Ninth Circuit appears skeptical of Montana’s drag ban

A three-judge panel of the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals wrestled on Tuesday with how Montana’s “drag ban law,” currently on hold from a federal judge, doesn’t violate the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment, protecting free speech and viewpoints.

Legals for June, 5 2024

Legals for June, 5 2024

Biden says he's restricting asylum to help 'gain control' of the border

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Tuesday unveiled plans to enact immediate significant restrictions on migrants seeking asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border as the White House tries to neutralize immigration as a political liability ahead of the November elections.

President Biden's brother, son's widow among witnesses expected at Hunter Biden's federal gun trial

WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — Federal prosecutors on Tuesday painted President Joe Biden's son Hunter as a "drug addict" whose dark habits ensnared loved ones and who knew what he was doing when he lied on federal forms to purchase a gun in 2018 by saying he wasn't in the throes of addiction.

Huzzah! Sandpoint Ren Fair brings medieval England to life

Huzzah! The Sandpoint Renaissance Faire is riding back into town. Set for this weekend, the faire will transport the community and visitors back to the late 1500s, when Elizabeth I was on the throne and ruled over England.

Law roundup: Bar employee tired of mixing it up with unruly woman

Frustrated at constantly being pestered by an unruly woman at his place of work, an employee of a bar turned to the Kalispell Police Department for help. He said she comes in on every shift to mess with him and at least once has gone into the kitchen to find him.

Committee puts $240K behind moderate Republicans in legislative primaries

A political action committee with a mix of national and state money has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on mailers intended to sway voters in a series of bitterly contested Republican legislative primary elections that reveal the fissures in Montana’s dominant political party.

Jury selection begins in Hunter Biden's gun case

WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — A federal gun case against President Joe Biden's son Hunter opened Monday with jury selection, following the collapse of a plea deal that would have avoided the spectacle of a trial so close the 2024 election. First lady Jill Biden was seated in the front row of the courtroom, in a show of support for her son.

Whitefish Council looks at senior housing expansion, subdivion requests

Plans for the expansion of a senior housing development and a separate 73-lot housing subdivision both are before the Whitefish City Council on Monday.

Lake County's John Grant leaves a legacy defined by birds, land and water

At Leon Hall, just south of Ninepipe, friends, neighbors and colleagues gathered Saturday to celebrate the legacy of retired wildlife-area manager John Grant and his 33-year effort to tend and protect a vast swath of critical wildlife habitat.

Denny Rehberg angling for a comeback in a crowded House race

From a ranch in one of America's largest and newest congressional districts, where agriculture and Republicans dominate the landscape, a retired six-term Montana lawmaker and grandfather is taking an unlikely path in search of a political comeback.

Of blooms and building booms

I appreciate these semiwild oases. Given how difficult it is to manage larger, popular spaces for the public good, it is these smaller parcels that may mean the most, especially for locals.

Glacier National Park plow crews grapple with deepest snow in more than a decade

It’s feeling like spring in the valley, but at Logan Pass, Glacier National Park road crews are still in the thick of winter snowpack — the deepest seen in more than a decade, according to officials.

Joan Elayne Chapin, 83

Joan Elayne Chapin, 83, was born in Vancouver, B.C. Canada, to Percy and Flo Wintle.

Letters to the editor June 2

Letters to the editor June 2

Working together to protect kids from lead in schools

The dangers of lead exposure for children are well known and many schools across Montana have made great strides to protect students and staff from lead in drinking water. But a number of Montana schools have not yet taken action and the possibility of lead in school drinking water continues to be a serious concern.

No rain on this parade

Senior trio leads C-Falls softball to second straight title

“Fire truck” is not the rally cry you’d expect, but for Columbia Falls softball it kept all eyes on the prize.

Carroll M. Jones, 70

Carroll M. Jones, 70, passed away on May 21, 2024, surrounded by his loving family at the Jones family home in Columbia Falls.

Flathead cherry crop stunted by winter freeze

"There’s just a lot of hoops to jump through before we get to the harvest time with a good crop. And now we’re telling you, ‘We’re starting with a bad crop.’"