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Whitefish Pilot
Looking Back: Wild wind sinks boat on Whitefish Lake
A look back at past Pilot articles by Julie Engler50 Years AgoAug. 1, 1974A total of 889 people attended the 41st Infantry Division’s reunion on Big Mountain, making it the largest reunion ever held by the unit. Forty states were represented and families came from as far away as Australia and London, England. All of the units on Big Mountain were filled as were many other valley motels and hotels. A memorial service took place on the summit of Big Mountain. Joseph H. Castle officiated as chaplain and Kenny Ricketts played an organ which was flown by helicopter to the...
Andrea Morgan featured artist at Gallery Nights
The Whitefish Gallery Nights season continues this Thursday from 5 - 8 p.m. One highlight of the monthly celebration will be fine art by Andrea Morgan and live music by recording artist and wildland firefighter, Zia Blue, at The Walking Man Frame Shop and Gallery on 305 Baker Avenue. Morgan’s “Animal Dreams” series covers both serious and lighthearted topics, including the intersection of native and non-native species on the prairie, fence lines across western landscapes, the somewhat ridiculous aspects of American cowboy culture, and imaginary birds riding imaginary bikes. Morgan is a self-taught painter and paper mache sculptor living in the Blackfoot River Valley of western Montana. Her work as a restoration ecologist, landscaper and vegetable farmer have kept her hands in the dirt and her head in the clouds for as long as she can recall. Morgan’s painting process starts with dynamic layers of color and marks on wood. She works without a plan, allowing colors and concepts to evolve and shift. She adds and subtracts paint, ideas and subjects so she can, as she puts it, “capture the wild thing before it runs away.”
Chairlift: Lessons from grade school
I don’t know much French but I do know that du bois means “of the woods” because I attended Ste. Genevieve du Bois elementary school. From first through fifth grade, I wore a scratchy, plaid uniform with shorts underneath so I could play on the jungle gym at recess.I walked to and from school each day through a neighbor’s yard and across a street that is busy now but wasn’t so busy then.Grade school was a surprisingly dynamic time. I met some great friends: Janet, K.C., Laura and there were also the girls we couldn’t stand: Ellen, Sally and Jennifer....
Alpine Theatre Project’s Broadway showstoppers returns with 'Harmony'
Whitefish Performing Arts Center was a buzz Thursday as 60 Alpine Theatre Project Broadway Summer Camp students threw on their tap shoes for a rehearsal of George Gershin’s song, “I Got Rhythm.” The students had been preparing for the past three weeks to perform “Harmony” in duo with professional Broadway stars. “We are not just singers. We are not just actors. We are storytellers,” said Meredith Patterson, Broadway star and camp instructor, as she prepped students to run the tap number. “Tell this story. Work on those inner monologues. Trouble? I don’t mind them. You won’t find them because I got star...
Boaters turn heroes during small fire on Stillwater Lake
A small island on Lower Stillwater Lake near Olney caught fire from a smoldering campfire on July 23. Several residents were on the lake at the time and helped put out the fire and assist with transporting firefighters across the lake to the island. Jim Buckley was boating with Bruce Schelling when they first noticed the fire. “It looked like it had been smoldering there for a while. We emptied out our food and drink coolers and used them as buckets until the Fire Department was transported to the scene,” Buckley said. Two other longtime Olney residents on a separate...
Gardner Beougher named mountain operations director at Whitefish Mountain Resort
Whitefish Mountain Resort has selected Gardner Beougher as mountain operations director, a key position overseeing trail grooming, ski and bike patrol, lift maintenance and operations, mountain events and strategic improvement planning. Beougher, who grew up skiing on Big Mountain, has 21 years of experience in the resort’s grooming and snowmaking department. For the last four ski seasons, he led that department as slopes manager, responsible for the maintenance of over 110 trails across 3,000 acres of skiing terrain. “Gardner is a capable leader with deep institutional knowledge of our mountain, and we couldn’t be more excited to have him in this role,”...
