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| Chuck Baldwin, left, and gubernatorial candidate Bob Fanning listen to questions from the audience at the Red Lion Hotel in Kalispell. Fanning announced Baldwin as his running mate in the 2012 election. - Lido Vizzutti/Flathead Beacon |
On Nov. 16 at the Red Lion Hotel in Kalispell, Republican governor candidate Bob Fanning told a camouflage-speckled audience, “I’m blessed, completely blessed, to have Chuck Baldwin as my lieutenant governor.”
Baldwin, a pastor who ran for president as a Constitution Party candidate in 2008 and moved from Florida to the Flathead Valley last year, took the stage and returned the respect.
“Bob is the one candidate in the race I can fully and whole-heartedly embrace,” Baldwin said, adding: “I look forward to accompanying Bob to the governor’s mansion after next year’s election, because we are in this to win.”
Baldwin, a pastor who ran for president as a Constitution Party candidate in 2008 and moved from Florida to the Flathead Valley last year, took the stage and returned the respect.
“Bob is the one candidate in the race I can fully and whole-heartedly embrace,” Baldwin said, adding: “I look forward to accompanying Bob to the governor’s mansion after next year’s election, because we are in this to win.”
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| Kalispell City Manager Jane Howington, center, talks with representatives from the Kalispell firefighters union during a meeting in the City Council chambers earlier this year. - File photo by Lido Vizzutti/Flathead Beacon |
The search is underway for the next city manager in Kalispell, starting with the appointment of a selection committee and interviews with interim candidates.
Current City Manager Jane Howington recently announced she is resigning at the end of December after two years to take the same position in Newport, R.I.
Current City Manager Jane Howington recently announced she is resigning at the end of December after two years to take the same position in Newport, R.I.
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| The Post Office on Meridian Road. Justin Franz/Flathead Beacon |
It could take a little longer for a piece of mail to travel across the Flathead Valley if the U.S. Postal Service moves forward with plans to close the Kalispell mail processing center on Meridian Road.
The closure of the mail-sorting center is part of an initiative by the USPS to reduce spending across the board. The plans to close sorting facilities and retail offices across the country has gained even more urgency as the USPS announced last week that it ended the 2011 fiscal year with a net loss of $5.1 billion. Before any decision is made, the USPS is holding a public meeting on Dec. 1 to see how it may affect the public.
The closure of the mail-sorting center is part of an initiative by the USPS to reduce spending across the board. The plans to close sorting facilities and retail offices across the country has gained even more urgency as the USPS announced last week that it ended the 2011 fiscal year with a net loss of $5.1 billion. Before any decision is made, the USPS is holding a public meeting on Dec. 1 to see how it may affect the public.
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| Autumn colors speckle the landscape in this view from the Beaver Lakes Trail west of Whitefish. - Lido Vizzutti/Flathead Beacon |
Taking advantage of sporadic sunshine, there is no better place to be than hiking the Beaver Lakes section of the Whitefish Trail west of Whitefish.
The trail heads out from the Beaver Lakes Trailhead with a short half-mile ascent. At the intersection, choose your own adventure as the trail splits to the north and south. The 2.8-mile loop is a beautiful, easy to moderate hike through Montana’s outdoors. Snow-capped Big Mountain emerges through the trees with brief views of the surrounding lakes and vistas. Looking to the west, the valley unfolds with autumn colors still speckling the landscape.
The trail heads out from the Beaver Lakes Trailhead with a short half-mile ascent. At the intersection, choose your own adventure as the trail splits to the north and south. The 2.8-mile loop is a beautiful, easy to moderate hike through Montana’s outdoors. Snow-capped Big Mountain emerges through the trees with brief views of the surrounding lakes and vistas. Looking to the west, the valley unfolds with autumn colors still speckling the landscape.
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| Thinkstock photo |
Thanksgiving is on Nov. 24, and there are multiple opportunities throughout the Flathead and Mission valleys for residents to gather for a free meal and fellowship as the holiday season gets under way.
Sykes in Kalispell will host its annual Thanksgiving meal, which has served thousands of meals to local people. The event begins on Thanksgiving Day from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and is open to anyone.
Sykes in Kalispell will host its annual Thanksgiving meal, which has served thousands of meals to local people. The event begins on Thanksgiving Day from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and is open to anyone.
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| Greg Fortin pauses for a moment near a melt pond below the Sperry Glacier in Glacier National Park while him and Moore did the Floral Park Traverse. - Contributed photo by Craig Moore/GlacierWorld.com |
By all known criteria, Craig Moore is an ultimate ski bum.
The 32-year-old Whitefish resident has skied at least once a month for the last four years; he averages about 70 days a season on Big Mountain and another 80 in the surrounding backcountry. When he’s not taking turns with his wife Amy and documenting it for own his enjoyment or as part of his career as a professional photographer, he’s partnering with fellow members of the Flathead Nordic Backcountry Ski Patrol. When his friends are enjoying the lake in the summer, Craig is usually out exploring the mountains for a hidden treasure trove of remaining snow.
The 32-year-old Whitefish resident has skied at least once a month for the last four years; he averages about 70 days a season on Big Mountain and another 80 in the surrounding backcountry. When he’s not taking turns with his wife Amy and documenting it for own his enjoyment or as part of his career as a professional photographer, he’s partnering with fellow members of the Flathead Nordic Backcountry Ski Patrol. When his friends are enjoying the lake in the summer, Craig is usually out exploring the mountains for a hidden treasure trove of remaining snow.
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| Tina Bertram, Steve Stafford, Alex Hogle, Jason Revis and Erich Jonas rock the jam session at The Boiler Room. - Lido Vizzutti/Flathead Beacon |
Shortly before 7 p.m. on a Thursday night, The Boiler Room in Kalispell is nearly empty. A few people mull around, ordering coffee, but for the most part no one notices the five people moving chairs and tuning banjos, guitars and mandolins.
But when they finish their final tweaks and sit down to play, people begin to take up seats and more wander in as songs of long forgotten battles and overlooked outcasts waft out the door. Together they’re forming a community and that is just what Alex Hogle hoped for when he helped organize a twice-monthly bluegrass session at The Boiler Room, every other Thursday night throughout the winter.
But when they finish their final tweaks and sit down to play, people begin to take up seats and more wander in as songs of long forgotten battles and overlooked outcasts waft out the door. Together they’re forming a community and that is just what Alex Hogle hoped for when he helped organize a twice-monthly bluegrass session at The Boiler Room, every other Thursday night throughout the winter.
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| Todd Twete, vice president of sales and marketing, explains Merlin Information Services’ role in collecting and providing information at the business’ office in Kalispell. - Lido Vizzutti/Flathead Beacon |
Most people wouldn’t think twice about a two-tone gray office building south of Kalispell, but walk through two sets of locked, double doors and find your way into the server room and you’ll know something is up. Inside the temperature-controlled space stands two rows of computer servers holding millions of records, names, numbers and addresses.
This is the heart and soul of Merlin Information Services, a company that gathers and sells data and information about people and businesses, which it has been doing for 20 years.
This is the heart and soul of Merlin Information Services, a company that gathers and sells data and information about people and businesses, which it has been doing for 20 years.
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