The Kalispell Police and Flathead County Sheriff’s reports for Monday included the following: 8:47 a.m. Someone tried break into the middle school in Somers through a classroom window. 9:29 a.m. Someone called in from Lower Lost Prairie Road to report that their neighbor’s dog looked unhealthy. The animal warden went out and said it looked […]

MISSOULA – The 2008 University of Montana Grizzly Spring Football Scrimmage will be played in Polson on Saturday, April 12, at the Polson Athletic Complex. The event is sponsored by the Mission Mountain Chapter of the Grizzly Scholarship Association and kickoff is at 1 p.m. General admission is $5 for adults and $3 for children. […]

In an event more like a demolition derby on snowboards, the Nate Chute Hawaiian Classic Boardercross rustled up those with guts – including 16 women. Starting shoulder to shoulder in heats, riders tore over obstacles elbow to elbow with fellow racers. Collisions, crashes, and splats were part of the game. By noon, there was one […]

HELENA – Montana health officials have launched a plan to reduce the number of patients at the state mental hospital. The Montana State Hospital at Warm Springs is averaging about 209 patients — well beyond its licensed maximum of 189. Officials say this is straining staff and resources. As a result, state health officials began […]

SEELEY LAKE – Some residents of Seeley Lake are pushing for a 3 percent resort tax on “luxury items.” The proposal is not a new one, but it has gained some momentum since the state designated Seeley Lake a “resort area” several months ago. The idea is to have tourists share some of the financial […]

Good morning and happy Smigus-dyngus. It’s a brisk, windy morning in the valley and there’s a lot of news. Boardercross racing at Whitefish Mountain Resort this weekend was like a cross between snowboarding and demolition derby. Authentic New York hot dog vendors have a tidy little business going in downtown Kalispell. Keriann Lynch reports on […]

I remember as a senior in high school laboring over my bracket, trying to find a reasonable explanation for every choice. Several of my male peers were particularly tedious in their choices. Having watched games all season, they sat in class comparing statistics, season records and star match-ups. That year, it was an English teacher […]

Kalispell City Council meets tonight at 7 p.m. for an informal work session to discuss a joint recycling project with Evergreen and revenue sources for the upcoming budget year. No formal votes are allowed at a work session.

GREAT FALLS – At Glacier National Park, bears are beginning to emerge from their dens and officials are warning visitors to use caution. The National Park Service reports grizzly bear tracks have been seen on the road in Many Glacier. Wildlife biologists say it probably won’t be long before reports of grizzly and black bear […]

There isn’t any reason to be scared of Mike Nicosia. Really. But you have to wonder exactly what the deal is with the Columbia Falls School District 6 Board of Trustees. It’s like a ghost town, come election day. What do I mean, you say? For all but a lonely few of the SD6 trustee […]

The Kalispell Police and Flathead County Sheriff’s reports for Sunday included the following: 2:17 a.m. Someone called in about a suspicious man wearing blue jeans and a white T-shirt standing behind a gas station. The weird man was gone when deputies arrived. 5:53 a.m. An 18-year-old male was caught stealing a bottle of champagne from […]

KALISPELL – A statewide group based in Bigfork is asking Catholic bishops in Montana to reconsider a decision not to back a proposed ballot initiative on human life. Catholic Christians Supporting CI-100 said in an open letter to the bishops Thursday that it considers the initiative a new and creative way of opposing and ending […]

HELENA – The Montana Rail Link mainline across southern Montana would be safe for any resumed passenger service, despite a string of recent freight derailments near Helena and Bozeman, railroad officials say. Backers of a southern Montana passenger route agree. Three trains operating on MRL track have derailed since January, two outside Helena and one […]

GREAT FALLS – Campsites at four state parks in western Montana would be electrified later this year under plans by the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Critics say the proposals are inappropriate, given Gov. Brian Schweitzer’s initiative to cut back on the state’s energy consumption. Other opponents say the state will compete with […]

KALISPELL – Two Hungry Horse men have been arrested on suspicion of stealing copper wiring from power substations in Flathead County. Bobby Matney and Anthony Conner are charged with felony criminal mischief and theft and were jailed on $150,000 bail. Flathead County authorities say someone cut holes in fences at substations and stole the wiring. […]