Our previous Wilderness 101 class covered how Bob Marshall almost single-handedly created the “wilderness movement” in American politics and set the stage for the eventual passage of the law governing wilderness areas on American public lands: The Wilderness Act of 1964. When Marshall died in 1939, various federal agencies had set aside roughly 5 million […]

In the first episode of the seven-part HBO series “John Adams,” the young attorney defends a group of British soldiers against murder charges following the shooting death of budding revolutionists. An unpopular position at the time, it began a rather unpopular, albeit landmark, career, which preceded a near-forgotten legacy. In fact, for the Founding Father, […]

SEATTLE – A Seattle film crew detained in Nigeria over the weekend has been released, U.S. Sens. Maria Cantwell, Jon Tester and Max Baucus said Wednesday. The Americans and their Nigerian companion were picked up by American embassy representatives at a detention center and taken to a hotel in Abuja, said Leslye Wood, spokeswoman for […]

MISSOULA – The U.S. Forest Service must include Montanans in the decision making as the agency negotiates with Plum Creek Timber Co. about use of federal land, talks that could enhance company prospects in real estate development, says Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont. Some county commissioners in Montana have told Tester they fear that Plum Creek-Forest […]

MISSOULA – W.R. Grace is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to review pretrial rulings in the government’s case charging the company with trying to hide health risks associated with its vermiculite mine in Libby. The chemical manufacturer filed a petition this week asking the high court to evaluate a decision by a federal appeals court […]

The Kalispell Police and Flathead County Sheriff’s reports for Monday included the following: 11:01 a.m. Someone was seen climbing out of a green van with a handful of keys, then using the keys to try and break into a soda vending machine. They failed. 11:32 a.m. A woman called in to say that her 21-year-old […]

WARRI, Nigeria – A woman originally from Montana is among four members of a Seattle-based film crew detained along with a Nigerian man for illegally traveling by boat in restive southern Nigeria, officials said. Security forces fighting militants in the Niger Delta consider much of the vast wetland region a military zone and have barred […]

A man is in custody after leading police on a high-speed chase through Kalispell Monday evening, which ended when the man pulled a gun on officers, then dropped it. No one was injured. Police responded when a witness reported the man driving his truck at 110 miles per hour in the wrong lane of traffic […]

Glacier Park International Airport will start seasonal jet service between Kalispell and San Francisco beginning June 14th. United Express is offering the service. It already has twice daily service to Kalispell from Denver and Chicago. Glacier airport director Cindi Martin says the new jet service will provide travelers non-stop access to another major airport hub, […]

Good morning; today is the anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. Scott Foster led Kalispell police on a high speed chase Monday, and then pulled a gun on officers after crashing his truck, but the incident ended without injuries. United Express will begin offering nonstop flights to San Francisco from Kalispell beginning June 14. […]

HELENA – Gov. Brian Schweitzer has ordered all games removed from computers in departments under his jurisdiction. Bruce Nelson, Schweitzer’s chief of staff, told department directors at a recent cabinet meeting that Schweitzer wanted any computer games such as solitaire removed from state employees’ computers, said spokeswoman Sarah Elliott. “It’s not what you’re there to […]

The developers of an exclusive golf community near Eureka with a course designed by PGA legend Nick Faldo owe their neighbors $1.35 million, a jury ruled in Lincoln County District Court on April 4. The jury found that the Wilderness Club acted in malice when it cleared out trees for a roadway on the property […]

Golf makes me unstable. I am, for the most part, mild-mannered. Call me names, insult me, chances are I can take it in stride. But put a 3-wood in my hands and all innocence is lost. I hate that little white ball. Over the weekend, in a misguided attempt to enjoy the sunny weather, I […]

DEER LODGE – Nathaniel Bar-Jonah, a convicted sex offender who was once accused of kidnapping and killing a 10-year-old boy, died in prison of complications related to his medical conditions and poor health, according to autopsy results released Tuesday. “The autopsy findings indicate that the cause of death was a blood clot and that no […]

SPOKANE, Wash. – A confessed swindler in a Montana bank fraud has been arrested in Colorado after fleeing from a court hearing in Spokane, Wash. Fifty-six-year-old John Petersen was arrested Sunday at a motel in Boulder, Colo. Police say they also found a blond wig and several books about changing identity, and they impounded a […]