DERRICK PERKINS
Daily Inter Lake
Recent Stories
Chief urges business owners to clear sidewalks
After residents heeded calls to move their vehicles off of city streets ahead of plowing, Libby Police Chief Scott Kessel is hoping local business owners will follow suit with sidewalk clearing.
Webb arrives at arraignment ready to deal
A 26-year-old man pleaded guilty to a felony burglary charge Jan. 3 after authorities fingered him for two break-ins near the Thompson Chain of Lakes.
Troy man accused of turning to old tricks
Authorities say a Troy man has fleeced customers across the country out of thousands of dollars — and not for the first time.
Libby committee finishes work on retail marijuana ordinance
Libby’s ordinance committee finished drafting recreational marijuana rules this week and plans to send a proposal that omits distance restrictions between retail outlets before city council in February.
Work to begin soon on Libby's first charging station
Work is expected to begin on Libby’s first electric vehicle charging station within the next few weeks, city officials said Jan. 3.
Cabinet Peaks Medical Center reveals Libby's first baby of 2022
The first baby born in Libby this year had a bit of competition.
Dionne pleads guilty to impersonating a federal agent
A Polson man arrested after authorities say he posed as a federal law enforcement agent while speaking with two young girls has changed his plea in Lincoln County District Court.
Omicron found in Lincoln County
Omicron, the variant of the coronavirus sweeping across the nation, is circulating in Lincoln County, local health officials said last week.
Libby secures $600k community development block grant
Officials announced Jan. 4 that Libby secured a $600,000 grant to overhaul the municipal treatment plant’s control system and upgrade the city’s water infrastructure.
Marijuana sales blossom with legalization
The most pressing question posed by customers of Alternative ReLeaf in the days since recreational marijuana sales launched in Lincoln County and across the state? How to open the childproof packaging, said Barbie Turner, CEO of the Libby area dispensary, with a laugh.
Kirkedahl pleads guilty to mitigated deliberate homicide
A Trego man accused of killing his adult son last year pleaded guilty Dec. 20 to a single count of mitigated deliberate homicide.
Zimmerman back as city council president
City councilors in Libby reaffirmed Brian Zimmerman as the panel’s president and reshuffled seats during their first meeting of the year on Monday.
Barrows arrested after text message ends up in law enforcement's hands
Authorities arrested a Kalispell man on a drug distribution charge after he allegedly text messaged a criminal informant late last month offering to sell them methamphetamine.
Snow removal efforts shifting into gear
Amid a series of winter storms, Libby City Administrator Samuel Sikes asked for patience from residents frustrated by the pace of snow removal operations and issued a warning regarding water meters.
Outages due to transmission line work
Work on a transmission line caused a series of short power outages in the Libby area during the Christmas holiday, officials with Flathead Electric Cooperative said.
Leichty sentenced on intent to distribute charge
A man who admitted to bringing drugs into Libby by train last summer was given over to the care of the state Department of Corrections for three years on Dec. 27.
Intruder brought up on drug charges
A woman arrested after local law enforcement officers caught her intruding inside a Pioneer Road house in August pleaded not guilty to drug charges in Lincoln County District Court earlier this month.
Wilkes pleads not guilty to new charges
A local man arrested after detectives broke up a drug ring over the summer has pleaded not guilty to new charges in Lincoln County District Court.
Dufficy bids farewell to City Council Chambers
Outgoing City Councilor Rob Dufficy received a fond sendoff from his colleagues during his last appearance in City Council Chambers on Dec. 20.
McDonald back in court after violations
Authorities say a man sentenced last year for stalking his estranged wife has repeatedly violated the conditions of his deferred imposition.
Resolution calling for marijuana tax in the works
City Councilor Kristin Smith said this week that her committee would request that their colleagues petition county officials for an extra tax on recreational marijuana in January at the earliest.
Leak leaves south Libby residents without water
City Administrator Samuel Sikes said a major water leak left residents on the south side of Libby without water earlier this week.
Sentence handed down in animal cruelty case
A local man under federal supervision after an investigation turned up a personal arsenal containing illegal firearms pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor animal cruelty charge in Lincoln County District Court late last month.
Libby, Eureka airports to receive federal funds from infrastructure bill
Two Lincoln County airports are slated to receive an influx of money from the massive infrastructure bill signed into law by President Joe Biden last month.
Price sentenced for criminal endangerment, driving under the influence
A local man caught drunk driving with his young child in the vehicle was sentenced last month on criminal endangerment and driving under the influence charges.
