Florence
Florence, MT · Municipal
Flathead Beacon
Kalispell Chamber Backs Ballot Issue to Keep Courts Nonpartisan
The Kalispell Chamber of Commerce has endorsed a ballot initiative aimed at keeping Montana’s courts nonpartisan, the nonprofit behind the initiative, Montanans for Nonpartisan Courts, announced in a Thursday press release. In the release, Lorraine Clarno, the chamber’s president, cited small businesses’ need for “fair, impartial, and consistent rulings”...
Flathead Beacon
Columbia Falls Council Approves Temporary Emergency Bear Ordinance
Columbia Falls city councilors this week unanimously approved an emergency, temporary bear ordinance to address a rise in bear conflicts in the city and the Flathead Valley that has continued throughout the summer and into the start of fall. The ordinance took effect immediately after Monday night’s vote and will...
Flathead Beacon
A Campaign Rooted in Community
After hundreds of doorstep conversations across House District 3, one thing is clear: families are working hard to build a life here in the Flathead Valley, but too many feel that life is becoming harder to afford and harder to protect. Homeowners worry that rising values will push property taxes...
Char-Koosta News
Community Spotlight: The Ronan Mill
RONAN — For Trinity Rosenbaum, opening The Ronan Mill wasn’t a sudden leap — it was a longtime idea that finally found its moment. “It was just something I had always kind of thought about, was having my own coffee shop, and the opportunity kind of fell into my lap,” Rosenbaum said.
Whitefish Pilot
New Whitefish pocket park to feature a wind phone for grieving and healing
A pocket park will be established at Cow Creek this fall and community members alongside city park leaders have agreed that a wind phone would be a fitting addition. A wind phone is a disconnected rotary phone typically placed in a serene environment. It is a symbolic tool for grief, providing a space for healing and emotional connection to those lost. "People can call their loved ones who have passed away and share their feelings aloud, trusting that the wind will carry their messages to the ones they love," said Melissa Hill, a community member leading the effort to bring a wind phone to Whitefish. Hill experienced a devastating loss on Oct. 18, 2024, when family member Kevin Trimm died by suicide. Trimm, born Sept. 11, 1993, left a profound absence. "There are still so many things we wish we could tell him — things we wish we could ask him, stories we wish we could share and moments we wish he could be here for," Hill said. While grieving, Hill's family came across the idea of a wind phone. The first "Phone of the Wind" was built near Otsuchi, Japan by gardener Itaru Sasaki after he lost his cousin
Lake County Leader
Ronan’s new Trail of Bales theme rolls into another great Harvest Festival
From Dolly Parton to the Statue of Liberty and the “Leaning Tower of Pizza,” hay bales around Ronan have transformed into creative landmarks as the community welcomes another year of the Chamber of Commerce Harvest Festival. Harvest Festival brings vendors, food, games and community together on Saturday, Sept. 19. This year also features a new Trail of Bales theme, “Around the World,” where local businesses have bales all over Ronan decorated in their best travel gear and landmark locations. A popular bale this year is done by J&K Town & Country Salon, in tribute to the late country singer Dolly Parton. Positioned outside their storefront in downtown Ronan, the blue bale features a handmade Parton with a painted-on poster board face and hair made from a hula skirt to achieve Parton’s iconic look. “We’re all country fans, so it was pretty easy to decide what to do,” said Johnie Underwood at J&K Town & Country Salon. “She did the free children’s books, motivational speaking and was all around a great person. We all thought she would be fitting for the theme.” Another eye-catcher this year is the return of Belle, the mannequin’s hay bale in front of Bev’s Bloomers. Their
Bigfork Eagle
New wellness destination comes to life in Bigfork
The Fort has been a dream seven years in the making, since Kaci Calaway and Joe and Michelle Sikkema sat around Calaway's father Timothy's table and talked about his dream for transforming the fields he owned into a community center. Shortly after they started to develop the land, though, Calaway's father died unexpectedly of a heart attack. He wouldn't get to see the ribbon flutter to the ground at the grand opening of the space he had envisioned for so long, but Calaway and the Sikkemas know that The Fort would never have been possible without him. "Dad had everything ready, and he was supposed to break ground in 2022 when he passed away suddenly," Calaway said. "We were left with the development — well, the beginnings of a development. It was really just dirt." "We decided to keep the legacy going, and that's why this entire thing is called The Fort," Joe said to the people crowded into the building's entrance to watch the ribbon cutting. "We designed this space to be for everyone in the Bigfork community, for the valley, as a one-stop-shop for your health and wellness. We try to put everything under one roof." If Timothy
Lake County Leader
Opinion: Moral character and honesty are more important than ever
I feel compelled to write in support of Dalton Bradford, who is running for state representative in my district. I have known Dalton and his family for years, since he was a young boy. Dalton and his siblings went to school with my children, and I worked and was friends with his mother. I feel that moral character and honesty are more important than ever, and I feel strongly that Dalton is a good representative of these traits. Dalton is running as a Democrat, but first and foremost, as a person that cares about his community and his state and ultimately his country. Dalton is a good person, and a person who listens to people around him. I believe he wants the best for everyone, and will do all that he can to better his community and the people that live in this state. Dalton lives in this community. His family lives in this community. He is a Montanan. My purpose here is to attest to the type of person that Dalton is. If you are interested in his politics and his ideas, I would urge you to talk to him and to the people running his campaign. Dalton is
Bigfork Eagle
Multiple approvals clear path for Lakeside development to move forward
