2026 General Election Results
Polls are closed as voters across Montana cast ballots for local, state and federal offices
By Beacon Staff
Newsletter
The Daily Roundup: On Election Day, Flathead County Residents Make Their Voices Heard
As the elections office began tabulating the more than 37,000 absentee ballots it received early, more people turned up to the polls Tuesday
By Mariah ThomasThe Latest
MONTANA'S BRAND OF BANKING
Flathead Living
In the Swan Valley, a Small Nonprofit Is Keeping Bears Out of Trouble
Since 2007, Swan Valley Bear Resources has worked with landowners and agencies to reduce human-bear conflicts, starting with the number one attractant: garbage
By Kay Bjork
The Floating House
A family's multi-generational hold on a Flathead Lake bluff meets an architect who grew up with the same water in her blood
By Tristan Scott
The Case for Going in Circles
In 'The Way Around: A Field Guide to Going Nowhere,' Missoula author Nicholas Triolo delivers a meditation on movement — and what circling back can teach us
By Maggie DohertyNEWS & FEATURES
Gov. Greg Gianforte Orders Flags Flown at Half-staff to Honor Lincoln County Deputy Killed in Shooting
Lincoln County Sheriff’s Deputy Ryan Terpsma, 28, was fatally shot in the line of duty in Eureka on Friday night; 46-year-old Merrisa Walker was also killed in the shooting
Browning Man Sentenced to Prison on Federal Strangulation, Assault Charges
Democrat Paula Koch Tops Flathead Valley Legislative Fundraising With $53,000 Haul
Floor Space: What You Can Buy for About $800,000
Flathead Food Bank to Launch Hungry Horse Location
Lincoln County Deputy, Woman Killed in Eureka; Suspect Surrenders After Pursuit With Flathead County Deputies
OUTDOORS
Glacier Projects Shelved on National Park Service ‘Low Priority’ List
Sixteen Glacier entries include vault toilets, sewer lift stations and generator repairs, among about 1,500 projects nationwide
Dress-Up Season
Glacier Park Ends September About 10,000 Visits Shy of Annual Record
Forest Service Approves First Swan Valley Logging Project Since Scrapping Mid-Swan Plan
Federal Hunting Order Could Aid Corner-Crossing Case, Stir Lead Ammo Debate in Montana
They’re Onto Us
Sponsored Content
Sponsored by Piton Wealth
Financial Planning and the Joys of Generosity
Lessons on planning for charitable giving without fear
Sponsored by Kalispell Chamber of Commerce
Venture Boldly Forward Together
The Discover Kalispell Chamber of Commerce’s annual awards dinner and fundraiser takes place Nov. 5 at the Hilton Garden Inn
Sponsored by Flathead Valley Community College
Come Enjoy the Flavors of FVCC’s Grand Wine Tasting and Help Make College Possible
FVCC’s largest scholarship fundraiser takes place on Oct. 30 at Wachholz College Center on its Kalispell campus. Tickets go on sale Sept. 15.
NEWSLETTERS
SPORTS
Whitefish Girls Soccer Secures Class A Title With Nail-biter Win Over Columbia Falls
Whitefish's 2-1 victory over their crosstown rival on Saturday at Smith Fields helped the Bulldogs secure their first state title in three years.
Wall of Fame Induction to Kick Off Kalispell Crosstown Football Rivalry
Whitefish High School Girls Golf Team Claims 2026 Class A State Title
Whitefish Volleyball Program to Commemorate Nearly Half-Century Legacy
Glacier High School Flag Football to Represent Montana on National Stage
2026 Flathead Valley Fall Sports Preview
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Zach Bryan, Kacey Musgraves to Headline 2027 Under the Big Sky Festival
They join more than 30 artists who will perform in the Flathead Valley from July 16-18. Tickets go on sale Nov. 6.
Late-Season Tomato Pie
Quick Potato Salad
Creamy Salad Dressing Base and Variations
Vegetable and Shrimp Fried Rice
Wachholz Center Announces Fall Lineup of Free and Discounted Community Events
OPINION
Union Pacific’s Proposal to Buy Norfolk Southern Is Not In the ‘Public Interest’
The Surface Transportation Board should reject it
Modernizing Montana’s Broadband Infrastructure Policy
Montana does not need to choose between protecting taxpayers and treating broadband and cable providers neutrally
I Watched Kurt Alme Fight for Native American Victims
Kurt spent years strengthening the federal response to violence against Native American women and cares genuinely about victims
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Editor's Picks
2026 General Election: A Northwest Montana Voter’s Guide to Local, State and Federal Races
Absentee ballots went out Oct. 9, and Election Day is Nov. 3. Flathead Valley voters will weigh an open U.S. Senate seat, an open western congressional seat, a state Supreme Court contest, three ballot measures and a full slate of legislative and county races. Here’s what to know.
Businesses Report Flat Summer Tourism Despite Inflation, Smoke and Airport Runway Closure
Economic headwinds have triggered a shift in spending trends as visitors seek low-budget trips while weather, the airport runway rehabilitation project and Glacier Park’s new entry system have caused fluctuating visitation patterns
At Ninth Circuit, a Fight Over What ‘Recovered’ Means for Montana’s Wolves
Federal wildlife officials and hunting groups say wolves in the Northern Rockies have recovered; conservation groups say the agency ignored historic range where wolves no longer live
Police Blotter
Recent Podcasts
Project 7
A six-part series on notorious Flathead Valley militia leader David Burgert, who vanished into the wilderness after a shootout with sheriff's deputies in 2011
