News
Stay current with top stories from Northwest Montana, including local government updates, education news, community issues, public safety, environmental reports, and regional developments.
Counting machines add vote of confidence to elections security
The conference room of the Flathead County Elections Department whirred with noise. Volunteers rattled off strings…
Law roundup: Beach day marred by strange man
Thinking she recognized an individual panhandling from a Facebook post about a theft at a construction site, a motorist contacted deputies.
Chief Justice Mike McGrath, Justice Dirk Sandefur will not seek re-election to Montana Supreme Court in 2024
Neither Montana Supreme Court Chief Justice Mike McGrath nor Justice Dirk Sandefur will run for re-election in 2024, they independently told Montana Free Press this week.
Blackfeet Nation seeks to drop lawsuit over state vaccine discrimination ban
The question of whether a controversial Montana law banning vaccine discrimination can be enforced on Native American reservations will remain unanswered after the Blackfeet Nation and a local economic development …
Kalispell receives $750K on behalf of manufactured home community
A resident-owned manufactured home community seeking to hook into Kalispell’s water and sewer system has received a boost from the Montana Coal Endowment Program.
RV park pitched for Columbia Falls
The Flathead County Planning Board at its June 14 meeting will take up an application by Michael Faktor for a 21 space RV park on six acres at Narrow Way.
Melt out: Flathead Basin snowpack all but gone
Northwest Montana’s mountain snowpack is nearly melted out already, setting up a dire forecast of below normal water supply for rivers across the region.
Pat Robertson, broadcaster who helped make religion central to GOP politics, dies at 93
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (AP) — Pat Robertson, a religious broadcaster who turned a tiny Virginia station into the global Christian Broadcasting Network, tried a ru…
Law roundup: Man makes pointed effort to share his intentions
A man in his mid-30s, who was wearing glasses, reportedly asked an employee if there were cameras outside the business and when they said, “No,” he responded, “Good because I am going to stab this guy out here.”
Kalispell Chamber hopes to find new offices by October
The Kalispell Chamber of Commerce hopes to have a new home secured by October or November, President Lorraine Clarno told local business leaders Tuesday.
Whitefish to move forward with $33.7M bond for high school expansion
Through an intensive process that started almost a year ago, the Whitefish School District is moving forward with plans to expand the high school and athletic …
Trout decline: State proposes new fishing regs in SW Montana
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is making new investments to research and monitor trout population declines in southwest Montana. The department is also propo…
Raft guide injured in bear attack on Middle Fork
A rafting guide was injured in a bear attack early Wednesday morning while camping on the Middle Fork of the Flathead River.
U.S. 2 wreck claims two lives, injures four
A wreck on U.S. 2 near Coram on June 5 involving multiple vehicles killed two motorists and left four others injured, officials with Montana Highway Patrol sai…
Pope Francis emerges from 3-hour abdominal surgery without complications
ROME (AP) — Pope Francis underwent surgery Wednesday to repair a hernia in his abdominal wall, the latest malady to befall the 86-year-old pontiff who had part…
EPA releases proposed Columbia Falls Aluminum Co. cleanup plan
The Environmental Protection Agency on June 1 released its proposed action for cleaning up the Columbia Falls Aluminum Co. Superfund site.