MISSOULA (AP) – Wofford just had too many options, and Montana’s final chance sailed left. Michael Hobbs scored on a 6-yard run with 32 seconds remaining Saturday to lift Wofford to a 23-22 upset of previously unbeaten Montana in the first round of the FCS playoffs. Third-seed Montana (11-1) had a chance to win the […]

Good morning and good luck on Black Friday. Happy bargain-hunting. It’s the day after Thanksgiving, and the Flathead is collectively shrugging off its turkey-induced grogginess. I know I am looking forward to leftovers for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It’s a relatively slow news day, as is usually the case after a holiday, but there are […]

City nicknames often derive from using similar syllables to convey a more apt meaning, such as Spokane, Wash., referred to as “Spokompton,” a reference to its rougher corners, or Atlanta, dubbed “Hotlanta” because of its horrifying heat in the summer. Then there are those cities that have a reputation for producing certain items: “The Motor […]

Beer drinkers beware: The mounting cost of beer ingredients could send local microbrew prices hopping, while a hop shortage could leave some brews lacking their signature flavor. The price for malt barley – the primary ingredient in beer, along with water – has more than doubled in the past two years. Prices for hops, which […]

OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) – Opposition leaders are appealing to the governor of Montana to spare the life of a Canadian on death row, telling the American politician that they – not the Conservative government – represent the majority on the issue of capital punishment. Liberal Leader Stephane Dion and New Democratic Party Leader Jack Layton […]

MISSOULA (AP) – The Wofford football team is looking for some FCS respect as it brings its option attack to Washington Grizzly Stadium against second-ranked Montana on Saturday. Coach Mike Ayers said his No. 11 Terriers (8-3) were surprised when they learned they would be making the longest road trip in school history (2,330 miles […]

Post Thanksgiving, most people are looking for a way to counteract overloading on gravy and pecan pie. Despite lack of snow for skiing, there’s one winter sport you can enjoy now–ice skating. Just one hour burns 387 calories. The day after Thanksgiving at Whitefish’s Stumptown Ice Den, you don’t find too many Scott Hamiltons and […]

Following a Beacon story about a series of state piloting safety incidents that disrupted firefighting operations in the 2006 and 2007 fire seasons and caused a rift between state fire managers, Montana Department of Conservation and Resources Director Mary Sexton said the agency has addressed the concerns and is moving on. “We are a large […]

As Flathead Valley residents sit down to gorge on Thanksgiving dinner, thousands will share an interesting connection: They’ll be eating turkeys bred and slaughtered at Montana Hutterite colonies. The weeks leading up to the holiday are a busy time for several northwest Montana Hutterite colonies as each colony kills and cleans hundreds of turkeys, then […]

Good morning and happy Thanksgiving. I’m hitting the road in a few minutes, en route to Spokane, Wash., for turkey at ma’s house. But first a quick helping of the news buffet. On the Beacon today we look at the increasing number of people who swear by Hutterite turkeys. The Montana Department of Conservation and […]

It’s turkey time again and, believe it or not, whenever I see a turkey I’m just thankful to be alive. You see, about 10 years ago I was on a ranch in central Florida doing a story about wild turkeys for my TV show, and the guy I was with was showing me how to […]

A 10,000-foot-thick ice cap can be deadly. Lurking unseen under snow, monstrous cracks gape large enough to swallow vehicles as if they were peanuts. Last week, in Antarctica, select scientists and one ice core driller from Whitefish embarked on a journey across a vast sea of ice, riddled with crevasses 30 feet wide and more […]

MISSOULA (AP) – Running back Lex Hilliard was named the most valuable and most inspirational player on the Montana football team at an awards banquet last weekend. Hilliard, a senior from Kalispell, received the Steve Carlson Award for MVP. He has rushed for 1,103 yards this season for 15 touchdowns and owns school records for […]

Pastor Levi Lusko has nothing against church tradition. He just thinks its time has run out. “If Jesus were alive today,” Lusko said, “he’d be wearing blue jeans. That’s what we’re doing – we’re trying to put the bible in blue jeans.” And he’s also putting the bible in the Strand Theatre, the 1920s downtown […]

Good morning and happy World Hello Day. The turkeys are in Flathead refrigerators and the new Beacons are on the stands. This week we examine concerns by rural fire districts that Kalispell’s city borders and annexations are creating difficulties for firefighters. Myers Reece writes about Levi Lusko, the charismatic leader of the Fresh Life Church, […]