Flathead Valley Sports & Outdoors: Kalispell, Montana News

HELENA – Wilderness advocates and key officials say Sen. Jon Tester's office has plans to bring Montana its first new wilderness designation since the 1980s.

But Tester's office is keeping details quiet — just saying that anyone interested in how forests are managed should contact the senator.

Plans for the designation of a new wilderness area draw on separate proposals that have been in the works for years, say advocates who hope legislation will fast-track hundreds of thousands of acres into wilderness status.

Some Fourth of July activities are obvious: The classic celebrations like fireworks, community fairs and parades are in abundance in almost every American town, including the Flathead (Find a full listing of these on our “Events” page).

But there are less traditional, and uniquely local, ways to celebrate the Fourth as well. In this section, we aim to highlight some Flathead excursions that we think hold promise for an especially memorable day – whether you’re looking for the valley’s best party spot or family-friendly activities.

The city of Kalispell is looking for people willing to coach Runnin' Rascals football for one hour each week. A $10 credit certificate will be issued to each coach at the end of the season. There will be a coaches' meeting on Aug. 29.

Runnin' Rascals is a non-competitive introduction to football for boys and girls between the ages of 4 to 6. Games will be played once per week on Saturdays. They are intended to be fun and for instructional purposes only. The dates are Sept. 5, 12, 19 and 26 between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. at the Kalispell Youth Athletic Complex off of Four Mile Drive. The cost of participation is $24 and this includes a tee-shirt. Registration deadline is Aug. 7.

For information on registering, call 758-7848.

BIGFORK – The Bigfork boys' basketball team has a new coach for the third time in as many seasons.

Paul LaMott will direct the Vikings' program as the school moves from Class A to Class B competition due to enrollment declines.

Clad in cleats, the offense and defense faced each other on opposite ends of the green, rectangular field. They started toward one another, first jogging, then breaking into a sprint. Scot Blair wound one arm back, bent to his knee and sent the white disc spinning as the opposing team reeled their heads back and watched it fly. As the Frisbee curved back down toward the offense, Fred VanHorn picked up speed and slapped both hands around it for an interception.

At Grouse Mountain fields on a Wednesday night in Whitefish, it was clear that pick-up Ultimate Frisbee had landed in the Flathead Valley.

A giant, mega-billion dollar corporate invasion was recently blocked on our small island. It happened when our golf course was put up for sale. The golf course is really appreciated by the people who live here and sometimes cursed by wandering tourists because most of the holes are on the side of a hill. Your ball is either below your feet or above them, almost every time you try and hit it. There is also not much rainwater for the fairways, so they have to make do with whatever rainwater collects in the three small ponds on the course.

Roman candles, poppers, rockets and missiles. To most, the Fourth of July finale is a feast of color and sound.

Unfortunately, for our canine friends, it is a time of sheer terror.

“They can just go to pieces,” said Barbara Calm, a veterinarian with Calm Animal Care Veterinary Clinic in Kila. “It’s a rough season for sensitive dogs.”

BILLINGS – The bankrupt co-founder of Montana's swank Yellowstone Club is being sued for the alleged illegal transfer of $1.1 million from a failed spin-off of the millionaires-only ski resort.

Edra Blixseth sold the Yellowstone Club in southwestern Montana for $115 million last month and has remaining debts estimated at $357 million.