Wildcats beat Pirates, again

Jace Hill scored 21 points and Columbia Falls pulled away over the final five minutes Saturday to beat Northwest A rival Polson 64-48.

Valkyries swamp Loyola, 68-33

Paeten Gunlock hit four 3-pointers and scored 20 points, and the Bigfork Valkyries blew open the game after halftime for a 68-33 girls basketball win Saturday.

Big air and horse power on display at annual skijoring races

The annual Whitefish Skijoring competition is held Jan. 28-29 at the Sapa family farm off U.S. 2 near the Blue Moon east of Columbia Falls. Skijoring is a competition where racers on skis are pulled by a horse and rider over jumps and around turns.

Board of Public Ed offers support of financial literacy, civics requirement

The Montana Board of Public Education has given their vocal support for a proposal to add financial literacy and civics to graduation requirements for Montana high school students.

Balanced budget best, but debt default dumb

Government spending is increasing by $2.6 million a minute. The national debt now stands at over $31 trillion.

How to spend a $2.5 billion surplus? Lawmakers have no shortage of ideas.

As lawmakers negotiate Montana’s next state budget this winter, the Republican-controlled Capitol has a once-in-a-generation windfall to spend — the state’s $2.5 billion surplus.

Big Sky pulls away on Flathead by 3s

The Flathead Braves had some things working Thursday, hanging in with Missoula Big Sky thanks to some solid rebounding and polished offense.

Sen. Cuffe seeks to combine conservation commissions

A bill that would create a Western Montana Conservation Commission — repealing the Flathead Basin Commission and the Upper Columbia Conservation Commission — had its first hearing in the Senate Natural Resources Committee on Monday.

Arts and entertainment news

Snow Ball benefit event; Father-Daughter Winter Ball; Skijoring event this weekend

Museum presents talk on the history of movie theaters in Kalispell

As movies went mainstream in the 1920s, Kalispell entrepreneurs made ready to screen them for avid Flathead audiences.

Artist accused of wiring partner’s shower given suspended sentence

Local artist and convicted felon Nicholas H. Oberling painted himself as the victim at his Wednesday sentencing in Flathead County District Court, even as his former partner accused him of continuing to harass her from behind bars.

Gov. Gianforte wants tax rebates, cuts with budget surplus

HELENA — Gov. Greg Gianforte reiterated his administration's priorities to improve Montana's economy in his State of the State address delivered Wednesday to the Legislature, whose job over the next few months will include determining how to allocate an unprecedented $2.6 billion budget surplus.

Disagreement over noise preceded fatal shooting, officials say

The victim of Tuesday’s shooting in Whitefish died from a bullet to the head after a disagreement over noise escalated, according to newly-filed court documents.

Legals for January, 25 2023

Vals too much for C-Falls

COLUMBIA FALLS — Braeden Gunlock scored 14 points to lead a balanced attack, and the Bigfork Valkyries downed Columbia Falls 58-26 Tuesday to stay unbeaten.

Epperly, Vikings swamp Wildcats

Isak Epperly poured in 25 points and the Bigfork Vikings topped Columbia Falls 63-48 in an intraconference basketball game Tuesday.

Glacier stays cold in loss to Big Sky

Missoula Big Sky’s girls basketball team looked pretty tough Tuesday, holding down Glacier for a 38-21 Western AA victory at the Wolf Den. Just wait a couple years.

Experts say schools, students and parents need to join forces on bullying

Annmarie Edwards’ family links her struggles to bullying, and Julie Hertzog, director of the PACER National Bullying Prevention Center, said it also exacerbates underlying mental health problems and even affects physical health.

Gyms that survived pandemic steadily get back in shape

After surviving the worst of the pandemic, the nation's gyms and fitness centers have made a comeback, often using tricks learned during the downturn to lure back customers.

Bullying left students hurt, demoralized and looking for a way out

This is the first in a three-part series examining the effects of bullying through the lens of students, parents and faculty at Bigfork High School. Bullying is not unique to Bigfork, but the district has not always risen to the challenge.