Your Heart. These songs are expressions of love for others, our land, or even a cup of java. “Come to the Music,” will have additional accompaniment by piccolo player Jennifer Hawkens, “Set Me as a Seal Upon Your Heart,” will feature Allen Slater on Euphonium. The treble choir will sing “Can’t Buy Me Love,” in honor of Burt Bacherach, and the bass clef choir will sing the spiritual “Woke Up This Mornin’.”The 50-voice choir is under the direction of Steven Holte and will be accompanied by Dawn Hashley.A freewill offering will be accepted.
Forest Service set to issue special permits for services, events
The Flathead National Forest is requesting public input on the issuance of 23 temporary special use permits for the upcoming summer of 2024. These permits would authorize outfitting and guiding activities and recreation events on National Forest Service land to individuals, groups, businesses, and nonprofit entities who have applied for permits through the Flathead National Forest Temporary Outfitting and Guiding and Recreation Event Special Use Permit process.The permit requests run the gamut — from guided and rental ATV tours, to races on the Forest Service lands.For example, the LeGrizz ultramarathon is proposed to run up Forest Service Roads near Big...
In Brief: March 27
Easter egg huntThe annual Columbia Falls Lions Club Easter egg hunt is at 1 p.m. March 31 at Marantette Park. The event is open to youths up to age 12 and this year there will be a section for special needs children. There are prizes for each age group. The Lions have been holding the event for more than 70 years now. Questions? Call Steve Melby at (406) 249-5547.Quilt showThe 2024 Teakettle Quilters Quilt Show is at the new Glacier Gateway Elementary School from 9 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. April 20. The guild has about 90 members and quilts from...
Trail organizations in line for funds
A few trail projects in the Columbia Falls area are in line for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Trail Stewardship Program grants.The total amount of grants statewide is $2 million.Local projects of interest include:Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation — $42,000 for trail maintenance in the Bob Marshall Wilderness.Flathead Snowmobile Association — $74,200 for trail maintenance and brushing.Gateway to Glacier Trails — $90,000 Cedar Ridge Trailhead and pullout construction.The full list of projects is available at: fwp.mt.gov/aboutfwp/grant-programs/trail-stewardship/public-comment. Some projects are proposed to receive full funding, while others are proposed to receive partial awards.FWP is soliciting comments on the projects by writing P.O. Box 200701 Helena, MT 59620-0701, and by email to: TSPGrants@mt.gov.Comments will be accepted until April 3, at 5 p.m.
Productive meeting
The momentum is increasing daily in the effort requesting the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to pause in their decision-making process to fully and fairly evaluate the cost benefits of removing (not leaving) the toxic waste at the CFAC (Columbia Falls Aluminum Co.) Superfund site northeast of Columbia Falls. On March 14, Coalition for a Clean CFAC Steering Committee members met in Helena with EPA ad DEQ leadership including Carolina Balliew, MT EPA Supervisor and others from EPA, and Chris Dorrington, Director of MT DEQ and others from DEQ regarding the Proposed Plan for cleanup. This meeting provided an opportunity for...
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The Hungry Horse News has been in publication since 1946. It is the only weekly newspaper in Montana to win a Pulitzer Prize and has a reputation for fine photography of the Flathead Valley and Glacier National Park. It is housed in a log cabin in Columbia Falls. Visitors with story ideas are always welcome to stop by.
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