News
Stay current with top stories from Northwest Montana, including local government updates, education news, community issues, public safety, environmental reports, and regional developments.
Construction of new Flathead County jail celebrated with groundbreaking ceremony
Nearly 20 people involved with the project posed for the photo-op, including the three county commissioners, Sheri…
After more than a decade on the job, decoy cop car heads for retirement
Lucky was introduced after community members organized an effort to help curb speeding through the area.
Law roundup: Teens’ good judgment gets scrambled
The Kalispell Police Department didn't crack up over a report of teen boys in a black truck reportedly throwing eggs at passing cars.
Oregon weathers fire evacuations, power outages in dry winds
OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — Campers at a state park in Oregon had to evacuate after a wildfire ignited and thousands in the state remained without power Saturday aft…
Bail reduction denied for man accused of pulling gun in separate incidents
Jose Angel Estrello, 39, faces two assault with a weapon charges in a pair of cases working through district court.
Montana adopts permanent block on birth certificate changes
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — Montana health officials on Friday made permanent a rule that blocks transgender people from changing their birth certificates even if t…
ImagineIF launches fall programming
Attendees can sing, dance, read and explore in fun and interactive classes for babies, toddlers and preschoolers — with hands-on activities to follow storytime.
Uniting girls to teach coding
Flathead County fourth- through eighth-grade girls interested in making a difference in their communities through technology are invited to sign up for Code Gi…
Trial in deadly fitness center shooting delayed
Accused killer Jonathan Douglas Shaw saw his trial continued into the next jury term after Flathead District Court Judge Dan Wilson determined Wednesday that a…
Kalispell couple accused of raiding rural mailboxes sentenced
A Kalispell couple earned prison sentences Sept. 7 for a scheme that saw them steal hundreds of pieces of mail from rural mailboxes in the region while looking for credit cards.
Law roundup: Band of hooligans throw rocks, and maybe water balloons
A second caller also alerted officers, telling them a thrown rock had broken their windshield. A third caller suggested water balloons also might have been in the mix.
Developer says KM Ranch project would fill housing need; neighbors lament growth
After hearing about two hours of public comment and receiving around 100 written comments, the planning board on Wednesday voted to push a decision on the request until its Oct. 12 meeting.
Judge restores oil lease on land sacred to US, Canada tribes
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — A federal judge on Friday ordered the Biden administration to reinstate a drilling lease that has been in dispute for decades on land near the Blackfeet Indian Reservation that is considered …
Kalispell business owner pleads guilty to charge stemming from alleged money mule operation
A Kalispell woman accused of wiring dirty money overseas during a roughly five year span pleaded guilty in federal court Sept. 7 to a charge of unlicensed money transmitting business.
Lemonade Fire expands slightly during red flag weather
A wildfire burning near Marion expanded its footprint by just 17 acres overnight Wednesday, even with critical fire weather threatening much of the region.
Queen Elizabeth II, Britain's monarch for 70 years, dies
LONDON (AP) — Queen Elizabeth II, Britain's longest-reigning monarch and a rock of stability across much of a turbulent century, has died. She was 96.