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Unexpected Snowfall, Tragic Accidents, and a Mountaineer's Final Climb: This Week in Northwest Monta

In this episode of News Now, host Taylor Inman covers the week's top stories in Northwest Montana. An unexpected August snowfall blankets Whitefish Mountain Resort, Glacier National Park, and surrounding areas, temporarily closing parts of the Going-to-the-Sun Road. In other news, a tragic car accident near Kila claims the life of a 26-year-old Oregon man. Kalispell police arrest a suspect in connection with bullet holes found in downtown businesses, and the body of missing mountaineer Grant Marcuccio is recovered in Glacier National Park after a solo climb. Tune in for more details on these stories and what’s ahead for the region.

A big thank you to our headline sponsor for the News Now podcast, Loren's Auto Repair! They combine skill with integrity resulting in auto service & repair of the highest caliber. Discover them in Ashley Square Mall at 1309 Hwy 2 West in Kalispell Montana, or learn more at lorensauto.com.
August 31, 2024

MORE EPISODES

Wild Glacier National Park Incidents: Tragic Accident, Wildlife Rescues, Hoverboard Trouble & More

From wild pine martens hitching rides to hoverboarders on the lake, Glacier National Park’s rangers have been busy! Join Daily Inter Lake reporter Taylor Inman as she dives into recent park dispatch reports that range from life-saving rescues to quirky wildlife encounters. It’s a glimpse into the unpredictable and often adventurous life inside the park.

September 17, 2024

Fall Fun and Festivities: Bears, Books, and Oktoberfest!

Get ready for cozy fall vibes and exciting local events in this week's Local Events episode! Celebrate Bear Awareness Month with a guided hike on the Whitefish Trail, discover the beauty of birdwatching with Flathead Audubon, and enjoy musical performances at the Whitefish Performing Arts Center. Don’t forget to check out the Flathead Library’s annual book sale and gear up for the Great Northwest Oktoberfest. With so much to explore, let us help you find your next best time in Northwest Montana!

Find all events on our online calendar! https://dailyinterlake.com/events

Events mentioned in this week's episode:

Fall Bear Aware Hike  
On The Stage with Mike Eldred – INSPIRED! | Amazing Place Music 
Badrock Canyon WMA Birding Field Trip 
Birds of Prey ID Workshop at Wild Wings Raptor Recovery Center
Jewel Basin Hawk Watch Field Trip
Ethical Material Sourcing Discussion Panel
Friends of Flathead County Library Book Sale 
The Great Northwest Oktoberfest 

The Daily Inter Lake is celebrating its 135th birthday with a special subscription offer of only $19.50 per month for a home-delivered newspaper plus full digital access to all eight of our award-winning, independent newspapers. Call us at 406-755-7018 to sign up today and do your part to keep community journalism alive and thriving.

A big thank you to our headline sponsor for the News Now podcast, Loren's Auto Repair! They combine skill with integrity resulting in auto service & repair of the highest caliber. Discover them in Ashley Square Mall at 1309 Hwy 2 West in Kalispell Montana, or learn more at https://lorensauto.com/.

September 15, 2024

Helicopter Under Fire, Prescribed Burns in Flathead Valley, and Lightning Strike Recovery

On this episode of News Now, host Taylor Inman covers the latest major headlines from northwest Montana. We delve into last week’s armed standoff involving Two Bear Air, where the helicopter crew was targeted by gunfire and a laser sight. Plus, we look at the prescribed burns taking place around the Flathead Valley. Finally, we discuss the miraculous recovery of a Glacier High School student after a lightning strike and the ongoing community support. The Daily Inter Lake is celebrating 135 years with a special offer: $19.50/month for home delivery plus full digital access to newspapers. Call 406-755-7018 to subscribe and support local journalism!

Read more of these stories:
Suspect shot at Two Bear Air during standoff, sheriff says 
Prescribed fires slated around the Flathead Valley 
Glacier High School student injured in lightning strike released from ICU 

Read more local and state coverage:
Gianforte honors veterans, remembers 9/11 in Kalispell
Remembering 9/11, foundation hosts 10th Patriot Day ceremony in Bigfork 
Tester urges Biden administration to support Noxon Bridge replacement 
Presentation uncovers unusual aspects of historic tales 
Family of minor allegedly sickened by E. coli outbreak sues in federal court 
Kalispell City Council revisits using tax dollars for workforce housing 

A big thank you to our headline sponsor for the News Now podcast, Loren's Auto Repair! They combine skill with integrity resulting in auto service & repair of the highest caliber. Discover them in Ashley Square Mall at 1309 Hwy 2 West in Kalispell Montana, or learn more at lorensauto.com.

