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…
Gov. Gianforte announces his budget for the 2023 Montana Legislature
Gov. Greg Gianforte unveiled his proposed budget Thursday, a fiscal roadmap that he said is poised to represent the largest tax cut in Montana history.
Community briefs
Bigfork cafe hosts free Thanksgiving Dinner; Christ Lutheran in Whitefish holds Thanksgiving dinner; Sunburst Mental Health holds open house
Law roundup: Adult goes the distance in infant care
A cautious caretaker called the Kalispell Police Department wanting to know if there was a law regarding how far away she could be from an infant inside her home while she took her dog out to go potty.
Man arrested following standoff charged with criminal endangerment
Jason Lewis Junkin, 45, of Kalispell is scheduled to appear before Judge Robert Allison for his arraignment on Nov. 23.
Election results show support for local marijuana taxes and sales
Two years after Montana voted to legalize adult-use marijuana, residents of more than a dozen counties and cities returned to the ballot box this month to consider local measures to either ban sales or add taxes to…
Authorities identify pair found dead in Bigfork home
The Flathead County Sheriff's Office released Friday the names of two people found dead Oct. 28 in their Bigfork home.
Whitefish Community Foundation receives $300,000 for Kids Fund Grant Program
The foundation received two new gifts totaling $150,000 and the Lesar Foundation matched these gifts for a total of $300,000 in additional funding.
Kalispell veteran continues to fight for men and women in uniform
Founded in 2018, Homeward for Heroes helps veterans and first responders connect with others that have been through similar situations, providing an avenue to …
Woman accused of pepper spraying roommates back in jail
Authorities have held Wendy Jean Warner, 48, in the county jail with bail set at $30,000 since she returned to custody on Nov. 7.
Lower Valley residents cry foul over septage facility
County commissioners on Oct. 21 approved a buy-sell agreement with the intent of purchasing 36.9 acres saying the document provides the county the ability to b…
Law roundup: Officers advised to use stealth to catch noisy neighbors
A resident with apparently quite the history of dealing with his apartment-dwelling neighbors’ rowdy nightlife phoned the Columbia Falls Police Department to let them know that the party-hearty crowd was “back at i…
ImagineIF assistant director to leave library system
Another figure in ImagineIF Libraries leadership is leaving at month’s end after years of conflict between board trustees and library staff. Assistant Library …
Montana voters reject 'born alive' abortion referendum
Abortion rights supporters secured another win Thursday as voters in Montana rejected a ballot measure that would have forced medical workers to intercede in t…
Zinke wins Montana's western district U.S. House seat
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — Republican Ryan Zinke has prevailed over his Democratic challenger in the race for a newly-drawn Montana U.S. House district.
Man accused of threatening another with a gun pleads not guilty
A local man accused of threatening another man with a gun at an area bar in October pleaded not guilty to felony assault with a weapon in Flathead County Distr…