The North Shore Ranch (east of Somers) was first proposed in 2006, at the height of the boom: 375 homes on 367 acres east of Somers. As expected, the “sprawl” crowd stiffly opposed North Shore. It was denied, rightly so, for some technical shortcomings. In the spring of 2008, after redoing their homework, North Shore’s […]

Work is moving along on the U.S. 93 alternate route. Meanwhile, the Flathead County Fair Board is under fire after dismissing the fair manager. HIGH BARACK OBAMA – The president’s job approval rating is holding steady at 53 percent, according to a new Associated Press poll, even as Congress’ approval drops to an abysmal 22 […]

I would just like to comment on your story about the horse slaughterhouse (Feb. 10 Beacon: “Hard Times for a Western Icon”). A woman quoted said horses, “know they’re being led to death.” I would question whether she herself has ever been to a slaughter facility. I have had the sad task of accompanying my […]

What’s a paycheck worth? More to some people than others. Creating jobs and paychecks is, of course, among the important goals of Sen. Jon Tester’s Forest Jobs and Recreation Act – a bill that blazes a trail to healthier, more productive and more sustainable forests in Montana. Big deal! So shouted one of the bill’s […]

For many years, Flathead Lake has enjoyed the reputation of being a premier fishing Mecca for Montana fishermen, sportsmen from adjoining states and from elsewhere. The pristine water of this lake has been home to kokanee salmon, whitefish, yellow perch, westslope cutthroat (flats), bull trout and, last but not least, the sporting favorite, lake trout/mackinaw […]

Last night on Turner Classic Movies, I watched “All the President’s Men”, a movie made from the Carl Bernstein / Bob Woodward book about how they discovered and broke the story on the Watergate break-in and cover up. And what exactly does this have to do with your business? Lots. One thing really leaped off […]

Plum Creek’s VP of northern resources and manufacturing retires on a high note. Meanwhile, growth in liquor sales takes a hit. HIGH STEVE BULLOCK – The Montana attorney general announces a program in Lewis and Clark County to reduce drunken driving requiring daily breath tests for those accused of two DUIs. HANK RICKLEFS – Plum […]

During the past three decades, countless Flathead citizens, public officials, scientists and organizations, including the Flathead Lakers, have staunchly defended Flathead waters from the threat of upstream coal development proposals in the British Columbia headwaters of the Flathead River. All of that work has paid off. We are elated that B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell and […]

In the Beacon office, we have a sales executive who is originally from Calgary, Alberta. Proud of it. And, like many of those who have citizenship in both countries, when it comes to hockey, he roots for Canada. While I would like to argue that he took the Canadians’ first loss in men’s hockey to […]

On Feb. 22, a new law went into effect requiring that loaded guns be permitted in our national parks and wildlife refuges. The powerful National Rifle Association has contributed to the campaign funds of many, if not most, of the senators in office today. Twenty-seven Democrats, 39 Republicans and one Independent voted to support Sen. […]

Republican legislators have sponsored five and attended seven public forums on property taxes and have had numerous meetings with property owners during the last four months. The present property tax process is unacceptable. It is neither predictable nor stable. No one should be taxed out of their home. Property taxes affect all of us – […]

One of the things everyone knows how to do is wet the end of their finger and hold it up in the air to see which direction the wind is coming from (at least for that instant in time). It’s an indicator of current conditions, not unlike the famous tourist store “Weather Rock” kitsch (aka […]

It’s been comical to watch environmentalists bludgeon each other over Jon Tester’s wilderness bill, the so-called “Forest Jobs and Recreation Act,” FJRA for short. The extremists are demanding 6 million wilderness acres all at once. The incrementalists respond by saying FJRA’s million acres of wilderness and “wilderness lite” are really, really just a first step […]

Columbia Falls’ girls and boys basketball teams head to state on a high note after winning Divisionals. Meanwhile, crews are searching for mail that may have fallen out of a plane en route to Kalispell. HIGH COLUMBIA FALLS – The boys and girls basketball teams win the Divisional tournament after a dominant season. CANADA HOCKEY […]

Twenty years ago, I returned to the Flathead Valley after a self-imposed exile to the University of Montana to earn a degree, followed by a nine-month, two-week, three-day deployment to Southern California where I taught seventh-grade English. Not long after returning to the Flathead, I joined Flathead County Search and Rescue, and I was issued […]