Commissioners pitched on Eureka Airport project
A pricey proposal to add a jet fuel tank to the Eureka Airport met with a muted response from county commissioners earlier this month.
Wilkes facing new drug charges
A local man accused of aiding a pair of drug dealers sell methamphetamine in Libby over the summer faces new charges in Lincoln County District Court.
Libby officials renew Fraser's contract
Libby City Council voted overwhelming to renew the municipality’s contract with engineer Mike Fraser on Dec. 6.
Holiday wreaths in need of new home
Libby’s annual tradition of adorning city lamps with holiday wreaths has run into yet another logistical challenge.
Graham departs Libby Police Department
Police Chief Scott Kessel noted the departure of a member of his small law enforcement team while giving his regular update to Libby City Council last week.
Ordinance committee to recommend pursuing 3 percent recreational marijuana tax
Libby’s ordinance committee agreed last week to push county officials for an additional tax on recreational marijuana even as the group works on how sales will work in the city.
City council debates investigation into alleged zoning violation
Libby city councilors last week directed staff to investigate a local business that allegedly has taken up shop in a residential neighborhood after failing to secure a lease for a commercial space.
Ferguson faces petition to revoke
Prosecutors are seeking the revocation of a local woman’s suspended sentence after alleging multiple parole violations.
Drunk driver gets suspended sentence, ordered to drug court
A Heron man earned a suspended five-year sentence for driving under the influence, fifth or subsequent offense, in Lincoln County District Court last month.
Man stopped following suspected meth deal faces drug charges
A man that investigators tailed from a suspected methamphetamine deal earlier this year pleaded not guilty to multiple drug charges in court late last month.
Former Elks Lodge to house a machine shop
Libby City Council gave a proposed machine shop slated for the former Elks Lodge the green light this week to move forward with the project.
Johnson receives partially suspended 10-year sentence
A man who led local law enforcement officers on a chase after getting caught stealing from a Libby thrift shop earned a partially suspended sentence with the Montana Department of Corrections last week.
Jury finds Orr not guilty
A jury acquitted a former Libby city councilor accused of driving dangerously close to a woman during a property dispute in May following a day and a half trial in Lincoln County District Court this week.
Leichty pleads guilty to possession with intent to distribute
A man accused of bringing methamphetamine into Libby via train and selling it locally pleaded guilty last week to felony criminal possession of dangerous drugs with intent to distribute.
Poirer to serve as infection prevention and employee health nurse at CPMC
Cabinet Peaks Medical Center has tapped Libby resident Lacey Poirer as its new infection prevention and employee health nurse.
Jury finds repeat offender guilty of driving under the influence
A jury found a man caught passed out behind the wheel of a car parked at a gas pump earlier this year guilty of driving under the influence and driving with a suspended or revoke license last week.
CPMC acquires new equipment for STD diagnoses
Cabinet Peaks Medical Center recently announced the addition of new equipment to speed up diagnosis times for two common sexually transmitted diseases.
Libby to accept payments via state water assistance program
Mayor Peggy Williams announced Nov. 15 that Libby City Hall would soon accept payments through the new state Low Income Home Water Assistance program.
Health department receives ARPA dollars for records, inspection systems
County commissioners unanimously approved spending federal relief dollars for the health department’s proposed new records and online inspection systems earlier this month.
Marquis charged with failure to register
A sex offender living in Eureka pleaded not guilty to a felony failure to register charge in Lincoln County District Court on Nov. 15.
Eureka man charged for allegedly attacking father with a knife
Authorities have charged a Eureka man with assault with a weapon and partner or family member assault after he allegedly ran a knife along his father’s neck in May.
Black backs call for health board to reassess pandemic response
Lincoln County’s top doctor endorsed last week a call for health board members to look inward and perhaps plot a new strategy on the COVID-19 pandemic as new cases spring up and deaths inch upwards.
Byrd pleads not guilty to slew of charges after disturbance
A Libby man faces strangulation, assault and tampering charges after allegedly injuring his wife during a fight over a birthday gift for her son in October.
Commissioners: Dispatch center consolidation expected in coming years
Commissioners said last week that they expect to consolidate the county’s various dispatch services within three to five years.
County eyes ARPA funds to help with landfill project
Commissioners pledged $900,000 in federal relief dollars toward the expansion of the county landfill this week, but taxpayers likely will still see future increased refuse assessments to help cover the multimillion dollar project.