City Council preview for Aug. 5, 2024
Whitefish City Council meets on Tuesday, Aug. 5, 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 Aug. 5, at City Hall in the Utility Drop Box.Items on the agenda, subject to change:-Consideration of a request for a conditional use permit for a guest house.-Consideration of a request to expand the Whitefish Community School.-Resolution removing engraving fees for the Columbarium.-Consideration to award engineering contracts for the Amory Road and East Sixth Street Reconstruction Projects.-Other matters that may arise between July 31 and Aug. 5.There is a closed executive session at 5:30 p.m., before the regular meeting.
Raptors and rocket scientists take over library
The east lawn of the Whitefish Community Library was packed Thursday with nearly 100 kids and adults, five Montana Wild Wings volunteers, and most importantly, several raptors. The screeching barn owl was a vocal crowd favorite. Seeing and learning about the raptors that no longer live in the wild is a family-favorite event that the Whitefish Community Library has hosted every summer for the last several years as a part of the Summer Enjoyment Series. Montana Wild Wings Rehabilitation Center is a nonprofit dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation and release of sick and injured birds of prey. Rehabilitation center volunteers provide programs like...
Informational sessions for school bonds upcoming
Whitefish School District invites families and community members to attend informational sessions regarding two school bonds that will appear on the ballot in September. These sessions will provide an opportunity to learn about and ask questions concerning the WHS Academic Expansion and WHS Athletic Improvement proposals.The next Informational Session occurs on Monday, Aug. 5, at 5:30 p.m. at Whitefish High School. The final two sessions will be held at the same time and location on Aug. 19 and Sept. 5.The WHS Academic Expansion Bond will provide additional classrooms and labs to support increased enrollment and enhance learning spaces. It will...
Whitefish board approves preschool expansion
The Whitefish Community Development Board last week decided on two setback variances and made recommendations for two conditional use permits, one for a guest house and one for a school expansion.Whitefish Community School at 805 Park Ave., requested a conditional use permit to expand its current daycare use into a daycare center, in order to serve more than 15 children.In addition to an expansion of the school facility that is expected to be less than 2,000 feet, changes to the property include five additional parking spaces, a traffic turn around and a student drop off space.“Our waitlist has been averaging...
Whitefish Trail Hootenanny time
The annual Whitefish Trail Hootenanny, a celebration of the Whitefish Trail and local conservation lands is coming to Depot Park on Friday, Aug. 23. The festivities will run from 5 - 9:30 p.m. and include live music, activities for kids, food trucks, local craft beer and a raffle. All ages are welcome and participants are encouraged to walk or ride their bikes to the event. All proceeds of the event, organized by Whitefish Legacy Partners, directly benefit the Whitefish Trail. “The Hootenanny brings the community together at the end of a busy summer to celebrate the Whitefish Trail and...
Great Fish 10th anniversary increases matching, incentives
Since 2015, the annual Great Fish Community Challenge has brought Flathead Valley together in a multi-week fundraising campaign benefiting local nonprofits. A decade of the challenge has raised over $28 million for more than 90 nonprofit organizations. The first year of the challenge raised $1.1 million for 32 nonprofits. This year, 80 nonprofits are participating, including first-time participants Bigfork ACES, Bigfork Food Bank, Flathead Valley United, My Glacier Village and Writing Coaches of Montana. “We are excited to be part of such a well-thought-out and organized approach to fundraise that makes it easier for small groups such as us to be...
Former Whitefish tennis coach named Colorado’s Coach of the Year
The Colorado High School Activities Association named Tyffani Thomas Coach of the Year after leading Kent Denver Preparatory School of Aurora, Colorado, to their first state championship in tennis since 2005. “You are working with a diverse group of kids who all handle things in their own way,” Thomas said. “Whether it be criticism or compliments, as a coach, you learn to be mindful with how you talk to each individual. “It's not always about the skill level, but the growth of each person,” Thomas added. Thomas played tennis for three years at Montana State University-Bozeman and previously served as the boys tennis head coach at Whitefish High School. “Whitefish has been home for over 22 years and I love coming back to visit three or four times a year, Thomas said. “It's truly my sanctuary.”