September 14, 2024

TRANSCRIPT

Hello and welcome to News Now, I’m your host Taylor Inman. We’re going over the week’s biggest headlines and what’s coming up for northwest Montana.

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Winter is a full season away, but Flathead Valley skiers were left salivating Wednesday after Whitefish Mountain Resort recorded a rare August snowfall.

By noon, an inch of the white stuff had blanketed the upper 1,000 feet of Big Mountain.

A winter weather advisory was issued for the mountains of Northwest Montana through Wednesday evening. Locations above 5,000 feet in Glacier National Park and the Seeley Swan region were expected to see 3 to 6 inches of snow.

Fresh snow coated Logan Pass on Wednesday afternoon, prompting park officials to close the alpine portion of Going-to-the-Sun Road between Avalanche Creek and Jackson Glacier Overlook. Officials said the road would reopen after conditions improve.

People visiting the park were advised to be prepared for raw conditions.

Valley temperatures were expected to plummet into the 30s overnight in Kalispell and Whitefish. The National Weather Service in Missoula warned residents to cover sensitive plants due to frost or freezing Thursday morning.

The high-altitude snow also temporarily closed the Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park. Park officials said in a release that the road closed due to inclement weather at 2 p.m. on Wednesday.

More seasonable weather returns for the weekend, with high temperatures in the mid 80s running about 5 to 10 degrees above normal.

Labor Day is expected to be sunny and hot.

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A 26-year-old man from Oregon died after losing control of his vehicle on Managhan Lane near Kila on Tuesday, authorities say.

The motorist was headed southbound toward U.S. 2 about 11:20 p.m. when he failed to negotiate a curve , according to Montana Highway Patrol. The Toyota Sequoia barreled off the road and went airborne before crashing through a fence and eventually colliding with a parked Load King Bottom Dump trailer.

Emergency responders pronounced the 26-year-old, who was wearing a seatbelt, dead at the scene, officials said.

Speed is suspected as a factor in the wreck, authorities said. Road conditions were

reported as dry.

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Authorities on Tuesday arrested a 25-year-old Kalispell man in connection with bullet holes found on downtown businesses earlier this week.

Lewis Anthony Crooks faces pending felony criminal endangerment and criminal mischief charges. The 25-year-old, who remains in the county jail, was scheduled to go before a judge on Wednesday.

Kalispell Police officers temporarily shut down roads around the 300 block of South Main Street on Aug. 26 to collect potential evidence after the bullet holes were discovered.

Officials said detectives homed in on Crooks after hours of reviewing surveillance footage.

The incident remains under investigation and authorities urged anyone with information to contact Detective Shane Lidstrom at 406-758-7780.

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And earlier this week The body of missing mountaineer Grant Marcuccio, a 32-year-old man from Whitefish, was recovered from alpine terrain in Glacier National Park.

Glacier Park officials said in a media release on Monday that Marcuccio’s body was found by Two Bear Air at approximately 2 p.m. on Aug. 25. His cause of death is still under investigation, but traumatic injuries and location of the body are indicative of a fall, the release stated.

Two Bear Air spotted Marcuccio from the air. He was found one-third of a mile east of 8,413-foot McPartland Peak below the ridgeline between Heavens Peak and McPartland Peak. The area is west of Going-to-the-Sun Road on the parks' west side.

The body was transported to the Apgar horse corrals where Two Bear Air met the Flathead County coroner.

Marcuccio was last seen by his hiking party on Sunday, Aug. 18 at about 1 p.m. Marcuccio separated from his party to summit McPartland Peak alone and planned to rendezvous at a designated location. Rangers were alerted by the hiking party on Sunday evening that Marcuccio never made it to the rendezvous spot.

Two Bear Air and ground teams began searching on Monday, Aug. 19. Forest Service also flew over the area and dropped off ground searchers.

The climbing difficulty on McPartland Peak’s standard route is rated as class 3 with a pitch of class 4, according to the guidebook “A Climber’s Guide to Glacier National Park.” The route involves about 5,200 vertical feet of climbing with some "deceptively difficult" cliff bands, according to the route description.

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Thanks for joining us! News Now is a podcast from the Daily Inter Lake, we’re proud to be the largest independent newsroom in Montana and the oldest paper in the valley. Consider becoming a subscriber to support our work, call Circulation at 406-755-7018 or go to the “subscribe” button in the top right corner of our website.

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Everybody stay safe and have a great week!