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Bigfork Eagle

publisher · 565 followers

Echo Lake resident sues county over kayak tour decision

A property owner along Echo Lake is suing the Flathead County Board of Adjustment over its decision to approve a conditional use permit for a business that offers kayak tours from a private residence on Peterson Lake. Rowland and Jaimie Day, who own property along Echo Bay Trail, allege in the lawsuit that the permit approval will lead to more traffic on the narrow private road, increased vehicle conflicts, trespassing, noise and "interference with the use and enjoyment of their property." The lawsuit argues that the board's approval of the permit is illegal because the application failed to address concerns brought forth by other agencies and the public. Rocky Mountain Glass Kayaks offers guided sunset tours in LED-illuminated kayaks and operates tours throughout the Flathead Valley, including on Whitefish River and in Somers Bay. The company has guided kayakers through the string of lakes that includes Echo Lake, Peterson Lake and Abbott Lake since 2025, although it only applied for a conditional use permit this year. Property owner Maray Brinhurst previously told the county that the tour company received no complaints until the county sent letters to the adjoining property owners. In August, the Board of Adjustment voted unanimously to

Flathead County, MT · 2d

Whitefish Pilot

publisher · 1.1K followers

Whitefish Skijoring moves to county fairgrounds

Whitefish Skijoring is gearing up for its 20th anniversary celebration, take two, scheduled for Jan. 30–31, 2027 at its new home at the Flathead County Fairgrounds in Kalispell. The popular winter event brings together horses, riders, and skiers for two days of fast-paced competition. Teams race through a snow-covered course, navigating jumps and obstacles in a unique combination of horsemanship and ski racing. The move to the Flathead County Fairgrounds offers a new setting for the event, with covered grandstand seating overlooking the course, additional parking, food trucks, and a bar conveniently located near the spectator area. Whitefish Skijoring is a nonprofit, volunteer-run organization that relies on the generosity and dedication of local businesses, sponsors, volunteers, competitors, and supporters to bring this unique winter event to the Flathead Valley each year. The event's roots go back to the first renditions of the Whitefish Winter Carnival, when skijoring took place on Central Avenue in downtown Whitefish. The event later moved to the Mountain Trails Saddle Club on Wisconsin Avenue, where Stumptown Ice Den now stands, until it was discontinued in the 1970s. In 2003, skijoring returned. The original 20th anniversary of the event, per its 2003 revival, was planned for Feb.

Whitefish, MT · 2d

Whitefish Pilot

publisher · 1.1K followers

Stella Hobbs has dream race to end cycling series season

Local cyclist Stella Hobbs crushed the Elite Women's Big Sugar Gravel race in Arkansas on Oct. 17, riding alone in the lead for the last 15 miles and finishing almost 2 minutes ahead of her nearest competitor. It was the kind of race many athletes dream of. The Life Time Grand Prix is a multi-discipline race series that attracts riders from around the world. It comprises six races, each with different terrain, equipment and distances. The shortest race is about 40 miles and the longest is around 200. Races are completed with either gravel bikes or mountain bikes. "The multi-disciplinary series is just such a cool way to diversify the training and diversify the racing," she said. "It puts all the athletes in this kind of really cool humble place of always having to rise to the occasion and it being different most of the time." Big Sugar is a gravel race of about 101 miles with 6,400 feet of elevation gain. Not only did Hobbs win the race, she did it in a dominating fashion, pulling away from the field with 15 miles to ride. No one reeled her in. No one came close as she crossed the finish

Whitefish, MT · 2d
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BroBible

publisher · 120.3K followers

Montana High School Football Teams Must Drive 1,000+ Miles In 18 Hours For Second-Round Playoff Game

The high school football playoffs are underway in the state of Montana. A second-round matchup between Sidney and Columbia Falls will require the visitors to travel more than 1,000 miles in less than 24 hours. It is not even the longest drive of the 2026 postseason! Because Montana is such a big state with such […] The post Montana High School Football Teams Must Drive 1,000+ Miles In 18 Hours For Second-Round Playoff Game appeared first on BroBible.

