Ciccone to offer sushi with a twist

Mutated sushi — that was the kick driving Frank Ciccone’s inspiration some years ago for his Kaiju Sushi and Spirits in Coeur d'Alene.
THE WESTERN NEWS | UPDATED 2 YEARS, 12 MONTHS AGO

Data flag Lincoln County sinks in school lead exposures

Nearly half of all classroom sinks tested in Lincoln County schools require action to remove unsafe levels of lead in drinking water, according to the Department of Environmental Quality.
DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 3 YEARS AGO

Cannabis regs move forward in Troy

Troy officials are drafting local regulations to allow at least one recreational cannabis shop in town.
THE WESTERN NEWS | UPDATED 3 YEARS AGO

Data flag classroom sinks in school lead exposures

Nearly half of all classroom sinks tested in Lincoln County schools require action to remove unsafe levels of lead in drinking water, according to the Department of Environmental Quality.
THE WESTERN NEWS | UPDATED 3 YEARS AGO

Pine beetles, Western larch losses a concern

Pine beetle infestations appear to be picking up in Ponderosa stands north of the Kootenai River.
THE WESTERN NEWS | UPDATED 3 YEARS AGO

Forest Service looks to acquire 200 acres near Savage Lake in Lincoln County

U.S. Forest Service officials look to tap the Land and Water Conservation Fund to acquire roughly 200 now-private acres adjoining Savage Lake and Cabinet Mountains Wilderness.
DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 3 YEARS AGO

USFS looks to add 200 private acres, public Falls Creek Falls access

Kootenai National Forest officials look to tap the Land and Water Conservation Fund to acquire about 200 now-private acres adjoining Savage Lake and Cabinet Mountains Wilderness.
THE WESTERN NEWS | UPDATED 3 YEARS AGO

Kootenai Muzzleloaders host Rock River Rendezvous

The three-day spring Rock River Rendezvous kicked off Friday at Fawn Creek Campground near Libby.
THE WESTERN NEWS | UPDATED 3 YEARS AGO

Libby stays water hookups at Cabinet Heights

Landowners looking to tap municipal water in the budding Cabinet Heights area will have to wait until the city main is replaced there to allow more flow to the housing development.
THE WESTERN NEWS | UPDATED 3 YEARS AGO

Teck appears in Libby, fights back on troubling fish data

Key fish data prove invalid in flagging higher-than-allowed levels of selenium at Lake Koocanusa, representatives of Canadian coal miner Teck said last week at a meeting with Lincoln County Commissioners in Libby.
DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 3 YEARS AGO

Teck appears in Libby, fights back on troubling fish data

Canada’s premier steelmaking-coal miner says fish tissue flagging dangerous doses of an otherwise trace mineral remain bloated downstream in Northwestern Montana and beyond.
THE WESTERN NEWS | UPDATED 3 YEARS AGO

Tommy Martin makes three rounds in state spelling bee

Libby seventh-grader Tommy Martin advanced this year through three rounds of Montana’s Treasure State Spelling Bee.
THE WESTERN NEWS | UPDATED 3 YEARS AGO

Spring turkey hunting draws near, bird numbers appear strong

Montana’s spring hunt for nonnative wild turkey starts five days later this season.
THE WESTERN NEWS | UPDATED 3 YEARS AGO

Forums set for city growth plan

Meetings are set in May for residents to comment on a master plan for Libby growth.
THE WESTERN NEWS | UPDATED 3 YEARS AGO

Dispensaries secure initial approval for locales in Libby commercial districts

The Libby Zoning Commission voiced unanimous initial approval this week to allow cannabis dispensaries within the city's downtown and highway commercial districts.
THE WESTERN NEWS | UPDATED 3 YEARS AGO

Judge demands $300K to remove Flathead Lake’s ‘bridge to nowhere’

A Flathead County district judge has ordered that $300,000 be paid by early April to demo the tempestuous bridge to vacant Dockstader Island on the northern shore of Flathead Lake.
BIGFORK EAGLE | UPDATED 3 YEARS AGO

