HELENA – Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama have been largely silent on the issue of free trade agreements as the primary season is set to end Tuesday in Montana and South Dakota, where agriculture and exports reign supreme. The change is noticeable from just a few months ago, when Clinton was critical of the […]

Good morning; today is the anniversary of the founding of the Italian Republic. In the Beacon this morning, Michelle Obama will be in Kalispell today meeting with volunteers for her husband’s presidential campaign. The event is not open to the public. Officials have identified the Flathead man who died in a motor scooter crash Friday […]

HELENA – Heavy interest in the race between Democratic presidential nominees Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama has state elections officials predicting nearly half the registered voters will cast a ballot Tuesday. Bowen Greenwood, spokesman for Secretary of State Brad Johnson, says the office is hoping for 47 percent turnout. As of Friday, more than […]

Kalispell City Council will vote tonight, at its regular 7 p.m. meeting, on a city ordinance amendment eliminating any distance requirement between a business serving alcohol and a place of worship. The ordinance amendment maintains a required 300 feet between schools and an alcohol-serving establishment. The first reading of this change carried on a 7-1 […]

State wildlife officials have captured and relocated a family of grizzly bears after they got into dog food, chicken feed and killed chickens east of Eureka. Fish, Wildlife and Parks wardens captured an adult female and two 2-year-old bears on Saturday. Grizzly bear management specialist Tim Manley says the adult female would soon be forcing […]

Whitefish streets will partly shut down on Saturday. Not for construction, but for the annual Fish Trails Criterium. It’s one bike race spectators won’t want to miss. “It’s really spectator friendly,” explains Craig Prather, owner of Great Northern Cycles that is organizing the event along with Great Northern Cycling Club. “In a road race, you […]

The Kalispell Police and Flathead County Sheriff’s reports for Sunday included the following: 12:18 a.m. A 21-year-old man was beat up at a party on Hodgson Road. He was taken to Kalispell Regional Medical Center. 1:14 a.m. Two neighbors were heard yelling at one another on Solberg Drive in Kalispell. 1:52 a.m. Two men yelling […]

The following is a sampling of stories that the Beacon staff has written in the last several weeks leading up to Tuesday’s primary. From the Democratic presidential primary, to the Flathead County GOP commission race, catch up on the issues that matter to you before heading to the polls. Western Politics Staking a Claim to […]

For an inspirational and comprehensive journey through local history, lose yourself for an afternoon at The Museum at Central School. For nearly 100 years, the Central School building was a high school, junior high school, grade school and classroom for Flathead Valley Community College. It’s fitting that the tradition of education is carried on today […]

I confess that I am overly fond of French fried potatoes. And for years, as a purist, I could not imagine anything other than Heinz (not Del Monte or Hunts or any other brand, thank you) Ketchup as my condiment of choice. But then I became acquainted with the true origin of French fries – […]

Officials have released the name of a 57-year-old Kalispell man who died after a motor scooter crash. The Montana Highway Patrol says Darrel Baker’s motor scooter crashed on Stillwater Road north of Kalispell at about 7 a.m. Friday. He was pronounced dead at Kalispell Regional Medical Center. Troopers are still investigating the cause of the […]

BILLINGS – The campaign of presidential hopeful Barack Obama has announced details of Michelle Obama’s visit to Billings and the addition of a stop in Kalispell. She is scheduled to attend a “Get Out the Vote” event at Billings Hotel and Convention Center, starting at noon Monday. The event is free and open to the […]

Saturday morning’s graduation in the CFHS gym brought the high school careers of the class of 2008 to an end. CFHS 2008 graduates collected a record $3.2 million in scholarship money this year. Beth Haskell appears deep in thought during graduation proceedings. Mischief-maker and SD6 board member Dean Chisholm (right) shares a laugh with fellow […]

The Thursday night before the last day of school for seniors is always an exciting one. Tents are going up on the ball field across the street from the high school for the traditional last day of school campout. But that isn’t the only source of excitement. Inside the CFHS Little Theater, there’s a little […]

U.S. Senate Republicans Hope to Overcome Baucus’s Cash Advantage WASHINGTON – Montana Sen. Max Baucus is sitting on a pile of cash for his re-election campaign this year, but a handful of Republicans still are working to upset him. Five Republicans say they believe they can beat the five-term Democrat, who had more than $6.3 […]