BILLINGS (AP) – Grizzly bears, the West’s largest and most fearsome predators, are back in a big way in the Northern Rockies – rising in numbers, pushing into new territories and mauling hunters who stumble across them in the wild. While state and federal officials laud the bear’s remarkable comeback from near-extinction last century, others […]

Flathead County Sheriff’s detectives are investigating a rash of burglaries at homes throughout the unincorporated areas of Flathead County. Forty homes were burglarized between Sept. 1 and Nov. 30, according to Detective Commander Jeanne Landis of the Flathead County Sheriff’s Department. Twelve of those cases came in a 10-day stretch in mid-November. All cases are […]

HELENA (AP) – Sen. Max Baucus has raised $7.4 million for a likely 2008 re-election bid, with nearly 91 percent of his individual donations coming from outside Montana. “Given (Baucus’) situation, where he’s from and that he’s an incumbent, that’s not eye-popping, but he is on the high side,” said Massie Ritsch, spokesman for the […]

The Kalispell Police and Flathead County Sheriff’s reports for Monday included the following: 6:40 a.m. A Kalispell resident awoke to find the back window of his car smashed. The owner of the car may know who the culprit is. 7:32 a.m. Tools and a CD player were stolen from a car dealership in Kalispell. 7:51 […]

Good morning and Happy Hanukkah! The news is bumping this morning. Keriann Lynch reports on the rash of home burglaries plaguing the Flathead. In Whitefish, the Flathead Nordic Patrol is training interested candidates in avalanche conditions and backcountry rescue. There’s still time to get into a course. Check out yesterday’s Police Blotter to read about […]

Carroll College is an unlikely athletic juggernaut. The tiny Catholic liberal arts college known for its academic excellence has dominated NAIA football for the past six years, winning four national championships in a row between 2002 and 2005 and then taking a year off in 2006 before returning to the championship game this year. And […]

HELENA (AP) – The Republican Party, which declined a request by Lt. Gov. John Bohlinger to attend the party’s summer convention, is inviting him to the GOP winter meeting. Bohlinger said he can’t attend because he is getting married in January and will be overseas on his honeymoon at the time. Otherwise, he said he […]

After 62 years of running Sykes’ grocery and restaurant, Doug Wise, 90, still doesn’t have a retirement plan. He simply says, “Oh, I’ll sell the place one damn day.” His wife Judy, 79, shakes her head, laughs at him and offers to give an “edited” version of his comments. She seems skeptical. After all, Doug’s […]

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The final 20 minutes made the difference as Drake beat Montana State 80-68 in a women’s basketball game here Sunday. Drake overcame an at times listless first half where Montana State dictated tempo, while forcing nine Bulldog turnovers. With the win Drake moved above .500 for first time this season, […]

Good morning; today is the UN International Day of Disabled Persons. Coming off the weekend there’s a lot of news, particularly in sports. Myers Reece previews the boys basketball season at Glacier and Flathead High, as well as the boys Northwest A Conference. The Carroll College football team, in Helena, is advancing to the NAIA […]

Kalispell City Council meets tonight at 7 p.m. to vote on the Willow Creek subdivision. The developer plans 361 single family homes, 18 townhouses and 15 multi-family dwellings on 165 acres, west of the city limits along Meridian Road. It has been a long haul to reach this point; previous Willow Creek plans were turned […]

The Kalispell Police and Flathead County Sheriff’s reports for Sunday included the following: 12:59 a.m. Someone heard three gunshots out at Lybeck’s Dyke. Deputies were unable to locate the shooter. 4:24 a.m. A young woman who had been drinking loads of alcohol at a party needed medical assistance after she swallowed a bunch of dish […]

Eighteen backcountry skiers and snowmobilers huddled in 10 degrees early Saturday morning as the wind whipped about them. Despite little snow, they practiced techniques for rescuing victims caught in avalanches. This was one of several classes taught by the Flathead Nordic Patrol, a local group of skiers dedicated to winter rescues in the backcountry. The […]

Yesterday, my boyfriend and I found ourselves – and our neighbors – stuck in a typically Montana predicament. Overnight the driveway into our apartment complex had transformed from an easily accessible, albeit fairly narrow and steep, entryway to our home to a winter version of the Slip N’ Slide. I remember trying to run up […]

The VFW Honor Guard starts off the Columbia Falls Night of Lights parade Friday night. Bill and Laura Boyd, all bundled up for the 17 degree evening. CFHS cheerleaders having a pile of fun despite the cold. The friendly Lion (of the Lions Club, of course) waves to the crowd. The ever-present Carl, looking as […]