The Montana Department of Environmental Quality has issued final approval for the first phase of the Territory 1889 luxury development in Lakeside, allowing multinational developer Discovery Land Company to begin work on its resort. The department conducted an environmental assessment to consider the impacts of the development’s proposed water, wastewater and stormwater facilities for the first phase of development, which is limited to 79 residential lots, as well as roads and utility infrastructure. The entire project encompasses a proposed 359 homes, private golf courses and a marina. “The Phase 1 facilities represent a small increment to existing resource demands in the Lakeside area, and cumulative impacts across the resource areas analyzed in this EA are expected to be minor when considered alongside past and present actions in the corridor,” officials wrote in the department’s environmental assessment report. Future phases of the development will require additional, independent approval, and approval of the first phase does not commit the department to approval of future phases, according to the review. The Department of Environmental Quality’s certificate of subdivision approval only addresses the adequacy of water supply, sewage disposal and storm drainage systems. Subdivision design, land use, home construction, internal roads, grading and other
Whitefish Pilot
Railroad crossings at Birch Point, State Park closed for work on Monday
The railroad crossings at Birch Point Drive and State Park Road will be closed from 10 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 27 until 4 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 28 for railroad crossing work. Pedestrian crossing will be permitted, however, if you wish to use your vehicle, please plan to park on the south side of the closure. Parking will temporarily be permitted on Birch Point Drive, State Park Road, and the Zinke Peace Park during the closure. The crews on site will have materials available to allow emergency vehicle crossing at all times. If you have any questions about this closure, call BNSF at (800) 832-8452.
Char-Koosta News
Events at the North Lake County Public Library
For the Week of 09/21/2026 News from the North Lake County Public Library District:. Friday, September 25th at 4 p.m.: LEGO Club. Join us at North Lake County Public Library for LEGO Club, a fun, hands-on program where creativity meets learning! Work on your own builds or collaborate with others while exploring problem-solving, imagination, and STEM skills. Ages 10 & up and all skill levels are welcome. Just bring your ideas—we’ll bring the bricks!
Whitefish Pilot
New zoning district heads to Council with Planning Commission recommendation
The Whitefish Planning Commission fielded several public comments before voting to add a new zoning district called micro-lot residential to the established zoning districts. The vote was 3-2 in favor of recommending the new district with Commission Chair Whitney Beckham and commission member Scott Wurster voting in opposition. The City Council is scheduled to hear the item on Oct. 5. The change allows for reasonably priced, residential developments with small lots, like Trailview in Whitefish. The neighborhoods would have tiny homes, townhomes, cottages or row-house type developments. Part of Vision Whitefish 2045, the community plan adopted in April, was a placetype called compact suburban neighborhood to accommodate lots of about 2,500 square feet to “increase density while keeping a suburban feel,” according to the staff report. That notion is expanded by the WR-M micro-lot residential zone, which allows a minimum lot size of 2,400 square feet and sublot sizes of 1,200 square feet for townhomes and row houses. Side setbacks are 5 feet, and front and rear setbacks are 10 feet. City Councilor Ben Davis said in a letter to the commission that the ordinance doesn’t go far enough, and said developments like Trailview should be allowed anywhere in town.
Whitefish Pilot
Whitefish solar project powers homes, offsets peak demand
The sun understood the assignment and shone brightly over Monegan Road on Wednesday, Sept. 16 as Flathead Electric Cooperative, Bonneville Environmental Foundation, U.S. Department of Agriculture, the city of Whitefish and several citizens celebrated the completion of a new solar project. “This is an exciting day for us because it reflects the kind of community driven project that this board wants to support – one shaped by local ideas, strong partnerships and meaningful benefits for our members,” said Stacey Schnebel, Flathead Electric Cooperative board president. The solar array, built on city land near the wastewater treatment plant, is made up of 448 solar panels that each generate about 700 kWh per year. The project is expected to generate enough power for 21 average homes. A battery system on site stores energy for peak demand. People may purchase a panel’s power generation for $700 per panel, which will result in a reduction on their power bill by about $43 per year, per panel. The solar array in Whitefish is the third community solar project Flathead Electric Coop has built. The first was built in 2015 off Whitefish Stage Road and the second, in 2018 in Kalispell. “This project came online earlier
Lake County Leader
Prescribed burns of 1,867 acres planned on Bison Range
Prescribed fire activities on the CSKT Bison Range will be conducted during the next month as weather allows, covering an estimated 1,867 acres. According to a press release from the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes Division of Fire, the objectives of these fire activities are to begin restoring periodic fire to a fire-dependent ecosystem, aid in the treatment of invasive species and contribute to ongoing research studies. During prescribed fire activities, visitors to the refuge may experience smoky conditions. As a result of these activities, visitors are apt to notice burned areas along the tour routes and see a temporarily reduction in the use of those routes by certain wildlife species. The prescribed burns are designed to help increase grassland habitat and foraging potential; knock back conifer encroachment; slash all trees 8 inches diameter at breast height (DBH) and smaller; and retain ponderosa pines that are 20 inches diameter and larger and solid snags that are more than 20 inches diameter. Overall, the Division of Fire’s objective includes reducing Douglas fir while creating a mosaic pattern to make more rangeland available for grazing and maintaining tree cover for wildlife. For more information, call CSKT Division of Fire at 406-676-2550.