Page 14 - Flathead Beacon // 9.28.16

NEWS
CITY BEAT
KALISPELL
Glacier Park International Airport Reports Summer Passenger Record
Glacier Park International Airport set a passenger record this summer and is on pace to surpass its annual mark for the fth year in a row.
A total of 97,206 people boarded ights in Kalispell between June and August, nearly 200 more than last year’s record summer. Another 99,000 people arrived at GPIA in that span.
For the entire year, ridership is up 3 percent at the local airport with a total of 343,938 passengers arriving or depart- ing from the Kalispell airport. June and July surpassed last year’s totals, while August saw a slight dip with 1,576 fewer passengers.
The record summer comes at the same time that the region’s largest attraction — Glacier National Park — is also expe- riencing record crowds. Glacier Park has attracted a total of 2.25 million people so far in 2016, an 18 percent increase. The park is on pace to break its annual record for the third year in a row.
Earlier this month, airport o cials announced additional ights to a pair of major markets this winter. Building on the success of its revenue-guarantee programs, the Glacier AERO group has secured new direct air service from San Francisco to Glacier Park International Airport for the 2016-17 winter season. It has also expanded holiday air service for the successful direct ight from Chicago, now entering its third season.
LINCOLN
Port Authority Wins Grant to Restore Rail Connection
The Lincoln County Port Authority is receiving a $750,000 grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration to restore rail service into the Kootenai Business Park in Libby.
The money will be used to rebuild parts of a 14,000-foot rail spur that con- nects the former Stimson Lumber Co. mill site with BNSF Railway’s main line between Chicago and Seattle. The total project is expected to cost more than $1.6 million.
Tina Oliphant, executive director of the port authority, said o cials hope to have the rail spur rebuilt by mid-2017.
“The rehabilitation of the rail spur accessing BNSF’s main line is the Lin- coln County Port Authority’s number one strategic priority,” she said. “Rail spur access, combined with the site access to just over 400 acres of industrial ground, is a scarce development commodity.”
“The appeal of the Flathead Valley and Glacier National Park region as a place to live, work and play is re ected in the growing air service numbers,” Interim Airport Director Rob Ratkowski stated. “We appreciate our airline partners and their demonstrated faith in the region’s growth — adding up-gauged aircraft, increased ight frequency and service to/through more hubs.”
Montana is experiencing another big year of air travel, which is up 4 percent overall statewide. Missoula’s airport is reporting an 8.9 percent increase in pas- sengers through August, with 510,923. Bozeman reported an increase of 8.2 per- cent, with 768,734 passengers. Billings has seen a slight increase of 0.7 percent, with 569,889 passengers. Great Falls is experiencing a slight decrease of 4.2 per- cent, with 242,466 passengers.
Last year a record total of 470,238 revenue passengers traveled through Glacier Park International Airport. That included 236,628 passengers who boarded a ight in Kalispell and 233,642 who arrived on a ight in Kalispell.
GPIA is served by Alaska, Allegiant, Delta and United with year-round direct service to Denver, Las Vegas, Minneapo- lis, Salt Lake City and Seattle. Additional seasonal service is o ered to Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, Oakland/San Francisco and Portland.
KALISPELL
Council Hosting Forum for Legislative, Commission Candidates
FLATHEAD
Jail Expansion Moving Forward
The Flathead County Commission is scheduled on Sept. 28 to select a com- pany to pursue the upcoming jail-expan- sion project.
The Sept. 28 meeting, held at the com- missioners’ chambers in Kalispell at 9 a.m. will have the commission award- ing the project to the companies that responded to the county’s request for proposals.
With 36 additional beds planned for the second oor of the Earl Bennett Building, the county hopes to allevi- ate some pressure on the overburdened Flathead County Detention Center. The current jail was built to hold about 60 inmates, and now often holds more than 100 adults each night, sometimes hitting more than 120 people.
The space dedicated to the expansion previously held the Flathead County Attorney’s o ce, but that o ce was moved to the newly renovated historic jail building behind the historic courthouse.
The county is still pursuing its long- term plan of saving money for a new jail building, but a de ned project or vision of this project has yet to come to light.
news@ atheadbeacon.com
The Kalispell City Council is hosting two televised candidate forums for this year’s general election.
Candidates running for legislative dis- tricts that overlap Kalispell city limits, as well candidates for Flathead County Commission, have been invited to par- ticipate. The public is encouraged to attend these events to learn more about where the candidates stand on important issues that a ect the community, includ- ing infrastructure, taxation, alternative funding mechanisms and public safety.
The rst forum will be held Wednesday, Oct. 5 at 7 p.m. This forum will be for can- didates from House Districts 6, 8, 9 and 11.
The second forum will be held Wednesday, Oct. 12 at 7 p.m. This forum will be for candidates from House Dis- trict 7, Senate Districts 3 and 6, and Flat- head County Commissioner.
The forums will be held in Council Chambers at Kalispell City Hall, 201 First Ave. E. The forum will be broadcast live on Kalispell’s public access channel — cable channel 190 — and then repeated at varying times up to the general elec- tion. Mayor Mark Johnson will moderate the forums.
The general election is Nov. 8.
KALISPELL
School District Holding Public Forum on Bond Requests
The Kalispell school district is host- ing an open forum to discuss the bond requests sent to voters this week.
The forum is Thursday, Sept. 29 from
6-7 p.m. at the Red Lion in Kalispell in the ballroom. Residents are encouraged to bring questions on the proposed bonds. The Red Lion is on the east side of the Kalispell Center Mall, 20 N Main St.
Kalispell Public Schools is seeking voter approval of the bond measures in the elementary and high school districts because of persistent overcrowding and aging facilities.
The ballots were sent out last week and are due back by Oct. 4.
The elementary district bond — $25.28 million — would fund the development of a new elementary school on Airport Road along with repairs and updates at the city’s existing ve elementary schools and middle school. The new elementary school would relieve overcrowding at the other sites; the district is 225 students over capacity this fall. If approved, the new elementary school would be the rst built in Kalispell since 1987, when Edger- ton was developed.
The high school bond — $28.76 mil- lion — would go toward renovating sec- tions of Flathead High School that are over 100 years old, as well as deferred maintenance, along with an expansion of the Agricultural Education Center and upgrades at Linderman Education Center. The bond would also fund main- tenance needs at Glacier High School and rebuild parts of Legends Stadium.
For those who cannot attend the forum but still have questions, email hensleighc@ sd5.k12.mt.us or call 406-751-3432.
news@ atheadbeacon.com
NEWS
COUNTY BEAT
SOLID FOUNDATION
Crews install an elevator shaft made out of Cross-Laminated Timber from SmartLam at the site of the Second Street Lofts in White sh on Sept. 23. The elevator shaft is the rst ever constructed with CLT in the United States. GREG LINDSTROM | FLATHEAD BEACON
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SEPTEMBER 28, 2016 // FLATHEADBEACON.COM