Job Losses At Izaack Walton Inn Amid Loge Property Shutdowns

We'll be watching for more details this week in hopes of learning what will happen with the historic Izaak Walton Inn, a high-profile and iconic property on the southern edge of Glacier National Park, after news broke Friday that the hotel is closing.

The Flathead Beacon reports employees were informed by the owners, Loge, that the hotel would be closing, with their employment ending "on or about March 6th."

Other reports surfaced last week indicating other Loge properties were in a similar fix, with reports of shutdowns in Bend, Oregon, at the Loge Entrada. Some of the company's other properties in western states, including the "Loge Camps Missoula" hotel, were also seeing service interruptions, with websites showing rooms that couldn't be booked.

The Beacon is reporting that the shutdowns may stem from an issue that the former LOGE CEO, who reportedly had repurchased a previously foreclosed property, apparently resulted in serious operating fund problems.

Loge has purchased the Izaak Walton Inn, along with the hotel in Missoula, as part of an expansion move in 2022 and 2023.

Missoula shooting investigation underway

Missoula County deputies are continuing to investigate a shooting east of Missoula on Saturday morning.

The sheriff's office says deputies were called to a local hospital to check into the report that a woman had been shot in the arm. They learned the shooting had happened in the Bonner-West Riverside area, but there was no threat to public safety. At last word, no arrests had been made.

Forest Service is hiring for summer

A year after the Trump Administration ordered widespread cuts in federal agencies, the U-S Forest Service is putting out the word for seasonal workers to tackle everything from trail maintenance to recreation and resource management.

For example, the Bitterroot National Forest says the seasonal workers are especially needed for projects to give visitors a safer and "more enjoyable" experience while camping, hiking, and in other recreation activities.

Last year, layoffs of both full-time and seasonal workers created issues in many of the National Forest areas, especially with labor-intensive work like clearing trails, sparking concern from outdoor groups.

Knudsen opposes railroad merger

Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen is one of 9 state attorneys general who are coming out in opposition to the proposed merger between Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern, saying the deal could have a serious impact on an "America First economy."

Knudsen and the other A-Gs sent the letter to the Surface Transportation Board on Friday, the same day that U.P.'s shareholders endorsed the merger.

The GOP A-Gs say the deal will, quote "result in undue market concentration that stifles competition and therefore creates higher prices, lower reliability, and less innovation at the expense of America’s manufacturers and, ultimately, America’s consumers."

Don't worry about the Tater Tot recall… unless you run a kitchen

Despite what Napoleon Dynamite insists, you might have to let go of your "tots", after Montana makes the list of 28 states impacted by a massive recall of Tater Tots.

According to the FDA, some $650,000 pounds of Ore-Ida Tater Tots, in 30-pound bags, and 6 to 5 pound bags of Sysco Imperial Potato Tater Barrel goods could be contaminated with plastic pieces. However, the recall only impacts the tots sold to restaurants and commercial food outlets, and not retail consumers.