Bigfork Republican Bob Keenan needs to be careful. As he tromps across the country and we speculate about whether he runs for Montana governor or U.S. Senate or neither, he’s beginning to look eerily similar to another country-trotting politico who waited to announce a decision to run: presidential candidate Fred Thompson. While something can be […]

A year ago Gary Diegel closed up Sunshine CDs in the Kalispell Center Mall, marking not only the end of the shop’s 24-year run but also the vanishing of a once proud Main Street cornerstone in the Flathead Valley: the independent record shop. Diegel doesn’t have much faith in seeing another independent music store in […]

LAKESIDE – Sitting in the basement recording studio of his house, George “Cheyenne” Allen reflected on being scammed out of thousands of dollars by the contractor who built it. “They say your house is supposed to be like your dream, your biggest thing. Man, mine’s been like a nightmare and I lost a good friend, […]

French cuisine often conjures up visions of pretentiousness–expensive snails and miniscule crepes filling one quarter of an oversized plate. But French bistro fare is decidedly different. “Bistro” is the name given to simple, classic dishes, meals more akin to comfort foods. “We just haven’t been as bistro French as we’d like to be at dinner,” […]

HELENA (AP) – U.S. Sens. Max Baucus and Jon Tester on Wednesday urged top U.S. officials to help add Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park to the “List of World Heritage in Danger,” as part of their efforts to prevent mining and drilling proposals north of the Montana border. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization […]

I’ve got big news: The Testa household had a new arrival last night! Twins! I could hardly believe when I cradled them in my arms, nuzzling and cooing down at them. I spoke nonsense words until I embarrassed myself, but I’m just so proud. I couldn’t hold back the tears. They weigh 8 lbs. 9 […]

Lindi Nelson tees off for the “Niner-Niner” fundraising event at Eagle Bend Friday, September 14th. Friends of Bigfork Fire raised $69,677 for the fire department. Short of their $120,000 goal, but “for our very first fundraiser,” says Joyce Mitchell, president of FOBF, “its a good turnout.” Mitchell says checks continue to filter in. Bigfork Fire […]

Mary Reckin gets a kiss from her husband, Jerry Reckin, while singing on a runway at the League of the Glacier Symphony and Chorale kickoff luncheon at the Hilton Garden Inn. The symphony is celebrating its 25th anniversary and will open its season with Brahms and Schubert, with pianist Grace Nikae, on Oct. 13 and […]

100 years ago, an old British general started the Boy Scouts, teaching them the outdoor skills that kept him alive during the wars in Africa. Things like camping, hiking, cooking over a real fire, knot tying, expert use of axes, saws and hatchets, shooting, tracking and more – led and trained by the older boys […]

The Kalispell Police and Flathead County Sheriff’s reports for Monday included the following: 7:31 a.m. A man was seen rooting through mailboxes on Second Avenue West. 8:42 a.m. While on an expedition in Spotted Bear, near Salmon Forks, a 66-year-old man broke his shoulder and required ALERT to fly him out. 9:59 a.m. Someone abandoned […]

Good morning and happy National One Hit Wonder Day. I don’t know who decides these things; I just obey and turn up the Vanilla Ice. We’ve got a new feature on the Beacon – check out Stephen Templeton’s cartoon about the debate over forest management in the wake of the 2007 fire season. At the […]

My parents broke the rules. I had a male babysitter. I had male coaches. I went to friends’ slumber parties where their fathers were present. I’m glad my parents broke the rules. The Wall Street Journal’s Jeff Zaslow has recently written some pieces about the stereotyping of men as predators unless proven innocent. Fathers’ rights […]

Flathead High School: 16 – Touchdowns thrown by junior quarterback Brock Osweiler this year 2 – Interceptions thrown by Osweiler 23 – School record for touchdown passes in a season 5 – Regular season games left for Osweiler to break record 110 – Total points scored by Glacier volleyball team in loss to Flathead 106 […]

WASHINGTON (AP) – Former Montana state lawmaker Bob Keenan will be discussing a potential U.S. Senate bid with top Republicans this week, although he says he is still undecided about whether he will run. Keenan has plans to meet with Sens. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and John Ensign, R-Nev., about a challenge to Democratic Sen. Max […]

If current Western building trends continue on private property bordering fire-prone public lands, future firefighting costs will skyrocket to perhaps unmanageable amounts, according to a recent study. Flathead County already has more homes in these areas than any other county in the state. Headwaters Economics, an environmental research organization based out of Bozeman, released a […]