News
Stay current with top stories from Northwest Montana, including local government updates, education news, community issues, public safety, environmental reports, and regional developments.
Montana snowpack rapidly melted in May
Throughout May, warm temperatures across Montana led to a rapid melt off of the state’s snowpack, which sits “larg…
Rescue group reunites Arkansas man with cat lost at campground
The West Glacier KOA was closing for the season, a major snowfall was forecasted, and the manager had just caught sight of Newton, a cat who had gone missing s…
Exposing children to domestic violence now a crime in Columbia Falls
The Columbia Falls City Council last week passed a law that makes it a crime to expose minors to domestic violence.
Kalispell teen accused of shooting sister to be tried as adult
A teenager accused of shooting his sister in Kalispell on Halloween in 2024 is being tried as an adult in Flathead County District Court.
Law roundup: Caller hopes police will arrest the spread of a cold
Somebody living in shared housing contacted Kalispell Police Department after a sick roommate got too close for comfort.
Thompson Chain of Lakes slated for thinning project
A largescale thinning project in Thompson Chain of Lakes State Park seeks to combat a rash of disease and pest outbreaks while reducing hazardous wildland fuel…
Motive remains unknown in Wallace shooting
Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office Undersheriff Brett Nelson said Monday that law enforcement officials don’t know what motivated the suspect in the Wallace shoo…
Montana lands $233 million in federal health care funds
Montana is set to get $233 million dedicated to rural health care in 2026, the first award out of a federal fund that could net the state almost $1.2 billion over the next five years.
Strong tourism year in the Flathead Valley but economic uncertainty and airport closure loom
The Flathead Valley saw a strong year for tourism in 2025, but challenges loom as travelers grow weary amid an uncertain economy, international travel is expec…
GOP lawmakers have administration ally to end predator species protections
WASHINGTON — As congressional Republicans push to delist gray wolf and grizzly bear populations from Endangered Species Act protections, they now have an ally in the administration who has taken a skeptical view of…
Law roundup: Officers sent to sniff out suspicious puppy dealer
A caller told the Kalispell Police Department they got “bad vibes” from a person peddling puppies from a pickup truck that was parked outside a discount store.
Children’s book about world’s largest steam tractor aims to inspire
Smoke billows from the stack of the steam-powered tractor as it chugs along, sounding like a train locomotive. At a top speed of just under 6 mph, the 150 Case…
Law roundup: Spirit of giving or nefarious prank
Someone placed dollar bills onto cars parked in front of a store. The reporting party was concerned the cash could be laced with drugs that would incapacitate drivers.
Supreme Court declines to take ‘Held’ youth challenges to 2025 laws
A unanimous five-judge panel of the Montana Supreme Court has rejected a request by youth plaintiffs who successfully argued that the state has a constitutiona…
Shoshone County Sheriff's Office shooting suspect identified
The man behind Friday's shooting at the Shoshone County Sheriff's Office has been identified.
Annual Ryan Wagner Memorial Ice Fishing Derby hooks new generations of fishers
A little wind on the water never keeps a fisher on the shore. That’s something the Annual Ryan Wagner Memorial Ice Fishing Derby, held at Murphy Lake, has inst…