WASHINGTON – Stock gyrations and a slumping economy are battering a generation’s hopes for a comfortable retirement. The current financial crisis has destroyed more than $2 trillion of the wealth held in retirement plans, according to Congressional Budget Office estimates. Even before that loss, Americans weren’t saving enough to maintain expected standards of living in […]

WHITEFISH – Kendra Peña steps barefoot onto a two-foot-wide metal plate, lining her feet up at the width marked as three. When she hits the start button, the plate vibrates. “My butt is jiggling,” screams Peña with peels of laughter. Peña dropped into Montana Body Vibes in the 33 Baker Spa for a test drive […]

Far be it for me to criticize another chef – especially one who right now is famous for being famous a la Paris Hilton. But he happens to be a really good cook, too, and that’s what he used to be famous for. It’s just that it seems he gets so caught up in his […]

Kalispell city officials announced Friday that the city council and Mayor Pam Kennedy have agreed not to renew City Manager Jim Patrick’s contract. The termination was effective immediately. Human Resources Director Terry Mitton will be interim city manager, according to Kennedy, and she expects the search for a new city manager to take between four […]

The financial crisis and the trembling United States economy have dealt a hard blow to conservative economic ideology. It’s “quite devastating to the conservative idea that the best policy towards markets is to leave them alone and let them self-correct,” says Bernard Wasow, a senior fellow at the Century Foundation, a liberal think tank. This […]

The Flathead County landfill is a slowly growing mountain. Surrounding it, wells collect methane gas that funnels down to a tall, silo-like structure where it’s burned off, or “flared.” “We decided that since it’s being flared anyway, it makes good sense to put that in an engine and make electricity with it,” says Ross Holter, […]

WASHINGTON – Montana’s U.S. Sen. Max Baucus has weathered some tough campaigns during his almost 30 years in the Senate. In comparison, 2008 is proving to be a relatively easy road to re-election for the Democrat.Baucus, 66, is running against perennial candidate Bob Kelleher, who was a surprise winner in June’s GOP primary. Kelleher, 85, […]

WASHINGTON – Democrat John Driscoll has waged an unusual campaign to unseat U.S. Rep. Denny Rehberg, R-Mont. Driscoll, a former state lawmaker who spent years in the National Guard, has promised not to spend any money and has refused to accept donations as he campaigns for Montana’s at-large seat in the U.S. House. And recently, […]

For the Flathead Valley Community College students and instructors who spent last spring studying abroad, the art photography show on display in the school is a reminder of an education unlike any they could have received at home: A six-week cram session in Nepalese culture, religion, and history. But with the photo show, the students […]

KALISPELL – State and federal wildlife officials are seeking information in the death of a male grizzly bear south of Polebridge. The animal’s carcass was found in early October in the Coal Creek drainage of the North Fork Flathead River. Anyone with information is asked to call Warden Capt. Lee Anderson of the Montana Department […]

ANACONDA – Student athletes must undergo random testing for alcohol and drugs under a new program under way at Anaconda High School. The first round of tests took place Oct. 9. Principal Paul Furthmyre says he received a few parent complaints, but overall the testing went well. The school is still awaiting the test results. […]

BILLINGS – Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks wants to proceed with its portion of an agreement that would allow 25 bison a year to migrate from Yellowstone National Park north through a ranch in the Paradise Valley to graze on public land. FWP is just one agency involved in the Interagency Bison Management Plan, which […]

Good morning; today, in 1931, mobster Al Capone, who ruled much of Chicago, was finally convicted — of income tax evasion. On this Beacon this morning, an FVCC photo show highlights a recent student trip to Nepal. Myers Reece writes about the historical significance of tonight’s gridiron match-up between cross-town rivals Glacier and Flathead. In […]

As a longtime Alaskan, and former Montanan, I have some interesting observations for the Big Sky. I was born in Montana, educated at the University of Montana and immediately adventured to Alaska for a lifelong accounting career. As a CPA and private sector community leader in Wasilla, yes, I know Sarah Palin very well. I […]

In its ninth year of operation, the Lakeside Elementary Reading Buddy program is lacking volunteers. “We have 7, we need at least 24,” says program coordinator Tracy Lost-Bear. He’s heading up the program through Flathead Valley Community College’s Americorps program. Mentors are asked to donate 30-minutes, one day a week, and either work with a […]