Montana · 22h
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Bigfork Eagle

publisher · 565 followers

Longtime Lakeside QRU volunteer retires after 45 years

In January of 1981, Mary Granger was among 15 Lakeside community members gathered at the schoolhouse to take part in an American Red Cross Advanced First Aid course. Granger was 31 and an elementary school teacher with no medical background, but she was eager to help her neighbors in need. This was the beginning of the Lakeside Quick Response Unit, an organization formed by a group of Lakeside locals who realized there was an unmet need in their community. Granger, buoyed by the excitement the group carried, joined on something of a lark. She had no idea that the organization would come to define the next four decades of her life, or the impact she would have on emergency medical services in the Flathead Valley. Now, after a 45-year career as a volunteer, witnessing every major milestone of the organization, Granger is retiring from the Lakeside Quick Response Unit. The group is holding a retirement party this weekend to honor the contributions Granger has made to the community. It will take place on Sunday, Nov. 15, from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Lakeside QRU building located at 201 Bills Road. "It was a very scary thing," Granger said of

Lakeside, MT · 2d

Flathead Beacon

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Billings Clinic–Logan Health Looks to the Sky for a New Name

Billings Clinic–Logan Health, the state’s largest hospital organization, is rebranding under a simpler name: One Sky Health. While the name nods to Montana’s moniker as Big Sky Country, it is designed to represent the unification of the two health care systems and the states they cover. The...

Kalispell, MT · 2d

NBCMontana

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Local veteran finds community after military service

SOMERS, Mont. — For many veterans, the challenges don’t end when they return stateside. An Army veteran in Somers shared his experience coming home and the importance of finding a supportive community. Gordon Sharbono served in the United States Army from 1968 to 1970, spending his time stationed...

Somers, MT · 1d

NBCMontana

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After 84 years, Montana WWII soldier Ingwell Bartleson finally comes home

KALISPELL, Mont. — After more than eight decades away, a Montana soldier who survived the Bataan Death March and died as a Japanese prisoner of war during World War II has finally returned home. On Veterans Day, family members, veterans, and community members gathered in Kalispell to honor U.S....

Kalispell, MT · 1d

Whitefish Pilot

publisher · 1.1K followers

Local pet care company expands across Montana

Happy Tails 406, a locally owned pet-care company, has seen exponential growth since Veronica Clarno started it five years ago. Clarno started Happy Tails 406 in hopes of offering a personal and trustworthy approach to pet care in the valley. “I just wanted to do something big for my community and I saw the lack of pet services,” Clarno said. Her main goal in starting the business was to be able to provide trustworthy, reliable services to the community, she said. Clarno admits the early days of the business were tough. She spent a lot of time finding a way to market that worked specifically for her and the company. She has since hired five additional staff members to help provide pet care services throughout the Flathead Valley. Happy Tails 406 offers a variety of at-home services for dogs and cats such as check-ins, administration of medication, walking and feeding. They also offer pet taxis to transport animals, as well as overnight care. Even though the Happy Tails 406 team has grown, Clarno is proud to continue working daily with the animals. Clients use a pet portal to easily schedule services and check in on their animals. “The ability for

Montana · 2d

NBCMontana

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Forest Service seeks public input on Skillet Fire salvage project near Olney

KALISPELL — The U.S. Forest Service is seeking public input on a proposed salvage project in the Skillet Fire area near Olney. The proposal would harvest dead and dying trees on up to 1,550 acres within the fire footprint. The Forest Service says the project could help reestablish forested...

Olney, MT · 2d

Whitefish Pilot

publisher · 1.1K followers

Logging projects moving more quickly under new federal forest policy

Flathead National Forest announced the Big Mountain Fuels Reduction Project on Feb. 20. A mere two months later, machinery was rolling, and timber was being harvested from the slopes at Whitefish Mountain Resort. Now, the project is nearly wrapped up as snow starts to fall ahead of ski season. A two-week public comment period was provided ahead of the 200-acre project, intended to protect the ski resort's infrastructure from wildfire risk. Deemed by forest officials to not have significant environmental effects and seen as addressing a high-risk area, the project was categorically exempt and authorized as an emergency. It represents just one of many local timber projects that are moving forward more quicky and with a narrower opportunity for public scrutiny following policy changes at the federal level. Locally, foresters say the new rules are generally proving to be more efficient, while conservationists express concern over environmental effects and a rushed public participation process. In March 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the immediate expansion of timber production in national forests. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins followed the order with an April 2025 memorandum declaring a wildfire emergency across 59% of national forest land. Emergency authorizations were

