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Whitefish Pilot
Free summer meals for youth across North Valley
Free summer meals through the Summer Food Service Program in partnership with Land to Hand, Whitefish School District and North Valley Food Bank are now available for children and teens 18 and under at several locations in Whitefish, Columbia Falls, Olney, and Trego from June 17 to August 23, 2024. The Hungry Horse bookmobile locations will operate June 25 - Aug 1.No application or registration is required, meals are open to all. Whitefish (June 17 - Aug 23)Forest Acres Park: 10:45 - 11:05 a.m.Skate Park: 11:20 - 11:45 a.m.Whitefish High School CSE: 11:50 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.City Beach: 12:15 - 12:40...
Student Art: ‘Coil Bowl’ by Isabella Magrath
The art featured above is called "Coil Bowl" and is a stoneware bowl with underglaze by Whitefish High School freshman Isabella Magrath in the WHS Pottery I class. The Pilot periodically features art from Whitefish High School students.
It’s Your Lake Too
Recent events on Whitefish Lake have put in focus the challenges that we face to protect our most iconic shared natural resource. The health of the lake is not to be taken for granted. The lake offers the community a variety of beneficial uses ranging from drinking water to recreation to a setting for dream homes. A joint study by The University of Montana Flathead Lake Biological Station and the Whitefish Lake Institute shows that Whitefish Lake enhanced surrounding property values up to $1.1 billion, contributing upwards of $8 million in property tax revenue annually. Conversely, studies show that there...
Police Calls: Call the fashion police?
The police calls section is presented for entertainment purposes and does not reflect the nature or the volume of the calls received by local law enforcement.May 27A bartender called to report that a man who was too drunk to be driving was parked in the back alley off Central Avenue and blocking the alley.A male admitted to consuming alcohol and voluntarily surrendered his keys. It seemed a small black dog had no owner but then the owner appeared.A small black bear was up a tree on Oregon Avenue. The whereabouts of the bear’s mother were unknown.The caller on Big Mountain Road...
City Council preview for July 1, 2024
Whitefish City Council meets on Monday, July1, beginning at 7:10 p.m. at City Hall.Council meetings are also available for participation remotely through Microsoft Teams. The work sessions are also available for remote participation. For more information, visit the city’s website at www.cityofwhitefish.org or call 863-2400.Individuals are encouraged to provide written public comment to the City Clerk, Michelle Howke at mhowke@cityofwhitefish.org or deliver by 4 p.m. on July 1, at City Hall in the Utility Drop Box.Items on the agenda, subject to change:-Consideration of a request from Bill McKinney for a conditional use permit to expand the Whitefish airport with an...
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,...
Looking Back: City limits extended by nearly a mile
A look back at past Pilot articles by Julie Engler50 Years AgoJune 27, 1974According to Leo Fisher, Whitefish City Attorney, the discharge or firing or use of any fireworks within the municipality was prohibited unless the use was under the direction of some organization and the organization had a permit from the city. City penalty for disobeying the fireworks law was a maximum fine of $300 and or no more than 90 days in jail. The list of permitted fireworks was extensive. The Jay-cee organization investigated the problem and was selling only legal fireworks at their stand. Illegal fireworks, besides...
Montana’s Motor Vehicle Division offers mobile driver services in Whitefish
In response to increased demand and to further support customers in Whitefish, Montana’s Motor Vehicle Division will offer a mobile licensing event in the parking lot of Super 1 Foods at 6475 U.S. 93 South, from June 25–27.The Mobile Unit offers service on a first come-first-served basis and can accommodate 25-30 customers each day. Customers will be able to renew or replace Standard and Commercial Driver Licenses as well as REAL ID Standard or Class D licenses. The Mobile Unit will also be able to process out-of-state transfers if the applicant has a current and valid out-of-state license. Payments must be paid for via credit or debit card.The Mobile Unit will be in the parking lot of Super 1 Foods, Tuesday - Thursday from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. and 1 – 4 p.m. Please check the Motor Vehicle Division website for information on what you will need to bring with you for a successful transaction. Detailed information for each type of license can be found here: https://mvdmt.gov/
Whitefish Lakeshore violation an insult to our greatest resource
I am writing in regard to the recent Whitefish Pilot story “Construction causes rockslide on Whitefish Lakeshore.” I would like to share my concerns and take a stance to support greater enforcement and stricter penalties for homeowners and contractors who violate the Whitefish Lakeshore Protection Zone. The Lakeshore Protection Act in Montana aims to conserve and protect natural lakes because of the important role they play in biological processes that contribute to a healthy natural environment, and their high scenic and resource values. We must not turn our backs on the importance that lakes and water resources play in our health...
Kenneth L. Anderson, 86
We are sad to announce that Kenneth L. Anderson, 86, took his last breath on June 9, 2024. Only two days before his death he was ordering stuff on Amazon, expecting to be in hospice for many years. He wasn’t in denial, he just never stopped moving forward. A great lesson for each of us. He was quite funny, a quick-witted personality who loved being the center of love and attention until the very end. The dozens of people who visited him in the last weeks of his life is a testament to the relationships he built. He was a proud...
