The Kalispell Police and Flathead County Sheriff’s reports for Tuesday included the following: 10:36 a.m. A man called in to report that a man beat the tar out of him last night at an Evergreen Bar. 1:35 p.m. Someone called in complaining that their dog was attacked by a mean pit bull. 2:27 p.m. There […]

OWYHEE COUNTY, Idaho – Rancher Mike Hanley may have to sell half his cattle after losing permission last week to graze them on a piece of public land. His wife has spent sleepless nights thinking over their options. Uncertainty has become a way of life for a generation of ranchers here, locked in a long-running […]

The Kalispell Police and Flathead County Sheriff’s reports for Sunday included the following: 12:34 a.m. A bored kid knocked on the doors of a couple Spring Prairie Road homes and ran off. 2:46 a.m. Deputies were unable to find a man who was reportedly chasing a screaming woman in Evergreen. 3:22 a.m. A man’s bitter […]

MISSOULA – The National Weather Service has issued more flood warnings covering a wide area in western Montana. The Weather Service issued a dozen flood warnings Tuesday for points along the Bitterroot, Flathead, St. Regis, Fisher and Yaak rivers and some of their tributaries. The agency said minor flooding was already occurring in some area. […]

A Lincoln County District Court judge ruled that the Wilderness Club, an exclusive golf community outside of Eureka with a course designed by PGA legend Nick Faldo, has to pay only $25,000 in punitive damages instead of the $1 million a jury had previously awarded two landowners. The Wilderness Club still has to pay $356,500 […]

Good morning. Today is the anniversary of Charles Lindbergh’s lift-off to fly across the Atlantic for the first time. On the Beacon this morning flood warnings are increasing across Western Montana, with minor flooding already occurring in some areas. A Lincoln County judge has slashed the amount of damages the Wilderness Club has to pay […]

In Montana, as the weather warms, it is our unspoken obligation to visit water. We sit on lakeshores, jump off bridges into deep river pools, throw funny little things with hooks at fish, hop in our favorite watercraft and, of course, dive right in. Obviously, rivers in the area aren’t suitable for swimming until levels […]

LOS ANGELES – A Montana woman whose newborn son was found dead in a trash bin near the University of Southern California pleaded no contest to child endangerment Tuesday after four attempts to charge her with murder were dismissed. Holly Ashcraft, 23, of Billings, entered the plea in Superior Court to the charge and a […]

After some flooding Monday, water levels throughout the county began receding Tuesday, and – barring a major rain event – are expected to continue to drop as temperatures cool later this week. Flood warnings remained in effect, however, for the Flathead River and the Middle Fork of the Flathead River. A flood watch was also […]

A Kalispell was killed when he lost control of his motorcycle. The Flathead County sheriff’s office says 37-year-old Eric Berry was passing a vehicle when he lost control, left the road and was thrown from the motorcycle. He was not wearing a helmet. It happened Friday at Idaho Hill Road and U.S. Highway 2 West […]

On Saturday, Boy Scout Troops from Columbia Falls, Whitefish and Kalispell got together with the Montana Conservation Corps for a conservation project at Grizzly Base Camp between Creston and Bigfork. 360 tree seedlings were planted in a continuing conservation project managed by Society of American Foresters (SAF) member Carl Sobczak at the Grizzly Base Camp […]

BIGFORK – Somewhere between the removal of painful scar tissue in his hips and the end of his junior year, Andrew Whittaker became the fastest kid in the state. This year, the Bigfork speedster is even faster. Whittaker is hoping to retain his Class A title in the 100-meter dash at this weekend’s state tournament […]

Good morning. Today is the birthday of Malcolm X. Over the weekend the Weather Service downgraded some of its flood threats, though with high temperatures expected to continue for the next few days, water levels will continue to rise on the Yaak, Fisher and Flathead Rivers. Stick with the Beacon for updates as the flood […]

BILLINGS – Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama returns to Montana on Monday. Obama will hold a Town Hall for Working Families in Billings at 10:45 a.m., followed by a rally on the Crow Reservation in Crow Agency at 2:45 p.m. Monday night at 7:30, Obama will address a rally at Brick Breeden Fieldhouse at Montana […]

Two weeks after City Manager Gary Marks presented a preliminary budget overview for the fiscal year 2008-2009, the city council is ready to provide input and give suggestions in the initial steps toward developing the final budget. The council will discuss the budget at tonight’s meeting, which will be held at Whitefish City Hall at […]