Police Calls: Too much heat, too much alcohol
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.July 12The caller on Houston Drive inquired about city noise ordinances after a landscaper started up an industrial mower next door.A man in a black van was yelling “repent” at a location on Highway 93. He was asked to leave the property.An Acura and a Lexus experienced an injury-free accident. One driver was cited for following too closely.The caller was upset that, although she requested extra patrols on Armory Road, she has yet to see...
Student Art: ‘Set of Dishes Designed and Made for Japanese Food’ by Aspen Yaeck
The art featured above is called "Set of Dishes Designed and Made for Japanese Food" and is wheel-thrown pottery by Whitefish High School senior Aspen Yaeck in the WHS Pottery II class. The Pilot periodically features art from Whitefish High School students.
Whitefish couple launches startup for paddle board cup holder
Do you wish there was an easier way to carry a Nalgene bottle or a can of pop on your paddle board? Paige and Eric Fitzgerald’s patented Floatsup Cup, a drink holder for water sport enthusiasts, is the solution. The Floatsup Cup is a paddle board and kayak accessory that holds cans and bottles in a wide range of sizes. It attaches with the existing bungee system on most paddle boards and kayaks.The Fitzgeralds, sponsors of the Flathead Rivers Alliance, chose to make the cup floatable and brightly-colored to minimize chances of loss in a river or lake.“We also designed an attachment...
July 31 Notices
Joseph Joe Richard, 86Joseph Joe Richard, 86, died July 19, 2024, in Eureka.He is survived by his wife, Mary and sons, Steve and John. Services are being planned. Austin Funeral and Cremation Services in Whitefish is caring for the family.Sarah Narkiewicz, 54Sarah Narkiewicz, 54, died July 22, 2024, in Marion.She is survived by her life partner, Wayne Clark and her kids, Arielle and Ian. No services are scheduled. Columbia Mortuary in Columbia Falls is caring for the family. Colson Walker Christian, 22Colson Walker Christian, 22, died July 24, 2024, in Kalispell.A celebration of Walker’s life will begin at 11 a.m. on Aug. 1, at Columbia Mortuary, 1010 Fourth Ave. West. Family and friends may begin to visit on Aug. 1, starting at 10 a.m. To send online condolences, please visit the website www.columbiamortuary.com.
Whitefish's Stella Hobbs tops podium in grueling gravel race
The Last Best Race was on par with its slogan “for neighbors, racers, n’ adventure chasers” as an estimated 550 participants, 125 volunteers and over 1,000 supporters and spectators gathered in Whitefish last weekend for the fourth edition of the gravel race.“This was the best year yet. Each year we get a little more dialed and our volunteer crew becomes more experienced and enthusiastic. It's a joy to watch and since we are volunteer run, it's rewarding for everyone,” said co-organizer Jess Cerra. The short course race called The Mountain Goat took riders through nearly 48 miles with 4,189 feet...
The time has come for a traffic light
Every summer, a temporary traffic light is placed at the intersection of Montana 40 and Dillon Road (between Whitefish and Columbia Falls) to accommodate and control traffic during the Under the Big Sky Music Festival. I would strongly and respectfully request that a traffic light be permanently installed at this location. Our local, year-round residents deserve the same access and safety considerations as visitors. I’ve lived on Dillon Road for over 28 years now and have commuted back and forth to Kalispell for work (and other reasons) five days a week. I’ve watched how Dillon Road has become a major...
Legals for July, 31 2024
NO. 2766 CITY OF WHITEFISH, MONTANA NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that at its regular meeting on Monday, August 5, 2024, at 7:10 PM, in the Whitefish City Council Chambers, located at 418 East 2nd Street, Whitefish, Montana, the Whitefish City Council will conduct a public hearing for the purpose of receiving public input regarding amending the Columbarium engraving fees. Individuals may appear or submit written testimony at the hearing to comment on the proposed amendment to the Columbarium engraving fees. Written comment may be delivered or mailed to the Whitefish City Clerk, 418 East 2nd Street, PO Box...
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