Good morning and happy National Bundt Day! On the Beacon this morning, we have an extended interview with Bigfork Rep. Bill Jones discussing his political philosophy, upon announcing that he would not be running for re-election in 2009. Kerriann Lynch reports on the lucrative business of house sitting for the valley’s large number of second […]

The Kalispell Police and Flathead County Sheriff’s reports for Wednesday included the following: 8:16 a.m. Seventy or so dogs were barking on Haywire Gulch. 8:46 a.m. A computer was stolen from a Kalispell business that sells trucks. 11:08 a.m. A man in Kalispell called in because someone was shooting BBs at his house. 1:11 p.m. […]

HELENA (AP) – A Kalispell man is proposing a constitutional initiative that would limit homeowner property tax increases to 1.5 percent a year, hoping to blunt an increase that could take place after the next statewide reappraisal. John McMenamin said the ballot measure would limit tax increases only on owner-occupied homes and would only allow […]

Great Falls leaders recently declared that its city is growing, not shrinking. Yipee! They were irked in 2003 when the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that it had lost population. When the same was reported in 2006, they took matters into their own hands and conducted their own study. By measuring new residential home and razing […]

BOZEMAN (AP) – A new poll shows President Bush’s approval ratings in Montana have dropped significantly, along with support for the decision to go to war in Iraq. The survey released Thursday by Montana State University-Billings found 32 percent of Montana residents approve of Bush’s overall job performance, while 57 percent disapproved and 11 percent […]

Three days after the Flathead County Election Department declared him a winner in the Whitefish City Council election, and two days after the department declared him a loser, Turner Askew requested a hand recount of the votes. “It just will bring closure to the election,” Askew said. “Either I’m a winner or I’m in second […]

Paul Mosby, a 21-year-old Kalispell man, died Thursday from injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident earlier this month at the intersection of West Valley Drive and Farm to Market Road, according to a press release from the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office. Another driver struck Paul Mosby’s vehicle on Nov. 10. He had remained at […]

WEST GLACIER (AP) – The superintendent of Glacier National Park has announced he will retire in early January. Mick Holm has been Glacier’s superintendent since 2002 and has worked for the National Park Service for more than 32 years, serving at six parks in five states. He came to Glacier after serving as superintendent at […]

This week I get the opportunity to talk about Glacier National Park, one of my favorite areas. Some folks call it the hiking capital of the world, and I agree. It’s truly magnificent. Keep those questions about hiking, wildlife, conservation and traveling coming to [email protected], and enjoy this week’s discussions! What are your favorite hikes […]

The Kalispell Police and Flathead County Sheriff’s reports for Tuesday included the following: 7:09 a.m. A 19-year-old man who did not want to perform his community service he kicked and punched holes into his mother’s walls. Deputies counseled the delinquent. 8:10 a.m. Windows from a backhoe on U.S. Highway 93 were pried off and taken. […]

August 3, 2006: Two helicopters, 98M and Canada 1, are dispatched to the Bearmouth Fire for bucket work. At takeoff 98M’s pilot – Chuck Brenton, the state’s chief pilot – lifted off before all of the crewmembers were buckled in and made a hard left turn, which could have “dumped (one of the crewmembers) out […]

Good morning and happy birthday to French impressionist Claude Monet and Beacon fan Kendra Powell. It’s a crisp, sunny morning in the Flathead and the new Beacons are hitting news stands. Our lead story this week details tension, distrust and arguments over helicopter safety within the DNRC while fighting the wildfires of 2006 and 2007 […]

As you walk down the street in this trendy, somewhat pricey shopping area, you can’t help but notice the attention that has been paid to some shops. One, an upscale women’s clothing boutique, simply exudes class. Fine furniture, meticulously chosen fonts and signage that screams “I spent a lot of time and money to get […]

KALISPELL (AP) – A 22-year-old woman involved in a traffic accident that killed Montana Highway Patrol trooper David Graham pleaded no contest Tuesday to one count of careless driving resulting in a death. Jennirae Bloom entered her plea in Flathead County Justice Court the same day the charges were filed. She faces up to six […]

LIBBY (AP) – Two people are dead after a pickup truck crashed early Wednesday south of Libby. The Montana Highway Patrol says a Dodge pickup was westbound on U.S. Highway 2 at a high rate of speed around 3:30 a.m. and hit a patch of black ice. The driver lost control and the vehicle slid […]