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Hello and welcome to News Now. I'm your host, Taylor Inman. We're going over this week's biggest headlines and what's coming up for the Flathead Valley. The redo election for two Kalispell City Council seats is scheduled for May 7th. A Flathead County District Court judge last month ordered two Kalispell City Council elections be redone after a clerical error resulted in more than 1400 voters receiving ballots, with the incorrect candidates listed earlier this month.

Incumbent candidates Kari Gabriel and Sam Nunnally, who'd won by close margins in the election needing to be redone, were appointed to serve on the council as interim council members until the do over election is completed. Ward one candidates Gabriel and West Walker were 80 votes apart, while Ward two candidates, Gabriel Dillon and Nunnally were separated by 109 votes.

Ballots will be mailed to absentee voters on April 22nd, and poll voters can vote in person on May 7th at the Flathead County Fairgrounds Expo building. The county will also be conducting school and special district mail ballot elections. On May 7th, 176 voters submitted ballots with incorrect ward candidates after updated ward boundary information wasn't updated into the election system.

In December, Flathead County Election Administrator Debbie Pearson asked the court to annul the November 7th election, saying in a court filing her office discovered days before the election the new ward boundaries approved by city council in December of 2021 weren't entered into the election system. This error meant that 1413 absentee ballots, representing 8% of Kalispell voters, received incorrect ballots, the December filing said.

The county will be fronting the cost of another election, but the amount was not available from the county on Monday. Have an idea for the new Flathead County Library logo? Library board trustees are taking submissions and suggestions on designs leading up to their next board meeting in April. Board vice chair Carmen Cuthbertson and Trustee Heidi Rodwell presented a logo for consideration at the body's March meeting last month.

The board voted to re adopt the name Flathead County Library after operating as imagine if libraries for about a decade. After hearing from staff and the public on Thursday, trustees decided to open up the logo design to the community. Rodale said trustees will be looking for the same orange, white and red color is present in the Imagine If logo, as they want to stay in line with other aspects of the brand.

It's not a rebranding effort, according to Cuthbertson, who said trustees are just looking to change the name and the associated logo. A document presented to the board in March outlines the estimated cost of the overhaul and gives a timeline for the priority of each item. Includes the cost of materials, though most of the expenses will be generated by work performed by library staff.

The undertaking should run about $7,000, according to the document, but that figure excludes some costs, including the effort to design a new logo for the design process. Trustees are looking at low or no cost avenues, Trustee Doug Adams said. A company has already approached the board offering design services pro bono. It's an option, he said. He'd go for as long as it was, quote, no strings attached.

Flathead County Communications and Outreach librarian Loon Axelsson said even though pro bono work would be great, she asked that the board consider investing in a logo as the process moves along, offering to contribute dollars in the communications budget if necessary. Public comment to trustees largely asked for more public and staff involvement in the decision. Library director Terry Duggan said while the presented logo is a good start, it would be nice to see other options and compare which one proved most popular.

Though the board has set out a two year timeline to make the switch, settling on a logo design is critical, leading to the opening of a new Bigfork branch building in the summertime. Those interested in learning more about the estimated cost of the name change can find the planning document included in the Board of Trustees March 28th Meeting packet online.

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You can said those interested may submit ideas and comments to her via email at T Duggan at imagine If libraries.org. She plans to pass them along to the Public Relations Committee, and board designs and comments will be accepted until April 18th. Glacier National Park officials expect construction on the going to the Sun Road in the upper McDonald Creek Bridge to end this year, while other projects like water infrastructure and road improvements in the Swift Current developed area are just getting going.

New construction projects slated for 2024 in the park include the installation of fiber optic lines, the rehabilitation of roads near park headquarters, and a dust mitigation treatment in many Glacier Park. Officials released the year's construction plans on Monday. One of the largest upcoming projects includes the construction on the Swift Current water distribution system and road rehabilitation, which will begin after the Swift Current motor n Mini Glacier Hotel and Mini Glacier Campground closed for the 2024 season, according to park officials.

The roads past the Mini Glacier Hotel at the T intersection will be closed starting September 16th. Vehicles will be barred from passing through the construction zone. Primitive camping at Mini Glacier Campground will be unavailable in the fall due to construction. The Swift Current developed area, which begins after the Mini Glacier Hotel, is expected to be closed through the 2025 season.