Spring turkey hunting draws near, bird numbers appear strong

Montana’s spring hunt for nonnative wild turkey starts five days later this season.
DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 3 YEARS AGO

Ingelfinger returns to career roots as Kalispell area wildlife biologist

Franz Ingelfinger transitioned last month from restoration ecologist to Kalispell's area wildlife biologist.
DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 3 YEARS AGO

High court affirms lower ruling on water-bottler dispute

A bottler of Flathead Valley artesian water will at least get to keep its grandfathered-in status within an expanded agricultural district near Creston — losing a host of recent cross-appeals.
DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 3 YEARS AGO

Judge demands $300K to remove Flathead Lake’s ‘bridge to nowhere’

Flathead County District Judge Robert Allison has ordered that $300,000 be paid by early April to demo the tempestuous bridge to vacant Dockstader Island on the northern shore of Flathead Lake.
DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 3 YEARS AGO

State seeks applicants for group on Church Slough wakes

Applicants with an open mind are sought for a new group to help pin down a formal ruling on boat wakes at Church Slough, state officials said Monday.
BIGFORK EAGLE | UPDATED 3 YEARS AGO

State seeks applicants for group on Church Slough wakes

Applicants with an open mind are sought for a new group to help pin down a formal ruling on boat wakes at Church Slough, state officials said Monday.
DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 3 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

PSC’s open District 5 seat draws varied crowd

One of Montana’s smallest agencies offers one of its biggest election bouts this year following recent legislative audit scrutiny.
DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 3 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Recent data spell trouble for Koocanusa fish

If recent data from peamouth chub and other fish hold valid insight — and at least, biologists in Montana believe they do — selenium levels at Lake Koocanusa reach as high as 250% of what’s allowed in Montana waters.
DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 3 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Bukacek files for local PSC seat

Dr. Ann Bukacek seeks a seat on Montana’s Public Service Commission.
DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 3 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Wild pig reports on the rise in Montana

Feral swine appear to be rooting up in Montana — and invasive species officials say they will be ramping up Big Sky’s “Squeal on Pigs!” campaign in the Flathead Valley and surrounding area.
VALLEY PRESS-MINERAL INDEPENDENT | UPDATED 3 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Mountain lions likely trimmed island sheep herd to lowest number in decades

Three now-dead cougars that found their way onto Flathead Lake’s Wild Horse Island handily hunted down its bighorn sheep herd to as few as 35 of the prized Rocky Mountain ungulates.
VALLEY PRESS-MINERAL INDEPENDENT | UPDATED 3 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Northwest Montana snowpack holds steady

With its northwestern river basins still making par for snowpack by the start of March, natural resource officials say last month overall proved “disappointingly dry” elsewhere for Montana.
VALLEY PRESS-MINERAL INDEPENDENT | UPDATED 3 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Sanders County poacher still wanted on bear-baiting charges

Montana wildlife officials say a man who writes a muzzleloader hunting blog remains wanted on several Sanders County warrants for allegedly killing a third black bear over bait in the state.
VALLEY PRESS-MINERAL INDEPENDENT | UPDATED 3 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

4 from Flathead vie for western U.S. House seat

With just Monday remaining for candidates to file, four from Flathead County have so far entered a now brimming race for western Montana’s U.S. House District 1 seat.
DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 3 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Wild pig reports on the rise in Montana

Feral swine appear to be rooting up in Montana — and invasive species officials say they will be ramping up Big Sky’s “Squeal on Pigs!” campaign in the Flathead Valley and surrounding area.
DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 3 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Sanders County poacher still wanted on bear-baiting charges

Montana wildlife officials say a man who writes a muzzleloader hunting blog remains wanted on several Sanders County warrants for allegedly killing a third black bear over bait in the state.
DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 3 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Mountain lions likely trimmed island sheep herd to lowest number in decades

The three mountain lions recently killed on Wild Horse Island had unfettered access to a herd of bighorn sheep that has produced some of the biggest rams in the world.
DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 3 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Local snowpack holds steady despite dry February

