Swan Lake
Swan Lake, MT · Municipal
Flathead Beacon
Flathead Beacon
Flathead Beacon
Kelly, McLaughlin Vie for House District 9 Seat
Steven Kelly, the Republican incumbent, will face Kalispell Democrat Kate McLaughlin for the House District 9 seat. Kelly has focused on law enforcement and public safety, building on his first term. McLaughlin has campaigned on a “families first” platform that addresses affordable housing, health care access and child care.
NBCMontana
Territory 1889 water agreement raises concerns among Lakeside residents
LAKESIDE, Mont. — During Wednesday's Lakeside County Water and Sewer District meeting, residents pushed back on a proposed agreement involving Territory 1889, also known as the Flathead Lake Club. The new water agreement would reduce the project's water allocation from 125 to 80 acre-feet per year. However, some residents...
The Western News
Federal biologist to talk grizzlies Nov. 12 in Libby
The Libby Chapter of the Society of American Foresters (SAF) will have their regular meeting on Thursday, Nov. 12 at the Venture Inn in Libby. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service wildlife biologist Wayne Kasworm is the featured speaker. Kasworm is the team leader for grizzly bear recovery in the Cabinet/Yaak ecosystem. He will describe the extensive monitoring and capture results, home ranges of collared bears, mortality, and population estimates based on genetics. He will also discuss the recent work on huckleberry habitat mapping and production in our area. There will be a brief social from 5:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., self-serve pizza at 6 p.m. ($10), followed by a 6:30 p.m. presentation. The public is welcome to attend this presentation. For information, call Russ Gautreaux at 406-293-3108
NBCMontana
Lake County Leader
Former Rollins fire chief raises concern over proposed levy allocating nearly two-thirds towards full-time chief position
Former Rollins Fire Department chief and assistant chief Peggy Baird, who volunteered for 21 years, is raising concerns about the proposed levy, which would allocate two-thirds of the permanent increase to fund a full-time chief position. Baird said she is not opposed to the levy increase but believes it is premature, given the department recently completed a new facility. She believes it may raise insurance and utility costs that the department has not accounted for. The proposed permanent levy increase is $91,000 annually, which breaks down to $60,000 for a full-time chief, $20,000 for a vehicle and equipment reserve and $11,000 for operations, PPE, and training. For a market-value home at $100,000, the levy would cost $11.96 per year; for $300,000, $35.88 per year; and for a $600,000 market-value home, $85.92 per year. Baird said funding this position immediately after completing the building is “kind of crazy.” “I'm not against a levy. I just think that the community needs to be involved, and let's see what happens the first year with the new fire department, where we actually get some solid cost figures,” Baird said. “Because I think it's going to surprise them.” However, department officer and treasurer Greg LeFevre
Whitefish Pilot
Guest opinion: Interlocal agreement would preserve Whitefish Lake
Work still continues on the “cabin” on Whitefish Lake, commonly referred to as the concrete house, where I believe the impact on the shore is synonymous with poor stewardship of the land. The property came to the attention of the public and neighbors in 2024 when the contractor's excavation expert blew rock and rubble into the lake with a miscalculated explosion. There was considerable outcry from the neighbors and residents of Whitefish concerned about the damage that was done, the distressing look of the construction site and overall welfare of the lake and shoreline. As this portion of Whitefish Lake is in the county, nothing could be done because the county has no building codes or permits required other than electrical and water. The county also has limited inspection and enforcement of any work done along Whitefish Lake. Along this same line of atrocity on Whitefish Lake, another property on Rest Haven Drive includes construction of a retaining wall at the water line and a house constructed to within 10 feet of that wall. Additional stonework along the landscape adjacent and leading to the site further scar the view from the lake and along the shoreline. For the future, an
NBCMontana
Kalispell leaf collection program underway
KALISPELL, Mont. — Fall cleanup is underway in Kalispell, and city crews are helping residents clear out leaves before winter sets in. The city’s annual leaf collection program is in progress until Nov. 20, weather permitting. City officials ask residents to rake leaves from their lawns into the...
The Western News
Libby man prefers Flint over Forstag
Every fall, my family fills our freezer with what we hunt. So on November 3, I’m voting for Aaron Flint, the candidate who will protect our right to keep our tradition alive. Aaron, a fifth-generation Montanan and combat veteran, earned the NRA’s top rating and the endorsement of Gun Owners of America and the MT Shooting Sports Association. He didn’t hedge or dodge. Aaron told gun owners and hunters exactly where he stands. Sam Forstag took a different path. When the NRA sent him its candidate questionnaire, he didn’t even fill it out. Not to mention, the Gun Owners of America gave him an F. For a candidate who calls himself a gun-rights champion, that’s an odd way to prove it. It’s also important to look at the company Forstag keeps. He has Bernie Sanders and AOC’s endorsement Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, two national figures who have spent years pushing sweeping gun control. Those aren’t Montana values, and they sure aren’t hunting-camp values. Montana hunters and gun owners need a congressman who will stand up for them in Washington without being asked twice. Aaron Flint is that man. - Vince Backen, Libby