DIL Editorial
Thoughtful perspectives from the Daily Inter Lake editorial board—local viewpoints on issues shaping Northwest Montana.
Reckless cruisers jeopardize Main Street pastime
Kalispell’s downtown cruisers are dealing with a few rotten apples that threaten to spoil the bunch.
Safety steps welcome, but not the final answer
Kalispell Public Schools has hired a private security firm to patrol its high school and middle school campuses in an effort to address gaps exposed in a 2022 safety audit.
Lawsuit puts Montana's homestead tax relief at risk
A faction of Republican lawmakers has put Gov. Greg Gianforte’s bipartisan property tax relief package in the crosshairs of a lawsuit that threatens to undo th…
Mayor raises ‘complicated’ question, but offers no solution
Newly seated Kalispell Mayor Ryan Hunter raised some eyebrows last week when he floated the prospect of opening public park restrooms 24 hours a day.
Lakeshore enforcement key to preserving Flathead’s waters
As more lakefront homes are built or remodeled in Flathead County, the need for a renewed focus on ensuring that work is done responsibly rises to the surface.
The Flathead Valley rose to the challenge in 2025
As the end of 2025 neared, firefighters from more than a dozen Flathead Valley communities raced toward a conflagration consuming a Helena Flats Road sawmill. Crews from as far away as Marion and Bigfork converged …
Disaster declaration unlocks vital aid for flooded Libby
When the full scope of flooding in Northwest Montana came into view last week, Gov. Greg Gianforte quickly turned to the federal government for help.
Lincoln County braces for long road to recovery
Residents in southern Lincoln County took the full force of a prolonged atmospheric river that swamped the Pacific Northwest with more than a foot of rain last…
E-bike regulations needed for safety
Columbia Falls is grabbing e-bike regulations by the handlebars as the popularity of battery-powered transportation shifts into high gear.
Permit revocation law would shake business confidence
Kalispell City Council is veering toward turbulent skies again as it considers options for revoking conditional use permits.
Tariff rollback will deliver mixed results
The Trump administration late Friday rolled back sweeping reciprocal tariffs on a pantry full of commodities in an effort to curb soaring grocery prices.
Say thanks and give back this Veterans Day
With roughly 80,000 veterans in the state, former service members make up about 8.9% of Montana’s adult population. That ranks third in the nation, behind only Alaska (10.1%) and Virginia (9.1%).
Montanans at risk as gridlock threatens SNAP benefits
The effects of the monthlong government shutdown have come home to roost in the most repulsive way.
Kalispell’s future is on the ballot
Ballots arrived in area mailboxes last week, and while there are no statewide or federal races, Flathead County voters still face several key issues and diffic…
Flathead County's aging jail doesn’t serve today’s needs
The stench of sewage can linger for days in the detectives’ offices.
Coal in a fight against the free market
Will the promise of “clean, beautiful coal” deliver for Montana, or has the Powder River Basin been sold a bag of beans?