News
Stay current with top stories from Northwest Montana, including local government updates, education news, community issues, public safety, environmental reports, and regional developments.
Headlines: Fishing regulation amendment considered, can downtown reckless driving be curbed, and Lake County jail admin duties reassigned
Montana FWP looks to amend fishing regulations for 2027, Kalispell coalition and cruisers seek to curb reckless dr…
Montana Senate Judicial committee takes up bill that criminalizes care for transgender youth
The Senate Judiciary committee on Jan. 27 heard testimony on SB 164, which would make it a felony for a parent or medical provider to procure or provide treatment to alter the appearance of a child younger than 16 …
Trump-appointed group to look at shifting disaster response to states
WASHINGTON — Governors and state legislatures may have to bolster their natural disaster response and recovery efforts in the coming years as President Donald …
Kalispell officials concerned Trump's spending freeze could throw a wrench in plans to replace contaminated wells
President Donald Trump’s federal funding freeze left Kalispell officials uncertain whether the city will receive needed money to rid forever chemicals from its…
Law roundup: Dogwalker encounters slapstick moment
A man's dog walk was interrupted when a red F-150 allegedly pulled up and two men got out who started fighting. Things escalated ...
Kitchen fire breaks out in Kalispell duplex
The Kalispell Fire Department responded to a fire in a duplex on Seventh Avenue West about 10 a.m. Tuesday.
Montana Senate convening Ethics Committee to investigate its former president
The Montana Senate will conduct an ethics investigation into a $170,100 government contract brokered late last year by former Senate President Jason Ellsworth with his business associate.
Legal battle looms as Trump orders a funding freeze during a review of federal loans and grants
WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House is pausing federal grants and loans starting Tuesday as President Donald Trump's administration begins an across-the-board id…
Report: If Medicaid expansion ends, be prepared to pay more for private insurance in Montana
A new report released last week asks a fairly straightforward question: What would happen to the individual health insurance market in Montana if Medicaid expansion ended?
Law roundup: Woman wants cops to ‘put the fear of God’ in teen driver
A woman allegedly wanted the Kalispell Police Department to “Put the fear of God into the [teen] driver” of a Honda Pilot that cut her off in the bypass merging lane and flipped her off.
Flathead Valley residents advocate for stricter drunk driving penalties
Flathead County residents recall the death of Robert "Bobby" Dewbre as they testify in favor of legislation that would provide stricter penalties for drunk dri…
Columbia Falls speech and debate team earn divisional title after nail-biter
The Class A Western Divisional speech and debate tournament in Polson was another tight race to the finish between Columbia Falls and Whitefish.
Headlines: Whooping cough cases jump, Outlaw Inn may get new owner, history museum displays logging history
Outlaw Inn may get new owner, local history museum displays region’s logging history, and whooping cough cases jump in Flathead County.
Kelly Rae’s gas station damaged in fire
A Sunday evening fire left the storefront of Kelly Rae’s gas station, a neighborhood staple west of Kalispell, damaged.
Audit says Ellsworth’s actions ‘constitute an abuse of his government position’
A former Montana Senate leader’s $170,100 government contract with a business acquaintance was a wasteful and abusive use of state funds, the Legislative Audit…
Montana’s David Sturzen beats the Strongest Man on Earth in steinholding competition
As he peered over his shoulder, the Whitefish-born national steinholding champion saw Mitchell Hooper’s outstretched arm begin to falter. Sturzen knew that onc…