Four decades after its creation, the Flathead Basin Commission is poised to integrate with a new region-wide commission. Despite concerns that the merger will dilute focus on the critical headwaters, state administrators describe the new commission as “leaner and meaner.”
Republicans in the Montana Legislature introduced a record number of constitutional amendments this session. Nearly all of them are failing to make it on the ballot.
As rising operating costs and chronic staffing shortages shutter mental health facilities locally and statewide, a decade of stagnant Medicaid reimbursement rates has forced state lawmakers to start crafting solutions
A local boy and his family share their experience with a pediatric cancer diagnosis and the lessons in living that came with it
DREAM Adaptive Recreation recently partnered with the Whitefish Veterans Support Team to offer instruction and equipment for visually impaired veterans on Big Mountain while the nonprofit works to meet the rising demand for adaptive sports
Former Governor Marc Racicot stepped out of retirement to warn Montanans about threats to democracy. Now, the Republican Party he once knew is cutting ties with him.
The Whitefish Skatepark Association is in the final phase of fundraising to expand the Dave Olseth Memorial Skatepark, set to break ground this summer, and local skateboarders plan to bring the same opportunity to Columbia Falls
Regarded as the most prestigious honor in the restaurant world, the James Beard Foundation has recognized two chefs working at the top of their game on opposite ends of the Flathead Valley
Retirement awaits Flathead County Animal Shelter Director Cliff Bennett, who first took over the shelter in February 2010
As land managers grapple with unprecedented demand for new recreation uses on the Flathead National Forest, a growing segment of the public is raising conservation concerns while a perceived lack of transparency erodes their faith in the agency
Amid a nationwide teacher shortage, a program in Browning has trained over 100 local teachers, signaling a promising future for its public schools
Following a nationwide trend, residents in Flathead Valley mobile home parks are being priced out of their communities as landlords hike lot fees and surcharges, leaving low-income residents stuck with nowhere to move their homes as property owners operate with nearly no regulations
The tight labor market and strong construction demand point to economic stability while a global recession and rising interest rates indicate more negative growth, leaving economists divided when predicting a recession in 2023
A selection of the Beacon's best images from the last year
Gary Cabell has been skiing on Big Mountain since 1976. When his health started to fail and he lost running water on his property, the community jumped in to help
A federal court ordered dam operators along the Columbia and Snake rivers must lower reservoir levels and increase spill to aid endangered salmon and steelhead populations, an adjustment that Flathead Electric officials say has "direct affordability implications" to members
The three-time gold medalist made the move to Kalispell nearly four years ago and has since leaned on her newfound “village” as she prepares for her third Winter Paralympic Games.
Flathead County commissioners in February approved a resolution to separate the treasurer’s duties from the public administration role of finalizing estates, responsibilities Krantz has taken on for two decades as she retires from a 34-year career with the county
