Greetings, Beacon readers! In an abrupt change from the thick smoke that has choked out the Flathead Valley for the last few weeks, it suddenly feels like spring thanks to a shift in the winds and monsoonal moisture flowing from the Great Basin. The rainy respite comes just in time for the Northwest Montana Fair and Rodeo, where carnies, rodeo clowns and herds of livestock have descended upon the Flathead County Fairgrounds as the festivities continue for the third day.
In addition to the signature 4H and FFA events allowing youth to showcase their stock, other events today include the Amazing Pig Races, a rabbit and poultry cook-off and the PRCA Rodeo. A slew of other events continue through Sunday evening, such as the Malicious Monster Truck Show at 4 p.m.
If you’re more into the Tilt-a-Whirl, Ferris Wheel or, my personal nemesis, the Zipper (warning: this ride may cause puking), the carnival portion of the fair is open for business at noon each day.
Flathead County and Dreamland Amusements officials have taken extra precautions this year, hiring a third party to perform multiple inspections prior to the carnival’s opening, according to a news release. While there have been no reported deaths or incidents at the Northwest Montana Fair and Rodeo in recent memory, fair officials said providing appropriate inspections and emergency resources is a top priority.
“These inspections are part of our ongoing commitment to providing a safe environment for our guests, employees and participants,” the release states.
This spring, a teenager died at a Butte carnival after falling from the Yo-Yo while three days ago at the MontanaFair in Billings, a tire flew off the Zipper ride, forcing patrons to evacuate. No injuries were reported.
Following a spate of Zipper fatalities 50 years ago, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission in 1977 issued an urgent warning advising the public to avoid the Zipper amusement ride. The four ride-related deaths and two serious injuries were reported after the car door opened mid-air, ejecting victims. The design has since been updated with mandatory redundant door latches and heavy-duty safety pins.
In other county news, the Flathead County Animal Shelter has been overflowing, with animal control delivering 15 dogs within a recent 48-hour period, Public Health Officer Jennifer Rankosky told commissioners at an Aug. 11 meeting.
“We don’t know if more people are abandoning dogs or what is happening, but it is slight chaos,” Rankosky said.
At one point, the shelter was housing 44 abandoned kittens, which did not include the adult cats. The Humane Society is brainstorming ways to boost spaying and neutering in the region.
Rankosky said since most of the dogs come from animal control, it’s unclear what has caused the high volume of strays.
“The dogs don’t tell us how they came to us,” Rankosky said.
Animal control has also been responding to numerous bat calls, including a bat that someone placed inside a watch case with a note that said “injured bat” that was dropped off at Flathead Pet Emergency.
“Whatever the reason is, it is bat season,” Rankosky said.
The health department this year has sent in roughly 70 bats for rabies testing so far, the same number that was sent during the entire year in 2025.
Rankosky said there has been an unusual amount of bat-human interactions this year, most of them involving tourists who handle bats with their bare hands and attempt to rescue the animal from the sides of buildings.
When a human interacts with a bat, the health department sends the animal to the state lab for testing, which determines if the person needs to follow up with the rabies treatment prophylaxis, typically costing up to $8,000.
“If you get rabies, it’s fatal,” Rankosky said.
Bats can transmit rabies to humans through bites and scratches, many of which are so small most people don’t know they are there. The Center for Disease Control warns people to avoid touching bats. Signs of a rabid bat includes daytime activity, as well as finding bats in unusual places like on the ground.
If you have been exposed to a bat, contact the Flathead County Health Department at (406) 751-8101.
I’m Maggie Dresser, here to bring you the rest of the Daily Roundup.
Former marshal Will Kane (Gary Cooper) is preparing to leave the small town of Hadleyville, New Mexico, with his new bride, Amy (Grace Kelly), when he learns that local criminal Frank Miller has been set free and is coming to seek revenge on the marshal who turned him in. When he starts recruiting deputies to fight Miller, Kane is discouraged to find that the people of Hadleyville turn cowardly when the time comes for a showdown, and he must face Miller and his cronies alone.
Wednesday, August 26 – WCC Film Series – Wendy and Lucy Wendy (Michelle Williams), a near-penniless drifter, is traveling to Alaska in search of work, and her only companion is her dog, Lucy. Already perilously close to losing everything, Wendy hits a bigger bump in the road when her old car breaks down, and she is arrested for shoplifting dog food. When she posts bail and returns to retrieve Lucy, she finds that the dog is gone, prompting a frantic search for her pet.
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