The Rails to Trails project has new momentum with the installation of two bridges over Ashley Creek east of Kila, making the dream of a paved trail from Kila to Somers one step closer to reality. With the new bridges in place, the Rails-to-Trail Conservancy hopes the final section of trail, about 2.5 miles, will […]

A Kalispell man alleges city police used excessive force during his 2006 arrest, causing him a permanently disabling brain injury. Jesse Perry is suing the Kalispell Police Department in U.S. District Court in Missoula. Perry, 28, was arrested outside the Sawbuck Saloon and Casino on Oct. 26, 2006. Police Chief Roger Nasset said officers were […]

MISSOULA – More than bragging rights are at stake Saturday when the Montana State Bobcats face the No. 5 Montana Grizzlies in the 108th Cat-Griz football game — dubbed the “Brawl of the Wild” — at UM’s Washington-Grizzly Stadium. The storied game also has playoff implications for both teams. The Grizzlies are all but guaranteed […]

MISSOULA – The murder trial of a former University of Montana football player ended with a hung jury Friday in Los Angeles County Superior Court, but prosecutors quickly refiled homicide charges. Former cornerback Jimmy Wilson, 22, is accused of fatally shooting his aunt’s boyfriend, 29-year-old Kevin Smoot, of Lancaster, Calif. The June 2, 2007 incident […]

A man accused of causing a large apartment fire north of here early Friday has been charged with a felony count of negligent arson. David L. Bernach, 45, made his initial appearance in Flathead County Justice Court on Friday, where he was ordered held on $25,000 bail. According to court documents, Bernach is accused of […]

President-elect Barack Obama warned in his Chicago victory speech that the “road ahead will be long.” His goals, he said, may not be reached “in one year or even one term.” Budget experts say, “Amen.” A deeply troubled economy, they hold, won’t allow Obama to raise taxes in 2009 to start paying for his ambitious […]

For Whitefish photographer Chuck Haney a popular recreational attraction or beautiful vista is his next possible job site. In the past year, he’s kept busy shooting waterfalls in Illinois, cycling in Ohio and driving through the tall-grass prairies of Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. He recently traveled to North Carolina for the first time, writing and […]

MISSOULA – The governor’s budget director told university officials Thursday that the administration expects them to “hold the line” on tuition increases, but realizes it will be difficult to continue the tuition freeze of the past two years. The board of regents is analyzing the impact Gov. Brian Schweitzer’s proposed budget would have on the […]

A surge in layoffs, a sharp pullback in consumer spending, and a credit crisis that drags on despite a massive government rescue have prompted some forecasters to predict the worst economic downturn since World War II. There’s even a flood of commentary harking back to the Great Depression – thankfully not as a forecast but […]

Noah Ginnings, 26, died Thursday morning after a seven-year battle with brain cancer. Chances are anyone who attended the University of Montana, frequented Griz games or even lived in Missoula over the past seven years would recognize Noah’s name or face. In my time at UM, Noah often brightened my days. He was quick with […]

The Flathead County Election Department will begin a recount for the Montana House District 8 race at 9 a.m. Tuesday. The recount was requested by incumbent Rep. Craig Witte, R-Kalispell, and the state Republican Party. Witte trails Democratic challenger Cheryl Steenson by 20 votes out of the 4,044 cast in the Nov. 4 election. As […]

A Kalispell man was killed in a motorcycle accident. The Montana Highway Patrol says Clayton Alstad died Wednesday night after his motorcycle rear-ended another vehicle on U.S. 93. The patrol says Alstad lost control and the motorcycle slid into a ditch. Alstad died at the scene. It happened just before 11 p.m. Wednesday and was […]

Good morning, today is the anniversary of the “Who Shot Jr?” episode of “Dallas.” On the Beacon this morning, top Flathead athlete Brock Osweiler is opting out of basketball to focus on his move to Arizona State University to play football. The Flathead’s top technology executives meet every other month to discuss common challenges at […]

Flathead and Glacier dropped their opening round matches at the Class AA state volleyball tournament in Bozeman yesterday. Early in the day, Flathead lost to Billings Senior (25-10, 25-19, 25-10). Billings Senior had a 27-0 regular season record this year and has won the past three state championships. Senior advanced to play Missoula Sentinel, won […]

8:41 a.m. Someone went from one mental hospital to the next. 11:57 a.m. Reportedly, a man was lying in the street screaming. Seconds prior, he ran into traffic and was hit by a car. 1:01 p.m. A local credit institution foreclosed on a home. They former owners had refused to leave. 2:06 p.m. A counterfeit […]