Latest news with #Kalispell
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Yahoo
Alleged drunk driving crash near Kalispell costs passenger an arm
Jun. 27—Prosecutors say a driver involved in a U.S. 2 wreck earlier this month that cost her passenger a limb had a breath alcohol concentration of more than twice the legal limit. Kelly Ann Hartigan, 48, faces one count of felony negligent vehicular homicide in Flathead County District Court following the June 14 crash. Held in the county jail with bail set at $100,000, she is scheduled to appear before Judge Danni Coffman on June 30 for her arraignment. Hartigan was headed eastbound on U.S. 2 near Kalispell when she drove off the road and hit a light pole, according to court documents. The collision tore the right arm off of her passenger at the shoulder, and Hartigan allegedly continued driving for another 500 yards before stopping. An arriving Montana Highway Patrol trooper allegedly smelled the odor of an alcoholic beverage on Hartigan. They described her as unsteady on her feet and seemed poised to fall over, according to court documents. During the ensuing field sobriety tests, Hartigan allegedly showed multiple signs of impairment. She also sported glossy eyes and swayed on her feet. A subsequent breath test returned with an alcohol content of 0.180, according to court documents. Investigators later secured a blood draw at a medical center following her arrest. If convicted, Hartigan faces up to 10 years behind bars and a fine of $10,000. News Editor Derrick Perkins can be reached at 758-4430 or dperkins@
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Switch to mail ballots will boost Kalispell turnout
Jun. 22—Voters in Kalispell municipal elections will now receive their ballots exclusively by mail. In a split vote last week, Council made the decision to transition away from polling-place elections. It's a move that could save taxpayer funding and help increase voter turnout. Still, Mayor Mark Johnson and Councilor Sid Daoud dissented, both expressing a distaste for letting go of the traditional in-person option. Daoud — who is running for mayor in the next election — even espoused mail-in voting as "un-American." Rhetoric aside, voting from afar is nothing new in this country and there's nothing unpatriotic about it. In fact, the practice dates to the Civil War when soldiers were allowed to cast ballots from the battlefield for elections in their hometowns, according to MIT's Election Lab. Absentee ballot laws for civilians, meanwhile, can be traced back to the 1800s, well before Montana was even a state. Today, eight states allow all elections — federal, state and local — to be conducted exclusively by mail. Meanwhile, Montana is among nine states that allows all mail ballots for small elections, such as municipal and school district elections. While data is mixed, it generally points to increased voter participation in elections conducted by mail, particularly local elections. One study in Colorado revealed an 8% uptick in voter participation during mail elections. Given that Kalispell's most recent election in 2023 saw just 263 poll voters, a dismal 4% of eligible poll voters, any increase would be a welcome change. While Mayor Johnson decries losing the tradition of going to the polls on Election Day, the convenience factor of voting by mail shouldn't be underestimated as a way to ensure everyone gets to vote. "You're reaching out to every single active eligible voter and providing them the opportunity to vote without having to narrow it down to one day in a specific time window." Flathead County Election Manager Paula Buff told the Council. It's important to note that the new system does not eliminate the option to fill out or return a ballot in person. People can still go to the election office where there will be poll booths set up. Increased voter participation and lower taxpayer costs? There's nothing unpatriotic about that.
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Dispute threatens to shelve new library branch
Jun. 8—Is the Flathead County Library Board serious about building a new facility in Kalispell? One has to wonder after it unexpectedly distanced itself from the Flathead Library Foundation during a combative meeting last month. In a 4-1 vote, the board essentially decided to break up with the library's fundraising arm amid efforts to launch a capital campaign for a new Kalispell branch. Specifically, the vote was to reject a fundraising agreement the foundation had presented the board in April which asked trustees to offer unanimous support for the building project, a commitment of capital improvement funds from the county and a commitment from the county to support the library in the future. Library board chair Dave Ingram said he found the conditions to be "coercive" and later suggested that the board could handle the capital campaign on its own. Firebrand trustee Carmen Cuthbertson took the hostility a step further and accosted the foundation as unreliable, dishonest and untrustworthy. After the meeting, foundation executive director Sara Busse attempted to quash those accusations, saying the agreement was only intended to provide potential donors with basic assurances that their gifts won't be squandered. As with many disagreements, the best path forward likely falls somewhere in between — it's called compromise. For the foundation's part, it just may have to proceed without the full slate of conditions it is seeking. While it would be nice to go to donors knowing the project has the board's full support, that shouldn't be a wrench that jams the entire operation. Considering how politicized public libraries have become, a unanimous vote may be out of reach. Meanwhile, the board is foolish to think it would be better off without the support of a dedicated and proven fundraising arm. Let us not forget the Flathead Library Foundation's successful pursuit of raising over $3 million to build a new branch in Bigfork. The beautiful and modern facility opened to the public last summer after just five years of fundraising, which mind you, took place during the Covid pandemic upheaval. It was a remarkable feat, and Ingram even praised the project at the time, saying he hoped it was just the first "of many efforts between the county and our communities to enhance our library facilities." The Kalispell branch was next on the list. The board must reconcile its differences with the foundation if they truly want to see this capital campaign reach the finish line. It'd be a shame to see the effort derailed over egos and stubbornness.