Whitefish, MT · 2d

NBCMontana

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FVCC renames two campus buildings to honor donor, longtime president

How much did Broussard donate for Trades Institute expansion?. How many major construction projects did Karas oversee at FVCC?. The Flathead Valley Community College Board of Trustees has approved renaming two campus buildings to honor a major donor and the college's longtime president. The FVCC Trades Institute will become the...

Kalispell, MT · 1d

relix

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Zach Bryan, Kacey Musgraves, Nathaniel Rateliff, Brandon Flowers, The Wallflowers, Dawes, The Devil Makes, Infamous Stringdusters and More Confirmed for Under The Big Sky

Zach Bryan, Kacey Musgraves and Nathaniel Rateliff are among the acts slated to headline Under The Big Sky. The three-day festival will return to Whitefish, Montana’s Big Mountain Ranch from July 16-19. Taking place on the 350-plus-acre Big Mountain Ranch, the event will also boast a full rough stock rodeo, a rarity for a live music gathering of this type. Other confirmed acts include: Sam Barber, Brandon Flowers, Midland, Buffalo Traffic Jam, Paul Cauthen. The Dead South, The Wallflowers, Dawes, The Devil Makes Three, Evan Honer, Jonah Kagen, The Infamous Stringdusters, Futurebirds, Josiah and the Bonnevilles, Wade Forster, Laci Kaye Booth, Allah-Las, The White Buffalo, Lily Fitts, Chaparelle, Big Richard, Hogslop String Band, Two Runner, Jess Williamson, Shelby Stone, Badger Hound, Branlin Shockey, Cash Muretta, Cascadel, Chloe Gendrow, Denim Gold, Joe Martinez, Nicole Croteau, Radio Ranch, Sterling Drake, Tim Helnore Band and Tomara.

Whitefish, MT · 3d

Flathead Beacon

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For 50 Years, RMO Has Carved a Cultural Niche in the Flathead Valley

In 1976, after a young Don Scharfe was kicked out of the University of Montana for his lack of participation and after he worked for the U.S. Forest Service clearing Idaho’s trails, he showed up in downtown Kalispell with a $7,000 loan from his parents. He sold his truck and put a down payment on the 3,000-square-foot shop at 135 Main Street that had been housing Eagle Shoe Store since the building was erected at the turn of the 20th century.

Kalispell, MT · 2d

NBCMontana

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Valley fog this morning, mild temperatures through the weekend

Areas of fog and low clouds are developing across western Montana this morning, including around Missoula and Kalispell. Some locations could experience reduced visibility during the morning commute before conditions gradually improve. A powerful Pacific storm system will move south along the West Coast Friday, bringing breezy south to southwest...

Missoula, MT · 1d

Hungry Horse News

publisher · 1.3K followers

Columbia Falls Ladies Night is coming up next week

Columbia Falls Ladies Night 2026 is Tuesday, Nov. 17 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. in downtown. This event is an evening of cocktails, food, fun, music, sales, shopping and raffle giveaways of almost $10,000 combined with 110 participating businesses. Dress for the weather, you won’t want to miss this once a year event. Last year thousands came out to shop and walk around downtown Columbia Falls. Stop and visit each participating business and get one raffle ticket at each business. Earn extra raffle tickets when you bring all your receipts (digital or print) from the evening to the cashier’s booth located at the Monaco on Nucleus. This year will also feature a Gold Ticket Drawing and Photo Booth Poker Run. So now is the time to purchase any holiday gift items, gift cards, or book a service to earn extra raffle tickets for the drawings. Plan an evening with your co-workers, family, friends or favorite gal pals. Free shuttle service along the route with public parking at the Nite Owl/Back Room or the north end of Nucleus Avenue open lot on the east side.

Columbia Falls, MT · 2d