KOFI's Flathead Valley News Weekly

Bear Safety: Columbia Falls enacted an emergency ordinance requiring residents to secure garbage and food attractants due to high bear activity. Water Well Closed: One Columbia Falls municipal well was taken offline after testing found PFAS ("forever chemicals") above EPA limits; the rest of the city's water remains safe. Nurse Contract: Logan Health nurses ratified a new three-year...

The news this week in the Flathead Valley and surrounding areas!

Round Star Project Upheld: The Flathead National Forest reaffirmed approval for the 9,466-acre project near Whitefish following court-ordered environmental reviews. Kalispell Downtown Safety: The city accepted a $720,000 federal grant (matching $180,000 local funds) to add traffic circles, flashing beacons, and pedestrian head-start light timings to key intersections. Logan Health Labor Dispute: U...

Bear Attack Near Columbia Falls: A surprise defensive attack by a female grizzly with a cub left a woman injured; officials closed the trail and will not hunt the bear. School Bond Vote: Columbia Falls residents vote September 9 on a revised $75.9M high school remodel bond following a failed $84.4M levy in 2025. License Reader Cut: Kalispell City Council dropped $70,000 for license plate readers o...

Blackfeet Community College: Forgave $1.17 million in student debt across 700 accounts using funds from an $8 million donation by MacKenzie Scott. Columbia Falls: Hired 32-year legal veteran Jean Lesowski as its first full-time, in-house city attorney following the retirement of its long-time contract counsel. Glacier National Park: July visitation jumped 17% over last year to nearly 900,000 visit...

Enjoy the News of the week from the Flathead Valley and Beyond!  

The KOFI News Team covered several key stories in Northwest Montana. A Columbia Falls man, Sean Stephen Fowsky, faces new sexual assault charges. Columbia Falls' resort tax revenue dipped slightly to $1.549 million, with a $407,500 property tax rebate. A Yellowstone County judge rejected a data center ban initiative. A Kalispell bail bondsman, Lane Kendall Callahan, was suspended for miscondu...

Billings 911 Drone Program: Billings is exploring using automated drones to reach 911 scenes in under two minutes, saving time, fuel, and reducing unnecessary dispatches. Fatal Kalispell Fire: 76-year-old Stephen Adam Gekowski died in a July 29 commercial building fire on Second Street West. The building is a total loss. SWAT Standoff: 43-year-old Brian Widner was arrested on felony intimidation c...

News Stories From Across NW MT From Your Award Winning KOFI News Team!

Whitefish Developments: Habitat for Humanity Flathead Valley broke ground on two affordable townhomes in Whitefish as part of a 100-home initiative, while construction also began on a local 9/11 memorial featuring World Trade Center steel beams. Infrastructure & Governance: Battle Ridge Builders was awarded a $4.7 million contract to construct a new Libby Creek bridge to replace one destroyed...

News Stories From Across NW MT From Your Award Winning KOFI News Team!

Top news stories from across NW Montana from your award winning KOFI News Team!

Airport Zoning Delayed: The Flathead County Planning Board delayed a vote on development restrictions for 30,000 acres around Glacier Park International Airport until July 8 due to confusing language. Affordable Housing Faces Hurdles: A proposed 95-home development in Kalispell (including 30 Habitat for Humanity homes) is moving to a July 14 hearing, but faces structural challenges because the sit...

30-Year-Old Homicide Cold Case Solved: Nikki Dean Gardner (69) faces two counts of deliberate homicide for the 1990 deaths of two elderly nursing home patients at Missoula's Riverside Health and Rehabilitation. Initially ruled non-suspicious, the cases were reopened after a 2025 DNA match linked him to the crimes. Missoula Crime Spree Investigation: Police are investigating a series of potent...

Two recent water-related deaths: a 72-year-old woman in Flathead Lake near Bigfork and a 48-year-old man in the Flathead River near Polson. New Falls Creek conservation deal near Troy: 160 acres added to Kootenai National Forest, protecting grizzly habitat and securing public access around Savage Lake and into the Cabinet Mountains wilderness. Judge Dan Wilson denies acquittal and new trial for Ke...

Flathead Lake Water Levels: Recent rain and snowmelt have brought the lake within a foot of its full pool capacity, with the CSKT regulating levels at the dam. Campground Improvements: The Flathead National Forest finalized upgrade plans for the Lindbergh Lake Campground, with construction starting as early as this fall. Piper Creek Project: The U.S. Forest Service is seeking public comment on a t...

KOFI Flathead News Weekly: May 22, 2026 This week’s roundup covers the biggest headlines shaping Northwest Montana, from major infrastructure projects to shifting local demographics. In this episode: Columbia Falls School Bond: A look ahead to September's upcoming $75.9 million bond election aimed at remodeling Columbia Falls High School. Slowing Growth Trends: New U.S. Census Bureau data rev...

This week's Flathead News Weekly report from the KOFI News Team covers the following major stories: Top Stories Coach Suspended: Glacier High football coach Grady Bennett was given a two-game suspension and the school was fined $100 for recruiting violations involving Bigfork High. Water Rights Settlement: The Montana Water Court approved the CSKT Water Compact, settling long-standing water r...

This week’s Flathead News Weekly report from the KOFI News Team features the following headlines: Top Stories Property Tax Rebates: Governor Greg Gianforte announced that Montana homeowners can now apply for property tax rebates of up to $675 through the Department of Revenue website. Dam Rehabilitation: The Bureau of Reclamation has begun a multi-year project to rehabilitate the Gibson Dam near A...

KOFI News Team reports the top stories for this week from across Northwest Montana.

Northwest Montana's top news stories as presented by the KOFI News Team.

This week's top news stories from the KOFI news team