Local News
Your source for reliable, in-depth reporting on Northwest Montana’s communities, government, and daily life—delivering the stories that matter most to you.
Kalispell Council reviews $189M budget proposal, weighs public safety and infrastructure spending
Kalispell City Council took its first look at the municipality’s proposed fiscal year 2027 budget last week.
Study finds microplastic pollution in Flathead Lake
They’re in our oceans and rivers. They’re in the food we eat and the water we drink.
Columbia Falls outdoor company aids areas affected by Yellowstone flooding
RightOnTrek, a Columbia Falls-based outdoor company, joined with government agencies and nonprofit disaster relief groups last week to aid evacuees caught in f…
Senate deal raises hopes for reduction in gun suicide
A bipartisan U.S. Senate agreement negotiated after high-profile mass shootings in Texas, New York, and Oklahoma lacks gun access restrictions that advocates say are needed to prevent such attacks. But the deal’s f…
State agencies sound alarm on hazards posed by floodwaters
Staff with DEQ plan to continue monitoring areas affected by flooding to identify possible contamination. Officials warned, though, that sampling falls short o…
Yellowstone park reopens after changes wrought by flood
WAPITI, Wyo. (AP) — Several thousand cars, trucks and recreational vehicles were backed up in long lines at entrances to Yellowstone National Park as it partia…
Man dies in rafting accident on Middle Fork
A 43-year-old man died Tuesday after his raft capsized on the Middle Fork of the Flathead River in rapids below Moccasin Creek, the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office said in a release.
KMS Science Club earns state award for studying microplastics in Foys Lake
The club, made up of sixth- through eighth-graders, was a winner in the Montana Department of Environmental Quality’s Saving Money and Resources Today (SMART) …
Kalispell man allegedly stole SUV from repair shop lot
A Kalispell man faces a felony theft charge after authorities caught him on June 7 in a vehicle stolen from a North Meridian Road repair shop.
‘Numerous’ firearms found with man arrested for shooting at kayakers
StorySheriff’s deputies arresting a man accused of shooting at kayakers in Lower Stillwater Lake over the weekend allegedly found him with a minivan loaded wit…
State Library Commissioners fret over new logo’s color scheme
Commissioners of the Montana State Library, which manages a variety of state records and information systems, are considering scuttling a nearly $300,000 rebra…
Free summer meals offered to children and teens
Free meals are available to children 18 and under in Flathead County. Meals will be served by sponsoring school districts in locations in Evergreen, Columbia Falls, Kalispell and Whitefish.
Power outage planned for June 23 for maintenance work
A controlled power outage planned for the early morning hours of Thursday will leave thousands of Flathead Electric Cooperative customers temporarily without e…
Hotel owner takes issue with potential for nearby eight-story parking garage
The developers behind The Charles Hotel and the related parking garage at the intersection of First Avenue and First Street West recently approached the city about shifting the plan for the parking structure to inc…
Gianforte looks to include Flathead in disaster declaration
Fresh off a tour of the Flathead flooding situation, Gov. Greg Gianforte on Tuesday said he was working to add Flathead County to a presidential major disaster…
Inter Lake claims top awards for journalism, advertising
The Daily Inter Lake garnered 15 awards at the Montana Newspaper Association’s 2022 Better Newspaper Contest, including top prizes for investigative journalism, column writing and advertising.