This includes the rental cabins, Mini Glacier Campground and Swift Current motor in park. Officials have said that the project is slated to wrap up in the spring of 2026. Mini Glacier rose from park back from the park boundary to the entrance station is expected to undergo dust mitigation treatment in the summer. Treatment work will begin in late June, weather permitting.

This gravel stretch of road is slated for construction and paving in 2027. Throughout the summer, fiber optic lines will be installed in West Glacier, East Glacier, Saint Mary and Mini Glacier to improve internet access for National Park Service administrative purposes. Traffic delays will be minimal, but park officials asked visitors to use caution and watch for construction workers and equipment on or near the road.

A road rehabilitation project in the park headquarters, complex and parking lot will occur in the fall. Officials ask visitors to be aware of construction vehicles. Workers and possible wait times if entering that area. Grading will be ongoing throughout the summer on the inside North Fork Road to Bowman and Kent Lakes. Officials said operations will not disrupt travel to these destinations.

Major road work between Camas and and the Conda Creek could affect hiker and biker travel. Projects that are wrapping up in the 2023 season include the remainder of paving left on the west side of the going to the Sun Road. Officials said visitors can expect that to conclude by late May to early June. Crews will be paving the last 2.8 miles of road starting west of Sprague Creek Campground and going up to North Lake McDonald road.

Construction is expected to begin in April, weather permitting, and visitors should anticipate up to 30 minute delays. Park officials said that work is expected to finish up on the upper McDonald Creek Bridge by August, including demolition of the existing bridge. Similar to 2023. North Lake McDonald road will be closed for the entire of 2024 season at the going to the Sun Road intersection.

There will be no public access, including vehicles, hiking or biking in, no parking beyond or in the vicinity of the intersection. Visitors hiking the Johns Lake Loop Trail will not be able to complete the loop, and will need to turn around where trail closure signs are posted. The bridge provides access to the northwest shore of Lake McDonald, including private homes, the Lake McDonald Ranger Station, and trailheads.

When completed, the new bridge will be approximately 30ft upstream of the existing bridge, requiring a realignment of the road approaches and construction on Glacier Drive and Pole Bridge that began in 2023 will continue in 2024. Visitors to the Paul Bridge area should expect 30 minute delays before arriving at and departing from the park entrance. Visitors are encouraged to not drive all the way to the North Fork entrance, unless they have a vehicle reservation to decrease traffic in the work zone.

Information regarding construction will be posted at the Pole Bridge Mercantile. Find out more information about construction projects in Glacier National Park this year by visiting their website at nps.gov. Glacier and checking under the Plan Your Visit tab. Let's see what events are coming up. Remember you can find art classes, live music and anything community related by going to daily Inter lake.com/events and checking out our events calendar.

There's a roller derby doubleheader on April 6th starting at 4 p.m. it's double the Misfits and a night of roller derby action. The first game will feature the newest skaters displaying rapidly growing derby skills and a low contact full speed bout. The second will be a full contact, hard hitting match up with the Big Mountain Misfits against the Gallatin Roller Derby from Bozeman, happening at the Flathead Valley Fairgrounds Expo Building.

Tickets are $10 presale and $15 at the door. The Nate Chute Foundation is holding a suicide prevention training at the Bigfork Branch of Flathead County Library. Their learn training will teach participants how to make their home safer to prevent the risk of suicide. Ask about suicide in a safe way and how to recognize the signs of a mental health crisis.

Taking place April 9th from 4 to 5:30 p.m. and join for a birthday bash at the Northwest Montana History Museum on April 12th. The premier regional museum marks 25 years, and the Central School building is housed in marks 130. Come on down for free admission cake, live music and the chance to write something for their time capsule. Starting at 10 a.m..

Thanks for joining us. News now is a podcast from the Daily Interlake. We're proud to be the largest independent newsroom in Montana and the oldest paper in the Valley. Consider becoming a subscriber to support our work. Calls circulation at (406) 755-7018, or go to the subscribe tab in the top right corner of our website. And if you haven't already, subscribe to our YouTube channel to never miss an episode of The Pod.

Everybody stay safe and have a great week!

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