Essex, MT

A Wisconsin man has died after his motorcycle struck a black bear on a western Montana highway, authorities said Tuesday.

KALISPELL, MONT. — Columbia Falls held a public comment session on the proposed River Highlands Apartments development Tuesday night. The development falls along the Flathead River along River Road in Columbia Falls. It looks to add 455 housing units on 49.1 acres of land with 21.5 acres of parking.

Brian Kennedy of Columbia Falls and Jack Beard of Kalispell, both 67, were considered expert climbers in the area, summiting mountain peaks in Glacier National Park for decades.

MISSOULA, Mont. — A public meeting to discuss a planned subdivision in Columbia Falls has been moved to the junior high cafeteria to accomodate more people. The meeting is set for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. The proposal would build 455 housing units on 49 acres near Highway 2 and River...

Postgraduate students of the outdoors will already understand why the Flathead Valley ranks so high in the geographic canon of Mother Nature’s most influential works, but teachers on a mission to reach a whole new freshman class are celebrating after the Glacier Institute announced its first major fundraising initiative last month.

From scenic wonders to historical treasures, here are just a few of the crowd-pleasers that itinerary planners can put on their radar. Since the 1930s, the Red Bus Tours fleet of vintage vehicles has been offering guided tours on the park’s iconic Going-to-the-Sun Road, one of the world’s most scenic roadways. Glacier Park Boat Company, another park concessionaire, operates narrated, 45- to 90-minute excursions on McDonald, St. Mary, Swiftcurrent, Josephine and Two Medicine lakes. Some cruises include a guided walk or hike. Sun Tours provides interpretive bus tours of the park from the perspective of the Blackfeet Tribe.

Glacier National Park officials have provided an update on a project to rehabilitate a total of 13 bridges.

The Bigfork Art and Cultural Center has been invited to participate in this year's Great Fish Community Challenge, among other Bigfork nonprofits and projects. It is the first time the BACC has been chosen for the annual fundraiser hosted by the Whitefish Community Foundation, which helps local nonprofits raise money for projects and programs. The drive has raised over $17 million for more than 75 local charities since 2015. For the campaign, the WCF provides a percentage match on the first $20,000 raised by each participating nonprofit. The WCF organizes the challenge free of charge for participating organizations. Time, money, and...

Since 1960, one of Bigfork’s main attractions, arguably bringing in thousands of people each summer, is the Bigfork Summer Playhouse. The humble beginnings can be traced back to Bo Brown and his wife Margery who recognized the wave of revived community theaters spreading across America in the 1950s and even though “Montana was somewhat behind” the rest of the country, they figured there was an audience for live theater here as well. After getting his PhD from the University of Wisconsin, Bo joined the faculty at the University of Montana in Missoula where he soon established the master summer theater....

The American Red Cross needs volunteers for their Bigfork Blood Drive. Volunteers of any age are needed for the drive which is held six times a year at Bethany Lutheran Church. The drive runs from 11:30 a.m.- 5:30 p.m. on the first Tuesday of August, October, December, February, April and June. Organizers need help with Setup/Breakdown, Canteen Duty, and Sign-in/Registration. No heavy lifting is required and training will be provided. You don't have to be a blood donor to volunteer. If you are interested or have questions, contact Blood Program Leader Steve Shapero at 406-890-5040 or by email at sshapero@gmail.com. In recent weeks, a decline in donations has caused the American Red Cross blood supply to shrink nearly 20 percent. This drop in donations could lead to a seasonal blood shortage, which can negatively impact patient care at hospitals across the country. If you are interested in donating during the month of August, the Red Cross will be entering donors for a chance to win free gas for a year. Donors will also receive a $10 e-gift card to a merchant of choice. Details are available at rcblood.org/fuel.

A 59-year-old Hungry Horse man known locally for his work as a landscape artist pleaded not guilty last week to a felony count of criminal endangerment after he allegedly tried to electrocute his partner while she was in the shower on July 23. Nicholas Oberling on Aug. 4 entered the...

LeRoy Lindsey was born in Allensville, Tennessee, on March 26, 1939. He passed away peacefully on July 31, 2022, at Logan Health surrounded by his family. LeRoy moved with his parents Roy and Muriel Lindsey to Columbia Falls, Montana, in 1954 where he attended and graduated high school in 1957. LeRoy enjoyed entertaining and demonstrating his gymnastic skills during halftime games. Upon graduation LeRoy was employed at the Anaconda Aluminum Plant. Soon after he married Virginia McCallister and they had a son, Randy. LeRoy was then drafted and deployed to Germany with his family for several years. Returning to the states...

A Flathead County man received a six year deferred sentence Aug. 4 on a criminal endangerment charge picked up for allegedly firing a gun at his adult stepson during a January fight. Judge Robert Allison cited concerns over a perceived uptick in firearms offenses in the county as he handed down a lengthier sentence than either prosecutors or the defense team recommended for Nathan Andrew Rosene. “The offense involves the discharge of a firearm, which has become extremely problematic in the community,” Allison said. Authorities arrested Rosene, 55, at a Columbia Falls lodging house after the Jan. 4 shooting on Jayhawk Lane....

Bigfork Art & Cultural Center, located in the town of Bigfork is a popular tourist destination, is currently displaying artwork from Salish Kootenai College (SKC) graduates. Artists are Tristan Chantz Mendelkow, Desmyn "The Sensai" Singer, Candace Coxen, Robyn Kay Iron, Nicolas Grant, Mya Kaye Ariwite, Devin Cordier, Henrietta Wolf Black, Jorah Thompson, Persephone Sandoval, Joshua Kraude, Quilanna Cheff, Sarah Sandoval, and Twilynn LopezdeVictoria-Caye,

UPDATE, AUG. 5 AT 12:10 PM:The 79-year-old Florid man who was declared deceased after being recovered from Glacier National Park has been identified as Bob Biondi of Lutz, Florida.A release from Glacier National Park says Biondi fell to his death while attempting to ascend a steep off-trail slope with a group of friends on Monday, July 25.National Parks Service staff was mobilized after campers heard shouts for help and Two Bear Air transported the patient to Two Medicine Ranger Station where ALERT was standing by for patient care.Biondi was declared deceased by ALERT personnel.“Park staff would like to thank the Glacier County Sheriff’s Office, ALERT, and Two Bear Air for their assistance and would also like to express their deepest condolences to the family,” the park said.

We might not have the best weather year-round, but we pack plenty of outdoor fun into the warmer months. Amusement parks are a great place to have fun with go-karts, mini golf, waterslides, and more. Unfortunately, Montana is limited to roughly five months of decent weather during which amusement parks can operate, so we don't have a very wide variety of parks. This only makes my question all the more important: which Montana amusement park is the best?

Bonnie Joan Lohman Shurtz was born Aug. 15, 1935, in Walkerville, Montana. In the early morning of Monday, Aug. 1, 2022, while sitting in her favorite chair facing her beloved lake, she peacefully passed away in her sleep. Bonnie lived a wonderful life and was just two weeks away from her 87th birthday. Bonnie graduated from Butte High School in 1953. While attending, she met and fell in love with her husband Glenn whom she married at the age of 20. He was a Montana State School of Mines engineer whose career took them all around the world including Scotland, Peru...