Rep. Braxton Mitchell, R-Columbia Falls, said his legislation pertaining to ballot issues will strengthen the electoral process, while Democrats warn of potential for voter disenfranchisement

Pete Barbera’s drive-up lunch spot keeps it simple with a limited menu and hand-fried chicken sandwiches

Citing procedural issues and unfair use of tax dollars, the majority of Flathead Valley lawmakers voted against a bill funding the Montana Historic Preservation Grant program, which passed the House on Wednesday

Sarah Harding is raising funds to repair and restore an 1890s Scandinavian church on the west side of the city — the longtime home of Kalispell Community Thrift

Montana’s 2025 legislative session marked its halfway point last week. Here’s the latest on major proposals brought by northwest Montana lawmakers.

At a press conference on Wednesday, administrators, teachers and local stakeholders praised the school district’s student-centered programs and painted a dire picture of the district’s finances, warning that beloved programs will be cut if voters reject a high school levy in May. 

The office has not been informed of any disruption of service at this point and will continue to meet with clients in person. The federal government also terminated the leases of the Missoula Social Security field office, Shelby border patrol facility, Bureau of Indian Affairs building in Pablo and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service building in Great Falls.

An uptick in reporting and testing requirements has placed an undue burden on Montana’s small school superintendents. Five schools in Flathead County are set to lose their top administrators this year.

The proposed legislation would increase population caps for resort tax areas and allow certain communities to levy an additional 1% in resort taxes to fund workforce housing. 

Thirteen Republicans joined all Democrats on Wednesday to vote down a bill set to dole out tax credits to Montana families sending their children to private schools 

Despite pushback from current and former justices of the Montana Supreme Court, a bill to decrease the size of the state’s highest court passed committee on Wednesday and will head to the House floor. 

Introduced by Kalispell Republican Rep. Courtenay Sprunger and co-sponsored by 29 GOP members, House Bill 288 would require child support payments be made from the month of conception

Educators at St. Matthew's Catholic School say demand for Catholic education in the Flathead Valley has grown precipitously in the post-pandemic years. Now, the Flathead Valley’s only Catholic school is also its fastest growing. 

Agencies and nonprofits across northwest Montana said key programs — from revolving agricultural loans to road repair projects — faced an unclear fate under the short-lived federal funding freeze that was set to take effect yesterday

A lawsuit filed by a former Kalispell wrestler and his father claims school officials took retaliatory actions after the duo reported a pattern of sexual assault on the wrestling team. The district says the father interfered with an ongoing investigation and engaged in “belligerent behavior.”