With its northwestern river basins still making par for snowpack by the start of March, natural resource officials say last month overall proved “disappointingly dry” elsewhere for Montana.
WHITEFISH PILOT | UPDATED 3 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

State doubles funding for Somers Beach project

The cost increase covers initial development of the new state park, including basic items like a parking lot, signage, bathrooms and trash receptacles.
DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 3 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Local snowpack holds steady despite dry February

With its northwestern river basins still making par for snowpack by the start of March, natural resource officials say last month overall proved “disappointingly dry” elsewhere for Montana.
DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 3 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Conservation study sights recreational boating on Flathead River

The Flathead Conservation District hopes to start an erosion study this year centered on recreational boating on the lower Flathead.
DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 3 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Mountain lions killed on Wild Horse Island to protect bighorn sheep

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks and the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes collaborated to kill three adult mountain lions on Wild Horse Island over the past two months.
DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 3 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

MOCK: Flathead River erosion study

0304-flathead-erosion
DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 3 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

State park board reviews land deals, archery range options

State parks officials are looking for more money to develop the state's newly acquired Somers Beach, among other proposals in the Flathead.
DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 3 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Wildlife officials survey for snapping turtles, bullfrogs

A state invasive species partnership is taking a deeper look at snapping turtles and bullfrogs in Northwest Montana.
DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 3 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

CSKT increases recreation fees, closes areas for tribal use only

Skyward recreation pressures have helped spawn a hike in camping and use fees — and a handful of public closures — on Confederated Salish and Kootenai tribal lands.
VALLEY PRESS-MINERAL INDEPENDENT | UPDATED 3 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Smithsonian researcher finds new midge species, rare mosquito larvae from the Flathead

Known for his blood-engorged mosquito finds, a Smithsonian researcher has helped discover several new ancient midge species and a rare fossil of a mosquito larvae.
DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 3 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Teck opens third B.C. water treatment plant

Teck Resources Ltd. says the Canadian coal company has made a third water treatment facility operational in the Elk Valley of British Columbia.
DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 3 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

CSKT increases recreation fees, closes areas for tribal use only

Skyward recreation pressures have helped spawn a hike in camping and use fees — and a handful of public closures — on Confederated Salish and Kootenai tribal lands.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 3 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

CSKT increases recreation fees, closes areas for tribal use only

The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes have hiked camping and conservation fees to help preserve tribal lands and activities, as well as bring in additional game wardens and outdoor recreation staff.
DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 3 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Snail discovery prompts warning about illegal dumping of aquariums

State wildlife officials believe aquarium dumping released a nonnative snail to Flathead Lake.
DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 3 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Beetle picked to battle Flathead’s flowering rush invasion

A statewide invasive weed group is planning to release a European-born weevil in and near Flathead Lake to battle flowering rush.
DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 3 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Daines, Tester support ‘good samaritan’ mine cleanups

With names like “One Dead Digger, “Hog Heaven” and “Blue Moon Pit,” at least 600 abandoned or inactive mine sites pepper Flathead, Lake, Sanders and Lincoln counties, according to Montana’s Bureau of Mines and Geology.
DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 3 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

New elk regs affect Region 1 hunters

Elk hunters sighting the northwestern reaches of Montana already tagged a brute ahead of the 2022 and 2023 seasons.
VALLEY PRESS-MINERAL INDEPENDENT | UPDATED 3 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

State plan aims to reduce haze on federal land

The Department of Environmental Quality is now accepting public comment on a new statewide plan to reduce haze through 2028.
DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 3 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Senate bill looks to alleviate park crowding, gateway stresses

A congressional bill sponsored by Montana Sen. Steve Daines aims to bolster so-called gateway communities overrun with burgeoning tourism at federal lands by tapping federal coffers to address local housing, infrastructure and other visitation woes.
DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 3 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Whitefish Range among regional wildfire mitigation efforts recently OK’d for more than $2M