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Samaritan House raises $2 million in donations for expansion amid a federal grant delay
May 31—The Samaritan House has raised $2 million through community donations, furthering its hefty expansion project and helping fill a funding gap created by a loss of federal dollars. "It's really a beautiful thing," said Chris Krager, executive director of the Kalispell homeless shelter and transitional living facility. "The community has risen to the occasion to help us get started." The Samaritan House is undergoing a $16.9 million expansion that would nearly double its capacity, allowing it to serve 85 more people. The $2 million will go toward the first phase of construction, which entails a new apartment building with 18 income-based two- and three-bedroom apartments. The administrative building will also be expanded to accommodate a larger cafeteria and an overflow for the shelter. Montana-based contractor Swank Enterprises is expected to roll onto the property on July 1 after the Department of Environmental Quality finishes cleanup at the former Army Reserve Armory located at 1110 Second St. W., which is where the forthcoming apartment complex will go up. Krager said that fundraising efforts will continue, though, and more community support is needed to fund a 16-unit building to house homeless veterans. AROUND $8.4 million has been raised so far, just over half of which are federal dollars, according to Krager. "We're making progress. Nothing is in limbo. We are rolling," Krager said. But construction plans had to slightly shift earlier in the spring after a multimillion-dollar federal grant seemingly disappeared. The Samaritan House was in the midst of getting a $4.3 million grant approved when the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the federal agency in charge of dolling out the funds, abruptly cut contact. The Samaritan House was left in the dark on the status of the grant program until a week ago when the federal agency reached back out to Krager, inviting him to reapply. "We'll reapply. I know our application is really, really strong, so that's good," Krager said. The funding comes from the federal agency's Continuum of Care grant program, which "is designed to promote a community-wide commitment to the goal of ending homelessness," according to the federal agency. The Samaritan House will be hosting ongoing construction tours. To schedule one, email Chris Krager at ckrager@ Reporter Jack Underhill may be reached at 758-4407 and junderhill@
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Samaritan House raises $2 million in donations for expansion amid a federal grant delay
May 31—The Samaritan House has raised $2 million through community donations, furthering its hefty expansion project and helping fill a funding gap created by a loss of federal dollars. "It's really a beautiful thing," said Chris Krager, executive director of the Kalispell homeless shelter and transitional living facility. "The community has risen to the occasion to help us get started." The Samaritan House is undergoing a $16.9 million expansion that would nearly double its capacity, allowing it to serve 85 more people. The $2 million will go toward the first phase of construction, which entails a new apartment building with 18 income-based two- and three-bedroom apartments. The administrative building will also be expanded to accommodate a larger cafeteria and an overflow for the shelter. Montana-based contractor Swank Enterprises is expected to roll onto the property on July 1 after the Department of Environmental Quality finishes cleanup at the former Army Reserve Armory located at 1110 Second St. W., which is where the forthcoming apartment complex will go up. Krager said that fundraising efforts will continue, though, and more community support is needed to fund a 16-unit building to house homeless veterans. AROUND $8.4 million has been raised so far, just over half of which are federal dollars, according to Krager. "We're making progress. Nothing is in limbo. We are rolling," Krager said. But construction plans had to slightly shift earlier in the spring after a multimillion-dollar federal grant seemingly disappeared. The Samaritan House was in the midst of getting a $4.3 million grant approved when the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the federal agency in charge of dolling out the funds, abruptly cut contact. The Samaritan House was left in the dark on the status of the grant program until a week ago when the federal agency reached back out to Krager, inviting him to reapply. "We'll reapply. I know our application is really, really strong, so that's good," Krager said. The funding comes from the federal agency's Continuum of Care grant program, which "is designed to promote a community-wide commitment to the goal of ending homelessness," according to the federal agency. The Samaritan House will be hosting ongoing construction tours. To schedule one, email Chris Krager at ckrager@ Reporter Jack Underhill may be reached at 758-4407 and junderhill@
