All summer long, Dana Fraley would ask her husband John, “Where’s Troy?” On almost every occasion, no matter what day or what time it was, the answer would usually be the same — he’s out running. “I would try to tell him he can take a day off and enjoy the summer,” Dana said of […]

HELENA – U.S. Sen. Max Baucus said Wednesday there is an “excellent chance” that a bipartisan deficit-reduction supercommittee can reach a deal that includes a combination of spending cuts and tax revenue increases. Observers in Washington D.C. have been increasingly skeptical that the panel, due to act by Nov. 23, can reach its goal of […]

HELENA – The attorney for a group seeking a complete overhaul of Montana’s campaign finance laws asked a judge Wednesday to rule that it is unconstitutional for the state to penalize it for not reporting its expenditures. The hearing in Helena district court was part of an ongoing legal battle taking place in both the […]

The Missoula County Commission and the National Wildlife Federation made a big political statement with their lawsuit to halt construction modules from being transported on Montana highways en route to the Kearl oil sands in Alberta. Now that the litigation has about run its course, let’s evaluate exactly what they accomplished. When it’s all said […]

Monday 10/17 6:08 a.m. A Columbia Falls woman reported that her soon-to-be ex-husband’s cousin was at her house beating on the walls and stealing her things. 8:50 a.m. A Kalispell woman’s coin purse was stolen. 11:03 a.m. Numerous horses were seen roaming county roads. 11:36 a.m. A man on Main Street called another man a […]

SIRTE, Libya – Moammar Gadhafi, who ruled Libya with a dictatorial grip for 42 years until he was ousted by his own people in an uprising that turned into a bloody civil war, was killed Thursday when revolutionary forces overwhelmed his hometown, Sirte, the last major bastion of resistance two months after his regime fell. […]

Now that Polson’s football, girls golf and girls cross country teams have secured Northwestern A divisional crowns, the volleyball team is zeroing in on a conference title of its own. Polson’s girls narrowly beat Columbia Falls on Oct. 15 to claim the Northwestern A divisional cross country championship. The Lady Pirates were paced by the […]

Despite the challenges that persist in the evolving agriculture industry, the active farming community in the Flathead Valley continues to be one of the most innovative in the country. How that community can remain strong and survive in a difficult climate was the focus at the first-ever Flathead Valley Agricultural Forum at the Flathead County […]

Click the image or use the arrows to see more photos from Salish Kootenai College practices. On the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation, a land riddled with devastating poverty and perpetual unemployment, there are no scholarships. Basketball is played, as the saying goes, for the love of the game. Fort Belknap’s Aaniiih Nakoda College is one […]

WASHINGTON –The Republican presidential candidates tore into each other as never before in their latest debate, mindful that voting starts within 11 weeks and many GOP voters remain up for grabs. Mitt Romney emerged from the two-hour forum Tuesday night still the person to beat, but he was considerably scratched up on the issues of […]

Sunday 10/16 10:24 a.m. During the night, a cash box was stolen and an ATM was broken into at a Bigfork casino. 11:42 a.m. Two men were seen smoking “some kind of drug” outside of a business on Highway 93 North. 11:52 a.m. Two drunken men on Idaho Street cussed and walked into things. 12:11 […]

Flathead Valley resident Gerald “Jay” Scott announced his candidacy for the Flathead County Commission District 3 seat, currently held by Dale Lauman. The election will be on the 2012 ballot. Scott managed the Flathead County Fairgrounds for 12 years and has owned several businesses in the area. He has been involved with several local clubs […]

Five candidates are running for three seats on the six-member council. Voting takes place on Nov. 8. Contact the Flathead County Election Department at (406) 758-2422 with any questions. The Columbia Falls city council candidates were asked the following four questions: 1. Why are you running and what makes you a strong candidate? 2. What […]

There are five candidates running for Columbia Falls City Council, which passes for a crowd in a town that is home to Flathead County’s quietest city elections. When voters look at their ballots on Nov. 8, they will be faced with the prospect of actually selecting candidates, which hasn’t always been the case in recent […]

Hey townies, please vote for a change. Municipal turnout is typically very low with most locals not voting. But local races offer townies a big vote on the type of community they want fostered. When it all boils down, the deciding factor for most votes is still trust. Who do you trust as advocates for […]