Last July, lighting struck a remote stretch of wilderness in the mountains north of Ovando. The resulting brush and timber fire, the most recent major Northwest Montana wildfire, then scorched some 3,700 acres of Flathead and Lolo national forest over roughly three months until heavy snows finally doused the last …
WHITEFISH PILOT | UPDATED 3 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

State trapping-education workgroup meets Friday

The six-member panel charged with developing Montana's new trapping education requirement will meet Friday in Polson.
DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 3 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Farm roots, life outdoors helped groom Amy Pearson For Yaak Valley leadership

Amy Pearson has been tapped to lead the Yaak Valley Forest Council
DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 3 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Regional wildfire mitigation efforts OK'd for more than $2M

Efforts to mitigate wildland fires in Northwest Montana will be getting a $2 million shot in the arm.
DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 3 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Few but weighty new elk regs affect Region 1

Elk hunters sighting the northwestern reaches of Montana already tagged a brute ahead of the 2022 and 2023 seasons.
DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 3 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

State commission opts for citizen group on Church Slough wakes

The state Fish and Wildlife Commission on Friday stalled its vote on a proposed yearlong wake ban for Church Slough in favor of developing a citizen’s group to suss out a solution.
DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 3 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Commission to review Church Slough no-wake petition

Fish, Wildlife and Parks officials say boating speeds at Church Slough on the Flathead River just north of Flathead Lake remain a “social issue” of no great further impact to wildlife or resources in the area.
DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 3 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Comments taken on easement for 114,000 acres of timberland

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks officials want feedback on a proposed conservation easement to protect nearly 114,000 acres of timberland near the Thompson Chain of Lakes.
DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 3 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Regional snowpack nearing, exceeding normal levels

Bouts of heavy snowfall through Tuesday helped still-lagging mountain snowpack in the region draw nearer to normal.
DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 3 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Wolf hunting and trapping down despite added opportunities

Following years of record regional harvests, hunters and trappers in the northwestern corner of the state have so far achieved less than a third of total state-sanctioned wolf kills for the season.
VALLEY PRESS-MINERAL INDEPENDENT | UPDATED 3 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Wolf hunting and trapping down despite added opportunities

Following years of record regional harvests, hunters and trappers in the northwestern corner of the state have so far achieved less than a third of total state-sanctioned wolf kills for the season.
DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 3 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Library trustees approve contract for new director

The Board of Trustees for ImagineIF Libraries approved on Thursday a contract to hire its new system director, also hearing of another executive resignation and yet another blow to system funding.
DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 3 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Library trustees to review proposed director’s contract

The Board of Trustees for ImagineIF Libraries is expected Thursday to review a proposed contract for its new director that offers up to $10,000 in relocation costs.
DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 3 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Commission tables septic waste, biosolids facilities for further review

The Flathead County Commission hit pause Tuesday on a proposed contract to plan for and design a regional septic waste plant and biosolids composting facility.
DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 3 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Water rights board faces urgent task list

A new water management board for the Flathead Reservation faces a hefty punch list of to-dos ahead of registering scores of pre-existing water rights now under its purview.
VALLEY PRESS-MINERAL INDEPENDENT | UPDATED 3 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Commission tables septic facilities for further review

The Flathead County Commission hit pause Tuesday on a proposed contract to plan for and design a regional septic waste plant and biosolids composting facility.
DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 3 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Commission to review contract for septic waste, biosolids facilities

Flathead County commissioners will review on Tuesday a proposed design contract to select sites and plan a new regional septic waste plant and biosolids composting facility.
DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 3 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Water rights board faces urgent task list

The Flathead Reservation Water Management Board held its inaugural meeting this past week.
DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 3 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

High court closes oral arguments on water-bottler case

The Montana Supreme Court opened oral arguments Wednesday on an appeal challenging an exemption for Montana Artesian to operate within a voter-approved expansion of the Egan Slough Zoning District near Creston.
DAILY INTER-LAKE | UPDATED 3 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO