Stevensville
Stevensville, MT · Municipal
Flathead Beacon
Recall Campaign Targets Kalispell Mayor Over Land Use Plan Vote
A small group of Kalispell community members is seeking to recall Mayor Ryan Hunter over his deciding vote in April to include a map of migratory bird habitat in the city’s land use plan, a vote organizers say advanced the interests of his employer, the Flathead Land Trust. Members...
Flathead Beacon
Workforce Rental Units to Open Up in South Whitefish Housing Development
New rental homes are coming to Whitefish this fall as the first phase of Alpine 93/40 — an apartment community at the intersection of Highway 93 and Highway 40 — nears completion. Twelve income-restricted apartments are expected to become available following the completion of the project’s first phase,...
Hungry Horse News
As Forest Service screens tram proposal, opposition is quick to mount
The Forest Service will go through a screening process to determine whether a proposed tramway up Columbia Mountain by Pursuit Glacier Park Collection will move forward, Flathead National Forest Supervisor Anthony Botello said last week. The 91-acres in Hungry Horse where the proposed tramway’s base would be located is classified as 6-C under the 2018 Flathead National Forest plan. That calls for high intensity vegetative management with motorized use. Currently it a large, but thinned woods, with a paved multi-use path running along some of it. The land at the Northwest shoulder of Columbia Mountain where the tram would stop is classified as 5-B, which is backcountry motorized use year-round, but only on designated routes/areas. The upper end is also in inventoried roadless areas. Currently there are trails up Columbia Mountain that are used by motorcyclists, but primarily by people hiking, as the route to the top is a long and steep one. The screening process is not a public one and public comment will not be taken, Botello said. He said that would come later if the proposal clears the screening process. Part of that process is whether the proposal is compatible with the Forest Plan, but also whether
Hungry Horse News
Yesterdays: City computer would cost $10 grand
70 years ago Oct. 5, 1956 School District 6 was preparing a ballot measure for a new high school. The district was asking for $1.49 million to erect a 600-student school, which is the school today. The tax impact on a $15,000 home would be about $12.50 a year. 60 years ago Oct. 7, 1966 Drilling had started for the Great Northern Railway’s tunnel through Elk Mountain near Trego. The 7-mile-long tunnel was the continent’s second longest tunnel at the time. 50 years ago Oct. 7, 1976 Big headline read “Can people live near grizzlies?” The question came after a woman was killed while camping in Many Glacier. Glacier Park biologist Cliff Martinka surmised that bears close to people was problematic and the park was considering “adversive” conditioning, which can work in some cases. 40 years ago Oct. 8, 1986 The city council was leery about buying a new computer to keep the city’s books. Councilman Terry Guidi noted the problems he had at school with his computer (he was a counselor) and city clerk Connie Konopatzke said the computer she had didn’t work well. A new computer, printer and maintenance contract was $10,000 at the time. 30 years ago
Flathead Beacon
Reject Pursuit’s Tram Proposal Again
Pursuit’s tram proposal should be summarily rejected by the Forest Service, as it was in 2023, because it is inconsistent with the Flathead Forest Plan and duplicates services already provided on public lands at Whitefish Mountain Resort. This tramway would further fragment wildlife habitat and their north-south travel, which is already fragmented by U.S. Highway 2, a railroad, power lines, and high human use of the Flathead River corridor. It will also destroy the views of that mountainside and river corridor.
Whitefish Pilot
Missing dog activates communities in valley wide search effort
A scared Collie cross was adopted and then bolted from her new owner’s car and into the woods around Whitefish about two months ago. Now, people across the valley are teaming up to bring the dog to safety. There have been about 20 reported sightings of the young dog named Rogue who is still wearing a harness and dragging a leash. In almost all of the sightings, the dog ran away when people called her or walked toward her. What makes this missing dog special is that she “went from a horrible situation, to a shelter, to being on her own in the wilderness, for close to 60 days now,” searcher Haylee Johnson said. “It's heartbreaking.” Trail camera footage placed her in the Lion Mountain area for weeks, but a recent video sighting came from Tamarack Lane near Meadow Lake Golf Club in Columbia Falls. Just days ago, she was seen at the golf driving range near Grouse Mountain, back in Whitefish, but searches think that was likely a different dog. “We desperately need residents throughout Columbia Falls, Meadow Lake, Hungry Horse and surrounding areas to check security cameras, doorbell cameras, trail cameras and any other footage they may have,”
Flathead Beacon
Providence Opens New Rural Health Clinic in Polson
Just over a year after breaking ground on a rural health clinic in Polson, community members, donors and hospital staff gathered Sept. 30 in front of the new building just behind Providence St. Joseph Medical Center. “Over the years we’ve heard about this need over and over again,” Chief Executive...
kalispell.com
5th Ave WN - North Bound Lane – Road Closure
The City of Kalispell Public Works Department will conduct maintenance work on 5th Ave WN. This maintenance work is scheduled to begin at 8:30 am Wednesday, October 7, 2026 and is anticipated to be completed by the end of the working day. Impacted Areas:. • Northbound traffic on 5th Ave...
wheninyourstate.com
The largest natural freshwater lake west of the Mississippi stretches across northwest Montana
Flathead Lake spreads across nearly 200 square miles in northwest Montana, and the first time you see it, you pull over. You can’t help it. The water runs blue-green, the Mission Mountains rise snowcapped to the east, and the far shore is so distant it disappears into haze. This...
Flathead Beacon
Pursuit Resubmits Columbia Mountain Tram Proposal
Pursuit Attractions and Hospitality announced Thursday it had submitted a proposal to the Flathead National Forest to build a year-round aerial tram up Columbia Mountain near Hungry Horse, reviving a project the agency rejected nearly four years ago. The Forest Service confirmed receipt of the proposal the same day. The...
Whitefish Pilot
Flathead Valley developer Ruis responds to federal indictment
Flathead Valley developer Alvin “Mick” Ruis and two other men face federal charges of major fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and criminal forfeiture from a case involving scaffolding contracts with the U.S. Navy in 2020 and 2021. Ruis and his co-defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges, were released on their own recognizance and vigorously deny the charges. Ruis is represented by attorneys Jan Ronis and Gretchen von Helms. “Mr. Ruis has pleaded not guilty and is presumed innocent,” Von Helms said Monday. “Mr. Ruis has no prior record and has spent his whole life following the rules in order to build successful businesses.” According to a grand jury indictment that was unsealed Sept. 3 in the Southern District of California, Ruis, Isaiah Levi Diehl of Helena and Shawn Peilun Huang of San Diego allegedly conspired to secure contracts for scaffolding with the U.S. Navy. In the indictment, federal prosecutors claim that the three secured scaffolding contracts through one company, owned by Huang, when the actual work would be done by either Diehl’s or Ruis’ company. The Naval’s Regional Maintenance centers in San Diego, and Mayport, Florida, both utilized small business set aside contracts called commercial and industrial service
fireapparatusmagazine.com
‘A Big Relief’: New South Kalispell (MT) Fire Station Breaks Ground After Years of Planning
Daily Inter Lake, Kalispell, Mont. Work on a new South Kalispell fire station off Airport Road is finally kicking off. The need for a new fire station in the South Kalispell Fire District has been the subject of discussions for the last 25 years, said Fire Chief Chris Yerkes. It has been on his to-do list since he took over as chief in 2008.
Lake County Leader
Polson City Commission approves closing SID, tables taxpayer refund
Taxpayers within the bounds of Special Improvement District 42 raised several questions during a recent Polson City Commission public hearing about SID 42 after the City of Polson posted a document detailing the properties due for a possible refund, which totaled about $6,000 less than the approximate amount in the SID account. Finance Officer Jodi O’Sullivan and City Attorney Dave Michie presented two resolutions to the commission on Monday, Sept. 21, regarding this SID. One was to dissolve SID 42, and the other was to return the SID funds. According to previous Leader reporting , O’Sullivan said the typical procedure when closing an SID is to transfer the remaining funds to the revolving fund and later use them to cover the initial cost of opening a future SID. However, during the Aug. 18 meeting, the commission “indicated” that these funds should be returned to taxpayers, Michie said, prompting the presentation of this resolution. During the Sept. 18 meeting, Polson resident Becky Dupuis said that, according to her research, $37,500 was placed in the revolving fund when SID 42 was created, meaning that transferring the overpaid taxpayer funds, combined with the original transfer, would total over $60,000 not returned to taxpayers.
NBCMontana
New housing development opens in Kalispell as demand continues
KALISPELL, Mont. — On Wednesday, a new housing development officially opened in Kalispell. Hayden Homes celebrated its grand opening of Eagle Valley Ranch, a new single-family home community. Homes in the community range from 1,408 to 3,195 square feet. Houses will include three to five bedrooms, as well as...
Flathead Beacon
2026 Great Northwest Oktoberfest Kicks Off with Locals Night
Another edition of the Whitefish Chamber of Commerce’s Great Northwest Oktoberfest will kick off Thursday, commencing two weekends of steinholding, chicken dancing, keg hurling, sausage eating and, of course, beer drinking. The action begins at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 1 with Locals Night, where Flathead residents age 21...