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: Unionized primary care providers issued a vote of no confidence against hospital management over operational decisions; leadership dismissed the move as a disruptive labor tactic.

Kalispell Shooting Arrest: Quinn Heath, 51, was booked on a felony charge of assault on a peace officer after an officer-involved shooting near Highway 93 North and Reserve Drive.

Dry Riverside Project Approved: A wildfire resilience plan near Hungry Horse Reservoir—covering 7,400 total acres of logging, prescribed burning, and pine restoration—was approved, with work set to begin in 2027.

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

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 over public privacy concerns, drawing backlash from downtown businesses.

Conviction Upheld: The state Supreme Court affirmed a life sentence for Jason Allen Miller, who severely injured a state trooper in 2023.

Court Data Breach: A vendor system breach exposed some Montana Supreme Court case files and personal data; affected individuals will get free credit monitoring.

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 visits, driven in part by the removal of vehicle reservations on Going-to-the-Sun Road.

Park Snowmobile Access: Officials are considering issuing winter snowmobile or plowing permits for private inholders along Lake McDonald and the North Fork, easing a 50-year ban.

Great Fish Community Challenge: Whitefish Community Foundation launched its month-long donation drive benefiting 89 local nonprofits, targeting over $8.1 million through September 11.

Stimson Conservation Easement: State officials approved a 20,629-acre easement, completing a 15-year effort to protect all 130,000 acres of Stimson timberland in Montana from development while keeping public access open.

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 misconduct. A Texas company withdrew a $16.9 million tax increment funding request for the Kalispell Center Mall. A 25-year-old Kalispell man was arrested for two school arsons. Jeffrey Serio was sentenced to 100 years for a fatal vehicle incident.

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 charges after a SWAT negotiation on Airport Road in Kalispell.

Short-Term Rental Surge: Flathead County led Montana in short-term rental spending ($207M in 2025), generating 1,644 jobs in Kalispell alone.

Airport Runway Done: Glacier Park International Airport finished replacing 30+ acres of runway pavement on schedule with minimal flight disruptions.

Kalispell Council Pay Raise: Council voted 5–2 to double mayor and council salaries over two years—their first pay increase in nearly 30 years.

Sliter Park Saved: The Community Foundation for a Better Bigfork took over the Sliter Park lease from PacifiCorp, saving the space for local summer events.

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