Page 5 - Flathead Beacon // 1.7.15

FLATHEADBEACON.COM
NEWS
Robbie Bush and his brother Wyatt dig a car out of the snow in Kalispell. GREG LINDSTROM | FLATHEAD BEACON
Heavy Snow Buries Western Montana, Closing Schools and Hampering Travel
JANUARY 7, 2015 | 5
W•O•R•D•S of the Week
AN INDEX OF RECENT NEWSMAKERS
SNOW
A powerful winter storm buried Western Montana on Jan. 5 with almost 2 feet of snow in most places, including the Flathead Valley where schools were closed and hazardous road conditions hampered traffic. Crews were busy clearing drifts of snow while avalanche experts warned of dangerous conditions in the backcountry. Skiers, many who likely called in “sick” at work, rejoiced at Whitefish Mountain Resort, which received almost 10 inches overnight.
LEGISLATURE
The 64th Montana Legislature convened in Helena on Jan. 5, marking the biennial gathering of the state’s lawmakers, who meet for 90 days to hash out bill proposals and pass a budget that funds government operations for the next two years.
FLU
There were over 50 confirmed
cases of influenza in Flathead County last week, reflecting the worsening flu activity that has reached epidemic levels in 43 states, including Montana.
KEYSTONE
Sen. Steve Daines and Rep. Ryan Zinke announced last week that moving forward legislation to approve construction of the Keystone XL pipeline will be their top priority in the new year.
Residents across the valley were digging themselves out after a powerful winter storm battered the region
By DILLON TABISH of the Beacon
A powerful winter storm buried West-
ern Montana on Jan. 5 with almost 2 feet of snow in most places, including the Flat- head Valley where schools and some busi- nesses were closed and hazardous road conditions hampered traffic.
Living up to expectations and warn- ings from weather forecasters, the storm brought heavy snowfall that blanketed the region and then debilitated travelers with
freezing rain and gusty winds at higher el- evations and mountain passes.
Residents were digging themselves out of plump white drifts that clogged side- walks and roadways early Monday, bat- tered by the one of the biggest two-day snowstorms on record.
By late Monday, almost 20 inches of snow had fallen in Kalispell, the sixth most for any two-day stretch on record,
See Snow PAGE 20
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