Red, White and Brut looks forward to Woody Weekend
The 12th edition of the annual classic boat show, Whitefish Woody Weekend, will be June 28-30 at The Lodge at Whitefish Lake. The event is organized by the Big Sky Chapter of the Antique and Classic Boat Society. All boat activities are free and open to the public. The event kicks off Friday with live music at the Tiki Bar from 6-9 p.m. and the Wooden Boat Parade on Whitefish Lake from 8-10 p.m. On Saturday, public boat-viewing starts at 9 a.m. at The Lodge and goes until 6 p.m. There is a poker run starting at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday. For...
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...
Twins split with Mavericks, improve to 11-2
The Glacier Twins fell to the Missoula Mavericks in their doubleheader opener on Wednesday, June 19, but bounced back with an 11-8 victory in the nightcap.The Mavericks held Glacier to three hits in the first game while collecting nine of their own. Maddox Muller, Treyson Murphy, and Trenton Derosa had hits for the Twins.Missoula led 4-0 after two innings and scored two runs in the fifth and three runs in the sixth. Glacier committed three errors in the game.In the second game, Nolan Amerman went 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBI in an 11-8 victory over the Mavericks....
Whitefish School District hosts informational session on school bonds
Over the last decade the Whitefish School District has grown by 2.17% while Whitefish High School has grown by 2.74%. The 2023-24 school year was no exception to the trend.Going forward, these growth rates are projected to continue at 2% and district administrators say more space is needed to accommodate the increased enrollment.The district is hosting public informational sessions in the coming months regarding two school bonds that will appear on the ballot in September. The bonds were previously combined in last year’s election, but failed with a 2,313 to 2,161 vote. This year, the vote will be for two...
Sue Vaughan, 76
Alma Sue Vaughan, 76, was born Oct. 28, 1946, in Williamsburg, Kentucky, and died Sept. 11, 2023, in Bedford, Texas.Sue grew up on a farm with her parents and three sisters. While she enjoyed driving the tractor, she was more of a bookworm than a farm girl. She was even known to escape doing the dishes by hiding in the bathroom to read. Sue passed on her love of reading to her three daughters, who are all voracious readers.Sue skipped first and fifth grades and was ready to graduate high school at 16. She started classes at Cumberland College and...
Quilters bring kindness to care facility residents
Orry Nail, president of the Teakettle Quilters' Guild, combined her big heart with her great idea to make nearly 100 quilted pillowcases for residents of Mountain View Health and Rehabilitation, formerly Whitefish Care and Rehabilitation.“My sister is a resident here and I wanted to do something special for Christmas, so I made her and her roommate a Christmas pillowcase. Then I made a Valentine’s, then I made a St. Paddy's Day,” Nail recalled.When her sister’s neighbor came over to borrow one of the handmade pillowcases, Nail said that broke her heart. She had also noted that some of the residents...
Council passes on proposed annexation policy
The Whitefish Community Housing Committee sought feedback from Whitefish City Council on a proposed annexation policy based on the goals in the 2022 Whitefish Community Housing Roadmap. After discussing the proposed policy at a work session, the council sent the idea back to the drawing board due, in part, to concerns about the Legislature and the lack of precedent for the plan.“I think we are in agreement that we’re not ready for that quite yet, if I interpreted the council correctly,” Mayor John Muhlfeld said. Councilor Frank Sweeney said he had the impression that the councilors were not comfortable with the...
Judith 'Judy' Johnson Halama, 77
Judith "Judy" Johnson Halama, 77 of Whitefish, passed away June 10, 2024. She was born Nov. 25, 1946, in Sioux City, Iowa, to the late William Johnson and Ruth Johnson (Freudenberg). She was a graduate of Grinnell College in Iowa and later earned her PhD in psychology at UCLA. She served as a clinical psychologist in substance abuse unit of the VA Hospital system in Los Angeles for about 25 years, where she helped countless veteran patients before retiring in 2000. Judy was creative and heavily involved in the designing and development of her family’s homes on Lion Mountain and Dana Point. She was an avid reader, had a passion for cooking, and loved spending time gazing at mountain, lake, and beach views from her balconies. In her earlier years, Judy enjoyed bike riding and tennis. She is survived by her husband of 55 years, Bill Halama; children, Meredith Hallagan (Patrick), and Lacey Walsh (Matthew); five grandchildren, Kevin Hallagan, Connor Hallagan, Annie Walsh, Charlie Walsh, and Molly Hallagan; and brother, Larry Johnson (Luella).Services will be held privately at the convenience of the family. To send online condolences please visit the website www.austinfh.com.
Pilot and Inter Lake bring home awards
The Daily Inter Lake was named the best daily newspaper in the state Saturday at the Montana Newspaper Association's 139th annual convention and awards banquet in Kalispell. The Inter Lake accumulated the most points in its division in the Better Newspaper Contest against the largest newspapers in the state to earn the coveted Sam Gilluly and General Excellence awards. The Whitefish Pilot, which is a part of Hagadone Media Montana, had an impressive showing in nearly every advertising category, totaling 11 awards. The Pilot’s advertising and design staff came home with five first place awards, including best online ad, best...
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The first edition of the Whitefish Pilot rolled off the press Jan. 23, 1904. For more than 100 years, the Pilot has provided Whitefish with local news, sports and features, and has played an integral role in documenting the city's transformation from a railroad town to a bustling resort community.
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